Other Projects I'm Working On

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Lady Fitzgerald
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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Here is a closeup of the ground wires tucked back into the back of the box.

20.jpg

Those stranded wire sure make stuffing them into the box so much easier than if they had all three been solid wire.

Before stuffing the outlet and its wires into the box, I wrapped the outside of the outlet with several layers of electrical tape just in case something conductive contacts the terminals on the side (not likely but why take chances?).

21.jpg

Here, I've stuffed the outlet and its wires into the box and installed some extra long screws to secure the outlet and the weatherproof box to the wall.

22.jpg
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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After accumulating most of the parts I needed, I started working on the back door steps. These are the same kind of steps I installed for the front steps so I'll be covering only details that are different from the first steps.

Since these steps are going to sit partially on my asphalt carport and on the gravel yard instead a concrete slab like my front steps do, I needed to plant (literally) some pavers where the legs will not be sitting on the asphalt. Before starting, I removed the six stepping stones that lead to my current steps since will no longer be needed and will be in the way.

1.jpg

These are 2 inches thick and were slightly proud of the gravel surface and they have stayed put for well over a decade. I'll eventually move them to the other side of my home and plant them in two rows of three to lead from the curb (kerb for you folks on the east side of the pond) to the patio.

Only two legs of the six legs of the steps will actually rest on carport asphalt. Two of the remaining four legs will rest on two stacks of concrete pavers (similar to bricks but are used for creating a hard surface, such as a patio) along the side of the carport. To get the height needed to be level with the two legs on the asphalt, two pavers between the carport asphalt and the trailer skirting needed to be stacked per stack to get enough thickness needed to allow being partially buried in the ground deep enough to ensure they won't shift whenever the steps need to be moved. Here, the first paver has been placed in a hole I dug (I found a hoe and a garden hand trowel were the best tools for digging the holes). Getting the depth of the paver just right was a pain (literally; my back is killing me now) because the top of the second paver in the stack needs to be level with the carport asphalt and align with the other pavers that will run alongside the skirting.

2.jpg

Before permanently laying the second paver over the bottom paver and back filling the hole around the pavers, I put some outdoor rated Liquid Nails construction adhesive on top of the bottom paver (that amount was a little overkill), plopped the second paver on top, then stood on it to make sure the adhesive was "squoze" out thinly. Here, the top paver has been stuck to the bottom one.

3.jpg

I then carefully back filled the hole and tamped the dirt down. It was then rinse and repeat for the second stack. It took me about three hours to get everything just right for those two stacks. By then, the sun was beating down on me and, even though the temperature was still around 69°F, it felt a lot warmer so, after a late lunch, I waddled a few errands.
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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The tops of the next two pavers were going to be level with the gravel yard so I needed only one paver for each of the two legs that will sit on them. The holes for these should be plenty deep based on how long the round stepping stones stayed put for well over a decade. Even though I didn't have to dig as deeply, it was still a pain in the back, etc. to get them at the correct height, and leveled and aligned properly. I was losing daylight by the time I finished with these two. I used a 9' 2x4 and, a six foot level, and the level in a combination square to get everything leveled and properly located (I hope).

Here is how the last set of pavers, now foundation footers for the steps legs, look after cleaning up the mess, sweeping off as much dirt on the pavers and the asphalt as I could, then hosing everything down to clean up the rest of the mess and to get the dirt to settle properly (I just hope the neighborhood vermin—aka cats— don't dig around the footers). These are the last two footers.

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The footers are a bit hard to see after spraying everything.

These are the footers that run alongside the asphalt and the skirting.

4.jpg

After putting away my tools, my tired hurt! Earlier today, I took some quick photos of the parts I've accumulated for the steps. Here are some of them.

6.jpg
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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Here are some more photos of the accumulated parts.

7.jpg

I got tired of putting away the ladder and digging it out multiple times so I just leaned it over the skirting parts (the skirting panels are in my shed) and aluminum angles, etc. I needed for the steps.

These are two of the 4' long rails I had already received. After I took this photo, I picked up the last rail, a 6' one.

8.jpg

This batch of rails were better protected in shipment and arrived in far better condition than the ones for the front steps. They will still need to be painted because of the cuts and drilled holes and the inevitable scuffing I'll do while installing them. I've been saving the large sheets of cardboard to ship the large items so masking off the steps and skirting when I paint the rails will be a lot easier than the last time.
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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I pretty much spent yesterday mostly more or less recovering from Wednesday. Yesterday morning, I heard a cat mewing again, much like the one I heard Monday and found out a *&^%$#@! cat had gotten trapped under my humble hovel. I went outside, opened up a skirting panel and sat down on my steps to wait and see if a *&^%$#@! cat came out. I just had my robe on and started getting cold because we had a bit of a breeze so I went around the house, slapping on the skirting in hopes I would spook the misbegotten little varmint out. I waited for a while after I got back around to my back door but I didn't see a *&^%$#@! cat come out so I closed up the skirting and went back inside. I didn't hear anything this morning so, hopefully, the underside of my home is *&^%$#@! cat free now.

I got a little later start on the steps this morning than I liked because my backside was still dragging so low, I was getting a royal rump road rash. I started by painting a little bracket I made that will attach to the railing later on for a door catch to keep the door open while carrying things in or out of my house.

Getting the leg lengths on the platform, then the steps, adjusted went far better than I expected. I did have to relocate one of the footers, which wasted over half an hour trying to get it just right (and still didn't get it quite right; I'm really starting to hate the darned things).

The last time I put skirting between the steps, I had to do things the hard way because I couldn't get a wide enough strip of aluminum to fasten the upper ground channel the easy way. This time, I planned ahead (shocking, isn't it? :shock: ) and ordered a 4" wide strip. To install the strip, I needed to support the steps upside down so I had a level surface to work on. The only thing I had handy to rest the steps on were the stepping stones I had stacked by my old shed and a couple of extra pavers. Rather than abusing my back by moving all that concrete to my carport, then hauling it all back, I just added two extra pavers to the stepping stone stack, then moved the steps to the stacked concrete and placed them upside down onto the stack.

1.jpg

I then cut the 4" wide strip to length (I cheated and went into the house and used my little stationary bandsaw), cutting it a little short to allow for the welds, placed it on the bottom of the bottom step (now upside down), and clamped it to the step to keep it from wandering while drilling pilot holes for the screws.

2.jpg

I first drilled ten pilot holes (two rows of five) through both the strip and the bottom flanges of the bottom step, removed the strip and drilled out the holes in the strip for screw clearance, then screwed the strip to the bottom of the bottom step. This will make it umpteen times easier and faster to screw the skirting ground channel underneath the bottom step.

I then installed skirting between the top and middle step, and between the middle step and the bottom step. I made some very minor changes to how I did it last time, such as using multiple short sections of scrap ground channel at the bottom of the skirting panels since they wouldn't show, which made this task a lot easier and faster and looks a tiny bit better than on the front door steps. Doing all this before I permanently installed the steps to the platform made it easier to reach everything without awkward and painful body contortions. I didn't take pictures since I was running out of daylight.

I also cut and installed the aluminum angle across the bottom of the legs of the steps. The difference from the last time was I used 1/8" x 1.25" x 1.25" instead of smaller 1/16" angle since these steps will be subject to being moved occasionally on a significantly less than smooth surfaces so I wanted the extra strength to keep the assembly more rigid and less likely to bend. By the time I got the angle installed, it was dark so I temporarily reinstalled the steps to the platform to make getting in and out of my house easier, hauled in my tools, and called it a night. Saying my tired hurt is a gross understatement.
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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Here are a few shots after I hauled my tools in for the night. First shows the skirting and the angle I installed today.

4.jpg

This shows the steps and platform from the side. I will have to move it a time or few before I'm finished. It's higher than I was expecting but the step up from the platform to into the house is much less than it was with the old rinkidink steps.

5.jpg

This is the footer I had to relocate. I still got it a bit wrong (mutter, mutter, mumble, mumble) but, once the skirting is installed, no one will be the wiser. It still will be plenty sturdy.

6.jpg
Overall, I'm pleased with the results, especially since i got more done today than I thought I would (I love it when a plan comes together!). I'm taking tomorrow off to recover from today. At least I'm not as wiped out tonight as I was Wednesday night.
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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Brief update: I been gradually gaining on the back door steps. I've installed heavier duty aluminum angle—1/8" x 1-1/4" instead of the 1/16" x 3/4" that I used on the front door steps—since these steps will need to be lifted to move them around since they are on a variety of surfaces instead of smooth concrete the front door steps are on that can be "slud" over. The steps themselves are attached to the platform only at the top so I needed extra bracing at the bottom to keep the assembly rigid enough to allow lifting at both ends with tearing up anything.

I got the ground channel and inside top trim for the skirting installed on the steps and platform but, rather than start on cutting and installing the skirting panels, I decided to install the railing posts first since I wanted to add screws to hold the posts in their sockets instead of depending on just shims to keep them in place and I wouldn't be able to do that if the skirting was in the way.

This time, instead of using tape to shim the socket reducers and the posts, I used 1/16" thick sheet aluminum shims I cut from scrap. The fits were tight, requiring a block of wood and the vigorous use of a 2 lb. percussive persuader to encourage the posts to go into their sockets. In fact, the fit was so tight, I had to keep the posts in the house so the sun wouldn't heat them up, causing them to expand just enough to make getting the posts pounded in pretty much impossible.

After "gently" beating the snot out of the posts to get them into their pockets when a 1/16" shim was also being added, I shot a couple of screws through the walls of the sockets into the posts to further secure and stabilize them (although I doubt anyone could have pulled them out before due to the tight fit). As solid as the posts are on the front steps are, especially since the rails brace them, these posts are even more solid. Once the rails get installed, I will be able to lift the platform at one end without worrying about pulling out the posts.

I apologize but I was having so much fun today (lied Jeannie through her teeth), I didn't think to take any photos. I'll try to remember tomorrow (if I'm not too wasted in the morning) when I start cutting and installing the skirting panels.
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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OK, I promised some pictures. This is what the steps/platform looked like when I started this morning.

1.jpg

In my previous post, I mentioned that I added some screws to help stabilize the railing posts, something I didn't do on the front door steps. The next two shots show two screws stabilizing two different posts.

2.jpg

3.jpg
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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Here is what the steps/platform looks like when I knocked off this evening.

4.jpg

I spent more time on that miter joint on the top skirting trim than I did on anything else. That one drove me nutz!

This shot shows the bomb bay door I will use to insert bug bombs (insecticide foggers) under the steps/platform to minimize creepy crawlies taking up house keeping there.

5.jpg

It's supposed to rain the next two days and I need to go grocery shopping so I probably won't get much work done over the weekend, if any. The next step is to install the brackets to hold the railing to the posts, then start cutting the railing sections to size, drilling holes in the rails for the screws going into the brackets, and screwing them into place. Once the rails are in, they will need to be painted. When they will be painted will depend on the weather.

One problem I've noticed is the western sun reflects a rather annoying glare from the aluminum topped platform. I've bookmarked an outdoor rug on Amazon that will knock out most of the glare and serve as a door mat. I'll probably get a pair so both sets of steps/platforms can have one.
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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I woke up too late this morning to have time to go grocery shopping before it was supposed to rain (my tired really hurt last night so I needed the extra sleep) so, before the rain started, I went out and installed the twelve brackets that will hold the railing to the posts. I also put a label on each of the 20A outdoor outlets' weather proof covers—the one I recently installed and the one I got the power for the recently installed outlet—to distinguish them from the other outlets, which are 15A. I don't have any pictures yet because it started raining.

I kept hearing a cat mewing and couldn't tell where it was coming from so I opened up a section of skirting for around 10-15 minutes and watched from one side but the only cats I saw were two cats who wanted to investigate the opening (I sent them packing well before they has a chance), one of which was one of the cats that had gotten trapped under my home when was installing the outdoor outlet (that particular cat is a PITA little demon I especially would like to be rid of!). I later figured out it was a cat mewing on the roof of my next door neighbor's roof (there were three of the little vermin up there :roll: ).
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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It's been drizzling much of the day today. I got a break in the drizzle a little while ago and quickly snagged some pictures.

This is shot of one of the two weatherproof outlet covers that I put a label onto.

1.jpg
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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Here is how the brackets that will hold the railing to the posts look. The first one is one of two terminal posts—posts where the railing ends—with an upper bracket installed (the lower brackets are the same).

2.jpg

Corner post brackets. The holes in the posts weren't drilled very accurately, hence the slight difference in bracket height. I had the same problem with the front door steps but, once the railing is installed, the difference isn't noticeable. If turns out to be noticeable here, I'll just shim the back rail with washers.

4.jpg

And brackets on an inline post.

3.jpg

We have already had 0.55" of rain in my little neck of the desert (it's back to a light drizzle), which is a decent amount for this part of Arizona, and we are supposed to get more tonight and on into tomorrow. Needless to say, the rain has somewhat dampened my enthusiasm for working on the steps/platform. If I can get the rails installed by Wednesday, I'll get a neighbor to help me carry them under my carport and start prepping for painting since I'll have a small, two day window in the winter rains to allow me to paint.
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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Well, today was...ah...interesting. The rain finally let up enough around 9 AM or so (after dumping 1.02" over two days, quite a bit for my neck of the desert) to let me go the Home Depot to pick up some stuff, including rust converting paint (thanks, rain :roll: ), and Walmart for my prescriptions and a few other items. That took me to lunch time (11 AM).

After lunch, I went grocery shopping. I have never seen so many people in that store as I did today. They had more registers open than usual and still there were long lines. The cashier who checked me out said the lines had been no less than six deep all day. Normally, I go into the store twice since it's easier to get my refrigerated and frozen items after I take the first cart full out to my truck. Fortunately, I was buying far less than usual today so I was able to get everything in one trip. Otherwise, I might have died of old age trying to make two trips in and out of that mob scene.

I couldn't believe the amount of traffic on the road today. The Costco near the grocery store had long lines of cars trying to get into the parking lot. It was nutz!

After I got home and parked all my refrigerated and frozen items (which takes a while since some frozen items have to be rebagged into ziplock bags to be able to fit in my freezer, I went outside to work on the railings for the steps/platform. I was able to get the rails for the back and long side of the platform cut to length and drilled for mounting hardware. It was fairly easy without any problems, just time consuming.

What I did differently from the front steps was putting the brackets onto the posts before cutting and drilling the rail sections. Last time around, I had a hard time holding the rails while trying to drill the holes for the hardware. This time around, after cutting the rails to length, I just dropped each one onto its brackets, then laid out the holes using a template that was included with the brackets (I had to modify it a bit), then drill the holes while the rails set one the brackets. Easy peazy, slick and sleazy. I haven't bolted them in yet because I want paint the bare metal areas with a rust converter primer before putting it all back together for final painting since the rain and high humidity has caused some rusting.

I was drenched with sweat by the time I knocked off a little before 5 PM. Temperatures never got over 65°F today but the humidity was as high as an unbelievable 96%! :shock: That makes a swamp feel bone dry! Right now, it's 64° F and 86% humidity. :shock:

Tomorrow (hopefully), I'm going to make up the last section of railing for the steps themselves. This will be "fun" because I have to miter two sections together.

My tired hurts so I'm knocking off for the night. I'll probably watch a movie, then read myself to sleep.
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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I worked 8 hours today trying tor get those*&^%$#@! miters in the rails for the steps laid out and cut correctly and get them to fit. Even though I ordered the same style that I did for the front steps/platform railing, the profile of the railing I received has changed. The posts were drilled slightly off and the brackets were too narrow for the new profile. That created all kinds of complications. I finally got rails mitered, cut to length, and connected together, after a lot of cut, trim, rinse, and repeat multiple times accompanied by liberal use of words Mama told me not to use.

I'm going to have to shim the rails 1/4" in six places due to the improperly drilled posts. Those will need longer screws. I have six extra long screws but I will have to cut them down to 3/4" to accommodate the shims. Otherwise, I would have to replace every *&^%$#@! screw to keep a consistent appearance.

I need to disassemble the railing so I can put a coat of rust converter on all the bare steel, hopefully tomorrow (it depends on the weather), then, after the rust converter has dried, reassemble everything and mask off the aluminum and skirting so I can prime the rails with rust converter and top coat with a rust preventative paint since the rails will be directly exposed to rain.
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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I'm putting together a list of things I need done next time you visit Australia. I'm fairly useful - but nowhere near as neat a worker as you Jeannie, :lol:
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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rossdv8 wrote: Tue Dec 06, 2022 6:34 am I'm putting together a list of things I need done next time you visit Australia. I'm fairly useful - but nowhere near as neat a worker as you Jeannie, :lol:
:lol: Thanks but you can't afford me. :wink:

All "seriousness" aside, I'm physically barely able to do much of the work I'm doing around and to my home. I have to hire help from time to time to help me with things too heavy for me. In fact, I'll be hiring one of the young men next door tomorrow to move my steps/platform to under the carport for painting and will have to hire him again to move them back to the door once the paint has dried.

I'm looking forward to painting since I will get to rest between coats and while the primer and paint is drying. :mrgreen:
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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Lady Fitzgerald wrote: Tue Dec 06, 2022 8:52 am :lol: Thanks but you can't afford me. :wink:
I'd find a way :lol:
Lady Fitzgerald wrote: Tue Dec 06, 2022 8:52 am All "seriousness" aside, I'm physically barely able to do much of the work I'm doing around and to my home.
I sincerely understand. After years of spinal injuries that are unable to be fixed, and are getting worse rapidly in these last decades, and two open heart surgeries due to Golden Staph infections - the last one contracted while I was trying to salvage stuff off one of my two yachts wrecked in cyclones - I have joined what I suspect is a list of forum members here, who like to check out your projects for an 'if Jeannie can do it' boost :D
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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rossdv8 wrote: Tue Dec 06, 2022 6:16 pm
Lady Fitzgerald wrote: Tue Dec 06, 2022 8:52 am :lol: Thanks but you can't afford me. :wink:
I'd find a way :lol:
Lady Fitzgerald wrote: Tue Dec 06, 2022 8:52 am All "seriousness" aside, I'm physically barely able to do much of the work I'm doing around and to my home.
I sincerely understand. After years of spinal injuries that are unable to be fixed, and are getting worse rapidly in these last decades, and two open heart surgeries due to Golden Staph infections - the last one contracted while I was trying to salvage stuff off one of my two yachts wrecked in cyclones - I have joined what I suspect is a list of forum members here, who like to check out your projects for an 'if Jeannie can do it' boost :D
Thanks for the kind words!
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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Well, today went a lot better. First thing, after I "drug" my ample asset out of bed, had breakfast, and took a hot shower to loosen up the old joints that Aleve hadn't finished loosening up (getting clean was a bonus), I made a quick Home Depot run for some odds and ends (I need to buy stock in the place so I might get some of my money back).

When I got back home, I started to install the bracket I made for the door catch onto the back railing (I didn't make one for the front door since it's a slider). It didn't fit thanks to dear, sweet Gilpin changing up their specs. :roll: So, I had to make a new one from some scrap aluminum angle. That took care of the rest of the morning. Here is the bracket installed on the top of the back railing.

1.jpg

Here, I've bolted on the door catch to make sure it would work correctly.

2.jpg

This shot shows the catch lever opened up and holding the edge of the door.

3.jpg

I originally had the door catch installed on the wall of my home so I had to relocate it to the back railing.
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Re: Other Projects I'm Working On

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I was not happy with the miter joints I had to make in the railing for the steps so I worked on them next to see if I could make at least the top one look a bit better (the bottom one wasn't all that bad). Before.

4.jpg

And after.

5.jpg

It isn't great but it is a bit of an improvement.

After that, I took all the railing off the posts, made sure all the holes were deburred, then lightly sanded the ends of the rails where I cut them and also around any holes I drill. These areas are going to hard to impossible to paint after the rails are reassembled to the posts so now was the time to coat them. After cleaning up with acetone, I sprayed the areas I had prepped with a rust converting primer to get rid of any rust that had formed on the bare metal.

Other than bringing in the aluminum bracket I made that I had primed with a self etching primer, then top coated with a primer/paint that I know is compatible with the self-etching primer, I'm done for today.

Tomorrow morning, I'm going to reinstall the railing. Early tomorrow afternoon, a neighbor is going to help me move the steps/platform to under my carport awning to protect them from any possible rain, then I'll start masking all the aluminum. I'll finish masking Thursday morning and start prepping the railing for painting (sanding and washing down with acetone). I'll probably won't get to start priming with rust converter until Friday late morning or early afternoon. I can shoot color on Saturday. Sunday, there is a chance of rain again (technically, there has been a chance of rain for about the past week but the chances are low enough, it's highly unlike we will get any) but the paint should be dry enough to be safe from any rain that blows under the carport awning. After the paint has had two or three days to dry, I'll get the neighbor to help me move it back into its final resting place.
Jeannie

To ensure the safety of your data, you have to be proactive, not reactive, so, back it up!
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