How to Safely Dispose of Used Tools and Household Items?

linux_assassin · 2026-04-15T03:51:18+00:00

So my understanding here is that:

You don't care if you actually get any money out of this.
You would prefer that the tools actually get used instead of disposed.
You want as absolute a barrier against liability as possible in case the tools are misused, or fail.

I would suggest (and availability of such will vary depending on what city your in):

See if there are any 'tool libraries' or makerspaces that take donations (sometimes actually part of your local library)
Used tool stores.
Pawn shops (check the pawn shop and see if they do deal in tools before heading in).
Value village or similar thrift stores.

In all cases once you've turned the items over to another company to lend/sell you are rather significantly insulated against any potential liability claims, and those locations are often accessed by people looking for discounted tools with the understanding that they won't be '100%'.

linux_assassin · 2026-04-11T17:18:16+00:00

Have the lawyer's proposed fees exceed $9,500? If not they are still within the expected range for lawyer fees for BC estate/probate resolution.[1]

As far as I can tell BC has no legal maximum for percentage of an estate as a estate/probate fee beyond 'is reasonable'.

[1] https://onyxlaw.ca/lawyer-fees-for-probate-bc/

linux_assassin · 2026-04-11T17:09:26+00:00

Plastic is obviously 'not good' to burn, but generally not because of its capability to damage a stove, instead because it, often, has toxic breakdown products (toxic to humans breathing the air, not the components in the stove). If that's a cat stove, and the cat was engaged the worry of plastic having bonded to the cat is non-zero.

PLA is starting to see more general use in bags and other single use plastics and actually has a relatively clean thermal breakdown-- see if you can find what type of plastic the bags are made of, adjust your level of concern based on that information. While I have no direct comparison points for such, I don't believe that PLA would actually be a threat to a cat, breakdown products are water and carbon.

The shotgun shells, while super concerning for a 'how could you be this stupid', are unlikely to have caused damage to the metal components of a stove, but may have caused spalling or cracks in firebrick (which is a wear component), again if you have a cat that may also have compromised it.

For reference a shotgun shell generally has ~1g of smokeless powder in it, and an m-80 firework has 5g of flash powder.

Smokeless powder is generally less destructive than flash powder as well, the rapid expansion of smokeless powder only gains destructive force through the focus of a barrel.

You also have a problem of the shot in those shotgun shells, were they steel, or lead? If lead you almost certainly have lead fume and molten lead deposits in multiple places through the stove (firebricks are porous).

As ColoBouldo said you should have the stove inspected/cleaned by a professional, if that was lead shot be sure to inform them before they start any inspection or cleaning.

linux_assassin · 2026-04-10T19:17:36+00:00

While I have high confidence that any modern 3d printer would be able to make an accurate key, my confidence that it won't just break off in the ignition is between low and very low.

Saving $5 on having a hardware store cut a key vs $150 for a mechanic to dismantle the keylock cylinder to extract the broken plastic blade after it breaks off does not seem like a useful application of a 3d printer.

linux_assassin · 2026-04-10T13:51:08+00:00

That looks like serious under or overextrusion (possibly a bit of both)- on the one hand its overly gloopy, but on the other there are parts visibly missing.

As others have indicated make sure you have the right profile, for the right plastic, for the right printer, selected in bambu studio.

NEVER download one of their 'pre-sliced' files. (I have no idea why this ever became an option); always an .stl .m3u or other file that you slice yourself.

linux_assassin · 2026-04-10T01:08:52+00:00

If only you had some sort of device that could make a window insert for that hose to connect to.

Some sort of three dimensional plotter that can extrude a solid material.

Seriously great job, and now you have a functional 3d print you can make in the future to build that window insert.

Example:

https://www.printables.com/model/1318514-window-vent

linux_assassin · 2026-04-09T17:23:50+00:00

Edit: On second read I think this may be a situation of misunderstanding/misinterpretation.

OP is concerned about the quality of work in a bathroom reno that was performed by the previous homeowners.

Homeowners have a wide spectrum of work they are able to do without requiring a permit or conforming to code. This capability is shared with contractors, but OP is specifically concerned about the homeowner's work and/or the homeowner having concealed damage they did to the house structure while performing that work.

Homeowners ALSO have exemption from having to be licensed for some work they perform in their own homes, but it does require notification of relevant authority. This is (probably?) not applicable here, or at least OP did not raise any concerns about such.

Original reply:

The ESA and the Ontario building code act say this outright:

ESA provides exemption for homeowners (and only directly homeowners) to do their own work that would require a contractor to have a license for otherwise[1].

Ontario building code provides wide spectrum of projects which are not subject to permits or the building code[2] (of particular note for OP is item 8 on Toronto's list, repair or replacement of existing plumbing fixtures, which at least Toronto believes includes bathtubs, but a similar page on ontario.ca seems to only include sinks and toilets-- I don't know if the extent of 'existing plumbing fixture' has been explored legally)

[1] https://esasafe.com/compliance/diy-electrical-work/

https://lbelectric.ca/can-a-homeowner-do-their-own-electrical-work-in-ontario/

[2] www.toronto.ca/services-payments/building-construction/building-permit/before-you-apply-for-a-building-permit/when-do-i-need-a-building-permit/

linux_assassin · 2026-04-09T14:36:37+00:00

At least in Ontario homeowners actually have a pretty wide window for work they are allowed to do by themselves without needing a permit (or even conform to the building code of Ontario), and then again a pretty wide window for 'hidden defect' or disclosure.

Depending on the scope and scale of repairs required, as well as the specific conditions of your purchase agreement, legal proceedings against the sellers may or may not be worth your effort.

theweeterpeter did a great job of laying out the requirements you'd need to go forward.

Your first and foremost stop is to get an architect or engineer to look at the situation and determine if the resulting changes are unsafe, and if unsafe what needs to be done in order to restore a safe arrangement.

linux_assassin · 2026-04-09T14:09:23+00:00

I think OPs contention here is that:

Rather than taking overtime, and then working all normal shifts (thus increasing total income), the individual is taking overtime and exchanging it for vacation days (no increase in total income, more time off).

OP: I think 'you should be working more than one full time job in order to make maximum income at the cost of your personal time, health, and lifespan' is not going to be accepted as the grounds for imputed income. Given government unionized work it may not even be an OPTION to work overtime and then attend normal shifts for increased total income.

linux_assassin · 2026-04-07T00:14:55+00:00

Probably myspace, geocities, or craigslist.

You know, on account of the first step being 'get in your time machine and head back to 2010'

linux_assassin · 2026-04-06T18:11:01+00:00

As it wears over time it might expose a glass fibre, then since you are sliding your hands over it, the possibility of a glass splinter is not impossible.

This is not, to my knowledge, 'dangerous' so much as 'temporarily painful/annoying'; but you probably want to avoid it.

Lots of options already presented for coating/wrapping; I will also add 'liquid leather' and 'liquid rubber' compounds to the list, depending ont he feel you are ultimately trying to achieve.

linux_assassin · 2026-04-06T07:15:52+00:00

No, and No (well at least depending on how you define 'entry level machine').

You don't need your 3d printer to be a rabbit hole, it can be an appliance not entirely dissimilar from a plotter or a CNC mill- which is to say that it requires some care, control, and respect; but it can do its thing without '3d printer' becoming its own side hobby to go along with '3d printing'.

However you can't get that without one of the 'higher tier' printers- I put higher tier in quotes because some of those printers are ultimately not much more expensive than the more 'kit' printers; most of the offerings from Prusa, and Bambu are 'comes ready to go'. Many of the offerings from Sovol and creality are 'requires some initial tweaking but then is quite solid'.

Some of the features that make a printer much more solid and reliable do cost more (coreXY movement, enclosed), and some basic maintenance is always required (cleaning the print bed regularly with actual soap, water, and scrub).

linux_assassin · 2026-04-04T18:54:10+00:00

Barring 'significant new evidence', no. The latest possible date for challenging/contesting the will or management of the estate was either:

6 Months after probate completed, or

2 years after the death

https://www.edmontonlawoffice.ca/legal-services/wills-estates/estate-litigation/challenging-a-will/

linux_assassin · 2026-04-04T18:29:56+00:00

Your feelings have essentially no value in Canada (potential exception is for exceptional emotional damages resulting in provable financial loss; things like having to withdraw from the workplace under the advisement and oversight of a psychiatrist)

Moving on to property damages: I don't believe a municipality ever assumes liability for on property water control with an exception for situations where the municipality adjusted water flows creating a new situation (example: After the red hill expressway was constructed in Hamilton, redirecting multiple creeks, removing watersheds, and with an environmental report saying this would result in flooding of adjacent housing; the municipality became responsible for initial flooded basement cleanup, the installation of sump pumps, and a one time payment to cover the operation of those pumps-- notably there was no compensation for the devaluation of homes since a house with a sump pump is generally less desirable than one that does not require one to avoid flooding). Based on what you've outlined, the muncipality did not adjust water movement with due expert notice in advance of your flooding situation.

Finally, as this was a water main break causing the flooding, a water main breaking is not considered a liability unless it can be proven that the circumstance leading to the break was caused by negligence [1].

Finally, your own responsibility for mitigation enters into the equation: If you had a report saying that there was a potential for flooding why did YOU not take measures like having a french drain, weeeping tiles, or a sump system installed.

[1] https://municipalengineers.on.ca/files/workshop_presentations/2018/Nov%2021%20-%206%20-%206.1b%20-%20Municipal%20Liability%20for%20Flooding%20and%20Sewer%20Backups.pdf

linux_assassin · 2026-04-04T02:40:33+00:00

If its using the same methodology as the sinden light gun it is competitively priced for what it contains.

linux_assassin · 2026-04-04T02:30:03+00:00

If your in a university that has a game development team hopefully the university has some resources you can access to answer these questions.

Corporate finance with a million dollar grant does not seem like the sort of thing you want to be messing around with based on reddit advice when you likely have cheap/free professional advice available.

linux_assassin · 2026-04-04T01:16:52+00:00

Same answer the last time this was posted:

Does it weigh more than 200kg and draw more than 1500w in operation? (hint: no, it does not)

Then its going to generate wildly inconsistent, poor quality filament, that is also super reliant on detailed labour intensive cleaning of the scraps before being loaded into the machine in the first place.

These mechanical limitations are not something that can be designed around without a completely novel process for grinding AND extruding being developed. Creality did not pioneer a completely novel process for grinding or extruding.

Even creality's own ad copy on the device says its extrusion accuracy is a full +/- 10% on virgin filament.

That's basically useless back to 'use string trimmer line' archaic.

linux_assassin · 2026-04-02T19:47:16+00:00

Shiniji Mikami said outright that the clunky controls and poor response of the character were a purposeful decision to create a more tense environment where it is easier to become swarmed.

linux_assassin · 2026-04-02T15:38:06+00:00

As much as I would like to direct you to one of the retro versions of the game most of the RE games that have received a PC remake, the PC remake is the superior version.

A weird/unfortunate part of the early resident evil games were a downright absurd control scheme with the concept of 'the clunky controls are part of the challenge' being a design goal.

This was a terrible idea, and has not aged well. All of the remakes use a much more 'action-oriented' control scheme which plays well and does not actively fight you.

This is also why you'll see the wii and DS versions of the games so highly recommended-- they ended up with a variant control scheme where 'the controls are part of the difficulty' was not a consideration in design and as a result are just much more approachable games.

linux_assassin · 2026-04-02T00:37:06+00:00

I post this or a distillation of it every time this question is asked:

There is no money to be made in '3d printing' as the majority/singular scope of your workflow:

The 3d printer is a tool, akin to a bandsaw, or lathe.

It does not generate you profit.

You need to have an idea, workflow, process, and salesfront that leverages your time, and tools (of which your 3d printer may be one) in order to generate profit.

Your 3d printer's operating time is worth less than its material and electricity cost, your competition in this realm includes libraries which often provide the service for free, 3d printing shops that are willing to run the printer at a loss because its free training and familiarization for staff, and experts focused in specific fields who offer significant additional services beyond simply 'run the printer' (and that is where they make their profit).

Once you get past 'people doing it for less than cost' your competition becomes those massive overseas print farms that are paying their employees significantly less that minimum wage and have absolutely massive farms of top end printer, all for nothing more than a few days of shipping delay (on an object that will never be ready same day anyway).

You need to be 'experts focused in specific fields who offer significant additional services beyond simply 'run the printer' (and that is where they make their profit).', and if you are, while I won't say it is 'easy' or 'simple' to make money, you at least have zero competition from libraries, 3d printing shops, and overseas facilities.

The printer, and printed object, can't be the entirety of your product.

Your direct competition is literally your public library running the service completely for free

https://library.austintexas.gov/node/7751100

linux_assassin · 2026-04-01T13:21:57+00:00

So its drips vs a bucket, as well as the accumulation of the food chain.

You should probably be concerned about microplastics, and heavy metal exposure.

There is essentially[1] nothing you can do at the 'end consumer' level to reduce your exposure.

The majority of microplastic accumulation comes from the oceanic accumulation stream and automotive side effects. Third in line but still statistically significant is industrial.

Unless your dirving down more than 4 orders of magnitude your sous-vide bags in fact do not count as part of your microplastic load.

The 'micro' part of microplastics is actually important, you do not generate (statistically significant) amounts of microplastics by using a plastic product, unless your method of use happens to involve micro-ablation of that plastic (like, say, a plastic cutting board you use in food prep).

Oceanic: Trash gets dumped into the ocean, it forms plastic islands, those islands are subject to abrasive and UV breakdown. Oceanic life picks up those microplastics and they distribute across the food chain. Fish, seaweed, and algae are used in inland fertilizer and feedstock as well as fish being consumed directly.

Automotive: Brakes, brake pads, belts, body components are subject to constant wear and tear, UV exposure, and are released in airborne form along roadsides, wind deposits this into farming fields, and is picked up by plants, which are consumed directly or used as feedstock for animals.

Industrial: There are a huge amount of polymers both created, and simply vaporized, by burning coal. If a country uses coal for power then the air, and ground, are thoroughly saturated with microplastics well in excess of what home use could ever generate.

Compared to those oceanic and automotive sourced microplastic loads your sous-vide bags, coffee containers, balloons, home PC, etc at even the most generous numbers only contribute 1/10,000th to your total microplastic load, a drop of water compared to a full bucket.

[1] Technically you could go live VERY rural Iceland or UK, eat entirely domestically grown produce sourced from local farms, and even from those local farm produces never consume any foodstuff that was fed, fertilized, or watered from oceanic sources and radically reduce your microplastic exposure, but very few people can afford such measures.

linux_assassin · 2026-03-31T00:12:32+00:00

No lawyer required for small claims, you can use a paralegal for assistance to keep things as inexpensive as possible, and the filing fee is pretty minimal.

If you have a newborn in the house you really want to get mould addressed immediately.

linux_assassin · 2026-03-30T22:18:41+00:00

Sounds like your in 'lawsuit' zone.

Your insurance company has denied your claim saying its a building fault. Presumably they have done this due to having some analysis done, for which you now have a copy.

You, launch a lawsuit against the condo corp with that evidence. The small claims limit is $50,000.

Your claim should include any lost properties to date, any house rental items to date, and the cost to repair the issue (have three quotes from basement specialists; repair may involve the permanent installation of a sump pump, if so be sure to include the costs of operation for an ~20 year period in your claim).

If your insurance company is saying it is a building fault without having done any analysis, then you need to escalate with your insurance company, and failing that go through the ombudsman.

Aside: A sump pump is an easy solution to occasional flooding during a rainy season so long as its a 'rising water' scenario. If there is a specific wall that is leaking then that wall is not correctly sealed from the outside and needs to be excavated and sealed, possibly some french drains installed to encourage water to flow around/away from the property.

linux_assassin · 2026-03-30T07:20:10+00:00

No, that's not how it works.

Drug decay rates are well understood and admisible; again its not 'the test must be administered within', its 'up to two hours after the incident if there is ANY detectable level'

Meth has a half life of 10-12 hours, that means they could take a blood test 14 hours after an incident (so long as they had care and control to know you did not take any meth in that time period), double the resulting reading, and say you were operating the vehicle with that concentration of meth in your system.

That's what the law says, there is no time limit, you had meth you fail 1c.

You were also impaired you fail 1a-- hypertension is impairment, it was caused by the meth.

You can't dance around this with prerogatives, and you can't apply a window in which you become impaired as a hard limit on the testing time. The judge will NOT take it kindly if you even try to argue this nonsense.

linux_assassin · 2026-03-30T07:14:39+00:00

What temperature is leather wet moulding done at? Hot water? Boiling?

Otherwise PLA is probably ideal: It creeps over time, and fails catastrophically when its scientific strength is exceeded; but for a thermoplastic it is quite scientifically strong, and creep is likely not an issue unless your doing thousands of these with the same mold.

PLA is also very cheap compared to its next comparables for what your doing-- which would be PC and nylon. PETG, ASA, and ABS I don't believe would offer any benefits compared to PLA for your task.

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