^Yeah hoping I cant find someone to 'guide' me through it too.

2/17/2012 6:03:47 PM

Sort of an intermediate update on the kitchen.

New fridge is in. It's been sitting in the garage since late last year until we got all the painting and flooring finished. On the end of the cabinet, we've got a large piece of slate chalkboard we're going to hang. Last appliance that needs to be purchased is the oven, which will fit in the opening where you see the spare piece of butcher block sitting.


Nothing overly wild here. Hood's in. Stovetop's in.


Pocket door for my pantry hung. Sink and dishwasher in and plumbed up.

The guy that was going to do our cabinet doors has fallen through, so we're going to have to figure that out. Have the wood to cut the shelves for the cabinets and will do that and get them painted soon. Have to pick out the tile for the backsplash and get that finished as well. Also needs several more coats of the finish sealer on the slate floor. It is, however, ready for inspection. Still quite a ways to go, but it's at least usable at this point.

2/18/2012 11:46:10 AM

You want to build my kitchen for me?

2/18/2012 6:00:21 PM

For popcorn ceiling removal, keep in mind that before 1979 it typically contained asbestos so you my want to consider that if you have an older home.

Also it comes off pretty easily as described on the last page if it is unpainted. Once there is a coat of paint on it, it becomes considerably more difficult since the water doesn't soak into it to loosen it up.

2/19/2012 10:25:02 AM

We have been looking for a mantle clock that had a mid-century modern vibe without feeling too retro. Something with nice clean lines but also made of real wood (which is why we were looking for retro instead of a brand new one).

We found something for $2 at a thrift store that has a lot of potential:



We loved the real wood, the clock hands, and the stainless steel ring around the face. We have already taken the clock face out and painted it a semi-gloss white (no numbers). The next step is to sand the wood down and re-stain it; the plan is for it to end up something closer to a walnut that should go well with the stark white face and the stainless steel accent. We'll see.

[Edited on February 19, 2012 at 7:50 PM. Reason : ]

2/19/2012 7:50:16 PM

how hard is it to hardwire my house with cat5? we currently have no ethernet anywhere, just where our modem/router is in our guest bedroom closet.

DIY or hire somebody?

2/29/2012 1:44:19 PM

Snewf advertised in the classifieds a while back that he will do that type of work.

Difficulty depends largely on the layout of the house and whether it is on a foundation or a slab.

2/29/2012 1:52:49 PM

Youll have to post a pic of the completed clock. I am trying to picture the all white face, and I think that would do nothing but frustrate me.

2/29/2012 2:01:19 PM

^I actually planned on doing that today but I left my phone at home that has the pictures

It turned out really well especially considering the total cost of it was <$10, but honestly the "after" pictures I took with my phone don't do it justice :/ . Well, mainly the first picture I posted of it in here made it look a lot better "before" than it really did in person. When we got it from the thrift store, it had duct tape residue all over it and the "stain" looked more like a tinted sealer you'd use on a deck( you could see the texture of the grain, but no real variation in color), and it was chipped.

I'll try and post a picture of it tonight or tomorrow though. Also, you'd be amazed at how easy it is to read the clock without the numbers.

2/29/2012 2:43:53 PM

^^^^ I recently ran 10 lines throughout the second floor of my house down into a closet on the first floor. I'll run another 4-6 more lines throughout the first floor at some point.

The above poster was correct that the difficultly entirely depends on the layout of your home. I already had phone jacks in most of the rooms, so I just replaced that cabling with Cat5e and used the existing routes through the attic and walk-in storage areas for the most part. The only real pain in the ass was in getting the wire to the 1st floor.

Everything else was (jacks, drywall, pulling the cable, etc) was really easy. I assume if you want to put the ports in a particular location as opposed to what's easily accessible it would be a pain in the ass.

2/29/2012 3:14:55 PM

I'll have a few projects for the next few years, once I get into my house:

1) Surround sound in bonus room - easy, but I'm unsure of my abilities to fish wire around the room (in walls) and to correctly repair holes for installation.
2) Tile backsplash in kitchen - easy enough I guess
3) Tile patio with a fire pit and maybe a bar/grilling station (detached/typical grill, but build a bar to sit at and a bar/elevated surface near the grill for "counter" space - difficult probably
4) Privacy fence - relatively easy, but expensive... I'm considering trying to find a local fencing company hurting for work.

[Edited on February 29, 2012 at 4:25 PM. Reason : .]

2/29/2012 4:24:21 PM

Here is the storage building that my father and I constructed at the end of last summer to house all of my possessions while I go on my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail next year.

- This is the first such project I've ever embarked on.

*Warning* Picture spam! (there are more that my father took which actually show the foundation, but he still has them on his camera)

2/29/2012 4:41:11 PM

I love how your pops is straight kickin it with a cig and a head-band. Looks like a cool dude.

2/29/2012 6:26:07 PM

^^looks good! I hope I can do something that nice

2/29/2012 7:04:01 PM

^^ haha. My dad is pretty pimp. Aside from having the design on a laptop using Autocad, he knew every step to take.

^ Thanks! it was a great learning experience for sure. I was surprised when I discovered how horrendous most pieces of lumber are at Lowes or Home Depot. We spend several hours picking out just the right pieces, especially for the doors and door frame.

2/29/2012 8:55:19 PM

that storage shed looks great

I really need a real camera, but regardless of the picture quality, here are two after pictures of the clock. (I just realized the first one was actually before I finished sanding and staining the base but oh well hah)



[Edited on March 1, 2012 at 8:29 AM. Reason : ]

3/1/2012 8:25:17 AM

I just realized that those two "after" pics were taken like 3 days apart, yet I took them at essentially the exact same time at night (and yes I just checked and the battery never stopped working).

3/1/2012 7:09:39 PM

ain't no numbers on that there clock

3/1/2012 9:24:46 PM

I make pens for gifts, and sell them occasionally. I sell singles starting at $15 and go all the way to $125 for a pair.














I built this stereo system recently for a customer. A quick job to get the trunk back to usable.
3 day turn around, for a two week job.






I built this for a class I have in a couple weeks.


[Edited on March 4, 2012 at 2:12 PM. Reason : .]

3/4/2012 2:04:23 PM

Those pens are pretty awesome.

3/5/2012 9:12:30 AM

Quote :

"ain't no numbers on that there clock"

If I was a guest at his house for dinner, I would totally flip it upside down when he wasn't looking.

3/5/2012 4:36:44 PM

^^^ Is this you?
http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/03/04/1900493/innovators-write-ticket-with-luxury.html

3/5/2012 4:52:03 PM

^no

3/5/2012 6:32:17 PM

^^No, those guys are dumb. $150 for a single pen, when their cost to make it is <$15.
I love how the article says they are sourcing their individual pieces from all over. I make the exact same shit, and I order it all from a catalog. It takes between 20 minutes and 2 hours depending on the complexity and finish level for each pen.
Costs are low as well for what it takes to get into the hobby.

They are $80,000 into this business, and need to have 10 times the current sales to even break even (in what time frame?).



I'm $500 into my hobby, and make about $200 a year selling pens (been making them for 5 years).
That is a business model they need to follow.

3/5/2012 10:29:27 PM

^ The business model they need to follow is to make a total of $500 over 5 years?? Or to double their investment?

Doubling the investment sounds decent...but if you could have a higher profit margin (which it seems like you could based on how you describe it), why not?

3/6/2012 9:14:41 AM

Kitchen/laundry room addition passed inspection.

Now I just need the oven to arrive, order cabinet doors, make shelves, put up back splash and we're good.

3/6/2012 9:58:42 AM

^^I'm trying to figure out how they are $80,000 into a hobby that only costs $<20 an item.

3/6/2012 5:49:14 PM

I am assuming they bought the tools to make the pens.

And the reason they can charge $150/pen, has nothing to do with production cost. I has to do with this guy:

Quote :

""It kills me when I sit in these meetings and I look around and I see chewed up 33 cent pens sitting across from me," Goodling says. "I'm like, ah, you can do a little better than that.""

There's a lot of value in exclusivity.

3/7/2012 11:48:43 AM

If you charge a lot for something, people will buy it.

3/10/2012 7:27:02 PM

I went to elementary school with Cass, I should look him up

3/11/2012 5:11:36 PM

Are all of those pens just kits? I've thought about doing some of that myself, and it seems like you just get some great looking pen blocks, use a lathe to cut them down and then install the actual pen components.

3/12/2012 8:46:05 AM

That is all there is to it. Then spend as much time as needed to get the solid smooth finish.

3/12/2012 9:24:07 AM

Shed out back. Still in progress



[Edited on April 17, 2012 at 3:13 PM. Reason : .]

4/17/2012 3:12:23 PM

I made yet another set of cornhole boards. I know, I know, it's not really post worthy, but I finished them in a way I hadn't yet seen and I'm pretty proud of it. I've seen tons of CH boards with all kinds of designs, mostly stained then painted and/or decals applied, then sealed. I wanted something a little different. So, I stained the whole board, then masked off my design, then painted the whole thing black. Then I pulled up my masking so now my design itself is natural wood grain, kinda opposite from the norm. I finished it all off with some polycrylic. My shop worklight made the pictures look a little brown/yellow, but you get the idea.

4/26/2012 9:20:44 AM

pretty sweet man. we are making some for the wedding and football season; just might have to try this

4/28/2012 9:42:11 PM

^^ That looks awesome!

4/28/2012 9:59:10 PM

This past weekend was 7cy of playground chips wheelbarrowed from the driveway to the backyard and a planter around the mailbox made out of 8" retaining wall block.

5/8/2012 10:01:25 AM

single speed bike project...

flea market bike


finished rebuild


[Edited on May 11, 2012 at 3:20 PM. Reason : ]

5/11/2012 3:19:53 PM

Building a 12' X 24' deck on the house Memorial Day weekend. I will post pictures of the progress.

5/11/2012 4:26:54 PM

Started building the deck (with a little help from my friends) on Sunday. Here is the progress, as well as the plans. It is 12' X 24'.......I will finally be able to say I that have a BIG DECK!

5/29/2012 6:45:11 PM

did you secure those 4x4 posts with concrete at the bottom, or did you just bury them 1-2 feet down?

5/29/2012 7:03:17 PM

Concrete at the bottom. I took the first picture after I poured the first footer, lower left corner. Much better to do it that way because if I ever accidentally hit a post with the mower, I can replace it without having to dig it out.

5/29/2012 7:07:26 PM

Are those joists 24" OC? If so, might want to add some bridging midway. It'll be fine structurally but after a couple of years you'll start noticing bouncing in the middle from the joists flexing.

5/29/2012 8:09:29 PM

Good call. Glad I didn't finish the deck boards yet.

5/29/2012 8:22:44 PM

Here are a couple more progress pics that may give you a better idea of how I have built it thus far. Sorry for the large size, I am too lazy to make them smaller.

5/29/2012 10:54:59 PM

why didn't you make the deck flush with the door level?

5/30/2012 8:39:32 AM

Looks like it's in line with the original landing, so he's probably used to the drop. He installed flashing the length of the deck and he can always go back and put a step just outside the door if desired.

5/30/2012 9:45:32 AM

So I'd like to build some closet organizers for my new house. I've drawn up some plans; however, I'm looking for input from you all (and have a record of my thoughts )

Notes:
- Provide hanging area for long clothes (dresses, etc.)
- Provide stacked hanging area for regular clothes (shirts, pants, etc.)
- Provide shoe storage (as many as possible)
- Provide at least 1 drawer (2 shown; however, one will be customized to fit a safe behind a false drawer face)
- Provide reachable shelving for often used items/clothing
- Provide high storage for seldom used/seasonal items
- Maximum storage/shelf space

Drawings:
- Based on assumed dimensions, for now
- View names can be confusing, e.g. Right View shows left wall; Left View shows right wall; Front View shows back wall; Back View shows Front Wall (views are named according to the viewpoint, not the object shown)

Concerns:
- Biggest concern is how to properly construct. I don't like the look of "runners" (supports under each shelf); however, that's probably the easiest. I could use backing boards to attach the shelves to from outside of the backing boards, so I'd be doing a pre-fab and installing each side as a unit, though I'm not sure if this would be strong enough.
- Depending on support type, not exactly how to secure shelves at the corners
- Do I need some vertical supports on the side/front shelves?
- Type of material (MDF, Laminated particle board, Hardwood)?

I'd like any input on the design in general as well.

Thanks

5/30/2012 10:39:15 AM

Quote :

"Looks like it's in line with the original landing, so he's probably used to the drop."

This.

5/30/2012 10:41:41 AM

^^My coworker left an old Family Handyman magazine in the office bathroom magazine rack and this article was in it.

Maybe you can pick up some tips/tricks/general help from it. I realize it is not for a walk-in, but some of the details may apply.

http://www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-Projects/Home-Organization/Closet-Organizers/storage-how-to-triple-your-closet-storage-space

5/30/2012 11:27:22 AM