D.I.Y.

Aliantha · 11-14-2006, 09:49 PM

Last weekend, I brought home and installed a rainwater tank at my home. I cut into the downpipe and ran it over to the inlet of the tank then connected the overflow back into the stormwater drain.

We have now just had our first storm sinced I installed it and the plumbing held up and we have water in our tank now.

I'm really proud of the job I've done and it gives me great satisfaction to know that I can accomplish things like this without needing to rely on anyone else.

Tell us about a D.I.Y. you've done that you're proud of.

zippyt · 11-14-2006, 10:33 PM

Cool , good job !!!
Question , do you have any kind of water filter ??
Pics ???

Aliantha · 11-14-2006, 11:04 PM

Nope, no filter. It's not for drinking at this stage. Just watering the garden. I'll see if I can take a pic tomorrow.

Hoof Hearted · 11-15-2006, 08:33 PM

Speaking of DIY...I have to tell you what I did a few weeks ago. (So proud!)

I had a Dr appt (routine booby smash) in the early afternoon of a Wednesday. I had also agreed to check on the neighbor's dog at their home at lunchtime before I left for said appt. The dog ate part of a plastic water bottle the Friday before, and was having slight trouble getting everything to come out okay. Owners couldn't stay home more days with her, she was feeling better and getting more active, but they just wanted me to check on her in the middle of their work-day. A friend called early/mid-morning and had run out of gas a few miles from our home and asked me to run him some gas up from our gas can.

I started the 78 (what I call the 'vette) to warm up, changed clothes and found the gas can down at the shed with the mower. When I carried it to the passenger side of the 78...I smelled sweet syrup and saw water under the engine bay! Shut 78 down and popped the hood. It looked like a heater hose had let go, because that is where the water was pooled, under the passenger side of the engine bay.

Had to call the friend and tell him I couldn't make it with the gas can. Luckily as I was speaking with him, another motorist pulled over to assist him. I called Hubby at work, but he was in a meeting and would be told to call back when finished. Hubby works less than a mile from our home. I checked the 78 again, and from the driver side I saw water pooled on the manifold and when I grabbed the upper hose I saw more water come out. I called the auto store and they had an upper hose for my application and would hold it for me.

BUT, when I went out a little later to show my sis-in-law (before Hubby called back, I was waiting to go to the parts store until he called) I looked at it from the passenger side...and when I grabbed the upper hose to show her where I thought the hose had split...I saw the water was coming from the water neck at the top of the manifold and spraying a stream into the fan area! This is why it pooled under the heater hoses, the fan blew it there.

Hubby called back and said it needed an o-ring and he'd have to fix it after he got home from work and I'd have to reschedule The Smash. Well, it took me WEEKS to get that appt and I wasn't going to wait until I'd gained even MORE weight (steroids) and had even MORE to smash!

I searched for the tools (a wrench and a flat screwdriver) and removed the neck myself! I didn't realize how much water would come out of the upper hose and spilled everywhere...but I layed paper towels around the manifold area to sop up and hosed the spill on the concrete into the drain (so no critters could drink it) while I took the neck to Hubby at work with our truck.

...and before you ask... No, I could NOT take the truck to my appt. I have to drive the 78 everywhere. Isn't that what being a good Corvette owner is all about?

Hubby and I looked through the o-ring parts bin at his work and found the correct size and I returned home to replace it.

I got back home, placed the neck and new o-ring on the air cleaner and ran across the yards to check the neighbor's dog...who was fine...and called them at work to let them know she was okay. When I came back across the yards I saw a man leaning over my engine and I was just pulling in a breath to give this stranger what-for (we recently had a man walk into our garage and steal our weedeater while we were home) and recognized Hubby. I didn't see the Jeep parked behind the truck. He had come home to install it for me. He was concerned I might 'drop' the o-ring and not get it seated properly. I'll tell you, I was concerned too, but I still think I could have done it.

Hubby was impressed with my initiative in removing the part. I was most upset that he now knows I know how to do things with his tools. Dammit.

Aliantha · 11-15-2006, 08:38 PM

That sounds like girl power to me! Good work Hoof!

In my experience, it's almost always simpler to do these types of things that we might think. Just goes to show how much easier 'man stuff' is than 'girl stuff'.

zippyt · 11-15-2006, 09:09 PM

Just goes to show how much easier 'man stuff' is than 'girl stuff'.

My wife cusses and generly breaks a lite bulb trying to change it , I cuss and throw the bills when trying to figuer them out , we work well togather !!!

Aliantha · 11-15-2006, 11:12 PM

OK....here's my handywork. I couldn't get a great angle on the photography, but you get the picture anyway. Besides, it works!

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glatt · 11-15-2006, 11:15 PM

Nice! It looks big and heavy. You wrestled that into place? Impressive.

Aliantha · 11-15-2006, 11:20 PM

It's only 5000L which is just over 1000 gallons, and it's made of polyethylene which is relatively light.

I admit it was a bit of a struggle, but not impossible.

I think it helped that I was majorly pissed off with my husband at the time, so the physical excercise was good.

zippyt · 11-15-2006, 11:26 PM

I think it helped that I was majorly pissed off with my husband at the time, so the physical excercise was good.

There ya go , channel that pissedoffness into something constructive , I do that at work Chucking 50lb weights ( I am a Scale tech ) , I have to tell folks " Move , just PLEASE MOVE !!!"

Aliantha · 11-15-2006, 11:54 PM

lol...well you can tell that I'm normally fairly calm because I'm definitely not super fit.

DucksNuts · 11-16-2006, 04:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zippyt

There ya go , channel that pissedoffness into something constructive , I do that at work Chucking 50lb weights ( I am a Scale tech ) , I have to tell folks " Move , just PLEASE MOVE !!!"

You say please when your pissedoff??

xoxoxoBruce · 11-17-2006, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoof Hearted

...I saw the water was coming from the water neck at the top of the manifold and spraying a stream into the fan area!

Chrome, aftermarket, thermostat housing?

Elspode · 11-17-2006, 07:57 AM

How tall is that rainbarrel, Ali? At 1k liters, it must be as tall as you are at least!

Hoof Hearted · 11-17-2006, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Chrome, aftermarket, thermostat housing?

Yuppers. I didn't pick it out, Hubby did. He is like a crow with shiny things. I just want things to work and last.

11-14-2006, 09:49 PM	#1
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	D.I.Y. Last weekend, I brought home and installed a rainwater tank at my home. I cut into the downpipe and ran it over to the inlet of the tank then connected the overflow back into the stormwater drain. We have now just had our first storm sinced I installed it and the plumbing held up and we have water in our tank now. I'm really proud of the job I've done and it gives me great satisfaction to know that I can accomplish things like this without needing to rely on anyone else. Tell us about a D.I.Y. you've done that you're proud of. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

11-14-2006, 10:33 PM	#2
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	Cool , good job !!! Question , do you have any kind of water filter ?? Pics ??? __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

11-14-2006, 11:04 PM	#3
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	Nope, no filter. It's not for drinking at this stage. Just watering the garden. I'll see if I can take a pic tomorrow. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

11-15-2006, 08:33 PM	#4
Hoof Hearted ...you smell something? Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Monroe, GA Posts: 420	Speaking of DIY...I have to tell you what I did a few weeks ago. (So proud!) I had a Dr appt (routine booby smash) in the early afternoon of a Wednesday. I had also agreed to check on the neighbor's dog at their home at lunchtime before I left for said appt. The dog ate part of a plastic water bottle the Friday before, and was having slight trouble getting everything to come out okay. Owners couldn't stay home more days with her, she was feeling better and getting more active, but they just wanted me to check on her in the middle of their work-day. A friend called early/mid-morning and had run out of gas a few miles from our home and asked me to run him some gas up from our gas can. I started the 78 (what I call the 'vette) to warm up, changed clothes and found the gas can down at the shed with the mower. When I carried it to the passenger side of the 78...I smelled sweet syrup and saw water under the engine bay! Shut 78 down and popped the hood. It looked like a heater hose had let go, because that is where the water was pooled, under the passenger side of the engine bay. Had to call the friend and tell him I couldn't make it with the gas can. Luckily as I was speaking with him, another motorist pulled over to assist him. I called Hubby at work, but he was in a meeting and would be told to call back when finished. Hubby works less than a mile from our home. I checked the 78 again, and from the driver side I saw water pooled on the manifold and when I grabbed the upper hose I saw more water come out. I called the auto store and they had an upper hose for my application and would hold it for me. BUT, when I went out a little later to show my sis-in-law (before Hubby called back, I was waiting to go to the parts store until he called) I looked at it from the passenger side...and when I grabbed the upper hose to show her where I thought the hose had split...I saw the water was coming from the water neck at the top of the manifold and spraying a stream into the fan area! This is why it pooled under the heater hoses, the fan blew it there. Hubby called back and said it needed an o-ring and he'd have to fix it after he got home from work and I'd have to reschedule The Smash. Well, it took me WEEKS to get that appt and I wasn't going to wait until I'd gained even MORE weight (steroids) and had even MORE to smash! I searched for the tools (a wrench and a flat screwdriver) and removed the neck myself! I didn't realize how much water would come out of the upper hose and spilled everywhere...but I layed paper towels around the manifold area to sop up and hosed the spill on the concrete into the drain (so no critters could drink it) while I took the neck to Hubby at work with our truck. ...and before you ask... No, I could NOT take the truck to my appt. I have to drive the 78 everywhere. Isn't that what being a good Corvette owner is all about? Hubby and I looked through the o-ring parts bin at his work and found the correct size and I returned home to replace it. I got back home, placed the neck and new o-ring on the air cleaner and ran across the yards to check the neighbor's dog...who was fine...and called them at work to let them know she was okay. When I came back across the yards I saw a man leaning over my engine and I was just pulling in a breath to give this stranger what-for (we recently had a man walk into our garage and steal our weedeater while we were home) and recognized Hubby. I didn't see the Jeep parked behind the truck. He had come home to install it for me. He was concerned I might 'drop' the o-ring and not get it seated properly. I'll tell you, I was concerned too, but I still think I could have done it. Hubby was impressed with my initiative in removing the part. I was most upset that he now knows I know how to do things with his tools. Dammit. __________________ I have the ability of single-minded determination and focu...Hey, look! A horse!

11-15-2006, 08:38 PM	#5
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	That sounds like girl power to me! Good work Hoof! In my experience, it's almost always simpler to do these types of things that we might think. Just goes to show how much easier 'man stuff' is than 'girl stuff'. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

11-15-2006, 09:09 PM	#6
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	Just goes to show how much easier 'man stuff' is than 'girl stuff'. My wife cusses and generly breaks a lite bulb trying to change it , I cuss and throw the bills when trying to figuer them out , we work well togather !!! __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

11-15-2006, 11:12 PM	#7
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	OK....here's my handywork. I couldn't get a great angle on the photography, but you get the picture anyway. Besides, it works! __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

11-15-2006, 11:15 PM	#8
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Nice! It looks big and heavy. You wrestled that into place? Impressive.

11-15-2006, 11:20 PM	#9
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	It's only 5000L which is just over 1000 gallons, and it's made of polyethylene which is relatively light. I admit it was a bit of a struggle, but not impossible. I think it helped that I was majorly pissed off with my husband at the time, so the physical excercise was good. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

11-15-2006, 11:26 PM	#10
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	I think it helped that I was majorly pissed off with my husband at the time, so the physical excercise was good. There ya go , channel that pissedoffness into something constructive , I do that at work Chucking 50lb weights ( I am a Scale tech ) , I have to tell folks " Move , just PLEASE MOVE !!!" __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

11-15-2006, 11:54 PM	#11
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	lol...well you can tell that I'm normally fairly calm because I'm definitely not super fit. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

11-17-2006, 07:57 AM	#14
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	How tall is that rainbarrel, Ali? At 1k liters, it must be as tall as you are at least! __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

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