Another 'WTF is this thing' thread!

Right, so instead of random electronic bits, now it's random stuff I find in my house! :D I'll try and actually post more than one thing for this one :whistler:

These might be "WTF is this thing" stuff, but more actually, more often it'll probably be more of a "WTF were they thinking when they did this" thing. :P ...I may have mentioned before, the the previous owners of my house were a bit...odd.

Anyways, the first thing is a "WTF is this thing", so....WTF is this thing?

I found it in an old toolbox that they left...outside the shed...in the weather.. :facepalm: Other stuff in the toolbox included two hand drills (literally, hand-powered drills. I love those things. :D ), some hand files, and a few other other carpentry tools. ..all quite rusty..

It's just a curved, wooden handle with a smooth, pointed metal...point.

Hand planting tool also called a dibber
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dibber

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Originally Posted by Mach

Hand planting tool also called a dibber
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dibber

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oh. here I was gonna say "dude, yah got yersel' an ar-key-o-lahgikal arteefact there!"

Well, the house was built in 1926, and the previous owners were apparently here a long time...and it does feel very worn. So, idk, depending on your definition of 'archaeological', maybe. :P

Thanks Mach, I was wondering if it might have something to do with gardening since there is a bit of dirt in the screws holding the metal tip to the wooden handle.

it's a particularly well made prison weapon

Well, Ive used an old railroad spike to sow seeds before. Perhaps the previous owner had the same idea? That would explain the dirt.

Been a while, but I finally ran into something else and thought to take a picture of it. This one falls into the "WTF were they thinking" category. :P

My tub drips, and it's been getting worse, so today I finally got around to pulling off the access panel (which they had nailed and plastered shut...forgot to take a picture before pulling it off..) to shut off the water to the faucets so I could take them apart...and I I found this:

:facepalm:

And yes, I checked in the basement...the only way I can cut off the water to those faucets is by shutting off the main.. :facepalm:

I don't suppose the word "genii" means anything to the construction wrokers.

Expecting stopcocks for each outlet on an old house?! You're hopeful, anyway!

Just love coming across work done be people who shouldn't have done it. My brother in-laws place is like that. His washer is running as a gray water system. No shut offs for the kitchen or the basement shower stall. The PO's did a lot of "work" on the place themselves.

That explains why it was shut so tight. Since it's open and you have to work on it, might as well install some valves, huh?:D

If I was you I'd be very tempted to rip out all that copper and replace it with PVC. Do it piece by piece around the house and by the time you are done you scrap the copper and you've paid for the PVC parts, and put some money in your pocket!

Just a thought... Copper has no where to go but up, and Japan is gonna help.

Or do a scratch build :P

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Originally Posted by mDust

That explains why it was shut so tight. Since it's open and you have to work on it, might as well install some valves, huh?:D

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Yup. When I drain the system to replace the washers I'm gonna put in some valves.

As for replacing it all with PVC, I am fortunate in that most of my plumbing is fairly easily accessibly from the basement/crawlspace (single-story structure), so I might do something about it at some point...not sure if PVC is recommended for use in hot water lines now though. IIRC it wasn't when my parents built their house back around 2000 (they're unfortunately not living in it anymore..moved in closer to town).

If you do replace the copper PEX is the way to go not PVC. It's flexible, can handle hot water. You can make all the runs with no joints. Did I mention it's flexible? This makes it wonderfully easy to work with. Yes you need a special tool for crimping the connectors, but it's pretty cheap so it'll pay for itself in savings over paying someone to do it.

AND, PEX is hot/cold color-coded!

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Originally Posted by msmrx57

If you do replace the copper PEX is the way to go not PVC. It's flexible, can handle hot water. You can make all the runs with no joints. Did I mention it's flexible? This makes it wonderfully easy to work with. Yes you need a special tool for crimping the connectors, but it's pretty cheap so it'll pay for itself in savings over paying someone to do it.

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I've thought about this, but need to look into it more. From what I've seen, the recommended way to do PEX is a hub system, as opposed to the tree system used with traditional plumbing techniques. For the main portion of the house, I don't think the transition would be a problem, but the addition has a solid foundation, so changing any of it would be problematic. ..however, with the exception of the kitchen sink drain, the addition is entirely PVC, so it wouldn't really need to be changed..hmmm..I'll have to look into how much I would need to completely refit the main house portion. It's currently a combination of PVC and copper, with a little bit of cast iron still left over from the original 1926 plumbing. If I'm draining the system anyway to fix the tub, it might be worth spending a weekend (maybe a long weekend...) refitting the supply lines in the main house portion with PEX. The challenge would be figuring out the maze of supply plumbing around the furnace...the guy who came to work on the furnace said it looked like the current one was at least the third one to be hooked up there, from the mess of old hookups behind it. It would be good to get that cleared up as well, which would be a nice side-effect of redoing the whole supply system...hmmm.. :think:

attach your water cooling system direct to the mains while you're at it

C PVC is up to code in Maryland (Last I checked). Which is what I suggest using. Worked good, easy to use, and affordable. Also, you can repair a section without replacing the whole line like PEX...

If I was you, I'd look up Maryland code for your water. you might be surprised what you find out about PEX...

Damn I should have taken pictures of the nightmares I found while remodeling my house.

I recently replaced all of the galvanized steel plumbing in my entire house (with copper thank you) and when I got to the bathroom area, I removed what seemed like a mile of pipe. Seriously it looked like something out of the game pipe works.

Remember knob and tube wiring? When they upgraded my electic system (long before I owned this house), they left all of the knob and tube stuff and ran the new wires (mostly aluminum) with the bare wires. I have since completely rewired my house too.

When remodeling my kitchen I removed all of the venting pipes for the old wood cooking stove.

Did I mention my house was 100 years old?

Good luck on more treasure.

BTW: Back on topic:

It was VERY rare to install shut off valves to tubs and showers until recently. Many counties still do not require them on anything but kitchen sinks, washers, bathroom sinks and water heaters. Kind of sill if you ask me. Even a good valve is under $20.. (Please don't use a $2 version for anything in the house. They fail after a few uses)

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Originally Posted by Airbozo

Seriously it looked like something out of the game pipe works.

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Heheh, sounds like some of the plumbing that the PO put in my sister's house. Just random pipes going all over the place for no apparent reason. :P

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Originally Posted by Airbozo

It was VERY rare to install shut off valves to tubs and showers until recently. Many counties still do not require them on anything but kitchen sinks, washers, bathroom sinks and water heaters. Kind of sill if you ask me. Even a good valve is under $20.. (Please don't use a $2 version for anything in the house. They fail after a few uses)

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Interesting. I guess I just figure since there was an access panel (regardless of how it was closed) that there would be something behind it. :P Oh and yes, I will definitely be using quality valves.

Well, one nice side-effect of this is that now I know what is behind the paneling in my house. Turns out it's just two layers of old, thin, sheetrock. No plaster/lathe! :banana: ...don't get me wrong, plaster and lathe is nice as long as it's maintained, but usually when paneling is put up over plaster and lathe that means that it hasn't been maintained, and is cracked, and will either require extensive repairs or have to be replaced..and at that point, honestly, I would just replace it, especially since when I get to that point I'll probably be replacing a lot of the wiring and putting in CAT6 and Coax as well, and that'll be a lot easier if the walls are down to the studs. However, I've ripped out plaster and lathe before, and it is a paaaiiiinn. ...though, come to think of it, it would probably be a lot easier in a single story building with doors and lots of windows than where I did it before, which was on the third story of a three-story building, and everything had to be dumped out through one window, down a chute, and into a roll-off dumpster. Still, it's a hell of a lot easier to pull out sheetrock, so that makes me happy. :D

I think you mean Lath. :D Although if your walls had Lathes in them I'd be concerned.

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Originally Posted by altec

I think you mean Lath. :D Although if your walls had Lathes in them I'd be concerned.

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lol, you know, come to think of it, I've never actually seen it written, but yes, you are correct.

..and if my walls had lathes in them, that would be AWESOME! I want a lathe... :P

I got a old Atlas 12". I'll give you a good deal on it. ;)

Needs the ways ground down. I just don't have the time. I have a older Craftsman 12" I use for my turning.

Hmmm, once I get my workshop in order I might be interested in that..