If you can't find hand sanitizer in the store, here is a good substitute . You want to keep mixture above 60% alcohol. So little over 2/3 cups 91% isopropyl alcohol and 1/3 cups of VG, I added some lavender oil for scent, not required.
Ethyl alcohol is fine as well...can be mixed with Aloe vera gel if you happen to have a surplus.
I always forget about this thread until well after I'm done fixing something, and can't get the pics needed to be helpful. Kind of did this time too, but think this could help anyway. I have a pic of it when done, and a pic of a spare head, and a snip from the web. This is super easy to do, doesn't take any special tools, and can save a lot of money.
Replacing an irrigation system sprinkler head- in this case, a rotary type, but the process is much the same for the basic pop-up type.
Project: Replace irrigation head
Tools required: Shovel. Maybe a wet rag.
Project Cost: $12.00
Steps: Dig, unscrew old, screw on new, refill hole.
Mine is about 15 years old, and when I went to check it through a cycle, one of the rotary heads was kaput. Something broke (I think AT&T ran some equipment over it)- it was just throwing water every direction. Replacing these can be expensive if you hire someone, and it's really super simple- dig, unscrew old, screw on new. Hardest part would be picking which rotor you want. Most systems will be Hunter or Rainbird, and should be fairly easy to choose the right one.
First, you'll likely want to save the sod to replace when done. Use a small flat shovel if you have one, and dig a square around one foot wide, with the sprinkler in the center. I used an army shovel - those are very handy for small jobs around the yard, when a full sized one can make a mess. They're easy to make square cuts with. Anyway, when you've cut the perimeter a couple of inches deep all the way around, insert the shovel, tilt downward, and try to cut all the way around, so you get a 1' square of sod. Lift the sod and place aside. Then, carefully dig out the area to around 8-10" deep. You don't want to damage the pipe. I put the soil in a 5 gal paint bucket to make less of a mess, and easy to just pour the dirt back into the hole. It will look like this underneath:
Once you've dug deep enough to say, the bottom of the pipe, remove the soil around it best you can. Here's a snip to show what it'll look like.
Then, unscrew the whole sprinkler body from the riser (it should stay in place). If necessary, use a wet rag to clean the threads. Then, simply screw on the new head. No need to use teflon tape, or have a super sealed fit- there's no water pressure to it unless the system is running, and a few drops trickling out while it's running won't hurt a thing. The bottom of the head assembly is female threaded like this:
If you're doing rotary, keep in mind that most of them are hard set on the left, and you can adjust how far it sweeps to the right after installation. But you can't adjust the left once installed, so make sure you follow instructions to get this part right before refilling. With Rainbird, hold the assmbly in your hand, and twist the top head part all the way to the right until it stops, then all the way back to the left. Then, make sure this is aimed properly before you refill the hole. It can be helpful to have some medium sized rocks to place under the pipe at the bottom, and around the sides, to make sure it stays upright and aligned when you refill.
I actually have the head up a little higher than you'd want it- but the whole area was a little low. When the turf recovers, I'll put some leveling sand in the area to make it perfectly flush with the bottom of the turf, so the reel mower won't catch it.
When it's all done, you can use a small screwdriver to insert into one hole on the top to adjust how far it sprays, and another set the right return point.
Replacing an irrigation system sprinkler head- in this case, a rotary type, but the process is much the same for the basic pop-up type.
Project: Replace irrigation head
Tools required: Shovel. Maybe a wet rag.
Project Cost: $12.00
Steps: Dig, unscrew old, screw on new, refill hole.
Mine is about 15 years old, and when I went to check it through a cycle, one of the rotary heads was kaput. Something broke (I think AT&T ran some equipment over it)- it was just throwing water every direction. Replacing these can be expensive if you hire someone, and it's really super simple- dig, unscrew old, screw on new. Hardest part would be picking which rotor you want. Most systems will be Hunter or Rainbird, and should be fairly easy to choose the right one.
First, you'll likely want to save the sod to replace when done. Use a small flat shovel if you have one, and dig a square around one foot wide, with the sprinkler in the center. I used an army shovel - those are very handy for small jobs around the yard, when a full sized one can make a mess. They're easy to make square cuts with. Anyway, when you've cut the perimeter a couple of inches deep all the way around, insert the shovel, tilt downward, and try to cut all the way around, so you get a 1' square of sod. Lift the sod and place aside. Then, carefully dig out the area to around 8-10" deep. You don't want to damage the pipe. I put the soil in a 5 gal paint bucket to make less of a mess, and easy to just pour the dirt back into the hole. It will look like this underneath:
Once you've dug deep enough to say, the bottom of the pipe, remove the soil around it best you can. Here's a snip to show what it'll look like.
Then, unscrew the whole sprinkler body from the riser (it should stay in place). If necessary, use a wet rag to clean the threads. Then, simply screw on the new head. No need to use teflon tape, or have a super sealed fit- there's no water pressure to it unless the system is running, and a few drops trickling out while it's running won't hurt a thing. The bottom of the head assembly is female threaded like this:
If you're doing rotary, keep in mind that most of them are hard set on the left, and you can adjust how far it sweeps to the right after installation. But you can't adjust the left once installed, so make sure you follow instructions to get this part right before refilling. With Rainbird, hold the assmbly in your hand, and twist the top head part all the way to the right until it stops, then all the way back to the left. Then, make sure this is aimed properly before you refill the hole. It can be helpful to have some medium sized rocks to place under the pipe at the bottom, and around the sides, to make sure it stays upright and aligned when you refill.
I actually have the head up a little higher than you'd want it- but the whole area was a little low. When the turf recovers, I'll put some leveling sand in the area to make it perfectly flush with the bottom of the turf, so the reel mower won't catch it.
When it's all done, you can use a small screwdriver to insert into one hole on the top to adjust how far it sprays, and another set the right return point.
Good one Dawg. I’ve replaceD so many sprinkler heads I’ve lost count. Between cars n mowers running them over I keep spares on hand. If you go past 10 years on a sprinkler head you’re on borrowed time.
And while I’m here, for those of you who want to effectively eliminate crabgrass, look up a product called Tenacity on You Tube. I’m a week into it and seeing results.
As we in the northeast hit our spring growth spurt, time for homemade poison ivy (and other things) killer:
3 cups vinegar
1/2 cup salt
1 tablespoon dish soap
Pour the items in a quart spray bottle, shake it to mix it, and have fun!
-it may take a couple applications
-this will kill other plants, too. I generally spray it on PI that's climbing a tree trunk or fence posts (the bark protects the tree).
-it can be handy to knock out dandelions poking through a gravel driveway
3 cups vinegar
1/2 cup salt
1 tablespoon dish soap
Pour the items in a quart spray bottle, shake it to mix it, and have fun!
-it may take a couple applications
-this will kill other plants, too. I generally spray it on PI that's climbing a tree trunk or fence posts (the bark protects the tree).
-it can be handy to knock out dandelions poking through a gravel driveway
You know, it's funny. I'd never replaced one before yesterday. I'd moved a few to better locations, and added them to a circuit, but never had one fail before. I guess because we tended to move every 7 years or so before this house. I'll probably die in this one, so I'll have to learn how to fix a lot of things I never did before.
Crabgrass isn't my problem, but if you've got something for spurge, I'm all ears. I have a service, but none of them could ever keep up with that.
I have surrendered to crabgrass and made peace, it's all green to me. If I keep it cut, it's good.
Tenacity, I see kills clover, Mrs CMD likes the deer to come around and have a chew, so she is in favor of clover.
Tenacity, I see kills clover, Mrs CMD likes the deer to come around and have a chew, so she is in favor of clover.
I've got a bit over 3 acres and consider it a textured lawn. A little bit of this grass, a little bit of that grass, some of these weeds, some of those weeds, patches of clover (and yes the deer love it), etc. So instead of one uniform green sea of manicured lawn, I have a quilt of many textures.
I am making a hanging sliding barn door, it will replace a hinged door. The hardware is galvanized steel. Mrs CMD, with an eye to the aesthetics, would like the stuff painted. I will stain the wood. Is there a paint that will adhere to galvanized steel and look good?
Painting galvanized is tricky. I'd do much more research if I were you, based on what you want, but start with this from Sherwin Williams.
There will be plenty of other solutions, but this explains briefly and pretty well why most painting of galvanized fails:Peeling - From Galvanized Metal - Sherwin-Williams
As with any paint job, the success is in the prep and proper material selection.
edit: Oh, and I highly recommend their Pro Classic- at least for other surfaces. It's an acrylic, waterborne, so it's easy to clean up. I did my entire kitchen (over stained wood) with it last year, and it's awesome. Paint flows so well, it looks professional even in areas where I had to brush rather than spray, and everyone says it looks like a factory finish. Extremely durable.
another edit: oops, meant to quote CMD!
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I am tmpted to put the whole mess up, let it weather a bit. Then, if Mrs CMD still wants paint then I will wipe it with vinegar and see if it works.
I will have six inches of rail that I cut off. I may wash it with vinegar, paint it and see what happens.
I will have six inches of rail that I cut off. I may wash it with vinegar, paint it and see what happens.
I dd a dry run assembly of the hangers, rail and rollers. The rail goes into the hangers rather tightly. If I paint before I do a final assembly, I am afraid it will get completely scratched up. My thought: wash all exposed parts with vinegar, assemble and paint the exposed hangers, rail and rollers.
Make any sense?
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