Creeker's Past Week's Accomplishments

[Dennis Peacock]

19 Jul 2021

Greetings,
I hope this finds each of you doing well. I was able to get the twin-sized bed/porch swing finished and I am currently holding it for my customer to come and pick it up sometime soon. I haven't been able to start the next project for the same customer due to issues with getting plywood and it not being damaged by from wholesaler. Spent time working on my #2 son's house this past week and he's finally moved out and totally in the house he purchased. Now it's time to get all the stuff fixed in his house that needs fixing. A lot of stuff to do on a house that was built in 1954. Took some much needed downtime on Sunday.

That's it for me, so what did YOU do this past week?

Best of weeks to you all.

[Jim Becker]

'Glad you're getting shop time, Dennis!

I did complete the dust collection installation in my temporary shop this past week...other than one 4" clamp that was missing because of a mental math error. (They sent one out to me today) I'm really pleased with the product and service from Blastgate Company. For the most part, my setup is ready to go other than the final electrical inspection. That was supposed to happen last Thursday, but the dude got caught up in a large job up in the upper end of the county and couldn't physically get back here at a reasonable time. Hopefully, he can make it tomorrow. The "real" sound system is also now transferred from the old shop and installed...it's nice having the sub back in play as the shelf system I was using temporarily lacked bottom end. I do have some small projects lined up including an additional walnut end-table for our family room and a couple of simple nightstands for the guest room. There is also a bass guitar project to get back to work on and some things from two people I continue to do some CNC work for.

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[Lisa Starr]

Dennis,

Good to hear you took some downtime this weekend. I get the 1954 house fixing. The house we are helping our son with is a 1956 version with many issues. The biggest one is that none of the window and door openings have headers! We've opened up the wall at each location and installed proper headers with king and jack studs added as needed. As it was very rainy Saturday, I spent some time in my shop continuing to set-up the Slider. Sunday was better weather, so helped our son install more soffit and fascia on his house. Leadtime for the siding is very long right now, so we're trying to have everything else finished on the exterior of his home prior to the arrival of the siding. Right now it is expected around Sept 10. If that date holds, it will be a 12 week leadtime.

[David Lageman]

Finally got back in the shop this week and finished up a Cornice Valance my wife has been asking for the past couple of years! Replaced some old ugly curtains we had on the sliders headed to the backyard. Crappy pictures due to lighting, but I'm pretty happy with them as they tied in the entertainment center I completed a few months ago. I made one for a small window on the same wall as well, near our office area. I used some maple I had left over and stained to match the front door and entertainment center. She's happy so I'm happy.

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[Rod Sheridan]

Well, I retired at the end of June and have finally made it into the shop this week.

I am making a book box for the front garden, completely self serving as I hope to reduce my book collection……Regards, Rod.

[Jim Becker]

Well, I retired at the end of June and have finally made it into the shop this week.




CONGRATULATIONS!!! Prepare yourself to be busier than ever. LOL At least that's how it's been for me...

[Bruce Wrenn]

Cut and stuck several hundred cuttings in rooting containers. Got van (1994 Ford Areostar) back from the shop. It had to have rear seal on engine replaced, plus modulator valve on transmission. Total bill was a little over $800, which way more than "Blue Book" value. But it serves our needs. Inside, it can handle six sheets of 3/4 plywood with lift gate closed. Not a drop of rust anywhere on body. Replaced defective oil pressure sending unit on same van. Sunday afternoon, started cutting out Toys For Tot's car bodies. This is second batch for this year. Over the years, I have cut out over TEN THOUSAND of the bodies. Today, while it was raining, finished up, for a total of 900 bodies for Christmas 2021. Found out that my older brother Has advanced Parkinsons. Replaced wax ring and tank bolts on upstairs toilet. Now have to let ceiling below dry completely, then prime and paint.

[Paul F Franklin]

Congrats Rod! Welcome to the club!

Bruce, 10 thousand T-F-T car bodies is an impressive and generous accomplishment!

I met with one kitchen designer to go over my plans today and meet with another tomorrow. The first designer had a couple of good small suggested tweaks to my plans but nothing major and found no real issues. Good news is the quote worked out lower than I expected; bad is lead times are 12-16 weeks for cabinets, although he said recent orders got ship dates a little better than 12 weeks. I don't really have a deadline so I can live with that. In the interest of minimizing disruption, I will delay demo of current kitchen until closer to ship date when I have one. It may be a little tricky timing appliances and fixtures, and flooring and the like. I don't really want that stuff sitting here for 4 months before I need them, but don't want to wait too long and have availability issues crop up.

Didn't do squat in the shop last week. Did do a few days of "spring" cleaning, if you can call July spring. Long overdue, but prompted by us having another couple over to the house on Saturday.

Our wireless router started acting up; dropping connections, refusing connections, issuing duplicate IP's and other weirdnesses. My wife had to keep using her phone hot spot for work stuff to get a reasonably reliable connection for meetings. I tried all my usual incantations and spells to get it to behave, but no joy, so I replaced it with a sweet TP-Link model and we are back to wireless nirvana.

[Jim Becker]

Paul, be sure you check lead times on the appliances you intend to put in the new kitchen when completed. Some things, depending on what you are opting for, have long backorders right now, measured in months.

[Rod Sheridan]

Thanks Jim, I already have a “job jar” full of items, boredom isn’t on the horizon…Regards, Rod

[Rod Sheridan]

Thanks Paul, good luck on your kitchen renovation….Rod.

[Rod Sheridan]

Bruce, 10,000 cars is an outstanding achievement, thanks for being so generous with your time….Rod

[Paul F Franklin]

Paul, be sure you check lead times on the appliances you intend to put in the new kitchen when completed. Some things, depending on what you are opting for, have long backorders right now, measured in months.

Yes, will do. Right now our choices are showing stock, but I know that could change any second. Hate the thought of a new range sitting in storage for 4 months but I guess that's better than having to wait for it later. Actually, I guess we could just go ahead and use it...it will fit where the old one is...hmmmm.

[Lisa Starr]

Paul, if your old range is working, why not just re-install the old range if the new one hasn't arrived when the kitchen is complete. That significantly reduces the risk of damage to the new stove.

[Jim Becker]

Yes, will do. Right now our choices are showing stock, but I know that could change any second. Hate the thought of a new range sitting in storage for 4 months but I guess that's better than having to wait for it later. Actually, I guess we could just go ahead and use it...it will fit where the old one is...hmmmm.
I guess it really depends upon the specific make/model of each appliance. Unfortunately, what I'd want if we can't get gas in here, is very much back-ordered! LOL But then again, what i'd want if we do get gas in here may be in the same situation...I haven't looked.

[Paul F Franklin]

I guess it really depends upon the specific make/model of each appliance. Unfortunately, what I'd want if we can't get gas in here, is very much back-ordered! LOL But then again, what i'd want if we do get gas in here may be in the same situation...I haven't looked.

Well I hope your old home sells soon and you can at least order the range you want. It's a pain having to deal with all the uncertainty around lead times. OTOH, we've lived with this kitchen for all these years, another few months one way or the other is not really worth sweating.

[Paul F Franklin]

....That significantly reduces the risk of damage to the new stove.

So, you've seen me work, then? ;) That's a good point, we could use the old one if we had to. It looks a little rough for age, but it works fine.

[Jim Becker]

Well I hope your old home sells soon and you can at least order the range you want. It's a pain having to deal with all the uncertainty around lead times. OTOH, we've lived with this kitchen for all these years, another few months one way or the other is not really worth sweating.
I'm hoping the property sells soon, too, for multiple reasons. :)

I got an offer today from PECO (the electricity and gas provider) to get gas installed. The upfront cost to install is great... $0. But there's a requirement that within 12 mos all the goodies I "thought I might like to run on gas" have to be installed and the offer is only good for 60 days. I'm not sure that we can reliably deal with new HVAC, water heating, propane fireplace conversion to NG, cooking and a generator in that 12 mo time frame.

[Paul F Franklin]

I'm hoping the property sells soon, too, for multiple reasons. :)

I got an offer today from PECO (the electricity and gas provider) to get gas installed. The upfront cost to install is great... $0. But there's a requirement that within 12 mos all the goodies I "thought I might like to run on gas" have to be installed and the offer is only good for 60 days. I'm not sure that we can reliably deal with new HVAC, water heating, propane fireplace conversion to NG, cooking and a generator in that 12 mo time frame.

Yeah, that's pretty big bucks to do all that in one year...what happens if you don't get it all done in a year? Plus you have to get it plumbed everywhere inside. Is gas out at the street and only needs run to the house? Might make more sense to just take the hit on installation and do the rest whenever it makes sense.

[Jim Becker]

Yeah, that's pretty big bucks to do all that in one year...what happens if you don't get it all done in a year? Plus you have to get it plumbed everywhere inside. Is gas out at the street and only needs run to the house? Might make more sense to just take the hit on installation and do the rest whenever it makes sense.
The offer for free installation is predicated on what they feel their cost recovery is based on the appliances expected to use gas. Yes, it's in the street. Just not in our home. Inside plumbing is relatively easy for anything that would use gas. Quite straightforward, actually. It would be as much as $5K to get installed from the street speculatively. I will be working with the resource I was provided to see what can be changed and what flexibility there is when I have the opportunity.