Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT A Garage Rehabbed

[-Brent-]

The man door entrance to the garage is just across from my kids' bedroom window. I put a nice old light out there but I've been unable to use it. The bulb that was in there was 640 lumens and it was too bright to be right out their window. So, many times I'd just use my phone for light, late at night. Obviously that defeats the purpose (and the effort) of even having a light at all.

I set out to find a low output bulb. Some E26 bulbs that were low output weren't for outdoor use. I felt like I was wasting time looking for something that doesn't really exist. I mean, most people want brighter bulbs not dimmer - especially outside.

My solution was to use an E26 to E12 (candelabra base) socket adapter. In E12s I found a range from 50ish to high 300-range lumens. I chose a 53 lumen LED bulb.

Before:



After:



It's brighter than I thought it would be for 53 lumens.

The socket was from Amazon and the bulb (actually both bulbs) was from SuperBrightLeds.com.






Looking at it like this, I wondered what the output of light would be like.






When the building gets repainted it may help knock down the brightness, too. I'm waiting for the kids to be sound asleep before I test it out and check out the view from their room.

 

[-Brent-]

LMFAO, I might my some OCD tendencies but that's only about things being same height, symmetrical, and drawers lining up. That's at far as is goes. Hey just be glad there screws in the plate. Even through I like my personal shop a certain way I go by the rule your shop your rules.

I knew there was a reason why I liked you! And, I agree, life is easier when you let people be who they are.

 

[Lyndon]

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I marked the depth with some electrical tape. The screws will get aged and the handles painted.

In his defense, they aren't painted and polished yet.....?

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Lyndon, thanks for the defense but whoa whoa WHOA - POLISHED?

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Brent

My bad - I read your post as "painted and polished", but you said "aged and painted". . . . .

Or maybe I really wanted you to paint and polish them. to satisfy my OCD tendencies.

Or maybe I just need to get my goggles adjusted.

Lyndon
POETS Day here, and we're on the final run in......

 

[Knyte Tyne]

People cant be OCD if there is nothing to be OCD over... Your just doing your public duty to keep peoples mental instabilities healthy...

Those doors really are coming together quite nicely. Is the wood finished in your opinion? or are you planning on ageing it as well?

 

[bj383ss]

I am loving the barn doors and the latch you put on them. Great researching on the outside light. I didn't know such a product existed.

I have a bunch of old cut slot woodscrews as well that I will probably never use if you are interested.

Bret

 

[-Brent-]

Those doors really are coming together quite nicely. Is the wood finished in your opinion? or are you planning on ageing it as well?

The doors being 100+ years old are in decent shape. They do need some love, though. My plan is to get them into better shape than they are but still retain some of the character earned throughout the years. I follow a couple craftsmen on Instagram whom do a lot of work with dyed epoxy (in place of wood filler) and I think these doors could be decent candidates for a similar treatment. I picked up some black dye and I'll use that in the epoxy, rather than wood filler.

I'd like to repair the major issues and leave the stuff that gives them character like the dents, the notched keyhole, worn edges, etc. Also, I have some burn marks from when I was removing the paint. I'd like to get most of that cleaned up, too.

The stain I'm going to put on them is walnut and I think I chose semi-gloss polyurethane. I can't remember...

 

[-Brent-]

I am loving the barn doors and the latch you put on them. Great researching on the outside light. I didn't know such a product existed.

I have a bunch of old cut slot woodscrews as well that I will probably never use if you are interested.

Bret

Thanks, Bret. Slodat is going to hook me up with a few. But if they end up being too big or something, I'd for sure let you know.

I didn't even think about putting a better looking screw in there. I'm glad you all picked up on it. It's a small detail that will go a long way.


I did check out the light while the kids were sleeping. It's a lot less intrusive. You can tell the light is on through their curtain but it's not as bright as their night light. If we put a black-out curtain liner in there, it wouldn't be noticeable at all. And since it would only be the one window, they wouldn't be sleeping late into the morning.

 

[Duker]

...... dyed epoxy (in place of wood filler) and I think these doors could be decent candidates for a similar treatment. I picked up some black dye and I'll use that in the epoxy, rather than wood filler.

Brent epoxy makes a great filler. Just be very frugal on the dye as just a few drops are all that is needed for most fill jobs. If you add too much you can really affect the curing time and process and end up with one gooey mess ( don't ask me how I know)

Years ago I used to use black tinted epoxy with crushed turquoise (still pretty cheap from jewelry supply companies) in the cracks and crevices of mesquite since every tree has a wind check. My dad and I used to joke with people that's how the Indians found it as it grew naturally in the tree.... I can't count how many times people bought it hook line and sinker! The best way to knock down excess is with a hand cabinet scraper or a #80 Stanley type scraper. Then a little fine sanding and you are done!



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[-Brent-]

Brent epoxy makes a great filler. Just be very frugal on the dye as just a few drops are all that is needed for most fill jobs. If you add too much you can really affect the curing time and process and end up with one gooey mess ( don't ask me how I know)

Years ago I used to use black tinted epoxy with crushed turquoise (still pretty cheap from jewelry supply companies) in the cracks and crevices of mesquite since every tree has a wind check. My dad and I used to joke with people that's how the Indians found it as it grew naturally in the tree.... I can't count how many times people bought it hook line and sinker! The best way to knock down excess is with a hand cabinet scraper or a #80 Stanley type scraper. Then a little fine sanding and you are done!

Awesome tips, Duker, thanks! You actually commented on two items I was needing to do a little homework on. I don't actually own a hand/cabinet scraper but it looks like it would be the tool to make the job easier. It's been a while since I've bought any tools, so I'm excited on that front, too.

This guy used a "card scraper." Any thoughts on which I'd get more use out of or are they pretty much the same thing?

 

[Duker]

This guy[/URL] used a "card scraper." Any thoughts on which I'd get more use out of or are they pretty much the same thing?

A card scraper is the same as a hand scraper which is usually a piece of tool steel that you first bevel the edge and then roll/burnish a hook which is the actual cutting edge. If you have never used one get a card/hand scraper as it is a very useful tool to learn how to use. By bending or flexing the steel you can adjust how aggressive a cut you want to take. An old hardened engine valve makes a great burnisher to roll the edge. Make a small wooded handle and epoxy the valve into it and add a mill file and you have an awesome finishing set up.

To sharpen the steel scraper, place in a vice and put a 45 degree bevel across one (long) edge. Run the newly filed edge on an Arkansas or Japanese (my favorites) stone to erase the file marks and to hone the edge. Use the burnisher to roll the edge of the bevel another 5 degrees. It sounds simple but it will take a little practice. Once you learn however, you will be able to slice a shaving just like a hand plane but without the fear of tear out.



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[-Brent-]

Sounds like I have a bit to learn! Neat, I'll pick some up.

Thanks for dropping some knowledge, Duker!

 

[zjrog]

Oh, and I almost forgot! Here's an image of the valve set-up of my first 4 zones. As you can see there are no unions and no way to remove the valves.




I can rebuild the valves in place. So, I am going to stock up on valves at the end of the season. I'm hoping I can get a better deal, then. That way I'll have solenoids, diaphragms, etc., on hand since nobody carries these, locally, anymore.

The only thing worse than that was replacing 30 year old valves with newer valves. The old ones had unions that didn't fit anything new. And I had to dig through a passle of 30 year old tree and shrubbery roots... That was my house in California. Getting ready to add new circuits for my back yard here in Utah now...

 

[-Brent-]

This weekend almost got the best of me. We attended two weddings and receptions, making for a pretty rough 48 hours on my liver.

I've been with my wife 10 years (this month) and married nearly 8. I've been to quite a few Asian weddings since we've been together and it's always fun to see non-Asians at the dinner tables react to the food when it comes out as many meals are served family style but the plating is not like they're used to.

Here's an example:




Monday ended up being a day to catch up on chores (lawn, yard work, etc.) and then hanging out with the kids, whom had been at their grandparents all weekend.

The kids and I have been talking about a sprinkler in the yard for the summer. I looked around to see what I could come up with and after a visit to the hardware store, for a little under $10 this is what we came up with.



The shower head was saved from our bathroom remodel (it's a heavy, chromed brass piece). The impact sprinkler came with the house and I use it for spot watering, still. And the pop-up sprinkler I bought, today. I figured mounting it a bit of an angle would help opening the valve without getting too wet. No such luck!



They loved it! As well, my son heard the word contraption for the first time. He thinks all "contraptions" are these things. I tried explaining to him what contraption meant but I failed, haha. I blame the recent brain cell loss.

So, like many days I sneak out to the shop to get another item checked off the list. I spoke to so many folks at the weddings whom asked if I had any new projects or if the garage or hotrod or off-road rig were done. It was nice to be able to say that the shop is functional, now, and nearly complete. As well, It got me all charged up to get out of a "monkey suit" and into some work clothes.

I've been wanting to get the lights wired in the attic. I held off because I figured I'd get the walls done, first. But, I'm at the point where I'm almost into this garage project a year. I'd like to finish the workspace over the next 2 weeks and then start the Samaurai's to-do list. And since it's summer, I'm just generally busier. So, the attic can wait until the Samurai is done. I'm okay with that.

One of the things I am planning on is getting up into the mountains and hiking with the kids one day a week. I've already cleared it with work that I'll be leaving early once a week. There are enough hikes within 15 minutes of our house (we live at the foot of the Wasatch mountains) that we can hike a different trail every week from here to the fall and not have hiked them all.

Anyway, sorry for the sidetrack! The boxes and wiring was already done. All I had to do was install the lamp holder, cage and bulb in each of the 2 boxes.





After everything was wired up, I tested it (no flash during pic).



I trimmed the cage of the light above the attic ladder.



With these Knipex mini bolt cutters. Everyone should own a set. They're great.



Here's a shot, looking up, into the attic from down below. I feel pretty fancy having attic lights on their own switch. A year ago I'd crawl around the loft (being careful where to step or I'd fall through the floor) with a flashlight in my mouth.

 

[-Brent-]

I've been busy so the to-do list hasn't been getting any attention.

However, yesterday, I got a few things in the mail and that had me eager to spend a little time in the shop.

First off, Garage Journal members are pretty cool. I've met some great guys and then, there are others I've never met but have showed me incredible kindness. Add, Slodat (Steven) to the list.

When he saw the latch for the shutter doors he offered up some more fitting hardware. When we PMed back and forth he asked my size. This is what showed up:



Beyond being super cool for the offer he sent me a shirt and he must be a pretty savvy business man because I have a couple hot rods needing interior over the next couple years. He's planting the seeds! Slodat, ever worked with saddle leather? That's the stuff I want to put into the T roadster. Thanks, Steve, I appreciate it! Truly!

I also want to thank Bret (bj383ss) because he made the same offer for better hardware although I didn't take him up on it. And since I'm dropping names of helpful Garage Journal folks, another guy named Dan but you may know him as Finallygotit or any of the fine names I've come up with for him... he saw my sprinkler mess and offered to come out and repair my whole system for me and bring his concrete truck and do my driveway, too. Wait... that's not true. He actually offered me a really generous hookup on sprinkler supplies, which I am going to him up on!

Back to the latch:



They're going to need a little more TLC to sink the screws flat but I think they do look a lot better.



I drilled the holes larger to fit the shoulder of the screw and added a little more chamfer. I need to find a chamfer bit that matches a little better. I got it close but it could be better.



Then I added the screws on both sides, making sure I appeased both the OCD and the anti-OCD which actually just pisses off the OCD. even I was uncomfortable when looking at this pic.



Lastly, I ordered this dust cover and plopped it on. The paint is for the shelf. I'll get on that this weekend.


That's it, for now. I'm hoping to get some bigger things done, this weekend. As well, I've got a couple really big hot rod project developments in the works. We're trying to hammer out the details so I can't confirm anything yet. But, if all works out it will be catapulting a stalled hot rod project forward.

 

[slodat]

I've been busy so the to-do list hasn't been getting any attention.

However, yesterday, I got a few things in the mail and that had me eager to spend a little time in the shop.

First off, Garage Journal members are pretty cool. I've met some great guys and then, there are others I've never met but have showed me incredible kindness. Add, Slodat (Steven) to the list.

When he saw the latch for the shutter doors he offered up some more fitting hardware. When we PMed back and forth he asked my size. This is what showed up:

Beyond being super cool for the offer he sent me a shirt and he must be a pretty savvy business man because I have a couple hot rods needing interior over the next couple years. He's planting the seeds! Slodat, ever worked with saddle leather? That's the stuff I want to put into the T roadster. Thanks, Steve, I appreciate it! Truly!

Brent - I had so much fun putting that little package together. Often times the things with the biggest impact have little to no monetary value. I'm happy to help out a like minded guy any time! It's all in the details.

As far as "saddle leather" it is a poor candidate for a car interior. Automotive leathers are processed quite differently to make them last in the environment of an auto interior. With that said, I'm guessing you are referring to the distressed look like what you would see in saddles. That is an option. It's a great option that has a timeless appearance. I work with two amazing leather suppliers and they both offer some really cool hides that fit a traditional hot rod perfectly.

 

[Finallygotit]

And since I'm dropping names of helpful Garage Journal folks, another guy named Dan but you may know him as Finallygotit or any of the fine names I've come up with for him... he saw my sprinkler mess and offered to come out and repair my whole system for me and bring his concrete truck and do my driveway, too. Wait... that's not true. He actually offered me a really generous hookup on sprinkler supplies, which I am going to him up on!

Nice job on the latches BTW!

 

[Bob Heine]

-Brent-, just wanted to curse and thank you for the Knipex promo. I have diagonal cutters that I use to cut wire and cables but they cause way too many grandpa grunts. At $38.23, Amazon has a decent price on that Knipex 7101200 8-Inch Lever Action Mini-Bolt Cutter. It looks like it ships from Germany so it may take a while to get to me. I'll just avoid looking at things that need to be cut grunt-free.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SOSC4Y/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Grumblebum]

Double grunt free now

Thanks boys.

GB

 

[jblnut]

I've spent the last 24hrs reading through this thread and I've gotta say, all messes aside, you've got more ambition out in the shop than I do !!! I've got a bunch of old tin around that I was going to scrap but with every picture you posted of it I want to use it more and more. It all looks great !!


Where did you source the combo air/electric reel set ??

 

[Bob Heine]

Brent, I'm at the age when object permanence is becoming a problem. I was reading your post about unusual foods and planned to comment but KNIPEX wiped that out.

I am always amazed at the wonderful food most people pass up because it's not what they grew up on. Sydney (Australia) has a Chinatown as good as any I've seen, including San Francisco and New York. Although my wife is a huge fan of Americanized Chinese food (Shrimp with Lobster Sauce, etc.), we tried a Sydney Dim Sum (Yum Cha) restaurant. One cart passed without stopping so I asked the server what it was. She gave me a lovely smile and said "not for you" so I ordered a bowl -- it was steamed chicken feet in black bean sauce.

I tried it and it was fantastic. My wife, who isn't usually a foodie, tried a piece and immediately asked the server for a second bowl. I've tried to make it myself but failed miserably so I have to rely on the kindness of strangers to get my fix. The only restaurant that had cockscomb on the menu was out of it the day we were there but I would try it in a heartbeat. My rule for food is "If it fits in my mouth, I'll eat it!" Maybe not twice, but at least give it a try.

 

[zmotorsports]

Excellent progress on the "to do" list.

I couldn't agree more about the generosity of fellow garagejournal members. The couple I have met have been stand up guys and I hope to meet more.

I love following along on your projects Brent.

Mike


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[-Brent-]

Brent - I had so much fun putting that little package together. Often times the things with the biggest impact have little to no monetary value. I'm happy to help out a like minded guy any time! It's all in the details.

As far as "saddle leather" it is a poor candidate for a car interior. Automotive leathers are processed quite differently to make them last in the environment of an auto interior. With that said, I'm guessing you are referring to the distressed look like what you would see in saddles. That is an option. It's a great option that has a timeless appearance. I work with two amazing leather suppliers and they both offer some really cool hides that fit a traditional hot rod perfectly.

Thanks again, man! I appreciate it.

As for the "saddle leather," I have two hides that I've had for years that I've wanted to use as crude seat covering material. This car is crude and just a rough-around-the edges, yet simple, car. I once saw an authentic 36 Ford that was hopped up a long time ago and the previous owner, the one that hopped it up, used a similar colored hide (to what I bought) and took care of it the way you would a saddle and it lasted decades. It have really heavy thread and may have even been done by hand. It had blemishes in the hide and was really thick (you could tell by the bottom of the seat where you could see the edge of the material. The seat bottom was worn by his ****, but I assume it was conditioned often and well taken care of over the years. However, it was exactly the opposite of any auto upholstery I'd seen in a "finished" type of hot rod and it stuck with me.

My coupe will get a traditional interior (I've already got the color chosen and the plan for that). But for this roadster, I'm really stuck on this... you're right on every account but I

Nice job on the latches BTW!

Thanks, buddy! Hope all is well down there. We're nearing 100* on the thermostat, so you all have to be what, 150*, 200*?

-Brent-, just wanted to curse and thank you for the Knipex promo. I have diagonal cutters that I use to cut wire and cables but they cause way too many grandpa grunts. At $38.23, Amazon has a decent price on that Knipex 7101200 8-Inch Lever Action Mini-Bolt Cutter. It looks like it ships from Germany so it may take a while to get to me. I'll just avoid looking at things that need to be cut grunt-free.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SOSC4Y/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I don't remember what I paid but I don't think I paid full price (I usually try not to). I don't think I got mine from Amazon, either. Still, I'd keep a look-out if you'd like one in the future and when one pops up for a deal, grab it. I use this one often.

Double grunt free now

Thanks boys.

GB

Cool! I've cut all sorts of things from machine screws to wire.

I've spent the last 24hrs reading through this thread and I've gotta say, all messes aside, you've got more ambition out in the shop than I do !!! I've got a bunch of old tin around that I was going to scrap but with every picture you posted of it I want to use it more and more. It all looks great !!


Where did you source the combo air/electric reel set ??

Wow, Thanks JBLNut! Whenever someone comments that they've taken on the whole thread, I'm pretty humbled that someone would be so interested to take it on. I appreciate it, for sure.

As for the old tin, get this, I spoke to a man whom owns a junk shop and has taken on renovating the customer seating areas of a local restaurant chain. He called me up after searching for some barn tin and somehow my old ad was floating around for my leftover stuff. He was pretty amped on getting it and equally disappointed to find out it was long gone.

Two locations he used materials from barns he'd salvaged but he doesn't have materials to do two more restaurants that the chain is going to be opening. He said that the folks that do have corrugated to sell want 10 and 12 dollars per linear foot. That would put me over a thousand dollars just for the high ceiling - that's nuts! And it also makes me think I sold the leftovers WAY TOO CHEAP!

I told him about this thread and how to age new stuff but he was really stuck on getting authentic barn materials.

Anyway, as for the cord/hose reel. I searched around for the best price and I ended up getting it from an industrial supply place online (MRO Supply) whom had the best price at the time. However, they ordered it and had it drop shipped directly from CoxReels.

Brent, I'm at the age when object permanence is becoming a problem. I was reading your post about unusual foods and planned to comment but KNIPEX wiped that out.

I am always amazed at the wonderful food most people pass up because it's not what they grew up on. Sydney (Australia) has a Chinatown as good as any I've seen, including San Francisco and New York. Although my wife is a huge fan of Americanized Chinese food (Shrimp with Lobster Sauce, etc.), we tried a Sydney Dim Sum (Yum Cha) restaurant. One cart passed without stopping so I asked the server what it was. She gave me a lovely smile and said "not for you" so I ordered a bowl -- it was steamed chicken feet in black bean sauce.


I tried it and it was fantastic. My wife, who isn't usually a foodie, tried a piece and immediately asked the server for a second bowl. I've tried to make it myself but failed miserably so I have to rely on the kindness of strangers to get my fix. The only restaurant that had cockscomb on the menu was out of it the day we were there but I would try it in a heartbeat. My rule for food is "If it fits in my mouth, I'll eat it!" Maybe not twice, but at least give it a try.

The "not for you" comment gave me a chuckle because I've pretty much seen that exact same thing a handful of times. However, I'm not like you. There are just some things I can't fathom eating one of them being chicken feet. The other is fish eyeballs.

A quick story about fish eyeballs. A few years back we were at a wedding. Seated at our table was a friend's nearly teenage son. I asked him if he at the eyeball. He was grossed out. A few minutes later the conversation reduced to how much would it take for this young man to eat a fish eyeball. The thought of getting paid to try intrigued him and in total he made like $40 from people dropping a few bucks on the table. I thought it was funny because he said yes at like $10, so all of this extra money was a bonus for him.

Someone at the table popped out the eye and plopped it onto his plate. He picked it up and tossed it in his mouth like a piece of popcorn. Except, he had a rude awakening at the first chew... haha. He struggled with it and spit it into his napkin, earning respect from lots of folks whose attention he grabbed.

Especially me! I'm sitting there thinking this kid is more of an adventurous man than I'll ever be until our friend, Simon, comes over at the tail end of the ruckus, wondering what it's all about and he says, "they paid you to eat the eyeball? I eat them for free!" and he turns the fish over, pops out the eye and eats it like candy!

So, yeah, I'm never going to be THAT adventurous.

Excellent progress on the "to do" list.

I couldn't agree more about the generosity of fellow garagejournal members. The couple I have met have been stand up guys and I hope to meet more.

I love following along on your projects Brent.

Mike

Thanks, Mike! Pretty soon we'll be both back to working on projects. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting close... and it's not a train... it's daylight!

 

[-Brent-]

Whoa! That was a lot of writing.

I've been working a lot of overtime and the weather has been incredible, so when it comes to my usual routine of heading to the shop when everyone is heading to bed, I can't hang. I am turning in early too. However, over the last couple days I have gotten a few things done.

This time we'll tell the story with pics and minimal writing. Haha.

I decided to take on getting the side shelf finished. This was something I didn't need a lot of time, consecutively, to put into it to get done. I was hoping that this weekend I'd have a couple big chunks of time to work on the shutter doors but, no such luck. Still, this shelf is something I wanted done.

I pulled the shelf and used the Hazet trolley, which from looking at the pic, is a bit wonky. Weird, I didn't notice that until now. I didn't turn the arm all the way straight (they fold for storage). Also, this is something I want to clean up, in the future. It needs a new chain that holds up the bottom shelf and it could use a good overall bath and some other TLC.





I spent a little time with acetone cleaning it up.

Then, some primer.





Hours later, I primed the underside. I'm getting better at NOT touching the wet paint. I do fear, though, that I am a lost cause when it comes to that bad habit.

Then a couple coats of paint:





Then, I went to work (kind-of nice to work when the office is closed). And, being nine miles away from the drying paint meant no fingerprints.

After a couple hours I had to meet a financial advisor for my in-laws, looks like he had to work on a Saturday, too. We met at a bar and grill and I had a little time to kill so I took a scenic route and stopped at this antique/junk store because I'd heard there were a bunch of interesting old tools. But, there wasn't anything really all that interesting and the seller was really proud of his stuff.

However, I did see this gem parked outside.



I then made my way to the bar and grill. There was a lot going on in this section of town so I was forced to park underground. It was the narrowest enterence and exit I've ever had to navigate in my truck and, to my surprise, there were a couple long bed trucks down there, I don't know how the got in and parked as well as they did.





I hung over on both ends but figured to keep the nose back as much as possible. But there was no avoiding it for this guy. He was parked well - there was just no avoiding the overhang.



Then, finally after going home and seeing a restless family wanting to get out of the house, we went back downtown (the kids love big buildings, elevators, the people, traffic, the Trax (our public transportation trains), etc.) so we did a bunch of that and finished it off with a hike up in the mountains. I was beat but I wanted to get that shelf in, knowing Sunday would be more time in the closed office and probably returning to a yet again restless family.



But, wouldn't you know that even though I wasn't even around to stick my grubby fingers into the wet paint to test the dryness, I still marred the paint when I went to tap it back with two dead blows. I sat one against the shelf and tapped with the other, hitting the hammer and not the paint. That did no good as I put a couple dings in the still soft paint. That wasn't the issue. It was that I had waxed the surface and decided to clean it a bit before touching it up to avoid contamination from the wax. I should have left it alone at that point and addressed it later. My messing with it screwed up a thumbnail sized spot. Luckily, I've touched wet paint so much that I'm experienced in repairs from dumb moves.

Unfortunately, no pics for y'all. I was too busy cursing myself and doing the touch-up in place.

The final product, finished this morning. The mess-up is hidden well enough. You'd have to be pretty up close to see it.





Man, I've really got to clean the tops of those boxes. What an eyesore!

More coming soon. Thanks, everyone.

 

[-Brent-]

When we bought our house, the day we took posession of the keys we started and 18-month nearly whole house remodel. The "electrician" on site was a friend of my wife's friend. He didn't make it through the whole job before he was fired. It took me a couple months to find and fix his shoddy work. My blood still starts to boil just by thinking about it.

One of the his genius efforts still remains (not for long) and I'll be thrilled to see it go.

I've mentioned it before that the garage was running off a kitchen light circuit. As a temporary set-up, that's not all that horrible. What's horrible is how the guy executed the tie-in.

Here's how the power from the garage ran to the house.





And here's his solution. Again, I don't mind an outlet (which fell apart when I pulled the plug) it's the hack work I hate.




No more wire, finally! The plan is to redo the metal work. This will happen when the roof is being done. The roof is happening this summer so there'll be a little wait.





I'm going to get the trim patched up and primed. I'm going to pick up a dowel to fill the hole and I saved the chip that came out when I pulled the wire. The garage will also get painted, this summer or early fall. I'd love to do it immediately but that's not happening. This is not the type of stuff you can do when everyone is in bed, haha.



I was hesitant to post these photos because this is not the quality of work I want to be associated with. But, throughout this thread I've tried to give an honest look at things. And, in a few months details like pictures above will be a fading memory.

 

[zmotorsports]

I feel for ya Brent having to fix shoddy workmanship. I can also relate how you hate to look at something that isn't executed properly. I am the same way and when we first purchased our home I too was getting more and more pissed everywhere I looked for this reason.

I can say that it will all be worth it when you can pull in your driveway and not see that workmanship any longer and know things are done correctly.

Keep up the good work and I enjoy reading about your projects.

Mike

 

[-Brent-]

I feel for ya Brent having to fix shoddy workmanship. I can also relate how you hate to look at something that isn't executed properly. I am the same way and when we first purchased our home I too was getting more and more pissed everywhere I looked for this reason.

I can say that it will all be worth it when you can pull in your driveway and not see that workmanship any longer and know things are done correctly.

Keep up the good work and I enjoy reading about your projects.

Mike

You know what *****, in my opinion, the previous owner built this house and they took impeccable care of it. It was worn from being an older place but overall it was in good shape. And it was well built. When I gutted the bathroom and checked for square it was less than a 1/4 out. The sh!t work came from two guys that I hired (electrician and drywaller). After firing each of them I spent way too long redoing their work.

I've probably hung 5,000 sheets of drywall in my life so I know it's not all that hard to do... and I saw the value in saving time and having someone do it knowing most people could knock out something simple and make some easy money. Problem is with small jobs with lots of patch work, that's usually a gig for a small outift. I removed every single bit of his work and 5 years later, I rarely think about it.

But the above hack work has been hanging around for five years! It didn't exist before we purchased the house. I think that's half of what infuriates me.

Luckily, it's the last of the hack work.

I should ask... do you know of any siding guys? Now that I know folks out here it's easier finding decent tradesmen. RME has really made life easier in this regard. I feel like I have a decent network out here, now.

 

[zmotorsports]

You know what *****, in my opinion. They previous owner built this house and they took impeccable care of it. It was worn from being an older place but overall it was in good shape. And it was well built. When I gutted the bathroom and checked for square it was less than a 1/4 out. The sh!t work came from two guys that I hired (electrician and drywaller). After firing each of them I spent way too long redoing their work.

I've probably hung 5,000 sheets of drywall in my life so I know it's not all that hard to do... and I saw the value in saving time and having someone do it knowing most people could knock out something simple and make some easy money. Problem is with small jobs with lots of patch work, that's usually a gig for a small outift. I removed every single bit of his work and 5 years later, I rarely think about it.

But the above hack work has been hanging around for five years! I didn't exist before we purchased the house. I think that's half of what infuriates me.

Luckily, it's the last of the hack work.

I should ask... do you know of any siding guys? Now that I know folks out here it's easier finding decent tradesmen. RME has really made life easier in this regard. I feel like I have a decent network out here, now.

That's too bad that the hack work is actually from guys you hired Brent. Nothing like paying someone to do something half-assed just to tear it out and redo it.

As to the siding, I don't know of anyone right off my head. When I built my last shop back in the early 90's my next door neighbor owned a siding business and we did some trading for a great deal on the siding plus letting me use his scaffolding. After he moved away I had never needed siding again. Sorry.

I will ask my GC though and see if there is someone he would recommend in along the Wasatch front area here.

I guess I will have to become more active on RME. I go on there occasionally a couple times a week but the majority of my time is spent here. Maybe I should change that seeing as how most members of RME are in fact local.

Mike

 

[-Brent-]

The idea of having a photographer take some pics of the finished shop was mentioned a while back. I found a local guy whom does a lot of automotive and motorcycle work and I really like his style. I sent him a message through IG and he took a look at some of the pics of the shop and was interested. I hadn’t expected to find someone so fast. He gave me a very fair price and all I needed to do was finish the shop. If I had given max effort after we first talked, I’d be done by now but I’ve been off having fun as well as using the garage rather than working on it regularly.

However, last night, he shoots me a message and we chatted back and forth and it lit a fire under me. In a couple hours I’d really made some headway.

The first thing that was on my mind was to clean the box tops. They’d been collecting junk for 6 years. When I was cleaning them out, 10% of the stuff went where it belonged and the rest went into the garbage can… also where it belonged.



It’s something I’m continually being reminded of that the recycling and trash bins are an essential item to being organized and the shop remaining tidy.



At the moment, two of them are empty and the great thing is I don’t have anything to put in them. I figured that one top box spot made a perfect spot for my ball gloves and a couple balls. They’re the only non-shop related items in the garage.

With that done, I continued onto another to-do list item, prepping the trim and other wood areas of the shop.

This boarded window will eventually get stained to match the trim and shutter on the window on the opposite wall.





This door trim will be painted white. The door will be painted white, too.



I went back and forth to either paint or stain the plywood on this wall and paint won out. (Side note, when painting plywood do NOT use water based.)

Also, there are a few screws that I didn't cover. That's because this piece is an access panel. Should I need to add another circuit, all I would have to do is pull this panel, one on top of the shelf, and another in the attic and I can run wire along the east and north wall. The other areas are accessible but not as simply.





Tonight, I’ll hit the holes with putty again because the stuff I have shrinks. And then it’s sand, prime, sand, prime, sand and finally paint. That puts the paint work being done in 4 days. The stain and poly will probably be a bit behind that since I’d like to get the doors done at the same time, but I haven’t epoxied them, yet. I need a couple tools (I don’t have scrapers for the epoxy, nor do I own large enough pipe clamps to fix one of the doors). The scrapers are ordered and hopefully my neighbor has some pipe clamps.

Also, can we talk for a minute about how many different variations of white exist? I didn’t want the white out of the can (looks too new) but once I started comparing I was floored at how many options there are… and how quickly I became judgmental as to what was a nice white and what wasn’t.

 

[dittle fart around]

[/URL]



Also, can we talk for a minute about how many different variations of white exist? I didn’t want the white out of the can (looks too new) but once I started comparing I was floored at how many options there are… and how quickly I became judgmental as to what was a nice white and what wasn’t.

I'm partial to the vanilla milkshake look. Anything that doesn't show dirt. For my garage it would have to be gray to match the grinding dust. I guess if you were into wood working, go beige.

Always happy to help.

 

[OzarkMan]

Wow, I love this build! The corrugated metal and can lights are just plain awesome! I read the whole thing! You just gave me some ideas when I get back to my garage organizing.

 

[sublime68charger]

making great strides as always and you have to take some time off to have fun with the family as you go along with things!

 

[-Brent-]

I'm partial to the vanilla milkshake look. Anything that doesn't show dirt. For my garage it would have to be gray to match the grinding dust. I guess if you were into wood working, go beige.

Always happy to help.

No help! There are probably more grays than white. And beige? Do you mean Malted Milk or Spun Sugar? Or perhaps Toasted Almond or better yet - Gray Beige?

Haha, I'll have to find the name of the white I chose. I'm hoping it's as impressive as some of these:

Wow, I love this build! The corrugated metal and can lights are just plain awesome! I read the whole thing! You just gave me some ideas when I get back to my garage organizing.

Thanks, Simon! And thanks for taking the time to delve into the thread, too. I'd love to see what you're up to, do you have a link?

making great strides as always and you have to take some time off to have fun with the family as you go along with things!

Thanks and I agree about taking time to have fun.

We've got a work-sponsored softball team and I played one year, when the kids were much smaller. It was fun but we lost every game as most of the team didn't ever play sports.

As the kids grew, each summer I'd pass on joining the team. I didn't want the disruption of our routine - because I've grown to expect and need it as much as either of the kids. At some point in our lives I made the block of time from the moment I came home to the time they went to bed our block of time. No phone, no social media, and most times no TV. During the week, it's the biggest block of time they get me 100%. It's also why I work on/in the shop, most times, when they're in bed.

Anyway, back to the team, I'd get grief, occasionally, for having chosen that over an evening with colleagues and playing but this year it's really ramped up. They're hurting for players and it's to the point that there probably won't be a team next year. When they ask "why" nearly daily, I tell them it's "kid time" and I only get so much. Probably a half dozen times I've heard "it's just a few weeks." But it's not. It's 10 weeks: that's more than 40 hours throughout the summer. In that amount of time I could get my little boy to ride well enough to lose the training wheels or get my daughter to learn to pump and kick and swing on her own. It's 40 hours I could have either one of them learning how to throw AND catch a ball, etc.

I'd rather make memories with the family. You know what's most interesting, to me? Fellas here get that. But I know people in the periphery of my life whom don't. Isn't that crazy?

Oh... and UPS just dropped off a package from Rockler! I've got my new Bahco card scraper and a fancy, English burnisher that I've got to look on YouTube to learn how to use because I didn't understand what the heck Duker was talking about a few pages back.

 

[Finallygotit]

Dorkwood??

 

[54earl]

I was going to vote Turdly ???

 

[-Brent-]

Dorkwood??

I was going to vote Turdly ???

These paint samples are the recent results of an AI experiment. The neural network was given nearly 8,000 Sherwin-Williams colors (this is why I'm frustrated, you see... 7,700 colors of paint! ) along with their RGB values. The task of the network was to see if it could invent new colors and give them names.

The names are pretty much what I'd expect some off-his-rocker and high-as-a-kite hippy would come up with.

I'd call it a success!

 

[jp828108]

Really like the shelf for the stereo receiver. I think it turned out super nice.

 

[-Brent-]

Really like the shelf for the stereo receiver. I think it turned out super nice.

Thanks, JP! I've lurked your thread for a while, cool of you to post up over here.

 

[-Brent-]

My wife is reading “The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy and as we’ve been discussing it (I haven’t started reading it, yet, but I have devoured a few hours of him speaking on the subject of his book – it’s phenomenal) I’m getting pretty inspired.

How’s that remotely relevant to this thread? Well, as we discuss the book’s contents, my yearlong shop project kept popping up relating the ideas of the book and how I've taken it on over the year. Mainly the idea that in one year, which is tomorrow, the shop is unrecognizable from when I started. However, I haven’t been living all parts of my life with the mindset of continuous improvement that eventually leads to big change, but with projects – I always do.

Realizing that there’s this missing in the other areas of my life has me taking a look at what I can accomplish and if this was “The Life Journal” I’d start a new thread along the same lines.

So, here’s my latest small, seemingly insignificant choices/actions (which help lead to big/huge/significant results).

I have two holes in the face of the garage. One from my own error and the other from removing the wire that used to power the shop. The plan is to insert dowels into them and seal the holes up.

No need for the miter saw. A hand saw did the trick.



Some glue. I probably looked odd to the new neighbors standing a the top of an 8' ladder taking a pic of a dowel. Well, welcome to the neighborhood, folks!



And tapped in.



Same process, just a little lower.



With this one, I also glued the chip that broke off when pulling the cauled-in wire. I'll go over it with the sander before I paint.



Here's the shop, as the sun is setting (behind me), hence the color.



I headed back into the shop and sanded all the areas I used filler on. After that, I went around and refilled wherever necessary. Below is the scrap wood window boards. After the first sanding I got excited to see how the filler will show up under the stain. There are some interesting shapes/marks that I filled.



And, lastly, a pic of the scraper and burnisher and some of those Rockler "Bench Cookies" I've wanted them for a while put never pulled the trigger. It was either buy these and get free shipping, or pay the same amount for shipping as these cost. That doesn't happen often!



More progress, soon!

 

[BoilermakerFan]

The shelf and cover for the Yamaha receiver looks great!

 

[burger]

Hey Brent,

I just ordered a copy of the Compound Effect. There's a similar Freakonomics podcast episode "In Praise of Incrementalism" that you and your wife would probably enjoy listening to. There's another episode, "In Praise of Maintenance," that goes with it... both make the same point that most innovation is done in tiny steps, not one big game changer.

Ed