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Joeboo

Joeboo

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Noodlemod_sl said:
This is probably the stupidest question I'll ever ask. I have a patch in my yard that's like 6 feet long by 3 feet wide and a few inches deep where we had either erosion or water washed it away, so it's just this empty patch with some rocks in it. I'd like to fill it in and start growing grass in it. What do I fill it with? Do they sell bags of dirt at home depot I can put in? Is there special dirt I need?

I realize how dumb this sounds, but I've never filled in my yard before (fjust finished our first year of home ownership). Any tips?
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Any hardware store will definitely sell bags of dirt. You can get just plain topsoil dirt for pretty cheap, I think my local hardware store is about $1 per 40 or 50lb bag, and even a namebrand bag of Scotts topsoil is under $1.50. Buy 10 bags of that and call it good.
 
Noodleface

Noodleface

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It was an estimate but I'm an engineer so math is in my favor. 10 bagd was good. Threw some ez seed on it to see what happens but gonna do a full seed at the beginning of fall
 
lurkingdirk

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Overseed and get new seed fertilizer, too. Also, be prepared for some further settling/composting of the soil you put in, so there will be fill-in spots for the next few years.
 
Noodleface

Noodleface

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Figured as much. Just trying to build it back up. Its been like this since we bought the house but it goes under the fence a little so makes me nervous with the dog. Looks really nice now.
 
Intrinsic

Intrinsic

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Went ahead and signed the contract for our new windows yesterday. Now that it is moving forward I'm a little more excited and less fretting every little aspect of it. Nothing left to do but see if it/they suck or we like them. Hoping to have them in by end of May.
 
Intrinsic

Intrinsic

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I think it ended up being $500? 16 total for $8200. It is kind of slanted because I have 6 that are tempered along with 4 special orders. Two arch tops and two large picture windows (or whatever they're called). Decided not to do the 4 downstairs in our garage and bonus room, and also didn't do the sliding doors in our bedroom and guest bedroom. Will do those next year probably and new french doors for our living room out on to the deck.
 
Crone

Crone

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Wife is pretty crafty, and loves power tools. Tom boy I guess you could say? Would prefer to work a table saw, than a sewing machine. I want to get her something in this vein for Mother's Day, any suggestions?

Any tool sets out there that are sweet? Thinking like a socket or wrench set? Any super useful power tool out there that has gotten way more use than you thought it would? Thanks for any suggestions!
 
Lejina

Lejina

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You can't go wrong with a good quality cordless power-drill if she doesn't have one already. That's like the first power tool you should get. A jigsaw can be pretty versatile too, same with a Dremel. Depend what kind of budget you have, those huge socket, wrench, screwdriver sets can be pretty dope if she doesn't have that kind of tools already.

The big thing tho, is the quality. There's nothing more infuriating than poor quality tools that break when you need them or cheap sockets that don't quite fit right even tho you're using the right size. Don't ever go for the cheapest tools thinking you're getting a good deal, because you're not. Get good tools and they will potentially never have to be replaced.
 
lurker

lurker

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Crone_sl said:
...Any super useful power tool out there that has gotten way more use than you thought it would? Thanks for any suggestions!
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Oscillating Multi-Tool. Everybody makes one and the blades are interchangeable between manufacturers. I have a Harbor Freight version because it was cheap and works as well as a several hundred dollar Fein I used, but it doesn't feel as nice and won't last as long.

It's one of those tools of last resort. When you're in some tight place on your back in some cabinet and need to cut a nail or a screw or a piece of wood or sheetrock but have no room to move a saw blade, if you can touch it with this tool, you can cut it. It will also sand or grind just about any material. Mine is cordless which makes it even handier.

Here's a link to HomeDepot, but lots of places sell themOscillating Tools
 
Crone

Crone

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Great suggestions! The oscillating tool looks perfect! Will look at the cordless options.

It's either that or a good socket set. Tough choices...
 
Kaige

Kaige

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The M12/M18 power tool sets from Milwaukee are awesome, we use a lot of them in the trades. Another mechanical outfit we work alongside uses them religiously for all their plumbing guys, for the specialty devices.

The tools are slightly smaller and more affordable than the norm, but they don't lack in quality. I'm fond of the impact, the sawzall, and the porta-band myself.

It may also open up presents in the future if there's other ones she may want.
 
Noodleface

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One last thing I'd like to do before going back to work is our kitchen came with no hardware on the cabinets, drawers, etc. I probably asked this before, but how difficult is this for someone who owns a power drill new in the package and never handled one? Do they make templates to make sure I don't fuck up the holes?
 
Kaige

Kaige

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Yeah. Talk to the people at Home Depot or Lowes if you go there.

What type of hardware? Just the doorknobs? Or are we talking doors completely off and you have to install the hinges?
 
lurkingdirk

lurkingdirk

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They'll have templates so all your holes go in the right spots. Measure carefully, hold the drill level, and take your time. It's easy enough.
 
Kaige

Kaige

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That's pretty easy. Mark them ahead of time lightly with a pencil and then drill them gently. Drills are variable speed on the trigger, and if your drill has it (most do), the dial can be adjusted. A slower cut is a gentle cut (you don't have to press really hard either, let the bit do the work).

I would walk through the kitchen sections of the store with a tape measure and a piece of paper. If you like the positioning of the knobs, measure them for your own. If you're doing bars, just make sure you measure and square it up, so they don't look crooked.
 
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