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Post by linus69 on Sept 12, 2008 18:21:18 GMT -5
Built the fireplace enclosure out of #1 grade red oak 1"by12" over a 2 by 4 framework,also a piece of oak baseboard and some crown molding, all in all it took $200 worth of red oak to build this enclosure. I experimented with black granite but it looked like a black cube/box and we didn`t like it. Store bought enclosures start at about $600 and are made out of crap veneered wood. They also take weeks to get after ordering. The base unit is black granite wrapped in cherry wood, like the 4" shelf in the bathroom. Hooked up the LP gas and tested the unit. It worked fine and turns out to be a very good model with all the bells and whistles set up to work off a wall thermostat and it has the optional blower. The Tracpipe for the LP was great once I was able to get the mechanical ends for it. Around here they are $14-$20 each and you need a license to buy them, no kidding. I found a guy on Ebay who sold then to me for $4.25 a piece, I had them in three days. I had bought this fireplace unit two years ago at the police auction, it had been stolen from a new house being built. My propane dealer sells this model for close to $2000, I won it for a $93 bid. The sheetrock/drywall is all hung, I had one 12ft board left over, I gleefully sliced it up and heaved it out the window with all the other scraps and pieces. Now the taping and sanding has to be finished and the rest of the finish woodwork. Paul
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Post by tuffytractor on Sept 13, 2008 21:34:54 GMT -5
Hey Paul,
You are really moving along! Everything looks great!
I wanted to ask you about something you said earlier in the post about cutting your mirrors. What is the kerosene for, cleaning? I've never cut glass myself, so I was wondering?
I guess you did score on that $93 dollar LP fireplace, looks nice with the enclosure you built for it.
I guess paint and flooring is next?
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Post by linus69 on Sept 14, 2008 6:05:28 GMT -5
Thank you I appreciate it, the kerosene is used as a lubricant for the glass cutter wheel. It is a trick I learned years ago watching someone in the trade.You dip your glass cutter in kerosene and apply a ribbon of kerosene along the wanted cut line. You get a much better score on the glass then doing it dry, then you put a thin strip of wood, like a paint stirrer right under the score line and give a firm quick push on the piece you are cutting off. I was very lucky and it went well for me, God looks after drunks and idiots I guess. Now I`m starting the finish taping in earnest, the maple trees are starting to go red around here and the ferns in the forest are turning brown. If all the all wives tales hold true a bad winter is coming, hairy caterpillars, lots of acorns, hairy deer etc. so I`m trying to finish this up ASAP.
Paul
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Post by linus69 on Sept 15, 2008 16:22:11 GMT -5
The bathroom window finally got it`s pine jam extensions, sill and cherry casing. I still have to seal the grout, otherwise it`s close to a wrap. The final walkin closet and access hatch to the attic crawlspace is done. A look at the family room from the fireplace end. Paul
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Post by linus69 on Sept 20, 2008 17:10:31 GMT -5
The fireplace is finally finished and seems to work perfectly, I tested it for quite a while today, it runs off a wall thermostat and the blower comes on when it heats up. The room got painted, 8 gallons of white were used, still have the windows to finish and a whole lot of woodwork to do. The electric baseboard is installed so there are now two modes of functioning heat for the second floor. It has been in the mid 30`s these last two mornings getting up. I got my yearly propane delivery yesterday, I had been watching the price since August, it stayed the same all summer and when Ike hit I got nervous and ordered, I paid $2.39.9 a gallon this summer`s price, I paid $1.69.9 last summer. I own my own 500gal torpedo and two 120gal upright lp tanks all linked together. Paul
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3RRL
Administrator
Huge Kama
Posts: 2,027
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Post by 3RRL on Sept 20, 2008 21:09:33 GMT -5
And the hits keep on rolling out. Wow Paul, tremendous progress you are making. I just can't believe the deals you get like that fireplace. But more impressive is that you make your own cabinets and know what the heck you are doing. When you got all this stuff in the past, did you already know what you would use it for and also what you needed to do to make it work for you? That's a lot of foresight Paul. Fantastic job. With all the work you've posted so far, it looks like it's getting pretty close to being finished now. Is it close then? Rob-
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Post by linus69 on Sept 21, 2008 6:04:31 GMT -5
Thanks Rob you are the wind under my wings, and I wish half of what you said is true, reality is I am an accumulator like Larry G. I gather stuff all the time much to my wife`s dismay, sometimes I have it for years before I figure out what to do with it. In fact planning is not my strong suit, I basically fly by the seat of my pants. Most things are designed at the spur of the moment and are in constant flux, I work well using the items I have gathered as props like the bathroom. I never draw out things out, measure and plan, I find that impossible to do. Like the fireplace cabinet, I spent a day trying to make it out of granite, finally I gave up and ran to the lumberyard for the oak. I was gonna run the propane to the 2nd floor with black pipe, at the last minute I found out about the Tracpipe so that changed. I sort of go where the prevailing wind pushes me, and have been very lucky most of the time. I hope to have this project wrapped up in a couple of weeks, we are definately getting an early winter this year, now even the local weather people are saying it.
Paul
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red
CTW Advanced Member
Posts: 306
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Post by red on Sept 21, 2008 7:35:17 GMT -5
Paul
You're right about this winter Yesterday I caved in and fired up the pellet stove. (wife is always cold) Dropped $1200 for 4 tons of pellets at Lowes and they were a no show yesterday Will have to dig the plow out from under the pines and get that ready not looking forward to taking the back-hoe off just a mess with taking the pump off. I like your work method of doing it on the fly -I find that it I give it too much thought that brain freeze takes over and just resort to the Nike commercial "Just Do It" Nice work any ideas for flooring? Ed
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Post by linus69 on Sept 22, 2008 6:48:10 GMT -5
Wow Ed, the ton price for pellets has gone up too, around here wood and coal stoves are making a big comeback. The coal has gone up I`m told, and companies that make the stoker stoves are working two and three shifts to try and meet demand. Your mention of snow plows gave me a chill literally, mine is in the garage covered with stuff, you can hardly see it. Flooring cover will be dark green wall to wall plush carpet, I don`t know yet where to get it, I don`t trust carpet stores, they are notorious for showing you one weight carpet in the store and sending out a lesser weight with the installer. This is an old gag but it is still rampent, if you catch it they just claim the warehouse made a mistake, most carpets are available in three oz. weights of each color, so you pay for one and get another. Right now it`s woodwork, fabricating it, staining, sanding and poly.
Paul
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Post by linus69 on Sept 24, 2008 6:38:53 GMT -5
Well the carpet is ordered, it turns out that a close friend of mine has a boyhood friend that runs the carpet dept in a local Home Depot. He came and spent an hour measuring and making drawings. We went with a slightly better grade than came with the house on the 1st floor, it is made by Shaw carpets and is 100% nylon with a 56oz. face weight, it is a dark green, we also opted for 8lb padding. We need 123yds and the original price installed was $3499, it turns out that like anywhere else you can haggle, I didn`t, my friends friend did it for me. He got the carpet mill to come down $5 a yd. on his price, so the price came down to $2812 installed, so we made the deal. Now we wait 2-3 weeks for delivery, it is on a truck coming from Dalton GA.
Paul
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Post by linus69 on Sept 25, 2008 8:05:45 GMT -5
The center doghouse dormer got it`s ceiling fan installed and the window got trimmed out, the windows, the sill and jam extensions are pine, the arch moulding is maple and the straight casings are cherry wood. Paul
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GuglioLS
Administrator
Jinma354 LE
Posts: 1,276
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Post by GuglioLS on Sept 30, 2008 9:43:27 GMT -5
Hi Paul, I've been following along with your progress and I must say you are quite the craftsman. Regardless of weather or not you plan things ahead, it's turning out as if you knew what you were doing all along. I'm with everyone that you sure know how to get the great deals by always being at the right place at the right time. If I were you, I would buy a power ball ticket (for me) LOL. Anyway it's turning out great, you and your lovely wife should be proud of how it's all turning out. Where do you find the time to get all this done? Oh and do you spray paint or roll it on? Not that it matters, both ways look great, just curious.
Larry
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3RRL
Administrator
Huge Kama
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Post by 3RRL on Sept 30, 2008 11:07:35 GMT -5
The center doghouse dormer got it`s ceiling fan installed and the window got trimmed out, the windows, the sill and jam extensions are pine, the arch moulding is maple and the straight casings are cherry wood.Hmmm... The only way a guy could know these facts if he made them himself, I presume. What's funny is that here I think I'm quite creative moving dirt and boulders to landscape my yard. And here you are making beautiful wood creations and doing superlative work. I'm scared to see what your landscaping will look like. Probably like a paradise. Mine will look like ... well ... rocks and boulders. lol ... Is there anything "store bought" in your custom Lake House? I know there is but you sure are one talented individual. How do you find time for all that detail work? Very impressive Paul. Rob-
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Post by linus69 on Sept 30, 2008 20:52:29 GMT -5
Thanks Larry and Rob, I made the window sills and jam extensions for the windows, the cherry casings I have been getting for pennies on the dollar off Ebay, the maple arch was from Anderson and do they ever slam you for it. The paint was all rolled on, the big room took 8 gallons to cover two coats. The blinds are all hung and have all been cut to the exact length for each window. I had a dresser mirror that we could not use in either of the new bedrooms, so rather than trash it I cut it down to use with the fireplace.The woodwork is finally finished and the carpet comes next Wednesday. I finally got around to sealing the grout in the bathroom, the wheeled applicator was the way to go, it kept the waste down to a minimum. I got two coats out of the pint of sealant using the wheeled applicator, I`ll get another pint since 3 coats are better than two. I was pleased with the sealant I used, at $80 a gallon I treated it like liquid gold. Paul
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Post by linus69 on Oct 1, 2008 13:30:33 GMT -5
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