How to build a backyard Zamboni

Now that you’ve built your backyard ice rink you need the most important tool to get the best ice…a Zamboni! Actually, the smallest Zamboni you can buy is a tow behind unit for your tractor.  For small backyard rinks the solution to getting smooth ice is much simpler and cheaper.  There are numerous hand held ice resurfacers you can buy on the internet.  After looking over the options and prices I decided I could build one myself and went to Lowes looking for parts. The entire project cost only $15 and took about 15 minutes to complete. Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

2 PVC 3/4″ x 5′ plain pipe ($1.97 each) 1 PVC 3/4″ adapter ($0.27) 2 PVC 3/4″ caps ($0.23 each) 1 PBC 3/4″ tee ($0.37) 1 plastic garden hose shutoff valve ($2.97) 1 4oz PVC primer ($2.52) 1 4oz PVC cement ($3.24) NOTE: When trying my first test run I discovered I bought the wrong PVC adapter.  I bought a female unthreaded to male threaded adapter when I should have bought a female unthreaded to female threaded adapter.  I’ll need another trip to Lowes to get an adapter before I test it out.

I didn’t see any threaded PVC at Lowes so I decided to try using PVC cement for the first time. As you can see a big chunk of my sale was buying the cement and primer which I used very little of. I’ll have to think of some more PVC projects now that I have the glue :)Test fit everything at the store to make sure you have the right sizes. The adapter should be threaded on one end and fit on a garden hose. The shutoff valve is optional. At right is the picture of all the parts prior to assembly on my dirty garage floor. The PVC cement is foul stuff with lots of warnings so do this project in a well ventilated area.

Assembly

• Cut one of the PVC pipes in half. I also made the pieces a little shorter.
• Start priming and cementing. Follow instructions on jars and put the pieces together.
• Let cement cure per instructions on jar (2 hours in my case)
• Drill 3/32″ holes along top of your T 1″ apart. Lay the T flat, drill down from ceiling towards floor, but be careful not to go all the way through.
• Test it out!

Here are pictures of my finished Zamboni. Excuse the dirty garage floor and the sloppy purple primer. Final dimensions are 5′ wide and 5′ 6″ long.

Under Construction!

John ALWAYS has some project going and this time its a big one! He has been working hard every day after work and weekends to build our pool deck and its starting to come along very nicely. The curved angle around the pool and figuring out just how we wanted things were the big things and now he can go crazy decking and building the railings. We are really looking forward to the upcoming 3 day weekend so he can get a lot done. It will be so nice to get to the pool from the deck and I know the kids will soon be running and jumping into the pool. All 3 kids have been having fun playing on the work in progress though so they’re already happy. Ben and Jamie will have their birthday party on the 12th and the deck should be usable if not all done by then. Once this is done John is under strict orders NOT to start any more projects until further notice, like well AFTER I’ve had this baby and we are adapted to being a family of 6! He can take down some dead trees and finish up some small projects that he already started but thats it. I’ll definitely have to watch myself also so that I don’t think up any new “ideas” for him to do.

How to build a snake house

A few years ago I decided to make our backyard be a little more nature friendly. We don’t use any chemicals, we’ve put up bird houses, and I created a branch pile in an out of the way spot for critters to call home. I have also kept a pile of scrapwood by our back porch that was more for my own laziness than for the critters, but Spikey and his friends love to hang out there. Unfortunately, this woodpile is pretty ugly and we’ve also been concerned about climbing kids causing a collapse that could injure one of our snake friends.

While working on our porch extension I decided to make a safer house for the snake. The end result is not very pretty, but it provides a safe habitat for the snakes. Next summer we plan on doing some landscaping and at that time I will revisit the snake house and make something more pleasing to the eyes.

For now this is what we have. The top pile is the snake house, the bottom is one of our unsafe wood piles (now removed). The design is simple. I simply stacked my scrapwood making sure to create openings for snakes to hang out and put a few screws into each piece. The top I covered completely to keep rain out, but there are multiple entrances from the sides and bottom.

Pencil was the first snake to come back and check things out. He slithered right over to Ethan and then went looking for an entrance into their mansion. He didn’t at first and left, but Ben and I saw him return later and find his way inside. I was surprised by how big the fork in his tongue is. He looks big in this picture, but Pencil is no fatter than my pinky

While taking apart the pile we also found a new snake, a beautiful baby eastern milk snake. These look like something dangerous at first, but that is by design. Their pattern is similar to a copperhead, but the coloring much different. We’ve seen these around the backyard a few times (and once in the garage), but this is the one was the smallest we’ve seen. Ethan named this snake Spotty and he was about 12 inches long and as skinny as a pencil.

Of course Spikey was hanging around too. He wanted nothing to do with all the commotion so he hung out pool side. Spikey is getting pretty fat. Not sure if he’s finding a lot to eat or if Spikey is really a she.

Here’s a bottom view of the snake house. I left lots of space on the bottom level to help the pile dry out after rain. You can see how the second story has a gap in the middle. Each level has gaps like this so snake can find places to hide.

Ethan also found a snake skin. We could also see that Spikey’s eyes were getting clouded. This is a sign that he is getting ready to shed. No matter how friendly your backyard snake friends are, give them their space when they are preparing to shed. The loosening skin acts like a cataract and they can’t see very well. This makes them shy and defensive.

DIY Dad Gift Ideas

Here is a quick list of Father’s Day gift ideas for DIY Dad’s. Tools are great gifts because as a DIY Dad I want to use them. Which usually means I’m building something Heather wants, but I’m happy to do it because I get to use my tools. This is a list of tools I own and love and are available from Amazon for last minute ordering.

Cordless Impact Driver
	I got one of these and instantly fell in love with it. After years of using a standard Dewalt drill/driver I heard about how well these impact driver work on driving screws. After seeing them being used by contractors on TV all the time I decided to try it out. Wow! Not only are they more powerful, but they do a better job of driving a screw without stripping it. They also don’t have the annoying chuck for changing bits and instead have an easy quick release making changes a breeze.
Dewalt DC330K 18V Cordless Jigsaw Kit
	I bought myself a Dewalt 8 piece cordless set with some of our tax return money and really love the cordless jigsaw. I got a lot of use out of it while building the chicken coop. Being cordless makes it so much easier and fun to use and I find it just as powerful as a corded jigsaw.
DEWALT Heavy-Duty Ballictic Nylon 18 1/2-Inch Tool Bag
	My Dewalt kit came with 2 of these contractor bags. I wasn’t sure if I would a soft sided bag versus the usual hard plastic case, but I’ve been using them all the time. I love being able to throw all the tools and parts I’m going to need for a project into one of the bags and taking it to the back yard. Cleaning up is easier too. No more juggling 10 things in my arms while trying to open a door.
Cat’s Paw Nail Puller
	I had previously written about the cat’s paw, my favorite DIY remodeling tool, and it’s only fitting that I put it at the top of my list. This is a tool most people aren’t familiar with, but is a MUST for every home remodeler’s tool box. From pulling small nails, prying off molding, to lifting stubborn tile this tool does it all and will withstand whatever punishment you put it through.
Quick-Grip Clamp/Spreader
	A home handyman can never have enough clamps. My favorite are these Quick-Grip bar clamps from Irwin. They allow me to easily clamp and release items with one hand which is essential when working on projects by yourself. I use them for everything from large outdoor deck projects, small repair jobs, to simply securing a piece of wood I’m cutting. The link is for the 12″ size, but there are numerous sizes available and all are needed to handle different sized projects.
Ratcheting Wrench Set
	I recently received a Lowes gift card and went looking for a new tool. After much browsing I decided on a ratcheting wrench set. I’d never tried them before, but was getting tired of always changing sockets on my normal ratchet set. I brought them home and immediately put them to work repairing our old tractor. Loved them!
Japanese Fine Cut Saw
	My father was the first one to introduce me to these wonderful saws. Japanese fine cut saws are wonderful for performing flush cuts or any job were detail is important. The cuts are clean and the saw blades are flexible, cut faster, and are much easier to control.
Random Orbit Sander
	A DIY gift list isn’t complete without a power tool! An orbital palm sanders is a great gift for a beginner woodworker. The sandpaper simply velcros on making changes quick and easy. Most of the dust is collected in the attached bag. Simple to use and control and produces great results.
Non-contact Voltage Tester
	This is another item I’ve written up before. A voltage tester is a necessity for anyone planning home renovation. Even if you don’t plan on working on the electric it is always nice to know where the electric lines are located before you start taking down walls.
Mechanix Gloves
	Several years ago I got tired of my hands getting dried out and cracking from working with drywall. Normal work gloves were too bulky so I went looking for something more form fitting. I found these Series 3 Mechanix gloves at Lowes for $25 and never regretted the purchase. They’ve held up well considering all the work I’ve done wearing them and provided me the protection I needed while still allowing me to perform the finer jobs that bulky gloves prevent you from doing. These would be a great treat for a DIYer who may not buy it for themself.

Free Project Plans

The latest issue of The Family Handyman included a link to download 50 of their favorite project plans.  These are only available on their site until July 11th, so check them out now and download the pdfs of any you like.  The projects are for everything from Adirondack chairs and sheds to bookcases and workbenches.

If you’re looking for something to get a DIY Dad for father’s day, I recommend Family Handyman.  I’ve been subscribing for years and really enjoy.  Lots of tips and small projects with a bigger project each month.  My favorite part is reading the goofs on the last page.  Another magazine I enjoy is Workbench.

A new addition to the playfort

As if John doesn’t have enough projects to do already (chicken coop, pool deck, bathroom redo, etc…) I added another this week, but it was a very quick one. I thought it would be fun for the kids to eat lunch in their fort more so I decided John should put up some pulleys, clothes line and a bucket so I could send them their snacks direct from the porch. I’m sure they’ll use it when playing too.

John just mentioned to me that building the chicken coop (which is coming along great so far) is getting him thinking of building the kids a playhouse. So I’m not the only one thinking up the new projects and a backyard can never be too fun!

John’s instructions on building your own are below.

How To Build a Lunch Pail Pully System

This was one of those quick and easy projects that had me wishing I’d done it sooner. The parts cost roughly $15 and installation took 15 minutes.

Part List

• 2 Pulleys (I used nice brass pulleys because I expect they will hold up better)
• 2 Carabiners (to connect the pulley to my lag hook)
• 2 Lag hooks (These are threaded at one end with a circle at the other)
• Clothes line
• Bucket
• Clip for the bucket (optional)
• Clothes line pincher (optional)

I bought everything at Lowes. The bucket was in one of the paint lanes, but everything else was in the rope and chain lane within 15 feet of each other. Get your bucket first and throw all the other pieces inside it to make a nice self contained project.

Assembly

• Drill pilot holes at each location. Holes should be a little smaller than your lag hook. Also make sure the holes are high since the bucket will be hanging below the clothes line.
• Screw in lag hooks.
  TIP - Put a screwdriver through the hole and use that as a handle to turn the lag hook.
• Clip the pulley to the hook using the carabiner.
• Thread the clothes line through the pulleys
• Optional - I found the clothes line pincher (my name for it) alongside the clothes lines at Lowes. It lets you pull the line tight and pinches it so it won’t pull back out. I expect the clothes line to stretch over time and this is an easier way to keep pulling it tight.
• Optional - I bought another clip which I tied to the clothes line and clipped to the bucket. It works, but the setup is a little ugly. I might modify this later.
• Attach bucket. You could skip the 2 optional steps and simply tied the bucket to the clothes line.

The setup works great, although it is a little bouncy. I went with a plastic bucket so it won’t rust, but a metal bucket might bounce less. The boys enjoyed helping me set up this project and especially enjoyed the first “cookie test” when it was all done.

Free Bird House Plans

Here are two free bird house plans I found when looking ideas for our bird house project. These plans had the best directions and diagrams of the ones I found online. In the end I decided on a book from Amazon because I was looking for more options for different species of birds. I’m very happy with the book and plan on using more of our scrap wood to make a couple Robin ledges on our porch.

The Progressive Farmer bluebird nesting box

Plans for Blue Bird, Flicker, Phoebe, Purple Martin, Woodpecker, and Wren houses

When looking for wood, try posting on your local Freecycle group. Wood pallets or old barns are a great free source of wood for bird houses.

Unplugged Project: Wood (birdhouse making)

This week The Unplugged Project is Wood and it was the perfect time for John to build some bird houses with the boys (I tried to convince him to build me a chicken coop for the chicks I’m ordering tomorrow but I have a feeling he’ll get moving on that once the birds are living in our house). He got a good birdhouse book, Birdhouses You Can Build In A Day, with plans to make a bunch of different types and this weekend they started off with Chickadee houses. Each boy made his own and they are up on the trees waiting for inhabitants. John used wood that was from an old storage shelf in our basement and he has enough left for a lot more houses. I can’t claim any involvement, I slept through the entire project (more on that another day)!
John’s Comments - I use an old pine shelf that was roughly 12″ x 48″. I figured out the best way to cut the wood and managed to get enough pieces for both bird houses out of the 1 shelf with very little scrap leftover. I decided to use my new cordless circular saw to get some experience with it (worked well!) but it would have been much easier with a table saw. I used my miter saw to cut my 4″ strips to the right length. Holes were done with a bench drill press (just so the boys could help). The instructions were to use a nail gun, but instead I predrilled holes and used galvanized nails. In the end I basically made the pieces just like a Lowes or Home Depot project, but with better wood and some glue thrown in to hold everything together. I have enough wood leftover from those old shelves for easily another dozen bird houses. Next project I plan on drilling my pilot holes a little larger to make it easier for the boys to hammer the nails in.
If you want to try a birdhouse yourself, look for 4″ wide pine or cedar at Lowes. All the pieces in this project were 4″ wide and cut to length. I used power equipment, but it could easily be cut with a hand saw. If Lowes doesn’t have wood the right width, get a larger piece and ask them to cut it for you - it’s free!

Organizing my workshop

Our basement has a really nice workbench in it, but for the last few years it has been buried under a pile of miscellaneous tools, nails, screws, project leftovers, and projects that never started. This winter I decided it was time to tackle that area of basement and get it cleaned. The actual cleaning turned out to be much easier than I expected once I had the right tactic.

One wall of our basement had some homemade shelves that we were keeping leftover paint and stuff on. I decided to take these down and replaced them with Rubbermaid Fast Track wire shelving from Lowes. These shelves are extremely easy to install and I had used them previously for shelves for laundry and our toy containers with great success. Unfortunately, I soon discovered that Rubbermaid had gotten cheap and was using a thinner gauge of metal for the wire and I ended up increasing the number of support brackets which made my project cost 30% more, but in the end it was worth it.

The shelving provided MUCH more space for storage, but the next step of my plan is what made organization so easy. I bought more than 20 clear Rubbermaid containers in 12 quart and 6.5 quart sizes. I spaced the shelves so they would fit either 3 small containers stacked on top of each other or 2 of the 12 quart sizes. I then set to work organizing all my tools and hardware into these containers and labeled them with a sharpie. Once all my stuff had places to go a magical thing happened…I could see the top of the workbench! It was truly a pleasure to get organized because now everything has a place to go, it is quick and easy to put stuff away, and it is even easier to FIND the stuff I need.

The bonus of this project is that we have a nice area to work on projects with the kids. As I sorted all my nails and scraps of wood, I made sure to set some aside for the kids. Ben has a lot of fun simply hammering nails into a scrap 2 x 4. When they are a little older I plan on getting a bench jigsaw for them to play with, just as my father did. For right now, I plan on finding birdhouse plans and getting a few built for the Spring.

Print your own hockey cards

Ethan and Ben have become big Sidney Crosby fans so I decided to look on the computer with them for some pictures to print out. What I discovered was a great way to print your own hockey cards or any other sports card. Here’s what I did.

Go to a team website and find their photo gallery. All NHL sites are setup the same way and have a great collection of game photos.

Find the picture you want in the gallery. If it is an automated slide slow make sure to pause it. Press the Ctrl-Alt-Print Screen keys all at the same time to take a screen capture.

Open up your photo editor (I used Photoshop Elements) and click on File and then New. Most editors will detect the screen capture in memory and default to a new file of the same dimensions. Click OK.

Press Ctrl-V on your keyboard to paste the screen capture into your editor

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Notice it pasted not just the picture, but your browser too. Click on your crop tool and select the dimensions for your paper. I like to print these on 4×6 photo paper so I used that for my cropping restrictions.

Print it out. Make sure you select the appropriate settings for your paper type and print quality.

That’s all there is to it.

Another trick is to do a google search on a player or team and then select Images. This will perform an images search.

Try to find pictures with the largest resolution and click on See Full Size Image to get a page that only has your image.

These pictures usually aren’t as high resolution as the ones in the photo galleries, but it’s an easy way to find lots of pictures of specific players. Just make sure to keep your Moderate Safe Search ON. You never know what weird stuff you might come across. Just ask Heather about the time she searched for “felt” when looking up art project ideas.

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