Good news...and bad news

[George Bregar]

Good news, my Morris Chair is done...well, my part anyway. Still need to get it upholstered in leather...anyone know a good one in Milwaukee or WI? I got quoted a grand from a place I bought some sofas, want to go directly to the source.

Bad news, my sister forgot to turn the heat on when she left our lake home over Thanksgiving, resulting in many busted pipes from freezing. Luckily the well was shut off so water damage was minimal. I repaired all that I could find, but when turning the water on found two breaks above another ceiling. We had 12 going up for Christmas, that's off now. Heading back after Christmas to tear out a wall and finish the repairs. :mad: Oh, the humanity! ;)

Oh, well, end of a very trying month. Sick, hurt my back falling on the ice, now this.

[Gary Keedwell]

Good news, my Morris Chair is done...well, my part anyway. Still need to get it upholstered in leather...anyone know a good one in Milwaukee or WI? I got quoted a grand from a place I bought some sofas, want to go directly to the source.

Bad news, my sister forgot to turn the heat on when she left our lake home over Thanksgiving, resulting in many busted pipes from freezing. Luckily the well was shut off so water damage was minimal. I repaired all that I could find, but when turning the water on found two breaks above another ceiling. We had 12 going up for Christmas, that's off now. Heading back after Christmas to tear out a wall and finish the repairs. :mad: Oh, the humanity! ;)

Oh, well, end of a very trying month. Sick, hurt my back falling on the ice, now this.
George...Looking good!!! I just re-started My Morris chair after a few years break. Let me explain...I made the legs and arms and then we moved twice in a 3 year span and I've dragged them around all this time. I have the bend arm (drop down?) just like yours. Are your back slats straight? Hard to tell from picture. Any ideas on the finishing?
Gary

[Rob Wright]

George -

We have had a Flexsteel store make cushions for us before. I know that I have seen morris chairs at the Madison Flexsteel/comfortshoppe. All of the coverings are to order so I don't see why you couldn't order a set from them...

Sorry about the pipes breaking - our place north of minocqua isn't winterized - so we have no plumbing in the winter - electric heat and the outdoors are the facilities when we go up snowmobiling.

Have a good Christmas - Rob

[Dan Barr]

i'd be a little more than preturbed over the busted pipes.

hope you handle it better than i would.

v/r

dan

[Jamie Buxton]

Leather may what Morris used, but today it is very expensive, and nowhere as durable as modern fabrics. I suggest you look seriously at fabric. You'll have a better chair, and save money too.

[George Bregar]

Back slats are straight...all that I've read says there is no difference in comfort because of thick padded back. I used a lock miter joint on the lags to get four QS faces.

I used a modification of the A&C finish on Homestead Finishing:

1) Transtint w/ H20 for tone. I used 2 parts Dark Mission Brown to one part Reddish Brown

2) BLO rubbed out with 0000 steel wool. This removes the dye from the harder medullary rays so they pop, and gives some depth. Also removes the raised grain from the H20 dye.

3) Barrier coat of blonde shellac (2# cut)

4) Grained with a OB gel stain...I used Old Masters Dark Walnut. Brush on across the grain with a stiff brush, wipe of with the grain.

5) Barrier coat of shellac again if H20 topcoat, I just finished with a rubbed on shellac coat.

hard to see from the pic, here is another pic of some other stuff. (Excuse the dust!).

[George Bregar]

George -

We have had a Flexsteel store make cushions for us before. I know that I have seen morris chairs at the Madison Flexsteel/comfortshoppe. All of the coverings are to order so I don't see why you couldn't order a set from them...

Sorry about the pipes breaking - our place north of minocqua isn't winterized - so we have no plumbing in the winter - electric heat and the outdoors are the facilities when we go up snowmobiling.

Have a good Christmas - Rob Thanks for the tip Rob, I'll check it out. I actually made the chair at my buddies shop in Oregon, WI...used to live in Madison...well, Fitchburg. My place is just south of you in hazelhurst...Lee Lake, just where the T-Bird Country viaduct is on 51. Oh, well, at least I can show off my prowess at sweating pipes! We've remodeled the whole upstairs, and I built a bunch of "Mission" stuff including the MC for it and redid the kitchen cabinets. We are doing the DT next, and since all the damage is there, not as big a deal as it could be. Actaully building my new shop in the unused three car garage there.

[George Bregar]

Leather may what Morris used, but today it is very expensive, and nowhere as durable as modern fabrics. I suggest you look seriously at fabric. You'll have a better chair, and save money too. Nope, gotta be leather. Not worried about durability.

[Jim Becker]

Leather may what Morris used, but today it is very expensive, and nowhere as durable as modern fabrics.

I agree that it's not inexpensive, but huh? on that other part?
-------

George, the chair looks great! Bummer on the pipes...and the timing....

[Todd Franks]

Bad news, my sister forgot to turn the heat on when she left our lake home over Thanksgiving, resulting in many busted pipes from freezing.

Ouch!! If I were in you're shoes, I think I'd have a sis that would be improving her drywall and plumbing skills.:o

[George Bregar]

Well, second trip to repair the frozen/split pipes, as it turns out every hot water pipe was split, and many of the cold water. Tried my damnest to get them fixed for a late family Christmas this weekend...but when I found out that the feeds to the upstairs shower were also busted...gave up. Would have had to take out built-ins and another wall and there juist wasn't time. With all the patches decided it's best to pull out all the copper and run PE-X. Should increase pressure and save on water from the well...good things.

The saving grace is that we were going to remodel the downstairs anyway. So the water damage is moot. Some extra drywalling of ceilings though.

Thankfully we always turn the well pump off, guy at the local hardware store said he had had four calls for pumps...people who left their well pump on and filled the basements. :eek:

[Joel Ficke]

George,

Sorry to hear about the frozen pipes. It was a cold winter early this year.

I really like the finish on your chair. Thanks for sharing the recipe with us!

-Joel

[George Bregar]

George,

Sorry to hear about the frozen pipes. It was a cold winter early this year.

I really like the finish on your chair. Thanks for sharing the recipe with us!

-Joel Thanks and you're welcome. Going to install PEX, freeze resistant.

[Mike Marcade]

Leather may what Morris used, but today it is very expensive, and nowhere as durable as modern fabrics.

Come on now, Cows have been wearing it for years with absolutely no durability issues. :D

[George Bregar]

Good news, insurance will cover the damage. We were concerned that the wouldn't...policy requires residency or precautions. Since it's avacation home we fail the first, but since we keep it heated etc. we're okay based on the second. Talked to the adjuster and he seems a reasonable and fair guy.

Decided to pull out all the copper and install PEX. The washing machine also was damaged (pump cracked) so we are going to put a stack washer/dryer and relocate it and the laundry tub to free up some room. The cabinets in the basement are no longer needed so they will go into the shop I'm putting together. :D

Going to DIY it so we should be able to cover the $500 deductable and have some money toward remodeling that we were going to do anyway. So other than spoiling the family Christmas, and a mess to clean up, not all that bad in the end.

[Lee Schierer]

Since this is a part time dwelling and you may have other cold winter situations. Make the water lines all sloped toward a single point in teh house. This shold be easier to do with PEX than copper. Then after turning off the well open a faucet in the highest part of the house and the valve in the lowest area and drain all the water out of the entire system. Refilling the pipes when the house is occupied won't take but a few minutes.

If your pipes froze, you better check the toilet tanks for cracks.

[George Bregar]

Since this is a part time dwelling and you may have other cold winter situations. Make the water lines all sloped toward a single point in teh house. This shold be easier to do with PEX than copper. Then after turning off the well open a faucet in the highest part of the house and the valve in the lowest area and drain all the water out of the entire system. Refilling the pipes when the house is occupied won't take but a few minutes.

If your pipes froze, you better check the toilet tanks for cracks. Already replaced the one cracked tank. And already plan to do the drain strategy. The DT bathroom just won't be possible but at least we can minimize future problems...and the PE-X is resistant to freeze issues.

[James Suzda]

George,
Did you find someone to upholster your chair yet? I don't know if you travel anywhere near Wisconsin Rapids on your way "north" but I had Les' Upholstery in Wisconsin Rapids do some work for me and he was reasonable. (He used to have a shop in Stevens Point, but that burned down last fall.)
BTW, good luck on the repair job! No fun!

[George Bregar]

George,
Did you find someone to upholster your chair yet? I don't know if you travel anywhere near Wisconsin Rapids on your way "north" but I had Les' Upholstery in Wisconsin Rapids do some work for me and he was reasonable. (He used to have a shop in Stevens Point, but that burned down last fall.)
BTW, good luck on the repair job! No fun! Well, the place I bought my sofa/loveseat will do it...but seem a little pricey. They farm it out to an upholster of course. Would rather look for direct. I take 51 so close to WI Rapids on the way up nort' hey dere so I will check it out. Thanks for the tip...and the luck!

[Dean Baehman]

Back in the 70's a contractor freiend of mine had a full gut-rebuild near Pelican Lake caused by burst pipes.
When the owner first found the mess he said it looked like the scene from Doctor Zhivago, pipes had let go on the second floor and run down through the entire house including ice covering the open oak staircase.

[George Bregar]

Back in the 70's a contractor freiend of mine had a full gut-rebuild near Pelican Lake caused by burst pipes.
When the owner first found the mess he said it looked like the scene from Doctor Zhivago, pipes had let go on the second floor and run down through the entire house including ice covering the open oak staircase. Yeah, I can imagine. Thankfully mine is nothing like that. Just a minor PITA

[Tom Godley]

I vote for leather on the chair.

As to the pipe issue -- I have had a Pex burst when it froze.. It still may be better than Cu on this issue ... I just do not know.

I do know this -- find someone who not only knows how to install the stuff but can be neat about it. Pex has a lot of movement and the hot water lines are going to move all over the place. Because of this I would not plan on being able to get all the water out of any horizontal hidden lines with gravity alone.

I like Pex ... I have a house with radiant heat -- 1000's of feet of the stuff. But it has its own set of problems.


I had a very close call with a vacation house -- After that I always put in some kind of alarm. They make a simple one that will turn on a flood light that can flash towards a neighbor -- well worth it if someone will be able to see it!

[George Bregar]

I vote for leather on the chair. I'll mark you down! :D I do also, which is enough to carry the vote ;)


As to the pipe issue -- I have had a Pex burst when it froze.. It still may be better than Cu on this issue ... I just do not know. You're right, it can burst. The likelihood is significantly less than copper though. Lots of reasons to go with PEX, reducing danger to freeze issue is just one.



I do know this -- find someone who not only knows how to install the stuff but can be neat about it. Pex has a lot of movement and the hot water lines are going to move all over the place. Because of this I would not plan on being able to get all the water out of any horizontal hidden lines with gravity alone. I'll be DIY'ing it. And how much can it move? It is commonly installed in tight fit channels in plywood for radiant apps. I'm not too worried about draining it dry, as I said some of it will be lower then the well source. I would think the siphon would take care of some. We'll drain it the best we can, and our defense is heat kept on year round.


I like Pex ... I have a house with radiant heat -- 1000's of feet of the stuff. But it has its own set of problems.


I had a very close call with a vacation house -- After that I always put in some kind of alarm. They make a simple one that will turn on a flood light that can flash towards a neighbor -- well worth it if someone will be able to see it! We will be installing a phone line with a dialer alarm. Lights are no good, the biggest issue for loss of heat is a power failure. The dialer alarm works off the voltage of the phone line and calls at desire threshholds.

[Tom Godley]

I was just forced by my insurance company to install a monitored system for a weekend house that I have. I had to install a land line plus all kinds of other crap that I really do not need. The light control is a great little item -- BUT, it only works if someone is near enough to see it, or drives by to check.

It sounds like your house had power for the heat -- but it was not "on". This would have saved the holiday if a light could have been seen.

I will continue to use it even with the new system -- the alarm system is set for 45 -- I have the light set for 50. The power does often go off in the area for short periods of time -- once causing one of the oil heaters to "pop" the reset. I would rather just have a friend in the area go check to see why the house hit 50 then have to drive all the way up there. You just plug the thing into a cheap UPS -- so power is not a problem.

Pex does expand- and it can be a lot. In most heating situations the Pex is held in place and the basic design installation takes into account this expansion. In some portable water installs that I have seen the stuff is looped all over the place. The hot water lines will expand and will make noise if not installed properly -- they will also look like a sine wave on long horizontal runs if not properly supported --- all of this can hold water.

It is great stuff -- and is actually a forgiving product --maybe too much!

[George Bregar]

Lights not practical. Phone alarm a better solution. My lines are all under 20' except one. According to the industry installation guide you should allow 1/8" of slack per foot so I really don't see that as an issue...they even add "Expansion can usually be accommodated by tubing’s flexibility for sizes up to and including 1-inch size tubing."

[jim sauterer]

george what is the stain color.i am making a mission style table.your stain color looks great and so does the craftsmanship.thanks

[George Bregar]

george what is the stain color.i am making a mission style table.your stain color looks great and so does the craftsmanship.thanks Thanks Jim. As far as the stain color, not sure what you are asking. If how I got there, this post xpalins it
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showpost.php?p=725425&postcount=4

If the resulting color, the picture in that post is pretty representative, but its a brown with a reddish one. You can alter the dyes and graining to whatever desired result you want. I just took some saned QSWO and taped off sections and kept track of what I did until I was happy.

HTH