Another long overdue improvement was rerouting the dryer vent from venting into the garage to outside the house... Why anyone would route a dryer into the garage is beyond me, but it drove me crazy and needed to be fixed. Here's the hole in the garage wall, we capped off the laundry room side when we rerouted it.



Here's the dryer duct drilled out the back of the house and routed out the back of the house



And here's the dryer vent drilled and mounted to the vinyl in the rear of the house. So nice to finally have it done

 

Looking back, it's hard to believe that it was about a year ago that we painted the outside facing wall of my garage with Drylok. A couple weeks back we pulled everything out of the right side of the garage and painted that side of the wall. I can't find any pics, I believe my fiancee took the pics, I didn't. This past weekend we pulled out everything on the left side of the garage and painted the rest of the cinderblock. Here's a before of the left side before we started. (You can also see my lovely gutted ceiling)



And here is after we killed the half can that we had left.



And here is the progress after day 1.



And here is the finished product. We spent another day painting the rest of the wall, 2 coats on everything, but really happy with how everything came out. We also capped the other side of the dryer vent hole in the garage wall after we finished painting.



And here is the shelves and "workbench" table back in place.



And here is the garage finished and fully painted. We still have to reorganize the shelves and all of the car parts and tools, but I'm so happy to finally have the shelves in place and the walls all painted and looking clean. I'm super close to getting the 4Runner in the garage for the first time since I've owned it.

 

Damn, that's a lot of money right there, and you never even get to see it or play with it...

I am starting to price out a new AC and water heater, too. I am pushing 23 years on mine.

How did you pick your AC company?

 

The HVAC company is based right at the top of my neighborhood so they're close and convenient, I've dealt with them for years and they've always treated me well. Out the door with the larger filter housing, wifi touchscreen thermostat and humidifier included was 7 grand out the door.

 

Damn bud that is a lot of house suck all at once to go through. I am sure the new AC unit was nice to have during this hot summer though.

 

Ouch...but at least you're now set for the foreseeable future.

I'm dreading this day though I'm sure it's coming soon...

 

It certainly was, especially because it was right when we lost our boy to cancer, it was definitely a shitty couple weeks

 

Gas heat and hot water , it the way to go, looking nice.

 

When it rains, it pours...
if this was shit that has been looming for you in the back of your mind then a huge weight has been lifted from your shoulders.
Probably inversely related to the huge weight that has been lifted from your "available credit" on that capital one credit card of yours!

 

For sure bro, another car payment for my fancy furnace... so there's that

 

and you can't do burnouts in it! Get a refund!

 

Damn, was hoping for some sage advice on choosing an AC company to replace mine... Glad you had one that you felt comfortable with.

 

From my work experience...
get at least 3 quotes
and pick a company that's been around a long time.
They all get perks for pushing particular brands so pick your brand and supporting installer based on your internet research.
Trane is good shit...the sister companies are aight too.
Unless you really rip on your AC (not as sure about heat because FL)...don't be too concerned with SEER as you won't
see your money back for getting super high efficiency if you don't abuse it anyway.

 

^Good point, we did get multiple quotes from various companies, in the end we were most comfortable with the company that I've always used. We did talk to multiple companies though

 

Impressive C. Between your 9-5 and then working on your car, and then the projects for your house, do you ever rest? You are non-stop -ing...!

 

Nope, not really.... And I go to about 20-30 concerts a year, and 25 hockey games a year also. Oh, and I'm getting married in November, so wedding planning also

 

So, in other words, you don't sleep and you while standing up.

 

30 fucking concerts a year? How many times does DMB even come through locally for you!?!?
Wow!

Congrats on the impending nuptials, my friend.

 

I knew you went to a lot of concerts each year but I had no idea it was that many. I figured it was in the 10-15 a year range. Damn

 

I only go to 1.
Wu Tang.

 

No, I sit down

 

He brings his house project to the concerts too. So, while the band is performing on stage, Ack is probably rocking to the tune and welding at the same time.

 

he does like heavy metal...

 

 

Just a small little update for the garage. After the paint makeover and getting the shelving in place I've been working on thinning out car parts and organizing the garage. My tools have always been a total cluster of a mess, and I've had this crappy little tool box since 2003. Here's my shitty toolbox that I've been rocking since I got the Ack back in 2003.



I also had a crappy Stanley standing tool chest from Walmart but it was a POS and always leaked oil onto the handles of my tools so I got rid of it.This was the wife's solution to replace that tool chest, and it doesn't work at all for tools... This is where all my screwdrivers and wrenches were in. Most of my tools that I use to work on my cars are actually in 2 small cardboard boxes which means I have to dig for tools every time I need something...



So after a little shelf maneuvering I was able to fit my new Husky 5 drawer toolbox on here. At the next house I plan to get a large workbench and another standing roll cart, but I just don't have the space in this garage.



I also bought liners from amazon and cut them to fit the drawers



And here's the drawers all lined and ready for tools.



It's not perfect, but it's at least organized...



Still have a long way to go to be organized but now that I have a place to properly store tools I will get there

 

 

Nice.

Long-term, I want to reconfigure my garage to add a workbench. When that's done, may be able to get the Merc back in the garage.

I went from a flip-top 3-drawer craftsman carry box to a 2 tier 7 drawer rolling box. Still not enough space for everything really.

 

Next house I want a legit workbench. I have a heavy ass craftsman in my office for reloading, but my workbench in the garage for the last 12+ years was this table that was there when I bought the house. I even had my vice mounted to it



This was when we put it out to the street

 

Why? I would have refinished it and sold it to someone as an antique.

 

Chris you got your damn toilet paper hold that organized in your truck and THAT is how you've been living with searching for tools!?!?
Nuts, man!

Also, get yourself a nice set of snap on screwdrivers...they are really nice and thin the herd of duplicates of entry level stuff.
That way you free up space and have only what you need.

Just a suggestion...

 

I don't have the room to work on it honestly or the effort. Someone picked it up and I'm sure will be refinishing. It was a free table and beat to hell, served me well for over a decade

I know right bro?

 

I lived like that for a long time...
Finally in the last 5 years I refinished that old snap-on cart and I can't believe
I lived that long working out of overcrowded tool boxes.

 

The rate in which we accrue tools is exponential compared to the rate of space we have to store them.

Nice job on the organization! I need to organize mine, but I'm just lazy...

 

Thanks man, it's been a lot of years in the making

 

Looks great and I feel your pain. I am doing non stop projects but my tools are a mess and it annoys the shit out of me. I keep buying cheap tool boxes, which are too small and I have the same mess.

 

Wait for black Friday or a higher end HF one.
I did that restoration on my 1973/1953 Snap On one
but I don't have the added benefit or newer technology
like slow close and balls bearing.

 

Wait until you tool organization nerds see what the CNC machine is going to make me this weekend.

 

The self closing is pretty darn cool...

 

CNC wood milled wrench racks, socket trays? With milled/etched sizing?

 

My zipper has a soft close.
You know, in case anyone wants to jump at the opportunity.