Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
Mea culpa.
I remembered that after I posted it. It was written before the caffeine had taken hold. It's the GM diesels I have a thing against, due to experience in Iraq.
Phil Forrest
MrFujicaman
Well-known
My dad bought a 80' Chevy wagon with the diesel-which also had the accursed T-2000 transmission. Top speed of 80-maybe! Trans was rebuilt 3 times in 110K miles.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
"Maggie" says her eyesight is so bad that she will refrain from driving.
This is great for me, and any vehicle loves having only one driver.
I'm digging the data mining that CarFax provides.
One car I was interested in, the A6 Wagon, has a history of not passing emissions testing. Also it had one owner that used it for commercial use. I'll pass...
A VW Beetle "S" that was a 2019 I thought had high mileage and it was because it was a rental vehicle. This makes sense and is a reason to avoid.
A miracle happened and I dropped off two large garbage bags of clothing at Housing Works because Maggie did go through a rack of clothes.
Photography related I took off Friday and Monday, but I ended up shooting over my 4-day weekend, so not relaxing. Pretty much I was photo slave to a fashion blogger. Don't forget this is New York Fashion Month. The month of September is always frantic, and I hate it.
I put together my Ti Basso mountain bike (Litespeed rebranded). The 2.1 retro tires look kinda skinny. I will likely go to fatter 2.25 wide tires and or 2.35 if I can. Not a problem going 2.35 on the front, but in the rear side knows could be an issue, and I might be limited to 2.25 on the rear.
This will be my "fatter" tire bike. BTW the main entrance to Blue Mountain Preserve (1500 acres, two mountains) is just 4 blocks from my house. Also Dickey Brook that drains the lakes and ponds within Blue Mountain Preserve runs behind my house.
I'm elevated enough that I have a dry basement. No sump pump for me. Also there is a vast bog/wetlands about 20 feet below my level yard.
Cal
This is great for me, and any vehicle loves having only one driver.
I'm digging the data mining that CarFax provides.
One car I was interested in, the A6 Wagon, has a history of not passing emissions testing. Also it had one owner that used it for commercial use. I'll pass...
A VW Beetle "S" that was a 2019 I thought had high mileage and it was because it was a rental vehicle. This makes sense and is a reason to avoid.
A miracle happened and I dropped off two large garbage bags of clothing at Housing Works because Maggie did go through a rack of clothes.
Photography related I took off Friday and Monday, but I ended up shooting over my 4-day weekend, so not relaxing. Pretty much I was photo slave to a fashion blogger. Don't forget this is New York Fashion Month. The month of September is always frantic, and I hate it.
I put together my Ti Basso mountain bike (Litespeed rebranded). The 2.1 retro tires look kinda skinny. I will likely go to fatter 2.25 wide tires and or 2.35 if I can. Not a problem going 2.35 on the front, but in the rear side knows could be an issue, and I might be limited to 2.25 on the rear.
This will be my "fatter" tire bike. BTW the main entrance to Blue Mountain Preserve (1500 acres, two mountains) is just 4 blocks from my house. Also Dickey Brook that drains the lakes and ponds within Blue Mountain Preserve runs behind my house.
I'm elevated enough that I have a dry basement. No sump pump for me. Also there is a vast bog/wetlands about 20 feet below my level yard.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Starting in January 2021, my hospital will "freeze" my pension and will replace the retirement plan with a "match."
I figure I will loose about $5K a year from my annual benefit, and my worry is that the new match will highly and unlikely offset the loss of this "future fixed income." Basically because of longevity (life expectancy is 106 years) the larger pension annual payout would be better for me.
So I get a bit of a haircut, but at least I didn't get my head shaved.
Next week I'll find out more about the match.
I had intended to work till the age of 66 years 8 months to gain another year on my pension, but now with the "freeze" there is no incentive to put in another year 8 months of service.
In three months, January, I'll be 63, add two years on top of that and I'll be 65. Two years three months is not a long time. I'll be living on the cheap and saving as much cash as possible to build a bridge. I plan on not collecting Social Security till I'm 70, so I need to have a bridge of cash to cover 5 years.
Cal
I figure I will loose about $5K a year from my annual benefit, and my worry is that the new match will highly and unlikely offset the loss of this "future fixed income." Basically because of longevity (life expectancy is 106 years) the larger pension annual payout would be better for me.
So I get a bit of a haircut, but at least I didn't get my head shaved.
Next week I'll find out more about the match.
I had intended to work till the age of 66 years 8 months to gain another year on my pension, but now with the "freeze" there is no incentive to put in another year 8 months of service.
In three months, January, I'll be 63, add two years on top of that and I'll be 65. Two years three months is not a long time. I'll be living on the cheap and saving as much cash as possible to build a bridge. I plan on not collecting Social Security till I'm 70, so I need to have a bridge of cash to cover 5 years.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
I missed out on buying what I would call a "bankster" car, a 2008 Audi A8 "L" with not only the 350 HP v8, but also only 51K miles for little money.
When I dug into the CarFax it became evident that the A8 was owned by "Joe" rich guy who likely worked on Wall Street because it was maintained by Audi dealers (Manhattan, Greenwich, and South Hampton) and had low mileage because it was just used to go to country estates or the beach house.
Kinda crazy to take the car to a dealer to just get washed and detailed (over 10 times).
The owner once even bought a new set of tires from the Audi Dealer in Madhattan, how crazy is that.
So this would of been a great car for me, but because of buying a house it was not the best of time to make a purchase. Oh-well...
The "L" version is the "Limo" version with the longer wheelbase. I figure also that gas is cheap and that the bigger vehicle would offer better safety and utility over smaller vehicles.
So anyways, this Audi A8 "L" had my style.
Also cutting off a year and 8 months off my retirement date is kinda like getting paroled. I feel like a short-timer, and know I'm close to the end. Financially I took a hit on my one pension when it will be frozen, but now there is no incentive to work till 66 years 8 months for added years of service for increased lifetime benefits.
The countdown begins. In January I become 63, and from there it is just two years of commuting till I'm 65.
My vacation bank is close to being maxed out and that translates into being able to make many work weeks 4 days or less. Meanwhile more vacation time accumulates as well as holidays.
This year is almost over, no stress, and once January 2020 happens the next two years should go by like a blink of an eye.
Augie
When I dug into the CarFax it became evident that the A8 was owned by "Joe" rich guy who likely worked on Wall Street because it was maintained by Audi dealers (Manhattan, Greenwich, and South Hampton) and had low mileage because it was just used to go to country estates or the beach house.
Kinda crazy to take the car to a dealer to just get washed and detailed (over 10 times).
The owner once even bought a new set of tires from the Audi Dealer in Madhattan, how crazy is that.
So this would of been a great car for me, but because of buying a house it was not the best of time to make a purchase. Oh-well...
The "L" version is the "Limo" version with the longer wheelbase. I figure also that gas is cheap and that the bigger vehicle would offer better safety and utility over smaller vehicles.
So anyways, this Audi A8 "L" had my style.
Also cutting off a year and 8 months off my retirement date is kinda like getting paroled. I feel like a short-timer, and know I'm close to the end. Financially I took a hit on my one pension when it will be frozen, but now there is no incentive to work till 66 years 8 months for added years of service for increased lifetime benefits.
The countdown begins. In January I become 63, and from there it is just two years of commuting till I'm 65.
My vacation bank is close to being maxed out and that translates into being able to make many work weeks 4 days or less. Meanwhile more vacation time accumulates as well as holidays.
This year is almost over, no stress, and once January 2020 happens the next two years should go by like a blink of an eye.
Augie
Nokton48
Veteran
Hey Cal,
Since you have some of these tanks, these are how I am going to use mine.
Kodak 3F Basket Line 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr
8x10 Kodak hard rubber deep tanks I am setting up. At least this is where I want to put them.
Kodak 3F Basket Line 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr
Detail on 3F basket line. Thinking I will either run replenished D23 or maybe Harvey's 777 if I can mesh with those guys in Kentucky
Can do 54 4x5s in one run
Since you have some of these tanks, these are how I am going to use mine.
Kodak 3F Basket Line 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr8x10 Kodak hard rubber deep tanks I am setting up. At least this is where I want to put them.
Kodak 3F Basket Line 2 by Nokton48, on FlickrDetail on 3F basket line. Thinking I will either run replenished D23 or maybe Harvey's 777 if I can mesh with those guys in Kentucky
Can do 54 4x5s in one run
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Hey Cal,
Since you have some of these tanks, these are how I am going to use mine.
8x10 Kodak hard rubber deep tanks I am setting up. At least this is where I want to put them.
Detail on 3F basket line. Thinking I will either run replenished D23 or maybe Harvey's 777 if I can mesh with those guys in Kentucky
Can do 54 4x5s in one run
Dan,
I have 4 tanks also. They are "porkers." One has holes drilled for washing. I would like to get another to be able to do Diafine (need two tanks: one for part "A;" and a second tank for part "B").
I was looking into Harvey's 777, I have the data sheet in my files. My dipping rack for 120 and 135 is I believe is a Nikkor. This I love because it is truely crazy to be able to develope 36 roll of 135 at once or 18 rolls of 120. "Dip and Dunk," I say.
I have some 4x5 sheet holders, but I will need more (mucho).
What is really impressive is all my chemistry equipment like an ultrasonic tank, magnetic hot plate, triple beam balance, 2 liter graduated cylanders, brown glass gallon containers for developers, and of course access to chemically pure water that is so pure it is unsafe to drink because it will erode living tissue because it is so reactive.
I have not come up with which developer I will home brew. Cheap-cheap-cheap...
My second basement (porch basement) 6 3/4 feet by 16 feet I think will constrict me a bit, but I can still get crazy by printing a lot. Only have a Besselar 23C non XL, but I can still see me doing lots of photography and printing.
Anyways that is my plan. Don't forget that the 8x10 tanks can also serve 70mm 15 foot reels.
The approximately 750 square foot full basement will be divided to 2/3rds finished and 1/3rd utility and laundry area. The finished 2/3rds (500 sq. feet) will be a music room (soundproofed) that will also serve as a digital printing studio.
I just learned that my house is 30 feet above sea level. Dickey Brook which empties the lakes and ponds within Blue Mountain Preserve is behind my house, but is about 20 feet below.
No sump pump in my basement. It is a dry basement.
Maggie wants me to build out a display closet for her clothing. One of the bedrooms, the "Blue" room, which is the smallest bedroom will basically be a closet. She showed me a photo of these windowed cabinets that had a library ladder that made a great display that looks mighty impressive.
I could likely use a router table to build these out. Seems like a cool yet crazy project that is kinda my style because it is over the top.
I can't do a "Crazy-Dan" because of limited space, but because of my hill-billy style I can still do crazy stuff that has "Calzone-Factor."
With printing and developing I think I can get a lot crazy as far as volume.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Tomorrow is the appraisal, and from there the lawyers will make a closing date as the mortgage gets finalized.
In my wanderings I came upon six orange stackable crates with hindged flip tops that evidently someone had saved but then were abandoned. I carried them a few blocks and got the uptown bus to bring them home.
I was thinking of buying some at Home Depot, but ended up with these free ones. "Divine Intervention," I say.
Hope I find a heavy duty hand truck. I ran into one on the street, but the bottom lip was busted, but it was a commercial duty version.
I finished up a few guitar projects to move forward while I wait for a closing date. I'm really excited.
We have been obsessing on the home improvement shows, and the takeaway that "Maggie" learned from home improvement blogs of owners who bought older homes is that to rush is a mistake, and that the longer time involved almost always results in a better job.
The home flipping shows also teaches a lot about value and perhaps not what to do which is to cheap out.
Maggie is use to the fast pace of instant gratification that the Internet encourages and supplies. Basically at times she is impatient, generally multitasks, and at times gets stressed out and even overwelmed.
So some of my lazy-slacker training is starting to rub off where she is avoiding being anxious, stressed, and overly busy.
I learned from being a performance artist that the best way to live is to be fully in the moment, and the best way to do art is without any deadline or schedule so that the work gets fully developed and goes all-the-way.
My criticism of the world is that I see too much mediocrity and that if I just wanted to perhaps be boring or bored to use Eddie-Jeff's term "Extra-Medium" I don't want to apply to me or my life.
I don't want my life to be a "Spackle-Job."
BTW Bob Villa's "Home Again" is too overdone for me. The scale of the projects and the size makes things garish. What ever happened to elegance?
Cal
In my wanderings I came upon six orange stackable crates with hindged flip tops that evidently someone had saved but then were abandoned. I carried them a few blocks and got the uptown bus to bring them home.
I was thinking of buying some at Home Depot, but ended up with these free ones. "Divine Intervention," I say.
Hope I find a heavy duty hand truck. I ran into one on the street, but the bottom lip was busted, but it was a commercial duty version.
I finished up a few guitar projects to move forward while I wait for a closing date. I'm really excited.
We have been obsessing on the home improvement shows, and the takeaway that "Maggie" learned from home improvement blogs of owners who bought older homes is that to rush is a mistake, and that the longer time involved almost always results in a better job.
The home flipping shows also teaches a lot about value and perhaps not what to do which is to cheap out.
Maggie is use to the fast pace of instant gratification that the Internet encourages and supplies. Basically at times she is impatient, generally multitasks, and at times gets stressed out and even overwelmed.
So some of my lazy-slacker training is starting to rub off where she is avoiding being anxious, stressed, and overly busy.
I learned from being a performance artist that the best way to live is to be fully in the moment, and the best way to do art is without any deadline or schedule so that the work gets fully developed and goes all-the-way.
My criticism of the world is that I see too much mediocrity and that if I just wanted to perhaps be boring or bored to use Eddie-Jeff's term "Extra-Medium" I don't want to apply to me or my life.
I don't want my life to be a "Spackle-Job."
BTW Bob Villa's "Home Again" is too overdone for me. The scale of the projects and the size makes things garish. What ever happened to elegance?
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Appraisal is done. The title search has to be finalized with the lawyers and the lender, and then they have to agree on a closing date.
Word is out that the seller already is packed up.
I have 195 hours saved in my vacation bank (maxed out), and on top of this I earn more every pay period (every two weeks), then there are paid holidays and floating holidays...
Point is that over the next two years and less than three months I likely will exploit making 4 day work weeks.
Thinking of buying a folding commuter bike for the 1.3 mile distance to Metro North, and the estimated about 2.3 mile distance from Grand Central to my hospital on the Upper Eastside.
My latest impulse is to buy an old mini pickup like a beat-up Ford Ranger as my utility vehicle to bulk up on building materials. This old truck would be a beater and does not have to be pretty, and in fact it could be "pretty-ugly" which is kinda my style.
Anyways part of me must be hill-billy. E-hah...
Calvin-August
Word is out that the seller already is packed up.
I have 195 hours saved in my vacation bank (maxed out), and on top of this I earn more every pay period (every two weeks), then there are paid holidays and floating holidays...
Point is that over the next two years and less than three months I likely will exploit making 4 day work weeks.
Thinking of buying a folding commuter bike for the 1.3 mile distance to Metro North, and the estimated about 2.3 mile distance from Grand Central to my hospital on the Upper Eastside.
My latest impulse is to buy an old mini pickup like a beat-up Ford Ranger as my utility vehicle to bulk up on building materials. This old truck would be a beater and does not have to be pretty, and in fact it could be "pretty-ugly" which is kinda my style.
Anyways part of me must be hill-billy. E-hah...
Calvin-August
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
The Mazda B6000 is a Ford Ranger but under a different name. Actually, all of the small body Rangers are Mazdas with the ford badge on them. If you find a Mazda, they are usually a bit cheaper because of the name badge alone. Americans think Ford is American, when it has been multinational since post WWII and a lot of Mazda/Mitsubishi since about 1985.
Phil Forrest
Phil Forrest
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Phil,
Many thanks. This is helpful.
One reason why Ford Rangers caught my eye is that I happen to see two ugly ones today, so evidently they can take a beating and keep on running.
I'm buying this truck for utility, not for status or good looks.
I once owned an early 70's Mazda with the rotory engine. This was an early model where the vane seals had not been fully developed. It also had an air pump for pollution control. Back in the day they called it an "afteburner."
So the air pump was bad, and I lived in the west end of Long Beach in an apartment building that had an underground garage. I would park open the door to the hallway and be putting the key in my door to my apartment when the unburnt fuel would ignite and create an explosion that sounded like a gunshot from the hot exhaust manifold.
This would happen every time I shut off the engine. BTW I worked nights at Grumman so when I got home it was about 1:00 AM. I'm sure the residents and my neighbors got woken up every night when I came home. Anyways not sure anyone knew I was to blame. LOL.
Augie
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
I got the appraisal, and one thing that got reinforced is that my Victorian is actually a "Tiny-House." The square footage on the appraisal is only 1396 square feet, and if you figure that it is 4 bedroom and two full baths that all the rooms are rather small.
The kitchen is only 11x14 and the full basement is 26x26 or 676 square feet. Good thing I have the bonus porch basement that is 16x6 or 96 square feet.
I had guessed that the garage was 20x20, but in fact it is 20x21.
I am a bit scared that when I import the stuff I have in Public Storage and the truckload of guitars and amps stored at my friends houses that "Maggie" might not like it. LOL.
So back in the 650 square foot apartment I will start an engineering project that involves being mighty clever that is a sculptural challenge: I will try to dissemble the "highrise" I created in the bedroom that is basically part Maggie's clothing closet and partly my printing studio.
Understand that this room is loaded floor to ceiling with our stuff. The Fire Department would deem it unsafe because you kinda have to be a skinny bitch to move through all the obstructions, but not only do I have to unload the structure I built, but the idea is to take it down.
So today after work I'm buying two more clothes racks just to be able to move some stuff out of the way. The idea is to kinda fee up a little space so that I can densely pack things for the final move. Already lots of stuff is already packed up, but not enough to start disassembly of the "highrise."
Maggie already is feeling overwelmed and is talking about paying for movers. Of course I don't want movers to handle my stuff, and also I don't want to spend that money either.
I got that "Project Runway" Tim Gunn moment where I have to "Make it work." Maggie thinks she is making moving less stressful, but in fact what I want to do is rent a truck, pack it up, and move. My gear is high value and once damaged can't be replaced or repaired.
Wheeled clothes racks will make things easier. One thing about my gal with a PhD, she overthinks and then makes even a simple task complicated.
Cal
The kitchen is only 11x14 and the full basement is 26x26 or 676 square feet. Good thing I have the bonus porch basement that is 16x6 or 96 square feet.
I had guessed that the garage was 20x20, but in fact it is 20x21.
I am a bit scared that when I import the stuff I have in Public Storage and the truckload of guitars and amps stored at my friends houses that "Maggie" might not like it. LOL.
So back in the 650 square foot apartment I will start an engineering project that involves being mighty clever that is a sculptural challenge: I will try to dissemble the "highrise" I created in the bedroom that is basically part Maggie's clothing closet and partly my printing studio.
Understand that this room is loaded floor to ceiling with our stuff. The Fire Department would deem it unsafe because you kinda have to be a skinny bitch to move through all the obstructions, but not only do I have to unload the structure I built, but the idea is to take it down.
So today after work I'm buying two more clothes racks just to be able to move some stuff out of the way. The idea is to kinda fee up a little space so that I can densely pack things for the final move. Already lots of stuff is already packed up, but not enough to start disassembly of the "highrise."
Maggie already is feeling overwelmed and is talking about paying for movers. Of course I don't want movers to handle my stuff, and also I don't want to spend that money either.
I got that "Project Runway" Tim Gunn moment where I have to "Make it work." Maggie thinks she is making moving less stressful, but in fact what I want to do is rent a truck, pack it up, and move. My gear is high value and once damaged can't be replaced or repaired.
Wheeled clothes racks will make things easier. One thing about my gal with a PhD, she overthinks and then makes even a simple task complicated.
Cal
Range-rover
Veteran
Cal, I think you will have to live in the garage with all your stuff. 
My Mom told me the when I was in a coma for a month she said that
"I have to wake up because I have to clean up all my stuff, she wasn't
going to do it" so I know how you feel.
My Mom told me the when I was in a coma for a month she said that
"I have to wake up because I have to clean up all my stuff, she wasn't
going to do it" so I know how you feel.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Cal, I think you will have to live in the garage with all your stuff.
My Mom told me the when I was in a coma for a month she said that
"I have to wake up because I have to clean up all my stuff, she wasn't
going to do it" so I know how you feel.
Bob,
I actually like the house being small. It keeps me a bit contained, will be less work (remember that I'm a self proclaimed lazy-slacker), and will keep costs low. Cheap-cheap-cheap.
I'm letting "Maggie" run with the ball with the furnishings and the remodeling of the kitchen and one bath.
Basically I'm so happy-happy that I don't need anything fancy.
I just order a InterMetro clothes rack that comes with a cover. It can hold 300 pounds. I have to pick it up curbside at the Union Square store. Last one in Madhattan. The 59th Street store is all out of stock.
Pretty much an enclosed closet on wheels. I still need another one...
Anyways, I'm glad you pulled through and are home again.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
I feel like I performed for a home improvement show like "Flip This House" and part of the show is "Demo." Took down much of what Devil Christian calls a "high-rise" that I built in the bedroom because I went vertical.
So I had to move a lot of stuff out of the way to be able to work. In my case there was no dumpster to fill. Much of the materials ended up being moved into the living room.
"Maggie" says I have a lot of stuff, but she does not understand that I have been "Green" and recycling for decades and more or less my whole life. I bought the "good-stuff" that would last for decades over buying cheap stuff that would end up in the landfills.
Interesting to note that Maggie is not the best with recycling. She throws out paper in the regular trash, and I find she mixes paper and plastic all the time.
In fact I am recycling boxes that are being disposed of by my fellow residents of my building that perform crazy amounts of online ordering. What a waste... Whatever happened to having a small footprint?
Also there are quite a few residents who cannot read, even if they are college educated that throw out styrofoam in the recycled bins.
Doing research today on Pergolas to offer some shade for "Maggie" who is Dutch, Irish and English. Basically she never gets a tan and has to avoid the sun like an albino.
I might like to install two Pergolas to add vertical elements to a level property. I can visualize flowering Clematis creating a canopy on two sides of the garage.
One roof on the rear of the house faces directly south. It is kinda perfect for a solar array, and situated where it is kinda hidden. From the front it would be totally invisible, and from the side it would be obscured. It would take a long distance view from the back to take notice. Don't tell Maggie, she kinda is cool to a 10 kilowatt solar array to go off the grid. I have an ideal situation for one. EZ-PZ.
The present roof has about 15 years on it. The time to build out the solar would be after a new roof. A Biden win would likely offer a tax break/subsidy for green energy and could speed things up.
Insulated garage doors are $4k-$5K for a 16 footer. I will pay the premium to get a 5 layer version that has an "R" value of 20.4. The look I'm going for is a carriage house with windows that has a craftsman vibe.
Don't forget that eventually I will be adding a Mitsubishi heat pump for heat and central AC.
There is about 10-12 feet behind the garage that is the remainder of the first building lot, then there is an entire second building lot that is level that I call my "Second-Backyard" or "Back-Backyard" that might one day have a lap pool or pool as a water feature intergrated into the gardens I will build out.
In the spring the garage will get a new roof, and I'll insulate it.
Between the full basement 26x26 and the porch basement 6x16, I'll build out a sound-proof sound room for my tube stereo, guitars and bass's, and a darkroom.
Maggie does not like the ratty pickup truck idea. She prefers the station wagon idea.
Only 2 years 3 months till retirement.
The nuclear power plant at Indian Point will be de-commisioned shortly. My victorian cottage is within the present evacuation zone. Lots of speculation that property values will rise when this happens.
Cal
So I had to move a lot of stuff out of the way to be able to work. In my case there was no dumpster to fill. Much of the materials ended up being moved into the living room.
"Maggie" says I have a lot of stuff, but she does not understand that I have been "Green" and recycling for decades and more or less my whole life. I bought the "good-stuff" that would last for decades over buying cheap stuff that would end up in the landfills.
Interesting to note that Maggie is not the best with recycling. She throws out paper in the regular trash, and I find she mixes paper and plastic all the time.
In fact I am recycling boxes that are being disposed of by my fellow residents of my building that perform crazy amounts of online ordering. What a waste... Whatever happened to having a small footprint?
Also there are quite a few residents who cannot read, even if they are college educated that throw out styrofoam in the recycled bins.
Doing research today on Pergolas to offer some shade for "Maggie" who is Dutch, Irish and English. Basically she never gets a tan and has to avoid the sun like an albino.
I might like to install two Pergolas to add vertical elements to a level property. I can visualize flowering Clematis creating a canopy on two sides of the garage.
One roof on the rear of the house faces directly south. It is kinda perfect for a solar array, and situated where it is kinda hidden. From the front it would be totally invisible, and from the side it would be obscured. It would take a long distance view from the back to take notice. Don't tell Maggie, she kinda is cool to a 10 kilowatt solar array to go off the grid. I have an ideal situation for one. EZ-PZ.
The present roof has about 15 years on it. The time to build out the solar would be after a new roof. A Biden win would likely offer a tax break/subsidy for green energy and could speed things up.
Insulated garage doors are $4k-$5K for a 16 footer. I will pay the premium to get a 5 layer version that has an "R" value of 20.4. The look I'm going for is a carriage house with windows that has a craftsman vibe.
Don't forget that eventually I will be adding a Mitsubishi heat pump for heat and central AC.
There is about 10-12 feet behind the garage that is the remainder of the first building lot, then there is an entire second building lot that is level that I call my "Second-Backyard" or "Back-Backyard" that might one day have a lap pool or pool as a water feature intergrated into the gardens I will build out.
In the spring the garage will get a new roof, and I'll insulate it.
Between the full basement 26x26 and the porch basement 6x16, I'll build out a sound-proof sound room for my tube stereo, guitars and bass's, and a darkroom.
Maggie does not like the ratty pickup truck idea. She prefers the station wagon idea.
Only 2 years 3 months till retirement.
The nuclear power plant at Indian Point will be de-commisioned shortly. My victorian cottage is within the present evacuation zone. Lots of speculation that property values will rise when this happens.
Cal
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
The problem with using a station wagon for the purposes that a ratty pickup truck would be used for is that eventually (not long at all) you wind up with a ratty station wagon. Tools for the job.
In this case, you could get by with a 90s Chevy Suburban, which gives you most of the utility of a pickup and some of the comfort of a station wagon, but it's still a 1/4 ton truck, so it drives and feels like that. If you have any interest in gardening, you do NOT want to be putting really nitrogen rich fertilizer or straight dung in your station wagon or suburban. It's fine for the bed of a pickup with a tarp over it but that smell basically never leaves the interior of a vehicle.
Tools for the job.
Phil Forrest
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Phil,
In Greenpoint I did Jeep loads on cow manure, peat moss, and gathered leaves from McGolrich Park to make a soil that basically over decades from being undreneath an above ground pool became effectively sand.
The rest of the backyard except for that 18 foot circle was concrete.
I know from experience that roofing materials are heavy. So is sheet rock.
Anyways "Woman-Factor" I say is why men have shorter lifespans. LOL.
I have no problem with driving ratty vehicles, but I don't want to buy something nice just to trash it. Also don't want something I necessarily want to baby and keep in the garage either.
Cal
MrFujicaman
Well-known
Okay, how about this?
Find a 90's Chevy Caprice wagon with the trailer towing package.
You get a 350 V-8 that's 80% Corvette parts, a oil cooler, a transmission fluid cooler and a positraction rear end and beefed up springs.
Then buy a trailer to pull behind it.
Find a 90's Chevy Caprice wagon with the trailer towing package.
You get a 350 V-8 that's 80% Corvette parts, a oil cooler, a transmission fluid cooler and a positraction rear end and beefed up springs.
Then buy a trailer to pull behind it.
Well, I'm sure she meant that in the most loving of ways Bob. We are all glad you woke up though!
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
MFM,
That's kinda my style. Also look up P-71 Police Interceptor.
Basically a Blues Brother mobile that is a Crown Victoria. Heavy duty everything.
A musician friend had one and never got pulled over for speeding.
Cal
Cal