I visited Globe plumbing on Seminary. Just before San Leandro Blvd. They got me the parts needed at a reasonable price and the people there are really helpful. You'll want to use teflon tape around the treads. Now there is a correct way of wrapping teflon tape. You wrap it in the direction of how you'll be screwing on your connections. So like the saying goes, "righty tighty, lefty loosey." So imagine you're screwing in a light bulb. You wrap the teflon tape in that same direction, capiche?
I'm currently at the point where I need to connect the gutter of the house to the tank. To do this. The pitch of the gutter needs to be found. Reason being is to know whether or not the angle will allow the water to flow into the soon to be new down spout. Which will channel water into the tank. The down spout for the cutter is currently in front of the house, while the tank is in the back of the house. Under normal conditions. The gutter should, might, outabe, at a angle to direct water to a desired outlet ie down spout. My uncle, whom use to work on houses doing gutter work. Told me that most of the time they are not angled. So I'm really hoping that mine are level, which will require far less work. A whole saw bit will be used to drill the desired diameter for the new connection. I'll just use 3" PVC pipe from the gutter to the tank and wala!
To find out if the gutter is rockin to one side or the other. Or to see if it's level. I'm going to use a leveler and get on the roof with a water hose to see how the water flows. Pretty low tech. There are fancy devices out there to do this kinda work. But no need to spend the extra coin. It will however require some effort.
I used bender board around the circumference of the crater I dug. I also used steaks screwed onto the bender board. Then filled the crater with pea gravel. And this is what created the footing or foundation if you will. This can also be done with a concrete slab. It might have been easier with the slab. But I'm really trying to eliminate as much concrete as possible. So just pick your poison.
There is a EBMUD rebate out again for converting your water thirsty lawn to drought tolerant plants. Since I missed the last one. I have signed up for the new one. Not very many folks took advantage of the last one. So they have restructured the rebate. Making the rebate more fiscally appealing. That is, if you incorporate a drip system. Which seems like a oxymoron. If you have drought tolerant plants. They shouldn't need much in the means of water. Plus with a rain tank. I can just water from that if the rainy season is as bad as it is this winter.
I'm waiting for the guy to come out to take pictures and measurements again. So I can't touch the backyard until then. And since the area where the tank is doesn't count towards the rebate (because there was no existing lawn there). I'm just going to start planing that area. Throw down card board and mulch. Start planting some natives. And maybe start building a fence between the house and garage. Just a short one. I don't want towering fences everywhere. Fences are kinda pointless in my mind. But not everyone agrees. But at least this fence will keep Hans in the backyard instead of him chasing the neighbor kids off.
Finally got to the computer that I'm familiar with to upload pictures. I'm thrown back every time I pick up a power tool. I've got two favorites right now. The all mighty miter saw and jig saw. As a complete virgin to tools. I really like the Bosch stuff thus far. Being as naive as I am to these outstanding tools. Perhaps I shouldn't have a preference in name brand. After all, I should learn how to actually use them fluidly. But hey! I'm getting there. I'm thinking a a nice 10-13 inch planer and router are next in my tool arsenal. If I had a nifty friend with a band saw. I could mill my own lumber from fallen trees near by.
Working late into the night like usual. I was making sure that things were square. At least as square would get with being a circle. I put a little more gravel in the center of the footing. I have no confirmation of my thought process on this. But I figured if I put a touch more gravel in the center of the footing. That once the tank started taking on some water weight. That it would force some of that excess gravel outwards. Filling in any dead space. I did not use any sort of mathematical formulation for this. Purely a guesstimate.
I have since pulled the weeds and temporarily moved the raspberry bush until I get a live stock water trough. The trough will not allow the roots to grow through the bottom like these felt bags have. The felt bags were a temporary situation until I made progress. I have raspberry, blackberry, and blueberry to put into troughs. Should be enough fruit to both eat and preserve at some point.
I sold one of my veggie beds. Only because I was really unhappy with how it turned out in regards to its uneven cuts and horribly constructed corners. It was my first veggie bed I'd ever built. Pretty much the first time as an adult that I had used power tools. I also decided to smoke a joint prior to constructing that veggie bed. Not a great ideal. I became way to relaxed for my control freak nature. Therefore I learned. No harm no foul. I still have all my digits and no one got hurt. I do not endorse refer smoking and critical thinking at the same time. Especially with saw blades spinning at 4000rmps. Up with hope, down with dope! At least until all your responsibilities have been met. But things are looking decent. Not great, but decent. I am building a new veggie bed by the way. It shall have my perfectionist qualities in place this go around.
I can't remove any of the new lawn growth until the EBMUD guy shows up to take pictures. If I do remove anything. I would then void myself of the rebate they are offering. Gotta save money where I can. Oh and I chopped down that lime tree. I felt like such as ass hole. I had a connection with that tree. Not really, but it was the runt. The last thing standing after I had chopped, dug, and used explosives on every other tree. But not to worry. It shall be replaced with another. Just not in the form of a lime tree. I was thinking a money tree. Now if I can just find the butt hole selling the damn things!
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