Category Archives: Home Repair

Miscellaneous home repairs and improvements.

New handle for Wusthof Classic knife

Many years ago, when we redid the kitchen largely in white, we got a couple of Wusthof White Classic knives.  They were perfect (including fitting in with the decor), and were used daily.  But one day the #4066 3.5″ paring … Continue reading

Posted in Home Repair | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Humidifier hack

I’ve had an Aprilaire 600 humidifier on my furnace for several years, but only recently paid enough attention to notice that it was on all the time.  It’s a dribble-water-down-an-aluminum-pad type, with whatever doesn’t get evaporated by the airflow being … Continue reading

Posted in Home Repair | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Fixing B&D Cordless Broom

I’ve used my 18V B&D cordless blower to clean grass clippings off the sidewalk after mowing for many years.  It’s great.  The 15 cell sub-C NiCd battery packs didn’t last for a whole cleanup – but I had two, rebuilt … Continue reading

Posted in Home Repair, LiPo Conversions | Leave a comment

Drill press squeak fixed!

I think since the day I got it several years ago, my drill press has squeaked.  It happened – every time – when I turned the chuck by hand a little to orient the hole for the chuck key to … Continue reading

Posted in Home Repair | 8 Comments

Sump leak from new disharge line

The morning after the first rain after installing a new sump discharge line, I was greeted with a loud water flow kind of noise.  It was a big leak, but thankfully (if amazingly!) confined within the sump, with no water … Continue reading

Posted in Home Repair | Leave a comment

Rain gauge repair

The rain gauge hardware out on the garage roof feeding info to my home automation system is pretty old.  It’s been in service I dunno – six years?, and on a shelf waiting to be installed for maybe 10 years … Continue reading

Posted in Home Automation, Home Repair | Leave a comment

Fridge coil cleaning and attendant yak shaving

While looking at dirty filter pictures for a future project to put a larger air filter in my furnace, I stumbled across an article about cleaning the main condenser coil under a refrigerator.  The before picture of the coil with … Continue reading

Posted in Home Repair | 2 Comments

Leaf vacuum repairs

These are notes about a dear old Craftsman lawn vac, started in 2012.  More repairs and plans for the bag here.  I’ve scanned most of the manual here.  See end of life note near end of this post. —————————————————- It’s … Continue reading

Posted in Home Repair | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 61 Comments

Sweep first

I’ve been drinking Instant Breakfast (for breakfast) for I dunno – 20 years? – and have always used a favorite old glass.  Today while I was washing it, it popped out of my hands, fell on the floor and broke. … Continue reading

Posted in Home Repair, Life hacking | Leave a comment

Furnace repair

The furnace failed to fire up the other day when I tried it for the first time this season.  I learned a fair amount about its components and how they work as I tried to figure out what was wrong … Continue reading

Posted in Home Repair | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments