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Filthy

Iowa Wrestling Champion
Jun 28, 2016
27,507
29,834
built Mom decorative functional structural survive Armageddon deck for her windmill.
Started off as 'I found this cool pump, build me a decorative deck under the windmill for it'. NP, 4X4 post and some 1Xs of poplar and i'll knock it out.

then it was 'but I want it to weather like a real deck'. NP, i'll use AC2 lumber and 2X12 the skirt. I ran a couple 2X4s to brace the 8' width, but pulled them in tight to the center to box in the pump.

then it was 'I don't like how the deck boards bounce. maybe one of your 40 lb kids would fall through.' NP (because I didn't screw down the last 3 boards until she signed off). Made another trip 30 miles to town to get another couple of 2X4s. Even made the little decorative base around the pipe.

then it was "maybe we could add a trim piece around the outside, or some handrails'...
it's done. nothing more is getting added this trip. maybe some chicken wire for the vines to grow up in the spring

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cordless drill battery died on the last screw, literally with an inch left to run in.

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Attachments

Filthy

Iowa Wrestling Champion
Jun 28, 2016
27,507
29,834
rode around 600 acres on a 4-wheeler, putting up No Trespassing signs in advance of hunting season.
took a nap on a hay bale.
mended some fence in the feed lot, calves are getting weaned on Friday.
replaced a GFCI outlet.
 

ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,272
rode around 600 acres on a 4-wheeler, putting up No Trespassing signs in advance of hunting season.
took a nap on a hay bale.
mended some fence in the feed lot, calves are getting weaned on Friday.
replaced a GFCI outlet.
Can y'all not use purple spray paint instead of the signs? Way cheaper and faster.
 

Filthy

Iowa Wrestling Champion
Jun 28, 2016
27,507
29,834
Can y'all not use purple spray paint instead of the signs? Way cheaper and faster.
in Iowa, you don't have to post signs, so they don't have a purple-post law.

you're not allowed to enter someone's property without permission, and you're not allowed to stay when asked to leave. Both are considered trespassing. The signs are intended to let people know that you need to ask, and on the south property line, intended for one guy in particular who likes to "walk-in" on Mom's property to his tree stand that is literally 50 yds' on the other side of the property line with a full view of Mom's pasture. He's become a nuisance, to the point that I debated coming back to have a conversation with him. Mom would normally blow that idea off, but she was more of a "...but that would be so much driving..."
Maybe he feels different about disrespecting the rights of a 76 yo farmer who's never called the sheriff in his life, when he realizes he's disrespecting the whole family.

Mom's farm is on a river bottom where a creek joins the river, and they usually have > 400 acres in corn. The deer will eat it 12 rows in on the driveway. And then there's the 200 acres of pasture, timber, and ponds for the cattle. This farm is Deer-topia. They used to let whoever asked come on and shoot deer, but a couple people got the idea they could run off the others by calling the DNR. You don't want the DNR on your farm. Ever. Unless you called them, and Mom would never call the DNR. So they tried to cut it off, but then my step-dad had to spend hunting season running off hunters and replacing signs. (hunters tear down the signs so that when you catch them they can play innocent)

but they've settled on two guys who hunt opposite corners from each other, and are cordial and respectful to each other. They had a little tift a couple years ago about who hunted where and when, but Mom told them to figure it out or get out.

they figured it out.



tld;r

No.
 

ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,272
in Iowa, you don't have to post signs, so they don't have a purple-post law.

you're not allowed to enter someone's property without permission, and you're not allowed to stay when asked to leave. Both are considered trespassing. The signs are intended to let people know that you need to ask, and on the south property line, intended for one guy in particular who likes to "walk-in" on Mom's property to his tree stand that is literally 50 yds' on the other side of the property line with a full view of Mom's pasture. He's become a nuisance, to the point that I debated coming back to have a conversation with him. Mom would normally blow that idea off, but she was more of a "...but that would be so much driving..."
Maybe he feels different about disrespecting the rights of a 76 yo farmer who's never called the sheriff in his life, when he realizes he's disrespecting the whole family.

Mom's farm is on a river bottom where a creek joins the river, and they usually have > 400 acres in corn. The deer will eat it 12 rows in on the driveway. And then there's the 200 acres of pasture, timber, and ponds for the cattle. This farm is Deer-topia. They used to let whoever asked come on and shoot deer, but a couple people got the idea they could run off the others by calling the DNR. You don't want the DNR on your farm. Ever. Unless you called them, and Mom would never call the DNR. So they tried to cut it off, but then my step-dad had to spend hunting season running off hunters and replacing signs. (hunters tear down the signs so that when you catch them they can play innocent)

but they've settled on two guys who hunt opposite corners from each other, and are cordial and respectful to each other. They had a little tift a couple years ago about who hunted where and when, but Mom told them to figure it out or get out.

they figured it out.



tld;r

No.
Yea, my father in law has a couple outlaws like that who come onto his property during deer season. He mainly grows soybeans and rice. I've offered to handle the problem for him, I think I'll get the thumbs up in a year or so.

Sucks you can't go with the purple spray paint, that's much harder to rip off and you can do a shit ton of trees so there's no excuse.
 

ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,272
Just finished up a 3 year project I put on my honey do list. Finally ran the optical audio cable I purchased 3 years ago from my amp up through a wall, across the attic, and down behind the stone wall the tv is mounted on. I found the cable yesterday while cleaning some stuff up and decided last night and this morning were the days.
 

Filthy

Iowa Wrestling Champion
Jun 28, 2016
27,507
29,834
fixed a broken panel on the corn crib. dammit, cows.
climbed a couple grain bins, had to hang half my body down one to clear a raccoon nest out of one. dammit, coons.
changed the oil in my sister's car, couldn't do the brakes because the rotors were FROZE to the wheel bearings. dammit, rotors.
cooked a brisket. damn....brisket....

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Filthy

Iowa Wrestling Champion
Jun 28, 2016
27,507
29,834
during my regularly scheduled Engineer day, I fixed a grain dryer/stirrator, rode a 4 wheeler holding a coffee cup through a field to get on a combine and pick 10k bushels of corn.

then I made a beef stew
 

ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,272
I deposited more willow branch brush piles for crappie. No, I will not give any of you the coordinates, you can buy expensive side scanning sonar like the rest of us.
 
M

member 3289

Guest
built Mom decorative functional structural survive Armageddon deck for her windmill.
Started off as 'I found this cool pump, build me a decorative deck under the windmill for it'. NP, 4X4 post and some 1Xs of poplar and i'll knock it out.

then it was 'but I want it to weather like a real deck'. NP, i'll use AC2 lumber and 2X12 the skirt. I ran a couple 2X4s to brace the 8' width, but pulled them in tight to the center to box in the pump.

then it was 'I don't like how the deck boards bounce. maybe one of your 40 lb kids would fall through.' NP (because I didn't screw down the last 3 boards until she signed off). Made another trip 30 miles to town to get another couple of 2X4s. Even made the little decorative base around the pipe.

then it was "maybe we could add a trim piece around the outside, or some handrails'...
it's done. nothing more is getting added this trip. maybe some chicken wire for the vines to grow up in the spring

View attachment 16508
View attachment 16509

cordless drill battery died on the last screw, literally with an inch left to run in.

View attachment 16511
1. Did you forget your level/tape measure in the car and just say fuck it?

2. Is warped wood on sale at Home Depot?
 

Filthy

Iowa Wrestling Champion
Jun 28, 2016
27,507
29,834
The windmill is perfectly plumb, the hill slopes down and away pretty rapidly. If I built it level and square, there'd be over 1' of ground gap at the back left corner to cover with plants or rip cut a 2X12. I mocked it up and showed Mom the options, she chose the one you see.

It would be hard to find really warped AC2, but none of boards had any warp because mom was with me and I take my time when I'm only picking out a dozen boards.

Of course, the pictures were taken from the front, which is exactly level, so anyone remarking on "level" from the pictures has probably never actually built anything except a reputation for being an unrepentant twat.
 

ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,272
Washed my jet boat with a pressure washer and foam cannon. That's pretty manly.
 

sparkuri

Pulse On The Finger Of The Community
First 100
Jan 16, 2015
34,420
46,562
Jumped heavily into the manly category head first today.

Made some pineapple skin tea.

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Then made some applesauce

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And making some apple cider vinegar from the cores, and apple jelly from the skins.
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Attachments

ThatOneDude

Commander in @Chief, Dick Army
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
35,390
34,272
Painted my new splash guard to match my boat. My duck gun is probably getting done later today because fuck it why not, she deserves some love for all the abuse she takes.
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Spidermoore

Well-Known Member
Oct 19, 2015
423
612
Got my Suzuki Aerio back on the road. Had to replace the lower control arm and the alternator. To replace the alternator on this car, you have to remove the air cleaner box, the splash guard, the power steering pump, the power steering reservoir, and unbolt the passenger side engine mount and raise the engine enough to get the alternator out.
Then re-install it all.

I have zero mechanic training
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The Pendulum

AI Posting
Dec 30, 2015
1,381
1,252
what do you call that thing?
It's a mk4 golf GTi. They're pretty simple to work on, go alright, and are always cheap to get complete, and parts go for good money. Got a few bins full of bolt ons for them that I'll have to clean up and list for sale soon.

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The Pendulum

AI Posting
Dec 30, 2015
1,381
1,252
Got my Suzuki Aerio back on the road. Had to replace the lower control arm and the alternator. To replace the alternator on this car, you have to remove the air cleaner box, the splash guard, the power steering pump, the power steering reservoir, and unbolt the passenger side engine mount and raise the engine enough to get the alternator out.
Then re-install it all.

I have zero mechanic training
View attachment 18336
Good effort, it's rewarding when you finish the jigsaws off.