The water pump that brings water into the house from the well's
cistern has sucked air and needs to be primed. Dang it all. I now know
lots more about my water system then I had ever intended which is the
good news. Afterall, I'm trying to discover answers to all the
mysteries of the ranch but finding oneself without running water, hot
showers and coffee can be disheartening. I had help from my daughter and brother-in-law so I wasn't alone, crying, in the basement without a clue.

The Project:

Priming a water pump

Tools and Materials:

Pipe wrench
7/32 or #10 box wrench
large bucket of water, pitcher and funnel

Step-by-Step:

Make sure there actually is a supply of water available at the intake. I had to run
the well for a couple of hours to bring up the level of water so I didn't continue to pump air.

Test the level of pressure in the pressure tank. My pressure tank will hold up to 75
lbs of pressure. Read the label on your tank as it's important
information to know.

Turn off the power to the pump at the circuit breaker.

Close the valve of the water inlet.

Remove the plug (1 1/4") off the top of the pump impeller housing.

Remove the plug (3/8") on top of the pump at the water inlet housing.

Add water to both orifices.

Open the inlet valve.

Watch for air bubbles to rise to the top and keep filling the pump until it won't hold any more water.

Install both plugs back into the top of the pump.

Turn on the power to the pump.

Turn on the pump.

Watch the guage for the pressure to rise in the pressure tank and house system.

Turn on water at different locations in the house to remove air from the lines.

There is always a possibility that it will take more than one try. Hang in
there. Eventually all the air will be expelled and the pump will be
pulling only water.

or a day of shopping.

Living out in the middle of nowhere means not always being able to get the parts and pieces for projects. Today I made a trip to the big City of Moses Lake to buy what I couldn't find in the nearby towns. It was fun to do some price shopping for lumber and electrical parts. I now have what I need to work on the window projects and the parts for the kitchen light above the sink.

Here's what to do before heading out to the hardware store.

Take a picture of your project. There are so many options for parts in electrical and plumbing departments that if you have a picture to show it really helps.

Make a list.

Take your measurements and write them down.

Take with you the old parts you want to replace. Anything that will help the person in the store help you. Sometimes we don't have the proper terminology and store personnel can turn off hearing a woman's voice if she says thingy or doohickey.

This is the picture I took when doing the plumbing for the kitchen. I was able to get the parts I needed to replace the existing pipes and plumb in the sink, dishwasher and refrigerator ice maker without having to return anything or go back for something else. It really helps save time, gas money and energy wasted being frustrated by the job.

In this day and age of electronic gaming and interaction, it may seem anachronistic to make a simple wooden board game. My daughter has a friend who is like a member of our family. Ben likes this game and I want to make him one as a gift. The point of the game is to jump one peg over another, remove jumped peg from the board until all the pegs are gone but one. There are 32 pegs, 33 holes with the center hole peg free.

Project:

Make peg board game for Ben.

Tools and Materials:

graph paper
2 lengths of 3/16 dowel
1 wooden board or plaque found at craft stores
drill press or cordless drill
7/32 drill bit
coping saw
100 grit sandpaper
220 grit finishing sandpaper
stain
clear polyurethane

Step-byStep:

Using graph paper, mark off the squares that will translate as holes drilled in the wood. I made x's in the boxes and punched through the center of the x with a tooth pick.

Tape the graph paper pattern to the wooden plaque or platform.

With a pen or pencil, mark through the hole in the paper the point where the hole will be drilled.

Drill the holes making sure not to go all the way through the wood. A drill press can be set to stop at a given point. A cordless drill's bit can be marked with tape to show the user where to stop.

Cut 33 sections of dowel
1.5" in length giving the game an extra peg.

Sand all the pieces.

Apply stain or paint to the each piece.

Let dry.

Apply finish coats of polyurethane.

The materials I used are just one option but it's fun to use one's imagination to create different looks.

Project:

Hanging a new light fixture over the dining room table. The point of power or the junction box is not located over the table so I will have to install a hook in the ceiling to attach a chain swag. The instructions omit any information for doing this as it is assumed an electrician will be doing the work but it's a job that can be done by the homeowner. Here's the procedure I followed.

Tools and Materials:

Power drill and drill bit to match hook's shank size
Flat blade screwdriver
Pliers
Wire stripper
Wire nuts
Large 3" hook

Step-by-Step:

Unpack all the parts and neatly line up the inventory. Check to see if all the parts are present.

Turn off the power to the existing ceiling fixture.

Remove old fixture.

Start by locating the point in the ceiling where the chandelier will hang.

Find the ceiling joist closest to that point. Don't screw the hook into air. Find a stud.

Drill a hole for the hook. The drill bit used should be matched to the shank diameter minus the threads. In other words the hole will be slightly smaller than the shank diameter.

Install the hook.

Thread the wire through the chain.

Hang chandelier by chain to the hook. There should be no weight bearing on the wire. Adjust for desired height from the ceiling the the table.

Move to the junction box in the ceiling.

Thread wires through the retaining hook/nut.

Thread the wires through the canopy.

Thread the wires through the nipple. At this point take up the desired slack in the wire.

Cut and strip the wires for the desired length of the cord.

Install the nipple into the junction box mounting bracket.

Connect the white wires together and fasten with a wire nut.

Do the same with the black wires.

Connect the bare ground wire to the green nut on the mounting bracket.

Place the canopy onto the nipple.

Tighted the retaining hook/nut to the nipple to hold the canopy against the ceiling and covering the box.

Attach the end of the chain to the hook or ring. There should be no weight bearing on the wires.

Turn the power on and test the fixture.

Here's a link to examples of lamp and fixture parts.

My Tackle it Tuesday plan is to cut down trees that are dead or unsightly. I find I need a chainsaw so I'm moving this project to Wednesday and moving forward. It's a better day to work inside and I've got a long list of projects from which to choose.
In preparation for painting the rear foyer, I need to installed oak trim around three of the doorways.

Project:
Install wood trim around doors

Tools and Materials:
Oak molding
1 1/4" finishing nails
Hand saw
Mitre box
Measuring tape
Hammer

Step-By-Step:
Measure across the top of the door opening. The bottom edge of the molding will span this distance.

The bottom of the 45 degree angle will start at the corner of the doorway and angle up and out.

Position the top piece and nail into place.

Measure for the side piece from the bottom corner of the top piece to the floor.

Cut a 45 degree angle up to match with the top piece angel. The outside edge will be longer than the inside edge.

Put the molding into place and nail. Adjust length from the bottom.

Repeat for the other side.

The next part of this project will be to paint the surfaces of the foyer...I haven't decided on a color yet.

Project:
Cleaning the basement (garage, closet or spare room)

Everyone has a space in need of cleaning and organization. A multi-million dollar industry has sprung up to supply storage units for the overflow. Whole television shows have been dedicated to addressing situations of chaos. It's hard work and overwhelming to know where to start. Trust me, it's worth the effort. The energy used to avoid a project like this is wasted and feels burdensome but the energy put into doing something about it has very positive benefits.

Tools and Materials:

Storage bins or boxes
Garbage bags
Gloves
Dust Mask
Work light
Boom Box
Broom
Shop Vac
Chocolate

Step-by-Step:

Put plenty of light on the area and crank up the tunes or radio.

Start in a corner.

Section off the space into manageable bites. Only try to accomplish small sections especially if you are doing this alone. If you do too much at one time you're less likely to want to go back to it.

Have containers designated for each type of item. In my case, it was electrical, plumbing, tools, fasteners, keepsakes.

Have garbage bags and boxes ready to ruthlessly eliminate the unused. Remember, if you haven't touched it in a year you probably don't need it.

Don't look around at the big picture. Remember, you're only dealing with what's immediately in front of you.

Give yourself a reward at the end of each session. This is hard work and you deserve it.

Conclusion: The payoffs

I no longer waste time trying to locate tools and materials I need for other projects.

I save money by not buying something that I already own.

The most important benefit is I experience a wonderful sense of accomplishment and freedom from having to look at that mess.

If I can accomplish making these piles go the way of orderliness then anyone can. The basement of jibblies no longer exists. Hurray!!

The great room before painting

Adding darker colors of paint to white walls can be a challenge. Good coverage means using a primer even if the color of choice is white over white. The primer makes for an even surface color and also acts like a glue. Paint sticks to it more thoroughly. The recommended primer color can sometimes be shocking as in lipstick pink for red walls. Just remember that it's going to be covered by the top coat. By using a primer, the top coat color will be truer to the color picked out from the store samples.

I took small sample amounts of different color choices and painted patches on each wall to see how it looked. It was easier to rule out those choices I thought I liked.

Tools:
Paint
Primer
Medium rollers (the nap will handle any existing texture)
Roller handles
Trim paintbrush - It's worth spending some extra money on this tool as the brush is less likely to shed bristles. One can also clean and reuse them. The brush's tip is generally cut on an angle to make cutting in easier. Cutting in is painting an edge by pushing the paint up to it.
Paint trays and tray liners
Drop clothes
Rags
Stir sticks
Painter's tape-it can save so much time. By taping windows one doesn't have to go back and scrape paint off the glass. If one doesn't feel comfortable cutting an edge against the ceiling then tape prevents accidentally painting the ceiling.

Preparing the space to be painted usually takes longer than the actual painting process. It's an important step. Wash down surfaces, let it dry then tape off the areas where you don't want paint to land.

Put down drop cloths where you'll be standing and under the paint pail or tray. There is generally some spillage or splatter when stirring or transferring paint to the tray.

I chose a bronze color for the great room. Its name from the manufacturer is High Mesa. Some might call it cow manure brown. Either way the primer made the transformation easier.

This is my daughter, Adrianne, with the primer color behind her head and the finished top coat on either side of her.

Together we approached the room by one of us cutting in the corners, top and bottom edges with a brush. The other rolling on the paint. It went fairly quickly this way.

Make friends with the paint mixer at your store of choice. This person is the professional and can be a valuable resource.

I used Ace Hardware. Their paint goes on smoothly and covers well.

The great room after painting

Hollow doors were designed by a hollow head.

Problem: I needed to install a coat rack on a hollow door. This means that the screws wouldn't have anywhere to seat themselves. Here is the solution.

You will need:

A drill with a drill bit the same size as screws

philips screwdriver

2 three-inch wood screws or screws long enough to be drilled through the entire width of the door and poke through the other side.
 
2 blocks of wood

The Step-by-step:

1. Drill a pilot holes into each block of wood.  This prevents splitting.

2. Hold the coat rack where you want to install it

3. Install one screw into the door. When you reach the other panel, stop and allow only the tip of the screw to poke through the back of the door.

4. Hold a block of wood over the tip of the screw and install the screw into and through the wood.

5. Find the level position and install the second screw following the same method.

Hollow door issue solved.

The foyer needs a coat of paint and the trim returned to the casings. That's a project for another day.

The Problem:
Here at the ranch, we have a cistern that is filled from a well on the property, The water is highly mineralized. This leaves spots on stainless steel, chrome and glass surfaces.

I read in a great book, Home Comforts by Cheryl Mendelson, that this calcification from minerals can be removed with white vinegar. It softens the buildup for easy removal.

This morning I decided to give it a try on the bathroom toilet. The inside of the bowl has a ring of deposits that won’t come off with regular cleansers and scrubbing. It drives me nuts.

Tools/materials:
1 Quart bottle of White Vinegar

Spray Bottle

The Step-by-step:
1. Drain the water from the tank by turning off the supply valve at the base of the toilet.
Then flush the toilet. The bowl now doesn’t have water in the tank to force the remaining water out so I fill a bucket with water and forced it by pouring it into the bowl.

2. Pour white vinegar in the bowl. Unfortunately, if you add too much vinegar you will force the rest of the toilet to flush. Spray vinegar onto the upper part of the bowl. Let it sit for a couple of hours.

This is what will happen:
The mineral deposits will scrub away on all the vinegar-soaked surfaces.