I know this is an old thread, but in case anyone is searching on this topic... I've noticed that my plants love it when it rains, they are perky and refreshed in a way that I don't see after watering or fertilizing. I decided to simulate rainwater by adjusting my tap water pH down from 7.4 to 5.5. My adjusted pH is somewhere in the 5.0-6.0 range due to small dosing inaccuracies. I acidify my water using sulfuric acid @ ~32% concentration (battery acid 1.28 mol). I've been using it with tablespoons as well as 1CC droppers and have no issues whatsoever. The acid is pretty safe to use if you take some basic precautions and aren't sloppy about it. Even so, it's not that strong of a concentration to do any real harm as long as you're close to a hose and don't get any in your eyes. Wear glasses just in case. My plants absolutely LOVE the lower pH water. They look perky and refreshed just like they do after a rainstorm. There are other beneficial effects as well. My seeds appear to be sprouting much faster than usual, the compost clumps that are sitting atop my soil have started to seriously break down finally, and my soil retains more moisture than it did before switching to lower pH water w/ sulfuric acid. Bottom line: My plants like it and I have noticed only positive effects. I will continue watering them with acidified water.

leafwatcher, that is a great hobby! Did you fly that plane already, it is probably radio controlled? Do you fly it with an RC club? You could mount a camera in it and take pictures of your hostas from above. I have a little $50 helicopter with a camera in it, but never flew it, wanted to take photos of broken branches in my tall pines... Bernd

Sorry, missed the questions (and the compliments, thanks!) Pleased with the outcome, but that is a job I shall not likely tackle again in this lifetime. Well, maybe wait a few more years and I might change my tune... Pardon the length, I have answered your questions and also point out mistakes I made, so you won't make the same, not worth it ; ) I did this job (all twelve days of it) in a state of total burnout and aching muscles from repainting the entire house, and staining/poly coating stairs/railing that DH had installed after he installed our hardwood floors. House was in total disarray. It's been 2 years I still find things in boxes I didn't know I had. So a job like cabinets in that frame of mind led me to mistakes and shortcuts and I knew better. Weariness clouded my judgment. So if you're doing an overhaul, save the a cabinet job for when it is your sole focus and you've got lots of stamina. First, clean well. Really well. Think of the years of built up oil-based polishes, airborne stuff from cooking, etc. Oils absorb into woods, and a half-hearted wipe with a rag and Dirtex doesn't cut it. My first mistake, should have scrubbed the dickens out of them with Dirtex and #0000 steel wool. Second mistake: I did not scuff sand to get even more gunk off outer surface of wood and prepare for better adhesion of primer/paint. Third mistake: I did not use oil-based primer. I love Bullseye 123, has served me well on all types of jobs. But because of mistakes 1 and 2 above, an oil-based primer probably would have covered my tracks. I have a couple chips here and there where something has bumped the paint, the tiny chips go right down to the old finish. That tells me my primer is not adhering well which tells me my prep was too lame. (I am not in any frame of mind to tackle fixing this at the moment, but will be forced to this year, so plan to turn to Michael for his infinite wisdom if he's willing ;) The reason I know I failed in several areas with prep on the cabs is because the interior room doors pictured above (new and pre-primed) are still pristine. No pin head size chips, nada. bud_wi, my hinges were a nightmare. Somehow, we got The Most Unique Hinges Known To Mankind. I shopped everywhere for replacements, none to be found (even online). I could easily have replaced them with like kind by myself (stick to the existing holes, go easy with the drill so screws don't strip). However, I did not want to remove and replace with a totally new style, which as Michael suggests is best choice (and I agree). The reason I did not switch hinge styles is because it would involve a bit more work and DH's participation. He was equally burned out, and my request to add yet another job would have been met with his favored 'have you lost your mind' look. Now I am married to one of the handiest guys, and he is a perfectionist. Trick is to get him motivated. Because he is also the last great procrastinator. So when he's burned out but says 'I'll get to it next weekend', that means I could be facing months and months of cabinets with no doors. Couldn't bear the thought. So I painted 'em. Mistake number four (I am up to four now, right?). Two years, four months later hinges are flaking (I primed with Bulsseye 123 first) primarily where hinges rub. That really accelerated just in very recent past to where it's noticeable, and will only get worse. I cannot put off addressing this development much longer, as old brass peeking through bright white is not attractive. Oddly enough, back when I was doing this job, someone suggested auto touch up paint. (Comes in a 3" tall bottle ala nail polish.) Unfortunately, I had already painted all but a few hinges when I got that tip. The hinges with auto touch up paint (in a white I picked that closely matched CC) are holding up well. For now. For anyone who needs to remove paint from hinges, I just saw a tip on This Old House: get a cheapy crock pot (not ever meant for food), put water in, turn it on low, let hinges soak for 12 hours (or overnight) and paint will fall off in a big glob. (Not sure if that applies to oil-based.) Whether I go that route and buff them out (I don't like brass) or ask DH for new is a nasty toss up. Replacing our deck is pending this spring, so for new hinges I might as well ask him to hang the moon ;) I left the doors up. I did not paint the insides of the cabinets (good condition = no need). I used a Purdy XL Dale 1 1/2' angle brush (my favorite) for tight nooks, small areas. I applied paint to doors with a 4" foam roller (speedier and better control) and followed up with a final single stroke, top to bottom, with a half-loaded brush (Purdy XL Dale 3" flat). I say half-loaded because fully loaded brush with CC would only create excess paint which then runs everywhere as it seeks it's level. Dry would drag through existing paint leaving a gummy trail. So half loaded pulls out any bubbles from the foam roller, keeps the work surface sufficiently wet but not drowning in paint, and paint will then level well. Learn from my mistakes, so that you do not stand in your kitchen 2 1/2 years from now and see what I am beginning to see.

Thanks folks! I really appreciate your support, kind words, and suggestions through this ordeal. I'm still trying to clear this guy completely out of my system. I still get an odd pang of wanting to call him up and yell at HIM! It'll pass. I'll be sure to file a complaint with the BBB and the Attorney General's office. The letter I wrote to my credit union to dispute the credit card charge (using a c.c. through this reno JUST for this purpose!) will work nicely for these complaints. Ironcook--Interesting thought on his bring his son. He did know DH would be there. Probably knew DH would be p!ssed at the way he treated me. Chris--I expect there will be troubles during this process as I've never had any GC experience. Even if we have to pay the reframing costs, which I'm sure we will, I'd rather do that and be rid of this guy. We're still saving 10's of 1000's of $ with me being the GC. And I was trying to jolly this guy along. It didn't work. If he had been half-way courteous to me I would have tried to work with him. Rhome--Having a security guard makes it sound like I live in a fancy development. I certainly don't. Most of houses are plain 70's builds with little charm, but we are built around a small, private, non-motorized lake. The neighborhood board must have decided decades ago that it was worth paying someone a little salary to monitor the lake and the rest of the parks here to keep non-residents, who don't pay to maintain the facilities, out. Food poisoning has thankfully passed. We had the only other Napoleon dealer (an HVAC) company come to give us an estimate on the same fireplac last night. DH went to meet him as I was not in the mood. Funny, this HVAC guy actually apologized to DH for the way Mr. Jerk treated me!! Can you believe that??!!?