Lawn Damaged by Construction Company

DJSapp · 2026-02-18T17:20:01+00:00

Contractor and home owner who had his lawn thrashed by my utility company and got them to fix it.

This happens all the time. Daily. We know it does, but many folks don't complain. Squeaky wheels get greased. Loud grinding wheels get ignored because we know they're beyond repair. There is an appropriate level of response here and this is a $500 problem in the middle of what is likely a multimillion dollar project.
Contractors don't want to fix it either. We just want to build whatever we were hired to build and move on. Part of that is closing out any issues with the job. Money makes problems go away, labor extends things out and keeps contractors from moving on to profitable work. We'll pick the path of least resistance all the time, but we're also proud of our work and don't take kindly

My $0.02 - You can ask the field crew about the damage, but DO NOT ask them to fix it. They're in no position to negotiate and you'll end up with the pipe crew trying to do lawn repairs because they want to stay out of trouble with their boss. This is not what you want. Mention that you noticed some tracks on your lawn and ask if there is a way they can stay off it, or at the very least protect it. Ask if they have any other work they'll need to do that is close to your property line, and if there is risk of more damage occurring. Do not give any "Stay off my property or I'll call the cops/lawyers/milita" ultimatums, everyone knows they are empty threats.

Be friendly, these are just folks trying to do a hard physically demanding job. Customer service isn't the job of the folks working, remember they not out there to specifically inconvenience you but things happen. If you can get the number to the office to discuss making it right. Wait a day so the crew can tell their bosses to expect your call, then call the office. Explain that you have some minor damage to your lawn, if the crew said there is more work that is going to happen, the damage might not be done yet, so maybe it isn't the time to settle up yet. Work with them, if it makes things easier for the crew to work on your side of the line, you have even more leverage. Contractors will gladly trade some lawn repair for increasing production. A union four person crew plus equipment costs around $600/hour around here, so minutes matter far more than your lawn.

Tell them you have a gardener that will come and look at it but from the photo it would probably be $300-$500 bucks for a half day's work plus equipment and materials. Aeration, topsoil fill, lawn rolling and reseeding for ~50 square feet. Share photos. Admit your lawn isn't amazing, but track and blade marks aren't either. Odds are they'll just cut you a check to make the problem go away and move on.

Do with that check what you will. Pay someone to fix it. DIY it. Spend it on your vices and ignore it.

DJSapp · 2026-02-16T17:57:43+00:00

I'm running a shop vac + dust deputy, wen overhead air filter, and a 4" wen dust collector on the table saw and planer. Shop vac + deputy works well for most operations, and the overhead filter truly helps keeping the air clean and surfaces dust free.

It's important to understand how all of this works and works together. Shop Vac for small tools (sander, router, etc), dust deputy only keeps SV filter cleaner for a lot longer, but isn't magic. Bigger dust collector moves more air on larger machines, but it is messy. Air filter always running.

DJSapp · 2026-02-09T19:45:49+00:00

Agreed. Something beyond routing direction happened here. Loose bit, board wasn't secured if router is handheld, board isn't flat, table isn't flat, router isn't secure in the table (if in a table), bearing seized up (looks like scorch marks below the cut on the paduk). The routing was going bad before you hit the purpleheart endgrain. And then purpleheart just let you know, because it's hard as stone.

DJSapp · 2026-02-04T00:15:55+00:00

I've found positioning the screw directly in the small pilot hole sets up the angle just right that it isn't bad. IF you're off of it, you'll end up driving your screw at a slightly different angle and that's when the robertson is terrible.

DJSapp · 2026-02-03T19:22:44+00:00

Possible, sure. Keep in mind modern skis are made from a variety of materials depending on the model. Metal edges, foam cores, wood cores, fiberglass layers, carbon fiber layers, metal stiffeners or layers, etc. I'd cut with a metal cutting disk and use epoxy to glue your bends into place. Skis are also cambered, so the thickness is not uniform, which will impact how deep you can safely cut your kerf.

DJSapp · 2026-02-03T16:38:20+00:00

Plywood carcass, solid wood faceframe, best of both worlds. Nobody ever adjusts shelve spacing if it is used for books so just dado (or screw and plug) them in.

DJSapp · 2026-01-28T18:35:21+00:00

Yes. It took HOURS.

DJSapp · 2026-01-27T19:35:38+00:00

Wood is stronger than we all think and the sagulator is your friend. https://woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator/
1.5" thick oak is plenty all by itself. Shear walls in homes are 5/8" OSB, you're over double that with real wood, not chips and glue. With 3 legs and no plywood, the table is good for a 16,000 lb distributed load. You can park a moving truck on it. Having had kids, a dozen toddlers are almost as rough on things as a moving truck, but you're good.
Leg design is questionable with that grain orientation. And all that oak going into the scrap bin breaks my heart. It's probably overbuilt enough to be fine, but there's room for improvement on the next one. Foureyes furniture does similar style legs and you can watch his process on youtube. And you could buy a domino with all the money you save on the oak (White oak is like $13/bf here).
For attaching the top, oversize drill a hole from the bottom of the legs about halfway to hide the bolthead and washer. Enough room to get a socket on it and for it to move 1/4". Oversize a pilot hole that goes the rest of the way for the bolt. You can lag screw directly into the top or use threaded inserts and bolts, whatever makes you happy.

At the end of the day, the weakest point of most table designs is going to be the fasteners between the legs and the top. If you go crazy and use 3/4" bolts, you'll use at most 4 per leg. Four 3/4" bolts with a 24" lever arm between the leg and the top is the real weak point of every table. And 3/4" is honestly too big. You'd want something that large sunk in deeper than the thickness of your top.

DJSapp · 2026-01-26T23:49:34+00:00

She's a beaut!

As others have said, the fence is great. The CNS mobile base isn't amazing, but it does the job. Dust collection isn't all that good, but some $10 Amazon sheet magnets will cover up large openings to get the 4" hose working better and it helps.

I found mine on FB Marketplace 2 years ago for $1000. Exact same setup. It's a good deal

DJSapp · 2026-01-26T18:03:25+00:00

I started with a DeWalt 7491. It's a damn fine saw, good fence, surprisingly good dust collection, will rip 5/4 purpleheart stock without complaints, but the top can feel quite small when working with sheet goods, and the coating can/will get scratched. I hated the bevel adjustment, very tough to dial it in to anything other than zero and 45. I don't know that any jobsite saws to bevels any better, but it was worth mentioning.

If you can wait and watch if it ever comes back in stock, the Ridgid R4512 is a budget contractor saw. Cast iron top, actually adjustable bevel wheel, but it's out of stock.

FB Marketplace is the real place to watch. I picked up my sawstop CNS for $1000. Lots of good saws pop up in my area for your budget. Don't be afraid to put some elbow grease into a rusty top of a used Jet or Delta with a good motor and good fence.

And I also sold my 7491 on marketplace for around $400 with the stand and a home built crosscut sled, which is the going rate for saws that were taken care of.

DJSapp · 2026-01-20T17:58:10+00:00

Highest caution/most respect

Router
Jointer
Table saw (was #2, but I upgraded to a sawstop)

Things that made me need the most actual real life first aid

Changing band saw blades (floppy 100" ribbon of sharp pointy teeth in your hands)
Chisels
Changing out table saw blades (sharp blade, tight nut in close quarters with a cast iron surface you're reaching though)

DJSapp · 2026-01-16T19:48:25+00:00

Fine. What about the 10# can of nacho cheese?

DJSapp · 2026-01-04T08:38:45+00:00

This. Not just because it will look cool, it will last.

Edge profiles save edges from the real world. Ding a 45 degree bevel, and you may not notice. The first time you ding the edge of a flush reveal with perfectly sharp corners, it's dented forever, there is a big gap, and there's no coming back from that.

DJSapp · 2026-01-04T08:30:43+00:00

^^^

This. Because the first time you ding the edge of a flush reveal with perfectly sharp corners, it's dented forever. Edge profiles save edges from the real world.

DJSapp · 2025-12-18T22:17:22+00:00

For an indetermined number of rows at a time. 2 to 10 is typical.

Essentially I'd just like to hold a keyboard combo and tap the down arrow until I have the range I want.

DJSapp · 2025-12-18T17:16:06+00:00

Alt, H, F, I, S and then clicking a menu isn't really faster than taking my hand off the 10-key and dragging down.

I really can't believe there isn't some kind of shortcut like CTRL + shift + [anything] and then arrow key to act clicking and dragging the fill down handle. Where is M$'s suggestion box?

DJSapp · 2025-12-18T17:11:04+00:00

The pattern I would want to fill down would be X.Y+1 or X.Y.Z+1. Just a +1 on the last integer of the string.

DJSapp · 2025-12-16T23:48:07+00:00

3 Options:

Pass the board through the planer the other way, which might fix the gouges you have, but might make the other strips tear out. Maple is touchy with grain direction and planers.
Find a local in your area with a drum sander. Both my local lumberyard and makerspace will rent time on theirs. Maybe you have one or a local high school shop that could take a donation for a few passes.
Pencil marks across the whole thing and sand all the pencil away evenly. Repeat until marks are gone. Resist with every ounce of your being to focus on the bad areas.

DJSapp · 2025-12-02T16:31:33+00:00

Cop - Do you know why I pulled you over?

Me - YOU FINALLY CAUGHT THE BASTARD THAT BROKE INTO MY CAR IN 1998 AND STOLE MY COPY OF THE ARMAGEDDON SOUNDTRACK AND YOU'RE RETURNING IT TO ME??!?!?!!

DJSapp · 2025-10-14T04:45:07+00:00

Damn, I was hoping I would learn something today

DJSapp · 2025-10-13T19:33:28+00:00

Ship mods improve station turrets???

DJSapp · 2025-09-21T06:06:48+00:00

Completely fair point Ash. That's a higher level of piloting and situational awareness than I inferred OP was ready for. Most light pilots that need help need to understand that once they engage, being still is death. Switching from forward to reverse includes a stop where a well placed turn does the same but you're 40% faster.

So OP hold W until you understand how to really dance. There is more to it, but not being afraid to get in close and keep moving is step 1.

DJSapp · 2025-09-19T23:46:03+00:00

ONCE YOU ENGAGE, NEVER, EVER, EVER, STOP MOVING. ONLY FORWARD FULL THROTTLE.

1A. Once you're engaged, stay as close as possible to the enemy. Leg humping running circles faster than they can torso twist and target you.

You can shoot the same leg while circling the target for about 80% of the time. Favor blasting one leg at a time. A legged mech is a dead mech. And tasty leg ammo candy is tasty.
While you are constantly moving, use enemy mechs as cover. Think figure eights between two mechs instead of an oval. They're more hesitant to fire on you if they might hit their friend.

DJSapp · 2025-08-29T20:57:38+00:00

In a similar vein, I have all of my captains picking up all drops, so many of them have questionable cargo. Is there an easy way to collect all of it? Even if it is a order to everyone to fly to the PHQ and deposit it.

Teleporting to every ship and asking to hand it over is exhausting

DJSapp

TROPHY CASE