Tiling with QEP lash clips

      The first tile we picked got back ordered and then Ragno changed the scheduled production date to indefinite. This is the same stuff in a little different color. We could get 20 inch tile but I was concerned with how that would go as the floor is not flat enough  IMHO. These are 13 inchers.  I snapped two perpendicular chalk guide lines and sprayed them with hair spray so they would not rub off. Temporary layout to see how its going to go.

  I'm using QEP lash clips. I really like them! Keeps the tile flat and even (less lippage)
                                                                   Lash clips
                     They  costs about 40 cents a tile to use but well worth it.
                                          Clips are hard on fingers haha

              Using a 1/2 X1/2 notch trowel and back buttering the tile. Tractor weights come in handy for unruly tile.

                          Temporary boardwalk so we can still get around.

Metal Halide floor lamp conversion

 Sue had this antique 3 arm floor lamp that took a mogul base 300 watt three way lamp for the uplight. The plan is to modify it to use a 100 watt Metal Halide lamp.

 Took a measurement of the height of the light center to make a match with the new lamp. Added a switch to turn the ballast off and on.

      Comparison of the incandescent and HID lamps. This HID lamp has a 4000K color temperature and a 92 CRI and is rated for an open fixture. Lumens on the new lamp are 6150 which is just a little more than the incandescent at 1/3 the wattage. Life of the halide is 15,000 hours vs 1000 for the original.

 To mount the ballast, cap and starter I made a plate to fit under the base. Drilled and tapped the legs to put studs in to space and hold the plate on. Base is brass plated cast iron.

                                                Everything mounted on the plate

 Needed three more wires up the column for a total of five to get everything to work.

It works! Microsun makes halide lamp assemblies new http://www.microsun.com/

It takes a few minutes to really get going...The tube inside the bulb is I think what gives it an open fixture rating.

self leveling underlayment

    Wood dowels were used to secure baseboard. Dowels were stuck in holes drilled in the concrete walls. I think I will glue them back on.

            Self levelling underlayment filling low areas in the floor.

 This is the stuff used. There is a primer to put on the floor first. It is like thin pancake batter and flows out level after a while. Sets pretty quick like 2 hours to walk on. You need to get it on the floor quick after mixing.

                                                        Big low area here....

  I used a concrete block to rub off any nibs after it set up good the next day.

                       Gracie the cat left a paw print forever.

tile removal and thinset grinding

              Removing tile. Started with an air chisel and custom dust collector box

          Switched to an electric hammer which did work better.

                                                             Grinding thinset

                             Made a plug to fit in the hvac vent

Grinder in action. Dust Muzzle makes a dust collector to fit on a variety of grinders.

   Firestone Winterforce big and little. Liked them on the car and now got them for the truck.

                                Rotten weather to be messing with tires

                           Winter force balance. One took 2.5 oz and the others nothing.

Zoneminder, ethernet cables in a concrete structure

                               Running Ethernet cables in a concrete structure

   Drywall glued to concrete, no void for wires. Router made groove for cable channel

             Almost patched back up with 20 minute setting compound.

                              Zoneminder montage. All IP cameras, way better than analog.

                                                          http://www.zoneminder.com/

On the road

                                                       Kanab Utah

                                     Chester Illinois, home of Popeye creator

                                           Popeye museum Chester Illinois

                              Natchez Mississippi where we started on the Natchez Trace
                                  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natchez_Trace

                                          Cannon at Vicksburg National Park
                                          http://www.nps.gov/vick/index.htm

             The south had cannon here at Vicksburg to cover the river

                                                   Meriwether Lewis gravesight
              http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site38.htm           

Homelite Super EZ chainsaw module replacement

                                                            New ignition module

 This saw finally quit sparking and needed a new module..no points all electronic

                                                Aftermarket module to be installed

                                   Needs blown out after many years of use

 Used folded paper to set clearance, Must be OK as it ran afterwards

                           Hardest part was getting the new boot on

Zoneminder Video Security

I have been waiting for prices to get low enough to install a video surveillance setup. This is what I have come up with...Zoneminder software and a combination of IP and analog cameras.

                                     http://www.zoneminder.com/
Montage view at night a couple are on IR illumination and couple are incandescent.

 Web interface, I have Zoneminder running on a Ubuntu 12.04 server

             Motion log, You can play them back, export or look at stills.

                Cheap Ebay analog camera, it does pretty good even with built in IR.

 Foscam FI8909 IP camera, about $60. I took the IR leds out because it is looking through glass. Night view would be a bright blur other wise

 Taking a pic of the above 8909. Motion lights are on..The red border is what zoneminder is set for on motion detect. This still was exported.

 Foscam 8910 pan and tilt IP camera. I have one of these also in the motorhome on wifi, shown on the montage. This one looks out the front door or in the house. Cost about $90

I put the wired IP cameras and the server on a switch to keep the network traffic down on the router. Motorhome wifi cam goes through the router but it is only one camera.

Update.... 4 years later running zoneminder with nine IP cameras. Server is quad core running around 25%. Very pleased.