Sunday, September 4, 2016

Speaker Trim

Finished all the speaker trim, then painted it black.  The gaps underneath the trim that is drywall was also painted black so that when the speaker cloth is wrapped around the trim, not color will come through.  Only one speaker has the speaker cloth right not (lower left).



Next up, prime/paint the cabinet drywall and crown and baseboards...

Saturday, August 13, 2016

Removable Speaker Covers

Starting to build the removable speaker covers.  The one on the left is complete with speaker cloth wrapped around it.  The one on the right is just the frame.  These are in place with friction against tight rubber pads so there is no rattling, but also can be pulled off easily.


Saturday, July 2, 2016

Media Room Final Trim

Last trim complete, put crown around the box I had to build for the projector...


Thursday, June 9, 2016

Sprinkler System Functional

Got the minimum done to get the sprinkler system up and running.  I only have 1/3 of the sprinkler heads dug out and installed, but everything else is complete.

That is the manifold system built out of 3/4" PVC pressure pipe with 12 different zones.  10 of those are for sprinkler heads that will have 2 each.  The 2 additional zones are dedicated for drip lines for vegetation around the house.  I had to keep the amount of heads per zone low given we are on well water with varying PSI.


Sprinkler heads dug out and used bricks to brace the heads.


Buried all the lines and compacted them down over the course of a few days.


Flattened and graded the lawn.


Seeded, fertilized, covered with wheat straw, and running the sprinkler heads.


This side of the house is complete, with 4 zones each having 2 heads.  This gives complete coverage and slighty overlaps.


This is the manifold system.  The 4 on the right are for the side of the house.  The 2 on the left are drip lines for bushes and trees.  The remaining 6 are for the rest of the house, once I dig out and install the sprinkler heads.  This whole assembly will be covered once complete.


In front of the manifold system there are fixtures to prevent issues.  The first is a strainer to ensure water lines stay clean.  In the middle is the backflow preventer so outside contaminated water can't make it's way back into the house, and on the right is the pressure regulator that ensures pressure in lines stays below 50 PSI.  This whole assemble is attached via unions and can be removed for winter storage.  There are also pressure gauges and release valves at each junction for testing, and an air blow out connector to clean the lines of water before winter.


This is the head unit that automatically runs all 12 zones that I installed in my electrical closet along side all the other electrical components of the house.  I ran wires through the basement ceiling and out by the manifold system.







Media Room Drywall Finishing

It's been a loooooong time, but finally back at it.  Here is the latest for the media room drywall, covered everything in plastic, corner bead, and then tape and mudding...




Thursday, March 31, 2016

Sprinkler System part 1

Yeah, I'm freaken crazy.  I've decided I need a sprinkler system, and that I should install it myself :)  So I spent a few days researching and planning it out and have come up with a good design for the small and oddly shaped lawn I have to water.  I went ahead and purchased everything I'm gonna need...


Also marked off all the lines in pink string I need to dig up across the lawn...



Media Room Couch

Back to the slowest project ever... my media room... I guess essentials first :) I had planned to have the room done before the custom couches showed up... NOPE! :-)




Raised Garden Beds part 2

Finished! :-)




Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Raised Garden Beds part 1

This is one of 2 boxes that will be attached at the corners for our flower and vegetable garden.

Since there is such a slope in the backyard, first step was to dig out into the slope...


Then leveled and used block for make shift footers...


Then put on top the assembled cedar bed...


Filled in the sides and bottom of the bed with the original crappy clay soil and compacted...


Then put down a layer of paper to stop weeds...


And then another thin layer of the crappy soil...


And lastly 3-4 inches of enriched garden soil...




Next up will be one more just like this one attached at the corner.



Thursday, January 28, 2016

Toilet in unfinished basement

Having a finished media room downstairs to get drunk, watch movies and playing video games in is a real pain in the ass if you have to drag your drunk ass up the stairs to take a piss, or worse especially in the winter, go outside and piss off the deck :-)

Sooooooo... I just had to install a toilet in our unfinished basement :-)


First I installed drywall on one side of the wall to give a bit of privacy.

Then I turned off the water to the house and cut down the copper pipe, before installing the compression stop value for the water supply line.


Then I used 3/4'' treated wood to mimic a finished floor cutting a hole around the drain and then cutting the drain pipe down flush with the wood.


Then I used liquid nail glue to adhere the wood to the concrete floor and weighed it down with large rocks to let it dry.  Then screwing down the toilet flange on the wood into the drain.


And then I installed the toilet base to the flange bolting it down with the provided bolts and nuts.


Lastly installing the remaining toilet components to the base and attaching the water supply line.



Viola!  I can piss in the basement now in comfort :-)