#refurbishing

Hey there!

Kay here! Sorry it took me a bit to make another post.

I was getting resources to start refurbishing, it took a little bit heh.

That however, means I have a good amount to show you, which I'm pretty excited about! 

Ok! So to begin, I think it would make the most sense to show you my tools!

Now, they aren't super fancy or high end name brands for the most part, but they get the job done and I didn't break the bank. 

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Tool #1: AXTH Precision Screwdriver Set

I definitely recommend investing in a little screwdriver, especially if you're going to be working with handhelds like the Nintendo DS's.

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Tool #2: FJSENR Precision Exacto Knife Set

So this is a cute little knife set I found with a lot of different blade shapes and even a couple handle options. I specifically got these because I want to customize my White Nintendo "New" 3DS XL one day with buttons that are actually made for the Nintendo Switch. If you don't know, the buttons in each system have little notches specific to fit in the system at certain angles...(I think). So the Switch and the "New" 3DS XL aren't technically compatible. They have very similar sizes though so I'm going to kind of bootleg my way to cutting my own notches fit to the 3DS!

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Tool #3: EWerk Needle File Set

This tiny set of files were picked up for the exact same reason as the exacto knives above! I needed a tiny needle shaped file in order to smooth out the edges of the buttons, though typically with refurbishing consoles like I'm trying to do, a little file set is a good idea for shell swaps and making them fit properly. Mainly just to make it look a lot smoother and nicer in the end.

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Tool #4: iFixit Precision Tweezers Set

Someone had recommended getting these needle nosed tweezers, saying they'd become my best friend during repairs and they were absolutely correct. The DS's I'm working on have incredibly small pieces like screws, buttons, ribbon cables, etc. These tweezers make it so I don't have to sit there and struggle with using my fingers for some things that involve being a bit more precise.

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Tool #4: iFixit Prying and Opening Tool Assortment

As I'm sure you're well aware of, handhelds all have shells hah. The outer casing, specifically. I'm not sure about other console types but I know the Nintendo DS line specifically have tight shells with little pins inside, making so you often times have to push something flat in between to kick it open... gently. These prying tools and edges are meant just for that occasion! I think these are a staple to have in any handheld repairer's arsenal!

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Tool #5: Mcduyant Nylon Cleaning Brushes

These are just some cheaper, soft bristled cleaning brushes I got so I could properly scrub the shells and motherboard during the soaking session of the shells. If you buy used, broken, defective or just generally old consoles, it's very likely they'll be dirty in one way or another. It's ideal to have something like this or a soft tooth brush, paired with a gentle soap, to help get the grime off without scratching or damaging anything.

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Tool #6: AstroAI Multimeter

Now this tricky little device has a bit of a learning curve but is very worth getting to know! It's meant to help diagnose and detect electrical related issues, like verifying if something inside is properly connected or getting the right amount of power. They have many uses but you'll probably only need to really know 1-2 of the options to be honest. At least if you're doing what I'm doing hah.

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Tool #7: Phomemo Label Maker

Now last but not least, a tiny portable label maker. I specifically chose this one because it's inkless, affordable and the labels are actually really good quality. It also helps that they're easily removable as well! If I understand properly, it uses heat to print the labels on the stickers, meaning the only thing you have to worry about refilling is the roll of labels itself. Super easy and efficient to use, also pretty fun. I got purple holographic label tape, I just thought it was cute. I use this to keep organized and mark my systems and parts so they don't get mixed up. 

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Well, that about wraps up the core tools I'll be using during this restoration journey!

If you're interested in snagging any of them yourself, I legit just got them all off Amazon, for decent prices. I wanted to get things cheaper to start out with since I'm in the process of learning but fully intend to upgrade to the more professional supplies once I become more adept!

Thank you so much for taking the time to check out my little yapping session, I hope you may have found it interesting or even helpful/informational if you're also learning refurbishment! 

In the upcoming posts, I'll likely be showing you the systems themselves! So keep an eye out if you want to see what they look like now as opposed to when they're (hopefully) all cleaned up and operational! 👀

Find my main blog here!

Doll house progress, today I sanded it outside for 2 hours and 30 minutes. Getting up all the nasty crusted on foam from the carpet on the floor was so hard but it's 95% gone which is good enough for me. I figured out there are actually wires running through the doll house but I'm too weak to rip them out, they're stapled in there so good, so they will just remain, I'm just going to cover them. Land lord special...

I need to now clean the doll house with oil soap and then wood fill the knots, then I need to sand it 80 grit, then 120 grit, then 220 grit. Then I need to clean it again. Then prime it. Then sand again. Then prime again.... Then I can finally move it in my bedroom...

It's going to rain all week so I can't do anymore sanding but at least I can clean it and get out the remaining wall paper trapped in the cracks. I'm so tired from sanding it's so horrible. I was using an electric sander but it's still horrible. I was covered in dust and my respirator was filled with moisture and my nose was running and I was cold and sweaty. I definitely need a new respirator. Mine is probably gonna start growing mold... My eyes hurt probably from saw dust getting in them. I was wearing eye protection but sometimes it sneaks in...

Restoring this doll house is genuinely just like refurbishing a real piece of furniture, it's so hell. But I must enjoy the hell because I know I'll be soooo sad when this project is done. I love having a long project to work on so I must embrace the pain and not rush. The end result will be worth it. I need to get into the habit of taking breaks when I'm tired instead of rushing or cutting corners.

Taking them apart to see the original antique mechanisms and using proper restoration techniques to ensure the cutie is as good as new~ occasionally having to swap out an mold part for a newer one because “The old part is no longer in production” knowing that she can just compile an exact replacement part. But insisted she “needs to see if she has a donor piece”

She always does.

Despite everything happening, both on a federal level and in my own house, I'm fixing up old furniture.

My parents, shockingly, are the ones that suggested it-- before a bible study, before family counseling, before anything else, they said I should be trying my hand at fixing old furniture. It's really specific, but I'm actually glad I'm working on furniture rather than anything else. I'm unemployed right now (I quit my job under the assumption of moving), and if I can grab some stuff for really cheap, fix it up, and sell it for a bit of profit, that's some extra cash in my wallet, and some rando out there with a nice table they didn't have to put any work into.

I'm also trying to draw more often, but that's coming up short since I don't feel that creative. And it's easier to grab the heat gun and a scraper and remove old latex paint from a console table than it is to come up with a design for a DnD character that's probably going to die in the second session.

There's something therapeutic about it-- going to estate sales and thrift stores and just random people's houses on Facebook Marketplace and finding dirt-cheap tables and desks and snagging them. Pieces that have absolutely seen better days, with chipping paint, gross wax from the 80's, and more nails than wood to keep the drawers together (and not even that well in the first place). These pieces seen for what they could be, not what they used to be or are right now. Things that need a little bit of love.

They're testaments to the quality of craftsmanship from forty, fifty, sixty years ago. Branding inside of the drawers proving that there's solid oak, the name "Sears" faintly stamped underneath, dented but elegant lines on the legs and the tops.

It's nice to work on things that were designed to last and to be looked at. I can't stand most modern furniture or their aesthetics. I hate the grays and the whites and the barely-tinted colors of beige and beige-r and desaturated browns, as if they're afraid of making a statement. They're afraid of having a personality. Why would you pacify a wood grain or sand down an intricate table leg to just stilts? Why did we ever decide that embellishments on the things as simple as our furnishings was evil, disgusting, immature, and offensive? Why isn't anything allowed to have any opinion on anything louder than a whisper?

I hate minimalism. I hate beige. I hate the washing of everything to be just white and bright and looking like a dentist's office.

God forbid our furniture has evidence of having life.

So back in July, I made a series called Refurbishing The Magic Kingdom, where I shared my ideas on how I would refurbish the titular park of Walt Disney World.

I did it in honor of the 70th anniversary of Disneyland, the West Coast counterpart and predecessor of The Magic Kingdom.

Like I said previously, the reason I really didn't do it for Disneyland because I feel like that park generally doesn't really need that much change at all.

But anyway, for those who have read the series, I wanted to ask......

@themousefromfantasyland, @ariel-seagull-wings, @kaiyves-backup, @adventurelandia, @princesssarisa, @theme-park-concepts, @alex-the-nonsensologist

Today's the day!

Today officially marks the 70th anniversary of Disneyland!

And in honor of it, I decided to share my idea on how I would refurbish The Magic Kingdom.

I know that seems strange, but remember, The Magic Kingdom is essentially the East Coast equivalent of Disneyland!

And besides, Disneyland is perfect the way it is.

The Magic Kingdom on the other hand......

But anyway, here are all the parts of my concept for you to check out, with links included!

Part 1: Overview and Main Street, U.S.A.

Part 2: Fantasyland

Part 3: Toontown

Part 4: Tomorrowland

Part 5: Marvel's Superhero City

Part 6: Liberty Square

Part 7: Frontierland