I have a power drill and I know how to use it!

[prolesunited]

Just a gratuitous, self-congratulatory post on rehanging the bar and shelf in my closet. For the third time, the weight of the clothes pulled the whole thing out of the plaster wall.

So, with the advice of a friend, I tackled the situation. I went to the hardware store and bought heavy duty drywall anchors, drilled new holes in the wall and sunk the anchors. Then, I had to drill new holes for the shelf bracket. Believe it or not, I actually got all of the holes to line up.

Man, now I understand what you guys see in power tools. I am woman, hear me roar! :D

Well, now it's time to go straighten out all the clothes in the closet that are laying in a heap. :-(

[yorgatron]

1. you're a far cry from being a full-tilt tool junkie

like me.lathe,drill press,air compressor,bench grinder,welder,sand blaster,rollaway full of hand tools.coming soon;oxy-acetylene rig (to replace the old one) and a buffer/polishing rig.

[prolesunited]

5. Oooh, you better be careful

with all that tool talk. You could get a girl excited in you're not careful. ;-)

[woofless]

2. I have an Erector Set!

[prolesunited]

6. Want to build something?

:shrug:

[dweller]

3. I , i,,

want to watch...
j/k

tools are fun stuff, i just brought home a planer. Wood has a new meaning and dimension to me now.

be careful, if you get enough tools, you'll have to build your own home.

dp

[prolesunited]

7. Could you bring your tools

over to my house and rebuild my back porch? Now, THAT, I would love to watch. :P

[dweller]

13. Sure!

how bad is it? and how far am i to travel?

:)

dp

[prolesunited]

17. Really, really bad

We're talking total reconstruction. Chicago area is not too far, is it?

I need to hire a contractor this spring. I'm just a little reluctant. I know they'll look at me — single woman who doesn't know much about construction — and jack up the price.

[dweller]

29. well, it is a bit far

and you don't need to add travel expense into it.
so, what i'd recommend is:

get your self a wrecking bar, nail puller, a sledge you can handle and slowly dismantle the beast.
Take your time, don't put your self at risk in any fashion, work slowly and steadily.
Then redesign the porch to your liking. Then hire on a contractor that will let you do owner participated involvement in the construction. You can only learn along the way...

will be glad to chat further with you on this if you have ideas, questions, etc.

good luck!
dp

[jonnyblitz]

4. I seriously wish I knew how to use a sewing machine

or just knew how to sew. seriously. :(

[prolesunited]

8. I have a sewing machine!

But I don't know how to use it either. :-(

I inherited it from my grandmother. It's really a work of art.

[Lars39]

10. I've always thought sewing and woodworking are a lot alike.

I taught the males in my family to use a sewing machine. I know how to use most of the power stuff. I'm kinda afraid of the circular saw, though.

[radwriter0555]

14. I'm thinking of getting a table saw. I gotta MILLION uses for that

kinda thing.

I could really modify my closets to optimise my storage....

[Lars39]

30. That's what we've been doing.

Building shelves and built-ins. Branching out to real furniture would be nice. :)

[DancingBear]

34. I do it for a living - make furniture, that is

If I can be of any help (tool suggestions, etc.) don't hesitate to PM me.

[I AM SPARTACUS]

9. I have a chainsaw...

...an' I'm amazed at what's comin' outa my firewood...



http://www.ooga-booga.net/carvinprolog.htm

[prolesunited]

11. Way cool!

You did that? Do you actually burn it? How long does it take for each piece on average?

[I AM SPARTACUS]

12. I carve 'em outa firewood, but I'm not plannin' on BURNING 'em...

...I'm planning on havin' an opening in a month or so. Newly-immersed, I am finding that chainsaw carvin' is aholotta fun. 'Course, the finishing with chisels & sanding, that's the pretty cool meditative other-side of the screamin' chainsaw part...

[LynneSin]

15. Um excuse me: NO SEX THREADS

<ALERT> <ALERT> <ALERT>

[Blue-Jay]

16. WooHoo!

Good work, Grasshopper. Now, when you can grab the router bit from my hand...

[prolesunited]

18. I have a confession to make

My triumph has turned to disaster and I have the pictures to prove it. :-(

The whole thing pulled out of the wall and now I have even bigger holes. Clearly, I have to try a different approach. Meanwhile, I just stashed my stuff in other closets throughout the house until I can deal with it.








Here's the current setup. I'm open to suggestions.








I am woman. Here me whimper. :P

[GOPisEvil]

19. Could you attach strips of wood to the wall studs...

...then attach the shelves to the strips of wood? You could mount the strips horizontally across the wall, nailing them to the studs...

Just a thought. I don't know much about plaster walls, though. We have mainly drywall down here.

:shrug:

[pmbryant]

21. Sounds like a good approach to me

I don't have much experience with this kind of thing, but I am wary of using drywall anchors for anything more heavy than a picture or a mirror. Drywall just seems so flimsy to me. (But that could just be my inexperience talking.)

:scared:

:dunce:

--Peter

[ProfessorGAC]

20. I Have One Too. And, I BARELY Know How To Use It

Actually, that's not entirely true. I do know how to use. I'm just way too lazy to actually go through the excercise of USING it!
The Professor

[PVnRT]

22. One of us

And now you see the power of the power tools...soon you will be fixing shit that doesn't need to be fixed...it'll be anarchy...

23. I have a knife and I know how to use it (chef talk)

that's what chefs like to say when there are grumpy customers.

[ProfessorGAC]

31. Hey, 56!

I got the Chef Tony Miracle Blades. Boy, do i like those. Now, i do all the cutting, slicing, dicing, chopping. My wife says, i need abc and xyz cut or sliced, and i'm there.

Good knives will do that to you!
The Professor

[DancingBear]

24. OK - how to fix this - in 15 easy steps

This is pretty easy, and you'll think you're serious hot stuff after it's all done!

note: you'll be using 1x6 lumber for this

1) Measure the distance across the back of the closet (i.e. from the "left side wall" to the "right side wall") - this is the length of 1x6 you'll need for the back

2) Using either the left or right side, measure the distance from the back wall to the front wall (i.e. the wall where the closet door is) - this is the (rough) length of 1x6 you'll need for the sides (you'll need 2 of them)

3) Add about 2-3" to each piece - these will be your "rough cut" sizes

3) Add it up - this is the total length of 1x6 you'll need - bat your eyes longingly at a Home Depot or Lowes person, and they'll cut a long 1x6 to your rough dimensions (I know you're hell at eye-batting - we've met!)

4) While at the store, buy the following: (2) closet pole cups, (1) wood closet pole, (2) closet pole hangers, (20-30) 2" #6 wood screws (you could also use #8 wood screws, or drywall screws)

note: make sure the pole hangers are not wider than the 1x6 (i.e. when you screw it to the wood we want to be sure that there will be enough wood surface to hold both hanger screws - if these are BIG pole hangers then use 1x8 instead of 1x6

5) OK - now you're home - pick the spot in the back of the closet where you'll want the long 1x6 to go. It should be at about the height where you want the clothes to hang from, so make sure first that it is!

note: if it can cover the holes from the previous try, so much the better!

6) Measure the back wall distance again, and cut the 1x6 so that it fits snugly on the back wall, with the two side walls (hopefully) holding it in place (don't worry if it isn't too snug - that's why caulk and paint were invented)

7) Mark this height on the wall with a pencil, then use a level to make sure the 1x6 is straight (parallel to the floor) - when it is, use your pencil to make either one long or several short reference lines so you can see where it needs to go when you screw it in

8) Even though you have plaster walls, there still should be studs in the corners of your closet. (boy, THAT came out wrong, didn't it?). Anyway, on the long 1x6 make a mark about 3/4" or so in from each end - you'll put screws here - 2 on each side. Drill pilot holes for the screws (they should know at the Depot the correct pilot size - you may need to buy a drill bit) - you'll drill completely through the 1x6. Obviously, do this before you hold it up to the wall - much easier.

9) Once the (4) holes are drilled, place the 1x6 in place across the back. Put a little dish washing liquid on the threads of the screws (makes them MUCH easier to drive), then ram 'em on home! You now have a back 1x6 in place.

10) Do the same for the side pieces, except you will be butting these two pieces to the back 1x6 which you just installed.

11) Install the (2) pole cups on the side pieces - these (amazingly enough) hold the pole in place.

12) Install the pole hangers (as many as you need - usually only 1) and "set' the pole into the curved hook designed for just that

13) Paint the wood if you'd like (remember - prime first!)

14) Hang those clothes up!

15) Send pictures!

That's it - and please, don't talk about tools! I build furniture for a living, and just the thought of a 22" planer with a helical cutterhead gets me so excited!!

[Blue-Jay]

25. And if *that* doesn't work...

try duct tape and a hammer.

:freak:

[DancingBear]

26. Yes, but only the grey colored tape

None of that other shit woks. :)

[prolesunited]

27. Great instructions and a compliment to boot!

You just made my day. :loveya: Being "hell at eye-batting" is a good thing, right? ;-)

I'll print these out and give it a shot. I'll be sure and post my story of success (or failure) right here. It will probably have to wait a few weeks, though. I've got everything stashed away and I have a few other projects I must complete first.

Thanks again for your help!

Do you have pics of some of the furniture you built? I would love to see.

[DancingBear]

28. Oh, it definitely is!

"Eye-batting", as they say, has its own rewards.

I'll see if I can scrounge up some pics sometime soon...

[geniph]

32. A REAL woman uses air tools!

Compressors rule!

:D

[prolesunited]

33. Well, if you look at the "success"

of my project, it's sadly evident that I'm not a REAL woman. :-(

But, obviously :yourock: