(Part 3) Reddit mentions: The best building materials

Food and water typically goes in a covered area of the run. Only way to keep rodents out of it is to only feed them a day's worth of food at a time. This prevents waste as well.

Chickens will go in every night. If the run is fully secure (2"x4" welded wire, chain link, or other strong wire, not chicken wire), then you don't need a door. If the run is open on the or is otherwise not fully secure, then you do need a door that can latch. They could probably figure out a swinging door, but so can a predator. Unless you're in a very cold area, just leave it as an open hole if your run is going to be 100% enclosed.

As for cover for the run, it depends on the size and how you're building it. 1/4" or 1/2" hardware cloth is the best if they're going to be roosting somewhere that a raccoon could reach. Chain link or 2"x4" welded wire is sufficient for the most of the run. 50' 1/2", 50' 1/4"

I free range my birds, so I don't really do much coop cleaning. Laying down fresh hay after a rain in the uncovered portion of my coop is about all they get. You probably want to replace the substrate when it's dirty... People love walk-in coops for that purpose.

not after a quick search ( ,_,)

seems like all of the "smart home" products are 15amps

off the top of my head, you could accomplish the same goal using a relay board and some RIBs

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071KFX63R/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LEUJU6/

but you're venturing towards a rabbit hole of how complicated/expensive do you want this to be :)

maybe someone else knows of a 20amp smart switch, for an elegant solution.

That's hardwood, my man! Refinish that floor!

Rent a drum sander and a floor edger, start at 60 and sand in line with the boards, 80 diagonally across, then 120 in line. Stain it up (I prefer Old Masters - avoid Minwax), wait 72 hours, then seal with a catalyzed two-stage sealer like StreetShoe NXT. Anything from General Finishes is also great stuff (both their stains and sealers are great).

After you do your first pass with 60 grit, fill any gaps, nail holes from the tack strip, or imperfections with a trowelable wood floor filler like Bona Pacific Filler or Rust-Oleum Parks (NO PLASTIC WOOD ON FLOORS). If you need to plug holes where wiring may have been passed through in the past, use corks.

Also a good time to refinish or replace baseboard. The whole project will add good value to your home and will look so much better than carpet.

I bought 1x1 foot galvanized steel sheets from Amazon, found here https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000W6ZMQY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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And the boxes are the Really Useful Box, 9 Liter ones. They're heavy duty plastic, solid snaps, and stack really easily without adding pressure to the bottom boxes middle, super well designed.

I have only used something like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001AZ46O0/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687562&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0047WL9SE&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0E529687JA0SCSWFXAC9 to repair the top of the boot. These were super easy to install and have been working great for the past +10 tears

For metal minis there are typically two generally types of solutions.

1. You can get foam trays from a wide variety of companies, either pluck style or with pre-made compartments. This works well, I have four ArmyTransport trays that hold two factions worth of Infinity models. There are also nice bags made to hold the trays.
   
   
2. You can glue magnets on the underside of the base and stick them to metal sheets in some sort of container (or a metal toolbox). Sometimes this may require a little creativity to figure out the best way to "stack" multiple layers of metal sheets but fortunately Infinity doesn't use a lot of minis so one sheet may last forever.
   
   For instance, I'm magnetizing my Star Wars Legion models this way.
   
   I'm using this 13x13 container with has 4" tall "levels":
   https://www.amazon.com/Snapware-Seasonal-Ornament-Storage-Container/dp/B00FXLTSI6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522936303&sr=8-1&keywords=ornament+storage+13x13
   
   I'm using this 12x12 sheet:
   https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000W6ZMQY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
   
   The sheet drops right in, I've secured it with some double-sided tape or you can use glue or whatever. Then I put 6x2mm magnets on the bottom of each figure. You'd want to check the Infinity bases to make sure how thick a magnet will fit the recess but basically that's the process. Metal minis are heavier so you might want a slightly bigger magnet or perhaps two smaller ones. There are probably recommendations online somewhere.
   
   It's fairly cheap, very expandable, and should be able to hold nearly any game.

Looks great! I did this with my E39's style 42's a couple years ago. The process is pretty straightforward if you want to fix curb rash like I did. Pretty much just involves sanding the lip down, putting some bondo over the problem areas, sanding that down, then spraying it again (primer, silver paint, clear coat). I can answer questions you guys may have too, I'm pretty happy with how mine came out

EDIT (supplies I used):

Nice kit that comes with rags and the sprays you need

Bondo

Scotch Painters' Tape

I cut out a circular piece of cardboard to put over the inset part of the wheel (everything but the lip) and then I taped off everything but the very outer lip that was scuffed. I can't find the original DIY that I used but this is the process as I remember it (minus sandpaper details because I don't remember the exact grit), I'm sure if you googled around you could find something more detailed and with pictures.

So what you are saying is that I's want to wrap and secure it to the coop: http://www.amazon.com/Mat-Midwest-308239A-48-Inch---50-Foot/dp/B0009H53AQ/ref=sr_1_3/180-9608503-3339424?ie=UTF8&qid=1398795884&sr=8-3&keywords=hardware+cloth+1+4

Would I have to secure it top to bottom or could I get by with just wrapping the bottom of the coop? Thank you so much for the help.

I've been really happy with this: 3 mm 1/8" x 12" x 12" Premium Baltic Birch Plywood, Box of 16 B/BB Grade Birch Veneer Sheets, Perfect For Laser, CNC Cutting and Wood Burning - By Woodpeckers https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MXVB6O6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_3VxCCb2AGTF8H
Comes in a stack so they are all pretty flat and shouldn't come warped.

Unfortunately, from all the threads I've read on here about gutter guards, none of them really work all that great and you'll end up cleaning them anyway. That being said, people are always trying to reinvent the wheel. I'd go check out neighbors houses and see if anyone else is using them then talk to them about how well they work.

These look promising. Lots of Q&A and people seem pleased as these are a copy from a more expensive item https://www.amazon.com/LeafsOut-Gutter-Install-yourself-Protection/dp/B004IG3IOC

In addition, I saw a post somewhere on Reddit, where a guy used pvc to extend his leaf blower putting an ell on the end and blew out his gutters from the ground.

I use these:

https://www.amazon.com/Sterilite-14228604-Stack-Carry-Handle/dp/B00IPUCPA0/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&ref=yo_pop_d_pd

And either line the bottom with metal like this and glue magnets to my bases:

https://www.amazon.com/M-D-Building-Products-56072-Galvanized/dp/B001GTVS82/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&ref=yo_pop_d_pd

Or I just got some of this and it also seemed to work well:

https://www.amazon.com/Customizable-Magic-Camkix-Extra-Large/dp/B00LAVI7B2/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&ref=yo_pop_d_pd

My thunderwolves and Bjorn have a few craft magnets glued to their bases and the metal option has worked great. Getting magnets to stay glued to the base was the hardest part and the larger bases don't move at all during transport.

The foam is pluck foam, and I used it for some bikes and terminators without too much trouble. It's a little smaller than the case, put I used the foam that I plucked and made an outside row of foam to keep the main tray in place and for extra storage

The Hakko FX888D is going to be what the majority of people that comment here will point you to, with good reasons. Price may be a bit high but this thing will see you through all your hobbies that require soldering, honestly there is nothing bad I can say about the unit besides the fact that it’s ugly AF 😂

Weller WE1010 is what I’m currently using (Gave Hakko away to my brother) As far as I can tell there is no noticeable difference between the two, with the same heat up time, performance, etc. one thing is that this doesn’t come with a brass tip cleaner like the Hakko so you’d have to get one yourself.

This really depends on the dimensions of the room you'll be moving into. Honestly, less clutter is better, and the ideal layout maximizes the amount of useable space. If you really need something to spice it up, just get a single piece of wall artwork or some smart RGB LED bulbs.

What sander are you renting? It's most likely an ez-8 which are absolutely useless. 110v machines are not aggressive enough and will take forever. Also if you cant get your hands on a multidisk or trio or even a varathane sander you will want to buy screens and rent a buffer. Finish big machine at 80 grit. Then finish all edging and then palm sand anywhere you edged making sure to get all scratch out. I would not suggest staining as that is extremely difficult for a beginner to pull off with no scratch and no lap marks etc. Also any imperfections you made with the drum sander or edger will show up way more. Don't use any stain or finish found at big box stores, it is honestly useless and not durable at all the minwax stains take like 3 days to dry and fine print on can says not for use on floors. The varathane stains have compatibility problems where if you use a water based finish on top it will peel. If you are going to stain do not do more than one coat, that will also cause adhesion issues with the finish and it will peel. This is a very good finish, extremely durable and will last. Use the basic coatings sealer underneath or you'll end up with aide bonding and get while lines everywhere with the movement of the wood. I would suggest some oil based finishes such as bona woodline or Sampson wood armour but those products can't really be shipped because of VOC issues. Itll cost a lot more. Your local hardwood distributor may sell some to you, but usually you have to be a flooring contractor with an account with them to buy products, but you may get lucky if you ask. If you can get some oil based finish I would recommend bona dry fast sealer and bona woodline or Sampson wood armour. Much much much tougher than anything home depot or Lowe's sells, but ultimately the streetshoe 275 will be the toughest finish without going moisture cure or UV cure.

I bought clear no-slip tape on Amazon. Here’s how it looks. link They came with a handy roller. It was very easy to apply. I don’t find I notice them and my wife (who’s very picky about my “projects”) gave me the thumbs up after inspecting the steps. Here’s the link on Amazon Amazon

This 3M clear grip tape works great!

That is cute. I like it. If you ever want something a little stronger, you can pick up craft plywood for a few bucks. If you are careful, it can even be cut with a simple utility knife.

I put up 200 feet of these almost 4 years ago now. You still have to clean crap off them, but for me it went from a 4-6 times a year, to taking the leaf blower onto the roof (which I have to do anyway) once a year.

I'm very happy with them

Hue or LIFX will be your best choice but since you want to avoid a hub and I am assuming you are on a budget these wifi bulbs might do:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07471CG5Q/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I primarily use hue but I got a couple of these cheap ones to mess around with and haven't been too disappointed. They work with Alexa and Google Home. Will do all the colors and dim on voice command, no need to change any switches. In google or alexa you would just have to group them all into one room and you could say things like "turn on/off kitchen lights", "turn kitchen to 50%" to dim/brighten, "turn kitchen red" for color. Now being cheap these obviously don't work as well as hue or lifx, color control tends to be better controlled through their app or google home/alex app and not over voice. I haven't been dissapointed for 15 dollar COLOR smart bulbs.

I have the p400, same airflow issues, I should do this too.

I've been leaving the bottom slightly cracked sometimes. But since I added an extra intake and outtake to the top temps have been alright

Edit: https://www.amazon.com/Edge-Trim-Black-Small-Length/dp/B00KG9BAY0

If you want to make it look more clean add this

Have you thought about removing the screen door and installing one of those magnetic screens? Like this: http://www.amazon.com/Premium-Magnetic-Screen-Door-Mosquito/dp/B00CEFRCVO

That way you could have the dog door and it folds out of the way but can snap into place when you have nice weather and want to keep bugs out.

I just looked at this for a 29mm Cesaroni motor. I'm going to switch over to a 29mm motor mount. I think I'll just use a 29mm one grain F load instead of adapting to 24mm. I'll definitely try that in OpenRocket! I would never use balsa for fins :^ ) You caught me. The 1/8" 1sq ft G10 stock is a bit pricey at $27.00 per unit, so I think I'll go for this if that sounds good.

Gotta love the X-10... however I've found those sensors to be....frustrating, to put it nicely.

You might try something like this wired into this (if you can find one)..Thinking alone the lines of a few well placed mirrors, some beers and plenty of cursing, you could make "tripwires" for the animals, rig up a delay on turning it off, and voila. No more random ropelights as you walk on the deck.

I redid my stairs a few years ago and didn't do grit in the finish. After a few close calls, I ended up putting tread tape down. No one notices it, and I haven't fallen yet. If I did it again I'd try grit, but I'm happy with it now.

You can use Nexx Garage but you have to ask Google, "Ask Nexx Home to open [name of garage]." I just set-up a routine to ask that when I ask open my garage door.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H57NPRV/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_coz3DbQV4YWTS

If you use the meross one you have to tell it your pin number to open. I have both installed and Nexx is by far better for my use case.

For the trip-beams, the easiest thing is to use garage door IR beam sensors. E.g. - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006N1RH6/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00283U19M&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0W0VM31WZ4FE2T2X3607

I'm assuming these run on 12V or something close, but without one in hand I can't be sure. To supply 12V without running a power wire, a fully charged car or motorcycle battery will work.

But honestly, you'd probably be better off running the wire. It's a real pain in the ass to lug around lead-acid batteries to and from a charger. And with four sensors, you might have to do that frequently.

For the wireless part of the system, you can buy four of these for the transmitters:

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10534

And one of these for the receiver:

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10532

I'm trying to think of a quick and easy way to interface to the receiver, but sadly nothing comes to mind. The easiest way would seem to be an Arduino, and that isn't as easy as I feel like this should be.

Still, pretty hard to beat the price. Four sensors @$20 => $80 + 4 transmitters @$4 => $20 + 1 receiver @$5 totals out to $105.

The major cost is in the beam sensors. You can make those yourself too if you like, but you'll need some non-trivial electronics skill to do so. It's mostly some IR LEDs to create the beam, a photocell/phototransistor to receive the beam, and a schmitt trigger to monitor the output of the photosensor but avoid noise and false alarms. Because you're only going to be making 4 or 5, the cost per unit may be higher than one would expect. Still, I expect you could make them for less than $20 each. (Not sure how much less...)

...

If putting the whole system together yourself is annoying, or you're short on time, you can of course spend more money and buy a pre-made system. But the cost is high, especially for 4+ sensors.

For example, take http://www.entryalertproducts.com/site/1313934/product/00-200

By my reckoning, a 4 beam system will cost $190 (base unit + 1 tripbeam sensor/transmitter) + 3 * ($70 tripbeam + $50 transmitter) = $550.

I affix small neodymium magnets to the bases of all of mine and then store them upright in a plastic bin with a [galvanized steel sheet]
(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GTVS82) glued to the bottom. Total cost for materials is <$20 and it works perfectly.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B077JDGY1J/ref=psdcmw_13837391_t1_B000BRC2XU

I have one of these. I know its more expensive but it works so well. If you spend a bit more i promise you wont regret it.

I have 4 of these and recommend them: NEXX Garage NXG-100b Smart WiFi Remotely Control Existing Garage Opener with App, Compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, No Hub Required, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H57NPRV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_aeAVDbYW2HPH6
You wire them to the two wires and they can tell if the door is open or closed if you install the included sensor.

Have you been in the attic to see where its coming from?

Might be from a roof vent that is leaking. Most will last about the life of the roof but could have been damaged during install, squirrels, etc...
Very easy fix with something like these...

https://smile.amazon.com/Vent-Seal-Plus-Skirt/dp/B004LDYILO
https://smile.amazon.com/Oatey-Rain-Collar-No-Calk-Flashings/dp/B001AZ46O0
https://smile.amazon.com/PermaBoot-5531-3-Inch-Repair-Black/dp/B0047WL9SE



Take some pictures and post.

I would recommend a mid-range Chamberlain. E.g. something like this B970 for $250 which has a lot of nice features (quiet belt drive, battery backup for use during power outages, and wifi control if you want it). Installation is pretty straightforward (couple hours DIY, depending on how handy you are and whether you have a 2nd person to help).

You can get basic garage door openers for more like $150 but I think the extra $100 gets you some nice features.

No reason to spend any more IMO, and no reason to pay for someone to install it if you are just slightly handy.

Something like this will work with older motors.


https://www.amazon.com/Garage-NXG-100-Remote-Compatible-Openers/dp/B01J8JI9HY/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1542736625&sr=8-4&keywords=alexa+compatible+garage+door+opener

​

I have a new motor, and it came with wifi and app access built in.


https://www.amazon.com/Chamberlain-B970-Smartphone-Controlled-Ultra-Quiet-Battery/dp/B075CQ86ZV/ref=sr_1_4?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1542736729&sr=1-4&keywords=garage+door+opener

Fair enough. They actually make door-sized screens as well that fasten with magnets down the middle.
Edit; https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KZNOHTW?pc_redir=T1

https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Baltic-Birch-Plywood-Woodpeckers/dp/B01MXVB6O6/ref=pd_sim_201_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01MXVB6O6&pd_rd_r=CTDGZZMSXTBKH9B8KXVB&pd_rd_w=DbLsu&pd_rd_wg=i2nBN&refRID=CTDGZZMSXTBKH9B8KXVB&th=1

Is this an example of the wood you used?

Thanks

> I wish he would have a trust issue about it, I'm tired of fixing mi

Get some of those magnetic screen doors. The dog will run right through it and it places itself back.

All you need to do is get some of the edge molding (Something like this) and it will clean that edge up. Just make sure you cut the edging corners properly

Feed the dog outside, exclusively. It will help a lot. And check this out so the dog can freely go in and out, but not the mosquitoes. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KZNOHTW

Instead of using the sliding screen, maybe you could use one of these:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KZNOHTW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The dog can push it aside as he goes in/out of the doggy door.

We don't have a doggy door, but we have had one of these magnetic screens for the last 4 years (they last 2 summer seasons for us). It works well to keep the bugs out once you get it hung correctly. The dogs learned to use it in a few minutes.

If you re-stain them, you could always get clear treads: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0756M19NC

Luckily, garage door openers have already thought of this.

There are cheaper models with battery backup available, but this is the one I got.

I use something like this but picked up from Home Depot: https://www.amazon.com/ProTapes-Pro-Release-Painters-Masking/dp/B017RHUOOU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1467134651&sr=8-4&keywords=blue+painters+tape

I initially bought this one but it turns out the tape has orange letter prints and PLA wouldn't stick to it. https://www.amazon.com/ScotchBlue-Painters-Advanced-Multi-Surface-94-Inch/dp/B004CZPL4E/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1467134651&sr=8-3&keywords=blue+painters+tape

You HAVE to rub the surface of the tape with isopropyl alcohol or PLA will not stick. After wiping it and setting the first layer speed to 35% and first layer height down to 80% of the layer height, it sticks every single time.

We used this and it has worked well https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0756M19NC

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071KFX63R/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_BvSYCb4VT0AE0

Then I purchased this case for it:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F122513958760

I purchased 4 of these cases because they are either $30ea from amazon or $6.50 each on eBay but you have to wait for them to be shipped from China. So if you were going to buy a case let me know and we can work something out.

Yo:

Edge Trim Black Small, 1/8" Fits Edge (10 Feet Length) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KG9BAY0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_75kPDbFZNJYW4

Problem Solved

I have hardwood and granite stairs in my house and this fixed the issue that you describe. And it is nearly invisible.

Anti-slip tape: http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000Y0ZXDK

Would one of these work for you?:

https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Screen-Frame-Velcro-Openings/dp/B00KZNOHTW

Magnetic screens for your doors work great

Is this what you need?

I imagine that using three hinges between each board would protect against any reasonable abuse.

What kind of wood did OP use I wonder?

Edit: Perhaps just craft plywood. Like so:

https://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Products-Co-5306-Plywood/dp/B000MNKTSS