More kitchens
 

Still at it.....getting the installs done quickly.....granite templates get scheduled before I even start.

looks good
I like the 3rd one


Do you spend a lot of time unboxing all the stuff from all the cardboard?

I just did a stock kitchen for the first time in over 3 years and forgot how long it takes to un-carton all the stuff and deal with a huge pile of cardboard.
And my luck I get 2 cabinets they made a mistake on, one they extended the left style instead of the right , a wall cabinet had 2 right sides when they assembled it I guess on a Friday so the adjustable shelf holes don't line up, not even close.

Glad you are busy too

You're right about the cardboard Slip...it's a huge PIA.
There has been a few times lately that my young apprentice has unboxed all the cabinets and dealt with all that packaging...it's like getting a head start.

On the subject of job site debris......it amazes and disgusts me how much junk we generate building these houses. Constantly filling 30 yard dumpsters with it all....along with contributions of mattresses and TV's from all the neighbors.

When my uncle built his own house in cumberland ri he brought one of his dumpsters from his company to his house that was strictly for cardboard only. He owns a recycling company in mansfield mass. He was amazed at the amount of cardboard that came out of his house.

Lamp posts
 

We have a 40 lot subdivision.....which has just about sold out in two years thanks to the thriving economy. Boss decided every home will have one of these pvc lamp posts in the front yard alongside the driveway. I've been building them in my shop...five at a time. After completing about 35 I think I have the build process down. Really enjoy working alone in my shop...crank up my playlist and the heater and I'm good.

Nice work Bob
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Starts with 1x6 with butted corners...then a 1x5 ripped in half at 45 for the outside corner stiles. We use a PT 4x4 with a PT 1x4 1/2 slapped on the side..... it leaves a hollow chase to pull the wire. The top caps slides over the top but stays loose until final install.

Almost makes me wonna go back to work.... not :-)

Ray...I'm getting close to my full retirement age. But there will be a huge void in my life if I were to not get up every morning and go to work. Forty six years and counting! Also retirement would be more enjoyable if I had the financial wherewithal to do whatever I please, but I'm concerned that wont be the case. I do dream about building another, larger boat in the future...I'm thinking 21'er this time....have to wait and see.

Finished more lampposts, and a stairway, and kitchen for the modle house.

Built some quick and easy utility shelving for the surveyor/engineer renting one of our office units.

Good stuff as usual Bob!!

One of the issues I've always found with cutting PVC is that the cut ends promote mold growth so much quicker, specifically if you don't paint them. That and the contract/expand issue that's hard to chase... great stuff, but it does have its issues.
I've found that "Spray & Forget" works really well with cleaning and protecting PVC. I wasn't a believer at first, as when I first applied it, it took a couple of months before I saw any results, but then it lasted a couple of years before I had to re-apply. An annual application will go a long way... almost eliminates the cleaning part as it works more of a preventative agent.

Keep up the good work! or rather GREAT work... LOL

Thanks Gilly...The pictures I put up are just a small sample...most jobs never got photographed. My hands, wrists and thumbs are just about ruined from overuse....hurts to pick up a potato chip....couple more years and I'm done.

Vendor
 

Bob,

Curious if you deal with the Kitchen Department at Mozzone at all?

We buy a ton of lumber from them but not the kitchens.
I can pm you the name of the guy we have been buying from.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Got a call asking me to make protective plexiglass shields for the cashiers at all our gas stations. Using PVC leftover from the lampposts for the frames. Doing five at a time.

NICE!

If this keeps up the way it is....you could have a lucretive business there.

I just placed a very large order for enough pvc trim to keep me busy for the next three weeks. The five plexiglass screens I made only took four hours to build. If more screens are needed I'll build them.
My motivation right now is to just keep busy with my work...i would go stir crazy if i didnt.

I hear that, for now I'm still working my second job (home construction ) but who knows how long it will last.

Had a very productive week. No commute...no unloading tools and setting up.....no one getting in the way....no breaks or interuptions. Walk out the door of the house and into the shop.

The guys I work with don't get it. I try to explain to them that I get so much more accomplished when I work alone compared to working with the whole crew. No-one asking me to help them, questions about what they're doing, can I borrow a tool.....alone is much more peaceful and productive. I your case, being at your own shop is an added bonus.

No doubt about it.....working alone is way more productive and a lot less aggravation. Last kitchen I installed, while finishing up the soffit and crown, the electricians new helper, decided to switch and plug the kitchen receptacles. Well i could tell this kid was pretty green, so I nicely told him...."I cant have you in my way while I do my work here." He seem startled that I would claim that area as my own workspace.
Next day as I just finish putting the island cabinets in place, same youngster comes in and piles all his supplies in the upper drawers. This time I said loudly "Dont put your stuff there"
He must have told his boss....because he came in and asked "why you yelling at my guy"
I said "Well... either you teach him some job etiquette or i will"

How about the Estwing I drove through the plumbers TOO freaken loud boom box... god that felt good... LOL

The stories we could tell, I feel your pain you guys

no shortage of ignorance and incompetence

I did something similar once. A sales guy wasn't paying attention so I changed the font size on one of his PowerPoint slides. BAM! That's never going to happen again :rotflmao:

Yeah Ray....music too loud is one thing....I can tolerate most of it...
it's the white boys playing ghetto rap music...like the one with the lyric "mutha fucan nica whatchu want" repeated over and over....that kind of garbage upsets me. Some of it with much worse language....wish you had been there with your estwing. LOL

Got more dividers installed at another large dental practice. (actually remembered to take pics) Two counters. Amazing how out of plumb some commercial construction is...

Nice work Ross! The receptionists there must be relieved to have some protection. The cashier girls working at the gas stations were very pleased with the shields that i built...say they want them to stay permanently.....which seems appropriate now.


Another project that will keep me working alone in my shop for a little while.... I have a sign to build, which will be an exact replica of one that i did six or seven years ago. All pvc construction....cutting out the lettering from 1/2" sheet stock was easy......i will do all the painting as I did on the original which is a little faded but still looks good. Hard to tell....but the sign is 7' wide and 4' tall.

painting all the lettering first...before gluing them down. Colors were off a bit off...my fault for trying to match the colors by eye......only the first coat...so going back to the paint store for a better match to the original. The lettering will have a contrasting color around the edges...i'll use the dividers to follow around the outside edges a half inch in...then paint to that line by hand...after the interior color is done.

First pic, you spelled it wrong.... It was supposed to be 'Rosie's'




j/k, cool project an looks great

I keep telling myself...not to screw up the spelling.


I once drew commercial millwork with autocad for a cabinet shop.
One particular job was a very large school, with a huge amount of woodwork, cabinets, stairs etc. When I submitted the drawings of every detail, drawn to scale, for approval.... they were judged to be technically perfect....except for one small detail. I had misspelled the name of the project.:o

So, you will love this one, Bob.

We are cleaning up outside and the 3" round lamp post has been push over more than just a few degrees by the roses of Sharon, planted by my better half. I was elated to see the whole trunk of the bush come out in her hand today, as it had rotted at the root from too much mulch!

I tell her about this thread and that I can have the basic materials list in a jiffy. Well before I could put pencil to paper, she has a Made in the USA blown PVC unit, with the 3" galvy pipe, for $120 shipped! We will see how it looks, but cant buy material and build it for that price! (she found it on Bed Bath and beyond site cheaper than manufacturer's site (Mayne))

Apples & oranges I think Ross. My experience is you get what you pay for......a 10" square by 7' tall pvc lampost is going to cost a lot more than $120. I dont get involved in the costs of things very much these days... I build whatever I'm asked to without negotiating price and i like it that way. Spent way too many years sharpening my pencil to bid jobs I wouldn't get. Even had customers tell me my price was too high...then call me when they've been shafted by the lowballer.


Finished building and painting this sign job....no idea what it costs....and I enjoyed doing it.

Back to working at the jobsite for a couple of weeks now. Our new home sales are still going strong and we are working hard to keep up. We had a few customers back out for various reasons during the pandemic.....but other buyers stepped in right away.

Lookin good Bob

Same with tree work Bob. Quoted a job and the guy laughed at me. Said he got a price 1/2 mine. The Asshats dropped the tree on the guys garage and had NO insurance. Guys call me back and wanted me to clean up the mess. Told him I was too busy.

Paul....It was quite a few years ago, I remember working diligently on the estimate, it was for a family room and large attached garage, big enough for the guys RV... total package ...everything included. I never gave prices on square footage....always a total breakdown of every aspect/cost start to finish. When we met to look over my proposal, the guy says "wow thats the price? I'll call you when I hit the lottery"
Waste of my time for sure....was a few weeks later, one evening around 10pm I get a phone call....woman was sobbing....something about the guy they hired ripping them off, and wanting me to consider renegotiating. Told her there was nothing I could do for them.

I love my trade.... never even thought about any other line of work, but dealing with customers...I dont miss that at all.

We sub out the hardwood install.....sure they're fast ....but the morons install every piece in the carton, including many pieces with defects...cracks, splits, checking etc....so they blame the manufacturer. We could have them come back and replace all the bad ones....we just dont want it to look worse when they're done....which it will....so I do it. Tedious job ...but hey I got the AC cranking ...:o

You should be fishin, Bob