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I would NEVER buy a new construction Home. All I've seen are CRAP
Exactly why I’ve never considered a new home. There ARE good contractors out there who know how to build a quality home - I can count them on one hand. I’m the type person who likes 12” x 2” baseboards w/ 2” quarter round shoe molding. I could go on - they build crap these days.
Looks as if we're on the way to setting a new record for the number of continuous days of 110 and above. We're currently at 11 days and the forecast shows the temperatures will keep climbing.
Chris, Interesting piece .Do you think it someone prior did the custom work on the right side or is the whole thing original?
Jim - I wouldn't swear to it, but I believe it is one original piece. I saw it before being painted, and the wood type (Oak) and grain was consistent across the piece. Also, all locks are the same and period correct, and everything fits together like a glove like it was designed as a single piece.
Jim - I wouldn't swear to it, but I believe it is one original piece. I saw it before being painted, and the wood type (Oak) and grain was consistent across the piece. Also, all locks are the same and period correct, and everything fits together like a glove like it was designed as a single piece.
Ver Nice I don't believe I've ever seen on like it. People [and furniture] was so much more utilitarian back then. You could comb your hair write checks and grab your suit without taking a single step
Last edited by Jamesbo; July 11th, 2023 at 02:46 PM.
Ver Nice I don't believe I've ever seen on like it. People [and furniture] was so much more utilitarian back then. You could comb your hair write checks and grab your suit without taking a single step
Jim - Agree 100%, I think it is very unique and that's why I posted it. I haven't looked myself, or asked the wife if she looked, for a manufacturer's stamp. I'm going to try and see if I can find a similar one online, I like looking for stuff like that. We primarily dated it as Antique by the type of locks, the wooden wheels, and leaded glass. I'll let you know what I find.
Hey guys - Our city had a major water line break today. Water has been restored but we're on a 24-hour boil order for drinking water until about 4pm tomorrow. Not a big deal for the wife and I, but the dogs drink alot of water. Although dogs drink out of puddles, lakes, streams, and toilets, what we have coming out of the faucet right now is not good enough for her "babies", AiYiYi! Luckily, Dollar General just 2-miles up the road had gallon jugs, were all set now.
Nice sleuthing Norm, thanks! Apparently that style is more common than I thought. Also, great tip about inputting the image of what you're looking for information on, thanks for that too!
Chainsawed a lot Saturday. It was cranking hard, so I took it apart. Found no issue and cleaned it. Fired it up last night to test and it ran great, but wouldn't shut off. Turns out, I put the kill wire lead under the cover, instead of under the bolt head that it used to ground to the case.
Fixed that today. Did the rest of the sawing. I've been hearing a buzzing at night occasionally. I popped open my soffit to 40 years of dirt from mud daubers. Stuck my head up there, saw the blur of three black wasps, got stung, took a step towards the ground and forgot I was 4 feet up. Landed on my *** bone, got up and walked it off. Left the soffit open, let's see if the buzzing happens tonight.
I need to spray in those, and caulk them shut. Arm hurts some, *** hurts more.
Some 18 - 19 yrs. ago while working on the exterior of the house I brushed up & into one particular plant which produced a swarm of ~100 Paper Wasps in combat-ready mode. It was oppressively hot and I was sweating like a pig - therefore, I was not wearing a shirt. Apparently, noticing my vulnerability they went into full all out combat mode. They stung my back ~20 - 30 times. I've been stung by honey bees before, never by Paper Wasps. The pain was very similar but unlike a honey bee which leaves its stinger in you & you itch like a bitch for several days even if you get the stinger removed, the Paper Wasps don't leave a stinger and just continue to beat you to death with their annoying continuous stabs to the skin. The immediate pain was not excruciating but did hurt. That immediate pain lasted ~2 - 3 minutes, continued another 10 minutes, and by 15 minutes it was tolerable enough to return to work (in a different area). I'd hate to be stung by one of those large hornets we have around here.
Seems like those wasps and hornets are the worse when it is the hottest. Starting to come back around here. Last week I found a paper wasp nest right at my overhead door at barn. close to where I tied up Buddy! Well I guess they were too busy in construction mode to bother Buddy or I and I got the baseball sized nest sprayed and knocked down. Last year there was a basketball or bigger sized nest out at the end of the driveway, a yellow jacket nest in eave of barn, and a what looked like honey bee nest inside of cement block wall. I think I only got stung once last year by the yellow jackets- those SOB's are aggressive and seem like they will come and get ya. That is one of the most terrifying things in my mind, being on a ladder and getting attacked! I hope you heal up OK , John. Norm, I guess you must not be allergic to insect stings, to have gotten bombarded like that, I have heard of people who were not allergic but after getting bit repeatedly becoming allergic and having to carry a epee pen.
I've seen my fair share of build quality, and lack thereof, thru the years. All it takes is one lazy contractor to F up an otherwise quality build -- this seems to be the case here with their windows & doors contractor. Or, someone that does good work, but is not aware of all of the right materials available to do the job correctly.
I would love to have a new build, but only if I was involved right from the beginning. I would be "that guy" that points out everything that I think is being done incorrectly, and have it remedied immediately.
Norm, My guys in the mountain are some of the few old time craftsmen. Only problem is they stay busy and would set foot in the city [or burbs]
Reminds me of an article I shared with my Uncle about Craftsmanship. Dad taught me pretty early " It may take you quite some time to get it dead nuts, but when you get the experience it will take less time with dead nuts results, thats what craftsmanship is"
Kind hits home...THE DEGRADATION OF THE AMERICAN MACHINIST
by Terry D. Coffman
It isn’t often that I get on my soapbox to speak out, but this is just one of those times. I was reading the Sunday paper and drinking a cup of coffee while waiting for my wife to get ready for church. I saw the following ad in the Help Wanted section. The words “Master Machinist” caught my eye. I have never really considered myself a master machinist; however I can hold my own. A true and blue machinist went through a four- year apprenticeship and then spent the rest of his career learning his trade. My interest started later in life as a hobby, and only then did I realize that I had missed my calling. I worked twice as hard to get there half as fast.
I read over the requirements to see if I even qualified as a MASTER MACHINIST. Two years experience in a general maintenance position, experience in operating lathes, milling machine, shop equipment and various hand tools, welding experience, basic knowledge of electricity and electronics, plumbing and facility maintenance experience required. Willing to work any shift including 24/7 schedule and overtime. What the???????? A master machinist would have at least ten years experience in a machine shop.
As my eyes read the job description, confusion set in. What and who were they looking for? A master machinist? A machinist? A millwright? An electrician? A welder? A plumber? Or a handyman? Plus someone who is at their beck and call with the dreaded 24/7 shift and overtime. In other words, whenever we want you; you will not have a life outside our plant. I decided to call.
With the help of a contact, I found out what they were willing to pay,
$9- 15.00 per hour depending on experience. Less than half what a master machinist is worth. Darn! I thought to myself, “Do these people even know what a master machinist is?????”
I called and talked to a person in the HR department. According to your ad, I explained, you need a master machinist. Are you looking for a master machinist, a machinist, a millwright, an electrician, a welder, a plumber or a handyman? She bluntly told me they were looking for a master machinist, but they wanted someone who could fix anything in the building. Do you even know what a master machinist is? I asked. I tried in vain to explain to her that you do not call a master machinist to fix a stopped up commode in a bathroom. The phone call was cut short.
“Oh well” I thought as I meandered out to my shop. Pausing at the door I put my tattered old denim shop apron on. The sights and smell of my small home machine shop filled my senses. The dollars it brought in sure help the old budget out. If only there were more people needing machine work done. Walking over to my bench, I scooped up a sleeping Mr. Paws (the shop cat) and gently dropped him to the floor out of my old draftsman chair and sat down.
Like a spring Mr. Paws jumped, catching his claws in my apron and pulling himself onto my lap to finish his nap. I leaned forward trying not to disturb the cat and
unlatched the latches on the old Gerstner toolbox. As I opened the lid, my eyes tried to focus on a bald and tired man in the mirror. Do these people even have a clue?
A master machinist would be at the apex of his trade. Admired by all from the plant manager to the floor sweep hoping for the chance one day to follow in his footsteps. A man whose work was never questioned, who knew more than most engineers, an encyclopedia of mechanical knowledge, slow to anger and quick to praise. A man whose every move was deliberate and exacting. Working from detailed prints, a sketch on the back of a napkin or just a suggestion from a workman on the floor, he is able to produce a finished part or tool. An answer box that always seemed to be available for whatever the question.
As I glanced at the tools lying in the top of the box, always keeping an eye out for the first sign of rust, the old hammer and center punch caught my eye. I bought the hammer from an old toolmaker many years ago. It was handmade and used when he bought it No telling how old it was. The beautiful old hardened head showing only a trifle bit of mushrooming after decades of use. The feel and balance is like no other hammer. It was made by a master toolmaker. The old center punch that has marked countless holes lies by its side.
No telling what some company unknowingly paid for some toolmaker to make it. It was hex stock upset in the center, tapered to the ends with the hexes offset and overlapping by 30 degrees. The ends were then carefully turned round and ground to a perfect point. The heat-treating was close to perfect as to this day the point is hard but the head resists mushrooming and chipping. It was a spare time project to show off his skill, no doubt. There is nothing wrong with store bought tools, but the stuff made by the old toolmakers is in a class all by itself. The hammer and center punch are among my favorite, most prized tools and see the most use in layout work.
Opening drawer after drawer, my eyes survey the tools carefully laid out before me. So organized as to make each as assessable as possible and yet store twenty pounds in a two-pound can. I notice the names: Starrett, Brown & Sharpe, Lufkin, Tumico, Union, Athol Machine Co., etc. How many of the younger guys have ever heard of the name? No Chinese tools here putting another American out of work. Old toolmakers, and even I, had made some the items for specific jobs. It is a wonder the old Gerstner doesn’t bulge at the seams. Eleven drawers of tools and memories spread over many years just asking to be used.
Like so many others, due to layoffs as American jobs move overseas, I find myself looking for work. But when you are over fifty, doors simply do not open for you. The companies won’t tell you “you are too old,” but they want the young guys with degrees in machining technology that can program the Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machines.
In today’s market, the machine operator loads parts into a turning or machining center with names most of us cannot even pronounce. Sure the labor is cheaper overseas with no environmental controls or OSHA regulations, but what is the true cost? Corporate America is looking to make a larger profit with more and more sophisticated machines that do not required highly skilled labor to run.
The pick and place robot has been replaced by the pick, place and punch robot. Load, punch the start button, and unload the part when the cycle stops. Soon, all we will do is unlock the door to the plant and turn the machine on. Just think how many more jobs are being eliminated as you read this. I do not recommend going back to all manual machines, but someone needs to remember who built the first prototype of anything. A computer didn’t think it up and build it, a man did.
Eli Whitney, inventor of the cotton gin, is credited with building the first milling machine just to manufacture muskets faster with interchangeable parts, even though this is in question by some who think he copied the milling machine and improved it. Regardless, after Mr. Whitney had that one brilliant idea, the industrial revolution shifted into high gear and is still gaining momentum. We have won wars with technology and productivity, put a man on the moon, developed an artificial human heart, built the first computer and so on.
I wonder who the machinist was that made the prototype for the artificial heart? Much of this work was done by hand with pencil and paper or a slide rule. Remember, Kelly Johnson built the U-2 spy plane and SR-71”Blackbird” with a slide rule and a small-handpicked group of craftsmen. The fastest and highest flying aircraft were built in the 1950s and 60s without AutoCAD or AutoCAM.
Mr. Paws stretches, almost falling out of my lap. I put him on the floor, but it doesn’t do any good. He is back in my lap before I can blink. I slide the front back in place and gently close the lid on the old Gerstner. Standing up, I put the cat back on the chair to finish his daylong nap and lock up the shop.
I go back in the house, fix some lunch and get ready for work. I put on my blue vest with all the buttons and tags on it and practice my line “Good morning, welcome to Wal-Mart.”
Nope, there just isn’t room for a pipe wrench. tdc
Keith - Enjoyable article to read. Thanks for sharing.
You bet Norm. When I first read it some years back I was an older dude going through my 2nd apprenticeship. It tugged on me as the true meaning of this mans craft had been discounted to this point. I really felt for him.
Jack wad, profit hungry, greed minded, owners of companies want everyone cross trained and run ragged at the cost of quality products and services, yea the lip service is there from the both side of their mouths but not in actual product a true craftsman would stride toward. Hence, the reason we are in the boat we are in. In my opinion.
Thanks for taking time to read it and reply
Keith
We have a few of those guys at my work, still. There are some vendors that still have old time machine shops, with the mills cocked at an angle to the aisle and in a perfect row.
Went by the lawn care place today, traded in the new, too short, chain, for the right one. Brought in the saw, and the guy was happy I did. Got a chain and a wrench and ordered a lot of spare parts. He recommended looking for parts units in Canada, as their environmental regs were easier so the older models continued longer. My saw has, best I can tell, the entire chain brake mechanism internals missing, and I don't think the choke works right. This Teutonic terror is a 1981 made in Virginia Beach model and get the dirtiest I have ever seen an IC engine run. If I can keep it in sharp chains, it's a monster; sawdust, oil mist, two cycle exhaust and a lot of noise. I have a lot more street cred at that place wielding a 40 year old saw than I did.
Wife had a dentist appointment this morning, then we went to Lowes to get her more paint. On the way home we stopped by a Resale Shop in our little town where my wife has bought several of pieces of furniture, they know us by name. We went by there to pick-up a piece she had already bought online, but of course she had to look around and ended up buying 2 more things. They have all kinds of crap, some good, some not, but I even bought something. There have been times when I've needed more than 2 jackstands, and they had these 2 vintage Craftsman 4,500-lb capacity stands. The guy had $25 on them and I ended up getting them for $15. They feel very heavy duty, I think they're a pretty good deal for $15.
Jamesbo the GPA's engine is over a litre bigger than the Amphi, but it weighs about 1500 pounds more. Not very stable in the water, it wasn't a popular vehicle with the military. Though if you found one for sale these days it would over 6 figures. But to answer your question I don't know, I've never driven a GPA. My guess is the Amphi is faster. Heh, if you can call that fast.
Been sick all week. Cellulitis. I used to get it a couple times a year, but haven't had it in years. This one hit hard. It started coming on at work and my lead thinks I flipped my lid. Waiting now for Publix to call and say a prescription is ready.
I'm not sure if we have yellow jackets here. Both the paper wasps and the mud ones are orange. We have black wasps as well. Up home the paper wasps were yellow. I don't remember having mud wasps. Yellow jackets to us were just regular bees. I don't see regular bees around my house. So who knows.
Beautiful here and hot. Wish I could be out mowing or something but I just don't have the energy. I've been off all week and just lounging around or sleeping. Hm, kind of like I'm retired.
July 11th, 2023, 12:39 PM
