What was your last home project and what is your next home project?

Paperdoc · Nov 10, 2024

I'll back up stargazr.We had a very old washer and dryer (different makers) that lasted about 35 years before I replaced them. I DID replace lots of parts over the years, but they lasted! In shopping to replace, I had one sales person opine that lifetimes now are about 10 years. We bought a Whirlpool set then (five years ago). One year ago its bottom wash plate (agitator) stripped the splines in its centre and could not agitate. Had to replace. This fall it failed in a different manner. After trying out three possibilities I gave up and replaced it with an LG top-loading HE model.

Micrornd · Nov 11, 2024

Every major appliance we had (with the exception of the stove) failed in the same year's time in the late '90s.

At that time we bought the Whirlpool Duet washer and dryer set and they were made for Whirlpool in Germany and imported here (that only lasted about 2 years and then they were/are made in the US).
So in 25+ years, I had to replace a burnt out incandescent light bulb inside with an LED and a door switch on the dryer, and the drive belt on the washer once (but hey, what can you expect from a 10mm belt that spins the drum at warp speed 🤣)

We also got the Whirlpool Sidekick refrigerator and freezer set then (they had just come out), so they are 25+ years old too, and the only repair was that I've replaced the fan in the 'frig ($16).
The freezer still takes it down to -13F.

stargazr · Nov 12, 2024

Paperdoc said:
I'll back up stargazr.We had a very old washer and dryer (different makers) that lasted about 35 years before I replaced them. I DID replace lots of parts over the years, but they lasted! In shopping to replace, I had one sales person opine that lifetimes now are about 10 years. We bought a Whirlpool set then (five years ago). One year ago its bottom wash plate (agitator) stripped the splines in its centre and could not agitate. Had to replace. This fall it failed in a different manner. After trying out three possibilities I gave up and replaced it with an LG top-loading HE model.

Wow, 35 years is a good run! Good luck with the LG.

RearAdmiral · Nov 13, 2024

stargazr said:
I just fixed our Kenmore (Whirlpool) washing machine. It's probably around twenty years old, and wouldn't spin. It is a direct drive, no belt. Turns out one of the transmission bolts fell out, and the other two were loose. But while I had it apart, I replaced other parts including rebuilding the transmission.

It's not just that I wanted to save money, but newer
appliances don't last like this old stuff. I've heard a lot of bad stories on the forums here and IRL. As long as parts are available, I will keep this one going. YouTube is awesome of course!

Next up is fixing some pool coping tiles that fell off. New for me, but I've worked with concrete before. I have some thinset a tile guy left here; shouldn't be that hard.

Interesting that you can rebuild a washing machine trans! The drain pump on my LG front loader broke a few weeks ago(impeller busted and disconnected from the motor shaft) had a new OEM one from amazon the next day. Probably one of my quickest repair turn arounds.

iRONic · Nov 15, 2024

R&R’ing our 15 year old 50 gallon HW heater as we speak, goddamnit!!

Timing sucks because we’re finishing the kitchen remodel soon and a tankless gas unit was in the plan.

Pro plumber wanted ~$600 to replace elements & thermostat in the old one. I bought a new one from Lowe's for $550. Me and the neighbor are draining the old one… fixing to swap it out now.

Brovane · Thursday at 5:06 PM

Just got finished adding a Shade Sail to the side of our garage. Will be nice area for my daughter to park her car and also shades the Metal box that holds the batteries for our solar system.
Laid down some decomposed granite to extend the area a bit so I can move the trash cans to give my daughter more room to park the car. We will be putting down pavers in the future where the trash cans are. Next project is to start working on the driveway, rip out the asphalt and put down pavers.

Greenman · Thursday at 6:29 PM

You have a lot of trash cans.

Brovane · Thursday at 8:00 PM

Greenman said:
You have a lot of trash cans.

I get three green waste since I am on 2 acres. I also have 2 recycle and the grey one is trash. Today all 6 of them are full and ready for pickup tomorrow by Edco.

Lost_in_the_HTTP · Friday at 3:33 AM

Ultra minor stuff.

Have a button I can push to open the driveway gate if I'm on foot and don't have a remote with me. It's just been jerry rigged to a T-Post for years, but it finally gave up. Replaced it with a new button in a new waterproof box and dug a not - new wooden post into the ground for it to mount on.

Old utility pole kind of thing. Trying to dig into hard packed red rock gravel that hasn't been moved in years was fun. It was all my small tractor mounted backhoe could handle and I kept bouncing the tractor around as I tried to dig.

Much more stable now.

Greenman · Friday at 11:18 AM

Lost_in_the_HTTP said:
Ultra minor stuff.

Have a button I can push to open the driveway gate if I'm on foot and don't have a remote with me. It's just been jerry rigged to a T-Post for years, but it finally gave up. Replaced it with a new button in a new waterproof box and dug a not - new wooden post into the ground for it to mount on.

Old utility pole kind of thing. Trying to dig into hard packed red rock gravel that hasn't been moved in years was fun. It was all my small tractor mounted backhoe could handle and I kept bouncing the tractor around as I tried to dig.

Much more stable now.

Ground around here is red clay and rock. Two inches under the sod it's harder than a bankers heart. I had to dig post holes for a dog run, used a tow behind post hole digger and couldn't get some of them more than 8" deep.

Lost_in_the_HTTP · Friday at 11:52 AM

When I set the gate posts so many years ago, I used 6 x 6s. Had the neighbor come down with his big JD tractor and 3 point PHD. He couldn't even get 2". Bit just spun.

A week or so later when he saw the posts set, he asked me how I managed it.

I had gone to HF and picked up an air chisel. Break some out, use a clamshell to lift the spoils, break a bit more ... repeat until I made 20" or so. Posts haven't moved since.

lxskllr · Monday at 8:25 AM

Closer...

I have one more trip up with my 661 to get it down to height. I'll then cut a roof on top, maybe a window, then bore a doorway through the stem. Hopefully... It's just as likely I'll screw it up and have to take it all down. Not a big deal. It's just play time.

I'm gonna mill some planks from a couple pieces I took big sections of. You can see the butt of one on the bottom right. It's very helpfully laying on a bunch of wood, and angled down to make the milling easier. My truck has a backrack with toolbox supports, but I neither have nor need a toolbox. I have a piece of ¾" pine slid into the box mount, and pinned in place with a duplex nail so it can be slid out of the way. I used ¾" cause that's what I had, but I'd like something thicker. It's useful having a small platform back there to put things on, and it's generally out of the way.

What was your last home project and what is your next home project?

Paperdoc

Platinum Member

Micrornd

Golden Member

stargazr

Diamond Member

RearAdmiral

Platinum Member

iRONic

Diamond Member

Brovane

Diamond Member

Greenman

Lifer

Brovane

Diamond Member

Lost_in_the_HTTP

Lifer

Greenman

Lifer

Lost_in_the_HTTP

Lifer

lxskllr

No Lifer

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