Bondo... Part 2

An update on the window sill that I was fixing with Bondo....



I sanded the excess Bondo down with 60 grit sand paper on a random orbit sander. Here's how it looked after I was done:


A few spots left to fill, but overall a pretty good first try! A stiff bristle paint brush is excellent for removing all dust and dirt from the crevices of a repair such as this; important because Bondo needs a clean, dust free surface to adhere to.

This time, I had learned a few things about Bondo. I used an (old) spoon to mix and apply it instead of a putty knife, which allowed greater control. I mixed smaller batches of Bondo, and waited for them to hit "prime" spreading time... about 1 minute in. This is the result:



A little more sanding, and I think we will have it!

Water Pouring Out Of A Sink Cabinet Can't Be Good

At least, that's what we at Tiny Old House think. We would prefer to keep our draining water INSIDE our pipes. The water draining from our washing machine had other plans this morning, and plotted an escape route into the kitchen. (Good thing we have a water efficient front loader!)

Upon inspection, we noticed that the sink drain was about 1/2 inch away from the actual drain pipe. We don't believe this was the case 2 months ago when we reinstalled the sink for the 4th time into the new granite countertop, but we also don't believe the sink magically decided to move 1/2 inch inside a solid granite countertop...



We've obviously been living on borrowed time for a kitchen flood!

We weighed our options. We could do a temporary band-aid fix, or re-plumb the entire sink. We opted for the band-aid this time, with the knowledge that some time in the next few months we will re-do all of the plumbing down there.

Here's our band-aid:

It's a new FLEXIBLE sink drain.

We affixed this new sink drain to the sink and to the drain apparatus, using teflon tape to secure and seal all of the new joints.

The finished product:

A sink that drains AND doesn't leak!

I'll keep you updated on how long this actually lasts... we were warned by the floor person at the hardware store that these clog up with food in about 2 months. Hopefully we will find time before then to do the full replacement.

Just a Picture of the Poor Sweet Puppy...

...who had a growth removed from his pinky toe today. Thanks for all of your thoughts.



He sure doesn't LOOK like a dog who just got out of surgery! What a happy dog. He's zonked on the floor now; he can't have his normal miles of walking for two weeks OR go outside to run and play, so here's hoping we can keep him happy and mentally entertained in our tiny house!

We will have the biopsy report next week; hopefully there is either no cancer or it was very localized and is now gone (due to the removal of the growth)!

Red Brick Victorian Houses in Denver

While I was away, I found myself in a fabulous Denver neighborhood full of brick Victorian houses. Most are much grander than ours, but they gave us some great ideas for paint colors to match our red brick cottage.

Here are a few of our favorites:














I really like the first one and the fourth one the best. Here's the house mocked up:
#1


#4/5


We're still playing with paint ideas; here's one more:

We're Back!

Did you forget about me? Well don't worry... we are back in the Tiny Old House, after a conference, a piano training, and a couple summer camps. Oh, and a little recovery time from all of that!

Updates:
• The house hasn't fallen down yet. We are still waiting on the second bid; we should have it in the next day or two. We'll likely hire out the stable-izing.

• Our puppy has a growth on his front pinky toe; it's being removed tomorrow, and has a fairly high possibility of being cancerous. A week for the biopsy results, and we'll know what we are dealing with. He's only two; he has a lot of life left, so here's hoping it's benign.

• Our apple trees are full of nice large apples, due to the watering we did all summer. Now, if the squirrels would just stop picking them, taking a bite, and throwing them down, we might have apple pies this year! They are starting to turn red... we'll know in a month or so.

• I have new eyeglasses. Two pairs, because two was cheaper than one. And, I finally figured out why glasses always look huge on my face... I've been shopping in the wrong section! Once a salesperson steered me over to Children's, I quickly found 4 pairs that looked great. Plus, children's glasses come with a free upgrade to unbreakable lenses. Here's to seeing!

More coming!

Look What We Did!

Houseblogs.net is having a little contest where we get to show off our proudest moments in DIY home ownership. It's sponsored by True Value. I could surely use the $300 prize for my house fixings!

I know what my proudest moment ISN'T... but thinking of a favorite moment is a little harder. After careful deliberation, and a morning cup of tea in my favorite space... I have an answer!

Before:

This space is right behind the house and next to the garage. It is shaded by two apple trees.

During:

While we worked, we used the picnic table as a workbench. Using a circular saw with a diamond blade, we sliced limestone slabs salvaged from my father-in-law's scrap pile into varied rectangular pavers. We beveled the edges with a belt sander to give a little more interest to the patterns.

The edges of the patio are salvaged railroad ties; we laid the pavers in 4 inches of sand.

After:

The after picture is in need of a good pressure washing to remove construction dirt, but you can see the finished patio. The shape is two interlocking rectangles. We built the patio around the smaller apple tree; since no cement was used, there is plenty of water flow to water the roots.

We have since added a patio table and chairs, and have spent many a summer evening grilling or summer morning reading the paper while the dogs romp through our jungle!

This post was written for Houseblogs.net as part of a sweepstakes sponsored by True Value.

An Update on the Brick

An update before I leave town for two weeks... I have a convention and a training to attend for work. See you on the other side!

The Brick:
After doing much research, we found that these anchors are what we need. There are a few different brands; all require a special $250 driver that is attached to a hammer drill and cost around $5 each. They are inserted into the mortar joints through pre-drilled pilot holes (also drilled with a hammer drill). We need 350 of them.

Our mason decided he didn't feel comfortable doing the work, so we asked a mason who specializes in this sort of work to come and give a quote.

The damage? $2676.

This includes the $1500 or so in materials. It's JUST for inserting the ties; we will have the first mason do the patching of the holes when he finishes up the brick work.

It's also a lot of money.

My father-in-law is a stone cutter/worker by trade, and has offered to come and help us do it ourselves. We can save almost $1000, even after we buy the special driver... which we might be able to sell off after we are done.

Of course, this won't happen for another two weeks.... lots to think on!