How Handy Are You?

[KennyLee]

I'm pretty handy around the house with the small stuff. Sometimes I feel a little weird doing typical "guy" things but at the same time, it's rewarding. I've just handled small things: changing the appearance on the outside lights on the garage, I've fixed leaky faucets (I've found that I loathe plumbing, I just hate it) and I've done large patchwork on walls (one time I jammed a huge piece of furniture into the wall - the hole was fist-sized). I'm handy with tools. My husband is allergic to this stuff.

 

I'm also pretty handy with refurbishing projects.

 

Here are the outside lights. I had to cut the power, undo the wiring, take the lights down and then reattach everything when done. All by myself, tyvm.

 

(Before)

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo228/LifesonPics/d2f1f674-87f0-4998-9576-2bb69eaa704d_zpscc6a8629.jpg

(After)

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo228/LifesonPics/38332d78-d02d-491a-aa89-40ffcb2b267e_zps335f0f04.jpg

 

Cedar Chest:

(Before)

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo228/LifesonPics/6d809855-dbdc-4080-8d97-8e584ca0dfbc_zpsd3b7b75a.jpg

(After)

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo228/LifesonPics/d5bf383f-5336-4a9c-abad-86dc5b53cce3_zps2b67f282.jpg

 

Nursing Chair:

(Before)

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo228/LifesonPics/393c8b33-ff7c-4bcf-b913-ddec43bafc43_zps948b7dcc.jpg

(After)

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo228/LifesonPics/36c8ee79-5dfd-4a00-9985-5676cddc628a_zps5e116dcc.jpg

 

Toy Chest:

(Was originally a large, heavy wall shelf. I flipped it on its butt, attached wheels, took off the glass doors and put on a wood cover which was padded so it could perform double-duty. Part toy chest, part bench.)

(Before)

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo228/LifesonPics/255445f6-6605-4411-9eea-a8cd560ac98a_zps5407c265.jpg

(After)

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo228/LifesonPics/00edbf79-5e8d-4d04-8604-69231d2e39d4_zpsb6acc2e6.jpg

 

Master Bath:

(Decent sized project. The toughest part was probably stripping off all the old caulk from the shower, taking the entire thing apart basically and the putting it all back together. I like how it turned out.)

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo228/LifesonPics/028a99b4-fd26-4a91-97aa-d29f8f84ada9_zpsfea265b1.jpg

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo228/LifesonPics/daba0898-7716-4828-961f-3d4663fe979a_zpsbac3826b.jpg

 

These were probably my favorite projects. I've done others but I like these ones the best, especially the outside lights and dealing with all the wiring and stuff.

 

That's awesome stuff!

[Janie]

Thank you! I really enjoy doing these projects. :)

[missionman]

I'm VERY handy. I do it all. If he can do it, I can do it. Nothing stopped me yet. Again, I do all and everything, regardless of what it is. (toot toot) and I do it RIGHT! Just sayin'

[Babycat]

I did wire a plug once.

[Mr. Not]

Not very at all. Wish I was but then again I never was really taught and I'm not making much of an effort today as adult.

 

Wish I was as much as a genius as this guy, he's great with repairing all sorts of gizmos:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxHYD_oDocY

 

 

 

 

I do know how to build a computer, and built several in tech club, but that's not very hard. I guess my excuse is money?

[Aikenrooster]

Brakes, easy. Spark plugs, easy. Spark plugs on a diesel, really easy .... lol ...thermostat, easy. Fuel filters easy. Wheel bearings, easy. Water pump, easy. Too scared to mess with much more.

[Babycat]

Made a bird table once - poor bird pretty much couldn't get into the hole.

[Tombstone Mountain]

I live back in the woods you see. The women and the kids and the dogs and me.

 

I can plow a field all day long, I can catch catfish from dusk till dawn.

I grow good ol' tomatoes and home made wine cause country boy can survive.

 

We grow our own corn and our own smoke too. Ain't much this ol' boy can't do.

I skin a buck and run a trout-line cause a country boy can survive.

 

Cause ya can't stomp us out and you can't make us run

When those boys raise those shotguns.

 

We say grace

we say ma'am

if ya ain't into that we don't give a damn.

[hobo73]

About as handy as a squirrel trying to change a lightbulb with a chainsaw LOL

 

I'm very lucky- hubby knows aaallllll about that stuff. He fixes EVERYTHING in his parents' place, he'll even go under their trailer and fix issues lol. Only thing he refuses to do is anything electrical.

My in laws have every single tool, every single canister/bottle of anything you could ever imagine you could need to fix random things. Someday I hope to know how to use them!! lol

[EagleMoon]

I can do most things that don't involve major heavy lifting. lol I've painted my house by myself, inside and out. I can change the oil in my car, I've built several pieces of furniture. I've fixed my toilet, put up drywall, installed flooring, rewired outlets and lamps..etc. You learn a lot of things when there isn't someone around do them for you. I've always felt that people should be as self-sufficient as possible. Makes them much more interesting to talk to. :)

[thesweetscience]

Not very at all. Wish I was but then again I never was really taught and I'm not making much of an effort today as adult.

 

Wish I was as much as a genius as this guy, he's great with repairing all sorts of gizmos:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxHYD_oDocY

 

 

 

 

I do know how to build a computer, and built several in tech club, but that's not very hard. I guess my excuse is money?

I replaced the convergence chip in my projection TV years ago. The screen went weird so I Googled the symptoms and found out I could buy the chip for $30. I removed the old chip and soldered in the new chip, did a fine picture adjustment and the thing was like new. Used it for another 4 years.

 

With the internet, the average homeowner can fix or tackle a multitude of projects if you can read and follow directions.

[Babycat]

Got to admit, I can change a lightbulb...

[treeduck]

Made a bird table once - poor bird pretty much couldn't get into the hole.

Was it designed as a trap so you could catch the birds??

 

:pussy: :pussy: :pussy: :pussy: :pussy:

[laughedatbytime]

My handiness ends at writing checks for someone else to do it.

[Babycat]

Made a bird table once - poor bird pretty much couldn't get into the hole.

Was it designed as a trap so you could catch the birds??

 

:pussy: :pussy: :pussy: :pussy: :pussy:

 

:LMAO: !

[Janie]

Last summer I found the boys a small wooden swing set on craigslist, went to the person's house, took the thing apart (it's large enough for two swings, a singing bar thing, a slide and a little fort area), piled everything into my car, brought it back home and re-assembled it myself. It was a pain but so rewarding to do this.

 

I also made the boys a 6' x 6' sandbox last year. Everything is still holding up!

Edited March 25, 2014 by Janie

[Ya_Big_Tree]

Last summer I found the boys a small wooden swing set on craigslist, went to the person's house, took the thing apart (it's large enough for two swings, a singing bar thing, a slide and a little fort area), piled everything into my car, brought it back home and re-assembled it myself. It was a pain but so rewarding to do this.

 

I also made the boys a 6' x 6' sandbox last year. Everything is still holding up!

You're like the DIY Queen Janie! I love that you can take anything off Craigslist and turn it into something cool. I may be hitting you up for some DIY advice pretty soon. :)

[Janie]

Last summer I found the boys a small wooden swing set on craigslist, went to the person's house, took the thing apart (it's large enough for two swings, a singing bar thing, a slide and a little fort area), piled everything into my car, brought it back home and re-assembled it myself. It was a pain but so rewarding to do this.

 

I also made the boys a 6' x 6' sandbox last year. Everything is still holding up!

You're like the DIY Queen Janie! I love that you can take anything off Craigslist and turn it into something cool. I may be hitting you up for some DIY advice pretty soon. :)

Thanks! :) I like taking something that someone was going to throw away and turn it into something beautiful and functional. I like to test my creativity too with some of these projects. With the case of the sandbox, I wanted something large but was amazed at what the cost of a pre-made one was. I did some homework and found that I could make something myself for a fraction of the cost. And like I said, I like being a girl and showing boys that a girl can do this stuff.

 

What projects do you have in mind?

[Ya_Big_Tree]

Last summer I found the boys a small wooden swing set on craigslist, went to the person's house, took the thing apart (it's large enough for two swings, a singing bar thing, a slide and a little fort area), piled everything into my car, brought it back home and re-assembled it myself. It was a pain but so rewarding to do this.

 

I also made the boys a 6' x 6' sandbox last year. Everything is still holding up!

You're like the DIY Queen Janie! I love that you can take anything off Craigslist and turn it into something cool. I may be hitting you up for some DIY advice pretty soon. :)

Thanks! :) I like taking something that someone was going to throw away and turn it into something beautiful and functional. I like to test my creativity too with some of these projects. With the case of the sandbox, I wanted something large but was amazed at what the cost of a pre-made one was. I did some homework and found that I could make something myself for a fraction of the cost. And like I said, I like being a girl and showing boys that a girl can do this stuff.

 

What projects do you have in mind?

Probably outdoor furniture ideas for a garden and things along those lines. Spring is a good time to start projects for summer. :)

Hey do you remember the DIY thread that was on here? I searched and I can't find it. Lots of cool things you made in that thread.

[Janie]

Another project I did was to tackle the curtain situation in our house. The windows in our house are large (average width is 8'). I couldn't find curtain rods for that width and I wasn't about to pay thousands of dollars to a company so I got creative and bought silver conduit pipe, painted it black and used that as my curtain rods. It's incredibly sturdy and in the cases where I needed to do a corner window treatment, I used steel corner connector thingies. It has an industrial look which I love.

 

There's always a way to do something yourself, for way cheaper and much more rewarding than having someone else do it.

[Ya_Big_Tree]

That sounds really cool. Do you have a pic of that? I may have to do something with our curtain situation as well.

[Janie]

Last summer I found the boys a small wooden swing set on craigslist, went to the person's house, took the thing apart (it's large enough for two swings, a singing bar thing, a slide and a little fort area), piled everything into my car, brought it back home and re-assembled it myself. It was a pain but so rewarding to do this.

 

I also made the boys a 6' x 6' sandbox last year. Everything is still holding up!

You're like the DIY Queen Janie! I love that you can take anything off Craigslist and turn it into something cool. I may be hitting you up for some DIY advice pretty soon. :)

Thanks! :) I like taking something that someone was going to throw away and turn it into something beautiful and functional. I like to test my creativity too with some of these projects. With the case of the sandbox, I wanted something large but was amazed at what the cost of a pre-made one was. I did some homework and found that I could make something myself for a fraction of the cost. And like I said, I like being a girl and showing boys that a girl can do this stuff.

 

What projects do you have in mind?

Probably outdoor furniture ideas for a garden and things along those lines. Spring is a good time to start projects for summer. :)

Hey do you remember the DIY thread that was on here? I searched and I can't find it. Lots of cool things you made in that thread.

I do remember that thread. It was an old one and those old threads don't transfer over so well when bumped (the format is all screwy).

 

I want to tackle some outdoor/patio furniture myself. I have a hammock frame that needs to be spruced up and I need to buy the actual hammock. Our backyard patio is very small but I want to get a nice table and chair set. Or maybe a fire pit! The boys love to stay up late on summer nights and roast marshmallows. Some mosquito repellent and we would be ready to go.

[treeduck]

I could probably break something by accident and apologise, does that qualify me?

[Janie]

That sounds really cool. Do you have a pic of that? I may have to do something with our curtain situation as well.

It's kind of hard to see in these pics, I think, but here's how it looks:

 

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo228/LifesonPics/8affc21f-452d-49c9-8c0a-122ced0dcd59_zps37f33c20.jpg

 

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo228/LifesonPics/a8029eab-55d3-423b-a129-b114b27c603d_zps07cb23f7.jpg

[Ya_Big_Tree]

Those look very nice! Totally our style too. I may have to do something similar.