Home Improvement

Deathwing

<Bronze Donator>
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Bought myself a splitting axe and a couple wedges. The splitting axe is making nice work of the smaller to medium pieces but obviously gets stuck on the large pieces of wood. Which is what the wedges are for...or so I thought? These things have a duller edge than the axe. How are they supposed to help? Yes, a maul would be approximately twice as heavy as the axe, but I don't see that making a big difference.

Also, is there a good visual indicator when wood is dry enough for splitting? The tree was felled a couple months ago and the larger trunk pieces have been sitting outside since. Obviously too big to move, but I'm not sure if they're getting any drier being uncovered outside.
 

Picasso3

Silver Baronet of the Realm
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They have grinders that'll knock down the stone, may end up with a terrazo look, may end up with a death trap in rain and snow too, but itd be easy.
 

a_skeleton_03

<Banned>
29,948
29,762
Bought myself a splitting axe and a couple wedges. The splitting axe is making nice work of the smaller to medium pieces but obviously gets stuck on the large pieces of wood. Which is what the wedges are for...or so I thought? These things have a duller edge than the axe. How are they supposed to help? Yes, a maul would be approximately twice as heavy as the axe, but I don't see that making a big difference.

Also, is there a good visual indicator when wood is dry enough for splitting? The tree was felled a couple months ago and the larger trunk pieces have been sitting outside since. Obviously too big to move, but I'm not sure if they're getting any drier being uncovered outside.
Once you get the axe in the split will progress only so far down the log. Stick a wedge further down and tap it to spread the log. This will loosen further up back where your axe is allowing you to leverage it back out. Then come lower than the wedge with the axe.

Been a long time since I split a log and that might not be the most optimal way but the way I remember.
 

Picasso3

Silver Baronet of the Realm
11,333
5,322
Maul sledge side with wedges, can use axe to get the final fibers, otherwise its hammering in wedges in good grain positions to get a split.

Maul is also a much steeper angle/ thicker head, so pretty much a third wedge.
 

Siliconemelons

Avatar of War Slayer
10,849
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anyone have exp with doing solar themselves.

I am looking to do a very small 300w system to get the hang of doing a grid tie in system, no batteries etc.

Seems that solar, like everything dealing with electricity is a pain in the ass to make sure none of the random numbers assigned with them conflict or overload other components.

Like the inverter, you can get a 500w inverter...that only can handle DC in of 25v - but you can get a 300w that is 21.5v or something... and your 300w panels, some do 30v some do 35v... 100w's usually do 12v - but 3 of those is more than a 300w inverter can take in? Is that why some inverter systems need external limiters or have internal ones built in?

And then... some just plug into an outlet in your house to push power back into your grid and push back to the main... some you wire into your breaker box...
 

Lanx

<Prior Amod>
60,783
134,122
anyone have exp with doing solar themselves.

I am looking to do a very small 300w system to get the hang of doing a grid tie in system, no batteries etc.

Seems that solar, like everything dealing with electricity is a pain in the ass to make sure none of the random numbers assigned with them conflict or overload other components.

Like the inverter, you can get a 500w inverter...that only can handle DC in of 25v - but you can get a 300w that is 21.5v or something... and your 300w panels, some do 30v some do 35v... 100w's usually do 12v - but 3 of those is more than a 300w inverter can take in? Is that why some inverter systems need external limiters or have internal ones built in?

And then... some just plug into an outlet in your house to push power back into your grid and push back to the main... some you wire into your breaker box...
don't you have to get permits and electrical company approval first? otherwise it actually "increases" your electricity used (does not register as giving back).

That's why some ppl just use an offgrid to play with, a few batteries and just hook it up to a UPS and power a computer, instead of messing w/ all the permits and shit. (at least to experiment)
 

edko

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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don't you have to get permits and electrical company approval first? otherwise it actually "increases" your electricity used (does not register as giving back).

That's why some ppl just use an offgrid to play with, a few batteries and just hook it up to a UPS and power a computer, instead of messing w/ all the permits and shit. (at least to experiment)

In this county (in Florida) you would need a permit to tie a big solar grid into the house and therefore into the grid, and a permit for the system as a home improvement. We do have many houses on a few islands that are completely off grid, but I assume they need a standard electrical and construction permit for even that.
 

Siliconemelons

Avatar of War Slayer
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Yeah I am in Florida - I do not mind getting the connection part done correctly with permits.. But I want to do as much as I can myself.
 
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iannis

Musty Nester
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17,656
That is indeed the ugliest patio I have ever seen.

I wonder what he used it for. He had to have used it as a foundation for something.
 

Oldbased

> Than U
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65,177
It appears whoever did it was going for exposed aggregate but skipped the final steps.
So basically from what I can tell the slab was poured and aggregate pebble was thrown on and it appears that is it.
The next step would have been to press it into the slab while it was wet wait a bit then broom off the excess concrete.

If you chisel it off and it would be a complete bitch it is going to have a million puckholed slab underneath it. If you grind it down I worry the pebble is not stable enough to take the force and will just create the worlds largest terrorist weapon while in motion and it's slick enough I would have concern with paver sand holding up long term with compacting/pavers.
This is what it should have ended up as if it had been pressed after spreading and it is bad enough to walk on even done correctly.
I guess the question is what do you really want it to be when done, then we can figure out how many beers you are going to need.

download (1).jpg
 

ilikefoods

Peasant
156
173
What Olebass said. Really need to see rest of garden or a plan, what you want from your garden and what your budget is.
You could dig it all up and start from scratch, using a mini excavator, jack hammer, or by hand - if you do it by hand though need to be careful that you don't dislodge stones and send them flying through your windows.
You could pour cement slurry over it and try to fix the exposed aggregate look. You could concrete over it (brushed finished, pattern imprinted, dyed, got a lot of options). Compact some sand and lay block paving, artificial turf over it, or throw down some mortar and some paving slabs on top of it. Got to be careful when going over the top of it though, building regulations here in UK say it shouldn't come up any higher than 6" below the damp proof course of your house to prevent any issues with damp.


Previous owner being a horticulturalist just means he knows about plants, doesn't mean he knows anything about hard landscaping or garden design.
 
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ZyyzYzzy

RIP USA
<Banned>
25,295
48,789
It appears whoever did it was going for exposed aggregate but skipped the final steps.
So basically from what I can tell the slab was poured and aggregate pebble was thrown on and it appears that is it.
The next step would have been to press it into the slab while it was wet wait a bit then broom off the excess concrete.

If you chisel it off and it would be a complete bitch it is going to have a million puckholed slab underneath it. If you grind it down I worry the pebble is not stable enough to take the force and will just create the worlds largest terrorist weapon while in motion and it's slick enough I would have concern with paver sand holding up long term with compacting/pavers.
This is what it should have ended up as if it had been pressed after spreading and it is bad enough to walk on even done correctly.
I guess the question is what do you really want it to be when done, then we can figure out how many beers you are going to need.

View attachment 141706
There is no concrete at the bottom. Just 4in layer of rock epoxied togther
 

Oldbased

> Than U
27,727
65,177
There is no concrete at the bottom. Just 4in layer of rock epoxied togther
Say what? That is even more messed up. The only way to solve this is with explosives. You may want to make sure the house gets it too. It'll be the only way to ensure that fuckery didn't find a way to corrupt the house as well.