Here are some pictures of the completed kitchen counters.
Link to a slideshow.
Finished Kitchen Counters
Category: Home Projects
Home improvement and woodworking projects around the house.
Kitchen Cabinets – Online Experience
As I did my kitchen counter tops, I purchased extra pieces of granite to make a sideboard. Now I’m shopping for the 2 base cabinets to make the sideboard.
Here’s what I need: 2 36″ wide base cabinets, Shaker style in a dark finish – Usually called Havana as it turns out. Each cabinet with drawer[s] above and two slide out shelves below behind double doors. This is a standard cabinet layout, and 36″ wide is a standard size. Continue reading “Kitchen Cabinets – Online Experience”
Kitchen Upgrade – New Drawer Slides
For my kitchen upgrade I’ve decided to upgrade the drawer slides to “Soft Close”. It turns out that it’s harder to find soft close that will work with older drawers. I found mine made in the USA by Knape and Vogt. I selected model 8419 so that they provide full extension with “Over Travel” so that the drawer will extend beyond the new counter top. Have a look on the Knape and Vogt website.
Kitchen Remodel Lite
I’m redoing some of my kitchen.
Counter tops in this. I’ll post a picture of the actual granite lot when I get it.
Most folks stock 3cm [1.3″] rather than 2cm thick granite these days. I’ll get 3cm with full bullnose edges and short 4″ splashes. I’m wondering about a 4″ high splash that’s 1.3 ” thick. Not sure if we do something else for the splashes. Update: The fabricator will cut the granite thinner for the backsplashes. Problem solved. Continue reading “Kitchen Remodel Lite”
Creeping Obsolesence of Media PCs
In early 2011, I made a media PC to watch netcasts on my TV. At the time the system was connected to a plasma display and was running at 1440 resolution. Also at the time, it was perfectly able to play the netcasts from the Twit.tv network, as well as other videos.
Currently the jetway atom PC is connected to my new TV which is full HD and it has been upgraded to Linux Mint 14. Also I’ve noticed that it will no longer play live broadcasts or recorded shows from this site. So what has changed? Continue reading “Creeping Obsolesence of Media PCs”
Battle Chair Update
I’ve made some changes to the battle chair.
The system is now a Core i7-2600, 16GB, GTX 560i system in a Thermaltake A90 case.
For a while the monitor was an Acer 20″ 1600×900, but now it’s moved up to a Samsung S22A460 21.5″ 1920×1080 monitor.
Much nicer monitor and a faster system in a nicer case.
The monitor is very sharp and bright -It’s turned way down – and very affordable at about $190.
An upgrade to GTX 760 ti is planned when those cards are available.
Also you will notice the Logitech C510 Webcam stuck to the top of the monitor.
Battle Chair Complete
The Battle Chair is complete.
How great is this? Whatever computing you want to do, you can do it from the comfort of the recliner. Continue reading “Battle Chair Complete”
Battle Chair Design – Revision 1
When used for gaming, laptops tend to over heat, and eventually they destroy their video cards. My Alienware m15x laptop, while it seems to have good cooling, has had 4 new video cards in the last 3 years. I have wanted to use a desktop for gaming, but prefer to do most of my playing from the comfort of my recliner. Here is the start of an idea to accomplish that. Missing from the renderings are the arm that holds the monitor from the case to the right of the recliner to the monitor in front of me. As you can see the computer case is very large. I’ve provided for a UPS in the cabinet since in my area all my computers require a UPS due to frequent power glitches that would cause an unprotected computer to reboot. Click on pictures for larger views. Continue reading “Battle Chair Design – Revision 1”
TurPunkenClaus – For the Lazy Holiday Decorator
I like to decorate for the Holidays, but I’m a lazy decorator. I’d like to have a single yard ornament to put up before Halloween and remove after new years. I’ve designed the perfect thing. You might call it one of several things and you might make it in various ways.
Continue reading “TurPunkenClaus – For the Lazy Holiday Decorator”
New Tires for XTerra
I got my XTerra in the fall of 2005. I only have 36K miles, and the tires aren’t bald, but I didn’t feel comfortable in the snow with the original tires. For some odd reason, probably to save money, the original tires were not really suitable for Oregon in the first place. I’m much happier with my new tires. They have an aggressive tread and are “siped” to increase traction in the rain. Siping [Seyeping] is a pattern of small slits in the tread.
One of the pictures below is a demo of siping at the tire store where two samples of rubber, one siped and one smooth, are dragged across a smooth surface that has water on it. It take much more force to pull the siped sample across the surface. Siping is not a new process and you can see some very minor sniping in the original tires, some of which is picking up gravel chips. But you can see the new tires are much more aggressively siped.
Click on a picture for a larger view.
Windy Weather 