Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT The Mary Kay Garage

[billconner]

I wonder how Com Ed deems it not a safety issue.

 

[mybigwarwagon]

No one has gotten fried yet, that's why.

 

[captain14]

I wonder how Com Ed deems it not a safety issue.

No one’s been injured yet so the bonuses can be paid. Until an “event” occurs which effect their bonus, it’s not gonna happen soon.

 

[billconner]

iirc (and may not - 10+ years ago) when I moved a feed in com ed area, their rules said minimum 10' over habitable areas.

 

[pickles]

I haven’t had much time in the garage the last couple of weekends. Instead I’ve been driving. First to Virginia for a family 80th birthday and then to Buffalo for my wife’s grandmothers 100th birthday and finally to New Hampshire to drop my son off at camp.
I did get some garage time however. I finished the tool cabinet I built a couple of weekends ago. I also started working on removing the rust and the from the vise and the arbor press that I’ve had sitting around for years. Pics of both below.
I also worked on the “fence” on each side of my garage. A number of weeks ago I had screwed off cuts of Ipe from a previous fence project onto two pressure treated posts on one side of the garage but I had runout of those off cuts for the other side of the garage. I did have some off cuts of Ipe from my roof deck tile project however so I decided to use those. I put the same pattern of wide medium and thin boards one each side of the garage. I was happy to not order any new Ipe boards as that stuff is expensive.

Finally I ordered a number of bluestone tiles in various sizes for my backyard patio project. The stones are supposed to be delivered in two weeks so I’m hoping I can make progress on that project in August.

 

[xtremek]

The fence looks good. Hard, outside work in August, that's a pass for me. If I can avoid it.

 

[Zippercat]

Amen!

 

[ILLuSioNz X]

I applaud the courage it took to do this, as somebody who lived in lakeview & uptown, you couldn't remove me fast enough!

 

[pickles]

I applaud the courage it took to do this, as somebody who lived in lakeview & uptown, you couldn't remove me fast enough!

How long ago did you live here? Lakeview is pretty gentrified by now. Been that way for awhile. Uptown on the other hand, I try to keep my wits about me in Uptown

 

[pickles]

The fence looks good. Hard, outside work in August, that's a pass for me. If I can avoid it.

It wasn’t too hot. Its downright pleasant today. Which is good because I’m going to pick up a few bags of rocks at Home Depot. I’m really hoping that we have some pleasant weekends when I start the patio project. I don’t want to be doing that in the heat. I really want that done by fall however. I’m planning my next big project of converting a room in our basement into a legitimate albeit small home theater. I’m really looking forward to working on that this winter with my son. He is a big guitar, music and movie geek and I really want to have a project I can do with him.

 

[pickles]

I got my dads old vise painted and reassembled today. I would not call it a restoration but at least it’s one color now and not rusty and most importantly functional. This is where I am thinking of mounting it. Temporarily I’m holding it there with a clamp.Anybody suggest it should go somewhere else? I painted it black because that’s the only spray paint I had and it’s a real pain to get more spray paint in Chicago. It’s illegal to sell here so you have to go to the suburbs to buy it. I plan to mount it permanently tomorrow.

 

[Jagmandave]

I would move it as close to the corner as you can. More room on the bench, more support when you pound on it and so on.....

 

[Boostingaz]

I painted it black because that’s the only spray paint I had and it’s a real pain to get more spray paint in Chicago. It’s illegal to sell here so you have to go to the suburbs to buy it.

Really? Hadn't even heard that before. Interesting.

Is it because of the fear of graffiti or what's the reason behind that?

 

[pickles]

Really? Hadn't even heard that before. Interesting.

Is it because of the fear of graffiti or what's the reason behind that?

Yeah. To try to keep the amount of graffiti down.

 

[pickles]

I’m going to call my vise and arbor press project done. Vise is mounted to the bench and the arbor press has been painted and reassembled. Neither is perfect but both are functional and good enough for me.
I’m glad this is done as I’m going to to start my backyard patio project. Stone is scheduled for delivery next weekend and I really want to get the patio done no later than this fall.

 

[pickles]

I started my backyard paver project today.
I picked a day that was 94 degrees so obviously I’m not too smart.

 

[loganb]

Looking great!

 

[captain14]

What are you using as a base layer and/or a weed barrier?

If you get it done now, you can sit on the patio or on the deck above the garage at 75* and enjoy the weather and a cold beverage.

 

[billconner]

Any plans to modify steps? That now short rise will eventually be the cause of a fall. A real hard situation to get uniform risers.

 

[pickles]

Looking great!

Thanks Logan. I did a brick patio back there a few years ago. I never really like how it turned out. I’m really going to try to make this nicer.

Any plans to modify steps? That now short rise will eventually be the cause of a fall. A real hard situation to get uniform risers.

Bill. I consciously made this patio ”higher” than the old brick patio That was there before. The steps were even for that patio but that also meant that it was lower than the surrounding dirt in the rest of the back yard. It ended up turning into a swimming pool in any significant rain. I‘ put down tons of crushed stone to make this patio higher with the hope that it drains effectively. The downside, as you noticed, is that the last step from the back door is shorter than the others. I’ll probably try to live with it as the only solution would be to have the old steps busted out and new ones poured. Seems like a big project.

What are you using as a base layer and/or a weed barrier?

I did not put down any weed barrier but there is a ton of crushed son under the patio. Like as much as 8 inches thick. I have the crushed stone from the original brick patio plus a few inches of new stone on top of that. This is how I am getting it higher the the bricks used to be.

 

[billconner]

Yeah, understood advantage of making it higher. Wondered if possible to build up steps - maybe wood or maybe some cementious mixture, perhaps with tile.

Residential steps lead the CPSC list for injuries - over $100B per year. Consider warnings seriously if you do nothing else.

I'm sure it will be a great looking patio!

 

[pickles]

Despite off and on rain all day today we (my wife helped quite a bit) got another five stones down. I figure I’m about 1/3 done. I’m fairly busy each of the next two weekends but hopefully I can make a little bit more progress yet this month.

 

[billconner]

Good progress. Curious what are you using for a saw?

 

[pickles]

Good progress. Curious what are you using for a saw?

So far nothing. I have not yet cut any tiles. But I will have some to cut eventually. Have any recommendations?

 

[captain14]

Are those true granite/stones from a quarry?

I’ve seen others on YouTube do something similar to this video.

Roger Cook from This Old House and Mike Haduck on YouTube should have examples available too.

 

[billconner]

Looks like bluestone. Soft but splintery. No I don't have a suggestion for cutting but my son in PA has done a lot. I'll ask.

I'm thinking about bluestone for a patio/walk connecting house and new garage.

 

[MadMechMaster]

For a small project, I'd use a diamond blade in an angle grinder and freehand it. Just a 50% score then, split it like drywall.

If you're going to end up cutting the whole perimeter you might want to do something more repeatable.

 

[fouckhest]

Love the look of those stones

 

[billconner]

My son suggests: "I use junk saws from garage sales and accept they burn up after a while. Sometime I get someone to squirt water or drip it from a bottle." Diamond blade of course. This would seem to work, especially if you can't or would prefer to not do it all in one day for a rental.

He added the Lenox diamond blades are adequate and a lot cheaper than Diablo.

 

[pickles]

My son suggests: "I use junk saws from garage sales and accept they burn up after a while. Sometime I get someone to squirt water or drip it from a bottle." Diamond blade of course. This would seem to work, especially if you can't or would prefer to not do it all in one day for a rental.

He added the Lenox diamond blades are adequate and a lot cheaper than Diablo.

Thanks Bill, I’ll try that. Originally my wife suggested she wanted some stones cut with a curve so I bought a few stone cutting disks at Harbor Freight for my grinder. I’ve done a couple of practice cuts and it would seem maybe I need some more practice. Seeing the first few stones laid she now thinks she wants straight but staggered edges. I think that’s going to be a easier plan to execute. I will still have some cuts to make but only straight cuts. This I think would be a good suggestion for a straight cut. Thanks

 

[pickles]

I’m unusually pretty productive on the weekends. I get pretty restless. After my 5:30 AM trip to get coffee, a shower and, weather permitting a four to six mile walk with the dog and the wife I am usually doing something in the workshop or to the house. I find it hard to relax.
But during the week it’s just the opposite. After a day at work and dinner I’m beat and I find it hard to do much of anything.
This week was unusual then as I got the motivation to work three week nights. I’m about two thirds done with the patio. Pretty happy too with how it’s turning out.
The Adirondack chair will stay there. I have another one just like it and both will get restained and sit on the patio. I’ve bought a stainless fire pit to sit between them. Looking forward to relaxing there this fall. To the extent I can relax at all.

 

[jbrentd]

Looking good @pickles !

 

[pickles]

More patio work this weekend. I figure I’m about 80% complete. I still have two or three stones that I will have to cut by the back door and another three towards the gangway on the side of the house. Then I will backfill with fresh dirt. Actual planting of things will largely have to wait until spring. Here is the view from the garage deck.

 

[billconner]

Very nice. I'm interpreting your not filling the area to the walls but planting? I like the soft edges.

 

[pickles]

Very nice. I'm interpreting your not filling the area to the walls but planting? I like the soft edges.

Bill, Yes, the idea is that the areas outside of the stone are all going to all be plants. We would like to see plants even spilling over on the bluestone so it’s edges disappear. At least that’s the hope.

 

[captain14]

What plants are you thinking about for that area? How much sun will they require and how much sun actually makes it there?

 

[xtremek]

It looks like you're setting the stones in cement, or are my eyes deceiving me?

 

[pickles]

It’s Quicrete Sand/ Topping Mix which is what a friend had recommended to me. But yes, more or less cement.

 

[pickles]

What plants are you thinking about for that area? How much sun will they require and how much sun actually makes it there?

You‘re really getting beyond my area of expertise now. Much more of a question for my wife. It’s very shady. We’ve had hostas there in the past and I’m sure we will have some there again. My wife is also planning on growing moss between the stones. What else? I have no idea. We do plan on redoing the landscaping completely to the front yard too. We may end up hiring someone to help us. Will see.

 

[pickles]

Mary Kay is getting a spa day.

I‘ve always been someone who enjoys a road trip. I’ve driven to Baltimore to get a painting, driven half way down Route 66 to buy a piece of woodworking equipment and also gone down to New Orleans because I more or less wanted soul food. Sometimes the journey is the destination.

I‘ve got another road trip this weekend. Primarily I’m driving my daughter to Washington DC where she starts college at George Washington University. But while I’m at it I’m also going to bring May Kay to get some work done at a shop in Virginia. Mary Kay is a solid car but she needs some love. I’m the only one who has worked on her since I bought her 15 years ago and while that’s been mostly fine its been long enough that she needs some more serious help than I can provide. Cosmetically she needs a new top and her seats red to be recovered. See below.


She is mostly rust free but has a little bit at the bottom of each front fender. I’m planning on getting this fixed as well.

Mechanically she is pretty solid but again there are a couple of things that I don’t want to do or don’t feel comfortable doing. She has stalled and left me strandes twice this summer. She has cold start problems. a carburetor rebuild is needed to hopefully address both issues. Also she has a bad power steering fluid leak. I’m hoping to get all of these issues fixed this winter. while I’m at it I also want someone to give her a though check up. Brakes, suspension, fluids hoses etc. I want her to be reliable. She could use a paint job too but I am wanting to avoid that. Will see.
So while I am taking my daughter to college I’ll be stopping in Broadway Virginia to drop of the Cadillac at a restoration shop I know. I know that a long way to go but I haven’t really found anyone that I like to work on the car in Chicago. The shop in Virginia is actually owned by a very distant relative so I have a level of comfort there.