This weeks preps check-in

[Brent S]

We have a well at our BOL. A leaking toilet valve ran ours dry, lol. I don’t know how long the friggin thing had been leaking, but it did it.

In town, we had a leak under the sidewalk. That bill was a ways over 100 bucks.

Repairing it under a slab tends to be a lot more than a hundred bucks!

 

[WGregMiller]

It was just a sidewalk. We have a basement, but no water under it (thankfully). Still wasn’t any fun to fix, but some dipstick used thin wall pvc.... if I knew who did it, I’d hunt them down and kill them....

 

[Brent S]

It was just a sidewalk. We have a basement, but no water under it (thankfully). Still wasn’t any fun to fix, but some dipstick used thin wall pvc.... if I knew who did it, I’d hunt them down and kill them....

I used the black coiled pipe for the main line coming on the property. I guess it’s done ok for almost 15years now, but it’s getting replaced slowly but surely. Well over 1500’ of it though. I will do it, but this is one job I would rather sub out to someone else!

 

[WGregMiller]

I did the house with PEX, and did the same in the yard. That stuff is awesome.

 

[Brent S]

I did the house with PEX, and did the same in the yard. That stuff is awesome.

I’m very familiar with pex, but haven’t personally used it yet. The place we built for my son was done with the CPVC gold. I’ve had no problems with it, but have heard it becomes brittle with age. All I know is materials sure have improved. I have cut and threaded galvanized pipe, and have sweated copper fittings many times. Plumbing has gotten easier with the newer materials, thankfully.

 

[WGregMiller]

I’m very familiar with pex, but haven’t personally used it yet. The place we built for my son was done with the CPVC gold. I’ve had no problems with it, but have heard it becomes brittle with age. All I know is materials sure have improved. I have cut and threaded galvanized pipe, and have sweated copper fittings many times. Plumbing has gotten easier with the newer materials, thankfully.

I did the last house we had with cpvc. Worked fine, but it does get brittle eventually.

Since it gets fairly cold here sometimes, I tested a piece of PEX in the freezer. Plugged one end, filled with water, plugged the other end and left it for a month. Went back (okay... when I remembered it) and it didn’t pop. That sold me, plus the fact that you can snake it through joists. Pretty good stuff.

 

[Brent S]

I did the last house we had with cpvc. Worked fine, but it does get brittle eventually.

Since it gets fairly cold here sometimes, I tested a piece of PEX in the freezer. Plugged one end, filled with water, plugged the other end and left it for a month. Went back (okay... when I remembered it) and it didn’t pop. That sold me, plus the fact that you can snake it through joists. Pretty good stuff.

Being flexible is what made the stuff so popular. For a remodel there is no easier/better product.

 

[DrHenley]

Since it gets fairly cold here sometimes, I tested a piece of PEX in the freezer. Plugged one end, filled with water, plugged the other end and left it for a month. Went back (okay... when I remembered it) and it didn’t pop.

Try thawing and refreezing six times and see what happens. The PEX will stretch and weaken a little every time and will eventually fail (fifth or sixth time by some estimates). Still better than PVC by far though.

 

[Brent S]

Got the two baeofeng radios today. Now have them and the whip antennae’s, but the cord to program won’t arrive till Wednesday. Silent Earth PM’d me a lot of info on using chirp so I will see how easy it is to do and post about it. I don’t imagine using chirp will be hard but I’m not sure what I should program to be the best use for me. Hopefully it will be fairly clear on what you can do with them....

 

[WGregMiller]

Try thawing and refreezing six times and see what happens. The PEX will stretch and weaken a little every time and will eventually fail (fifth or sixth time by some estimates). Still better than PVC by far though.

I quit after 5 times. I did use brass fittings (plugs) for testing.

I generally don’t worry too much about it because of our climate, plus I insulated the pipes anyway.

You’re right about better than PVC. and copper and for cryin out loud galvanized.

I had to replumb a different old house because it’s galvanized had hardening of the arteries, lol.

 

[Brent S]

I quit after 5 times. I did use brass fittings (plugs) for testing.

I generally don’t worry too much about it because of our climate, plus I insulated the pipes anyway.

You’re right about better than PVC. and copper and for cryin out loud galvanized.

I had to replumb a different old house because it’s galvanized had hardening of the arteries, lol.

When you work on an old system and see the deposits that build up in them it’s pretty gross! I drank unfiltered water most of my life. Almost surprised I’ve made it this long! I’ve often wondered how many Flint Michigan’s we never heard of.

 

[WGregMiller]

When you work on an old system and see the deposits that build up in them it’s pretty gross! I drank unfiltered water most of my life. Almost surprised I’ve made it this long! I’ve often wondered how many Flint Michigan’s we never heard of.

Here our water is very hard. It wouldn’t surprise me if I dropped dead from that.

It’s so bad I have to soak our shower heads on CLR every couple months.

 

[Danil54grl]

Well I got a nice Christmas gift from my sweet hunny already. A new pair of overalls. We have been looking for years to buy local, even checked out the smallest men's sizes we could find which was a 28 but way to big. Hunny ordered a couple pairs online for me which he let me have one pair early. Yep, I am one happy girl. So for you guys out there who want to get your girls a nice pair, he got me the name brand Revolt, which I had never heard of. I am 5' 9" and even the smalls are long enough and they actually show a figure. They have some nice embroidery work done around the cuffs. Not sure how practical the white embroidery will be but we'll see. The pockets are actually pretty deep for females. Most jeans now days are barely deep enough for a set of keys. I'm just happy I got them.

 

[Danil54grl]

Looks like Elsie will be calving soon. When we were out feeding hunny noticed some discharge and Elsie was way out in the tree line when first going out. I was out with the other cows and finished up with goats before going to the house for rubber booties and hotshot. We ended up separating momma to be in with the other cow and heifer. It still may be a couple weeks cause she hasn't started to swell yet, but its close and she is away from the two bulls .

 

[Brent S]

Looks like Elsie will be calving soon. When we were out feeding hunny noticed some discharge and Elsie was way out in the tree line when first going out. I was out with the other cows and finished up with goats before going to the house for rubber booties and hotshot. It We ended up separating momma to be in with the other cow and heifer. It still may be a couple weeks cause she hasn't started to swell yet, but its close and she is away from the two bulls .

That’s a neat experience to have. Do you have any kids around that can help/watch and learn about the birth?

 

[Danil54grl]

Only if the kids down the road come for a visit, which when the time comes I may just give a call. The older ones are a big help and the smaller ones are willing to learn and help. I have tried to get the kids next door involved. . . the older sis and a younger brother. The girl is not into animals and the brother follows her suit, but he is also coming into his own as he is getting older and is interested to a point.

 

[Danil54grl]

Had a Christmas Eve heifer calf this morning! I'll post a pic later on but mom and babe are doing good. She's been up and nursing well. Elsie's been a good momma in the past so I know she's got this covered.

 

[Brent S]

Had a Christmas Eve heifer calf this morning! I'll post a pic later on but mom and babe are doing good. She's been up and nursing well. Elsie's been a good momma in the past so I know she's got this covered.

Congrats grandma! I really am jealous. I just don’t have enough grass area for a cow. I could buy a lot of hay but that kind of takes away the whole self sustaining thing....

 

[DrPrepper]

I got my solar cell phone charger for Christmas

 

[Brent S]

I got my solar cell phone charger for Christmas

I haven’t charged my phone with mine yet, but used the flashlight a lot during a few day power outage.