Dimensional Wall Panels

   Over time it became clear that our staircase needed a little something extra to stand out in it's all-white surroundings. We followed a similar program to our last remodel, the drywall was simply repaired, and painted white. The handrail was a rather plain Honey Oak stain that was ubiquitous in the 1990's.

   Our inspiration came from a serving bowl made out of Acacia, this species of wood has a wide range of natural tones that complemented the existing trim color very nicely. This find led me to researching exotic wood building materials, and I discovered these Acacia dimensional wall panels.
   This particular panel system was advertised as peel and stick, but that was a little deceptive. The panels took a fair amount of manipulation to actually achieve a professional look. That desire to reach a tight, modern standard pushes this product to its very limits, and requires many more hours of finesse work to achieve those results. A far cry from just slapping it up on a Sunday afternoon.
   As always, you should inspect the entire shipment, not just the top box on the pallet. The product delivered was far below the quality advertised in the two samples I had previously received. The specs were also wrong, resulting in much shorter pieces, and twice the number of seams in the field. Not necessarily a bad thing, just not what we had planned on for the initial installation. The layout had to be well thought out in order to disguise the additional seams.

   Several reviewers had suggested using adhesive and fasteners along with the included double-sided tape. I recommend following the same practice, I used PL375 for the construction adhesive and a staple gun with 5/8" brads to tack the edges hidden by the overlapping seams. Another essential tool was a thin putty knife. There are situations where it makes more sense to pop off one of the individual strips just to ease the panel into place. This was especially true when basket weaving the corner seams.

   I am proud of the final result, however the product looks good because of my attention to detail and working at a consistent level through completion. To be fair, I chose a very large wall. I also wanted it to wrap inside a corner, which the company did not demonstrate, or represent as possible. I would not discourage using this product, I just want you to have a realistic expectation of the time and labor involved when deciding whether to try it out for yourself.

The Wurlitzer Organ - Sampler Mod

   The dust was the craziest I have ever seen, layers as thick as craft felt came up with the vacuum detailer. The Craigslist pictures were horrible and I am guessing this is why there were no takers. It could also be the fact that these old analog gems weigh several hundred pounds, and are awkward to move at best. I committed and hauled away my new grimy prize, an old Wurlitzer organ with a built-in Orbit II synthesizer as a bonus.
   These home entertainment centers were significant investments when they were new, and I worked on the assumption that it had to be serviceable and the workings completely accessible. Once the back and top of the cabinet had been removed, I found tall hex bolts that release the chassis and each level then pivots up like a car hood.
   Soon I was starring at a beautiful array of electronic glory, I would never be able to decode the tangle of multicolored wire harnesses. There are also massive, exposed capacitors on the amp head that scream, "instant death!" I stayed true to the mission, cleaned up the filth and got out of there ASAP. A couple keys were dead, but I was able to repair the broken actuators with toothpicks and super glue.

  
   Now to the meat of this mod, this particular model 4270 also had a built-in tape recorder. Unfortunately the heads were so fouled that it only made horrendous, scratchy blasts through the speakers. At the very least I needed to disconnect this unit to keep my kids from driving me nuts. As you may know, little boys love this sort of loud nuisance to rankle their parents.
   With all the layers opened up before me, I was further intrigued to see the internal sound ran through RCA inputs on the amplifier. My subconscious went to work and I soon came up with an interesting idea for a swap out. I was able to try several effects pedals patched in line to the amp. There were many options at this point, but I kept coming back to an old Boss SP-202 sampler laying around unused. I also noticed the tape deck had a similar foot print as the sampler, and there was room for a power supply to run off the internal outlet. With minimal work, I got the old Dr. Sample to fit and run cleanly into the amp.
   Now the kids' favorite part is to make loops and other goofy sounds with their Wurly. In a modern twist, the sound signal runs through the sampler, much in the same way as the original tape deck functioned. The exploratory cleaning also revealed a headphone jack on the underside of the keybed. This allows me to run a standard cable to my guitar rig for loads of additional hijinks. As unwieldy as these instruments are, they still deserve our attention and the respect of a proper home.

The Squire Jaguar - Bridge Hack

Custom Squire Jaguar

   Squire made this Frankenstein model in an attempt to look like it had been living on the wall of a smoke laden music store for decades. Fender later came out with their own Pawn Shop Series which had a similar aesthetic. It does look old, but the amalgamation of parts turned out to be a bummer. The Toronado bridge they chose looks interesting and dated, however it is impossible to set intonation.
   I had waffled over purchasing this Fiesta Red Jaguar for several years, there were a few other details that had kept me from pulling the trigger as well. Instead of waiting any longer and possibly missing out, I trusted my gut, and decided to take on the challenge and solve those handful of quirky problems myself.
   My longtime quest has been the search for a lightweight replacement for my Les Paul. It has been hard to replicate that heavy mahogany sound. Thanks to the searing tone of the Duncan designed humbucker set, I now have it.
   I already owned a custom Jagmaster from the same Vintage Modified series, and it had been my number one for the last five years. The Jagmaster fell short of my tone desires because of it's tremelo, and even with the trem blocked into a hardtail, it was thin on treble sustain. Since I adored everything else about my Jagmaster, I wanted to essentially create a clone, starting with this basic Jaguar and its solid body.
   In order to test the guitar's potential and expedite this project, I opted for a top-load StewMac bridge (I was not ready to drill through body ferrules, yet.) I properly located the placement of the new bridge and carefully shaved the original pickguard to fit.
   Another problem that I noted was the toggle switch location, I needed to move it to the lower horn which left a hole in the pickguard. I found a glossy black, automotive hole plug that did the job well enough. While the strings were off, I wanted to go ahead and simplify the electronics. I was not a fan of the huge, double stacked knobs sticking out and I did not need their individual controls. I admit that at this point in my playing, I just want the basics, which ironically is the antithesis of a loaded Fender Jaguar. I found a Semour Duncan schematic and wired one volume pot, and one tone pot to the three-way toggle switch. Perfect!
   Sometimes you have to make what you want in life, if your skills permit. I have watched the different iterations of Jags over the years and none of them have included all the items on my wishlist. I would not have had the nerve to mess with a more valuable model, but these Squire's are a great starting point for project guitars. With a few modifications and a good setup, they can be brought into the realm of their much more expensive cousins.

The Great Subaru Rim Swap

   Normally, I would not have written about this ordeal, but I gained so much misinformation from trusted sources that I needed to clarify for anyone searching for similar answers. The question, can you safely change your factory alloy wheels from one car to another? You may be surprised by what I found.
   I recently upgraded my grocery-getter to a 2016 Subaru Impreza. My wife had already picked up her 2015 Forester before leaving Montana, Yay no sales tax! The newer Impreza was at the limits of our budget and left me with little money for the silver rims I wanted. We scoured eBay and junk car sites trolling for a set of "lightly used" stock rims to replace the set that came with the car. This proved to still be too expensive, not to mention a little sketchy.
   I really like the style of the wheels that came on the Sport edition Impreza, but the graphite color really clashed with the dark gray body color and made me like the car less. After chewing on this for several days with no real monetary answer, it struck me to check the Forester's dimensions, and sure enough all the specs were identical across the board with the exception of color and style.
   Me being as thorough as I am, I wanted an authority to sanction the swapping of rims from the Impreza to the Forester and vice versa. Now the actual tires needed to stay with the vehicles because they are different sizes, and not compatible. This prospect proved to be trickier than I thought.
   My local Subaru dealer barely listened to my question and shot it down because it required more than five seconds of thought. They claimed that the calipers would be in the way, laughable, did I mention the rims are the exact same dimensions? Next, a National parts supplier gave me a pan legal response that it was not a good idea because cars are designed with specific wheel diameters which affect speedometer, and odometer reading as well as vehicle control. Great, but did I mention the OEM tires would stay with the vehicles?
   My local warehouse club also got weak-kneed when their computer said they were not allowed to do the swap. I went deep into forums discussing similar issues and found little expert guidance. I did notice that the same rims on my Impreza were used in the late 1990's on a Legacy Outback and other stock alloy rims had been used interchangeably between models over the years.
   Finally, I stopped at a couple local tire shops looking for someone to just try it. Both shops were willing to at least try and saw the matter clearly. Within a half hour both cars were off the lifts and my expense was the mounting and balancing for eight wheels. So yes, you can move whatever wheels around you want as long as the diameter, width, lug pattern and offset are identical. The other reason for me to be this thorough was that both cars are still under warranty and I did not want to give anybody a reason to pass on any future, covered repairs.

IKEA Countertop - Backsplash Hack

   The kitchen was a mess, and I had avoided this intervention since day one. I swear I used the sink with my eyes closed for the first month. Before I even pulled a line, I knew there was a severe sag in the countertop. There turned out to be a one inch dip in the middle, for no obvious reason. The only solution seemed to be yanking out all the cabinets, and reinstalling them. I bit the bullet, and removed the cast iron sink, only to find the original cabinet had been previously butchered. I would spend the next couple days trying to rebuild the base and level out the 12' run for the new counters.

   We chose to replace the original delaminating countertops with a black mineral effect laminate from Ikea. We were nicely surprised by the finish, and even more impressed by the $240 total cost for our project.
   The surface is lightly textured and looks better than the smooth surfaces at the big box stores, even five feet away it could pass for manufactured stone. The whole kitchen took four, 6' sections. The island was a perfect swap out, with instant gratification. The rest would take patience and precision to achieve the desired results.
   Once the sink base was reconstructed, it magically resolved all the leveling issues and only took one small shim. Much relieved to not have to take apart the whole kitchen, I started test fitting the countertop slabs. The overhang on the front was too deep for this dated style of oak cabinets. Because the walls were fairly true, it made sense to rip a half inch off the back edge of all the pieces. By accident, I realized the waste strip would look sharp as a shallow backsplash. We had opted to hold on installing the full tile backsplash for budget reasons, not to mention the walls had just been fixed and looked great.
   Another trick I learned when finishing dark laminates is to stain the thin, raw edge revealed on the end piece overlays. Typically the base material is a medium brown and it detracts from the overall appearance. Guide the broad edge of a new, black Sharpie over the edge at a 45 degree angle. Immediately drag a paper towel over the wet marker line and it will buff out to make the ends look seamless. If you make a mistake, use rubbing alcohol to clean it up.
   The rest of the kitchen still needs the finishing details fleshed out. Knobs and handles, as well as the floating shelves will be added soon with before & after photos on the way. There will be several more related posts that cover the individual components of our economical reformation.

Updated Updates

   One objective of our current, subtle renovation is to take the cookie-cutter colonial and blow it out to feel as large and fresh as possible. These pictures are admittedly not as dramatic as the last remodel, where we resurrected a shaggy abode out of its pure 1970's funk. In this house we learned that the early nineties had its own issues, mostly just bland design.

  
   The only, truly horrible problem with this house was the poorly chosen color palette in the interior. There are no less than five shades of soul-sucking beige, and to drive the point home they have a very flat sheen, robbing the interior of any hope of daylight. The colors also work against the hardwood floors which were the only selling point in the listing.
   My go-to approach for paint selection is the white canvas. I start by returning all the walls and trim to a neutral white. I first adopted this palette years ago to showcase our art collection, but I soon recognized the more important side effect of bouncing light and breathing air into any space.
   The family room had unnecessary crown molding and the decision was made to remove it, resulting in cleaner lines, while emphasizing the tall ceilings. Our initial inspections missed the sloppy masonry repair work on the fireplace. It would have taken a tremendous effort to clean and restore it. The dowdy red brick color was also in conflict with the upscale flooring. We pushed forward with the trendy, white brick paint job which yielded greater punch to the honey tones in the wood floor
   There are still small details to add, but I wanted to share the latest alterations. An unexpected result of this room's completion was a sense of renewal and purpose. All of my framed artwork has been wrapped up for over a year and I forgot how comforting it is to see "your stuff." My wife has patiently waited while I bounce around to extinguish small fires and fix necessities that supersede cosmetic updates. I would have to say that she is also very pleased to have at least one room that feels like home.

Anniversary Edition

   This is not my dream home. I have already gone over my general disgust of the bland exterior and the homogeneous neighborhood that I look upon everyday. The objective moving back was to land in Ohio and transition quickly in order to retain continuity for the kids. The successive goals were a new job for my wife, and then look for our dream home after that. While my wife is embarking on a new career, our eyes have turned back to internet property searches.
   The experience of the super-size home has been informing, it has shown me how much house we really need. During the interior makeover, we have been comfortable without the fourth bedroom and third bath. The formal dining room and living room have proven to be superfluous as well. That is easily a thousand square feet that is just unneeded, extra space. It also reminded me that I could do without neighbors all together. Most importantly, architecture does matter when it comes to home pride.

   There is only so much you can do with one of these vinyl boxes. The color is Green Cell Grey, or is it Grey Sell Green? Either way, it is sun faded and ill. We chose to push the palette towards blue grey and breathe some life with the addition of new dimensional shingles. Black sconces, and replacement shutters added a meager amount of punch to the features, much better than the lifeless brass and earthtones. The house was also hiding behind overgrown landscaping that needed love and definition.
   Whether we stay or go, I need to slog through the remaining projects in order to have the house staged and ready to sell. I will continue to document the changes and supply more of the "before and after" photos....Whoa! that is one heavy post, reminder to self, do not write after a long gruelling day.

Basement Skatepark

   There was a tough decision to be made when we moved from Montana back to Ohio. What to do with my beloved, garage mini ramp? After some half-hearted attempts at selling it, I could not bear the thought of leaving it behind. Although we did not know what sort of house we would end up with, I hoped for the best and paid for the extra space on the moving truck. Unfortunately after all the effort, our new garage just could not house the beast and even after trying to alter the geometry, it just would not work.
   Right before winter I disassembled my good friend and stored the wood in our unfinished basement. My two sons are just starting to pickup skating and I wanted to give them something that I could have only dreamed of as a teenager. A place to grow their skills and skate year-round in any type of weather. Our closest park is about twenty minutes away, forty-five round trip, which doesn't cut it on busy Dad days. So, I set to work using the materials on hand and a new course layout for the L-shaped space.
   Their stature makes smaller ramps perfect for them, I however want to skate too, so it took some deep mental negotiations to arrive at the best compromise considering the 8' ceiling height. I decided to go with 2' height for the quarters with 6' radius transitions. Still peppy enough to have fun and fly around the small park. I even consulted a professional ramp builder that suggested I could go even higher because of a skater's tucked riding position on tranny, but I did not like the idea of not being able to fully stand up on the quarter pipe decks.

   After completing the two bookend ramps, I still had a large pile of leftover scraps. I built a wallride for me with a very tight 3' radius. The floor joists drop to 7' clearance in this section, so I wanted an obstacle to absorb energy while still being a fun way to route yourself back to the main park. This left me with just enough wood to finish a pump ramp for the center of the long side. I decided to mimic a heaved sidewalk with a round top, an obstacle I had wanted to build for awhile.  
   As sad as it was to toss the old transition templates, I see the beauty in the new park. The masonite, plywood, lumber, and steel coping are now a part of the fifth build using these materials. For this reason, the park shall be named "MARK V" in honor of their legacy and design evolution. The skatepark has proven to be a much better use of space than the sad pool table that was left behind, and a great way to wear the kids out on a rainy day.

The Porcelain Light Fixture Shade

   Does laziness breed invention? It does not sound like it would. As easy as it is to swap out light fixtures, I have already installed a lifetime's worth. This discussion of invention revolves around the bare bulb lampholders throughout my unfinished basement. The ubiquitous pull-chain light socket that inevitably fails when rushing to some emergency in the nether region of your home.
   All drama aside, it would be nice to come down to this storage area without being blinded by the rather intense, naked LED bulbs. I had already taken the time to install a switch that controls all six porcelain fixtures on the same circuit. Much nicer than fumbling about to manually turn each light on. Still though, this just instantly activates the severe lighting, emphasizing the problem further.
   I could have installed simple flush mount lamps with plastic globes like I have before, but this is an additional hassle and twice the expense. While looking at interior lighting at Lowes, I spotted a simple shade meant for candelabra bulbs. They would not work out-of-the-box because the bulb clips were too small, but I felt it was worth pursuing because of the aforementioned reasons.
   Initially I planned on bending the wire or trimming it to fit a larger bulb, but the armature's welds were feeble and they kept snapping off. After a minute of frustration, I decided to use this to my advantage and easily gutted all the shades. All I had to do now was cut my own hanger out of scrap wood. A simple rectangle with a hole in the center for the collar of the bulb and the mission was accomplished. The result is a simple shade that diffuses the light and installs as easy as screwing in a light bulb.

Best Electric Fireplace Log Insert

   The desire to heat oneself in front of an open flame goes back to the primal origins of man. Last winter there were many new, standalone fireplaces on the market that provided a more believable, yet synthetic fireplace experience. It seemed like every bookcase and entertainment center in stores boasted one of these efficient, glowing space heaters. None actually contained fire, but the realistic effect sparked an interest in revamping our tired old hearth.
   We had burnt very little wood in our 1970's fireplace. Like most open-hearth designs, it proved to be terribly inefficient and actually made the living room colder by drafting all of the heat out of the room. The brick monolith did have a strong presence in the space and we felt it would be nice to animate this feature.

  
   At first, I tried a Duraflame unit with a heater, but it smelled really bad as it produced heat. This also presented another big problem, the fact that the log set was inside of the firebox, it kept shutting off the internal thermostat. It did not look very convincing either, so with all of these flaws, it did not justify the expense.
   Another approach was needed, so I ordered a rather inexpensive electric log set. Providing heat was not as important to us as the illusion of a real fire. The Pleasant Heart Crackling Log set was perfect because it was simple and actually made out of wood. Hard to beat the real material when comparing to other plastic sets. By adding a few cut branches from my yard I was able to make it look even more realistic. The trick to making the additional wood match the rest of the charred set involved flat black spray paint and white acrylic paint. I lightly sprayed the wood with a quick, thin layer of black and let dry. Then lightly drybrushed the white on top, which created faux ash.
   To complete the project, my finishing touch was providing power to the inside of the fireplace. Nothing ruins the effect more than having a power cord coming from the fire. I knew there was power nearby in the heatilator and since I had no intent of using this fireplace to burn wood, it provided the necessary components to start. I knocked out a couple bricks and was able to replace the blower motor with a junction box and an outlet. As a bonus the heatilator system ran on an existing wall switch, so it allowed us to turn on the fire like a gas insert.
   On a side note, this project was also an important milestone for me, it was the last project on my to do list at the old house. A nice, warm way to cap off a four year long renovation.

Rainbow Playset - Replacement Canopy

   We acquired our Rainbow Clubhouse III playset through our most recent real estate transaction. The set is really showing its age, but the upside is these are the best built residential swing sets on the planet and will eventually be passed on to another family after ours.

    I remembered these beefy, redwood clubhouses from when I was a kid and always wanted one. As with all Manic Maker projects, the clubhouse needed some updates and TLC. I assessed what we had, and what we really needed. We had just moved a much smaller A-frame swing set with us across country, so I had extra lumber and parts to make any necessary alterations.
   This set in particular had a lot of extras that increased its footprint, but also added to my weekly yard maintenance. So after some familial negotiations, we nixed the monkey bars-to-nowhere and added a third swing in exchange. The bottom of the clubhouse was also unfinished which led to a rat's nest of weeds and detritus. I built a stage platform over this section and eliminated the need for extra weed trimming.
   The ropes were all rotten from sun exposure and the elements. I opted to add climbing rocks to make up for this loss on the rock wall. We replaced the mildew stained rubber grips with plastic handles and tightened up all the hardware.
   In another stroke of genius, I removed the hazed acrylic lenses from the periscope and binoculars. So now these items no longer collect rainwater and gnats. This left me with the last hideous piece of the puzzle, the signature red, yellow, and blue tarp.
   After a decade in the sun, it was now a rainbow of weak pastels and algae stains. There are many aftermarket canopies available, however most of them are too small. I located a PlayStar tarp, but it was still 6 inches short of the original Rainbow canopy. The best solution was to trim the mast to make up the difference. I used clamps to test fit the replacement, and then with circular saw in hand removed 5 inches from the two tallest posts. There is still adequate room for an adult to stand on the top level without ducking and the new green cover blends in better with the wooded surroundings.
  

Manic Maker Heart

   Running wild like any good maniac would, with limited time and substantial workload ahead, I finally got a day to organize my shop. The garage was a dumping ground when we finished unloading the truck and it has been hard to navigate the mess ever since. Even worse, I have had to function without my workbench, cutting wood on top of buckets and wheelbarrows. Wasting valuable time searching for essential equipment lost abroad, without its proper home.
   A well-built workbench is such a beautiful, basic structure. I have thought about writing this post in the past, but it did not meet my criteria, there was nothing new, or innovative to share. The epic move has changed my mind. This simple, hard-topped cabinet is my entire shop, everything else is superfluous.

   An off-the-shelf, melamine workbench with a few additional modifications like hasp locks, a  backboard and a Masonite top.  I would not part with this amazing piece of furniture for anything.
   Heavy as all get out, but we still hauled it 2500 miles to our new home. Granted, any table would suffice, but this piece holds the entirety of my life's acquired skills. The humble soldier packs my router, circular saw, sawzall, jigsaw, hammer drill, electrical and plumbing kits and most importantly every other hand tool I own.
   It sounds silly, but the house feels more like a home now, and I feel more confident with my partner at my side. I recently mourned my last house, but I now realize that I brought the heart with me. As the ideas leave my head, traveling towards my hands, they ultimately achieve fruition on the old, haggard plinth. With this said, I move forward, knowing anything is possible when properly equipped.

Livin' Large

   After a long sustained pause, forced by unforeseeable circumstances, the real source of trepidation arose. Deep-seated hatred towards vinyl siding and shoddy architecture drew out repressed feelings of anger and betrayal. It is not buyer's remorse, but an internal conflict. Over the last two decades I have railed against McMansions and America's dumb obsession with super-sized homes, and this position has now resulted in my current ethical dilemma.
   We arrived in the Cleveland high on optimism and the promise of better real estate value. We soon found that the online listings grossly misrepresented the condition of countless neglected properties. Within a very short week we knew that we were combing through the dregs of last years' offerings.
   Asbestos, skunks, rotting windows, and broken slabs. Once vital, artsy structures were now a liability to their remaining heirs. I am not naive, I recognize the maintenance arc that most properties commonly follow. As the resident ages, so does the home. Less energy and strength coupled with poor eyesight leads to a Miss Havisham-esque habitation. If caught early enough, the fix is simple, if left for decades, the problems domino and the value plummets.
   Our only choice was to leap decades forward and look to homes that we would have never previously considered. Yes, I am talking about the vinyl clad, infill blight of the McMansion. Not only is the architecture generally mundane, and the heating bills inordinately high, any efficiencies are merely coincidental. With few other options left, I chose hypocrisy over personal beliefs. 
   I recently read that the McMansion building trend died somewhere during the last recession, but this does not mean these homes are going anywhere. In reality, a lot of these homes are going to need serious updates as  they approach midlife. This is just the beginning of a new saga, another test of my abilities. Can the Manic Maker tame one of these beasts into a relevant, dare I say modern structure? Let me lead as I have done before, and demonstrate that it can be executed with thoughtful design and finesse.

Cheap Smartphone Plan

    Frugality. I have not directly addressed this topic before, but it is a core principle of the DIY mindset. I would estimate that I have saved upwards of tens of thousands of dollars doing my own renovations. A wise man once told me, "... give it a go, the worse that could happen is you will still need to call a contractor." The essence of this conversation was be smart and thoughtful, and if it does not work out, nothing was lost and then you call a professional.

   What does this have to do with inexpensive cellphone plans? I took this same budget-conscious, DIY mindset and set out to solve a problem. The task at hand, my wife wanted a smartphone, but what she really wanted was to ditch her "burner" flip phone.
   I had looked into this a while back, with no luck matching our current Tracfone plan. All we needed was basic talk and text with no data, the entry level plans for smartphones were nearly four times our current rate. It is worth mentioning, that I also liked the idea of my phone having a video camera for those spontaneous moment with the kids.
   During my extensive research on no contract phones, I came across an Amazon review for a GoPhone that mentioned Pure Talk USA being an affordable, alternative solution. I had never heard of this company, but really wanted to surprise my wife for Christmas. I decided to take a risk and purchased two identical Windows phones for $39 each, I setup an account and ordered SIM cards for free. My new monthly rate is only $15 a month total, for both phones! I know this plan only suits a minority, but I felt it was worth mentioning. Pure Talk uses the AT&T network and the 4G call quality is much better than the older Tracfone network.
   The biggest frustration while researching this issue, was the fact that no one could definitively say whether this setup would work. Well here you go: Pick up a GoPhone, order the Pure Talk SIM and you are set. I rarely endorse specific products unless it is critical to the post, and to answer any haters out there, remember a short decade ago this was rightfully considered a luxury item.

Catwoman Has No Tail

   My wife and I, and our entire generation grew up on the classic Fisher Price Little People. Now, I am not talking about the obese version that is currently available. Even though the scale of these figures reflects our enlarged culture, the playsets are dull and lack the dynamic quality of the original 1970's toys. It was only natural that when I became a parent, I would look for a similar toy to enjoy while playing with my toddlers.
   The Duplo of my generation was blunt and simple, I am sure to avoid being a choking hazard. The Duplo line has really stepped up in recent years to fill this void in the world of preschool imaginary play. The new generation of Duplo has scaled up the smaller blocks from the LEGO City series and this greatly improves the construction possibilities. As a parent this buys me time before moving my oldest son into the more advanced tiny bricks, while allowing his younger brother to play with him.

   Now with all the love bestowed upon the Danish company, they really let my little guy down with The Batcave Adventure set 10545. Hell, I was even excited to see this offering and decided to buy it well before Christmas. The set is great except that Catwoman has a molded plastic tail that greatly restricts her using any vehicle. That includes the Batwing that comes with this set. Unfortunately, Catwoman was soon relegated to the tote of bricks and forgotten about.
   Anyone that reads this blog regularly knows that my mind will not let stuff like this go. I mean she is a really cool figure and an integral part of the pretend scenarios of this set. The simple answer was to lop off the tail with a plastic saw, but this is not graceful enough for a Manic Maker hack. I looked through the tote and found "Izzy" from set 10513. She was never really popular at our house and she had the perfect set of pants for Catwoman. I was pretty confident that the little grey pin in her hip held her entire figure together. I tapped it out with a dull nail, the torso disengaged and presto, Catwoman now has matching purple pants.
   Man, my three-year-old thought I was the greatest Dad ever. Catwoman is now in constant play and I really cannot figure out why they designed her with a tail that restricts basic movements. It may have been the collaboration with DC Comics, but LEGO has never dropped the ball in this way before. I still recommend the set, and maybe with this little tip you can be your kid's hero too.

First Act - Guitar Fix

   After playing guitar for a couple decades, my interests have shifted towards setting up entry-level guitars to be better, playable instruments. Through much experimentation, I have come to believe that any cheap guitar can be made playable and more enjoyable.
   It is my love for stringed instruments that makes me look at these poor, orphaned guitars with puppy dog eyes. While a good friend was visiting last year, he mentioned that he desperately wanted a backpack guitar for the rest of his wilderness journey. That next day, we happened to be browsing a flea market when we spied an inexpensive child's guitar. It was the size he wanted, and I felt strong that we had a winner.

   The filthy little axe appeared to be an old First Act guitar. These are bottom of the barrel, beginner guitars sold at Kmart. Still optimistic, I scrubbed away all the dirty kid, paw prints and revealed a solid build with a decent neck. Before removing the rusted strings, I checked the action and was able to lower it considerably by shaving the bridge saddle. Miraculously, with little effort and a new set of extra light D'Addarios, this baby sang! Best souvenir ever, and total cost was $10 including the strings.
   One more bit of advice, if you are a guitar player, please learn to set up your own gear. It is incredibly easy and it will give you an intimate understanding of your guitar. Guitar set up is highly subjective, much like asking a stranger to taste your dinner and tell you whether you will like it. And once you get comfortable with the basics, any new issues will not necessarily mean an expensive trip to the shop.
   With all this said, a lot of my knowledge came form reading "Dan Erlewine's Guitar Player Repair Guide." This book covers everything that a luthier would need to know, while being simple enough for a novice to understand. It might even give you the confidence to try instruments that you would not have gambled on previously.

Easy Mortar Repair

   We have an exterior brick veneer on the lower story of our house. This small run of bricks has been a nuisance since we took possession of the house. After repairing the mortar several times, I realized there was something going on behind the scenes. I removed someone else's sloppy "Handyman Special," consisting of a poorly mixed bag of concrete along the base of the wall, and then located the problem. The metal support shelf had come loose, and allowed the wall to heave with the seasonal thaw cycle.

    I was able to properly fix the damage, as well as resolve the source of the issue, but I still had small cracks (under and 1/8") in the mortar around the bricks. The bricks were still imbedded and there was no reason to pull out all the mortar and tuckpoint the wall again. A mason would probably argue the contrary, but it is just a veneer and it is my house.

   There are several concrete caulks available that would fit the task at hand. There is even a Quikrete product that is basically sanded mortar mixed in an acrylic suspension. This is a neat idea, but a real bitch to work with. I use a professional caulk gun and it still requires enough force to rupture the tube. Imagine squeezing gravel through a toothpaste tube, then once you have it out of the tube, it is a horrible mess to tool.
   So after some reflection on my options, I came up with a pretty simple solution. Throughout our remodel, I had used DAP concrete caulk to fix small cracks with excellent results. The only issue is that it is smooth and a much lighter shade of gray than the existing mortar. I experimented with dusting the wet caulk with dry mortar mix and the results were spot on. I tested the repairs and they are solid.
   If you have large cracks in a brick or block structure you need to consult a mason and find the source of the problem. This is not a wait-and-see situation, you are one good storm away from water damage or worse. Well done construction on the other hand, with proper maintenance should outlast all the other building materials in your home.

Craftsman Tractor Seat Mod

   Our neighborhood is good mix of young families and aging couples, and for the last eight years, I have been the only guy using a push mower on my half acre lot. It has been a tremendous workout and garnered me the attention as "the guy who works so hard on his yard." After the relentless urging of several close neighbors, I started to reconsider the benefits of a lawn tractor.

   Mowing has been a substantial portion of my summer exercise program. I even modified my push mower to accommodate my breakneck walking speed when hustling to get the job done.
   The long cold winter had left me feeling old, and I decided even before the snow melted that I never wanted to push mow my yard again. So in the Spring, before the first mow of the season, I finally "bit the bullet" and purchased a brand new 2014 Craftsman T2200 Riding Lawn Mower.

   Overall, I love the tractor, but have grown to really despise the seat. The contoured lumbar drives my back into spasm after the first half hour of mowing. This mid-back seat is a pretty common, and is on a lot of the new Husqvarna made mowers badged under different name brands.
   Not sure if I am not heavy enough to compress the rear springs, but the seat feels like it is shoving you forward. After trying all the adjustments, I yanked the seat and tried it on a level surface. Turns out that it was pretty comfortable, so I examined the mounting plate and noticed the upper deck has an inclined angle. My guess is the seat was designed independently of the mower body.
   I reapproached the problem, focusing on leveling the seat by removing the rear springs and replacing them with short rubber bumpers. Then, I raised the front mounting bracket with hardboard shims. All together, this modification greatly improved the ride comfort and only cost a few dollars to fix.  
  With the backstory told, I would love to say that a riding mower was a match made in heaven, but it is not that cut and dry. The remaining energy after mowing is really nice, but I would have to say my fitness level has taken a much bigger hit than I expected. And it is not really a time saver either, considering the added time for weedeater trimming that my push mower did not require.

Black Magic

   There is no cure all for sealing an aging driveway. I inherited a fatally neglected driveway when we purchased our house. Well past its prime, this modest slab has become an ongoing project of trying to avoid replacing the whole thing. Some years later, my cumulative efforts have started to yield a stronger, easier to care for driveway.
   The journey has led me through a whole lot of products that are a complete waste of time and money. The best tip I ever got was to use asphalt sealer as crack filler. It costs a fraction of what is doled out in those little liter bottles and is of much higher quality. My freshman attempt at sealing used a whole lot of those bottles and it did not even last two years. I can report that after eight years and four sealcoats, the sealcoat / crack filler method works well.
   Hot liquid fillers are superior, given the time and resources, but if you are buying multiple pails of sealcoat, you already have the product on hand and will most likely have leftovers. To reinforce this method, I use a layer of trowel mix across the top of all my seams. This is by far my favorite consumer asphalt product, if applied correctly, it as strong as your asphalt. I have rebuilt aprons, depressions, divots, and failing edges. When we removed the turnaround from our drive, large sections of this product remained intact even after being hit with a sledge.
   The additional trowel mix step is important because unattended cracks sink from water washing out the sub base. The trowel mix levels out the surface and allows the water to shed the way it was intended. In more complex scenarios, I use several drywall knife sizes similar to applying joint compound.
   It may sound like I have mastered DIY asphalt repair, but there is an Achilles heal. All commercially available sealcoats have a terminal thickness. So be warned, if you get addicted to that deep black magic, it comes at a high cost. The topcoat will lose its elasticity and the entire surface will flake off. The ten year warranties are bunk as well, even with the best conditions, it will need maintenance every few years.

Mending Fences

   Attention: New reports on the massive efforts underway at the Manic Maker compound, previously dubbed the "Fortress of Solitude."
   The plans were initialed by the Mrs.'s, and ground was broken with new 4 x 4 framing installed between our neighbors' fence posts. The adjacent property owner has been very accommodating with our intent to build on the backside of their existing privacy fence.
   In order to return the favor, I offered to straighten out some sags in their fence rails. With new timbers installed horizontally between the posts, it provided enough structure to anchor support braces. Using a scissor jack from my car, I was able to raise the middle of the fence rail until it reached the plumb line. This hack worked surprisingly well as the entire section of fence gently eased towards level, with all the boards moving in tandem. While still supported by the jack, I inserted a short piece of 2x stock and screwed the fence in place. Of course this is not as good as rebuilding the entire fence, but that would have been cost prohibitive.

   It is also worth mentioning that I had studied the fence well before coming up with this fix. Aside from the minimal structure, the main culprit of the severe sagging was pressure treated lumber. I have learned the hard way that this material is only good for posts and ground contact. I do not recommend this material where strength is required.
   The wood appears substantial enough for the task, but weather soon reveals significant weaknesses. On a piece of 2 x 4 pressure treated lumber, the hundreds of perforations in the surface reduce the integrity down to about a 1 x 3. I have witnessed 8' sections of 3-rail fencing drooping after a few short seasons. In other words, use quality lumber for your rails and avoid PT lumber if possible.
   This first phase of our intensive, summer long projects is intended to further reinforce the privacy boundary with our closest neighboring property. The new landscape bed houses (3) large black pine which can grow at a rate of 12" - 18" a year. This will create a soft, permeable screen above the fence line. The new cedar cladding on our side has also created a cozier, more intimate yard enclosure.