Who’s Working on What This Week?

David S.
By David S. Wallens
Dec 31, 2020 | Projects

Life seems to slow down during the week between Christmas and New Years, meaning one just thing: projects.

So, what’s on your to-do list this week? And who here can use some inspiration (persuasion?) to get something on the list? Now's the time to spin some wrenches, knock out those lingering projects and, in general, make some progress, right? 

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Comments
David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
12/26/20 12:30 p.m.

And I'll go first:

I'm about to replace our thermostat with one of those fancy ones that talk to the cloud. Why? So we can adjust the temp when upstairs. 

Then some garage cleanup.

And maybe a run to drop off some oil to be recycled. 

Later this week: some car detailing and more garage stuff

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/26/20 12:35 p.m.

Oh man.

I'm working on the laser cutter, fine-tuning settings. I'm doing wiring cleanup on the V8 Miata and may finish the upholstery. I may start building a custom gauge cluster for the same using Pi-driven stepper motors for stupid reasons. I'm going to build a custom controller for the lights on the Christmas tree because the one that came with them has burned out and only half the string illuminates. I may rework my DIY fancy thermostat to solve some problems with the screen because I've learned more since I built it. Hopefully the blue Miata will go on the lift for a bit of attention.

And there will be excessive baking.

Datsun310Guy
Datsun310Guy MegaDork
12/26/20 12:36 p.m.

My wife's Honda Pilot TPMS light came on.  I'm going to put air into 2 tires.  Might get crazy and do all four.   

Patrick (Forum Supporter)
Patrick (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/26/20 12:44 p.m.


 

finishing walls so i can wrap and put windows/door in and work on interior framing

Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter)
Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
12/26/20 12:44 p.m.

If we finally get the headaches cured,  ill be trying to finish the restoration and detailing on my 1997 acr. 

And clean the shop. Its atrocious. 

hybridmomentspass
hybridmomentspass Reader
12/26/20 1:17 p.m.

Well about an hour ago I started a coffee table project. Step one was staining some pieces of wood. Currently letting it dry and then I'll do some more in a short bit. I have about 30 pieces to stain total, hope to start 'assembly' tomorrow evening maybe, maybe have it wrapped up by Tuesday night.

Wednesday morning me and the girlfriend are leaving for the mountains of North Carolina...Im thinking of taking the SW20 MR2 on this trip. I dont know, need to see the weather report, she (the 2) doesnt do so well in the slick stuff.

But then once we're back from our NYE trip the MR2 is getting some parts Ive been accumulating. Biggest thing is a new TCS Motorsports intercooler kit with hot and cold pipes, the fan kit etc

But I have a gen 3 swap on mine and had found a Japanese market sparkplug wire cover piece that was standard on the 2 on ebay, so I want to put that on...thinking of pulling the valve cover (ordered new VC gaskets from twosrus.com) and painting it because...well, I sort of want to. Never done it before.

New T-Top centric guides to, hopefully, stop it from leaking on me if I get stuck in some rain.

Bought some silicone vacuum hose to start replacing some of this old hose and maybe re-route the rats nest of Toyota hoses. Staying black, nothing flashy.

Putting an Omori boost gauge in the stock gauge's location in the dash, get rid of the A-pillar mounted unit, get more back to a clean, stock look.

Got a good condition trunk carpet to put in (mine didnt come with one, got one for free from a friend, but had been hacked up and has a spot missing from it where an aftermarket ECU was mounted).

IS300 gas pedal to match the clutch and brake pedals that are already in the car.

Oil change, new plugs.

Got a shop vac (finally) a few weeks ago, so I'll go through and suck up anything in all the little crevises that's been accumulating for 30 years.

Might get one of those headlight/taillight polishing kits from HF and try that on my tails while Im in the garage showing the MR2 some love.

Stefan (Forum Supporter)
Stefan (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/26/20 1:57 p.m.
David S. Wallens said:

And I'll go first:

I'm about to replace our thermostat with one of those fancy ones that talk to the cloud. Why? So we can adjust the temp when upstairs. 

Then some garage cleanup.

And maybe a run to drop off some oil to be recycled. 

Later this week: some car detailing and more garage stuff

You know you can sometimes add a wireless thermostat upstairs so that it can monitor that temp and adjust.

BoxheadTim (Forum Supporter)
BoxheadTim (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/26/20 1:58 p.m.

I've got some IT-related projects for this week and am trying to get out of the house as well, but I'm planning to do a bit of work on at least one of the motorcycles, the Maxton and the 911.

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/26/20 2:01 p.m.

Oh yes, fixing the smoker thermostat that failed on Christmas morning as I was getting ready to throw the brisket on. There were bad words. 

Jim Pettengill
Jim Pettengill HalfDork
12/26/20 2:20 p.m.

Finally finished the 2020 budget versus actual tabulation for the Ridgway (Colorado) Railroad Museum so we can set our 2021 budget, so now it's time to start painting the back stairs and laundry room floor, write an article about a little known Arizona ghost town called Total Wreck (gotta love that name) for Wild West magazine, finish reading the current issue of Analog, and play some on the various saxophones so my lip is still OK when I get back to playing with the rock/blues band about March (post-vaccine for us oldsters).  Plus fix a table lamp and plan a couple of small projects for the MR2.

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