Have any of you replaced your water heater yourself? Have any of you attempted to do so and failed, only to hire someone else to do it? Are any of you plumbers with opinions about a non-plumber's likelihood of success? Any thoughts on cost of professional installation vs. costs to purchase the necessary equipment?
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posted by nohaybanda
on May 10, 2013 -
13 answers
I'm going to be producing a low-budget feature film, and hopefully more in the future. I'm considering setting up a company via LegalZoom or similar and just want to know if there are any "gotcha"s before I start.
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posted by drjimmy11
on May 10, 2013 -
11 answers
I have two old Radio Shack handheld radios. They were purchased in the US, originally for communication on the ski slopes. On the back, there is a number "09A06" and it also says CAT NO 21-1936.
I was about to throw them away, but would rather repurpose them for something. I live in a large metropolitan area, in an apartment. I am good at programming and am comfortable using something like an Arduino, Rasberry Pi, BeagleBone, etc.
What interesting hack can I use these for?
posted by bangitliketmac
on May 1, 2013 -
3 answers
I have a silver (silver colored, not sure what it's made of, but it tarnishes) necklace that had been stuffed in a round box in storage, for quite a few months. I'd like to fix it.
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posted by luciddream928
on Apr 30, 2013 -
6 answers
I have a Weber Q120 grill which I love to use, but it works off those little green camping type propane tanks, so it'll go through them quickly.
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posted by gzimmer
on Apr 30, 2013 -
8 answers
Over the past few years, I have successfully simplified my life by getting rid of a lot of stuff. Now my new goal is to increase my self-sufficiency, but I’m finding that my previous efforts of uncluttering have made me more dependent on outside resources and services.
How should I balance simplicity and self-sufficiency?
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posted by racingjs
on Apr 26, 2013 -
20 answers
I found
this coffee table on Craigslist for $15. While structurally it's pretty sound, the previous owners painted it; it looks like they may have just spray painted the poor thing without a drop of primer or sealant, because the top is chipping (see photos). Not ever one to leave passable alone, I decided that I had to repaint it. I've read as many furniture painting tutorials as I could get my hands on - the best seemed to be
DIY on the Cheap,
Young House Love,
Centsational Girl, and
Mouse House - and I still have a few questions for you guys.
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posted by Devika
on Apr 25, 2013 -
10 answers
I’ve gotten a bee in my bonnet about sous vide cooking, but I’m not sure whether I want to build from scratch, buy an integrated PID with a SSR (
Dorkfood,
Auber) and a crockpot, or an integrated solution like the
Sidekic. I’m not in the market for more pricy options (Sous Vide Supreme and above)—unless the other alternatives really don’t cut it (especially with eggs, which apparently are a little fickle, but would be something I’d love to cook this way). What’s been your experience with these alternatives?
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posted by Admiral Haddock
on Apr 25, 2013 -
10 answers
I'm looking for afternoon projects that:
a) can be done with a friend
b) require no skill in advance
c) produce something worthwhile, whether it's useful or merely impressive
d) cost under $100 for parts
e) are something I wouldn't consider on my own
Suggestions?
posted by LSK
on Apr 24, 2013 -
20 answers
It looks
thusly. My issue is that, despite the fact that it was originally barely taped down at all, I am unable to successfully,
reliably reattach it using the same method. ("it" in this case being the printed black strips on the left). I am reasonably sure that lack-of-contact is my problem, because if I physically hold the cable to the board, it will reliably work when I push a button.
Best I can do is that sometimes, after putting it all back together for the Nth time, one button will work. Maybe other buttons on its side will work, maybe not. Maybe it'll work for a few presses and then quit.
The cable looks fine, the board contacts look fine, no amount of scotch tape is helping me out here. How do I affix these suckers but good?
posted by curious nu
on Apr 19, 2013 -
7 answers
Aside from a few major professional-only renovations for our house, what we can do to make our home the way we would like? (Bonus points for simplicity!)
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posted by Kitteh
on Apr 15, 2013 -
8 answers
I buy bottles of strauss organic whipping cream, it comes it little glass bottles and looks like this:
pic 1,
pic 2. As you can see, on the glass bottle there is a flat black imprint with some lettering and a logo. Is there any way to safely remove that imprint? I have something in mind I'd like to reuse my bottles for and I'd prefer them not to have that imprint. Thanks!
posted by long haired child
on Apr 13, 2013 -
23 answers
Which instant photo printing set-up will be the least hassle for my wedding guests to use unsupervised?
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posted by thewestinggame
on Apr 11, 2013 -
5 answers
I have plans install a hardwood floor during a time of year when my house will be at its driest. Before I nail down these boards, I want to allow for seasonal changes in relative humidity so that the floor doesn't swell up and self-destruct come summer. On the other hand, I want to minimize gaps. How can I best guesstimate summer conditions, specifically
indoor relative humidity?
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posted by rub scupper cult
on Apr 11, 2013 -
2 answers
I've got some car parts I'm selling on eBay, and I need to hook them up to power in order to check a few things and make sure that they work.
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posted by iknowizbirfmark
on Apr 3, 2013 -
12 answers
I LOVE the powdered cheese of mac 'n cheese. I don't need the whole box, and I know how to make tasty homemade mac 'n cheese. I just want to duplicate the powdered cheese with real home ingredients. Imitation Annie's, if you will.
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posted by aniola
on Mar 21, 2013 -
16 answers
I've been building guitar pedal kits from
buildyourownclone, and it's been great fun. I'm running out of pedals I want to make for myself, and am looking for other projects, like this
stereo tube amp, and maybe this
sous vide. Can you recommend more electronics projects (preferably kits, so I don't have to scrounge for parts) that are cool and look good at the end?
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posted by Admiral Haddock
on Mar 21, 2013 -
9 answers
The electric smoker that I was
so excited about last week doesn't work! After I plug it in, it runs for about 5 minutes before tripping the GFCI outlet that I had it plugged into. I did have it on a 10 foot long extension cord (no electrical outlets on my back porch). I assume this means there is a short somewhere?
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posted by rossination
on Mar 16, 2013 -
9 answers
I've been told recently that collecting micrometeorites is as easy, basically, as placing a clean surface outside and picking through the debris you collect because thousands of tons of space dust and debris fall to Earth every day. That can't be all there is to it, can it? How do you know whether you're looking at Earth dust or space dust?
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posted by Sleeper
on Feb 27, 2013 -
4 answers
I am preparing a blog post for my library's in which I am going to review several websites that I consider "useful" for our patrons in improving the quality of their lives or help them keep a little more money in their pocketbooks.
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posted by cinemafiend
on Feb 22, 2013 -
19 answers
For a research project, I have several pieces of equipment mounted on top of a large metal rotating circular surface. At the moment, all equipment is battery powered. I would like to come up with an inexpensive way of getting DC power and signal wires to a computer off the surface to analyze data in real time. Besides that constraint, going down thru the center isn't really an option since the rotating shaft is solid metal.
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posted by gzimmer
on Feb 18, 2013 -
8 answers
Help us figure out how to cover up or replace this god awful kitchen floor. We just purchased a farmhouse that was renovated in the mid 50s. The mudroom and kitchen have 9" asphalt tiles that are all coming up (so not level), and on top of that, the prior owner used these rooms as a kennel for his incontinent daschund.
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posted by checkitnice
on Feb 16, 2013 -
20 answers
What pro or semi-pro sewing machine would be best for a home sewer opening an Etsy store that sells denim, canvas, and Cordura (1000 denier) luggage and other bags? Ability to sew lighter fabrics as well would be a plus, as would overlock capability (a separate overlock machine would also work). This is for a class project and hypothetical, so price is no object.
posted by WorkingMyWayHome
on Feb 11, 2013 -
5 answers
Mr. Panda and I are making it official and getting married in April 2014, woohoo! However, I've got no idea how to plan a wedding.
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posted by Attackpanda
on Feb 2, 2013 -
22 answers
I have an old (30+ years) pair of speakers, and the foam rubber surrounding the woofers is cracking and falling off. Numerous DIY websites explain how to replace this foam, but none seem to answer the most important question: why would you bother doing this? The speakers still make sound.
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posted by wondercow
on Jan 27, 2013 -
3 answers
I got lost on the internet and found a small business selling great-looking US map prints for under $30. I think they were CO-based, but I've lost the website!
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posted by deludingmyself
on Jan 26, 2013 -
8 answers
I've got
this Dewalt miter saw, and it seems to be slightly out of square -- neither the 0º miter or bevel is exactly square, at least with the door casing I've been cutting.
Does anyone have any tips (or links to good resources) on how to square up this sort of saw?
For what it's worth, I think I've figured out how to adjust the indicators & scale on the saw, so I'm not looking for advice on how to adjust this particular saw. Instead, I need help figuring out how to determine which direction -- and to what degree -- I need to move the scale to square it up. Advice on how to cut and match a board to test the square is just the sort of help I need.
posted by jacob
on Jan 18, 2013 -
7 answers
My wonderful iPod, going on nine years now, seems to have finally gotten to the point where I can't fix it anymore. I've replaced the hard drive, battery, hard drive cable, and logic board, and yet all it does is turn on, show the Apple logo, and turn off, repeating over and over. What else could be wrong, and how can I fix it? This is a B&W 4th gen iPod, originally 40 GB.
posted by reductiondesign
on Jan 17, 2013 -
4 answers
I've seen the
Nano Nails product that is supposed to turn your fingernails into a capacative stylus. I like this idea, but they aren't out yet, and anyway I want to do my nails myself! What can I use that's lightweight to attach to my fingernail so that it conducts enough electricity to operate an iPod Touch?
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posted by NoraReed
on Jan 17, 2013 -
6 answers
I have a 2000 Subaru Outback. It needs a bit of work, the most costly of which is replacing the leaking power steering pump... shop says $360. Is this a repair that I can do myself?
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posted by roygbv
on Jan 17, 2013 -
5 answers
My very dark strand woven bamboo hardwood floors have a semi-glossy finish. Even after they've been freshly mopped, every speck of dust is visible and they'll look dirty the minute someone – wearing socks fresh out of the laundry, even – walks across the room. Is there any way I can change their finish to matte?
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posted by halogen
on Jan 15, 2013 -
6 answers
my friend's triple door medicine cabinet lost a door. trying to get a replacement hinge hasn't been fruitful. can you recommend a good alternative hinge? complications inside.
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posted by ps_im_awesome
on Jan 10, 2013 -
2 answers
I need solutions for a cat that chomps cords.
We have tried:
Bitters spray
Bitters gel
Covering the cords with fabric bias tape then, putting bitters on them.
and
Hiding cords, he still gets to them
He's even chomping think cords, like serge protectors that plug into the wall.
I've seen those cat cord protectors, but all the reviews say they're garbage.
He does this mostly when were not home. Is there an appropriate thing to give a cat to chew on? (like with dogs)
posted by misformiche
on Jan 9, 2013 -
16 answers
How do I turn my gingerbread man cookies into long-lasting Christmas tree ornaments?
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posted by film
on Dec 26, 2012 -
7 answers
Is it possible to make a pop-up card without the pixellated look? I have searched Google to no avail.
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posted by luciddream928
on Dec 15, 2012 -
4 answers
[geometryfilter] I have to assemble a tiered cake stand to hold cupcakes at a wedding tomorrow. The tiers and the styrofoam thingies that will separate the tiers are all circular. How do I make sure that I get each tier centered properly on the next?
posted by undue influence
on Dec 13, 2012 -
5 answers
I need some help building a gadget with an Arduino board. Specifically, I need help finding a way to dispense very tiny quantities of fluid (10 μL) once an hour. The valve assembly is the part I'm having trouble with...
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posted by dialetheia
on Dec 12, 2012 -
14 answers
