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Today's chores

JPSmit

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We are currently enjoying a few weeks vacation - more of a staycation. A few trips, some work on the car and on the house and just taking it easy.

The big job is to get a breezeway between the house and garage (enclosed) redone. It has been gutted for a little too long. At the same time I had to do some work on the apartment which is attached to the house as we have new tenants moving in at the end of the summer.

At any rate, three things happened, none of which have ever likely happened to you.

1. I normally keep appropriate sized lumber leftovers - I was able to do almost all the work with the leftover bits from other jobs. (hurray)

2. Within the last 24 hours I have addressed two specific jobs, one in the apartment and the other on the Viva - the Viva job has been intimidating me for months and the apartment for days - the Viva job took 40 minutes, the apartment 20. So much for intimidation - sometimes I just need to stop overthinking and do it. (doh!)

3. For the most part I could have done any of the apartment jobs at any time in the last decade and the place would have looked so much better but I didn't (doh!)

So, maybe one day I will learn - but I doubt it. :whistle:
 

Mickey Richaud

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Yeah, I've found lately that my motivation is the culprit - just seems too easy to procrastinate. Need me some more round tuits.

round tuit.jpg
 
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JPSmit

JPSmit

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ah yes, round tuits - need more of those - OTOH I will eventually get around to joining the procrastinators club.
 

AngliaGT

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Hey JP,

Since things are going so well (& so easy),why not come
by & show me how to R&R the MGB GT transmission?
I'll supply the parts,& stay out of your way.
 

Bayless

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Mickey I have been needing one of those round tuits for some time. Is it all right if I copy yours? And do you think a copied one would work as well?
 

Mickey Richaud

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Mickey I have been needing one of those round tuits for some time. Is it all right if I copy yours? And do you think a copied one would work as well?

Prolly would...

...if you ever get around to it... :devilgrin:
 
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JPSmit

JPSmit

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So, I figured if I post my pictures it will keep me on track to finish in a timely manner - because that is working so well with my car restorations :rolleyes: - at any rate, this is the breezeway in question. To orient yourself, when the house was built in 1940 the house (on the right) was separate from the garage on the left. In 1947 the owner built an apartment over the garage. So, the back of the stairs in view is the stairs up to the apartment. (the entry is on the front of the house) I was standing just outside the door to the backyard to take this pic.

The key bit of information is that literally nothing is level or square. I can't get over how crooked the stairs are - and the floor slopes away from the house as per the original landscaping, so much time is spent looking for points of reference.

never a dull moment that's for sure!

breezeway.jpg
 

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DrEntropy

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Address that wiring FIRST! Anchor the boxes and switch(es) to make things occupy known places. Dress Romex up and over, I'd drill holes in those 2x6 rafters to route it, so you can put your "breezeway" in with knowing where the wires run even if you have to get longer wiring.. Then ceiling sheetrock. Forget that it is not square, build to the angles. I'd provision for the lighting to be in the overhead, centered. I'd sacrifice passage width and use 2x4 strips anchored to the CB wall, two pieces thick to flush mount the electrical boxes and hang the sheetrock.

I hate doing that work, our bathroom remains unfinished. The job entails wiring, plumbing and wall construction. But p'raps your progress could spur me to find one'a them round tuits. :smirk:
 

DrEntropy

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Yup. Once put a drill bit and pop-rivet through a wiring harness on an MGB in my youth. Lesson learned. Know where the electron runs are.
 

Basil

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Yup. Once put a drill bit and pop-rivet through a wiring harness on an MGB in my youth. Lesson learned. Know where the electron runs are.

Managed to make contact with some household wiring while drilling through the sheet rock to run some speaker wires. I thought "there wouldn't be any wires in this location - surely."
 
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JPSmit

JPSmit

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Address that wiring FIRST! Anchor the boxes and switch(es) to make things occupy known places. Dress Romex up and over, I'd drill holes in those 2x6 rafters to route it, so you can put your "breezeway" in with knowing where the wires run even if you have to get longer wiring.. Then ceiling sheetrock. Forget that it is not square, build to the angles. I'd provision for the lighting to be in the overhead, centered. I'd sacrifice passage width and use 2x4 strips anchored to the CB wall, two pieces thick to flush mount the electrical boxes and hang the sheetrock.

I hate doing that work, our bathroom remains unfinished. The job entails wiring, plumbing and wall construction. But p'raps your progress could spur me to find one'a them round tuits. :smirk:

Tomorrow's job, The wiring is absolutely bonkers. the power goes through the breezeway into the garage - back into the breezeway through the dumbest possible routing including a buried junction box. Have the studs up so that we can put it in to code - and consolidate. Also, the pipes froze a few years ago so we have to add an outlet for the heating wires that wrap around the pipes - and, on a separate circuit the small electric heater that will go in the space. belt and braces.
 

pdplot

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As your attorney, I would warn you that if a permit and a c/o is required for the work you're doing, get them. If you don't - and many do not - you may have a problem selling your house. At least here in Connecticut, lenders are requiring a municipal as well as a title search. Cost a good friend $1,500.00 to settle up with the Norwalk Building Dept. for that downstairs room he and his nephew built without a permit.
 

Grantura_MKI

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Great advice!
i did a coach built Bentley years ago and the trimmer placed a staple in the wiring for the rear curtain.....how long do you think that took me to find!
 

DrEntropy

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Great advice!
i did a coach built Bentley years ago and the trimmer placed a staple in the wiring for the rear curtain.....how long do you think that took me to find!

That's one of those things a client doesn't understand: The time it takes to chase down previous sins committed by jackleg mechanics. The "extra" wires found, all wires faded so badly they all look uniformly grey, coach-built bodies with one-off looms...

Pal/partner is currently fighting wiring in a late forties Rolls long wheelbase. Wiring to the divider window was creatively modified sometime in the past, motor fried, switches MAY be good or not. VOM, experience and intuition are key to resurrecting the old gal.
 
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JPSmit

JPSmit

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That's one of those things a client doesn't understand: The time it takes to chase down previous sins committed by jackleg mechanics. The "extra" wires found, all wires faded so badly they all look uniformly grey, coach-built bodies with one-off looms...

Pal/partner is currently fighting wiring in a late forties Rolls long wheelbase. Wiring to the divider window was creatively modified sometime in the past, motor fried, switches MAY be good or not. VOM, experience and intuition are key to resurrecting the old gal.

amazing too how many cars have repaired/ replaced wiring with all wiring the same colour.
 

Grantura_MKI

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True, Doc. This Bentley motor only ran one direction for a curtain that went up/down!
Have been there done that with the same colour wires...TVR did this in the late 70s and placed these little numbers or colour code strips at the ends that perish over time.
Heavy trucks are/where wired with the same colour wires.
 

tvr4me

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True, Doc. This Bentley motor only ran one direction for a curtain that went up/down!
Have been there done that with the same colour wires...TVR did this in the late 70s and placed these little numbers or colour code strips at the ends that perish over time.
Heavy trucks are/where wired with the same colour wires.
David beat me to it. My 1977 TVR has all black wiring and the coloured collars are long gone. It went from a couple beers kind of job to a few gin and tonics.
 

DavidApp

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That is why I am modifying my New wiring harness for my TR3A with the correct colour wires. I am adding an alternator to the car with heavier wires. Stripped out the generator wires and added the new 60 amp capable wires.
Will make a modified wiring diagram.

David
 
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