Stair Pulley System

Surgery for scoliosis was two months ago now, and I am still recovering. My ability to walk is improving slowly as my body adjusts to the new spinal arrangement. I have a limp that is going to take time to fix. I can climb and descend stairs, but I have to hold onto the railing with one hand, and it is really better if my other hand is at least touching the other side. The main part of my house is on the second floor, so I have had to figure out how to get things up and down the stairs if I want to live on my own.

There are a couple of solutions, but I am engineer, so naturally I installed a small pulley system to transport items up and down the stairs. I think it is the most efficient solution. I bought a small pulley with accompany hook and rope, and I installed it on the railing overlooking the stairs. My stairs have a landing at the halfway point where they change directions, so that made the pulley system really easy to install and allow for a straight path for items to ascend and descend.

Note that my cats oversee all operations of the pulley.

Pulley system installed on stair railing

Pulley used

Groceries loaded onto hook to lift to second floor

Groceries pulled to the second floor

DSNY Central Repair Shop

A couple of weeks ago, I got the chance to tour the Department of Sanitation of New York’s Central Repair Shop with Open House New York. The shop is huge. It several stories high and a couple of blocks long. The place is amazing, and DSNY does everything in house. The repair all vehicles there: heavy duty trucks, cars, etc. They have a woodworking shop, metal shop, sheet metal shop, upholstery shop, and all other types of shops, as well as a vehicle emissions testing facility. No, it does not smell of garbage as all vehicles are cleaned before going to the shop.

There were vehicles of all sort there. DSNY has a wide variety of garbage collection and transport vehicles. This no doubt makes it more difficult to repair as the workers have to know how to repair a multitude of different vehicles. They also repair pickup trucks, cars, and as far as I could tell, anything with wheels. I can’t say if they repair bicycles though. It won’t shock me if they did.

Parked garage trucks

Vehicles are parked everywhere but allow for traffic

Duel collection and compactor vehicles on lift

The shop also appears to be where they store most if not all, of their heavy equipment, such as equipment like snow shovels only used in winter.

Snow shovels waiting for winter

Built in road treater for winter

Impressive parallel parking both width and height wise

I don’t know what the transport vehicle below transport, but I assume garbage. I have never seen one up close, and I liked how it has a built in conveyor belt to allow for removal of its contents easily. This is one of the reason I assume this is for garbage as opposed to sand for road. The sand would get caught in between the slats of the conveyor belt.

Garbage transporter

Up close view of garbage truck to show conveyor belt to allow easier off loading

In some areas of the shop, there are similar parts sitting around. I presume some are waiting repair and others have been repaired. Most are tagged. I couldn’t identify half of them, but they were all cool looking.

Big engines for repair

Parts waiting repair/disposal/use

In one of the metal shops was this very cool, high tech, precise machine with very cool bits.

Cool machine with fun bits

Bits of some type for this cooling looking machine above

Stacks of metal pipes and bars

Sheet metal shop

Metal shop

One surprising area that the shop had was a place after my heart, an emissions testing facility. When I was there, they had a MTA bus in the testing area. MTA pays them to test some of their vehicles, but DSNY does not test private vehicles. The testing facility had a huge roller that allows testing of their large, heavy vehicles in real life conditions. There something about the contrast of this very high tech testing facility in the middle of a building that in some areas has some rather low tech repair areas that I found amusing and surprising.

MTA bus on emissions testing machine that allows for real life conditions

Piped exhaust for emissions testing

Collated emissions for analysis

Driving Pilings

There is a bridge that is being demolished near my office that is now my destination and entertainment on my daily lunchtime walks. I previously posted video of the demolition of a concrete column. The other day during my visit, a crane with a hanging vibratory hammer was driving steel sheet pilings into the riverbed to form a cofferdam. There was already a cofferdam around one of the bridge piers, which has now been demolished. I am assuming this new cofferdam will surround the next pier, so it can be removed. The before and after photos of the pilings being driven are below as well as video of it happening.

Driving pilings, before

Driving pilings, before

Driving pilings, after

Driving pilings, after

Excavator Destroys a Concrete Column

Excavator with concrete crusher twirling rebar

Excavator with concrete crusher twirling rebar

There is a bridge over Four Mile Run that connects Alexandria and Arlington, Virginia that is being destroyed. I love walking over near the site and watching the destruction take place. Today I took some video of (what I am fairly sure is) an excavator with a concrete crusher pound and crush the concrete of a former column. It then separated the rebar and twirled it like ribbon to consolidate it. So very cool to watch.

Master Bathroom Demolition Continues

For demolition of the old master bathroom and closet to continue, I needed a friend or two to help. Mainly there were some tasks I needed to do, that at the very least, I needed someone to catch or guide something being removed. Therefore, I asked a bunch of friends if they might help me do some demolition, and I would pay them with beer, wine, and pizza. Turns out, I have a bunch of friends who were so excited about destroying parts of my house, they probably would have done it without the food and alcohol payment. So yesterday, I had a demolition party. I got confirmation of what I already knew that I have some wonderful friends who did not disappoint and put in a lot of hard work. I also learned that when my friend James has a hammer, he is really good at demolition, and it is probably best for your own safety to leave the room. I am lucky enough to have a friend, Danielle, who is a whiz with all things home repair, who along with Aaron disconnected and removed the whole house fan. They disappeared into the attic, and next thing I knew, they were was a big whole in my ceiling where the fan had been. For hours, some were demolishing, some were cleaning up the debris, and some were transporting the debris downstairs. Erin and Mark did so much demolition that according to Erin, the next day when Mark pulled out his wallet, drywall came out of it. At one point, Renee and Brandi decided that there were too many people in the destruction zone (there were) and that they should make bread using a leftover can of beer of a brand that no one liked. I had people in my kitchen making bread and later cooking the pizzas, people in my attic working on wiring and removing things, and people in my construction area destroying things. I, in general, tried to stay out of people’s way, directed them to things, removed debris, and did a little deconstruction. I have no idea if this makes a good host, bad host, or just a laissez faire host. I know I thanked you in person, but to Danielle, Aaron, Erin, Mark, James, Brandi, and Renee, thank you so much. You are wonderful friends and a wonderful help with my renovation, and I hope you had fun.

Demolition is not fully complete, but a great deal of progress was made. It is amazing how much bigger and better the space looks after removal of the interior walls, particularly the shower walls that were blocking all the light from the window. In my opinion, the space was designed really badly before. I mean really, why would you put the toilet right in front of a large front-view window and then build a wall in front of the window that blocks all the light? Some photos are below, and more photos have been added to the Phase 3 page. The shower’s glass wall and door removal did not go completely as planned. The door was removed in one piece, but the glass side panel broke during removal. However, the glass was safety glass, and this actually ended up making it easier to remove. It also was kind of good because I can keeping all the metal to sell for scrap, and this will make it easier to sell the metal frame. We generated a lot of debris. I have been able to get rid of some of it, mainly the lumber and the vanity top tile using Freecycle and thus keeping it out of the waste stream.

Tile and mortar from the old shower floor

Tile and mortar from the old shower floor

All that is left of the shower, the pan and drain

All that is left of the shower, the pan and drain

The exhaust fan. I didn't really need to see this.

The exhaust fan. I didn’t really need to see this.

Removing the old shower glass door and wall

Removing the old shower glass door and wall

What safety glass looks like after being broken.

What safety glass looks like after being broken.

The whole house fan after the cover has been removed

The whole house fan after the cover has been removed

A large hole is now in my ceiling where the whole house fan used to be

A large hole is now in my ceiling where the whole house fan used to be

Mulching Plant Tour

About a month ago, I got a chance to tour a recycling plant. This Arlington County municipal recycling plant focuses on recycling yard waste. In the spring, Arlington County has curbside collection of yard waste in paper bags including invasive vines, leaves, dead plants, pine cones, etc. In the fall, Arlington County picks up leaves in paper bags from residents and also from curbside vacuum collection. All year long, Arlington County also picks up brush curbside. All of these waste streams are treated separately at the plant, and the plant also handles dirt and rock excavated during utility work.

The plant manager said he likes to think of the plant as a reutilization plant because something goes in, they process it, and then something goes out. Their operation is really quite impressive, especially when its 2.7 acres total yard size is considered. It is mainly this plant size that limits their ability to accept more waste for processing. Their biggest issue is dirt from pipe breaks etc. that is processed here. They reuse the processed dirt and rock for backfill, but if they can’t find a use for it, they have to dispose of it in a landfill.

The yard waste has to get to 140°F to kill any invasive weeds. Because the plant is located near a residential area, they do not accept food waste because of the odor it produces. They use lime on the yard waste solely for odor control. [Lime the inorganic material, which generally means calcium oxide (CaO) with some calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) not lime the fruit.] With the leaf waste, they achieve a 66% volume reduction to the leaf mulch product. Leaf bag collection mulch is mixed with dirt for final product.

Tub grinder that processes leaf, brush, wood, and spring yard waste

Tub grinder that processes leaf, brush, wood, and spring yard waste

Dirt processing machine that sorts material by size

Dirt processing machine that sorts material by size

Stone crusher machine

Stone crusher machine

Material going into trommel screen for separation. The trommel screen sorts dirt and big aggregate.

Material going into trommel screen for separation. The trommel screen sorts dirt and big aggregate.

Material coming out of trommel screen after separation

Material coming out of trommel screen after separation

As is often the case, fixing a piece of equipment involves a guy standing on the bucket of a front loader using a pole to move things.

As is often the case, fixing a piece of equipment involves a guy standing on the bucket of a front loader using a pole to move things.

Rock and concrete after separation

Rock and concrete after separation

Dirt for separation by size

Dirt for separation by size

Leaf mulch product

Leaf mulch product

Wood mulch product

Wood mulch product

Yard waste mulch product

Yard waste mulch product

The plant uses the product dirt to create this vegetable garden. It had wonderful looking vegetables, and in the past, they have entered the vegetables in the county fair.

The plant uses the product dirt to create this vegetable garden. It had wonderful looking vegetables, and in the past, they have entered the vegetables in the county fair.

Women Don’t Need Pink Tools

Evidently, Bic has decided that women can’t use normal pens and has decided to market a pen specifically for us. “Bic for Her” they call it because we need more pink crap. [I am not the only person who finds this demeaning and stupid. They have been inundated with sarcastic reviews on Amanzon.] I tweeted my indignation about this, and I asked what else do they think women need especially for us. You know, pink stuff. Do we need special hammers and power drills? I was quickly informed that the pink insanity does not stop with pens. There really are tools marketed especially for women, and yes they are pink. There are Little Pink Tools, which quite frankly make me want to hurl. There is also Tomboy Tools, which seems to be almost anything as long as it is pink. As if women can’t or won’t use something if it is not pink.

To be clear, I actually like the color pink. I use it in doses in my home decorating, and I have plenty of pink clothes, shoes, and jewelry. It is not my favorite color though. Pink does not mean something is “girlie,” and something does not have to be pink to be feminine. I am sure plenty of little girls love the color pink, but not that many women do. Women don’t need pink things just like girls don’t need pink legos or any other pink toy just for them. You know what kind of legos little girls like? They like legos, plain and simple. We could do a lot to end gender stereotyping if we stop shoving pink frilly stuff at girls and “manly” toys like guns and trucks at boys. If a girl likes pink and frilly stuff then great, but don’t assume just because she is a girl that that is what she wants and wouldn’t want to play with trucks and other stuff. And vice versa for little boys.

My sophomore year of college I moved into an apartment with several roommates. While moving in, I needed some basic tools. I think I was putting together a desk or something. I went to Walmart, and I bought a toolkit called Do-It-Herself. Yes, it was actually called this, and all the tools had baby blue handles, except for tools like the socket wrench, which were pure metal. I didn’t buy it for the silly name, and I certainly didn’t buy it because everything was matching baby blue. I bought it because it was a toolkit with a nice selection of basic tools that came in an organized, easy to store carrying case. I actually still have many of those tools, including the pliers, socket wrenches, and screwdriver. I still have some of the screwdriver bits too, but of course the philips bit has been replaced numerous time. It was a nice toolkit that fit my needs at the time. Looking back, I guess I should be happy that it wasn’t pink because evidently companies have decided that’s what we really want.

I am currently renovating the third house I have ever owned. I have renovated all my houses. With each house, the renovations have gotten more intense, and I have done more and more of the repair and renovation myself. Over the years of home ownership, I have bought more tools and replaced old ones or upgraded to better ones. Years ago, I bought a power drill and small drill bit case with bits of about ten different sizes. It served most purposes. Then years later, I bought a drill bit case with about 30-40 different sizes of bits. Last year I bought a circular saw, reciprocating saw, and a rotary tool. I’ve rented those before, but if you do enough renovation, it is cheaper in the long run to just buy them. You can also buy higher quality power tools than you can rent. Also when you rent, you have to buy your own blade anyway. And no, none of the tools I have bought since that original toolkit have been baby blue or pink or any other girlie color. I don’t buy tools because of how they look. I buy, or try to buy, tools that will last, that will work well, and that are reasonably priced. I would never buy a pink tool, partially because it is stupid, but also because if the tools is being sold because it is pink, then it is probably not being sold because it is a good quality, reasonably priced tool.

In short, women don’t need pink tools! We need good quality tools with easy to understand directions. We want them reasonably priced and easy to use. In the case of power tools, we want them to come to come with safety features, so we or anyone else who uses them doesn’t injure themselves. In short, we need exactly what men need.

For the record here are my tools, or almost all of them at least. You will notice a few baby blue ones from my original, aforementioned toolkit. However, not a single pink one among them.

My manual and power tools