Porch Lattice Repair / Rebuild

 

Finished lattice project, Chaumont, NY. (I could have done a better job.)

This afternoon I finished replacing / repairing a section of lattice at one end of our front porch. I used a piece of vinyl lattice that I bought at Home Depot for $50.00. It's very flexible product and was problematic trying to get it in place from under the porch.  I decided to try and brace it by gluing strips of wood to it. from some angles the wood braces were a bit visible so I decided to paint those edges black. I used Loctite brand adhesive. Seemed to work pretty good but one of the braces fell off as I was handling the lattice. Vinyl has a problem with expansion and contraction which can cause it to crack and break if fastened to tightly. I used some at our Franklin St house some years ago and it cracked and broke after a couple of years. I screwed it in place too tightly. 

Replacing lattice on porch, Summer 2025. This is not visible
from the street and consequently has been easy project to put off

Original lattice, very weather beaten and old. But it's salvageable which I intend to do.

New vinyl lattice held in place with wood strips, screws do not penetrate the vinyl.

Painting wood bracing that I glued to vinyl lattice. 

Wood bracing glued to vinyl lattice. This greatly improved handling the thing.

Easily cut the lattice these  hardware scissors

Flat Tire, Broken Spring, New Tire, New Strut, 2011 Kia Sedona

Side wall damaged by broken spring reveals why tire went flat. 

So yesterday I took the flat tire wheel off my 2011 Kia Sedona and discovered a spring broke and the sharp end gouged through the sidewall of the tire. This was the passenger side front. This same situation occurred on the drivers side a year or so ago. I bought a replacement tire from Cheney Tire in Watertown. Price with tax & fees came to $247.66 

I then went to O'Reilly Auto Parts and bought a strut and spring assembly to the tune of $235.43    

Detail of reciept from Cheney Tire in Watertown for a Firestone all season radial tire, size 220 70R/16

 

Detail of receipt from O'Reilly Auto Parts for loaded strut assembly for 2011 Ki Sedona.

Today I removed the broken strut. It was 15 to 19 degrees outdoors today. I spent a good deal of time out there and was very combfortable. There was sun and no wind. I wore 2 shirts, a winter vest and a winter coat on top of all that. I also wore long johns and a knit hat, gloves. 

3/8 socket on brake line retainer bolt

17mm wrench on strut to steering knuckle bolt.

Strut and spring assembly removed.

View of broken spring on the strut.

What I Did Today: Faucett repair, molding, baby mouse

 What I did yesterday, August 22, 2024, a Thursday.

Baby mouse found in our garage.

I was busy. First thing was go to Watertown City Comptrollers office and pay the city tax bill for our property at 418 Clay St. That was $621.31. Then I was busy at Clay St just doing more little jobs ,prepping for sale and or new tenants. I repaired leaky kitchen faucet in Apt #2, put together one of 3 windows that I had repaired for Apt #1, painted the window sills, and did a minor repair to the threshold of the new stairway door. I also put down some 1/4 round molding along the baseboards in the 2nd bedroom of Apt #1.

On way home I bought some charcoal at Sam's Club, 2 20 pound bags for about $24.00

In the evening I discovered  baby mouse in our garage. It's eyes were not yet open and it moved very clumsily & feebly. At first I thought it was dead. I showed it to Better Haf and our visiting granddaughter A. I returned the mouse to where I found it. This moning it ws gone, it's fate unknown to me.

1/4 round molding in bedroom at Clay St Apt #1

Leaky faucet repair at Clay St Apt #2. Removing damaged plastic washer.

Leaky faucet repair at Clay St Apt #2. 

Leaky faucet repair at Clay St Apt #2.  Stem of the ball was bent. 

Leaky faucet repair at Clay St Apt #2.  The damaged washer, left and the new one.

Someone obviously damaged the ball and washers of the faucet, maybe through frustration trying to stop the drip. This is a Delta faucet, repair kit included the ball, washer, springs, seals, o rings. It cost $30.00 at Home Depot. 

Sink Cabinet Repair, Club Sandwich, Beer May 11 2024

Don't let the glass fool you. It contained Sierra Nevada IPA. I would NEVER drink Michalobe Ultra.

What I did Yesterday, May 11, 2024. 

BEFOR: Under the kitchen sink, apartment no 1, Clay St. 

I repaired the floor of kitchen sink base cabinet in apt No. 1 of our Clay St house. I used some scrap plywood to crudely replace the missing particle board of original cabinet floor. I then cvered it with some left over flooring planks. It is sturdy and looks good and is sealed up against bugs, mice and any other vermin that might show up unannounced. 

Couple scraps of 1/2 inch plywood to cover most of hole and support new flooring.

Final result: Strong, clean, attractive. 

About 6:00 pm we decided to take a drive, no place special, just toward the lake. Next thing you know we were at the Shangra La bar / restaurant on Point Peninsula. They just opened for the season. Musician Adam Netto was playing there. Nice surprise. I had a couple beers and a garlic pizza with chicken and bacon. The Better Half had a turkey club sandwhich. The food was delicious. Tab came to $51.00

An excellent turkey club sandwich served up at Shangra La on Point Penninsula, NY.

It was a quite pleasant day, mostly sunny, 55 degrees or so.

My iPhone says I walked 4,704 steps for the day. 

Another Auto Repair: Fuel Pump for 2011 Kia Sedona

Our 2011 Kia Sedona on a lovely April Day, perfect for repair work.

Today I replaced the fuel pump in my 2011 Kia Sedona van. The van has 176,315 miles on it. For the past year I've thought the pump was beginning to fail. Sometimes the engine would crank over longer than normal to start. Once in awhile it seemed to lose power. On Monday, April 29, it stalled as I was backing out of the Clay St. driveway. Very difficult to get it started again. Finally got it to run poorly and managed to drive it home. Brother Al followed me, just in case. 

By the time I gio home it was running good. The next morning it started right up. ButI knew it was time to replace the fuel pump. Got one yesterday at Auto Zone in Evans Mills. It was $288.35 with the tax. This comes about a week after repairing the brakes.

 The job was easy. Hardest part was removing the seat to access the fuel pump cover.

The old fuel pump I removed from our 2011 Kia Sedona .

The old fuel pump I removed from our 2011 Kia Sedona .

Auto Zone parts store receipt for 2011 Kia Sedona fuel pump.

Clay St Door Trim, Jigsaw Puzzle,

 Saturday, January 27, 2024

Eggs & Croghan bologna for breakfast. 

Weather was nice today with sunny afternoon and high of 38 degrees.

Cut & placed pine trim boards around stairway door, Clay St.

Worked on door repair project at Clay St apartment house. Cut some pine boards to train around the new door. Took them inside and coated them with some white shellac to block stains from knots in the wood.

Took trim boards inside vacant unit to prime them with white shellac.
Blotch on floor caused when I knocked shellac can onto the floor.

Spilled the shellac on the living room floor. Not big deal. Carpet is horrible and needs replaced. 

At home worked on a jigsaw puzzle with nice fire in wood stove. Later watched Walter Matthau & Goldie Haun movie from 1967 titled Cactus Flower. Very funny & enjoyable. 

At home worked on a jigsaw puzzle with nice fire in wood stove. 

The Better Half has been sick all day & evening with stomach issues. Hopefully she is better in the morning.