19 May, 2014

More safety updates. Securing the Fire Extinguisher to the shop door... And how to ruin a perfectly bad blade...

First things first, I owe y'all a picture of this (can you tell I've lived in Texas a long time now?). I was in a hurry to get this done, and forgot to snap a couple of pics for your enjoyment...

I had initially intended to create a cradle of sorts to hold the extinguisher, and Velcro it in place. But honestly, I messed it up, and then came up with an idea...

Why not just attach the velcro, directly to the door? 

Okay maybe not "Velcro" (tm) brand hook and loop strip, because I couldn't find that particular brand in the color I wanted, but rather some generic $.97 at Walmart 18" long strip of bright red hook and loop strip. I simply sized it up, cut it to length, doubled up the ends the screws go in, and just screwed through it to the door on either side of the extinguisher. 

Once the strapping is run around and tightly attached, all the noisy, paint transferring slopping around and banging the extinguisher used to do is gone...

I know, a stupid "project" but it is actually a very nice addition that I should have thought of initially. The bright "Safety" red color really stands out, and looks top notch...


Now I may have mentioned this previously, but I am doing siding work on my house, removing 30 year old Masonite siding and replacing it with Hardie Panel, and Hardie Trim.

Now due to HOA restrictions, and product availability, I have to go "off label" as it were, and rip my Hardie Trim to 1.5" to mimic my original rough milled Cedar 1x2 trim. I probably could have gone back with Cedar again, but wanted to do Hardie. I did that on the garage, and loved it...

Problem is, the Hardie blade on my circular saw. I started out with an Irwin Marathon fiber cement blade, and in total bluntness, well it is blunt... And it tended to wander, a LOT... I am not sure if it is the saw that needs to be retired, or the Hardie blade, but one of these things has GOT to go. I have since swapped in a Freud Diablo PCD Hardie Blade. 

FWIW, the circ saw is a made in USA Skil 5150 with an edge guide / fence.

I did manage to get my sheet of Hardie Panel cut nicely though, so it may be operator error. I need to triple check my setup / method and verify I am not off my rocker here. For all I know I have the fence on the wrong side... 

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