The Coffee House

[smoke665]

I only lived in one house that had plaster over lath. The house was over 75 years old, and the plaster was still in excellent shape. Unfortunately the wiring, plumbing, insulation, floor plan, fixtures and HVAC was not. We really had hopes of remodeling it and staying but the cost of upgrades was staggering, as we would have had to gut the whole house. Cheaper to sell and buy another. Had we stayed it would have bummed me out to go back with drywall, as the plaster just has a look and feel to it that can't be matched.

 

[benhasajeep46 44]

I only lived in one house that had plaster over lath. The house was over 75 years old, and the plaster was still in excellent shape. Unfortunately the wiring, plumbing, insulation, floor plan, fixtures and HVAC was not. We really had hopes of remodeling it and staying but the cost of upgrades was staggering, as we would have had to gut the whole house. Cheaper to sell and buy another. Had we stayed it would have bummed me out to go back with drywall, as the plaster just has a look and feel to it that can't be matched.

Rewired the entire basement. Took out the old knob and tube wiring down there anyway. Still have some circuits out in the house that was connected to it. So like you, we still have to take out some walls for that. Plus needs insulation or new insulation.

 

[SquarePeg37 7]

Believe it or not, I pulled down the paneling and drywalled our entire inlaw apartment when we first bought this house. Just me and my sister in law working on the weekends. My ex was busy working on the main house and I’m not the patient type. It’s dusty work but pretty simple. A few summers spent working for an early incarnation of the youth build program left me fairly competent at the basic construction stuff. Nothing like learning first hand where the expression “wait for the dust to settle” comes from. That was back when I had boundless energy... these days I’d gladly whip out my checkbook instead!

 

[smoke665]

Took out the old knob and tube wiring down there anyway. Still have some circuits out in the house that was connected to it. So like you, we still have to take out some walls for that. Plus needs insulation or new insulation.

The house would have made a really nice place. 2 story with a full basement, that didn't have a crack anywhere. The walls were 2x6 rough saw pine. with 1x6 diagonal sheathing. It was built like a tank. The wiring scared the H$$$ out of me, lights would flicker, and or dim for no reason. The box had so many external boxes it looked like it had growths. As to insulation----there was none.

Believe it or not,

I can believe it. I'm a firm believer in both sexes being self reliant. Taught both my sons and daughter skills that they still use today. My oldest son, though is still TERRIFIED of electrical, he got a shock when he was kid. When I was wiring the runs into the panel, I finally had to make him leave, he was making me really nervous, with his constant "look out", "you're getting to close to a live wire", "watch out", "Be careful".

 

[SquarePeg37 7]

I wouldn't touch the electrical stuff! I leave that to the experts but I'm good with minor repairs and most of the easy DIY projects. Nothing drives me more nuts than someone (man or woman) who can't even hang a photo on a wall or un-stick a garbage disposal. A male friend of mine recently had a plumber in to fix his clogged sink and "broken" disposal. We were having dinner and he mentioned the plumber was coming the next morning. I asked if he'd tried to clear the trap and use the little wrench to get the disposal going. He had no idea what I was talking about. The next day he called me to laugh that he had paid $150 for the plumber to do exactly what I had told him to do the night before! But hey, at least he didn't ruin his manicure.

 

[Gary A.]

I wouldn't touch the electrical stuff! I leave that to the experts but I'm good with minor repairs and most of the easy DIY projects. Nothing drives me more nuts than someone (man or woman) who can't even hang a photo on a wall or un-stick a garbage disposal. A male friend of mine recently had a plumber in to fix his clogged sink and "broken" disposal. We were having dinner and he mentioned the plumber was coming the next morning. I asked if he'd tried to clear the trap and use the little wrench to get the disposal going. He had no idea what I was talking about. The next day he called me to laugh that he had paid $150 for the plumber to do exactly what I had told him to do the night before! But hey, at least he didn't ruin his manicure.

Gary sticks a broomhandle into the disposal and spins the handle ... no need to spend time looking for a special wrench.

 

[smoke665]

Gary sticks a broomhandle into the disposal and spins the handle ... no need to spend time looking for a special wrench.

I find if you flip the switch on just as you stick the broom handle in, it makes it easier to know when you have it free

 

[Gary A.]

Gary sticks a broomhandle into the disposal and spins the handle ... no need to spend time looking for a special wrench.

I find if you flip the switch on just as you stick the broom handle in, it makes it easier to know when you have it free

Trouble with a broom is reaction time to the switch ... better to use a fist for a quicker reaction. A slow reaction with a broom will just gum it up again.

 

[Gary A.]

What, didn't finish? Hanging is only 1/2 the job!

I don't mind the finishing, but the dust from sanding tears me up. I've learned to a better job mudding over the years to cut down on the sanding, but still it's inevitable.

I have a vacuum sander head and can connect it to a water trap. Works pretty good for being a cheaper version.

Admittedly, I’m not a craftsman of any sort, but I’d definitely be hearing back to the mud bucket a few times if I tried using a power sander, haha.

(I’d still love to have drywall over my plaster walls!)

Yea, we have plaster as well. Where part of the area we are working (well waiting better term now). The plaster is now cracking from being disturbed from the new work. So, have to tear more out and replace with drywall. House is over 100.

Gross. Yeah, our house is 105. The plaster is in pretty good shape as long as we don’t mess with things. The last time I painted, I pulled on a scrap of wall paper and ended up having to repair a giant crack.

View attachment 150000
Wallpaper and paint are wonderful for fixing cracks.
View attachment 150001

I guess the good news is that I couldn’t have told you where the crack had been now until I looked at the pictures.

 

[Frank F.]

on some days the light is just different and magically so:

 

[snowbear115 46]

I'm fine with basic electrical and have done a little drywall. My fear is plumbing; I've never had it go well - go to replace one part, if I can find it, and find the next thing in line needs replacing. Too many odd tools (who the heck has a 1-3/16" deep socket lying around?) and (older houses) I can't sweat pipes worth a crap.

Kind of a lazy, lay around day here as well. We washed all the clothes before we left to come home, but I have a couple of things to pull out of the car. I have some photos to process, but not a lot; I didn't take as many as I thought, and most were with the phone. MLW is down for a second nap (her eye is twitching) so it's me and Zoe, whom is laying by my feet.

I really try to learn something new every week, or so, and on the trip I learned two things. We stayed in Saco, Maine. I learned that it's not pronounced "SAY-co" (that's a watch!), but rather "SOCK-oh." I also learned (not sure if it's a good or bad thing) that there is a PEZ Visitor's Center in Connecticut. I suspect it's a like Chocolate World, in Hershey, PA without the amusement park and water park - a museum with a huge gift shop.

 

[smoke665]

oo many odd tools (who the heck has a 1-3/16" deep socket lying around?)

I do plus a lot of other odd ball, including specialized ones. LOL Course I have 50 years of collecting, plus inheriting my fathers tools, and the ones I kept after we closed the trucking company.

 

[snowbear115 46]

oo many odd tools (who the heck has a 1-3/16" deep socket lying around?)

I do plus a lot of other odd ball, including specialized ones. LOL Course I have 50 years of collecting, plus inheriting my fathers tools, and the ones I kept after we closed the trucking company.

I did, too. Probably the only time I actually needed that one.

 

[davidharmier60]

Dave got asked if he wanted to go to Livingston. (Figured it was with Sister..)
But no. It was to get dog food at Tractor Supply. Have done so. Now if open going to visit an antique store I've been threatening to visit.

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[davidharmier60]

The antique store was in fact open.
All I found that interested me was a photo album. And the place is actually called Consignors Central.

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