Introduction

[Sam Layton]

116715

116716Hello,

I have been visiting SMC for a long time. However, I have never introduced myself. I feel like I already know so many of you.

I am retired and live in Southern California. I have been doing a major remodel of my house for a long time. In addition, I built a new shop... The house was stripped down to the the studs, and the roof was removed from the top plate up. I have done all of the framing, along with the help of another carpenter, and I have done all of the electrical.

I am at the point that I can retire my skill saw and hammer. I have about two days to go setting up the shop. At the end of the week I hope to start building my kitchen and bath cabinets. After that I am going to build my front door and all of the interior doors. I have already purchased 10 sheets of pre-finished ply, and 300 bf of riff sawn oak. My first project will be the bath cabinets.

My shop is 750 sq ft, along with a 225 sq ft thinking porch. I have installed T-8 fluorescent lighting in the shop, and my radio will not work... I can't work without the hepl of a radio. Does anyone have T-8 fluorescent lights and a radio that will work? I do not want to pay a monthly fee for xm.

I hope I have attached photo's of the shop. When I get the shop set up I will add photo's of the inside.

I want to thank everone for all of the good information you have provided.

Sam

[Mike Henderson]

Welcome, Sam. Where are you in So Cal?

Mike

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Hello Sam! Nice to have you posting!


I have nothing but T-8 lighting in my shop and my radio works fine. It's just a rather "economical" boombox my daughter gave me for Christmas one year. I only use the FM band function on it.

Keep us posted with your new cabinets and shop setup!

[Bruce Page]

Sam, welcome to SMC.

That's a shop?!? What does your home look like!

Sweet, but we'd like to see the insids too.

[John Thompson]

Welcome Sam. That's a very cozy looking bungalow.... errrr ..... shop. The thinking porch is a nice idea for S. Cal also with your weather. Not quite as warm here in Georgia but.. enough so that 9 months of the year my natural gas heater never see's a flame and the winters aren't really that bad at all.

Like Ken... T8 with a boom-box and no problem really. With that said... I lost bout 30% hearing in Vietnam and with a TS.. cyclone.. radio all going at once... who knows if the radio is getting interference? :)

Good luck...

Sarge..

[Don Bullock]

Welcome Sam. That's a fantastic shop building and I love the idea of the "thinking porch" especially here in Southern California. That's one thing that SWMBO said no to when I built my shop. :D I'm looking forward to the pictures of the inside.

[Dustin Lane]

From what I have read, not having the lights/ballasts properly grounded will cause interference with AM radio. Maybe double check that they're all grounded?

[glenn bradley]

Welcome fellow SoCal dweller Sam. I run all T-8's and have no radio problems. Hearing from others without problems . . . I don't think it's the lights ;-) In addition to the trusty FM I also have an old laptop setup to boot up and go straight to an internet radio station if that is an option for you.

[Jim O'Dell]

I'm in the group with T-8s and no problems. I did have some interference from one of the many T-8 units, but cleaning the bulb contacts helped some, grounding the powered antenna took care of the rest. Can't believe I lived with the static for 2 years!! :eek: I use a stereo out of an old RX-7 from my stereo installing days many years ago. Still works great!
Sounds like you've had your hands full with the remodel. But it sounds like fun too. As the others have said, be sure to post some pictures! Jim.

afterthought...can you install an exterior antenna? How far away from the station's transmitter are you?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Welcome Sam! What a building for a shop! I love the thinking porch.:D

[Julian Wong]

Man, that's one nice shop! It looks like a guest house! I'm envious!

Please do post pics of the inside too!

[Sam Layton]

Thanks everyone for the kind words and welcome. In a couple of days when I get things up and running I will post photo's of the inside.

Mike, I live in Glendora, Ca, it is about 35 miles east of Los Angeles.

Jim, I live at the base of the mountains and stations are weak. I also have an old car radio that I may try. The exterior antenna is a good idea.

Bruce, I will post some before and after photo's of the house as well.

To all that suggested the boom-box and grounding, etc, I will check all that out. Thank you.

This project has taken longer than I would like to say. My wife and I lived in our fifth wheel for some time while we were building. We live in the house now. However, the kitchen is a stove, refrigerator, and a sink in the garage. Did I say I have a wonderful wife... I am finally about ready to build the things I have wanted to all along. I have a list a mile long.

Thank you, Sam

[Rick Potter]

Hi Sam,

Welcome to the creek. We ought to get together sometime, since we live so close. Don't feel like the Lone Ranger, my radio doesn't work with the lights on either.

Rick Potter

[Dewey Torres]

Hi Sam,
Welcome to the Creek. When you get r' ready, post a pic of the inside of the shop please :D