Why don't they make mini-dump trucks?

If you have a truck that is actually used to haul things, you have most likely have found youself yanking and shoveling debris in order to empty your bed. It is a lot easier to load a pick-up than it is to uload it. There must be an easy and affordable way to make this chore easier.

I have searched extensively for a solution to this problem, but I have always wondered why auto makers don't make dump bodies an option right from the factory. All the aftermarket stuff is crazy expensive, ugly or doesn't work.

Ford May Offer a mini dump truck here is the US
Here are the specs on Ford site http://www.ford.co.uk/ns7/ranger/ranger/rgr_intro/rgr_tipper/-/-/-/

Check out this bloggers article about the Ford Ranger Tipper. http://blogs.edmunds.com/Straightline/.ee8ff1b

Why isn't this truck available in the US? How many Eurpeans are truck owners? I thought Europeans made fun of Americans for our love affair with the truck, so why do they get the cool products like this?

I want one! And I would like mine to be E85 Flex Fuel capable too, please.

Until Ford wises up and offers this in the US
There is a product called Load Handler, that is a cheap conveyor belt that you hand-crank to unload cargo more easiy. I don't see this working very well with a tangled pile of yard waste or mess of building material debris. But I bet it works like shown and with other ideas that are neatly placed within the truck bed. I have never tried it though - and would love to hear from someone that has.

A strange how-to
Build your own insert out of wood, add some casters to the bottom, back-up and slam on the brakes and watch your load slide out. I'll stick with shoveling, until I get me a Ford Tipper, but this is an interesting idea.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Green-Transportation/1983_November_December/Turn_Your_Pickup_Truck_Into_the_Dump_Truck

Vinyl Box Urban Sprawl Hell

I am not anti-growth or anti-progress. But in my area our population is not increasing yet we continue to gooble-up farmland and puke-up mostly cheaply built vinyl box homes. This crazy growth is fueled by families' desires for strong school districts and the relatively inexpensive price for new construction in our area.

This past weekend I went to several homes featured on the Homebuilder's Parade of Homes. I went to look at kitchens cabinets that were designed by the same business that we have decided to purchase from. I wanted to see a few examples of kitchens that they have designed in actual homes.

The first couple of houses we lookdAt first I was getting, a bad case of the "I-wants," remembering things that I really like about new houses - open floor plans, usable basements, energy effeciency and modern kitchens. Then I saw a house that where someone actually invested in the mechanicals and the construction. This thing had it all and it was wel built and it was also half a million dollars. But despite all of it's charm it didn't have 12 inch think brick exterior like my house.

But then I went into a house that reminded me of what I hate about new houses. This thing had everything I hated, thin walls, cheap light, cheap woodwork, giant garages facing the street, thin doors, ugly garage doors, goofy brick facades, and it was 5 times wider than it was deep.

Buy It, Don't Rent It - A bit about using tools and selling them later

If you have ever rented a tool, you have likely found yourself rushing through a job in order to return the tool within "the first four hours." I have found a better way to operate - buy the tool new or used that you need - even if it is expensive - use it at your leisure until you have completed the job to your satisfaction and then sell it on Ebay. Sometimes you can even make money if you buy the tool used.

To illustrate the difference, I show how buying a chainsaw and selling it on Ebay is smarter and less expensive than renting.

Rent a chainsaw:

• Rush to the rental store in the morning and rent a good chainsaw for $40 for 5 hours.
• Purchase the chain for the saw as required by the store - $15
• Hurry your ass and fell the dead tree in your back yard - 1 hr
• Run to the store and get more chain bar oil - 30 minutes - $5
• Buck up the limbs as much as you can in 3 hours.
• Leave the job 75% done and rush back to the store to return the saw
• Return next week to rent the saw again in order to finish the job
• Total cost: $90 and a lot of wasted time and stress
  

Buy a good used chainsaw - use it and sell it:

• Buy a entry-level Stihl Chain Saw used for $150
• Use it as long as you need to finish the job over several days
• Let your friend buy you beer when he borrows it for a job + $10
• List it on Ebay or sell it locally in a newspaper or Criags list or whatever and get $160 for it.
• Total Earned: $20

This is a very real scenario because I have done it several times. Sometimes you make money and sometimes you pay a little, but it almost never pays to rent. I have done this with rototillers, cordless tools, ladders, lawn tractors and automotive tools.

Cordless Tools Why I Like Black & Decker

I once owned a 12 volt Dewalt cordless drill back when 12v was considered powerful. I used the heck out of it - used it weekly. From hanging drywall to drilling pilot holes in concrete, I put my trusty Dewalt through all kinds of stuff. And it was great, the battery charge lasted a long time and it took some falls from ladders yet kept on drilling.

Then one day, I was burglarized and along with my Stihl chainsaw and fire extinguisher (that’s right, they took my freakin’ fire extinguisher!) they got my drill. So I had enough stolen with these tools and other times that I filed a home owner’s claim. At the time my 12 volt Dewalt was retailing for around $120. So I went out shopping for my new drill and came upon the Black & Decker Firestorm 18 volt set that included a reciprocating saw, drill, circular saw, and flashlight plus 2 batteries and a charger for $149. So for $29 more than the Dewalt I got a bunch of other stuff that I had uses for – especially the reciprocating saw. Now the 18 v B&D tools are not Dewalt, but I don’t use them 40 -50 hours per week like contractors do. And if you didn’t know Black & Decker, owns DeWalt. But by no means does an 18v B&W have the same power as a DeWalt. I would compare the power of my 18v B&D to maybe a 14.4 v Dewalt.

I hoped that my new Firestorm tools would last me through a year. Well, it has far exceeded my expectations. My reciprocating saw has cut out 600 square feet of ceiling, 100 feet of steel pipe, 5 walls and one shower and it is still going strong. I still even use the same batteries, but they are now starting to show signs of needing replacement. With the drill, I don’t think I can illustrate the amount of use I have put it through; I have drilled holes for electrical wiring, repairing plaster, hanging drywall, and even polished metal with it. I even dropped my drill from about 15 feet onto gravel and it still worked fine, but I was quite lucky that the case didn’t break.

So, for you homeowners skip the high-end Milwaukees. Dewalts, and Porter-Cables and opt for the Black & Deckers or the Ryobi Tools. But skip the Craftsman battery powered tools – I got myself a right-angled goofy-ass Craftsman drill for a wiring job I was doing and I won’t buy another cordless Craftsman tool. The thing is a turd.

Black and Decker will serve the needs of the weekend mechanic and serious DIYer. Use the cash for other tools.

Old Windows – Are they Worth Saving?

When I purchased my 1903 dream house, (that is in historic distric on the National Registry of Historic Places) many of the original or at least authentic windows were replaced by modern vinyl. Like most home owners I thought that this was pretty great when I bought the house. But as I evolved as a preservationist and became more educated about old houses, I had some doubts about my modern windows in my historic home. One comment in particular made my stop and think, “Your old windows are more than 100 years old –do you think those crappy vinyl windows are going to last half as long?”

Preservationists' arguments for maintaining old windows summed up:

• Old windows are repairable and new windows are disposable
• Old windows add architectural detail to the house
• Old windows showcase craftsmanship in both glass making and carpentry
• Old windows give a house character and help define the house
• Old windows are as important as the beautiful woodwork
• Replacement windows decrease the size of the originals which hurt the look and feel of the home

A salespersons argument for replacing old windows can be summed up:

• New windows will save you energy
• New window are easier to clean
• New windows will last forever

My take on windows:

• Some old windows should always be saved or reproduced.
  Old windows that contain architectural details such as entryways, leaded glass, rounded/curved beveled glass should be saved or reproduced in almost all cases.
• Storm windows can save energy, but are terrible ugly and inconvenient.
  When installed properly, storms windows are nearly as efficient as modern replacement windows. But storm windows are far uglier than most replacement windows, but for some reason they are encourage by preservation guidelines - even when they are not accurate for the period of the home.
• Replacement double hung windows can be uninstalled
  Contrary to preservation purists' beliefs (a rule in renovation - whatever you do to change your home to meet your needs should be easily undone when your gone)
• Replacement windows are safer
  No climbing ladders to put on or take off storm window or lugging a bucket and supplies up to clean from the outside
• Replacement windows do not distract from the look of the house
  When custom ordered to fit existing window jams. And in many cases actually beautify a house because old trim is cleaned up and ugly storm windows are eliminated
• Windows should be treated the same as heating and cooling systems and electrical and plumbing systems.
  Windows were and are an integral part of a home's ability to heat and cool itself. Preservation guidelines do not fault an owner for updating their heating and cooling systems, or electrical and plumbing, but it is considered to be bad practice to replace old windows. I know what preservationist’s say, "windows are beautiful." Well so are knobs and tubes, gas lines for lighting, and even some radiators and boilers are too. But no one is handing out
• It's true, new windows are more energy efficient
  But you sure aren't going to save the money that the salespeople say you will. (If you want to save on energy, insulate your attic first and replace your mechanicals; windows take have a much longer return on investment.)
• Being energy conscious is a good thing
  Conserving energy is important for old houses owners for many reasons, but most importantly it makes old homes more marketable and saves you money in the long run. Old houses owners need to appeal more to new home buyers.
• Never decrease the original opening of window
  And try to justify it in energy savings or savings on the cost of the windows. People who do this are called remudlers by Old House Journal and I have to agree. The cost of custom replacement windows is not much more than standard sizes. To decrease the size of your opening to accommodate a standard window is going to cost you more in materials and installation. And you are really going to ugly things up. Don't be a remudeler.

And my 2 cents on the choices in replacement windows
There are some many options out there in manufacturers and types and options within each. So research and talk to people whose windows you like. There are many great products out there and some can be from the same manufacturer with a different label on it.

I have learned that often it is can be cheaper to have this hired out rather than it is to do it yourself. I had a large window replaced - a custom size - with added options like grids and argon for less than $380 installed. If I ordered it and did it myself it would have cost me $360. So get some quotes. Also understand how the replacement window is going to look - you don't want to be a remudler.

Introduction

Thanks for checking out my blog. I am an old house owner who works as a desk jockey during the day and acts like a general contractor at night and weekends. When I can, I do it myself because I am cheap, skeptical of most sub contractors, but mostly because I really enjoy it. I have several viewpoints regarding things that affect all of the DIYers out there who are passionate about their homes.