Memorial Day 2018

Problem:
Commander-in-chief is a draft dodger and consummate liar.

Plumbing Problem:
Water not draining from kitchen sink.

Solution:
Remove old 1.5" pipes, which were slightly corroded and 2 of the slip joint nuts broke upon removal.
Remove the Trap and the Tee and flush out. Quite disgusting.
Snake out the section of the drain pipe below the kitchen with the trap and tee removed.
Dump the prescribed amount of pequa down the drain, wait and flush with hot water.
Leave bucket under sink in case I forgot I had removed the drain pipes.
Reassemble with new parts. Heavy brass dishwasher connection fittings was reused.

New Parts:
2" EZ hub
6" x 1.5" flanged tailpiece in rough brass
sink tailpiece washer
1.5" slip joint nut for tailpiece
9.5" x 1.5"  double offset tube in rough brass (cut in half)
12" x 1.5 straight tube, store only had chrome.

Disassembly Sunday after Dinner.
Reassembly Monday morning.

Trap and Tee reconnected to drainpipe with new EZ Hub.
Dishwasher connection connected to trap with slip joint washer.
Half of offset tube connected to dishwasher connection with rubber washer and thread sealant(not a slip joint).

Straight tube, other half of offset tube and tail piece connected with slip joint washers and slip joint nuts, hand tight.
Those pipes inserted into first offset and then connected to sink with sink tailpiece washer and slip joint nut.
Ran water, looked for leaks, cleaned up.

Spring Flowers 2018

April and May flowers.

Primula

Tulips, Dicentra, grape hyachinth, weeds

 Iris Henryi (yes yi)

Gentiana

A tree

Primula

Violet

Lilly of the Valley

Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum)

Lump Exhaust Replacement, Exhausting.

Needed to replace the front pipe of Lump's exhaust system, there had been some rust-through and presumed carbon monoxide leakage which I heard is not a good thing.

Purchased a side exit front pipe (GEX1563) and gasket (213358) from DAP Enterprises.

Leading up to the simple task of replacing the front pipe I saturated all the fasteners with penetrating oil and I painted the pipe with high temperature paint. The 3 bolts connecting the first and intermediate pipe came apart easie-peasie. Hurrah for SS fittings. Removing the 4 nuts connecting the front pipe to the exhaust manifold were going according to plan up until the last nut. There was movement, but not on the part of the nut. The last stud snapped, bottom right, worse possible place.

Initial attempts to loosen it failed; threading the stud(not enough thread for second bolt to hold), vice grips, more penetrating oil, heat, even more penetrating oil, praying. No luck.

 Purchased better grippy pliers, but no better luck, then purchased some specialized stud extractors, the first only managed to snap the stud closer to the manifold.

 This second one didn't really have enough stud to keep a hold on, but I reckon it would have disapointed as well.

 I then drilled and tapped in a square stud extractor, but it did not live up to its name. I drilled a larger hole and used the next size square stud extractor. Same unrewarding result.
 Lastly, I decided to drill an even larger hole and the drill bit snapped off and became lodged inside the stud that was rusted in place. Finally, I managed to extricate the end of the drill bit and then I knocked the remains of the stud inwards and the stubborn stud finally came out.

 Connecting the new front pipe to the manifold with the new gasket sandwiched between was quick.

A view from the wheel well.

 Connection of the Front and intermediate pipes mit exhaust putty for a tight connection.

Connection and hanger.

  Hanger closeup, the Brass Acorn nuts from an old water meter on the hanger look quite nice and protect the threads too.

Gathering quite a selection of specialized tools which I hope I never have to use again.