tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18475786276751609582024-03-18T21:25:36.497-07:00Christina and Ted Buy a HouseThis is our blog about buying a house and what it will take to make it habitable. Should be fun!Tedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08128293209864639194noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-4024289489214286642018-12-02T22:37:00.003-08:002018-12-05T08:30:45.297-08:00Optimus Prime Costume Build<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzn5piDomwYfetoVo-rmmPbnZNdOAenCSP1gspTJUSlrtMPLQyFvCk6IFukgnTTXuxOAcnMfl0T1f2NRUcA8I4gg0k6eIC76aj0kCyJNPvANXxrOEhYINKq1ItmLIdMzRRChRKK7M_JM/s1600/Optimus.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="270" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzn5piDomwYfetoVo-rmmPbnZNdOAenCSP1gspTJUSlrtMPLQyFvCk6IFukgnTTXuxOAcnMfl0T1f2NRUcA8I4gg0k6eIC76aj0kCyJNPvANXxrOEhYINKq1ItmLIdMzRRChRKK7M_JM/s640/Optimus.gif" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Introduction</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Over Labor Day weekend our family took a family and friends trip to Legoland and San Diego. It was a great trip, and one night over dinner we began discussing Halloween and costumes for our kids; when asked, I said my son wanted me to make a transforming Optimus Prime costume, and, well, here we are.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Design</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfJye-pP9m0pN4RR4Zg47tQyHHNUHjKsWOffJM60uK1FepxzIiPGqO1aAMLclPEfSiH47-kPl6lnqU3hdFOhdXvB8o7U_UG-mwWu96BKo74BgDpB-e5Q1OPFCVJN5MgIIjJ77LFI0p0w/s1600/Optimus+Designs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfJye-pP9m0pN4RR4Zg47tQyHHNUHjKsWOffJM60uK1FepxzIiPGqO1aAMLclPEfSiH47-kPl6lnqU3hdFOhdXvB8o7U_UG-mwWu96BKo74BgDpB-e5Q1OPFCVJN5MgIIjJ77LFI0p0w/s200/Optimus+Designs.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You may have seen <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4HeYgR0RUc" target="_blank">this video</a> of transforming kids costumes. The design of the Optimus costume, with a swing-back engine bay where the head goes, struck me as the best design candidate for a costume I could build. However, that Peterbilt style truck is from the Transformers movies where Optimus Prime looks, let's say, not great. The clean design of the old (Gen 1) Optimus Prime is what I wanted, but the truck design wouldn't work as a costume. Luckily, literally it doesn't matter if I mix and match designs. Great! design work done.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Materials</span></h3>
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<ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-wIxAQdW8ii9oAjPn7ubNZ2Elq_6PEBW43sUdlfHyN1ozl8sTL9shiO_B0EDEh0skHAUrX1D-nj4tcvEeIOrynIrPwtL9UE1fHkrOfDCcdO_Q9eH-Dnxko-g1q5dCmmKKttK4Ar58lw/s1600/IMG_20180909_184750-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-wIxAQdW8ii9oAjPn7ubNZ2Elq_6PEBW43sUdlfHyN1ozl8sTL9shiO_B0EDEh0skHAUrX1D-nj4tcvEeIOrynIrPwtL9UE1fHkrOfDCcdO_Q9eH-Dnxko-g1q5dCmmKKttK4Ar58lw/s320/IMG_20180909_184750-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cardboard boxes and flat sheets</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Masking and blue painter's tape</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Plywood spars</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.homedepot.com/p/GREAT-STUFF-16-oz-Pestblock-Insulating-Foam-Sealant-with-Quick-Stop-Straw-99053993/207077796" target="_blank">Expanding spray foam</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 1/4 PVC pipe</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.homedepot.com/p/M-D-Building-Products-12-in-x-24-in-Union-Jack-Aluminum-Sheet-in-Silver-56008/100250804" target="_blank">Decorative thin, flat aluminum sheet</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assorted hardware</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.homedepot.com/p/Nashua-Tape-2-83-in-x-60-yds-324A-Premium-Foil-Tape-1087631/300286005" target="_blank">Foil tape</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">42" wide photo paper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spray adhesive</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Universal-11-oz-All-Surface-Frosted-Pearl-Clear-Topcoat-Spray-Paint-302155/206603179" target="_blank">Flat pearl clear coat</a> and <a href="https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Painter-s-Touch-2X-12-oz-Gloss-Clear-General-Purpose-Spray-Paint-249117/100670438" target="_blank">gloss clear coat</a> spray paint</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Primer and <a href="https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Specialty-11-oz-Metallic-Silver-Spray-Paint-1915830/100189098" target="_blank">metallic spray paint</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Black cotton fabric</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ABS 3D printer filament</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://a.co/d/8nPYvJF" target="_blank">Clear</a> and <a href="http://a.co/d/gQ9lmbi" target="_blank">orange-tinted acrylic</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">LEDs, resistors, scavenged 24ga wire from ethernet cable</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://a.co/d/0SnnGiZ" target="_blank">Limit switches</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://a.co/d/2Zw1Z5W" target="_blank">Speaker with amp and sound chip</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://a.co/d/dZBdnfF" target="_blank">Battery holder</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Portable USB battery pack</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Salvaged USB cables</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hot glue, super glue</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Elastic strapping and velcro</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tools</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7ArISAqCWX5RdrJLiOUZ0Kaon_o4BHUG8xNpjvEb7XBaz-y7tlVAuJqxYJs2GbXZlVuFVbsqhE6K231KJcojU0u7tDppIAbTmuBwdTpu3WRpb9KjhroOb7gI7frBqGal_iGjFjvZbEU/s1600/IMG_20180910_224900-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7ArISAqCWX5RdrJLiOUZ0Kaon_o4BHUG8xNpjvEb7XBaz-y7tlVAuJqxYJs2GbXZlVuFVbsqhE6K231KJcojU0u7tDppIAbTmuBwdTpu3WRpb9KjhroOb7gI7frBqGal_iGjFjvZbEU/s320/IMG_20180910_224900-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://a.co/d/4RHhpCS" target="_blank">Ryobi Hot Glue Gun</a> - this is a great, inexpensive hot glue gun (if you have Ryobi One+ battery already)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://a.co/d/fxsNt0u" target="_blank">Corrugated Cardboard Cutter</a> - safe enough to give to a four year old, useful enough to use on 95% of all cardboard cuts</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Exacto and utility knives</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://a.co/d/0JtA7iL">PEI 3D printer build surface</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pencil, square, straight-edge</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Software</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Solidworks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">AutoCAD</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.getpaint.net/">Paint.net</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://inkscape.org/">Inkscape</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.meshmixer.com/">Meshmixer</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1589186128"></span><a href="https://ultimaker.com/en/products/ultimaker-cura-software">Cura</a> <span id="goog_1589186129"></span>and <a href="https://octoprint.org/">Octoprint</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://3dp.rocks/lithophane/">Image to Lithopane</a></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Saw, file, sandpaper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">PrintrBot Simple Metal with Extended, Heated bed upgrade</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Timeline - September 9th - October 31st</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having built several costumes and other projects I wanted to make certain I began work on the costume early, and I did. Starting September 9th gave me seven and a half weeks to finish the costume, and I (of course) ended up working until the last minute. Had I been smarter I would have not done that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Build Process - Cardboard</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I began the build by simply cutting and taping some cardboard together. Within a couple of hours I had the initial shape: cabin and body with a hinged engine bay. While the initial design was very blocky, I had cut and angled the engine bay within a day. Most of the cardboard work followed that pattern: manual layout with pencil and ruler, cutting and taping, and then modification as needed.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnJknseB7dBXvw-dG8bVlf_YwSYQ7KAceNwt5B_6SgcM28MCw752oKLhtpOIP5vVJQXKQhuLpln2tq1WYigsKaduiJq4MTWcTFvcHNuE8NMQNdwXVAoFJo0dqMmCvYoysulayeacj18s/s1600/IMG_20180913_200923-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnJknseB7dBXvw-dG8bVlf_YwSYQ7KAceNwt5B_6SgcM28MCw752oKLhtpOIP5vVJQXKQhuLpln2tq1WYigsKaduiJq4MTWcTFvcHNuE8NMQNdwXVAoFJo0dqMmCvYoysulayeacj18s/s320/IMG_20180913_200923-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The grille was fun to make, with large portions of it laid out and cut as a single piece. Tabs were built into subsequent cardboard pieces, with matching slots on the main body to ease assembly. After I had completed the primary cardboard parts, i.e. the main body and grille, I modelled the overall design in Solidworks to aid the design of future additions. I built the model using the sheetmetal tools within Solidworks which allowed me to export a flat layout pretty easily; the flat layout was used to build the graphics later in the process.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpOnY-LxeUbnMiTm4g_fvhYi3k3geUZN4x0GZ7pHXP7Ec0xyg0fr53oVWhKHMYpGWkDNtAFRPQRwGHBmibbQomJBaNDOxLFrEY3AGbiwLRBtoyqnc80XhH2KvIVEpp4djdDe4sZgo_OE/s1600/IMG_20180915_112416-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpOnY-LxeUbnMiTm4g_fvhYi3k3geUZN4x0GZ7pHXP7Ec0xyg0fr53oVWhKHMYpGWkDNtAFRPQRwGHBmibbQomJBaNDOxLFrEY3AGbiwLRBtoyqnc80XhH2KvIVEpp4djdDe4sZgo_OE/s320/IMG_20180915_112416-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Within Solidworks I modelled the cab fairing, and I later used AutoCAD to draw the profile of the arm and leg pieces. In each case I printed out a 1:1 pattern on paper to use as a template for the cardboard. I want to take a quick sidebar here to make a note about design and fabrication philosophy: there are tremendous advantages to doing all design digitally from the start, but I find that is only feasible for me once I've sufficiently internalized the "flavor" of the process. Until I know how designs and materials align, and what design aspects are critical, I find it is much simpler to work with my hands and rapidly iterate. In this case that meant once I had put together the body and engine bay I felt confident enough to design from CAD from that point onward.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Later, expanding spray foam (the type you get in a rattle can from Home Depot) was used to fill in the hollow spaces in many of the cardboard parts, like the grille and hand/leg pieces. I am afraid the spray foam may have added unnecessary weight to parts of the costume, and I would more carefully consider the use of the material going forward.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Build Process - 3D prints</span></h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsgbLHvAF227IUmeN70bWVWtFMof6pErKGKVRhEYxKkSiDumSwVI0XVnF5T-dO6HPUkegUticTcZcYBy6E5xhOUyXsiWSavjjToiumrzrMQg8hfuKO3G5bhI-MB-wCF1TNxK7es3-bXOI/s1600/%2523D+print+lights-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsgbLHvAF227IUmeN70bWVWtFMof6pErKGKVRhEYxKkSiDumSwVI0XVnF5T-dO6HPUkegUticTcZcYBy6E5xhOUyXsiWSavjjToiumrzrMQg8hfuKO3G5bhI-MB-wCF1TNxK7es3-bXOI/s320/%2523D+print+lights-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I had always planned on building the fine details and light housings from 3D printed elements, and in the end that worked quite well. I made the cab lights, headlights, license plate, window frames, arm gaskets, horns, windshield eyebrows, and badges from red ABS plastic printed on my PrintrBot (RIP!) Simple Metal with the hot bed upgrade. The designs were produced in Solidworks (cab lights, headlights, horns, eyebrows, window and arm gaskets) and Inkscape/Paint.net to Image to Lithopane (badges and license plate), exported to STLs and printed.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> However, the process was greatly complicated by an unforeseen event: the failure of my printer control board's microUSB port.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLd3mqxjIawu8LFUFKMP6bVX7ayDoOgfoJ4Bdq06EsWjZM4I4lFRDFjavmq54C3Ye03r0I2QPVF-EnAJ3l0zGldQ_W_8ONRb0kHtThYpbWQxhO1ZA01o1fJmXoZHtGMockKfi4B2GLzY/s1600/IMG_20180919_223820-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLd3mqxjIawu8LFUFKMP6bVX7ayDoOgfoJ4Bdq06EsWjZM4I4lFRDFjavmq54C3Ye03r0I2QPVF-EnAJ3l0zGldQ_W_8ONRb0kHtThYpbWQxhO1ZA01o1fJmXoZHtGMockKfi4B2GLzY/s320/IMG_20180919_223820-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While I was cleaning the printer bed surface I apparently over-flexed the microUSB connector, killing the USB connection that allowed me to manage my prints remote from the printer. This would not have been a fatal failure just a few months prior, but the manufacturer of my printer shut their doors permanently this past summer. That meant I had a perfectly functional printer that couldn't communicate over USB, a significant hamstringing. I found a local electronics repair person who did their best to repair the surface mount connector, but the connector tore off within seconds of installing the control board, and the repair took a trace right off the board. Mild panic ensued.</span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHb-oRYgzdH5fEhx0Fb1314CEfIgOQyM5-qsAYTw2uoyQ50AzyaMy1X_iM0ro_lVE2MEt9BzhrqPDZEKJBCiZ-ICphW-zm98yiMAeS8zQY7hcRDIytlL8rS3_ZA3cR1pv06brnb1aUY8/s1600/IMG_20180930_191319-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHb-oRYgzdH5fEhx0Fb1314CEfIgOQyM5-qsAYTw2uoyQ50AzyaMy1X_iM0ro_lVE2MEt9BzhrqPDZEKJBCiZ-ICphW-zm98yiMAeS8zQY7hcRDIytlL8rS3_ZA3cR1pv06brnb1aUY8/s320/IMG_20180930_191319-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I had previously, reasonably, dismissed the concept of hard wiring a USB receptacle to the USB connector traces; while the concept was sound, the execution seemed to be too risky; if I damaged another critical component I would have a REALLY dead control board. But the previously ridiculous option became the only reasonable option, so I made it work. I found suitable traces for the ground, 5V+, and data +/- USB lines, soldered wires to nearby pads, and excased the results in copious amounts of hot glue. The result was success, and I proceed to print for dozens of hours without fail.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I also had to opportunity to upgrade my build substrate from kapton film to PEI sheet; PEI is a high-temperature rigid plastic that apparently works really well as a print surface. I attached the 1mm thick PEI with the provided double sided tape, readjusted the height of my z-stop sensor, reset the printer offsets, and began printing. The PEI is incredible to print on; I sanded the surface with 220 grit sandpaper and, to my surprise, found the sanding pattern in the mirror-like surface of each 3D print I made from that point on. I can't recommend it enough.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Build Process - Painting and Finishing</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Fkr1sN_Z7bcW6IFe7dyB1BBXOJTUvU__XgwTUbg_usE5ZRM-ZnXLBvqqXpehKiIZFfa1osUkYCLcxL49NgItZu_m4wqiqW3ndoDFDTOTznoEjGBv3cIkST4LRoarlIQrdbWZ64p3cKY/s1600/License+plate-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="1530" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Fkr1sN_Z7bcW6IFe7dyB1BBXOJTUvU__XgwTUbg_usE5ZRM-ZnXLBvqqXpehKiIZFfa1osUkYCLcxL49NgItZu_m4wqiqW3ndoDFDTOTznoEjGBv3cIkST4LRoarlIQrdbWZ64p3cKY/s320/License+plate-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most of the 3D printed parts were painted or wrapped in foil tape (the Autobot logo and arm gaskets were </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a perfect red already). The cab lights and window frames were wrapped in foil tape, while the headlights, horns, window eyebrows, and PVC pipes were primed and painted with a reflective metallic paint. The license plate, printed in two pieces, was primed and given a base coat (black for the frame, white for the plate), then the raised letters were painted by Christina. The license plate was probably my favorite individual item, and I wouldn't hesitate to make another custom plate for another project.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Build Process - Electronics</span></h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kv1Ujk0jtfnVaZaKBLnzjQvileOXsF2mlicT0IiEbx5flZNqPhwI_uSDQPi0_0xz2tIfj6JZ1LpepXTGuXGojyiEnem54ysvGPc4-gIgaLb_geTmRsq2vERN2FLyvfGDVFN6lItzgxk/s1600/Modelling+the+headlight+stalk-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kv1Ujk0jtfnVaZaKBLnzjQvileOXsF2mlicT0IiEbx5flZNqPhwI_uSDQPi0_0xz2tIfj6JZ1LpepXTGuXGojyiEnem54ysvGPc4-gIgaLb_geTmRsq2vERN2FLyvfGDVFN6lItzgxk/s320/Modelling+the+headlight+stalk-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I had always planned on putting lights on the costume, LEDs powered by a USB battery pack. The design was very simple: all LEDs would have the same approximate forward voltage (3.1V) and current draw (max 20mA), and with only a 5V supply, the circuits would have to be all parallel. The five cab lights were made with three white LEDs each, for a total of 15 LEDs, and were connected to the battery pack with a scavenged USB cord. The headlights had six white LEDs each, for a total of twelve, and they ran at a higher current. The headlights were also attached to a scavenged USB cord and connected to the second power port on the battery pack. As for the wire connecting the lights to the USB battery pack I found excellent use of excess ethernet cable; the individual wires are 24 gauge, perfect for low-power wiring like this.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwLBt0jc4juFru6H0WlAJl5Bt8GoWhRrB1JrhR1QxCJH-mC-rJXMkisSBeaxye5PSBzSKcYYJ28qaGAphyphenhyphen7nX5cV_6vQOfTqkTHfzh6Lsw_R4NEEBqosbvZCBD9Kkv7Kj79cQzNUOVnFc/s1600/IMG_20181031_002446-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwLBt0jc4juFru6H0WlAJl5Bt8GoWhRrB1JrhR1QxCJH-mC-rJXMkisSBeaxye5PSBzSKcYYJ28qaGAphyphenhyphen7nX5cV_6vQOfTqkTHfzh6Lsw_R4NEEBqosbvZCBD9Kkv7Kj79cQzNUOVnFc/s320/IMG_20181031_002446-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pretty late in the build (like, October 27th?) I decided to integrate sound into the project. This was straightforward: I purchased limit switches that would trigger when the cab dropped down, a standalone audio chip with speaker and amp, and a battery holder for three AA's. The installation was done by hot gluing the switches in place, and then taping and gluing down the other components. The result was cheap and easy to do. The audio chip connects to your PC like a thumb drive and can hold 8MB of audio, plenty for my needs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Build Process - Graphics</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_VJngitdQrqvWewDG03-0Wm6dptYU4pKYHfI3EvDJKaMlCLWxFKHSqqwz7-bjARIIsQcr-HohMXIG5PwofQrmX_ydgRRNlZM1_VW5QVm4YvKT7mDAiVDaHfMIqQGLOmLpmuv9a4ru_Ao/s1600/IMG_20181022_190855-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_VJngitdQrqvWewDG03-0Wm6dptYU4pKYHfI3EvDJKaMlCLWxFKHSqqwz7-bjARIIsQcr-HohMXIG5PwofQrmX_ydgRRNlZM1_VW5QVm4YvKT7mDAiVDaHfMIqQGLOmLpmuv9a4ru_Ao/s320/IMG_20181022_190855-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As previously mentioned I designed the body within Solidworks as if it were made of sheet metal, which allowed me to easily export flat patterns to DXF. These flat patterns were brought into AutoCAD, adjusted, and then graphics were added as needed. The paint stripes, door lines, rivet circles, mesh pattern (for behind the front grille), chest/front graphics, badge design and cab light locations were all created in AutoCAD. There's no need for this step, but AutoCAD is the tool with which I am most comfortable using. The AutoCAD file was saved as a DXF and imported into Inkscape where I completed the coloring, added the flame and wheel graphics, and completed the nesting necessary to fix all the graphics onto a single image for printing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The printing was completed on an HP plotter with archival grade ink and 42" wide photo paper stock. The print was cut into pieces, trimmed, and carefully fit up to the body. Spray adhesive, and occasionally super glue, ensured the graphics stayed stuck. It should go without saying I was incredibly lucky to have access to a resource like this. Thanks to Dave for his help making this part of the project a success.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcmEVD0YBsLxAYJL8LvFpEuWklUBO41dFucsYy_OuYQGX_7XTtb7EcuinVfKz8cj4Ahmy_BkOGwOtUAp3wRATXc8FRGcoguMiRJF6mbCZI2iCtGColqVTpDInKXWaqTTGJjh6SEJoZlc/s1600/IMG_20181022_230135-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcmEVD0YBsLxAYJL8LvFpEuWklUBO41dFucsYy_OuYQGX_7XTtb7EcuinVfKz8cj4Ahmy_BkOGwOtUAp3wRATXc8FRGcoguMiRJF6mbCZI2iCtGColqVTpDInKXWaqTTGJjh6SEJoZlc/s320/IMG_20181022_230135-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Build Process - Clear Coats</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One thing I wanted to emulate was the deep color and rich metal-flake look of automotive paint, but without spending an arm and a leg. Luckily I found a flat pearl clear coat which, when coupled with an inexpensive gloss clear coat, took on a look that was similar to automotive paint. I wouldn't hesitate to use this process again on any paint finish where I wanted some depth and sparkle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Build Process - Arms and Legs</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3pVJ4JSoK38DdZVi8EGRZd4YI8zKhQacdtkoqJmFrzNDW2-ryCsawL337Ym2tL7yHDo2Azc8jbHyJSFBLBvEhyt1S5mqPQztLUb0QSA6WqCPBYMFg2F9cqeUokFzEf4KXdJ7mxE_vIs/s1600/IMG_20181025_221312-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3pVJ4JSoK38DdZVi8EGRZd4YI8zKhQacdtkoqJmFrzNDW2-ryCsawL337Ym2tL7yHDo2Azc8jbHyJSFBLBvEhyt1S5mqPQztLUb0QSA6WqCPBYMFg2F9cqeUokFzEf4KXdJ7mxE_vIs/s320/IMG_20181025_221312-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The arm (front wheel) and leg (rear wheels) pieces were produced pretty late in the project. Designed from the graphics work done in AutoCAD, the parts were build from hand-cut cardboard from printed templates, filled with spray foam, and wrapped in photo paper. There were two straps per piece: the front, solid elastic, and the back, split elastic with velcro. The velcro was hand-sewn onto the elastic, a task that took the better part of two hours and required me to find my thimble again. The elastic straps were attached to the pieces with a combination of hot glue between the elastic and the pieces, and then some construction staples from my staple gun. This combination of adhesive and hardware held up incredibly well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Build Process - Assembly</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4iDIA8zSrwo8d4FrcSgM1r55729yKVONfl8EbvrDqfjS-gMEmoO1NCK6djG-oPeaK4U4bYxXczuHTiA6dMizxKpHLfdLNGdQybeZQC0NSnc8Ejj-V_znDUDOhvYj1RtC14UjSB2brozs/s1600/IMG_20181028_213327-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4iDIA8zSrwo8d4FrcSgM1r55729yKVONfl8EbvrDqfjS-gMEmoO1NCK6djG-oPeaK4U4bYxXczuHTiA6dMizxKpHLfdLNGdQybeZQC0NSnc8Ejj-V_znDUDOhvYj1RtC14UjSB2brozs/s320/IMG_20181028_213327-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The whole costume was built of cardboard covered with photo paper (the main body and fairing), cardboard with foil tape and paint (the grille) heat-bent PVC pipes, decorative thin-sheet aluminum, 3D prints, and acrylic diffusers and windows. Most of the components were attached with hot glue and cardboard tabs, with the main exception being the exhaust pipes which were bolted to the main body.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The interior of the costume was covered in expanded foam, not a soft or comfortable material to have near your face. We hot glued black cotton fabric (left over from our Harry Potter robes we made in 2010) to the interior and were more or less set. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bits of foil tape were used to secure some photo paper, reinforce 3D prints, add reflection to the printed "windshields" on the costume's chest area, and otherwise cover up areas that needed up.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mmdiQHNgJIl7V4_D3cp9o6pB6Vg-sRSTQFzgoz6D43uAk9OM39Ng6gCquhpZGi1agXVNAfhAJA0O3AXWB-02Ss4yPLwIzQ8YiqPVmINxoZ3DckK2IfY5EVs6tN_CvC8v5198-LXpxnI/s1600/IMG_20181031_180745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mmdiQHNgJIl7V4_D3cp9o6pB6Vg-sRSTQFzgoz6D43uAk9OM39Ng6gCquhpZGi1agXVNAfhAJA0O3AXWB-02Ss4yPLwIzQ8YiqPVmINxoZ3DckK2IfY5EVs6tN_CvC8v5198-LXpxnI/s640/IMG_20181031_180745.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Final Notes</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I had an incredible time building this costume. It was an incredible amount of work and time spent away from the family (thank you, Christina, for allowing me to do this, and for doing all the work around the house while I was in the garage), but it was also incredible seeing how happy my son was in the costume.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNwIn4DQ54omhWWDFZ5VHYeFU5vsie9nstxvM_0-gsuIF9GM0TJBH1G-05m2WuUcwCcHoSzpPYNPoboSc_YMgSRZ31Hi7sBHvTKxxR3RpEIse2J55AU8QNmqwAPV3eXHymPU0D9cC6_wc/s1600/IMG_20181029_221903-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNwIn4DQ54omhWWDFZ5VHYeFU5vsie9nstxvM_0-gsuIF9GM0TJBH1G-05m2WuUcwCcHoSzpPYNPoboSc_YMgSRZ31Hi7sBHvTKxxR3RpEIse2J55AU8QNmqwAPV3eXHymPU0D9cC6_wc/s320/IMG_20181029_221903-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The costume has issues though. For one, it's heavy. The PVC pipes alone likely added a pound and a half, and if I revisit this project I will make replacing the plastic pipes with cardboard tubes a priority. It's also difficult to put on, and the weight balance makes it difficult to spend a lot of time in it. To help alleviate that issue I would cut the base costume along the sides, removing the "chest" piece, and then add backpack straps and cushioning to better position the costume on the main body. The chest portion would reconnect to the main base with either straps, magnets, or some combination thereof. Given how much effort went into the costume (at least 70 hours), I would love to make it more enjoyable to wear. Barring that I think it would make a pretty incredible wall-mounted alarm clock...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/yxiXrvTPWVEPRmAT8" rel="nofollow">full gallery can be found here</a>, and <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kr8b83o8z9jwa2i/AABvklkwK0hW09SJdnkVmQDIa?dl=0" rel="nofollow">some of the design files can be found here</a>.</span></div>
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Tedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08128293209864639194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-64169915833507036932014-07-28T00:41:00.001-07:002014-07-28T00:48:17.231-07:00The Bat Shed<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cOPLRzSJ8EI/U9XcDvEk_LI/AAAAAAAAWwM/ANMQ59APOAw/s1600/DSC01875.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cOPLRzSJ8EI/U9XcDvEk_LI/AAAAAAAAWwM/ANMQ59APOAw/s1600/DSC01875.JPG" height="400" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Completed Shed and Side Yard</td></tr>
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This project started in August of last year, although I didn't know it at the time. In early September Christina told me she was pregnant and that all my stuff would have to move out of the office, now nursery, and into storage/the garage. I had been pondering this eventuality for some time, and I knew that I wanted to try and build a shed to act as a spare room, office, and man cave all at once.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Planning</b></span></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O_me7sWHzzI/U9Xiw4o-wyI/AAAAAAAAWwo/2SbxSp72v3g/s1600/shed+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O_me7sWHzzI/U9Xiw4o-wyI/AAAAAAAAWwo/2SbxSp72v3g/s1600/shed+1.png" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Initial layouts and placement options</td></tr>
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I began seriously thinking about the shed in December of last year. At that point I knew I wanted it to be roughly 100 SF, have a wooden foundation, and I wanted to build it myself. I considered multiple configurations including options with <a href="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/O21fEIRsSPU/0.jpg" target="_blank">clerestory windows</a>, french doors, and skylights. After discussions with my mother, an architect by training, I decided to simplify the layout and go with a simple lean-to roof with a relatively shallow pitch (being in Southern California torrential rains and snow are not a serious concern). I surveyed our lot and picked two locations for placement: in the yard off of the master bedroom, and on the patio off the kitchen. After considering the loss of usable yardage and difficulty of locating utilities to the yard I settled on a spot off the kitchen on the existing patio slab.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LL4EULHxbjk/U9Xiw_sPeII/AAAAAAAAWws/gXMMBx1Ax3o/s1600/shed+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LL4EULHxbjk/U9Xiw_sPeII/AAAAAAAAWws/gXMMBx1Ax3o/s1600/shed+2.png" height="197" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The basic final layout of the shed</td></tr>
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In order to make certain this shed would be as legal as possible I trolled the internet for guidelines on the California and Ventura County Building Codes. I found some good news: any structure that's less than 120SF, and is not intended for residency (i.e. no bathroom/kitchen), does not require a permit and all associated headaches that go along with that. The only concern was adhering to the city's property line requirements. I made a trip to city hall, spoke with the planning department, and found what I needed. If the structure was 8' tall or less it had to be 18" from the property line, and greater than that would require locating it 36" from the property line. With that settled, I began to do the serious work of reading up on construction methods, general code/building practices, putting a Bill of Materials/budget together, and determining what tools I would need.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">It Begins</span></b></h3>
The final design would be as follows: sitting on concrete block caps mortared to the existing patio, pressure treated (PT) 2x6's and PT plywood would make the foundation. A standard 2x4 framed structure would go on top of the foundation and be capped with a 3/12 pitched roof with standard asphalt shingles. A single door and two windows would provide entrance/egress and ventilation. Now all was left was to buy the material and build the thing.<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qqw_DN8YaUU/U9Xbme1EBjI/AAAAAAAAWqw/62MCHYe48sc/s1600/2014-03-08+18.19.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qqw_DN8YaUU/U9Xbme1EBjI/AAAAAAAAWqw/62MCHYe48sc/s1600/2014-03-08+18.19.38.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a><br />
On March 8th I drove up to my alternate Home Depot (the preferred location didn't carry PT wood), purchased about $1000 of lumber, rented a truck, loaded the truck (with help), and then unloaded the truck (without) into my garage (this would start a multi-month exodus of my car from the garage). The materials sat for a week before I could get any work done, and then when I was able to put the foundation together I had a business trip to Detroit and had to let the project sit.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AEbnuU11sCM/U9XbnOWFCpI/AAAAAAAAWq4/004GjZHkObc/s1600/2014-03-16+20.28.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AEbnuU11sCM/U9XbnOWFCpI/AAAAAAAAWq4/004GjZHkObc/s1600/2014-03-16+20.28.50.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Late nights</td></tr>
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When I got back the work started in earnest. When we first bought Casa Knaz five years ago we spent two months getting it into barely-habitable status. We worked two to four hours every weeknight, and eight to twelve hours every weekend day, for two months straight. That pattern started again with this project. In relatively short notice I had the walls framed and lifted (which was a challenge by myself; I had to ask my 7-month pregnant wife to hold a wall steady just so I could run and grab my nail gun [no pregnant wives were harmed in the making of this shed]).<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xs6F4701vjE/U9Xbn-9vytI/AAAAAAAAWq8/jcjizX8ZqMI/s1600/DSC00806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xs6F4701vjE/U9Xbn-9vytI/AAAAAAAAWq8/jcjizX8ZqMI/s1600/DSC00806.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a><br />
Working late into the night was a regular occurrence until Christina reminded me that A) we have neighbors, and B) your air compressor is really loud. Thankfully the neighbors were understanding and I quit working late into the evening from there on out (with a few exceptions).<br />
<br />
I cut every piece of the frame with my handy Hitachi miter saw, which I love, and nailed it all together with my Harbor Freight nailgun, which I loathe. As reliable as the miter saw was the nailgun was not, and by the end of the project I couldn't get through a single clip without the damn thing jamming. That's the nature of cheap tools, they're one-project-ponies.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>It Continues</b></span></h3>
After the basic framing was complete I moved onto sheathing. One thing I really didn't realize was how flexible a wooden frame was. Each wall frame individually could be pushed ±1" easily when by itself. Even with all four walls tied together, there was easily a 1/4" of flex before I added the sheathing.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dTKO-qp6Njw/U9XbqbV3N4I/AAAAAAAAWrc/u4vN_NDgDu8/s1600/DSC00810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dTKO-qp6Njw/U9XbqbV3N4I/AAAAAAAAWrc/u4vN_NDgDu8/s1600/DSC00810.JPG" height="320" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me in my trusty construction sandals.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I cut nearly all of the sheathing with my circular saw. I had started out using my table saw to rip the sheathing to width, but a friendly neighbor dropped by and gave me a two-piece, 8' long aluminum straight edge guide (more good reasons to cut wood in your front driveway). After the gift of that guide I tore through the remaining cuts. Thank you neighbor.<br />
<br />
I had originally planned on having the sheathing be the exterior surface for the shed. As such I chose to use plywood sheathing in lieu of the cheaper particle board that is used in the prefabricated sheds you see at Home Depot. To provide moisture resistance I painted all six edges of each piece of sheathing with exterior grade primer. This is what I learned about exterior grade primer: it's expensive ($25/gallon), it's thick (2x that of regular paint), it's incredibly sticky (5x that of regular paint), it's physically difficult to paint on, and it goes quickly. The sheathing was nailgunned into place and suddenly the shed was much, much more rigid.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dgRmPji5uJQ/U9XbrFjrrmI/AAAAAAAAWro/gJFbQVKtyEY/s1600/2014-04-09+08.10.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dgRmPji5uJQ/U9XbrFjrrmI/AAAAAAAAWro/gJFbQVKtyEY/s1600/2014-04-09+08.10.10.jpg" height="228" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cat on an unfinished roof</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Next up was installing the rafters, and it was here that I was incredibly happy to have designed the shed entirely in AutoCAD. Laying out a <a href="http://i.imgur.com/0x6RtqZ.jpg" target="_blank">birdsmouth cut</a> is, in theory, simple but in practice it requires (GASP!) training and experience. Instead of having to manually lay out the birdsmouth cuts with a roofing square I was able to read the angles and dimensions straight from the AutoCAD geometry I generated and layout the necessary cuts (done with a jigsaw). The rafters were cut, hoisted, and secured to the main frame with <a href="http://i.imgur.com/IkcxsiM.jpg" target="_blank">Simpson ties</a>. The overhang rafters were attached to the edge rafters with 2x4s that were screwed into the edge rafters (that's a lot of the word "rafter"). The roof decking (3/8" thick plywood) was then added. All that remained was the multilayered roof to keep everything dry. In case you didn't know, most all roofs with shingles are layered as such: rafters/frame, plywood decking, building paper (asphalt impregnated craft paper), drip edge, shingles.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aZFUD3KfJpU/U9XbryfbMjI/AAAAAAAAWrs/B6I87bw282c/s1600/2014-04-12+18.51.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aZFUD3KfJpU/U9XbryfbMjI/AAAAAAAAWrs/B6I87bw282c/s1600/2014-04-12+18.51.01.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>Earlier I mentioned that I was using a 3/12 pitch for the roof. That's shallow, and for a larger structure elsewhere in the country that pitch would not be advisable. This being Southern California, however, the accepted building practice is to double up the building paper and build as normal. So that's what I did.<br />
<br />
Roofing, if you've never done it, isn't that bad. The materials are heavy, the location gets hot, you're crouching a lot, and you can easily smash your thumb, but the work goes quickly. In two afternoons I went from bare rafters to a sheathed, papered, drip-edged, and shingled roof. All it requires is a strong back, dull mind, and a ladder.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Final Push</b></span></h3>
At this point it was mid-April and the baby was due in less than a month. I was panicking a bit. And then I flew up to the Bay Area to surprise my mom for her 60th birthday. My mom, ever the architect, asked me about the shed and how the construction was going. I told her my plan to use the sheathing as the vapor barrier and she, well, grimaced is probably the right word. The sheathing was put on without a layer of building wrap underneath. Having read this and that on the internet I was convinced that any moisture that found it's way to the shed walls would evaporate inside the shed, and that would have been true if I didn't plan on insulating and drywalling the interior.<br />
<br />
When you insulate and drywall a structure you are creating an environment that naturally carries a temperature differential to the outside world. In a situation where the relative humidity is elevated (i.e. not bone dry like this part of California normally is), and the ambient temperature rises, the insulated wall space will be cooler than ambient and the moisture in the air will have a chance to condense inside the walls, and then due to vapor pressure and the vapor barrier of the insulation blah blah blah water will stay in the walls and grow mold that will likely end up sickening or killing you or bringing great shame when the home inspector swings by.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZmPmmyjje-4/U9XbuEg3U4I/AAAAAAAAWsE/OioeJCoTGC8/s1600/2014-04-18+13.26.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZmPmmyjje-4/U9XbuEg3U4I/AAAAAAAAWsE/OioeJCoTGC8/s1600/2014-04-18+13.26.30.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a><br />
Now I realized that I had to add $400+ dollars to the budget and 20+ hours of work in order to properly build this thing. Somewhat deflated I flew home, headed to Home Depot and forked over more money. I wrapped the shed in Tyvek, a semi-permeable vapor barrier preferred to ye olde building paper, and installed rough cut plywood siding. Like the sheathing before it, every edge of the plywood needed to be painted, and the rough cut nature of the surface sucked in primer. I determined that each 4x8 panel required 1/3 gallon of primer. When it was all said and done I primed over 1000 SF of siding and sheathing for the shed.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3DfpX6IWPPc/U9Xbx0q66LI/AAAAAAAAWsw/-P2RQuAA5wg/s1600/2014-04-23+18.53.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3DfpX6IWPPc/U9Xbx0q66LI/AAAAAAAAWsw/-P2RQuAA5wg/s1600/2014-04-23+18.53.26.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
Having become thoroughly tired of the poor performance of the nailgun, and wanting to use smaller head nails on the siding, I drove every siding nail in by hand. I even took a half day off of work to get the exterior finished because I promised not to make loud noises after 8PM. To simulate a <a href="http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/video/install-board-and-batten-siding-shed.aspx" target="_blank">board-and-batten</a> look I attached 1x2 furring strips every 16" on the shed face, and I trimmed the corners, windows, and door with 1x4 pine. All of the trim was attached with my 16ga finishing nailgun and primed the same as the siding.<br />
<br />
At this point, in fact before I completed the siding, I started the wiring and interior insulation and drywall. Now that I had a roof and walls up I could work late into the night doing relatively quiet work (my drill is much quieter than a hammer or air compressor). For the wiring I ran romex through holes bored in the framing (without an attic I couldn't drop power from up top, so holes were bored all the way through). To make this a proper man cave I put an HDMI cable, digital audio return cables, and surround sound wiring along with the power runs. I also added a power drop for an exterior light for the rest of the patio not covered by the shed. In order to power the whole thing I found a clever shortcut after talking with my boss at work; instead of trenching through the patio and wiring to a circuit breaker, I could run an extension cord from the shed to the house. In that way the shed was merely an appliance, and could be disconnected from the house at any time. I installed a liquid tight outlet ~8' up the wall on the side of the house and strung a 14ga extension cord supported by a chain between the house and the shed.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i3soqSjxoFQ/U9XbwEpp6oI/AAAAAAAAWsY/U_5ArGTl2wA/s1600/2014-04-20+20.10.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i3soqSjxoFQ/U9XbwEpp6oI/AAAAAAAAWsY/U_5ArGTl2wA/s1600/2014-04-20+20.10.04.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>Windows went in, insulation went up, and thanks to my friend Justin, so did the ceiling drywall. It would have been a hell of challenge to install the ceiling drywall myself, so having a willing friend was absolutely necessary. Thank you again Justin.<br />
<br />
Work continued. I spent many late nights installing, mudding, and sanding drywall. You may recall, from 5+ years ago, my friend Jeff helping us install our laminate flooring; well he did it again for me. Another big thanks goes out to Jeff for his help.<br />
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<h3>
<b>Pretty Much Done<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X0Ge5TCbDdA/U9Xb6oj12xI/AAAAAAAAWug/xBY4FcYsksc/s1600/2014-05-01+23.23.33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X0Ge5TCbDdA/U9Xb6oj12xI/AAAAAAAAWug/xBY4FcYsksc/s1600/2014-05-01+23.23.33.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The interior paint is called "Elephant Skin"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b></h3>
<div>
By May 1st I had completed framing, sheathing, roofing, siding, trimming, windowing, dooring, wiring, insulating, drywalling, laminating, and interior painting the shed. The baby was due in four days and I was running around like a madman preparing the nursery and house for our new arrival. As the fifth came and went I realized I had just enough time to eke out a bit more work on the shed. I painted the exterior, moved in the furniture, and even installed a custom sign on outside of the shed (the name comes from my best man Billy, always one for a good Batman reference).</div>
<div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YSXMm6Bpak0/U9Xb8OQLk6I/AAAAAAAAWuw/BGDXdF_usdY/s1600/2014-05-03+20.28.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YSXMm6Bpak0/U9Xb8OQLk6I/AAAAAAAAWuw/BGDXdF_usdY/s1600/2014-05-03+20.28.50.jpg" height="228" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
I was exhausted, and I had a very pregnant (and patient) wife that needed increasingly more help as we waited for the baby to come. Knowing that the shed would be ready for its first real test, my mom spending a week living in it when she came to help after the baby was born, I called the project done enough and Christina and I celebrated with dinner, our last night out as a childless couple.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After George was born it took about a week for the sleep deprivation to subside enough that I could think. I started wrapping up the work on the shed; I painted the trim, I installed shelves, and added window flower boxes with the help of my mom. Since then I've continued to tweak and outfit the interior with more shelves, a fake bear rug, and all the other paraphenalia I've picked up over the years (posters and toys).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The shed project has been incredibly fulfilling. I don't if I would do it again (I said the same thing after I tiled the first bathroom). I found that I could, in fact, build something of this scale largely by myself with only my hands, tools, and back. It's a hell of a lesson and it makes me very grateful that I earn my living by exercising my brain and mouse hand. Thanks for reading!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-Ted</div>
<div>
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<div>
<table style="width: 194px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center" style="background: url(https://www.gstatic.com/pwa/s/v/lighthousefe_20140715.00_p0/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left; height: 194px;"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/117447988146330924755/ShedWork?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCMaHh6-9yYztOA&feat=embedwebsite"><img height="160" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-rSTNic08YrY/U9Xblvse90E/AAAAAAAAWw4/OAjK060ciM4/s160-c/ShedWork.jpg" style="margin: 1px 0px 0px 4px;" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/117447988146330924755/ShedWork?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCMaHh6-9yYztOA&feat=embedwebsite" style="color: #4d4d4d; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Shed Work</a></td></tr>
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</div>
Tedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08128293209864639194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-84063292921183053322014-04-14T09:39:00.000-07:002014-04-14T09:39:16.533-07:00Nursery Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZcFj88rNoyffuYdG93rv5M4fz1sC4aJ5W3bKguc6eTj77NQH4YzRP822Yi7U7aEcFfDmByB-873ptweqUgIMpY7h6nZfLWMR6m2YthExLScIuN1wHgayTu-GsZpIRG04MeZQuj_d2Guw/s1600/DSC00815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZcFj88rNoyffuYdG93rv5M4fz1sC4aJ5W3bKguc6eTj77NQH4YzRP822Yi7U7aEcFfDmByB-873ptweqUgIMpY7h6nZfLWMR6m2YthExLScIuN1wHgayTu-GsZpIRG04MeZQuj_d2Guw/s1600/DSC00815.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Here it is! The room was already finished as our home office before, so it didn't take too much updating for the nursery other than painting the upper half of the wall blue and swapping out the furniture. The dino decals came from <a href="http://www.target.com/p/nursery-framed-under-glass-dino-collect/-/A-14497009" target="_blank">Target</a>, crib from <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10248524/" target="_blank">Ikea</a>, and the books and other decor from lovely friends and family. We inadvertently went with an animal theme, it just kind of came together that way - but we're happy with how it turned out!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKeSitie683P9BqYrK9YU7PljRotaDvRJfZ724FJCwIh85eQS9w60oVhnWF8tRIQZa-DSQ4pYVKZ30dcahl-d4tt0NpfaXUiMLkHnRnyWRRiOidwnWHXnwMRpddYHqcOXf_gcf8WZy8Fy/s1600/DSC00822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKeSitie683P9BqYrK9YU7PljRotaDvRJfZ724FJCwIh85eQS9w60oVhnWF8tRIQZa-DSQ4pYVKZ30dcahl-d4tt0NpfaXUiMLkHnRnyWRRiOidwnWHXnwMRpddYHqcOXf_gcf8WZy8Fy/s1600/DSC00822.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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The <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/series/09064/" target="_blank">cube storage unit</a>, <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00242631/#/10242635" target="_blank">dresser/changing table</a>, <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/series/07472/" target="_blank">chair</a>, and <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20200456/" target="_blank">side table</a> are also from Ikea. We still have to add some lamps, clean out the closet, remove some nails, and touch up some paint - but it's pretty much finished.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZR48CIrFg3vphPY4H3Ip4wh4uG43EnrUTKtuZOue36hxHc8EISqPbjiM3gIvxBidsLy0bcDjsasWXrcb8Ap83xgllBs7blJS6hVNPag7hRjUNQREbLU8fIkb4yHUrJvJ4i7q7aPsLZjDl/s1600/DSC00819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZR48CIrFg3vphPY4H3Ip4wh4uG43EnrUTKtuZOue36hxHc8EISqPbjiM3gIvxBidsLy0bcDjsasWXrcb8Ap83xgllBs7blJS6hVNPag7hRjUNQREbLU8fIkb4yHUrJvJ4i7q7aPsLZjDl/s1600/DSC00819.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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Are we seriously going to have something that fits into these small outfits to take care of in just three weeks?! Can hardly wait much longer! :)<br />
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The next big project is that Ted is currently building a detached shed/office in the side yard. He has all the walls and roof up already and it's looking good! More to come on that soon!<br />
<br />Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06116632316978246685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-11995503459968193212014-01-20T17:45:00.000-08:002014-01-20T17:45:11.971-08:00Ikea Dresser Remodel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQdGC38XX40vnIcVbW0wlKya1ZHzszxoiRT_JTqKRk8GYyYKP3mGDU3RPVCXGg-Vza2O5SEXM241EduHb-IhGDR6iZzYM6aX0fnhAy2GDQ30uTCGlmFkwTadrP_3A8J1ZdziQeLMJ9ccS/s1600/DSC00474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQdGC38XX40vnIcVbW0wlKya1ZHzszxoiRT_JTqKRk8GYyYKP3mGDU3RPVCXGg-Vza2O5SEXM241EduHb-IhGDR6iZzYM6aX0fnhAy2GDQ30uTCGlmFkwTadrP_3A8J1ZdziQeLMJ9ccS/s1600/DSC00474.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRkQ-8loezzgIh1uXKjMN03pVGQdFrk6iywTwilaXyRUjuXXHT8NLE3fWJuM8n4LP9mCYbRZYBVWH1UA0BTQNbz5hx8OH9OTiorSrVe7kxeGcMrpGqPA6WsVT1JjCmYHOb4pCvo6McHB0/s1600/DSC00467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRkQ-8loezzgIh1uXKjMN03pVGQdFrk6iywTwilaXyRUjuXXHT8NLE3fWJuM8n4LP9mCYbRZYBVWH1UA0BTQNbz5hx8OH9OTiorSrVe7kxeGcMrpGqPA6WsVT1JjCmYHOb4pCvo6McHB0/s1600/DSC00467.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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Happy 2014! We've been pretty quiet on here as of late...that's because we've been busy getting ready for a new addition to our family this Spring! Nope, not another cat...we're expecting a baby boy! :) We've got a major to-do list on the house before the little one arrives, and a huge thanks to Ted for cranking out projects left and right. He loves this stuff...ok here's the latest!<br />
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We've been using our old college Kmart dressers for years now, and it was finally time to upgrade to something a little more fancy in the bedroom. We made a big trip to Ikea a few weekends ago, mostly for nursery furniture which we will post more on later, but we also purchased this pine <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50221419/" target="_blank">Tarva</a> dresser for ourselves that needed finishing. Ted painted the drawers with a subtle greenish gray color to match our bedroom, stained all the other parts with a medium color wood finish (called <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/Varathane-1-Qt-Early-American-Wood-Stain-266163/203332252" target="_blank">Early American</a>), and installed stainless drawer pulls. All in just 2-3 nights of work!<br />
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Hi there, hope everyone is having a splendid Summer! A few months ago we started the remodel of the "master" bathroom, and we are happy to report that it is finally fully complete! To give you an idea, here's what the bathroom looked like when we first bought the house four years ago...<br />
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Not the most stylish decor, right? We think they built the little blue cabinets to the left of the shower so they could use a standard size square shower pan. We decided that we'd rather have a larger custom shower than the awkward cabinets to the left, so tore everything out.</div>
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After the tearout, I had a couple of very busy weeks at work, and Ted was a trooper in doing most of the tiling work himself. Here are a couple in progress photos:<br />
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Ted putting up the water vapor barrier, setting up the floor basin, and putting up the first few pieces of tile.<br />
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Thanks to my Dad for hooking us up with the shower hardware and to Ted for making that sweet little shelf out of a cut piece of tile.<br />
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A close up of the different pieces of tile used. The floor needed to be a smaller size tile to help with the slope needed to drain water properly.</div>
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We bought the sink and vanity from HD Supply in Ventura, similar to what we have in the other bathroom. What we left to the pros this time was, we had the glass shower door custom ordered and installed.</div>
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And that's a wrap! Until the next project...</div>
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--Christina & Ted</div>
Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06116632316978246685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-1742767624358363622013-04-07T17:45:00.000-07:002013-04-07T17:45:20.019-07:00DIY HeadboardHello there! Has it really been almost a year since we last posted? Time is flying! Here's a little project we did yesterday, a DIY Headboard:<br />
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We got a new king size bed a couple of weeks ago (so much roomier than the queen), and decided to build a headboard to go with it! Making the headboard was pretty simple and took under 2 hours. The most annoying part was the shopping and going to different places trying to find all the items we needed to make it! Here's what we used:<br />
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<li>Standard sheet of plywood from Home Depot ($30) that Ted cut down to 42" x 78" with a little curved edge on each top end. It was quite the adventure tying this down onto Ted's roof rack and driving home. It was a windy day, took multiple attempts, and we had to drive very slowly, but finally got it home in one piece.</li>
<li>The foam. Oh, the FOAM. We wanted the headboard to have a little bit of cushion and thickness to it, so wanted to purchase some of that standard 2" thick rectangular green foam sheeting. Should be easy to find and cheap, right? Apparently not...it was going to be over $100 when you buy it by the yard at Joann's in Oxnard, and we weren't having that for some stupid green foam. So, we ventured next door over to the Walmart in Oxnard...not the smartest idea we ever had. Not to sound elitist, but those of you who live in the area know...you just don't go there unless you are really desperate for something you can't find somewhere else. We didn't have any luck there (other than leaving with a new kite, a jar of Nutella, and crushed dreams), so had to revisit our game plan.</li>
<li>We read online somewhere that some people used egg crate mattress toppers instead of the expensive foam stuff, so we were pretty much immediately sold on this idea. A quick trip to Target and we walked out of there with 2 queen size mattress toppers for about $50.</li>
<li>Spray adhesive glue from Home Depot to attach the mattress toppers to each other and to the plywood ($5).</li>
<li>Standard quilting batting to wrap around the mattress toppers and plywood - $12 from the trusty Oxnard Walmart.</li>
<li>Staples and staple gun to attach the batting around the mattress toppers and plywood - already had on hand.</li>
<li>After searching at the Oxnard Joann's, Walmart, Michael's, and finding out that the old fabric store in Camarillo is now a pet store...we found this fabric pattern at the Joann's in Thousand Oaks. It was $45 for 2.5 yards. We were pretty tired at this point after 4 hours of shopping for this little project, saw this one, and decided to go for it. We always gravitate towards the simple grey or taupe colors, so it was a bit of a stretch for us. We were also going to do covered buttons, but didn't think this pattern needed them.</li>
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And there you have it! A simple DIY Headboard that should only take 3-4 hours including shopping - just plan out what supplies you need ahead of time, and just say no to Walmart...although we did fly a pretty sweet kite today because of that random shopping trip! Total headboard cost: approximately $150 if you have electric saws and a staple gun already on hand.<br />
<br />Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06116632316978246685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-36666737536596213942012-05-06T16:27:00.001-07:002012-05-06T16:52:16.147-07:00Happy Three<div>
Three years ago we closed escrow on this little house, and started
shaping it up to make it our own. We started out that first night the
house was ours by scraping off the popcorn ceilings after work. Three
years later and we still have more projects yet to tackle, but house
you've been good to us and you really do feel like home. We celebrated
by refinishing and repainting the fence by the garage today (the roll-up
garage door is also new...so nice to finally have a clicker). Here's
to hopefully another three pleasant years here.<br />
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<br /></div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06116632316978246685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-63012160767544756612012-04-09T23:10:00.002-07:002012-04-09T23:10:27.902-07:00DIY Redwood Garden Bench<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9nvjQx_PCQEO70ZAQ_QfEzMeDNDJ_3mB-6e0VFxHIHMCt-gJ4pcJIJgOHLyRltFsY3Fwk7JkKecl5AikAH40pMz_zb1AMXvoHY09D2tjxxumnAgylhlvXxquzuk-qfjYWdDfoJoRP8Q/s1600/2012-04-04+12.12.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="What a bench. Rawr." border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9nvjQx_PCQEO70ZAQ_QfEzMeDNDJ_3mB-6e0VFxHIHMCt-gJ4pcJIJgOHLyRltFsY3Fwk7JkKecl5AikAH40pMz_zb1AMXvoHY09D2tjxxumnAgylhlvXxquzuk-qfjYWdDfoJoRP8Q/s400/2012-04-04+12.12.31.jpg" title="The Bench in it's outdoor glory" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiInSaTrgPpTrH7Ph3HoW50ozYepP4XojjAO7Pq_68oxGaLj-eWri3diYrAImNQe33HsgXfRXw5BeV9PJblCKQwDjbagU1xvwpwRpl_qHne_GJoDPVUL3q2gNFtO7SRGBNEH3FvP_VK95k/s1600/2012-03-24+17.46.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiInSaTrgPpTrH7Ph3HoW50ozYepP4XojjAO7Pq_68oxGaLj-eWri3diYrAImNQe33HsgXfRXw5BeV9PJblCKQwDjbagU1xvwpwRpl_qHne_GJoDPVUL3q2gNFtO7SRGBNEH3FvP_VK95k/s200/2012-03-24+17.46.25.jpg" width="200" /></a>A couple of weekends ago I felt the itch to make something challenging but still simple. Basically, if it took more thought than making chili I would have ditched the project midway and gone back to finishing Mass Effect 3 (20 hours and counting...). Luckily Popular Mechanics had the prefect spring time project: <a href="http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/woodworking/build-this-wooden-garden-bench">an outdoor bench</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gHC5LQTwog97Z2ox3iNhxgO_XRZyMihFnL3e5ux6y8BIcZDG1QE0Bk43m49acqWt6utd6T331sqSERcb3EGXFculeV5Rp2RdfsIMhat9VoR1ddXLv3L066qQtiq4JR34Cxk11TgDrb4/s1600/2012-03-24+17.46.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gHC5LQTwog97Z2ox3iNhxgO_XRZyMihFnL3e5ux6y8BIcZDG1QE0Bk43m49acqWt6utd6T331sqSERcb3EGXFculeV5Rp2RdfsIMhat9VoR1ddXLv3L066qQtiq4JR34Cxk11TgDrb4/s200/2012-03-24+17.46.18.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
The bench design is simple and requires only structural lumber, threaded rods, and stain. Well, that and a table saw which I could have really used back when I made the entertainment center. The nice thing about doing a project out of a magazine is that there isn't much to think about. No figuring out sizes, cut and drill locations, or assembly instructions. I went to the local big box and grabbed some redwood (the instructions say to use cedar, but that's hard to come by out here and redwood will weather well enough for my needs).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtBpDYCcsyrcfgl7xd_eeYAdLFiR8y5sRxj_wmEo657NWwWj291mQxxHv3KWQ18nJ3QiZ1aTrarq3fsUq4DT_U8Zmgnv-gaf26ZACT9yndsVKlpRzpb4G_ADoKI9KhN2g-6PZrvOlRCE4/s1600/2012-03-24+19.30.51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtBpDYCcsyrcfgl7xd_eeYAdLFiR8y5sRxj_wmEo657NWwWj291mQxxHv3KWQ18nJ3QiZ1aTrarq3fsUq4DT_U8Zmgnv-gaf26ZACT9yndsVKlpRzpb4G_ADoKI9KhN2g-6PZrvOlRCE4/s320/2012-03-24+19.30.51.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cut pieces</td></tr>
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That does make this a little less interesting to write. Basically all I did was cut the 2x4's (main pieces), 1x4's (spacers), and 4x4's (legs) to length. And then I used the table saw. And I cut, and cut, and cut, and cut fins out of the 4x4's, notching the legs and creating the central building points that the bench would be formed from.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3Fo0xf7okFxw-ZalzZzqS6Rg9nmZqrY6tIp4rYWabHt17nY8qlxMDV7_gYCg9GDB13vdpoHhb8PrnrggSKZQac6GcVcPBFupILVq1VtL_maUoGl5bIWXXj3obJmnA93u9yGQbj42smE/s1600/2012-03-24+19.30.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3Fo0xf7okFxw-ZalzZzqS6Rg9nmZqrY6tIp4rYWabHt17nY8qlxMDV7_gYCg9GDB13vdpoHhb8PrnrggSKZQac6GcVcPBFupILVq1VtL_maUoGl5bIWXXj3obJmnA93u9yGQbj42smE/s200/2012-03-24+19.30.31.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This took a lot of cuts to get it down to this point</td></tr>
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So this really did take a good 20+ minutes of just passing legs over and over the saw blade. Finishing followed by breaking off the "tabs" and cleaning up the edges with a sharp chisel.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxV1iugkxuZayajhHGgHaqjssWLipiN6S955cU4j_84NfzKfIxcb-_qwyJBTru-3Q_pNglSX7Yw2dTPhPdyvorP9tfwA6noyKQkJWmBnFj1giveZLFgv2O5W0feKD4Ww_iPEHXom90-Y/s200/2012-03-24+19.30.36.jpg" width="200" /> </td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All that cut wood needed to go somewhere</td></tr>
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Cleanup was not fun.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuCw_BPQPK1IFcjCfHGhuPK0NXY3gaJiSrzhUQHQ32FyCOwdXTmMUJIC42vJXDwTHVd7sY3jUa4DIUQcB7X-NauRjrE0WZBWvPnj2Nz1YOxEdf-eG6AT8ieVxpJMJDcJqAaZACk7IIncc/s1600/2012-03-25+14.34.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuCw_BPQPK1IFcjCfHGhuPK0NXY3gaJiSrzhUQHQ32FyCOwdXTmMUJIC42vJXDwTHVd7sY3jUa4DIUQcB7X-NauRjrE0WZBWvPnj2Nz1YOxEdf-eG6AT8ieVxpJMJDcJqAaZACk7IIncc/s200/2012-03-25+14.34.07.jpg" width="200" /></a>The spacers (square 1x4's) were Gorilla-glued and nailed in set spots on the slats (2x4's). Holes for the threaded rods (which run through each piece of wood and hold the bench together) were then drilled through all the pieces of wood. A jig was utilized to maintain a consistent hole location in all of the pieces.</div>
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I glued and clamped the parts together to the point where I could fasten the bench with the threaded rod. Dowels were used to fill in the holes on the ends (needed for the threaded rod), the excess was sawed off, and the bench assembly was finished.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzBQFMwftslqOoQhtXvL8aS2NnY4HQ6lbX4sKzIW1vdRn7iL0VTcvXLeZrU6PnWBaPOdNIZI4TwH_UV4AnEH6x0Jk3NcuIcFb8mnfsLnf5cD87OqF3xyUHrxvTlhyIC7xE_JmZ34lBlI/s1600/2012-03-25+17.26.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzBQFMwftslqOoQhtXvL8aS2NnY4HQ6lbX4sKzIW1vdRn7iL0VTcvXLeZrU6PnWBaPOdNIZI4TwH_UV4AnEH6x0Jk3NcuIcFb8mnfsLnf5cD87OqF3xyUHrxvTlhyIC7xE_JmZ34lBlI/s320/2012-03-25+17.26.36.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Assembled, before finishing.</td></tr>
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The final steps were sanding and staining the wood. The staining wasn't especially hard, aside from getting into the narrow nooks and crannies, but the stain was much, much darker than I thought. So, not perfect, but honestly? I'm really happy with it. The design looks great, the bench is <i>very</i> strong, and the stain should keep the wood safe through years of weathering. And now I feel like I'm a decent plan away from making a whole furniture set.<br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzIjHAnla7fGhF9VilmhLmtUqHoJyFdkkvFuB0SM142AVJoG8wekrH6E-7oV_EwhO8Dk6CcnZ1zbNOxSFaai64YShOdZw2BxdM0QLG5mTKxSSYTJuPIjNAYsYxvEiR-ag8_lssMzYePQ/s1600/2012-03-31+15.45.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzIjHAnla7fGhF9VilmhLmtUqHoJyFdkkvFuB0SM142AVJoG8wekrH6E-7oV_EwhO8Dk6CcnZ1zbNOxSFaai64YShOdZw2BxdM0QLG5mTKxSSYTJuPIjNAYsYxvEiR-ag8_lssMzYePQ/s320/2012-03-31+15.45.40.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Tedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08128293209864639194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-71408237262318075652012-01-01T23:38:00.000-08:002012-01-01T23:38:31.091-08:002011: That's a wrap!Happy New Year! It's been a while since we've made a post -- here are a few photos to get caught up on the last few months of 2011.<br />
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Ted built an entertainment center in October to hold the TV, speakers, electronics, etc.:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jCwWWZWDcWg/TwFZlYuV6nI/AAAAAAAAEEI/TBpfwBHomoc/s1600/IMG_20120101_201120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jCwWWZWDcWg/TwFZlYuV6nI/AAAAAAAAEEI/TBpfwBHomoc/s320/IMG_20120101_201120.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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He designed it all before hand and cut the pieces of wood to size. I helped with the assembly and did the painting. It fills the niche in the wall where the 3rd bedroom closet would be, that is now part of our living room area. We got the Harry Potter blu-rays for Christmas (playing on the TV).</div>
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In December we decided to finally purchase and install a dishwasher, with the help of our dads (thanks!!). Ted removed the cabinets and silverware drawer in order to fit the dishwasher here:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fgoH6P_59P0/TwFbCSRq50I/AAAAAAAAEEU/FKFPlP2-t7E/s1600/IMG_20120101_201259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fgoH6P_59P0/TwFbCSRq50I/AAAAAAAAEEU/FKFPlP2-t7E/s320/IMG_20120101_201259.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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He cut down the other cabinets to the left of the sink and installed the silverware drawer over there as well. After washing dishes by hand every night for the last few years, we are very excited to have this quiet Bosch do the work for us from now on!</div>
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That wraps up our work on the house for 2011. I think the biggest project was remodeling the bathroom, and hopefully we'll remodel the other bathroom next year. We'll keep you posted on renovations for 2012!</div>
<br />Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06116632316978246685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-83275492488414984032011-09-15T09:23:00.000-07:002011-09-15T09:23:08.291-07:00DIY Concrete Umbrella Stand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g37V9Kj3jds/TnEMxpOEUVI/AAAAAAAAL1w/hrEQYkwbxGY/s1600/IMAG0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eyJqjocmHBw/TnEMxu_2N2I/AAAAAAAAL1w/Z6Hu-neYVAI/s1600/IMAG0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="315" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eyJqjocmHBw/TnEMxu_2N2I/AAAAAAAAL1w/Z6Hu-neYVAI/s400/IMAG0004.jpg" width="560" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The umbrella stand in all its glory</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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It occurs to me, as I'm writing this update, that I really should have taken a photo of the actual umbrella and the table it is covering. Anyway, as you can see I made a concrete umbrella stand for the umbrella and patio table we picked up over Labor Day weekend. This is my first attempt at <a href="http://www.diynetwork.com/remodeling/the-basics-of-cast-concrete-and-molded-accents/index.html">DIY concrete casting</a> and I think it came out pretty well, although there are certainly lessons to be learned.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VA3yj7SjFLs/TnEMxryl_iI/AAAAAAAAL14/Ir256Ii1csY/s1600/IMAG0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VA3yj7SjFLs/TnEMxryl_iI/AAAAAAAAL14/Ir256Ii1csY/s320/IMAG0005.jpg" width="211" /></a>The umbrella stand consists of a <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202319872/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053">cheap planter base</a>, <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202017948/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053">1" PVC pipe</a>, and ~35lbs of concrete (from a <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202535857/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053">60lbs bag</a>), for a total of ~$11. I punched a hole in the planter, shoved the PVC pipe though, and sealed the hole with hot glue. This was followed with a liberal application of WD-40 to all of the surfaces of the mold.<br />
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I mixed the concrete in a 5Gal bucket with my shovel, as the hand trowel didn't have the necessary oomph, and ended up adding more than the minimum amount of water in order to reach the right consistency.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IWpthmBaLOA/TnEMxkcEwcI/AAAAAAAAL1w/4tJiXLeNcZg/s1600/IMAG0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IWpthmBaLOA/TnEMxkcEwcI/AAAAAAAAL1w/4tJiXLeNcZg/s320/IMAG0006.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Next up was to pour the concrete into the mold, which was placed on top of an old wine crate, allowing the PVC pipe to extend past the mold. The concrete was shaken after pouring to settle it, a necessary step that still left me with some "worm holes" in the surface. I'm not complaining. It adds "character". I also smoothed the "underside" of the concrete with a 2x4, getting as level a surface as I could. The WD-40, mentioned above, acts as a lubricant, allowing for the clean separation of the concrete from the mold once dry.<br />
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All was left to do was to wait. Concrete takes four to five days to cure and needs to remain damp during the process, so I covered the whole thing with saran wrap. Four days later and the concrete was dry, slipping out of the mold easily.<br />
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Lessons Learned<br />
Shake the concrete mold more. I'm guessing a more vigorous shake would reduce the "worm holes" and leave a smooth surface all around.<br />
Add "weep holes" to the mold, allowing excess water to escape from the bottom of the mold. I did this after the fact, but was only able to add weep holes to the side instead of the absolute bottom.<br />
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I'm looking forward to doing more concrete molds. The setup is cheap, the process simple, and the results are pretty cool!<br />
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<br />Tedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08128293209864639194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-79730195653785420812011-09-01T00:55:00.000-07:002011-09-01T00:55:22.459-07:00Bathroom Remodel - Complete!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInVudHZoN1V18RgGCW9hEtEhpfJ97A8V_EJK2-MqDPmETRShlNR12BE_Uo2KJO2BTVFI6ouP_EM3CyWyT7fWRMPJICHxxcRJrBipYXBI0-TvxDD1ON6qRMSPHB6Xp8OfoF-TxH1LF5pgh/s1600/IMG_5026.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647290049950887266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInVudHZoN1V18RgGCW9hEtEhpfJ97A8V_EJK2-MqDPmETRShlNR12BE_Uo2KJO2BTVFI6ouP_EM3CyWyT7fWRMPJICHxxcRJrBipYXBI0-TvxDD1ON6qRMSPHB6Xp8OfoF-TxH1LF5pgh/s400/IMG_5026.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
After four (or was it five?) weeks of work, we've finally finished the bathroom remodel! Starting with demolition, and ending with trim painting, here's a list of what went into the new bathroom:<br />
<ul>
<li>Demolished the drywall around the tub</li>
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<li>Removed and replaced the pressed steel tub with a cast iron tub (which is a big, nice upgrade)</li>
<li>Added shower plumbing to the tub area (this actually wasn't us; thanks Nick/Dad!)</li>
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<li>Removed and replaced the vanity</li>
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<li>Installed tile backing board (cement board) and vapor barrier</li>
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<li>Tiled<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GR3Io92xu-U/Tl8n5lV95rI/AAAAAAAAECg/ucmDJyhByQs/s1600/IMG_4996.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></li>
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<li>Tiled....</li>
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<li>....Tiled<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GR3Io92xu-U/Tl8n5lV95rI/AAAAAAAAECg/ucmDJyhByQs/s1600/IMG_4996.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GR3Io92xu-U/Tl8n5lV95rI/AAAAAAAAECg/ucmDJyhByQs/s320/IMG_4996.JPG" width="320" /></a></li>
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<li>Tiled even more</li>
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<li>Grouted</li>
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<li>New electrical sockets and light fixtures</li>
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<li>New wall hardware<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GR3Io92xu-U/Tl8n5lV95rI/AAAAAAAAECg/ucmDJyhByQs/s1600/IMG_4996.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></li>
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<li>Trim work (totally awesome trim work, by the way)</li>
</ul>
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<i><b>Shower Tile</b></i><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9lZsm5myAtM/Tl8n3yWYMWI/AAAAAAAAECI/rT1FD-2RoJc/s1600/IMG_5009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9lZsm5myAtM/Tl8n3yWYMWI/AAAAAAAAECI/rT1FD-2RoJc/s320/IMG_5009.JPG" width="240" /></a>The shower was tiled with 3" x 6" subway tile from Home Depot along with a white/grey/black accent tile. The tiling was challenging. We had to learn how to mix the thinset to the right composition and ensure the tile remainded straight and evenly spaced. Using a piece of wood screwed into the cement board, we laid the first row of tiles two rows above the tub lip. Progress started slowly, but it gave us the chance to catch up on a lot of TV (The Good Guys, Bachelor Pad). As we moved up the wall we installed the soap dishes and edge pieces; Christina measured and marked while Ted cut the tile on the second tile cutter (the first one broke after 20 minutes).<br />
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Once we got the tiling process down it was rinse and repeat, and repeat, and repeat. Grouting took a couple of days, but the end result was worth it. We finally have a shower worth showering in. We finished up the shower with a curved shower rod (hotel style, from Amazon) and Grohe hardware (from Christina's Dad).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinX8D8plkW5s0EdUkXC-LVB7zkMykQClIXJ2HCkS8U320_jNWAMPubkmYJp9EN12OOzbeKCaatjI3cDJk8hfGdcHTFh8aJ2KA_SpQ9W3k5-iy-b7FcCu4SrMWWreUK6UEgmDOtCmeq4m5z/s1600/IMG_4976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinX8D8plkW5s0EdUkXC-LVB7zkMykQClIXJ2HCkS8U320_jNWAMPubkmYJp9EN12OOzbeKCaatjI3cDJk8hfGdcHTFh8aJ2KA_SpQ9W3k5-iy-b7FcCu4SrMWWreUK6UEgmDOtCmeq4m5z/s320/IMG_4976.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FfexomgWwQc/Tl8nqt4OpwI/AAAAAAAAECE/q5YxDB7CIjA/s1600/IMG_5025.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FfexomgWwQc/Tl8nqt4OpwI/AAAAAAAAECE/q5YxDB7CIjA/s320/IMG_5025.JPG" width="242" /></a><i><b> </b></i></div>
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<i><b>Vanity </b></i><br />
A new vanity and countertop was purchased from HD Supply and installed by us and Christina's dad. We removed the old faux-oak vanity and replaced it with a faux-espresso wood vanity (quite the improvement). The walls and flooring in the bathroom aren't straight; it took several shims and a lot of leveling to get the vanity square and level. The large gaps between the vanity, the floor, and the walls meant we had some very large caulk gaps to fill. The faucet is a basic model we got from Home Depot; the various hardware bits are from Amazon.<br />
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<i><b>Mirror and Light</b></i><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E-yDd7nlKVQ/Tl8n5NpsPgI/AAAAAAAAECY/wi0Ur7j70Xo/s1600/IMG_4985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E-yDd7nlKVQ/Tl8n5NpsPgI/AAAAAAAAECY/wi0Ur7j70Xo/s320/IMG_4985.JPG" width="320" /></a>The new light fixture should have been an easy project, but when Ted pulled the old fixture away from the wall he found a ceiling-support where a 2x4 should have been. That meant drywall had to be cut away, a new 2x4 put in its place, and a new drywall patch panel inserted into the wall.<br />
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There really isn't anything to mention about the mirror; it required hanging, and we hung it.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZljPXxhXqVM/Tl8oPC5_p_I/AAAAAAAAECo/GXRYLH53MzE/s1600/IMG_4983.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZljPXxhXqVM/Tl8oPC5_p_I/AAAAAAAAECo/GXRYLH53MzE/s320/IMG_4983.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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<i><b>Drywall and Trim </b></i><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GR3Io92xu-U/Tl8n5lV95rI/AAAAAAAAECg/ucmDJyhByQs/s1600/IMG_4996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>The cement board and the drywall were plastered together with several skim coats and a couple of rounds of sanding. The patch panel from the above section also needed plastering. While the new sections were smooth, the existing drywall was covered in an orange peel texture (unlike much of the rest of the house, which is textured in knockdown). The first pass on the texture didn't go well; the texture ended up with tiny gas bubble holes across much of the surface. The first pass was skimmed over and redone (at $13/can of texture, an unfortunately expensive redo), but ended up matching the existing texture pretty well.<br />
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The baseboard trim was straight forward, save for two sections: the vanity flange over the toilet water supply, and the maintenance access to the (I'm assuming) sewer trap for the other bathroom. Each of these items required the trim be cut down to match the round profile of the above features. A couple of minutes with my dremel, and the trim was all set.<br />
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That's it for now! Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!<br />
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Ted & Christina <br />
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<br />Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06116632316978246685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-20424337969927880102011-08-25T22:14:00.000-07:002011-08-25T22:58:40.038-07:00Bathroom Remodel: The BeginningLet's start from the beginning of the bathroom remodel...
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<br />First was the drywall removal above the old tub. This involved a lot of hacking away at the wall. A good way to get out aggression! But very dusty. Ted did most of the work on this part, and I helped a little.
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOWmVTqfAPevU5RzViKG14ge3y1ZyrHBxfhgI6p5B4_cmw55I57tqFaGkTAHL04lLWruIwn8NoFNS58gUJ-_T-01GrewX-koOE5UXf66fKjcDpfnEx-U3XWquLgZTdLOm3AXsRBd-wdyA/s1600/IMG_4620.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOWmVTqfAPevU5RzViKG14ge3y1ZyrHBxfhgI6p5B4_cmw55I57tqFaGkTAHL04lLWruIwn8NoFNS58gUJ-_T-01GrewX-koOE5UXf66fKjcDpfnEx-U3XWquLgZTdLOm3AXsRBd-wdyA/s320/IMG_4620.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645030453012719282" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmbPkNI25V3sdx9qmTQCnMFGDSHL56MA-vJYQW3Blq8ubRXdjVBrk_reWOnU97Ujm1kyyOCqc471aeoDOFXt92TqvD4JWorvOIrsk4zaUxNd131nEobR1iKobGbVMJeRp71-tvfCgCd_n/s1600/IMG_4622.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmbPkNI25V3sdx9qmTQCnMFGDSHL56MA-vJYQW3Blq8ubRXdjVBrk_reWOnU97Ujm1kyyOCqc471aeoDOFXt92TqvD4JWorvOIrsk4zaUxNd131nEobR1iKobGbVMJeRp71-tvfCgCd_n/s320/IMG_4622.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645030698722673714" border="0" /></a>Here's what it looked like with the drywall removed and bare studs. Plus the new cast iron tub that my dad installed for us.
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPaIHswH79mKM2V9NOVxdsaXQwe__yWv5w017T16rWAVgNrQ-o97BUGxtswO8SBSZypaEKAoRlotRZsWreu3Ea7Lki3q7ajxXqSUFz6vKKaWBh73MdfVCFtzA_9fRiA6PjJDxEXCP7O2OT/s1600/IMG_4630.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPaIHswH79mKM2V9NOVxdsaXQwe__yWv5w017T16rWAVgNrQ-o97BUGxtswO8SBSZypaEKAoRlotRZsWreu3Ea7Lki3q7ajxXqSUFz6vKKaWBh73MdfVCFtzA_9fRiA6PjJDxEXCP7O2OT/s320/IMG_4630.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645031961548339234" border="0" /></a>Next up was installing the cement board above the tub. That stuff is heavy! It took almost a whole weekend just to do this part. Lots of measuring, cutting, and drilling. While Ted was doing that, I painted the walls and ceiling.
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNmtotq_ACWytwJpxhy8snqRCPPLzI2lPSN9v6OTWVjp8fljx62h12tlbq3EfKNimyoxt6SNWNc-uRd8vhjJ2ew9SPxaRlFAmiYILBlkRj-tPr5AtDoZ1DYwSOzIVRJyXE4zNEHCx_edk/s1600/IMG_4631.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNmtotq_ACWytwJpxhy8snqRCPPLzI2lPSN9v6OTWVjp8fljx62h12tlbq3EfKNimyoxt6SNWNc-uRd8vhjJ2ew9SPxaRlFAmiYILBlkRj-tPr5AtDoZ1DYwSOzIVRJyXE4zNEHCx_edk/s320/IMG_4631.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645032590158212658" border="0" /></a>Finally, it was time to tile. This took almost a week, mostly nights spent doing chunks here and there with Netflix playing on the iPad to keep us entertained. Here are a few progress shots of the tile process.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzi7BtegzjqIvqjI6nrfFKnQc2X6nkRl1QBtx6xseBFPYtNQEf4EJktwtD-mw3BYyzvuAtmZ-xmI9EWfJ32tXYfvWTT-UDB-D7aIgvuzZPG4Lo5SuRrjHcptZ0ax78RcLvgYJEXpu8Sr2/s1600/IMG_4634.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzi7BtegzjqIvqjI6nrfFKnQc2X6nkRl1QBtx6xseBFPYtNQEf4EJktwtD-mw3BYyzvuAtmZ-xmI9EWfJ32tXYfvWTT-UDB-D7aIgvuzZPG4Lo5SuRrjHcptZ0ax78RcLvgYJEXpu8Sr2/s320/IMG_4634.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645033877351572546" border="0" /></a>The blue painters tape is covering a soap dish that we cemented in with the tile.
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhXPq4Zl7tZYtJEYmYH06b3vaiHx6I_b6xm32KvUa-csGxVYgXNm2OcdnVN7LIAMJ1jw8xeOj5aYDp40s3e9-iOoGorg_2_R-zoeHS7LQufqvXF-2UVc43k90qELd3jj3vgsaW9CDSHVQ/s1600/IMG_4636.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhXPq4Zl7tZYtJEYmYH06b3vaiHx6I_b6xm32KvUa-csGxVYgXNm2OcdnVN7LIAMJ1jw8xeOj5aYDp40s3e9-iOoGorg_2_R-zoeHS7LQufqvXF-2UVc43k90qELd3jj3vgsaW9CDSHVQ/s320/IMG_4636.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645034085107074546" border="0" /></a>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2h1wjprBPwcLAjL7VOtTER2L9_DyUFrpJDsB0A5Qc4tdc3sJfF5e-BnCablobdSf2Uyr0IZsb-2ch_QeNMpR5nnaFDDH5E2Br9tlqGVCrEF0WM7yJC-ldm8RDPLp7uVk4y60n1Aqre081/s1600/IMG_4638.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2h1wjprBPwcLAjL7VOtTER2L9_DyUFrpJDsB0A5Qc4tdc3sJfF5e-BnCablobdSf2Uyr0IZsb-2ch_QeNMpR5nnaFDDH5E2Br9tlqGVCrEF0WM7yJC-ldm8RDPLp7uVk4y60n1Aqre081/s320/IMG_4638.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645034311267186338" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgne5PpWBzpqdYphSo3rnTEJ6IARUu-As7gmuHo5uB9r-d3IDCCVnIq1tdH9MI738gqs5gzcSJGDw7ZAX20vHimKTFf3Ijsz_WAWxrfIQVyLdImX2ml0EoSBE4BOqki6_CSLOrNIfBj9wuK/s1600/IMG_4640.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgne5PpWBzpqdYphSo3rnTEJ6IARUu-As7gmuHo5uB9r-d3IDCCVnIq1tdH9MI738gqs5gzcSJGDw7ZAX20vHimKTFf3Ijsz_WAWxrfIQVyLdImX2ml0EoSBE4BOqki6_CSLOrNIfBj9wuK/s320/IMG_4640.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645034611656937234" border="0" /></a>We also cemented in a corner shelf to hold shampoo, etc.
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AiVcZF8OhxPkBxXCk6478rSozzqphZXikH7ceKUTJN1sxy_w2ZxOdfeeFOcThKQ6cNIsOLOCUCkxoOtJcmwmmXCX2y3mktOvzLs-7nlAx1LlGXBEyRDTwQU-UU4sZoOaOck3fr4SmJUz/s1600/IMG_4647.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AiVcZF8OhxPkBxXCk6478rSozzqphZXikH7ceKUTJN1sxy_w2ZxOdfeeFOcThKQ6cNIsOLOCUCkxoOtJcmwmmXCX2y3mktOvzLs-7nlAx1LlGXBEyRDTwQU-UU4sZoOaOck3fr4SmJUz/s320/IMG_4647.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645034979630836882" border="0" /></a>The finished tile before the grout:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnysfKMbgjvzejDnANsAtMHkSYy-7xYtkpziZ7B-6Qnx_uRSXgwoRviNvyuVb86V_z0aFrVrmVFu2Xlac5ek32wAhpCz0OFsw7R9I9ILJgmyprN9p2eL0pAQoRBKkqu477I9qI2IEJg58J/s1600/IMG_4649.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnysfKMbgjvzejDnANsAtMHkSYy-7xYtkpziZ7B-6Qnx_uRSXgwoRviNvyuVb86V_z0aFrVrmVFu2Xlac5ek32wAhpCz0OFsw7R9I9ILJgmyprN9p2eL0pAQoRBKkqu477I9qI2IEJg58J/s320/IMG_4649.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645035247415564802" border="0" /></a>Grouting definitely is a skill that takes lots of practice, it wasn't easy. We finally got the hang of it, but we had to apply the grout, wash, rinse, and repeat several times to get it right. Here is the tile after the grout went in:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQgDqYhmQlNorQY4FnK11CLQRwbFwygU_DVxcU7fq7k2oj000X-xVF_nOtqBdnyCsYW9tvRZLQdtezeIwrUCYswl7QDZ-ptZmH02_qb-ZxU_NWsu8pp9f1GaAVLkj9iZicAAdx5cCweVq/s1600/IMG_4656.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQgDqYhmQlNorQY4FnK11CLQRwbFwygU_DVxcU7fq7k2oj000X-xVF_nOtqBdnyCsYW9tvRZLQdtezeIwrUCYswl7QDZ-ptZmH02_qb-ZxU_NWsu8pp9f1GaAVLkj9iZicAAdx5cCweVq/s320/IMG_4656.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645035508200927170" border="0" /></a>After we finished the grout, we sealed the tub and vanity with waterproof silicone and some other regular caulking. Currently we're working on installing all the hardware and fixtures (towel bar, hooks, mirror, and light fixture).
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<br />We'll post more photos once it's officially done!
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<br />Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06116632316978246685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-89567814243400518212011-08-12T01:35:00.001-07:002011-08-12T01:40:23.076-07:00Shower Tile<div><p>We finished tiling and grouting the shower, over the new cast iron tub in the bathroom.  We'll post more details later, but for now just a few photos:</p>
<br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg51qeUJeVJAGIHFDH-75cEua_RIVid_Xqs21QErA_Ez1xqBVNQ75Z76gZWQWGrhMpyhWnSMvuZRKduBMzpH3iUCIvG3hxGyis7BATRr7SZN9S0aJOPRGVziiVKKQfJ6UG_YhBuEtSTgLq7/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgXxss-TBLTpv0YQrEVDorFyidY8yUpFMcdfA0-j_Mca9r488Q7rpwL1VlHtsGuWlOWv7HK7pbGBWMyctQAd691yLsfUfM92nbzoNy1Xvh7z06rYs2z9OWbNeQ1bytKfrPXcz1-XLEELIh/' /></div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06116632316978246685noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-10590680117443734952011-08-02T17:57:00.001-07:002011-08-02T17:57:27.215-07:00Bathroom Sneak Peak<div><p>I helped Ted install the vanity last night and Dad installed the sink today...such an improvement from that ugly blue sink. More to come! </p>
<br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHrKbp9gRLCtqn1OpAvHs8f-H08Jm0MdLsl-tChkdKhLZasRlpXY4R-_F-9rSh731ODLCBHhGVasGo2wn6wg6iTsbMaE-8QPOh21ZIw0nYf5aAVX9tcrdQ3__Gk_KkG1q-JTAQtY_no4u/' /></div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06116632316978246685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-66216381205615178072011-04-10T20:47:00.001-07:002011-04-11T08:44:10.825-07:00Totally Tubular Skylight!<div>(Christina's original notes got deleted. I'll fill in as best as I can)<br />
This weekend, wanting to feel productive and enjoy the sunlight that has graced Ventura county, we decided to finally install a <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/buy/doors-windows/windows/odl-inc/10-in-aluminum-flashing-for-flat-or-asphalt-roof-tubular-skylight-14782.html">tubular skyligh</a>t to let some natural light into the bathroom. Since our house shares a wall with our neighbor there is no other way to get natural light into those rooms, leaving them dark even in the middle of the day (although not anymore).<br />
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Tubular skylights are basically holes in the ceiling and roof connected by a highly reflective series of aluminum tubes. In our case that worked out to about 6' (or 72", give or take). The tubes can be adjusted to make angled runs through the attic as needed, which was the case for our installation. The separate tube components are then joined by foil tape.<br />
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<img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_CyT1A6UfV00/TaJ5so3u5SI/AAAAAAAALZ4/r-U-QuS580w/IMAG0575.png" /><br />
The roof after a date with my brand-new <a href="http://www.harborfreight.com/6-amp-reciprocating-saw-with-rotating-handle-65570.html">$30 Harbor Freight Sawzall</a>. That hole is just over 10" and is one set of rafters over from the hole in the ceiling. There's no picture of the actual cutting because sawing into the roof is a somewhat stressful event.<br />
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<img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_CyT1A6UfV00/TaJ5tlJ-SOI/AAAAAAAALZ8/3VB0S-mJR7M/IMAG0574.png" /><br />
The aluminum flashing dry-fit over the hole. The flashing will later be liberally covered with roofing sealant and screwed into the roof (the screws are also liberally covered in sealant).<br />
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<img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_CyT1A6UfV00/TaJ5t4XLxaI/AAAAAAAALaA/zjnYRjv-Q3w/IMAG0572.png" /><br />
Christina cutting a hole in the ceiling with a drywall saw. She did such a good job at it I'm thinking she'll be doing the drywall cutting from here on out.<br />
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<img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_CyT1A6UfV00/TaJ5uT92GHI/AAAAAAAALaE/7wCOq9TcUUU/IMAG0577.png" /><br />
Getting some fresh air from inside the attic. Although it was pretty cool today that didn't stop the attic from being warm. In this photo I'm standing straight up; the height worked out perfectly.<br />
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<img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_CyT1A6UfV00/TaJ5vLVcV8I/AAAAAAAALaI/ktV_R_YPHNE/IMAG0582.png" /><br />
The final product. It adds a lot of light into the room during the day and it's right over the middle of the tub. Our plan is to remodel "my" bathroom this summer and add a shower to this bathroom.<br />
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<img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_CyT1A6UfV00/TaJ5vh8sBSI/AAAAAAAALaM/YarDuMNQINo/IMAG0578.png" /><br />
A shot of Christina, on the roof, from inside the attic.</div>Tedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08128293209864639194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-41694341561485461522011-02-13T19:27:00.001-08:002011-02-13T19:57:10.410-08:00Bi-Fold Doors Installed<div>It was a long but productive weekend getting the bi-fold doors installed in the washer/dryer area. Christina painted the pre-primed doors, while I installed all the hardware and trim pieces. Here are some photos of the final product:<br />
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<img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_CyT1A6UfV00/TVihCfUSVcI/AAAAAAAALV4/VGTk-6GR0JM/IMAG0375.png" /><br />
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Trim to blend in, and the hardware nailed into the tile:<br />
<img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_CyT1A6UfV00/TVihC0PDnWI/AAAAAAAALV8/B0wbBxmr0HY/1297653947973.png" /><br />
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Glad to have that crossed off the list. Doing some laundry and the doors definitely cut back on the noise level. Have a good week guys!</div>Tedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08128293209864639194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-41097407442971126112011-02-03T13:34:00.001-08:002011-02-04T13:54:33.592-08:00Shelves over troubled washer and dryer<div><p>Christina and I were planning on installing a pocket door over the weekend but decided that perhaps tearing out, and then replacing, several feet of drywall was a bit much to chew off right now. Instead we decided to install new shelves over the washer and dryer, which you can see here.</p><p>In the near future we'll be adding bifold doors to close off the washer and dryer bay, but that's pending the delivery of special ordered 32" doors. Hopefully we'll have that done in the next week or so.</p><br /><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_CyT1A6UfV00/TUsfRyn98ZI/AAAAAAAALVo/EEBdKi6zgMM/IMAG0363.png" /><br /><br />Update: Darth seems to like the new shelves too!<br /><br /><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_CyT1A6UfV00/TUx1aYnL0WI/AAAAAAAALVw/ZV0eBSvk7sQ/imagejpeg_3.png" /></div>Tedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08128293209864639194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-79142906887412058752010-10-03T18:11:00.000-07:002010-10-03T18:31:46.103-07:00Duct Tape WalletAn unrelated to home improvement post...<br /><br />We were at Target the other day and I bought this damask patterned duct tape for about $3.50.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRYHR5ziM99YFFNLRfuEMgJx0zelX7RIODXfmcdNC9prnraoXJlnHUWRyM-rhvQl5p7dQaH9mCWQBFt5EEotnT0_8SujCiFwxHNKcOb9_NbvVdfw_P41dxY1YTCtG0px1CXE2oJb_OP1vz/s1600/CIMG0485.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRYHR5ziM99YFFNLRfuEMgJx0zelX7RIODXfmcdNC9prnraoXJlnHUWRyM-rhvQl5p7dQaH9mCWQBFt5EEotnT0_8SujCiFwxHNKcOb9_NbvVdfw_P41dxY1YTCtG0px1CXE2oJb_OP1vz/s320/CIMG0485.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523993746905434338" border="0" /></a><br />Hmm what to do with such pretty duct tape?! Ted has made some cool duct tape wallets in the past... so I decided to try making one for myself. I used this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAAicTg2tjo">really easy how-to video</a>. All you need is duct tape, a pair of scissors, and... that's it. It took about 30 minutes to make.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05c7hKQE1iQgGnLMceMZS4gunhODNHFVi-NiQ2E-1h2ubc_ELwkrvmpBkdjyPVAQrTUlW-jgHO2ccXwCj1OrWN5bdwzoaMYqcsdIgV5pf38hcnsce24sz5OngmqBGE5VcshVhDPuc8qoB/s1600/CIMG0482.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05c7hKQE1iQgGnLMceMZS4gunhODNHFVi-NiQ2E-1h2ubc_ELwkrvmpBkdjyPVAQrTUlW-jgHO2ccXwCj1OrWN5bdwzoaMYqcsdIgV5pf38hcnsce24sz5OngmqBGE5VcshVhDPuc8qoB/s320/CIMG0482.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523995240993708210" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyL9SV8PgU-aJHNu1ltb8uPkfkm41JB-t0TJrJRavB7Gtei0B8Hss9D3lSf283ZulL4tCaoFWHGxGP_ZSUqWmBVPymnW48dNJrtQUtczvRRUddT6YRXnUrIHKdKx_Nx7XvotdWIZ2tlaHQ/s1600/CIMG0483.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyL9SV8PgU-aJHNu1ltb8uPkfkm41JB-t0TJrJRavB7Gtei0B8Hss9D3lSf283ZulL4tCaoFWHGxGP_ZSUqWmBVPymnW48dNJrtQUtczvRRUddT6YRXnUrIHKdKx_Nx7XvotdWIZ2tlaHQ/s320/CIMG0483.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523995436181824850" border="0" /></a><br />Any money inside? :-)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsFWkwJgrAPcZK9Wr3sZIjUkJRkX_fxejfYrV9jYO6wav8C4zM-R8wSgfJ5SNuxAx3-low1nzxSWEjFAaVq82qcNq_a_jJhl8Hiqhp70KdUT-WkOyTCi2goUbcBZ96FkeAULn47NSt4sa/s1600/CIMG0484.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsFWkwJgrAPcZK9Wr3sZIjUkJRkX_fxejfYrV9jYO6wav8C4zM-R8wSgfJ5SNuxAx3-low1nzxSWEjFAaVq82qcNq_a_jJhl8Hiqhp70KdUT-WkOyTCi2goUbcBZ96FkeAULn47NSt4sa/s320/CIMG0484.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523995382623223490" border="0" /></a>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06116632316978246685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-15359849706658957952010-08-04T11:12:00.000-07:002010-08-06T08:30:53.079-07:00Update on stuffLet's be honest here, we've been lax when it comes to blogging about the house. Things got pushed to the wayside as the wedding came up and generally "you blog it" "no, you blog it" kicked in. Nonetheless, it's not as if work hasn't been getting done. A quick rundown of what's been improved in the last 6 months:<br />
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-Lawn<br />
The lawn, a scraggly sad excuse for greenery, was torn up and replaced with new sod back in March (thank you tax rebate!). In addition to new sod we also tore up and removed the large sage plant and assorted rocks that made up the middle section of the front yard. Add in some additional sprinklers, an automatic sprinkler controller, and a new drain pipe from the back yard and we've got a pretty good setup now. The drain pipe is probably the biggest improvement as we're now no longer in danger of having the backyard flood every time it rains.<br />
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-Lighting<br />
The much maligned chandelier in the middle of the living room, where the previous owners had their dining area, was removed, relocated, and replaced with a donated chandelier from my parents house. Relocating the lighting to over the current dining room table was an "fun" task involving too much time in the hot attic and several trips to the Home Depot. That being said, it's a huge improvement. Along with the new chandelier are 5 new lamps we got as wedding gifts. The lighting in the living room area is much, much improved.<br />
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-Geek<br />
That's right, I've finally wired my house with Cat6 Ethernet. It's just a start, wiring the office and living room to the centrally located closet (where the cable modem will go once I get some Coax crimpers), but it's very nice. Double the throughput of the wireless system and significantly more reliable, the Ethernet sets a nice template for additional home wiring projects. Also added was another power outlet so the TV doesn't have to pull power from 12 feet away with an extension cable. This one was definitely my project.<br />
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-Bathroom<br />
One more blue ceiling gone, one more to go. This past weekend we repainted the "master" (read: smaller but attached to the bedroom) bath, replaced the lighting and hardware with some nifty Restoration Hardware fixtures, and made it a much more pleasant room to be in. The other bathroom still needs work, but that's for another time.<br />
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So that's it for now. One of these days I may actually tackle getting those under-counter lights installed in the kitchen...Tedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08128293209864639194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-33922282124188908932010-03-05T14:06:00.001-08:002010-03-05T14:27:51.912-08:00Meet the cat!<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Qn7mjM2d0cA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Qn7mjM2d0cA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object><br />
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Meet the new kitty, Darth. Seriously, he's the only improvement to the house in months.Tedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08128293209864639194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-63814202220335021032009-11-22T18:59:00.000-08:002009-11-22T18:59:24.676-08:00Another Item Off the List: Painting the Hallway and Baseboards<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7eZgVeKlI1odl59QCAXZKOsstRcJPm_iM63I7VBK4DA8Av_0lMSRysoHjG5K13_tGgd0WT22fl_bnAwWZUT0nb6ZbV-gHbTGlQcBj8sH6QZgnOE_SwJer3h2cb4oKY11RHTuswbT5Nbo/s1600/IMG_2330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7eZgVeKlI1odl59QCAXZKOsstRcJPm_iM63I7VBK4DA8Av_0lMSRysoHjG5K13_tGgd0WT22fl_bnAwWZUT0nb6ZbV-gHbTGlQcBj8sH6QZgnOE_SwJer3h2cb4oKY11RHTuswbT5Nbo/s320/IMG_2330.JPG" /></a>After a long break from improving the house (aside from cleaning up the garage) we've finally painted the hallway and put in the baseboard. Sure, those two things were done about a month apart, but still, Progress!<br />
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The Hallway is painted the same colors as the living room and kitchen: Subtle Oatland Taupe (walls) and Asisago (ceilings), although the color difference seems to be much more accentuated in the hallway. I'm guessing this difference is due to the amount of light the hall gets, which is a lot less than the living room.<br />
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The baseboard, just put in last week, was a simple enough affair. It even wraps around behind the washer/dryer (astonishing, I know). Anyway, I think that all the improvements that we will be making from here on out will be yard/garage related, but if anything comes up we'll eventually get around to posting it here.<br />
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<embed flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Ftedknaz%2Falbumid%2F5407125458756409809%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26authkey%3DGv1sRgCNmpovi3l-CgTA%26hl%3Den_US" height="267" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"></embed>Tedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08128293209864639194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-2956980663341580282009-09-07T16:28:00.000-07:002009-09-07T16:37:28.706-07:00Engaged!We haven't made a post in a while... because Ted asked me to marry him! It was a very sweet proposal at a nearby Italian restaurant and he gave me a nice engagement ring. The way he asked me was actually to check my email on my phone, and in it was a link to this blog with the title changed. :)<br /><br />So the next project begins! We have been researching and visiting various venues to have a wedding ceremony and reception. We haven't made any final decisions or set a date yet, but we'll let you know as soon as we do!<br /><br />Lindsay, Lauren, Randy, and Jeff threw us a little engagement party this past weekend. Check out the photos of the amazing cake Lindsay baked and decorated herself!<br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fchristinahardy%2Falbumid%2F5378872810084862369%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="192" width="288"></embed>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06116632316978246685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-55911230691509798702009-08-06T22:55:00.000-07:002009-08-06T23:34:23.009-07:00It's Hot!Summer is here, and we're not especially used to living in this heat! Okay, it's not that hot...but 85 degrees without air conditioning is pushing it just a little bit for us. We were spoiled from living 5 minutes from the beach the past 6-7 years (Santa Barbara and Ventura). But it's nice here in Camarillo, and we'll get used to being a few degrees warmer in the summer months.<br /><br />Ted installed the new fans just in time before it started getting hot this summer. He is getting pretty good at electrical work, and I'm a good helper :). The fans we got are the brand Hunter, again another purchase from Costco. The panels are dual colors, one side birch and the other cherry. We went with the cherry for both of them. One is in the bedroom, and the other in the office. Take a look at the photos to see Ted hard at work.<br /><br />In other news, we had to have the house termite tented last weekend per our new neighbors. So we had a mini-vacation staying with my family, going to the beach, hanging out with some good friends, and swimming with Buddy (their yellow lab) in the pool. The termite tenting was a bit of a pain because we had to bag up all of our food and stuff, but it was a good excuse to get away, and at least the house is bug free now.<br /><br />We hope everyone is enjoying their summer, and we'll try and update again soon!<br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="288" height="192" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&captions=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fchristinahardy%2Falbumid%2F5367100474004268801%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06116632316978246685noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-16914139611133556362009-07-14T12:32:00.001-07:002009-07-14T12:50:11.132-07:00Housewarming!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6edCHZzyzqRBiTPiJgBl3tsagzvzy8SYaW9c4WLNTntbqlrntqF8sDDLAhKemIqjdWcNGh9QYNIjNSdEmlIcsDNy4_vowQAvXndGgxeuZD-M-WszMQXZ6mraiRO_0Dg8DVlYvWW6gDg/s1600-h/IMG_3341.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6edCHZzyzqRBiTPiJgBl3tsagzvzy8SYaW9c4WLNTntbqlrntqF8sDDLAhKemIqjdWcNGh9QYNIjNSdEmlIcsDNy4_vowQAvXndGgxeuZD-M-WszMQXZ6mraiRO_0Dg8DVlYvWW6gDg/s320/IMG_3341.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358401282146892290" border="0" /></a>So, we had a housewarming party.<br /><br />Yay.<br /><br />First we would like to thank everyone that was able to make it to the housewarming; our friends from college, high school, friends from work, both old and current. It was great to see everyone, to get more potted plants and the wonderful gifts that were bestowed upon us.<br /><br />Secondly, this means that, for real, most of the work is finished in the living room and kitchen. All the transitions, and even a new lighting fixture installed an hour before the party, are completed and looking good, allowing us for the first time to take an entire week off of working on the house. Not to say that won't stop me from seriously thinking about installing the new fans, but...<br /><br />For the housewarming we had a selection of Kirkland Beers (pretty good actually) and 1984 Kenwood Cab donated by my Dad, George. This was the same kind of wine tha<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGKi1ALUtRoYuNoSXhisUCi3li9JvfyEK_V_ykstqYJFxSnZLBlakXpIP1MHI5e9Z4_I8YkBqNXnHNmViH_Rurz8wB1tVkBOSkjSOYr1Rox64Ec8T9z1gDHCfX9HTAXDIB2CC5axShLc/s1600-h/IMG_3329.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGKi1ALUtRoYuNoSXhisUCi3li9JvfyEK_V_ykstqYJFxSnZLBlakXpIP1MHI5e9Z4_I8YkBqNXnHNmViH_Rurz8wB1tVkBOSkjSOYr1Rox64Ec8T9z1gDHCfX9HTAXDIB2CC5axShLc/s200/IMG_3329.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358403842108246066" border="0" /></a>t Christina had on her 21st birthday and the cork was in better condition, meaning it tasted better to boot. Did I mention that it was a 6L bottle? Well, you'll see in the photos at the end of the post. We also had homemade potato salad, the Bacon Explosion, 3.5Lbs of bacon and sausage rolled up into a delicious log of cholesterol, and fish tacos courtesy of Christina's Dad Nick, who caught plenty of tuna and yellow tail on his week long fishing trip.<br /><br />What else is there to say? Everyone got along well, the weather agreed, staying warm throughout the night, and the tiki torches gave off the appropriate glow needed for this type of backyard party, and as dinner wound down and people filtered out, well when the cat's away...<br /><br />The mice play beer pong. Christina and I had a blast hosting this and hope that everyone who could make it enjoyed their time here too. Maybe since I have all this free time I can start getting to the How To's I've been meaning to do.<br /><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="400" height="267" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&captions=1&noautoplay=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Ftedknaz%2Falbumid%2F5357793716420766385%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><br /><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="400" height="267" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&captions=1&noautoplay=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Ftedknaz%2Falbumid%2F5357797395541273873%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>Tedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08128293209864639194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1847578627675160958.post-10895266711957219672009-07-08T00:01:00.000-07:002009-07-08T00:14:33.427-07:00The Little ThingsWe are finishing a few things here and there before our housewarming party this weekend. If we haven't told you about it, ask us and we'll let you know the details! The littlest things take forever to finish, because there are so many of them. For example, I never thought about floor transitions from room to room. Apparently they are supposed to match and provide a flat surface between one floor to the next. You mean we can't have people tripping from the tile kitchen to the laminate in the living room?<br /><br />We finished all the baseboard moulding in the living room and painted the door frames the same color, white. Again, these are supposed to match. I know right? We also put the framing up above the cabinet doors in the kitchen. It still needs to be touched up with some paint. Another little project to add to the list!<br /><br />Here are some photos. See you this weekend if you can make it! <embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="400" height="267" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&captions=1&noautoplay=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Ftedknaz%2Falbumid%2F5355982624300777345%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06116632316978246685noreply@blogger.com0