649 6th

holding pattern

At least when we were the ones responsible for not moving forward at a healthy clip, I knew what and where the time was going. The contractor's architect came over a few days ago to take measurements. I showed him the existing plans, which made him very excited, ie he didn't have to measure anything. Following that I had a rather disconcerting coversation with him on the phone during which it became abundantly plain that he had no idea what work we had planned. So I sent him more files and descriptions. Then he asked if we'd had a survey done. Yes, but I said the contractor had arranged for one of his own, which I assumed would be the one he wanted to use. No, he wants the one we had done last year, so I faxed that to him too. Since then, nothing. Guess I need to give both the architect AND the contractor a call. It's like these people aren't even talking to one another.

Of greater note: we were burgled. The large and HEAVY metal plate that used to cover the basement stairs and has been sitting open since early winter is now gone, most likely straight to the scrap yards not too terribly far away. Seems that our recent clearing of the old wood and rock debris from off of the metal plate made it too tempting an object for some industrious chaps with a truck. Doesn't exactly sit well with either of us but A) not really surprising, B) lesson learned, and most importantly C) we don't have to figure out how to get rid it!

spring cleaning

Friday, the mason finished hanging cement board on basement interior wall, which is the last piece of work to take place inside the basement itself. Though it may seem like a minor accomplishment, completing this critical task means we will be able to move clothes and bed to basement during the upstairs renovation. Plus it was good to know the mason hadn't completely disappeared on us.

Saturday, we relocated the remaining raw materials for the exterior foundation work nearer to the door, cleaned cement dust off all the horizontal surfaces, rearranged some big items, and picked up the front yard (can we really call that cement pad between house and sidewalk a yard?). It's not that these team projects aren't without their share of friction, but I gotta say we're working together incredibly well. In fact the nudgy things we say and do at other times are all but absent when we're giving the house our all.

Crowning achievement of the day was hanging the prototype bookshelf we made last weekend. And today we raided The Container Store for the plastic bins you can see suspended below the shelves. Giving the power tools test runs like this feels so smart, eg not so much need for exacting measurements, cuts, etc at this point. And despite the rough edges, looks damn good.

on second thought

After looking at the photos from the post over the weekend I realized something; what I said about the end cuts and the center cuts with the joiner is absolutely the opposite. Not that I was lying, I truely thought it was the center cuts that were off. But, looking at the end cut you can clearly see that it is off by 1/8" (the ply stripes make it easy to notice) and the center cut is dead on.

The funny part is I thought the center cuts were off because they felt so much more awkard to make than the end cuts. Mental note to self-- remember to check to see how things actually are rather than rely on how it felt before assembling (when it gets much harder to tell what was really off). 

trussed up

As promised we built the prototype for the shelving today. A special nod to House in Progress for the words of encouragement. By the looks of it, the tub got a thorough working this weekend.

The project:
Biscuit joiner worked amazingly. I was very surprised how effortless it was to slot the holes. We had better luck cutting the ends of the 3/4" ply than perpendicular center slots. The factory preset for end cutting is perfect for the 3/4 thickness. After finishing (and after doing a bit more reading) we found out how, by using the fence they include, to better make the butt joint slot  in the center of the board a much more effective method than what we ended up doing to them. We used #10 biscuits and slotted it together before gluing. The end caps, again owing to the perpendicular cuts, are at least a 1/16" off. But for a first go I was quite pleased with the results.

Having no long clamps to put it together was the other problem. As we needed presher inward from the ends, we needed clamps at least as long as the almost 7' height. We used nylon twine instead. Trussing it up like a pheasant the cord provided an excellent means of tension. I have to admit that when we were out shopping for parts for project two I did purchase two nylon band ratchets that extend to 14'. We tested one out on the piece that is curing in the kitchen and it's perfect for the cabinet assembly line to come.

After assembling and gluing it in the back yard it gave us a bit of food for thought for how we might use it. We hung out in the kitchen and sketched some slightly revised ideas for the library on the white board. Having the object around really helped to better understand how it could be used.

Project two for the day is somewhat of a temporary thing that could hang around quite while. The inside of the foyer of the house is very dark. The light switches are a ways up the hall when you enter in the dark. Hence, we installed a motion detector sensor. Gadgety as hell but it is both nice to have a light  that 1) comes on when you go to look for a coat and 2) comes on immediately when you open the door coming in.

The last notion for the day is this. We started talking about plywood floors. Sort of like giant parquet. Right now we have them being 4'x4' square in a checker board pattern of cherry and perhaps birch (or perhaps a slightly harder wood ply). Just a notion. The info I need to look for is this-- has anyone successfully done this [read: doesn't look like an awry architecture student project] in the past? I guess I have something to surf for should I get trapped on a conference call this week.

motivation

I think I may have mentioned a while back that Michael brought his 1980's dorm room posters from his mothers house at Christmas.  You know the ones that I (eys rolling with sarcasm) always feel a need to explain to guests as ironic or nostalgic (or some such) and this is spot of transitionary-faux-dorm-room-fun-before-construction. That being said, I went and found the cover as a jpg because (in spite of the feeling a need to explain my context) is still a beautiful piece of packaging.

The reason for posting tonight is to motivate. I think by putting it out here I'll be obliged to follow-up. Feeling a bit haggard after a big week at work,to look down the barrel of a weekend of stuff you need to do and stuff you want to do I've been finding it's a lot easier to do nothing (duh). So, to ensure I don't sleep the ENTIRE day tomorrow I'm stating here:

I plan to build the 3/4" ply boxes while testing out the biscuit joiner for the first time. We want to make a longish thin box to see how strong it is structurally. Once we find a shape that works we will use that modular construction to install a self that wraps around an entire room at about picture rail height. The prototypes we will use as shelving in the basement for storage.

Having said that, I now have (in a fantasy) some regular reader tuning in for the results later this weekend who would be terribly crushed if I left them hanging.

Oh the things we do for motivation...

ripping success

I'm pleased to report that I DID NOT go out and buy a Bosch 4000 table saw on impulse yesterday-- made a solid case for it but ended up going the simpler route.

After discussing my ripping notions with Michael I decided that I had nothing to lose by trying the jig method first. To that end I got an aluminum cutting guide. I had gone to Lowe's thinking I could find some sort of "channel" or "I" aluminum beam that would do the trick, little did I know they had productized exactly what I was looking to rig. You'll note from the picture it's pretty (BTW, if you haven't already guessed, love the packing graphics) simple.

I also got a two new saw blades a titanium 24 framing and a carbide 46 finish blade. To round out the weekly supplies trip I added a pair of those plastic saw horses that all the trades guys seem to be using these days. The saw that I'm using is a 7 1"4 Skil worm gear circular saw. Somewhat of a framing workhorse I am learning it can finesse a job as well.

This morning the job was to rip off 5 3/4" pieces of 3/4' ply to make the prototype shelving boxes. Opting for the finish blade over the framing, I set it all up in the snowy backyard and it worked fine... well I did put the saw blade on backwards right out of the gate (come on it's been a few years) but immediately realized it as soon as the turning blade approached the wood.

The conclusion: Actually not so bad. I cut four 8' x 5 3/4" pieces. The saw with the new blade slid like butter; held to the aluminum guide with ease. If Michael had been around to support the other end of the long strips it would have been a piece of cake, there was no jamming or kick-back-- just somewhat awkward.

Meaning: for now, I go sans table saw. Further, it was starting to encroach on the compound miter saw for the #1 spot on the wish list.

ripping one

The thinking all along has been that the contractor frames it in, seals it up, and we take over. A little down the line on the plan has us constructing a good bit of shelving and storage that will primarily be built from 3/4" plywood that's biscuit joined together. Depending on the location in the house it will be trimmed out in larger hardwood planks (library) to a simple tape veneer (kitchen?), looking for versatility. Basically, anywhere you see yellow in Michael's plans.

As a means of testing this box idea (read: working through the inevitably crappy prototypes) I wanted to rip an existing piece of 3/4 birch ply I have in the basement and play with a couple of ideas to see which hold best structurally. Here's the question of the day. What's the best way to rip a piece of plywood? I know the answer is hands down a table saw. But, I have no table saw. Is a jig with the circular saw a workable l alternative?

How I am chewing on it:

Pros for the Circular:
1) No investment
2) Nothing large to move
3) No other piece of shop equipment filling up the holds

Cons for the Circular:
1) Harder to set up
2) More difficult to do well
3) More prone to kick back and generally feels less safe
4) Harder to produce non splintered cut

Pros of Table:
1) There are aluminum contractor saws with good ratings that weigh less than 100 lbs..
2) Safer
3) Much easier to use. Especially if repeating the same type of cuts repeatedly.
4) less prone to splintering

Cons:
1) Investment: not huge in the grand scheme of things but the things are adding up
2) Another toy in the basement that can only be used by lugging it out to the front, through the house, to the backyard.
3) Realizing that I had to invent an elaborate cost benefit scenario in order to rationalize buying another toy, and that I am in denial THAT is the real motivator.

cut off bay to spite facade

when will it end!? yes, it's another design. no more bay window / window boxes. met with contractor and got his estimate for this little add-on. surprisingly easy to whack it off given how long i'd held on to the idea.

exterior finishing details are still on drawing board, but the fundamental construction work -- 2nd floor extension, new attic, new windows throughout -- has been identified. this feels like MAJOR accomplishment after so many months of design work.

we'll probably also use the contractor's plumber to rough in whatever is needed to add bathroom on 2nd floor and vent everything through the roof before roofing material is applied. like the contractor said, "no point in punching a hole through a new roof."

credit to the people who suggested this design from very beginning; though if we'd listened to you, we might have rushed into construction in early winter, and let me just say the relatively minor brush we've had with over-exposed interiors while we (still!) wait for completion of basement has been more than enough for me to know i'm glad the roof won't be ripped off until spring -- and don't even think about telling me april showers bring may flowers.