Tootfinder

What a cool #DIY project for a #cat feeder:
a Secret Painting Door
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOZR2RFAObg…

Abkantbank für Arme. Für schmale Alu-Streifen reicht's. #heuteso #diy #maker

Zusammengebaut sind sie schonmal: Die Victron Lynx Komponenten und der Shunt sitzen bombenfest. 💪
Nun stellt sich die große Frage vor der Montage: Wo ist der beste Platz an der Wand? 🤔
#victronenergy #diy

Testing batteries with a multimeter. I learned one thing after half an hour of no results: The multimeter is broken.
#diy #electronics

you never know ...
#diy #powersupply #lostandfound #upcycling

I designed, constructed and built a CD/DVD shelf. The main design goal was “lightweight”. The CD part is done, DVD part will have shorter boards and will be connected just around the corner below the lamp. And while the aluminium poles look a bit quirky and bent, I can assure you, they’re straight. Just some light/angle thing with the photo. #diy

moved dirt for 2.5 hours this morning. Doesn't really look like I did much 😂 😭! levelled the area in front of the shed in readiness for reorientation of that structure 90°.
Then spent most of the time finding the level in the back corner and gradually extending the dirt out toward the middle. It's coming along.
We will need to rehang the gate door so that it opens out to the alley instead of inward
#poolpond #diy #backyardProject

The computer is now in its home behind the TV. Later: more playing games.
#gaming #steamMachine #diy

catching up with some recent issues of gunk. #NYC #DIY lives!

Hey so where do I get 6/3 copper wire for a reasonable price? I need at least 50ft, but it looks like it's going to cost more than the EV charger I want to get. #EV #DIY #Electrical

PV-Gebastel ist doch etwas anstrengender als Lego. 🧱🥵
Die Wechselrichter hängen und die jeweils fast 200 kg schweren Akkus stehen endlich am richtigen Fleck. Die ganze Familie braucht jetzt definitiv einen neuen Rücken... 🩹😂
Aber der härteste Teil ist geschafft und es geht jetzt zügig voran! Das Kraftwerk nimmt Form an. ⚡💪
#DIY

New PSU in and it's smol. The case should be in here soon and I can get this build back online. Also not pictured, I installed a 2TB NVMe drive in the M.2 slot on the back of the motherboard.
#steamMachine #diy

For a series of days, I’ve been tackling the back patio. Pressure washed all the moss off, pulled so many weeds from in between the stones, and flossed out the dirt in the gaps with a putty knife. Last night I put down polymeric sand and soaked it in.
Very happy with the results.
#HomeImprovement #DIY

Doschauher: #Cyberdecks scheinen eine neue Welle von #DIY-Projekten in der jungen Generation zu sein:
https://peertube.heise.de/w/pqQM…

Schaltpläne sind fertig und eben habe ich auch noch die benötigten Fischer-Dübel für den Porenbeton geholt. 🛠️📋
Möge die Bastelstunde mit den Victron-Komponenten beginnen! Ganz ehrlich: Das blaue Spielzeug für Erwachsene fühlt sich im ersten Moment fast wie Fischertechnik von früher an... nur dass am Ende hoffentlich die Sonne den Strom liefert und nicht der 9V-Block. 😎⚡
#DIY

There is nothing quite so “adulting” as having to randomly order a new kitchen faucet because while you were out doing errands the kid called because all of a sudden there was a large puddle on the kitchen floor because the hose for the sprayer had warn through and sprung a leak.
🚿
#home #diy

WiFi antennas installed, things are downloading/installing. Next step is to take this downstairs, plug it into the home theater system, and see what small issues will crop up.
#steamMachine #diy #gaming

Relativ viel Sorgfalt floss in den Bau der Sägeschablone. Dafür habe ich gerade mit der Tauchsäge locker aus der Hüfte in keinen 15min mal eben zwanzig Regalböden gesägt. Es wird ein „leichtgewichtiges“ CD-Regal, den Prototypen habe ich euch vor ein paar Wochen schon gezeigt. Morgen bohren und schleifen. #diy

Pictures of the "final version" of the Steam Machine knock-off. The case looks great, and there was absolutely no way I was gonna pull the motherboard out of the case to put the IO shield on it...lol
#steamMachine #diy

Mausrad scrollt nicht mehr so richtig? Dann haben sich vermutlich darin Härchen verfangen. Das Logitech Modell M100 liess sich leicht öffnen, das Rad kann dann ganz zerlegt und gereinigt werden. Jetzt scrollt sie wieder die Mastodon timeline rauf und runter!
#fixit #diy

With the wood stained, and then varnished, and then varnished and then varnished and then varnished and then legs attached and the top varnished and then varnished and then varnished it seems the table is ready.
The two main configurations are the S-shape or the C shape, one maybe better for a meal one for a card game or something. Maybe a DM seat there. Not yet with the keyboard embedded in the arms.
Still need to get some chairs.
#diy #table #tardis

Na gut, heute keine zweite Schicht mehr. Erst über Nacht aushärten lassen. Steige ich halt morgen nochmal auf die Leiter 😀 #diy #fassadenwartung

I'm getting into #IKEAHacking and #DIY, making some cabinet doors, raised garden beds, and "boxing in" existing IKEA wardrobes.
Don't have a huge budget, but what power tools should I prioritise? I have a drill, thinking some kind of saw, maybe a router? Hoping for advice from the hive mind!

Zweieinhalb Meter klingt nicht besonders viel, aber wenn man auf der obersten Staffeleistufe steht und dann nochmal einsneunzig Körpergröße dazu kommt, ist das gefühlt ganz schön hoch. #hiergeradeso #diy

From the archives, here's a drip-irrigation device I made for spot watering at the allotment. Because watering is just a drip or a trickle (you choose), it goes fully into the soil rather than running off to the side. As a bonus, fewer weeds around the plant because they never get water. #garden #gardening #water #artichoke #allotment #wine #bottle #diy

Looking for some #diy #solar advice. Specifically, I am looking for a bracket solution whereby I could mount solar panels on the top of each fence post around the yard. (either full size 6x3ft rectangular panels or 5x5 “half size”?
My backyard is in a state of flux, and the fence is new last fall so this is the time to do it.
The brackets would need to attach on the inward facing side of the post, or as a “cap” over the top of the post and then have a bracket that holds the panel up and far enough away to clear the fence at an angle.
The long side of our yard faces north/south so it is perfect for panels throughout the year.
We get strong southerly winds so they would need to be solid.
Suggestions appreciated. It would be great if there was something purpose built for mounting panels on fences.
It might be something I just need to have made custom (there are lots of welding shops in town) but I am not sure how to make sure that the panel itself would be able to attach to the bracket properly.
#solarpanels #metalwork #welding #hardware

2nd #poolpond pump is back up and running!
Spliced in a new (old) extension cord.
But I actually think the previous one was OK as well and I had just misconfigured the controller and didn't know how to reset it because of the --shall we say-- less than English instruction manual 😂
all good.
Onward!!
Main job now: Finish levelling the whole backyard dirt pile and start landscaping!
#diy #backyardProject #gardening #pondlife

Ich habe hier ein Hummus aus fermentierten Kichererbsen!
#Fermentieren #Ferment #DIY #Selbstgemacht…

Maybe this is the way.
Treat it like one single line of panels by extending the posts up attaching to a cross bar that would go the full length of the fence (or however long the line of panels is) and provide the base for each panel.
#diy #solar #solarpanels #metalwork #welding #hardware

well I made the new splice, and the pump came to life!!
But the controller is not responding to inputs 😢
It seems to be locked at 90% power.
I don't know if I have fried the controller so it is only partially working, or if this is still due to a poor connection through the extension.
When I was making the last splice, I was noticing that the extension cord wire is quite blackened. This could be preventing a good connection?
Well at least it is working and circulating again. I am going to find another extension cord to use and see if the wiring looks more pristine.
#poolpond #DIY #backyardProject #chores

a little double pipe action?
i was originally going to use IPEX white solid pipe for this part of the plumbing, but it stuck out like a sore thumb and was difficult to conceal.
Luckily, I got a bonus 50ft of flexible 2" black pipe last year after Amazon sent me it even though I had cancelled and refunded the order. I thought I might sell it but never got any bites. So here we are!
#poolpond #pond #gardening #diy #electrical #pandemicpond #backyardProject

2/2 Along the same plumbing lines... I am also preparing the pumps themselves.
One major thing to do was to splice in an extension cord to the cord for the pump. Obviously this is a "break the warranty" situation, but there is no way around it really. The included cord is only about 6ft to the electronic controller unit and AC/DC transformer. It needs to be much longer to reach even just the shed beside the intake bay where the main pump lives.
I do have two of these pumps so I am holding off extending the second one until I know this first one is successful and happily pumping away in the pond.
The second one will take water directly from the bottom of the main pond as opposed to the intake bay, but it is only additional capacity and isn't critical. Ideally I will have both on at half power normally. But for now, we start with this one!
Need to get butt connectors and heat shrink tubing tomorrow. Ill probably do this electrical work on Thursday or Friday night so I can test it out hopefully Saturday!
#poolpond #pandemicpond #backyardProject #portalberni #gardening #diy

1/2 #poolpond update since my last post got unintentionally deep-sixed and now there is further progress!
on Saturday and Sunday we got supplies and I installed the irrigation box. It involved digging Yet Another Hole, plus small trenches on three sides to accomodate pipes from the main water areas.
Convincing the valves/manifold to fit into the box was a chore, but we got there!
Also fed the main pipe line through the box which yes, involved disconnecting it from the filter pond end, and basically feeding the filter box along the pipe, back to the hole.
In all it turned iout well. I will be removing/rearranging the stream near the tree and adding another layer of liner just for that doversionary stream so I can contain/isolate it fully if I want and also feed the two pipes exiting toward the big pond under the stream so it is less visible in the end.
Sometimes I feel like as this goes I think up more things to do and it makes it all interminable, but really, it just makes it better!
but wait there's more after the pictures...
#pandemicpond #backyardProject #portalberni #gardening #diy

alright, job #1 for the day done -- dishwasher filled as much as possible (we can't do dishes in the sink due to a busted faucet pipe!)
job #2 -- update mastodon -- also done.
Feeling good…..
job #3 -- now to try again to splice in an extension line for the 2nd #poolpond pump. I'm apprehensive... feeling like it is probably not going to work and that I'm missing something else, or that the pump itself or controller has gone bad (due to my actions). I'm going to try to shorten the existing extension as much as possible in case it is something in the line or the length. If that doesn't work, I’ll use a brand new extension cord for the extension. I'm also nervous because the line I am extending is not long (thus the extension!) and I'm going to run out of cutting space at some point -- ruining the pump. : (
wish me luck.
#DIY
#backyardProject #chores

Well, this was a chore I have been kind of dreading since last fall! Cutting, splicing, crimping and ultimately connecting and lengthening the cable for the water pump for the #poolpond. I did it, but I am tired and my hands hurt. 😂 😭
It’s a pretty straightforward thing… you cut the ends off the extension cord, cut it to length, cut the part of the pump cord you want to extend in two, and then set about stripping, crimping, heat shrinking, and taping, the two cables together.
But I knew it wasn’t going to be one and done. I started this at 4PM. Thought I had it almost done by 4:30 and then realized I forgot to thread the heat shrink tubing on first. 😣 doh
So I started over.
Then I got half way through try#2 and had to leave….
Came back to it just after 9PM… and spent the next two hours doing, and redoing, it. Until it was, I hope, good.
Won’t know for sure until I plug the pump in tomorrow.
Slightly nervous. 😬
I’ll update you tomorrow! Probably first thing! 🤞
#pond #gardening #diy #electrical #pandemicpond #backyardProject

foaming!
I cleaned out the waterfall of gunk and most of the small stones and gravel leaving only the large rocks placed as strategically as I could to leave small gaps for foaming.
1.5 cans worth of landscape foam (DAP). I think I got all of it, but water always finds a way so its probably more like 75% if I'm lucky.
Ill let it cure for 24hrs then Ill trim some of the excess and reactivate the waterfall tomorrow to see what it looks like. It should make a big difference no matter what.
#poolpond #backyardproject #diy #gardening #portalberni

A little discouraged this afternoon as I spent part of the day adding extension wire into the 2nd pump as I had the first.
Two tries on both ends splicing in the cord and both times the pump fails to start with a low voltage on the pump-side error. 😢
Hate losing a day… but also unsure where the problem is. If it’s the pump, my splices, or the quality of the extension cord spliced into it (it is the other half of the same cord used to extend the first pump.) Really hope it is not the first! But the other two options suck too because it is an annoying job to do the splices.
Bummer.
Also after the foaming in, it looks like I still missed a significant gap somewhere. Only redirected about half the water. There is a lot more coming down to the end of the waterfall which is good. Still lots coming out the bottom under the flat rocks.
I think I am going to try splicing in a newer extension cord another day since that will kind of answer both the splicing and cord questions at once.
For now though, no extra bottom poolpond circulation/sprayers, just the main pump. And I still have 1.25 cans of foam to use, so I will plan for another day of foaming when I can take a super close second look at where the water is going that it shouldn’t.
Can’t all be successes. Like computer stuff 😝
Onward!
My outdoor office was fun tho. 😊
#poolpond #backyardProject
#diy #pondlife #success #failure #life

finally! the pond is *just* overtop the intake bay inlet and flow has reversed to its proper skimming mode. have pump 1 on low and slow. There is just enough water coming in now for the level ti only drop very slowly.
am I sitting on the edge of the pond at dark at midnight watching the water rise ever so slowly so that I can go ?
yes 😂
edit: it's 1AM. Just turned off the water. Both pumps are at 90% power and the water level appears stable. I'm going to go out on a limb and call it a night and hope there is water in the right places in the morning.
who am I kidding. of course there will be. It's even awesome at night.
This was a good day!! 😁 👍
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #plumbing

The water was perfectly clear… until I planted the first plants into the bog pond and intake bay! First plantings are always a little iffy because the nutrients in the pond won’t stabilize for a few months. Who knows how much nitrogen made it in with the gravel and little bit of clay or maybe it’ll be too much and the algae will come before the filter gets its compliment of “good bacteria” to start actually filtering and purifying.
I made a plant roster on our back door wall so I could keep track. 😂 🌱 🌱 🌱
A few I have never tried before. This is just the start. We will need more but hoping we can split/propagate a few from the front yard #pandemicpond to save time and money. They are all about $15-$20 a pop.
Here’s the run down:
In the Intake Bay (far corner nearest the shed where water and debris is pulled in and recirculated):
1) A big Red Abyssinian Banana. We’ll see how hardy it is, and if it likes being in the pond. It was marked as a pond plant, but says “moist soil full sun” so I made a little spot inside the liner but built up so its base is dry. It’s a very impressive plant already.
2) Standard pond lily - peach flower. They like deeper water so the bay is the place, the little bit of circulation shouldn’t bother it and it’ll have maximum sun. In time it will provide nice shade for underwater beneficial critters, and a landing pad for airborne critters too.
In the bog filter:
3) nearest in the photo is a marsh marigold, these guys are fantastic, very hardy, and very pretty when they bloom. Would like them to colonize most of the edge of the bog filter to provide a nice soft vibrant edge.
4) flat leafed tall plant is a purple iris.
5) broad leafed low plant is a water Cala lily. They should broaden out and provide nice area coverage.
6) the little guy near the edge is a pitcher plant. It eats bugs! So I put it near the edge. Muaahahaha.
7) tall plant in the back is a type of variegated ginger? It’s called Vanilla Ice…. ice. Ice. Baby.
#poolpond #portalberni #diy #gardening #bloomscrolling #home #water #pond #pondlife