six-point socket's tidbits of Home Improvement, small projects and other stuff.

[Michael Kellough]

Shuffling stuff in my shop storage I came across a banker’s box full of an assortment of knee pads. They all failed to continue to be used for an assortment of reasons.

Now I prefer a kneeling tray. It’s a thick (~1-1/2”) neoprene foam on a polyethylene tray with robust raised handles. It’s easy on the knees. It’s easy to kick across the floor to where it needed next. When done its easy to step on one of the raised handles so they other raises up to a easily reached height.

Don’t know who actually makes it. I have three with three different names bought from three different places and all three say it’s no longer available.

 

[Tinker]

I am in agreement with all of you above. I don't have @ six-point socket's problem. I am even skinnier than@ Peter Halle and i have never found the perfect knee pad. The most problem I had (masonry) was troweling concrete. For the same reason Peter described, i found just kneeling on a piece of scrap 1x the most comfortable. By "most" I am not describing as totally comfortable. I guess I am describing "least" uncomfortable. In my present job, I no longer kneel for any more than a minute or two. I am spending longer hours in front of my computer and I still find need for padding, altho for another area of my body. There is just no padding anywhere on me.  [unsure]
Tinker

 

[Michael Kellough]

I am in agreement with all of you above. I don't have @ six-point socket's problem. I am even skinnier than@ Peter Halle and i have never found the perfect knee pad. The most problem I had (masonry) was troweling concrete. For the same reason Peter described, i found just kneeling on a piece of scrap 1x the most comfortable. By "most" I am not describing as totally comfortable. I guess I am describing "least" uncomfortable. In my present job, I no longer kneel for any more than a minute or two. I am spending longer hours in front of my computer and I still find need for padding, altho for another area of my body. There is just no padding anywhere on me.  [unsure]
Tinker

I hope you’re setting all your best life stories down.

 

[leakyroof]

It’s not just obesity that leads to extreme pain, it’s age and deterioration of tissue or a myriad of other issues, so it’s particularly helpful to get a review from someone who *needs* them and doesn’t just use them for comfort.  That pain is like nails being driven into your knees.  I would be interested in your long term feedback.  I’m skeptical because everyone produces something purported to be the better mousetrap. 

I haven’t grown to like this style.  I got a set from Lee Valley.  They just didn’t grow on me.  They shift too much as I’m kneeling and standing.  If I’m largely stationary, I far prefer the 1” CLC foam pad.  It’s large enough that I can move around to get more leverage when working on the car.  But doing baseboard work almost requires these types of pads.  Like Peter, I’m not keen on spending anymore money.  I would rather move a foam pad across the floor than spend money on another product that doesn’t measure up.

  Yes, the pad for many types of work is what I use. I too have tried different knee pads, and like Peter, my skinny legs[ which match my 'chicken feet'.... [wink]] allow a lot of shifting on the pads unless they're a bit too tight on the straps.... [embarassed]

 

[rst]

I solved the knee pad issue (probably have 3-4 pair of strap ons), bought a pair of euro style CAT work pants off Amazon and Steel-Flex Pocket Knee Pads For Work Pants With RedBacks Cushioning from Toolnut to insert into the knee pockets.  I don't wear these as every pants, Duluth carpenter firehose flex for that, only when I'm sure I'll have to be kneeling on jobsite.

 

[Bob D.]

I picked up a cement finishers pad from Lowes for use when working close to the ground and when working in the yard. I have knee pads and they work fine for me but the kneel pad is nice for a quick job and works very well when working in the yard or garden.

Marshalltown and Goldblatt both make a kneel pad for about $25 but the Lowes pad seems to be just as good and only $15.
The dense foam pad on a roughly 12"x18" hard plastic base. With a handle on each side it is easy to maneuver and you can sit on it too if that's more comfortable for certain jobs.

 

[Tinker]

I am in agreement with all of you above. I don't have @ six-point socket's problem. I am even skinnier than@ Peter Halle and i have never found the perfect knee pad. The most problem I had (masonry) was troweling concrete. For the same reason Peter described, i found just kneeling on a piece of scrap 1x the most comfortable. By "most" I am not describing as totally comfortable. I guess I am describing "least" uncomfortable. In my present job, I no longer kneel for any more than a minute or two. I am spending longer hours in front of my computer and I still find need for padding, altho for another area of my body. There is just no padding anywhere on me.  [unsure]
Tinker

I hope you’re setting all your best life stories down.

that's my milieu

 

[six-point socket II]

Hi!

ADVERTISEMENT Because of visible Klein Tools 

Yesterday was the perfect day to correct the botched filling/ coverage of nails on my canopy. Still mad at the guys that build it ...

An acquaintance from another forum gave me great advice wich paint and filler to use on this, very thankful as those are not your typical DIY/home depot store products. And it shows, both from working with the material and result.

First, setting up "shop".

Music via my Klein Tools wireless, bluetooth job-site speaker, my trusty Festool DTS 400 with 120 grit GranatNet and CTL-SYS extractor. My trusty Estwing hammer and a 4mm drift pin/punch for setting/ sinking nails.

Now lets start getting out the caulking that should have never been there in first place.

First without gloves.

Finding that putty knife/ spatula is way too sharp, so gloves from here on now.

Uncovered nail, and the withered acrylic caulking ..

Setting/sinking of nails.

Filling.

Sanding.

After a test coat, I decided to paint directly, no primer.

I couldn't be happier with the result. All of that botched and withered acrylic caulking is gone, nails are covered properly and the paint job is good. This is how it should have been done in first place. But hey, at least this way I had another fun day with tools ...   [big grin]

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[bertv]

Good example of how much of the pride that proper craftsmen use to have in their work has been lost lately. Botched up jobs seem to be par for the course nowadays.

 

[sancho57]

As always Oliver you do it right with pride of craftsmanship. most pros go by time is money they finish the job as fast as they can get paid and go on to the next one.

We Homeowners do it with pride as we can take our time ,as much time as we need to and do it right.

 

[RKA]

I'm thinking I want to invite Oliver over to my house for a few weeks!  I'll just leave the tools out and have the grill on standby.

 

[six-point socket II]

Thank you very much everyone, really approach the positiv feedback!

(...) have the grill on standby.

Yes, please.   [big grin]

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[six-point socket II]

ADVERTISEMENT because of visible Klein Tools.

So, I had a little more to do after finishing the canopy.

So lets go down the rabbit hole, err lets go below the surface of "six-point socket's manor" surrounding property  [tongue]  [big grin] [big grin] [big grin]

Let's start with some postings from 2018

Hi,

I'm happy to announce Snap-On finally named a product after me.  [eek] [blink] [scared] [eek]

[big grin] [big grin] [big grin] [big grin] Just kidding, of course ...  [big grin] [big grin] [big grin] [big grin]

On the more serious side: I've been watering the backyard after dusk during the last couple of weeks, and two days ago my sprinkler/nozzle behaved strangely. So I opened it up to find quite a bit of sediments/residue in it's filter.

I collect rain water for watering the backyard in two large underground tanks/reservoirs, during the drought these were obviously empty, so I guess when the rain came, more sediments than usual got carried from tank/reservoir 1 into tank/reservoir 2 where the pump is connected. Might need to check the pumps filter, too.

And yeah, life is sloooooowww here, currently Not my kind of weather.

Kind regards,
Oliver

I collect rain water for watering the backyard in two large underground tanks/reservoirs, during the drought these were obviously empty, so I guess when the rain came, more sediments than usual got carried from tank/reservoir 1 into tank/reservoir 2 where the pump is connected. Might need to check the pumps filter, too.

Awesome that you can capture water and use it!

When will people here get it?  I would love to store rainwater for lawn & garden use, but it's illegal here due to water law.  There is a move afoot to make it legal to store water that falls on roofs in one 55 gallon drum, but otherwise all I can do is direct the rainwater from my downspouts to the places I want it most.

The downstream states (California, Kansas, are you listening?) are so jealous of the water rights that they have from water that falls in Colorado that we aren't allowed to capture water that falls from the sky, even for residential use where the alternative is using treated water from the public utility.  Silly.

I would gladly clean out a hose filter occasionally for the privilege of catching the water and using it .

Here are 3 pictures I'm willing to share on the "setup".

Kind regards,
Oliver

Well, yeah, the hose connecting tank 2 to the pump became defective beyond reasonable repair. So I had to exchange it. I knew there where two hoses connected, I didn't remember where that connection was - so I started digging.

Shutting off the pump, new hose ready to be installed.

Follow the old hose.

After a lot of digging, hitting the right spot.

Oh wow, I did add some (more) safety features.

Finally.

Water up to the overflow - that is a great sign! And that's when I called it a day.

Let's open up tank 2. Since I still hadn't found the connection between hose 1 and 2. And since I was here to stay anyway ...  [big grin]

To my surprise the water in tank 2 is totally clear, you can see the bottom of tank and the old weight that was separated from the hose.

Disconnect the hoses.

Clean, lube and re-fit.

Unafraid visitor.

Since it was open anyway, fetched an old laptop and a water tight usb endoscope/ inspection camera.

Test run.

Tightening all connections properly and some maintenance on the pump.

As if I never touched anything. (And everything works again as it's supposed to.)

All in all I'm super happy to have found this installation to be in such a great shape overall, almost crystal clear water - no smell, not that much debris floating in it. (Ok, it's only tank 2 - I did not open tank 1 (way more digging) and I couldn't get the inspections camera through the connecting pipe on the bottom of the tank)

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[sancho57]

Oliver, you need to relax a bit,  drink some of that Ice Tea, listen to some music and chill. Yer making me look bad doing all that work

 

[grobkuschelig]

Oliver, you need to relax a bit,  drink some of that Ice Tea, listen to some music and chill. Yer making me look bad doing all that work

This!
Im am just so happy that my better half does not read the FOG, otherwise I would not hear the end of how slow progress is in our place...

Keep it going Oliver!
We aspire to be as productive, maybe we get there someday.

 

[six-point socket II]

Thanks guys!

Fear not, relaxing days ahead!

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[six-point socket II]

Hi!

A great opportunity came up, I decided relatively spontaneous to go on a vacation!

See ya soon!

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[threesixright]

Hi!

A great opportunity came up, I decided relatively spontaneous to go on a vacation!

See ya soon!

Kind regards,
Oliver

I think you deserved that! [emoji12] Enjoy the holidays!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[six-point socket II]

ADVERTISEMENT because of visible Klein Tools. You know the drill by now ...

This is basically just a very small addendum to the whole water tank/ backyard/plant watering stuff. And it's not so much about the work/tool but the, maybe interesting, story behind it "from abroad".

So during the early years living in our place we had a second water meter, registered with the municipal administration and the water supply company. That second meter was for the backyard tap/ water supply. For the water taken from that tap, we would then not pay the corresponding waste water fee.

Given that these meters had to be re- gauged/stamped and re- installed by a professional after that, the money spent on gauging/ or a new gauged meter + installation & registration out-weight the couple of bucks saved on the waste water fee by far. Especially since we also used the rain water, most of the time.

Now with the summers getting significantly hotter and dryer (= a lot more water needed than the tanks can hold and refilling with rain takes significantly longer...) around here, we looked into it again and I found gauged water meters for installation directly to a tap. And at a fairly interesting price. Pros: I don't need to mess with the main installation, price for actual water meter is fairly low, easily installed by myself. Negs: I didn't know if this was permitted.

So I called the water supplier and they told me I had to register the water meter with the municipal administration first, and the municipal administration would register it with them (the water supplier). They weren't exactly happy after hearing I wanted to do this myself, so they said I should talk to the administration about it. I drove by the municipal administration and found the right person to ask, after showing her what I wanted to to she said that's totally fine, just send us a picture of the invoice next to the water meter with readable serial/gauging #, and we will register it with the supplier for you.

That was great!

So I bought that water meter. And installed it.

To show a little sincerity/honesty and return the good will, I put the seal on that came with the water meter.

Then final picture with invoice ...

This was really quite a nice experience in a country for the most part run by stubborn bureaucrats.  [scared] [eek] [big grin] [smile] [smile] [wink]

Then with the current weather I'm really getting a kick out of last year's Festool Roadshow Sunglasses.

Now off again, need to start the BBQ and music. Life is amazing! Hope you all have a great time!

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[sancho57]

Nice Oliver..

Did that stogie come in a systainer? [big grin]