We have shifted from building larger custom homes to smaller more affordable ones. The kitchens are much more simple, and I'm in and done in just two or three days. The 33 lot subdivision was started last year with a dozen homes already sold preconstruction.

More middle class people than ever are buying new homes in these good economic times.


PS....dont go in the porta-potty when its gusting over 35 mph:as:

Kitchen floor ? Plz

Prefinished oak ....charcoal stain color...customer choices trending away from natural oak for now.
First time home buyers these days want/expect a lot more than they did back in the seventies when I built my home.

Back then we built something called a starter home ....one bedroom one bath with an unfinished upstairs with room for future two or three small bedrooms and a bath.

No two car garages, no master suite with whirlpool tub and walk-in closets, no granite counters, no central a/c ...etc.

Simpler times and lower expectations back then. Home buyers these days want it all, and right away .... one reason houses cost so much more today.

But

Back then interest rates were what? 10-16%. Houses now appear to be big money cause everyone can get a 700k note for 30 years at 4 point something percent.

I would say most houses are worth 200 to 250k less than what they are selling for.

But people pay it. I think it’s crazy.
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I enjoyed building for first time home buyers on a budget ...

The MacMansion clients where more often than not... PIA’s

“Gone fishin”

I’ve always found that people who work for money, want to pay you, just be fair and honest.
People who have money want to keep it, different mindset.
Of course, that’s a generalization.
On starter houses, try and get a bank to loan you money for an unfinished house, NFW will they.
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I’ve always found that people who work for money, want to pay you, just be fair and honest.
People who have money want to keep it, different mindset.
Of course, that’s a generalization.
On starter houses, try and get a bank to loan you money for an unfinished house, NFW will they.
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I've always said "people who get rich normally don't get there by being fair an honest"
The first two banks I went to for a mortgage loan to build my house turned me down...said they don't do mortgages for 20 year olds with out a co-signer. I kept trying and eventually got approved for the loan at 8% on my own good credit and work history.

Small cape cod style home was easy to build, I finished the second floor added a family room and two car garage as our family grew.
Still living here .....42+ years and counting.

Look up a company called Zaveeta Builders in Bucks County PA. Average size houses are 10k sqrft. Amazing the houses they build and sell.

Look up a company called Zaveeta Builders in Bucks County PA. Average size houses are 10k sqrft. Amazing the houses they build and sell.


They are amazing! Great craftsmanship and designs!
But 10,000 sq. ft. is ridiculous.... trophy houses... can you imagine the taxes, utilities, maintenance....I could not live comfortably in one of those monuments, probably because I grew up living in tenement apartment in a family of ten....one bathroom. Hey at least we had indoor plumbing. :o


Couple more smaller kitchens....

They are amazing! Great craftsmanship and designs!
But 10,000 sq. ft. is ridiculous.... trophy houses... can you imagine the taxes, utilities, maintenance....I could not live comfortably in one of those monuments, probably because I grew up living in tenement apartment in a family of ten....one bathroom. Hey at least we had indoor plumbing. :o


Couple more smaller kitchens....

I'd never have a house that big. Give me 10k acres to myself, a 3k sqrft house, a 40x80 heated barn, in ground pool and I'd be all set.

In your kitchen travels, have you developed a preference when it comes to painted cabinets? We’re moving end of the month and the new house has natural wood cabinets, trying to figure out if it’s feasible to hire someone to paint them or if I should just order new fronts that have been factory painted
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In your kitchen travels, have you developed a preference when it comes to painted cabinets? We’re moving end of the month and the new house has natural wood cabinets, trying to figure out if it’s feasible to hire someone to paint them or if I should just order new fronts that have been factory painted
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I'd run the costs myself. See what the difference is.

I'd run the costs myself. See what the difference is.

That’s the current plan, just wondering if anyone had been successful long term with having them painted on site.

With my current cabinets, I painted all the boxes but bought new drawer fronts and doors from a custom cabinet wholesaler who matched the color and sprayed everything offsite.

The new kitchen has some really nice existing cabinets, just not our style. So if painting them is something that will last, I’d prefer to preserve what’s there as replacing them would be kinda wasteful.
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I’ve sent them out a couple of times ...
Had to super clean them to make sure there’s no trace of any oil..
My cabinet guy sprays a lacquer finish and the oil (dirt) causes fish eyes in the finish product...
These where not painted but refinished with satin sealer...

Painting a color May be more problematic me thinks...

Hurry up, it’s almost time to fish.... :happy:

I’ve sent them out a couple of times ...
Had to super clean them to make sure there’s no trace of any oil..
My cabinet guy sprays a lacquer finish and the oil (dirt) causes fish eyes in the finish product...
These where not painted but refinished with satin sealer...

Painting a color May be more problematic me thinks...

Hurry up, it’s almost time to fish.... :happy:

This one is getting subbed out. 4 week project that is done May 4th whether it’s complete or not. I learned my lesson last fall... not letting another season get messed up by my insatiable appetite for home projects :)
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The new kitchen has some really nice existing cabinets, just not our style. So if painting them is something that will last, I’d prefer to preserve what’s there as replacing them would be kinda wasteful.
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Not wasteful if you are able to recycle said cabinets in a newly built out work shop.....

Not wasteful if you are able to recycle said cabinets in a newly built out work shop.....

Excellent point.... :)

I should have specified that the thing that isn’t our style is simply the color (they’re natural cherry) but since we’re staining the floors, natural wood cabinets just aren’t gonna work. Probably going to give it a shot as a hire out for stripping down the existing cabinets, painting them, and putting things back together.
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This one is getting subbed out. 4 week project that is done May 4th whether it’s complete or not. I learned my lesson last fall... not letting another season get messed up by my insatiable appetite for home projects :)
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my insatiable appetite for home projects :)

Come on down! I’ll make up a list for ya....:)

They are amazing! Great craftsmanship and designs!
But 10,000 sq. ft. is ridiculous.... trophy houses... can you imagine the taxes, utilities, maintenance....I could not live comfortably in one of those monuments, probably because I grew up living in tenement apartment in a family of ten....one bathroom. Hey at least we had indoor plumbing. :o


Couple more smaller kitchens....

Exact;y, I had a friend sell his huge house here in Abington cause his taxes were 11,000.00 + per year

It's nice to see normal sized houses being built for a change

Checked out the website. Wowsers. Impressive "houses". To only be rich.
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Exact;y, I had a friend sell his huge house here in Abington cause his taxes were 11,000.00 + per year

It's nice to see normal sized houses being built for a change

11k a year? Big deal. My cousin is building a 4k sqrft cape in Amherst Nh. I bet his taxes will be around 20k a yr. 11k a yr on those houses are nothing. Up in NH those houses would run you 30k a yr I bet.

Since I built my house in '77...my taxes have gone from $800 to $3,800 per year. My current real estate taxes cost per month is more than my original mortgage payments. I used to think that after my house was paid off, I would own it free and clear. Now I realize with the ever increasing taxes that is not happening.

Personally, I have absolutely no desire for a bigger, more beautiful and luxurious home. That's just not me. We recently completed a massive new home that had these two huge motorized chandeliers that lower from two stories up so they can be dusted and bulbs changed. What a freikin waste! That kind of crap does nothing for me.
I've also noticed something...after building homes for people across the income spectrum over the last 45 years.....wealthy people often have more problems and are more miserable than their poorer blue collar counterparts. I have some theories about wealthy people after dealing with so many over the years:uhuh:

11k a year? Big deal. My cousin is building a 4k sqrft cape in Amherst Nh. I bet his taxes will be around 20k a yr. 11k a yr on those houses are nothing. Up in NH those houses would run you 30k a yr I bet.

You know that is not an apples and apples comparison.... NH has no sales tax nor income tax...

a few more.......appliances in the middle picture are a new to me color/finish.....I cant touch stainless without making a mess of it with my grubby hands

Fireplace remodel. Exposed brick originally went all the way up to the cathedral ceiling, and was removed down to appropriate height. I will make a shaker style pilaster and mantel shelf with poplar and the remaining brick covered with granite.

Fireplace remodel. Exposed brick originally went all the way up to the cathedral ceiling, and was removed down to appropriate height. I will make a shaker style pilaster and mantel shelf with poplar and the remaining brick covered with granite.

This is cool to see in this stage of transformation, thanks for posting these
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Thanks Ian....I lost a lot of my work related photos to ransomware/ virus a few years ago. I refused to pay and lost pictures of some of my best work.
This is the finished mantel installed and painted...also installing a new kitchen at this remodel.

Thanks Ian....I lost a lot of my work related photos to ransomware/ virus a few years ago. I refused to pay and lost pictures of some of my best work.
This is the finished mantel installed and painted...also installing a new kitchen at this remodel.

I take it the tile came out of the kitchen,,, hard work for sure

Ceiling mold at cabs ??

Nice work Bob

The demolition filled four dumpsters...besides the kitchen there were 3 1/2 bathrooms totally gutted. Different crew.....my first day there was when the cabinets were delivered.

I had to ask about the soffit detail. The quality and attention to detail on the plans for the cabinetry is always lacking...no details or cross sections and nothing on elevations regarding the soffit/ceiling moulding connection.

I drew commercial millwork with autocad for several years, accuracy and detail was the name of the game....every measurement, horizontal and verticle cross sections, materials labeled, hardware specs all on the shop drawings. From the accuracy of the drawings, I made parts cut lists with exact measurements. The shop could then build the stuff without any head scratching.

Made some progress with getting all the appliances installed.

Panels attached to the sub zero fridge....tedious and time consuming..there was some cussing :o

11k a year? Big deal. My cousin is building a 4k sqrft cape in Amherst Nh. I bet his taxes will be around 20k a yr. 11k a yr on those houses are nothing. Up in NH those houses would run you 30k a yr I bet.

Financially speaking a middle class income makes no sense owning a house with $1000. a month in RE taxes top of a 2-3k note. At that point your better off renting and let someone else deal with all the headaches of owning a home

My BIL and SIl bought a huge house in Woburn. They both have very good paying jobs and help from her side of the family with childcare for their only child. There house is beautiful, but it does not feel like a home. It is sparsely furnished, and they keep the house ice cold in the cold months. My mother inlay won't stay over night when she comes out to visit cause the house is so cold. They have 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, there are only 3 of them in the family A bit excessive...

Financially speaking a middle class income makes no sense owning a house with $1000. a month in RE taxes top of a 2-3k note. At that point your better off renting and let someone else deal with all the headaches of owning a home

My BIL and SIl bought a huge house in Woburn. They both have very good paying jobs and help from her side of the family with childcare for their only child. There house is beautiful, but it does not feel like a home. It is sparsely furnished, and they keep the house ice cold in the cold months. My mother inlay won't stay over night when she comes out to visit cause the house is so cold. They have 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, there are only 3 of them in the family A bit excessive...


Well.....you cant expect people today to share a bathroom....can you? :doh:

Finished up a mansion for some rich folks....gated community with private golf course.....later got a call about some problem in their adult daughters bathroom....went to open the door to bedroom and the door jammed with clothing that was strewn all over the floor...everywhere....and the bathroom....just beyond the empty designer walk-in closet was a disgusting mess.

In his many visits to the jobsite during the construction the owner managed to back into and damage three different worker vehicles with his Mercedes.


My son happens to be a bar manager at an exclusive private club the home owner belongs to and told me the guy was always rude and obnoxious to him..... He eventually mentioned to him that he was the son of a carpenter who worked on his house for a year. He instantly changed his attitude and said "your dad's a craftsman" been chummy with my boy ever since.

final pics of this job...the large pillow crown finished off the cabinet to soffit.....there will be a ceramic tile backsplash but i'm finished here and wont be back to see it.

couple more

custom bath cabinets .......the little blue caps push down over tile spacers and do a good job of keeping the tiles flush with each other

Nicely done, who made the cabinets? You?
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Nicely done, who made the cabinets? You?
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I installed them....guy that built them does excellent work ...all custom...small local shop and he is very nice guy to work with.
There is so much work right its insane...... we are using subcontractors like him to handle the excess. Glad to give out his contact info if you'd like it.
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That's OK. Think about this. We haven't had a re-evaluation in 6 years. Just had what is called a "statistical re-evaluation". My property value went up over $200,000.

Not saying that they are wrong. I am saying Holy #^&#^&#^&#^&!!!! I didn't think it was worth $600K.

I installed them....guy that built them does excellent work ...all custom...small local shop and he is very nice guy to work with.
There is so much work right its insane...... we are using subcontractors like him to handle the excess. Glad to give out his contact info if you'd like it.
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If you wouldn’t mind.
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Got a little project to do with some rough sawn timber. Cutting half-lap joints to connect all the parts.

...

Old school right there.... nice Bob
That’s one of the best saws evah IMO.... have several kicking around

Old school right there.... nice Bob
That’s one of the best saws evah IMO.... have several kicking around

Yeah it's a great saw...but i had to get a a lighter 7 1/4 saw for every day use........dusted off that 8 1/4 to get the 3" deep cuts I needed
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The Ingersoll Rands were great saws in their day. I had one on a panel saw until I got rid of my shop a few years ago.
We moved on from those for framing when the Makitas came out, the same time carbide blades became affordable.
Less money, less weight and those thin carbide blades lasted for weeks instead of a couple days as long as you didn't do something stupid.

As an apprentice carpenter I learned how simple it was to sharpen a dull saw blade with a mill file in just a few minutes. Sharpening your own tools was considered an essential skill......and every carpenter had a sharpening stone in his toolbox.........not the case these days.


Couple more kitchen pics

Finishing up this freestanding rustic barn door entrance/backdrop for an outdoor wedding. The tight fitting half lapped joints of the 4x6 and 6x8 door frame pieces have no mechanical fasteners yet, amazingly strong just pressed together. It needs to be easy to take apart and reassemble.
Thinking about bleaching oil and silver gray stain for a natural weathered look.

Wedding gown and cowboy boots... ;-)

Wedding gown and cowboy boots... ;-)


A good buddy had his wedding at the family farm.....groom and his boys all in straw hats and denim coveralls come riding on tractors....and as the bride approached they played that song "Save a horse...Ride a cowboy":conf:

Good one Bob

I installed them....guy that built them does excellent work ...all custom...small local shop and he is very nice guy to work with.
There is so much work right its insane...... we are using subcontractors like him to handle the excess. Glad to give out his contact info if you'd like it.
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You ain't kidding. I am working at a golf course but get calls everyday for everything from decks to total rehabs. Just don't have the time or energy at 71.

We have so many houses to finish right now....I'm having a hard time keeping up. My hands are feeling the pain from overuse and abuse of 46 years in this profession. I love my job...but the clock is ticking....

I hear you Bob, nice clean work there.

I'm going 7 days a week trying to keep up myself. 4-5 jobs going right now and looking at more, I'll take it when it comes

We have so many houses to finish right now....I'm having a hard time keeping up. My hands are feeling the pain from overuse and abuse of 46 years in this profession. I love my job...but the clock is ticking....

good lord look at the tape job on that staircase, nightmare.

good lord look at the tape job on that staircase, nightmare.

....
Well....the alternative is to paint it with a brush.... the painter felt masking off the stained treads and handrail ...for spraying....saved time overall.

I'll get a pic of the completed job...I put up some of the work in progress for realism.

Little kitchen i'm finishing up.

....
Well....the alternative is to paint it with a brush.... the painter felt masking off the stained treads and handrail ...for spraying....saved time overall.

I'll get a pic of the completed job...I put up some of the work in progress for realism.

Little kitchen i'm finishing up.

I’d take a spray job any day, u just have to put up with the customers asking is it real... LOL

....
Well....the alternative is to paint it with a brush.... the painter felt masking off the stained treads and handrail ...for spraying....saved time overall.

I'll get a pic of the completed job...I put up some of the work in progress for realism.

Little kitchen i'm finishing up.

in the houses we used to build the rails would always get finished beforehand. If at all possible the finish guy could get all the stair parts, posts,skirts and risers done then the painter would spray it all without the treads in place. Had 3 coats of finish on the treads before they went in place also. Did the 4th coat at the very end. Very rarely did any of our floors get stained, always clear coated.

I hear you Bob, nice clean work there.

I'm going 7 days a week trying to keep up myself. 4-5 jobs going right now and looking at more, I'll take it when it comes


Slip.....it's great that you so are busy, but be sure to make some time for yourself to unwind. It seems like a lot of guys are taking every job they can right now......thinking that the bubble is going to burst....that this roaring economy has to slow down.

We are selling houses in the high $300's at a pace I have never seen before. Working class buyers confident about the direction of the economy under our present leadership.

Oh not to worry Bob
I packed a rod a bag and also a swimsuit and waiting for the ferry now to deliver and install out on the island. Remembered to bring a fan too

I’ll take some pics
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Good idea to bring your fishing gear with you .....the road from oak bluffs to edgartown has a few good outflows that should be honking with the tides the next few days.... if you finish your install early and have a chance to fish.
I worked on the islands a lot... taking the ferry out of woods hole with truckloads of cabinetry and millwork. Flew out of NB on cape air lots of times too....weighing the plane to the max with our tools. I didn't mind it at all...but some of our guys were scared #^&#^&#^&#^& of flying in those small planes.

I’m almost to Nantucket
I was hoping to get some surfcasting in at Great point but I may have to hitch a ridefrom someone unless the birds have it closed.

I did a lot of installs on MV back in the 80,s
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I will be out next week Bruce. Will you be on island for a while?
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I will be out next week Bruce. Will you be on island for a while?
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No but back out first week of August
Coming home on last ferry tomorrow night
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Came back one time sitting next to the pilot, chop saw buckled in one seat, table saw in one and tool case in another....

Nice change from the norm over there...

Nice work Bob

Flying from NB to work on the Islands was a big time saver, especially when we renovated MV airport terminal.

On nice days, it was amazing looking down at some of the places I have fished, worked and lived. On bad days it was a rough ride, fog was a problem and sometime flights delayed. I remember looking out the window and not seeing the runway....then feeling the tires touch down.

There was a guy I didn't like very much, a real douche bag, and a bully, loved to watch him squirm and sweat when we hit turbulence.
I would tell him "dont worry" " it's over quick if we go down":err:

Another small kitchen going in....painted cabinets are getting chosen over natural or stained wood more often, white and gray in particular.
Flooring will be prefinished oak with a charcoal stain...natural oak not as popular as it once was too.

My son used my Titans 440 airless to paint these in the shop after building them...
Also used my software to sell the job.... lights in the uppers and all...

Gone fishin.... LOL

66367

66368

Wow! ......took me a minute to realize that the first picture is the rendering of a cad drawing...correct?......so realistic!
Nice work by you guys!

Wow! ......took me a minute to realize that the first picture is the rendering of a cad drawing...correct?......so realistic!
Nice work by you guys!

Yes... thanks
He even set it up with sun light coming in through the window..
Way more patience than I had for that stuff....

Ya I wish I had similar computer skills as I do cabinetmaking

I still use pencil and paper but it works for me
maybe one day soon they will dumb it down for old fossils like myself to make it easier to use or I will find the time to learn

nice stuff Ray

work in progress

maybe I should take more pics next trip over

House is a raised ranch so all the cabinets had to be carried up a looong flight of stairs first thing yesterday morning.....I was tired after that....but recovered quickly and got these installed before lunchtime.
Blue grey...painted cabinets gaining popularity.
Also trending is the stainless steel hood fan over the cooking range....instead of the combination microwave oven/fan.
We install the ductwork for the fan before sheetrock goes up....it has to be placed accurately....to be dead center with the range.

more in-progress pics....third pic is house next door with white cabinets and gray island cabinets.... manufacturer is Fabuwood

stairway pics

stairway pics

like the way you mounted the box post. I see some guys do it with it on top of the first tread and to me it looks outta place.

like the way you mounted the box post. I see some guys do it with it on top of the first tread and to me it looks outta place.


I might not be doing the stair finishing much longer due to advancing arthritis in my hands....buttoning my pants and tying my shoes is painfull enough....I have a co-worker who is ready to take over the job.

stairway pics

Nice job
Tight fit Bob,,, first step to casing and handrail to galley board second floor... someone was thinking.... u must of laid it out for them.... LOL

Ready for granite countertops.....9' ceiling height...wall cabinets get large crown moulding ...no soffit

I wish all the departments from your company put as much pride into the quality of their work as you
We are at a house in Westport that BP built 20 yrs ago that is absolute rot disaster. First off they put the hardie plank siding right to the roof on all the dormers instead of a freeze board and didn't treat cut off ends. Also didn't properly step flash. So ends of hardie planks rotted. BP actually came back about 5 hrs ago and cut hardie plank back 2 inches and tucked a piece of flashing under.
Big problem is that the gutters across front of house were angled 1 1/2" in wrong direction away from down spouts. Subsequently for 20 yrs water has been pooling up against the house. Rotted hardie backer. Massive water intrusion behind it all and the sheathing OBS is completely rotted away behind siding.
An unneccasry mess that could have been avoided if had been properly flashed and guys that installed gutters knew how to read a level.
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Mike....You are not wrong about any of that. A lot of people told me I wouldn't be happy working for them because of my background...I told them they build a crappy house and only thrived because they own the land tracts....i have helped by improving the interior finish... I am compensated well....and no headaches like when I ran my own business
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I owned and operated my own custom home building business for over ten years.
It was a constant struggle.....an 80 hour work week is not unusual... when you have to keep a business running...estimates... job bidding, payroll etc......and a "no days #^&#^&#^&#^& mentality. When you include enough money in the bid to cover every aspect of the job...give the customer good service......pay your employees well....cover all the overhead...insurance....taxes....and more taxes. Lowballers prices will blow you out of the water and customers want you to match the low price or explain why your price is the right one. Getting caught up in the money grab with the government...suppliers...employees...customers...b urned me out.
With this company there is none of that to deal with. Gave me a brand new truck, gas card, cell phone...no headaches...flexible hours...no customers to deal with.......I just do what I do best....finish work.

keeping our granite installer busy....install one and template another

started another install yesterday.........color is expresso.....more like a dark paint than a stain

Ready for granite countertops.....9' ceiling height...wall cabinets get large crown moulding ...no soffit

Did 5" crown in a few rooms in our home. What a pain when you have a cathedral ceiling and strange corners. I got it done but had to use my coping saw on every joint.

Working with a new kitchen cabinet supplier/designer. I like the Fabuwood cabinets he sells.... he is also a very skilled cabinet maker....does some really great custom work in his shop.
But the plan he provided was a little sketchy.....maybe the reason one of my co workers missed the hood vent location by three inches.:spin:

Finished look with the granite and appliances installed on these three.
I have two more in progress....

Lookin good. Seems the over the range micro becomin thing of the past. That is a neat lookin slab on the first island. Wish I owned my own company right now with the amount of work. My boss is gettin frustrated with referall work being told that we cant take on any new work till at least sept as we are so booked and the referrals gettin pissed we too busy like they expect us to be ready at there door the next week. If they knew the cost of materials they would thank us havin to wait. 5/8" sheet of zip sheathing $73 last week. F'n insane
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Lookin good. Seems the over the range micro becomin thing of the past. That is a neat lookin slab on the first island. Wish I owned my own company right now with the amount of work. My boss is gettin frustrated with referall work being told that we cant take on any new work till at least sept as we are so booked and the referrals gettin pissed we too busy like they expect us to be ready at there door the next week. If they knew the cost of materials they would thank us havin to wait. 5/8" sheet of zip sheathing $73 last week. F'n insane
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Thanks Mike....yep all five of these kitchens have the microwave oven in the island.
Owning and running a construction business is very stressful and all time consuming..... imagine having to do estimates and payroll on many nights when you would rather be fishing or spending time with the family and when you present that estimate they act like you are bending them over.......so "be careful what you wish for":cool:
I did it for over ten years......much happier now....my bosses appreciate all that i do....customers can be a huge PIA

finished look with the granite on these...... exterior shot of the model home... at our new subdivision.

Nice looking little house. I'll take a shed dormer over a dog house any day. I also prefer the garage on the right side of the house (No idea why). Theres always a sense of satisfaction when you walk away from a finished project. Nice work as always.

Nice looking little house. I'll take a shed dormer over a dog house any day. I also prefer the garage on the right side of the house (No idea why). Theres always a sense of satisfaction when you walk away from a finished project. Nice work as always.


Thanks....I like the floor plan on this one.... large master bedroom, master bath and walk in closet on the first floor...two additional bedrooms and bath on second......I hate climbing stairs.

We are done with the five houses on Chicago St......five more under construction in the new subdivision in Westport.

Speaking of stairs......I have turned over the stair finishing job to a very competent co-worker......my arthritic hands are having trouble doing just basic things now.

This one is ready for countertops.......repeat customer....buying another new home from us in our new subdivision.........he just sold the house we built for him ten years ago.

Speaking of stairs......I have turned over the stair finishing job to a very competent co-worker......my arthritic hands are having trouble doing just basic things now.[/QUOTE]

I hate climbing stairs as well.
I do however enjoy building them. I have worked in three different stair shops and have done countless in the field. I do have to agree with you though, it is getting more and more painful to be on my knees and un and down the stair as its being built.

Its a good feeling to do projects for repeat customers, I feel like I did something right the first time.

Hooked....I'm guessing Horner, Cooper, DBS?
With a few exceptions..... the hundreds of houses I have built and worked on had stairs built/finished on site. That said....the quality of the shop built stairs is always very good to excellent.....but for a variety reasons...we...and majority of builders prefer built on site.

I was at Cooper for 11 years, Had a friend that worked in the office at DBS and he told me the owner (Joe Delgato) wanted to start a stair shop. A meeting was arranged and we were on our way to building a new stair shop. I worked with them for about 8 weeks at night gathering tool, machinery and everything else that we would need to get this off the ground. I eventually left Cooper to run the DBS shop. Running the shop was not for me though. I wanted to build them...estimating and paperwork sucks! I got another guy from Cooper to come over and he took care of all that part of the shop. Later another guy came over and the three of us Cooper guys had a good thing for a bunch of years. I would build all day and I would install nights and weekends. I kind of got burnt out with stairs though. I was in the field building houses again and stumbled across the guy that I was working with at DBS (the second guy from Cooper). He was working at National Lumber Stair shop in Mansfield, and looking for another stair builder. Off I went to talk to them. I was there for about two and a half years and the shop was struggling bad. The sales team had no idea how to measure a stair and it was costing the company a ton of dough.I bailed and went back in the field, a few months later the stair part of the millwork shop shut down.

This one is ready for countertops.......repeat customer....buying another new home from us in our new subdivision.........he just sold the house we built for him ten years ago.

Gives me ideas....

I was at Cooper for 11 years, Had a friend that worked in the office at DBS and he told me the owner (Joe Delgato) wanted to start a stair shop. A meeting was arranged and we were on our way to building a new stair shop. I worked with them for about 8 weeks at night gathering tool, machinery and everything else that we would need to get this off the ground




Your stairbuilding experience is impressive.

Speaking of DBS.....I met Joe Delgado back in 1980.

I was building a house for my brother in law and when we were ready for insulation, one option was to buy it and install it ourselves. Someone told me to call Joe for a price to supply and install and it was cheaper than what I could buy just the insulation.
Joe showed up to do the job late one night....and installed it all by himself.
Didnt know it back then.... that he would eventually start his own lumber company. While other long established lumber companies were going out of business his company thrived.

Moving on to finish the next house.....customer wanted a third bay for the garage.
This subdivision has 20 good size lots....selling fast with five houses under construction.

Your stairbuilding experience is impressive.

Speaking of DBS...
..I met Joe Delgado
back in 1980.

I was building a house for my brother in law and when we were ready for insulation, one option was to buy it and install it ourselves. Someone told me to call Joe for a price to supply and install and it was cheaper than what I could buy just the insulation.
Joe showed up to do the job late one night....and installed it all by himself.
Didnt know it back then.... that he would eventually start his own lumber company. While other long established lumber companies were going out of business his company thrived.

I built a house for his lawyer on Oyster Harbahs ,,, needless to say he stocked the job... :-)

I drive by DBS on my way to work....he has at least eight help wanted signs all along his frontage.


Lumber companies in my area that are long gone.....I had accounts with all of them.
William T King
Sturnevant & Hook
JB Lumber
Beacon Lumber
Acushnet Sawmills
Goodhue Lumber

Your stairbuilding experience is impressive.

Speaking of DBS.....I met Joe Delgado back in 1980.

I was building a house for my brother in law and when we were ready for insulation, one option was to buy it and install it ourselves. Someone told me to call Joe for a price to supply and install and it was cheaper than what I could buy just the insulation.
Joe showed up to do the job late one night....and installed it all by himself.
Didnt know it back then.... that he would eventually start his own lumber company. While other long established lumber companies were going out of business his company thrived.

From what he told me, he started hanging drywall out of a station wagon with his wife (now ex wife). He realize he could make some money off the product so he rented a garage and stocked up on drywall. He was buying it in bulk for the discount and marking it up and selling to his customers. His wife was 9 months pregnant delivering drywall to his jobs. This turned into DelGato Drywall. When he sold the company years later to Joe Jorge, one of his employees, he had over 100 guys hanging and finishing drywall. Great guy to work for.

Customer wanted beadboard in all the bathrooms.... very nice look I think. That is ceramic tile on the floor.

more interior pics.....boss is pushing hard to get five more houses done in our new subdivision...most are pre-sold.

Bob, what’s being used to fill the nail holes on the window in the bath ? Plz

Nice work….

Thanks.....Not sure on the name brand....but its red color is supposed to turn white when its dry and ready to sand.

The trend towards hardwood flooring in the kitchen is now the norm in most of our new houses. Looks nice i suppose....but not practical imo.

The trend towards hardwood flooring in the kitchen is now the norm in most of our new houses. Looks nice i suppose....but not practical imo.

Nice practical kitchen…. Wood floor will be a regret down the road no doubt….

Worst thing a framer can do is not have the kitchen walls square to each other.......#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&s.
This kitchen has stacked upper cabinets....gets a skin on the exposed ends to hide the joint.
Flooring on this one is ceramic tile. The cabinets with the white interior gets glass paneled doors.

The trend towards hardwood flooring in the kitchen is now the norm in most of our new houses. Looks nice i suppose....but not practical imo.

We did hardwood in the dining area but 12x12" ceramic tiles in the cooking area. Works fine. I wouldn't do it in front of the sink, stove and fridge.

We did hardwood in the dining area but 12x12" ceramic tiles in the cooking area. Works fine. I wouldn't do it in front of the sink, stove and fridge.

The prefinished hardwood we use today has several (I heard as many as eleven) factory applied coats of aluminum oxide finish.... very durable ... supposedly much more durable than the sand and finish in place that usually has three coats of poly. That said I still dont like the idea. In my house the kitchen gets trashed daily....wife and I are very messy cooks.

Wood burning fireplace on this house at customers request....instead of natural gas. This new subdivision has no natural gas.....for customers that want gas appliances...we bury a very large underground propane tank......gas appliances just need a conversion kit. I got the ac cranking here....so im working comfortably.
Soffit and crown moulding next.... cabinets just got delivered to next job...so i might go install them and come back to finish later.

Nine foot high ceilings makes it a little more difficult to do the soffit and crown. Working on a step ladder instead of my lower installers bench...can be awkward. Checking and re-checking the fit of every piece gets tedious.....making sure both ends fit precisely. There is only enough crown moulding to do it right the first time....one false move and you will run short....and have to wait to reorder and ship another piece.
Island cabinets being a different color....is trending.

hey this is crazy but we put in a raised hearth fireplace when the kitchen was build and put an insert in 10 years ago.

Nine foot high ceilings makes it a little more difficult to do the soffit and crown. Working on a step ladder instead of my lower installers bench...can be awkward. Checking and re-checking the fit of every piece gets tedious.....making sure both ends fit precisely. There is only enough crown moulding to do it right the first time....one false move and you will run short....and have to wait to reorder and ship another piece.
Island cabinets being a different color....is trending.

Happened in my own kitchen!!! Was short by the length of the miter on a 16 inch run.... Drives me nuts. I gotten to putting in a $500 bounty, paid to me, if person ordering shorts me on moldings.

Knowing how close it is figured....I rough cut by half inch longer ....all the individual pieces and label before any fitting or angle cuts....decide on the best use of the 96 inch pieces....before cutting....waste pieces are literally just a handfull
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hey this is crazy but we put in a raised hearth fireplace when the kitchen was build and put an insert in 10 years ago.


Gas fireplace is so much less work and mess.....But .....I've been supplementing my oil burning hot water heating system with a wood burning stove since I built my house in '77.....cutting, splitting, drying and storing all that wood adds up to a lot of work.....and makes a mess. When my 100 year old mother in law lived here with us....she insisted on having the wood stove going at all times.......it's in the room where she spent most of her day.

Just sold for $790,000!!! Incredible.......to think that when I started in the home building business... two story colonials on acre lots went for $39,500.
http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=68079&d=1622111874

Just sold for $790,000!!! Incredible.......to think that when I started in the home building business... two story colonials on acre lots went for $39,500.
http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=68079&d=1622111874

They are all the same only different…. ;-)

A rendering from a plan I drew 10 ? Yrs. ago…
They where around 5 then,,,

68180

They are all the same only different…. ;-)

A rendering from a plan I drew 10 ? Yrs. ago…
They where around 5 then,,,

68180

Wow.....that is amazingly similar.........
and I like your version very much.
Ours is on a sloping lot so it's a walkout in the back....
Makes for a nice finished basement.
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What's the gabled bump outs in both of those? (I see the shed bump out for the gas insert vent in Bob's.)

What's the gabled bump outs in both of those? (I see the shed bump out for the gas insert vent in Bob's.)

To be honest, I don’t remember… LOL
Probably master bath,,,,

Floor plan for the "Willow"

What's the gabled bump outs in both of those? (I see the shed bump out for the gas insert vent in Bob's.)


That's an awkward looking bump out directly near the other, thinking if it were my home, I'd a wanted it married into the breakfast area... would have made the outside aesthetics more appealing, and I'm sure I or (the wife) could have come up with something creative to do with the additional interior space gained.

I played with my house plans for over a year before it got built. You always would have done something different after it's built though...no matter how hard you try.:fishslap:

That's an awkward looking bump out directly near the other, thinking if it were my home, I'd a wanted it married into the breakfast area... would have made the outside aesthetics more appealing, and I'm sure I or (the wife) could have come up with something creative to do with the additional interior space gained.

I played with my house plans for over a year before it got built. You always would have done something different after it's built though...no matter how hard you try.:fishslap:


I agree.....the fireplace bumpout is fugly.



I'm living in a house I drew plans for and built when I was 21 years old.....still like it....but would have done some things different.

That house would look great with a masonry/stone chimney........ been awhile since we built a home with a traditional brick fireplace.
We had a homeowner who wanted that look... so we framed a wooden chase to above the roof line to house the gas flue and applied a cultured stone veneer.
I've seen where it gets wrapped with vinyl siding........but that looks awful.

For front stoop and porches....we do the formwork and it gets poured concrete. We dont have a regular masonry subcontractor/bricklayer any longer.

To be honest, I don’t remember… LOL
Probably master bath,,,,

LOL Spoken like an architect........

Got in before the moving vans for a few pics

Fireplace and foyer....Stair treads, railings and flooring are maple.

We are having another great year building new homes.... all presold before we start. I like a one story house....no stairs to finish.
The stockpile of lampposts I built in my shop during covid are getting used up fast.

We are having another great year building new homes.... all presold before we start. I like a one story house....no stairs to finish.
The stockpile of lampposts I built in my shop during covid are getting used up fast.

Now that’s more like it !
When you build mine add freeze boards….. ;-)

Now that’s more like it !
When you build mine add freeze boards….. ;-)
I never thought Id see the day......that houses in this price range...get vinyl siding....and aluminum covered rakes and facia.

The recessed lights in the kitchen....could have looked so much better if they aligned with the center of the cabinet doors. Hard to tell from the angle I took the picture from.
I realize it might be difficult for the electrician to get exact locations...and there can be a joist in the way sometimes.
He leaves a wire up in the ceiling for the pendant lights over the island so those will be precise.

Another electrician we sub to uses led recessed lights that can be installed after the cabinets to get them aligned with center of cabinet doors.

Change of pace ...and location. Got away from our current subdivision.. waiting on a bunch more houses to be ready for inside trim. Got a walk around deck to finish... house is on stilts...maybe about 150 yards to the ocean. I set up underneath in the shade...I'll be the cut man. The ocean breeze yesterday was fantastic....better than AC.

Change of pace ...and location. Got away from our current subdivision.. waiting on a bunch more houses to be ready for inside trim. Got a walk around deck to finish... house is on stilts...maybe about 150 yards to the ocean. I set up underneath in the shade...I'll be the cut man. The ocean breeze yesterday was fantastic....better than AC.

Wow!
Let it blow that frame will take it….

Wow!
Let it blow that frame will take it….


Yep...galvanized steel columns welded to steel beams above.....at first glance i thought the columns were concrete.

Really digging this thread, great pics and commentary. living in a 24x40 raised ranch for 22 years now, I know small kitchens. This year we said good bye to the original 56yr old cabinets (new knobs though, they dressed em up nice 😊 ). Gutted the kitchen to the studs, new door, windows, an opening/cut out between kitchen and living room and the tiles being laid as I type. The cabinets were ordered in April and should* be installed aug10th. Quite a process, always impressive watching pros work. It had to be nice so that’s why I have no part except for painting, and as a Navy veteran, I had lots of practice (once over dust twice over rust). Again, great thread and top notch work from the looks of things.
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Thanks....I will keep the thread going as long as guys like yourself are interested....your kitchen remodel will come out great I'm sure.....sounds like you did the proper planning and have patience.
Thanks for your service to our country.
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View from my work.
Framing is off a little but we will make adjustments as necessasery.
I love working outside going back to my days as a framer.
They want this deck to look.....not hacked....so Im here with my finish crew.
That is Cuttyhunk right out there.

They want this deck to look.....not hacked....so Im here with my finish crew.
Speaking of finish carpentry, 162 years old and tight as can be. My neighbor has the exact same stair rail built 10 years prior and I'm assuming made with the same tools by the same craftsman. Look at those joints!

Nice new office, Bob! And change of project. I enjoy seeing a high end deck through to finish.... I would have taken the cut position too!

I have a growing list of very old exterior doors that need to be tuned up or have thresholds replaced or refinished. Can't touch them until this humidity goes away... Some of these folks getting their (wet) houses painted really need their heads examined. Going to be a lot of bubbling paint showing this fall, I think.

Your exit photos on recent houses have been consistently showing off your craftsmanship. It is also very nice to know you have a good paint crew following behind you...

Thanks Ross. We keep commercial grade dehumidifiers going 24/7 on the job to prevent problems with our finish work.
The three guys I'm working with make coming to work a pleasure...good-natured and respectfull... no slackers.... no bitching or argueing....just teamwork...everyone doing their job.We get alot of work done.

Speaking of finish carpentry, 162 years old and tight as can be. My neighbor has the exact same stair rail built 10 years prior and I'm assuming made with the same tools by the same craftsman. Look at those joints!


Spence that is a really neat detail....with the wreath fitting into the newel cap. I have done many railing jobs like that......where the railings go on top of... rather than into the newel posts.

Trex decking is done....had to replace some of the pressure treated joists that were crowned upside down causing a dip in the floor. We are not using the hidden fasteners and grooved decking that is commonly used....all solid edge...face screwed and plugged. Joists are all 12" o.c....adds up to a lot of screws and plugs.

On decks over twenty feet where deck boards have to be pieced in length..... we have found that the grooved decking with hidden fasteners allow the boards to expand lengthwise and slide apart....opening the butted joint.....when they contract....the joint stays apart.

Jig for skillsaw..... to cut all the posts down to 45" high.
The jig can be used for square cuts on decking or.... anything else.

Where can I but one of those 10' speed square you have laying down below on the gravel?

Where can I but one of those 10' speed square you have laying down below on the gravel?


Haha.....Its actually part of the septic system design........some sort of filtration

Trex decking is done....had to replace some of the pressure treated joists that were crowned upside down causing a dip in the floor. We are not using the hidden fasteners and grooved decking that is commonly used....all solid edge...face screwed and plugged. Joists are all 12" o.c....adds up to a lot of screws and plugs.

On decks over twenty feet where deck boards have to be pieced in length..... we have found that the grooved decking with hidden fasteners allow the boards to expand lengthwise and slide apart....opening the butted joint.....when they contract....the joint stays apart.

I don't like the hidden fastener decks. I have built quite a few and the face screwed decks hold up better. JMO

Those little plugs that cover the screw holes....and there had to be thousands on this deck.....have to be inserted with the grain going the same direction as the deck boards.....and they become almost invisable....and if you dont take the time... they are clearly visable.

Glad to be done with this deck.......been kinda hot the last few days working there in the full sun.....tired me out.
42" high railing.... posts were less than 6' apart ...very sturdy.

Looking good with the landscaping done...except for grass seeding. These were sold pre-construction...more being framed ....and another one or two are ready for finish. Supply chain for materials is not an issue right now. Kitchen and bath cabinet supplier has been on time...getting them to us as soon as the job is ready. This small subdivision is getting sold out fast.......company always has more land being readied for future construction.

The kitchen install I did this week started off badly.
Instead of using our regular kitchen designer/supplier....this customer wanted to handle the whole thing themselves through someone they knew at their local lumberyard. Cabinets get dropped of and I start laying out according to the plan provided. Right away I find that after the 24" upper corner cabinet...they show a 12" wall cabinet that covers over the kitchen window casing almost to the jamb. I notify my boss who calls the customer. Customer comes to job and asks me how this happened! Classic!

The kitchen install I did this week started off badly.
Instead of using our regular kitchen designer/supplier....this customer wanted to handle the whole thing themselves through someone they knew at their local lumberyard. Cabinets get dropped of and I start laying out according to the plan provided. Right away I find that after the 24" upper corner cabinet...they show a 12" wall cabinet that covers over the kitchen window casing almost to the jamb. I notify my boss who calls the customer. Customer comes to job and asks me how this happened! Classic!

Customers should only be allowed to sign checks,,,, ;-). LOL

Customers should only be allowed to sign checks,,,, ;-). LOL

Haha yeah....I have to hold back what I really think when they ask me a stupid question...."how could this have happened?".
me...."well someone either moved the window or the wall" or could it be your designer just #^&#^&#^&#^&ed it up?

Started another install..... soffit detail in progress.....not liking the microwave location right next to upper corner cabinet.....also unequal spacing from cabinets to window casing. I just install....but sometimes have to ask when I see a potential problem. I did and was told.... all approved by the customer. Frost white cabinets and Expresso (dark brown) island does not look good to me.

What table is that???? Did it come with a fence too? Heavy? Like that...

Ross.....its a Husky brand from Home Depot....99 bucks....legs are easily detachable and store under table....also set up for attaching a router underneath...comes with other hardware for making extended work support.
It has recessed tracks in the table top to receive a hex bolt..... to attach a fence or hold saw down.

Finished the soffit and crown on this one... going to wait for hardwood to finish up island cabinets. Next house...cabinets were delivered after lunch....so I didnt get them all up. This one will have micro drawer in the Island.

Kitchen installation was going smoothly.....until i took on the job of installing the hood vent. WTF!

The pvc vent had to be moved over to the next bay and the 3 x 10 vent extended 90 degrees and to the left.
A fellow employee had placed the metal venting incorrectly during the rough....and then the plumber installed his pvc... thinking he was clear of it.....my guy took responsibility and did a very good job fixing it all.
Glad I didnt have to deal with that mess!

I hate when these kind of mistakes are made. I mark up everything when its in the rough, crayons and spray paint all over the place. Hood, gas, island, etc. and somehow they still take it upon themself to put things where "THEY" want it. Looks great as always.

I can't wait to get back!! I've been out for 7 weeks with Covid and pneumonia. Seems like its been a year. Stay healthy my friend....this sucks!

I hate when these kind of mistakes are made. I mark up everything when its in the rough, crayons and spray paint all over the place. Hood, gas, island, etc. and somehow they still take it upon themself to put things where "THEY" want it. Looks great as always.

I can't wait to get back!! I've been out for 7 weeks with Covid and pneumonia. Seems like its been a year. Stay healthy my friend....this sucks!

Hope you are back soon, Spud! Try being out for the better part of two years.... Sucked. Wife is a saint...

During kitchen roughs I use a piece of strapping screwed to studs and mark it with what goes where with magic marker. One time, the electrician decided to use that for his needs, without asking...??? Last time I used his company. Is a friend too. Made his guys take their work down and bring the "story board" back to me in pieces. He whined about their time. Told him to pound sand.

Done with this one....still not sure that I like the island in the expresso color. Nice part about doing all these houses with white cabinets is.... any left over crown, soffit, fillers or toe-kick can be used on the next job if I run short.
A co-worker of mine is doing the stair finishing now......and doing it as well as I could. My hands have gone through a lot of use and abuse over the last 48 years in the trade........they dont function as well as they once did......even my pinky fingers are stiff and useless.....feel like they are just in the way.

Cleaned up ..... ready for occupancy.

Yesterday my boss asked me about my plans for retirement...I had mentioned to him a few months ago that I will turn 66 this december.
He has been struggling with how much work to take on in the coming year....says he may have to turn down jobs if manpower is not there.
He has always been very selective...or wary of new hires as they can be a total bust.

I told him that my head is still in it and I enjoy my work and the guys I work with. Bottom line is i intend to keep working until I cant. But also that I would like to have more time off during boating season....so part time next summer. He was glad to hear Im not going anywhere. He told me that the almost new company truck I drive will be mine to keep when I leave.......I will start collecting my ss in a few months but salt them away for future use.
The camera is distorting the stairway picture.....I know for a fact that the railing mounted to the wall is dead nuts parallel with the skirtboard

Cleaned up ..... ready for occupancy.

Yesterday my boss asked me about my plans for retirement...I had mentioned to him a few months ago that I will turn 66 this december.
He has been struggling with how much work to take on in the coming year....says he may have to turn down jobs if manpower is not there.
He has always been very selective...or wary of new hires as they can be a total bust.

I told him that my head is still in it and I enjoy my work and the guys I work with. Bottom line is i intend to keep working until I cant. But also that I would like to have more time off during boating season....so part time next summer. He was glad to hear Im not going anywhere. He told me that the almost new company truck I drive will be mine to keep when I leave.......I will start collecting my ss in a few months but salt them away for future use.

Glad to hear this Bob… lord knows you’ve earned it… ( deserve? )

Stop wishin, go fishin, LOL

Glad to hear this Bob… lord knows you’ve earned it… ( deserve? )

Stop wishin, go fishin, LOL


Thanks Ray. I've had jobs with several different employers over the years......some were disrespectful and unappreciative nitpickers.
Worked for these guys for almost twenty years now.....never ever had bad feelings....always positive and uplifting....makes coming to work enjoyable........unlike the guys running the millwork shop where I spent too much time before quitting....where we employees were treated like "dime a dozen.... throw away.... pos". I actually overheard that from that boss.

Thanks Ray. I've had jobs with several different employers over the years......some were disrespectful and unappreciative nitpickers.
Worked for these guys for almost twenty years now.....never ever had bad feelings....always positive and uplifting....makes coming to work enjoyable........unlike the guys running the millwork shop where I spent too much time before quitting....where we employees were treated like "dime a dozen.... throw away.... pos". I actually overheard that from that boss.

Some of us “GET IT”

Back to work on the little house on columns. The stair and railings are finished up .... now to enclose the entire underside of the house with pvc sheets and trim.

Lot of pvc....with screws and plugs on this ceiling. Working on finishing up an outdoor shower under the stairs
Kitchen here is done too.

Room with a view........not a lot of boats around last couple of days.
Flooring is driftwood color wood grained luxury vinyl planks.

Awesome room…
Dish washer,,, ?

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=68449&d=1634720275

Awesome room…
Dish washer,,, ?

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=68449&d=1634720275

No dishwasher in this one Ray.
You sure do have a good eye for these things. I have no say in the design....just install.
It's a summer home...so maybe not a lot of cooking?... it's a small kitchen already and dishwasher would take up some base cabinet space.
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I need to "finish" the underside of a part of my deck... what material was used to do that Bob? Are those 1/4" sheets of flat pvc? I was thinking of using the pvc beadboard sheets but still not sure, also, how was it trimmed out? are they sitting directly on the seams or inset between the seams? any details would be greatly appreciated

I need to "finish" the underside of a part of my deck... what material was used to do that Bob? Are those 1/4" sheets of flat pvc? I was thinking of using the pvc beadboard sheets but still not sure, also, how was it trimmed out? are they sitting directly on the seams or inset between the seams? any details would be greatly appreciated


We used 1/2" thick 4x8 sheets of flat pvc.....(in stock at DBS)
First we got all the sheet stock pvc, screwed and plugged to the bottom of the floor joists...we then covered the seams where sheets are butted and the perimeter with batten strips of 3/4" x 2 1/2" pvc.
.... you might want to consider using the pvc t&g beadboard....not the 4x8 sheets......it's 1/2" thick x 5" wide ...it would a little easier to install than the sheets especially if doing by yourself. I got a piece in the shop so i went out a took a picture for you.
You can blind nail it and not need screws and plugs.

Seems like im always working somewhere that has distractions.
Had to flash a waste oil burner flue to a metal roof for these boat guys........I love boats! They are all coming in for winterization and storage i quess.

Seems like im always working somewhere that has distractions.
Had to flash a waste oil burner flue to a metal roof for these boat guys........I love boats! They are all coming in for winterization and storage i quess.

Second boat from the bottom hard to find, would luv one

Ray......that one caught my eye too....all wood construction.....the size and variety of boats kept here is amazing.....better than a boat show! The building is pretty huge.....there will be a crapload of boats packed like sardines in there over the winter.

Another basic kitchen...white again.......upper cabinets are 42" high with ceiling height of 9'....no soffit...just a crown mldg. at top of cabinets. I install these without help from anyone.....do the uppers first with cabinet supported on stilts....which are longer than the floor to cabinet bottom....at an angle so i can adjust and then fasten.
......they got the vent work for the fan in the correct location this time! Micro in the island cabinets which are a gray color.

I stand corrected.......my plan showed open soffit....with a small crown at the top of upper cabinets. But after opening some of the boxes and I found a huge crown moulding that measures 8" across. ....after further discussion with the cabinet provider... and contrary to the plan..... there will be a soffit.

I stand corrected.......my plan showed open soffit....with a small crown at the top of upper cabinets. But after opening some of the boxes and I found a huge crown moulding that measures 8" across. ....after further discussion with the cabinet provider... and contrary to the plan..... there will be a soffit.

Geeeesh, that should be fun now…. ;-)

Geeeesh, that should be fun now…. ;-)


I can build the soffit no problem........just cant stand insufficient or incorrect plans.
When I drew commercial millwork my drawings were exact....they had to be as they were part of the contract documents.

I have a plan on how to tackle this one. This soffit is 11" high....kitchen supplier gave me prefinished white 1/4" thick 4'x8' sheet to cover the space....but thats too thin and flexible by itself.....ill have to back it up with 1/2" plywood first. The cleats I attached to the top of the cabinets and ceiling are rabbeted to receive the 1/2 plywood backer. The transition from cabinet to soffit will have a square edge nosing to hide the joint. Then the crown moulding can go up.....the crown moulding is....huuuuge!

This crown is too big to cut the miters the usual way....got to use compound angles with the crown flat on the saw bed.

This chart shows the compound angles for cutting crown flat on the saw bed.......which I seldom do.....but is neccesary for this 8" crown. Spring angle on most crown moulding is 38 degrees......this crown is a 45 spring angle. So for a 90 degree corner... 35.3 miter and 30 bevel....even with these correct settings....the slightest error can cause distortion and cuts wont match perfectly.
Most compound saws have the miter and bevel settings marked for cutting a 45 degree angle....but will only work for 38 spring angle.
When I got to the corner cabinet where I usually cut my moulding at 22 1/2 degrees....i got a little confused.....took some head scratching to realize that the correct "wall angle" to use is 135 degrees....miter set to 16.3 and bevel @15.7......voila!


http://www.protradecraft.com/sites/protradecraft/files/crown-molding-chart-900h.jpg

Put a lot of effort into getting the soffit/crown part done....... I dont really like the look. The scale of things looks off to me.....but as I've said......I just install...not involved in the design or materials.
I have more kitchens to install....but I think i've covered the subject enough here.
Thanks

Put a lot of effort into getting the soffit/crown part done....... I dont really like the look. The scale of things looks off to me.....but as I've said......I just install...not involved in the design or materials.
I have more kitchens to install....but I think i've covered the subject enough here.
Thanks

Illusions of grandeur…… ;-)

New bench.......same design I've been using over the years for finish work and installing cabinets. Very handy.....and its like a magnet... I cant leave a room without coming back and finding a plumber or electrician sitting on or piling his tools and stuff on it.

Sometimes....besides finish carpentry...I get to do some demo work.
Yea...I did that....and I enjoyed it.
Still doing kitchen installs.....we have a 28 lot subdivision in the works right now.

Six guys working in here yesterday...asses to elbows.

15 light dr to the basement…. ? Walk out … ?
That’s a ton of work, lookin good

Thanks! Yeah Ray....you have an eye for these things for sure.
Walk out basement... windows and door out the back....future bathroom and game room. Had to do finish stairway to basement with hardwood treads etc.

Thanks! Yeah Ray....you have an eye for these things for sure.
Walk out basement... windows and door out the back....future bathroom and game room. Had to do finish stairway to basement with hardwood treads etc.

:kewl:

Kitchen looks great but the opening for the fridge looks small. We have a double door that wouldn't fit there.

Kitchen looks great but the opening for the fridge looks small. We have a double door that wouldn't fit there.


It might look small because of the 7' high opening....going to be a SubZero refrigerator.....taller than most other brands.......width is 36" which is pretty standard for double door models.

More interior pics....mantel was built to be like a picture from the customer

Show us the do dads you have fabricated to support long stock and the light on the cut table....

Show us the do dads you have fabricated to support long stock and the light on the cut table....

Ok Ross.....I'll put some up tommorow........doing some panels going up the stairway today
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Cut the acute angles on the stair wall with a 90 degree fence.

I've been doing many more, but they are all so similar now.. I havent kept up with getting pics. Started teaching my young and eager to learn co-worker Louis....who is from Ecuador....the basics of installing cabinets...so he can take over the job when I call it quits. You have to be able to do this with no assistance from anyone.

I've been doing many more, but they are all so similar now.. I havent kept up with getting pics. Started teaching my young and eager to learn co-worker Louis....who is from Ecuador....the basics of installing cabinets...so he can take over the job when I call it quits. You have to be able to do this with no assistance from anyone.

I wish my lowers where draws…. Can’t bend enough anymore to see in there ! LOL
NICE

Hey Ray......I didnt realize...until your comment.....that the kitchen on the left has mostly drawer bases....I never noticed. Your observations are appreciated and always on point.

Couple more......not sure why these pics wont display full size or bigger?

Got a text this morning...cabinets that were delivered and that I installed on Friday are the wrong color? I dont do the design or ordering...just install what they send to me. Too bad....I would have been finished installing today. This will delay things on a house that was supposed to be done....I dont make the schedules or silly promises.
Not sure what will become of these after I rip them out. Could be a good deal for someone.

If you were closer, I would grab two base cabinets with drawers to go under a 7'4" desktop I am making for my office. Under desk cabinet prices are stoopid... Current desk doesn't have enough area for me. using 7'x24" solid birch veneer door and stretching either end with mahogany 2x4 that I am milling down to match door thickness.

Got a text this morning...cabinets that were delivered and that I installed on Friday are the wrong color? I dont do the design or ordering...just install what they send to me. Too bad....I would have been finished installing today. This will delay things on a house that was supposed to be done....I dont make the schedules or silly promises.
Not sure what will become of these after I rip them out. Could be a good deal for someone.

Our cabinet supplier delivered cabinets that were 3” to tall and not what the builder ordered, they were free and they built new at no additional charge and we installed the wrong ones in the cellar. I also saved the old cottage cabinets that were low end but functional and we have more storage than we could ever use.

The push to get more houses done faster....leads to more #^&#^&#^&#^&ups.
The new cabinets were delivered....correct color this time ... and I installed them again. The old ones were packed up and taken away by the distributor....he told me there is another house coming up where they can be used.
Another problem.... I find too many damaged cabinets upon opening the boxes .... dropped during shipping.

All our houses have gas fireplaces.....we have a mantle design that we have been using that customers like. Tile installers will do a 6" border inside of it.
I enjoy building them at home in my shop... its a quick install when I bring them to the job.......much better than building on site...which is chaotic most of the time.
Most recent house had a little more finish detail than just the basic trim ... the large cased openings between kitchen, dining and living rooms....it matches some of the details of the mantle.
The kitchens in these houses are all very similar.....so I havent posted pictures of them.
We have more houses being framed and more foundations going in so busy as usual for now.

Nice, Bob. Are you using pre-primed? Or having your painters sprsy the stock? Poplar? Also, what are the pieces leaning diagonally near the tops?

Thanks Ross..its primed pine same as the entire trim package....used to do them with poplar....its just easier to pick up 16'ers of the primed stuff.
Those little pieces are crown returns i precut and install on site

Expresso color this time

https://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/uploads/monthly_2023_01/Resized_20230110_112328.jpg.e72dbdbb34ae7c9f133344 15beb3db66.jpg

picture test.......trying to figure out why some of my pictures post clear and sharp...."thumbnails'.....and others are "resized"....small and blurry?
New phone camera may be the cause?

More testing.......trying out different ways to get full size pictures up......
https://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/uploads/monthly_2023_01/Resized_20210721_072747.jpg.e57144db1b3d9f7517a0d8 66e045116b.jpg

Another test...posted this pic before a different way and it looked crappy....still trying to figure out the how and why.
https://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/uploads/monthly_2022_12/20221227_135528.jpg.c535a6fc2e3af29164cf84525e800c 42.jpg

some built-ins I did a while ago that another customer wants....there was no plan so ill go by the photo. I see I took the picture before I got to putting base moulding at the bottom of those pilasters.

Another in expresso color
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/sPh9uNEiM4FadgLzO9cWWXiFzfvjtyeSNbm2y0_gZy9RrPtAtU w4Z5jT6fh0OQUJ-l4qnitcKVW3MkVI2WbNQRidwDBmIwpwsnICZL6jSpkOHwr0S63 i6FBwgMIbsC9mlDMzgmrsv1T47CrChP7zCNxi1vjd5IpgNIizB emMGqCV7W0Opc0YaDrv58OJw5AMqcVzByNYZDSLzp5SX5Tn6VA GWsZSKiIC0UfFQZL7Ld9kqlm3_59-phxCWx1bY-GztddAGPfem0wfS33OZ0O9iGovUDzJyhXX7qkW8DQ9Zy5BIAgx aqDYUBKoHY2waQqYWTWarUHwjRoCXXxXn3kmzc2tpVkblgr2ck 9CtXSMhEYxq_RPlisOv7gkpyjPlU3nWrgotGkjdZwloSS531CY pGxamQaXKD48NZBie76ZMWOrLRzbW3l1khtovqPAJ3R3M5P73D xv9iLaIEkHH6CpGT3RM5WXJf5tH89beXiRMfBFQv2J0kES1GRU iqmpgbC4uXU9kTXOHWD0xH42EEoW9rFLDW5hal9YE_hI5mkGcD HpoQZi4q4RhF8vAHVeTjawYeItFJQq7qhpUH96uih8vg016_Y1 cqrmTMq6t_bia0gTXTWbb3QKSlB3vnm8ZKZeDCBrQprFDZHqtH _OZ1WUxJKPpEYN5tZMMrdefSAWoFJMWTNrGnEwAkvUYOMzBfkC r7M7yJLeVgJbM2D9Iyt4cFGbyWU6Mp5v0ACX_xKXk5w1Ce503J 4LtcPQtL51xAgaOuQr-MxLOBRg2Cb3cdEd9dHRsRzJ1W4upZCApgN0p7TggvrPC1Cw3H6 eC1EDCbD5MXuVh0HtjA0_QtaYT5mxTypXIV3eSR_ZskafBAl6Q Zbvi_YhfNtP7e5j3OtsRraiizJMCOvRHSmlrxGkC4IKgpFohdZ 3IezRsbdMR7YP11ynr2TVADtwO2yRiSyTFRlmvET-Krg9ABSS_SjarvNRXQ=w1920-h888-no?authuser=1

You are going darker and my wife has me doing the cabinets in snowdrop white with furniture grade paint.

Another in expresso color
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/sPh9uNEiM4FadgLzO9cWWXiFzfvjtyeSNbm2y0_gZy9RrPtAtU w4Z5jT6fh0OQUJ-l4qnitcKVW3MkVI2WbNQRidwDBmIwpwsnICZL6jSpkOHwr0S63 i6FBwgMIbsC9mlDMzgmrsv1T47CrChP7zCNxi1vjd5IpgNIizB emMGqCV7W0Opc0YaDrv58OJw5AMqcVzByNYZDSLzp5SX5Tn6VA GWsZSKiIC0UfFQZL7Ld9kqlm3_59-phxCWx1bY-GztddAGPfem0wfS33OZ0O9iGovUDzJyhXX7qkW8DQ9Zy5BIAgx aqDYUBKoHY2waQqYWTWarUHwjRoCXXxXn3kmzc2tpVkblgr2ck 9CtXSMhEYxq_RPlisOv7gkpyjPlU3nWrgotGkjdZwloSS531CY pGxamQaXKD48NZBie76ZMWOrLRzbW3l1khtovqPAJ3R3M5P73D xv9iLaIEkHH6CpGT3RM5WXJf5tH89beXiRMfBFQv2J0kES1GRU iqmpgbC4uXU9kTXOHWD0xH42EEoW9rFLDW5hal9YE_hI5mkGcD HpoQZi4q4RhF8vAHVeTjawYeItFJQq7qhpUH96uih8vg016_Y1 cqrmTMq6t_bia0gTXTWbb3QKSlB3vnm8ZKZeDCBrQprFDZHqtH _OZ1WUxJKPpEYN5tZMMrdefSAWoFJMWTNrGnEwAkvUYOMzBfkC r7M7yJLeVgJbM2D9Iyt4cFGbyWU6Mp5v0ACX_xKXk5w1Ce503J 4LtcPQtL51xAgaOuQr-MxLOBRg2Cb3cdEd9dHRsRzJ1W4upZCApgN0p7TggvrPC1Cw3H6 eC1EDCbD5MXuVh0HtjA0_QtaYT5mxTypXIV3eSR_ZskafBAl6Q Zbvi_YhfNtP7e5j3OtsRraiizJMCOvRHSmlrxGkC4IKgpFohdZ 3IezRsbdMR7YP11ynr2TVADtwO2yRiSyTFRlmvET-Krg9ABSS_SjarvNRXQ=w1920-h888-no?authuser=1
the worse color combo I can think of. I hate anything brown in color, cabinets, paint, tile etc. No thanks.

We just install what the buyers select and move on to the next....I dont give it much thought anymore..... my preferences are outdated.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fGyvq1_CR6FQYOfOoBiak07l2dmLr_oH8kNsaxA05c1M4AY0yC lIgf3NFoVkHR8ipXA7gcuYF4BsaRBRULdYVmGzdNxTJYSUsG6T cEiSoox9BDk6vOyn_ygQepx98VDHsES5Ug2iU6zpsraixvoWh9 qHLaA0VLS4spbpey38FkY-_6QAkBqXB-Ang0NyjKx9FuLpjxSAwmn2bLsF8TaEctDwnS23CYkk_eN2p9dp ZNj1GVniM2noxRQuh8030jIDUaXswvtWDhtM8mXaG48wLJ7VEg hKNfJuv9U5hYMMdpTK3Z0UeJNR_cCut7O2JTk8NlDUg0xsK5sH WB-TorYYv2FFeSpR27acmqJMLZb9BT7M0zVnRjwsJTCek4X0tt0X0 daiUojaSEniOPbJntH_dcODqJTaJ3Z7nP2LLuWhNj4yGdjPXpD D-h1ORIrvQyweppgFFzMshECTeY72zjLgpKQwmLR99EC3FfhZG4d T-g1dkSwsYAWxrI_GwA_B-Apm-_TOAvbzMKNic65xUdb5N5WoFGX6j0ZJF1lwSgNoPPTGB-JE95oXv80ngVupwkRnxCnC7sCR5SywSOFzXxzrBU9m6kHr-HH5g4eFRytEXfRZWROVJczBzbrqSsDCNox1B2_ycVONsStVED_ 97db8LGsS3I3Roi0y1ZAhkJO8r0zeAXls_Ga5cx3yRBj5fYjXF oxmKoYBAuYKnCuVB3xDI1f-dL7bfPGdqTG6cTCDXB-mrTxy-oJvROagItytfNt25YQS3PUXZ_r982U7EccQlRrQQ8vRaxdIzvd qVNXhP0JSXhAYlaqKy1xQv2JfCpvcSo3SvLv8gXNd-XbxJ-5s7IBQpytW5J2b4gZkrKqvV63xL6hafBUNU5lDjaB56y9JrAJz 61LVQ63lXfA_GBrdVqYNWY0wmzVJy34YwIWyuD3XXl1ICgPvhw Zco_WtP3Fckv2GXXJfG765uh4jLYrGGg=s955-no?authuser=0

You are going darker and my wife has me doing the cabinets in snowdrop white with furniture grade paint.
Im doing a kitchen in frost white right now....no more natural or stained oak, cherry, or ash....with beautiful wood grain.... like we used to do.
The expresso looks very little like wood.... more like a dark brown paint.

All our cabinents are custom made clear pine. 23 doors. PIA painting. I stained them 50 years ago so I'm doing 2 coats of BINS shellac base primer before the paint.

All our cabinents are custom made clear pine. 23 doors. PIA painting. I stained them 50 years ago so I'm doing 2 coats of BINS shellac base primer before the paint.

Yes..... pine was popular too.....stains beautifully....although softer than the other woods.
A stain killing sealer like Bins shellac is a good idea.....and dries quickly...oh the fumes......take some breaks to get fresh air to keep a clear head.

I wondered if you had concealed hinges like we use now.....didnt see them in use much way back when.


Another in an off white....Linen I think.
https://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/uploads/monthly_2023_01/20161104_084850.jpg.e811a4b2dddcbaf41d08290bb16c2d cf.jpg

That is a beautiful kitched.

Actually, take a look at the pic and you'll understand why I hate painting them.

The cabinets now are almost always full overlay....no part of the cabinet face frame is exposed....and the common use of concealed hinges doesn't go back to when you and I built our houses.

I like it!

I installed a blue island last week... Almost navy blue. Wall cabinets were painted white white.

I installed a blue island last week... Almost navy blue. Wall cabinets were painted white white.


Primary colors next? Could be the next trend....maybe all the home improvement shows are where these things start.
I do like the look of these vanity cabinets.

Another... with a shade of blue island

Just finishin up a bath and kitchen with those grayish/ blue shaker style cabinets. Seems to be the new color. At first I was like this is odd, why would anyone want this? but as it has come together it has grown on me.
My wife has wanted our cabinets white and been delaying it in hopes white cabinet mania passes. I feel would be waste of our nice cabinets.
The different island color is my delemnia as I feel that if the island (8') were white too it would be too much white. Plus show all the dirt and wear and tear from the kids esp sittin at it. Think it would lead to OCD issues esp with the foot prints Sitting at island so
Perhaps that reason for different color
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

A lot of people are doing different color island ....this one is stained cherry if i remember right. When you have an over abundance of cabinets all in the same color can be too much.....the contrast can be nice.

Really like the island legs.

Another... with a shade of blue island

cabinets up to a high ceiling are nice for tall people :btu:

Just finishin up a bath and kitchen with those grayish/ blue shaker style cabinets. Seems to be the new color. At first I was like this is odd, why would anyone want this? but as it has come together it has grown on me.
My wife has wanted our cabinets white and been delaying it in hopes white cabinet mania passes. I feel would be waste of our nice cabinets.
The different island color is my delemnia as I feel that if the island (8') were white too it would be too much white. Plus show all the dirt and wear and tear from the kids esp sittin at it. Think it would lead to OCD issues esp with the foot prints Sitting at island so
Perhaps that reason for different color
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

The white cabinet mania won't pass any time soon as white is timeless. I have been doing a lot of kitchens over the years and many times the cabinets are white of some shade and the island would be wood, mostly stained cherry. More recently islands have been a color like a soft pastel type of a green or blue, now with all the greys I see more of that.

cabinets up to a high ceiling are nice for tall people :btu:

Haha....my 5'2" wife cannot even reach the upper shelf of our 30" tall wall cabinets.


Houses we build with 9' high ceilings.... the options are ...open soffit ...which some dont like as it is a dust collector....
stacked cabinets... which are even too high for me at 6' tall to reach......or an extra wide soffit... which with 36" high wall cabinets is awkwardly wide at 18"......doesnt look right for me. I liked the stacked uppers best for looks
I keep a small step ladder around for my wife to use....but most time she just hollers for me.

Really like the island legs.


Thanks.....it was hard for me to figure out which way to install them.... which end was up?....i tried them each way....still wasnt sure.
I doweled the legs into the flooring...
I got another delivery of cabinets coming this morning....if I had to guess...I'd say white again.

White again.....the Island is Expresso, I dont assemble them until the hardwood flooring goes in. The box of crown moulding for the soffit says "Product of Vietnam" and the quality and specie of wood is funky and the profile from one piece to the other is inconsistent. The quality of stuff keeps slipping.....making our jobs tougher.
This customer provided the apron sink that has to be cut into the sink base cabinet....high end....came with a bunch of accessories.

built-in casework...ill bring to the job and finish in place with face frames...soffit ...crown... and doors for base unit. the back of the upper cabinet mdf beadboard.....
working alone in my shop is more enjoyable than job site chaos.

they're just set in place for now....kitchen coming first....helped carry in 52 boxes of hardwood flooring
.and this is what happens when someone uses my bench when im not around....a freikin sawcut.....i put some PL in it and then ill the sand excess after it expands. Nobody owned up to it.:huh:

they're just set in place for now....kitchen coming first....helped carry in 52 boxes of hardwood flooring
.and this is what happens when someone uses my bench when im not around....a freikin sawcut.....i put some PL in it and then ill the sand excess after it expands. Nobody owned up to it.:huh:

That sucks
Once u find out who did it everyone be able to know cause they be walking around only able to count to 9
Leg for an eye.....,,
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

That sucks
Once u find out who did it everyone be able to know cause they be walking around only able to count to 9
Leg for an eye.....,,
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device


It does suck...... got to be one of the rookies..... we have two!
No investigation.....but they know who they are....and I made it known when everyone was present that I wasnt too happy about it......hope they realize how stupid that was. Case closed.
Ive told you before... but the bench....my own design....evolved over time and perfect for the job i do......is like a magnet.
Just the other morning I had to ask a tremendously obese plumber to remove his ass from it so i could do my work!

The bench is very stable.... enough for me to stand on holding a large wall cabinet solo... and screw it in...perfect height for all the soffit and crown work too....the hand hold makes it simple to move and carry with one hand perfectly balanced.

Mike check this out.....front door unit has a 6 9/16 jamb width and walls are 2x6 with half inch exterior sheathing and half inch drywall. So how does this happen? I know why but none of it is under my control.....and im getting too old to care. More concerned about how uneven the kitchen walls are where my cabinets go.
Plus the door wouldnt close without force....i knew what that was......i removed all the expansion foam from between the hinge side of the jamb and the jack stud....unscrewed the middle hinge from the jamb ...and put a well placed 3" screw to drive the jamb over....the hinge covers it so its not visible....closes easily now.

It does suck...... got to be one of the rookies..... we have two!
No investigation.....but they know who they are....and I made it known when everyone was present that I wasnt too happy about it......hope they realize how stupid that was. Case closed.
Ive told you before... but the bench....my own design....evolved over time and perfect for the job i do......is like a magnet.
Just the other morning I had to ask a tremendously obese plumber to remove his ass from it so i could do my work!

The bench is very stable.... enough for me to stand on holding a large wall cabinet solo... and screw it in...perfect height for all the soffit and crown work too....the hand hold makes it simple to move and carry with one hand perfectly balanced.

I obviously could benefit from seeing this design....

Damn Bob! no respect :( sad

I suppose they would have wrecked a blade as well if the cut was 1/4" over as it just missed that line of screws.

people suck

Damn Bob! no respect :( sad

I suppose they would have wrecked a blade as well if the cut was 1/4" over as it just missed that line of screws.

people suck


Not surprised that you noticed Bruce....about the screws...I was thinking the same. Not the first time it ever happened...but it was for this bench. Over the years I can recall dozens of times....guys cutting into brand new sawhorses and i mean the top cut in half.....almost always someone pretty green....not necessarily disrespectful......mostly clueless.
I have a sawhorse design I have come up with that combines stability, strength and is not heavy.......but someone always cuts into them eventually.

I will just build another when this one craps the bed...its not very complex.

I obviously could benefit from seeing this design....

Splayed legs make for stable benches...or saw horses too for that matter. Its all made from 3/4 plywood....lot of screws and PL premium glue with fillets along all seams.
The top is 16x36 and I make the spread of the splayed legs at 36 apart at the bottom to match.... the legs have cuts an inch or so off the floor that make for less rocking and will allow for working over debris, and cords or hoses. The mid level shelf is a sturdy spreader and holds the legs firmly in place. It is so versatile...I put it upside down on a dolly and pack a crapload of tools on it when doing commercial jobs..... rolling down long hallways and up elevators too. You'll notice other details in the pics i previously posted.

....i like cutting copes on the lower height of this bench and clamping it can make it easier. I was taught to draw the edge of the pencil lead over the edge of the cut to see it better.....with unprimed wood it can be hard to follow. still got to make doors and install shelving on the built-in. Then the painter will make it all look nice.

Splayed legs make for stable benches...or saw horses too for that matter. Its all made from 3/4 plywood....lot of screws and PL premium glue with fillets along all seams.
The top is 16x36 and I make the spread of the splayed legs at 36 apart at the bottom to match.... the legs have cuts an inch or so off the floor that make for less rocking and will allow for working over debris, and cords or hoses. The mid level shelf is a sturdy spreader and holds the legs firmly in place. It is so versatile...I put it upside down on a dolly and pack a crapload of tools on it when doing commercial jobs..... rolling down long hallways and up elevators too. You'll notice other details in the pics i previously posted.


Brilliant!:kewl::easy:

....i like cutting copes on the lower height of this bench and clamping it can make it easier. I was taught to draw the edge of the pencil lead over the edge of the cut to see it better.....with unprimed wood it can be hard to follow. still got to make doors and install shelving on the built-in. Then the painter will make it all look nice.

Same here but now with glasses….

Same here but now with glasses….


Just had my first eye exam in years. I failed miserably!
Been using cheap reader glasses till now....doc says time to get some real ones. My work cant possibly be as good as it once was with this aging eyesight....that along with hands so painfull with arthritis I cant hold tools and work pieces firmly. Still good enough to get by.

But in my mind i'm..."half the man I use to be"

Things you can do with just a table saw. I posted this elsewhere but thought it might be of interest here also.
I made an eight foot piece of cherry crown moulding for a custom bookcase I was building with a few, very simple table saw cuts. I kept a piece of the blank before the final shaping, done with a curved cabinet scraper that I ground to the profile i wanted, for a future guide for sawcut settings.
Only a few hours work......and no other viable option.....dont have a shaper in the shop and not something a router is capable of. Table saws can do a lot of things not commonly known about.

This one is Fusion Nickel.....blueish grey.
Im just glad its not white again.
Ill do the soffit and crown today and the hardware tommorow.
We have about five or six houses left to finish in this subdivision....with over 50 already done.
I need a change of scenery...would be nice to get back to my stomping grounds in Westport.

The soffit and crown take as long as hanging the cabinets.
First there is setting the cleats on top of the cabinets and against the ceiling. Then I cut soffit and crown to rough length and label them.
After that its dozens of trips jumping back and forth from the saw to my bench....making trial cuts until things fit. I never use stepladders for this job......they are clunky...awkward.. and can damage cabinets.
Still cant figure how to post full size pictures...so tried pasting a url this time

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https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ArgbjPWCpYrHO6TqFG-llGBFmKFQUrEM0g4rtUvOVtd0kyvETBm_hTdPngJlM2j_3qtLo HiNHEFn9ral3qWT22DbQDBci0BgFjIZrVUpPCEbwxStELTsLXY dEFueYAuIlo8BTa3NdvAQhvMi_mhAyRpVisFCJlUBdTkmhpUl6 TGfSFBxHH-7amJfWB8pxP02SK7VQ8cDenNQdphYpo-HBWmIUPo51aDE6cHtOxMCkN8RFCXQ-BUcdeY0eB3vUPW2RDEK2YjFCApI29rqVxSGyYl4oiiZtduYExA VMTy0qVSDGGZvYLZjv7oTKUdq5UOxR2mXghM2d_STLYeoJHhvR X37DysShO1aG22m49S7w9L7vFZw8E2N2VUQduRYWgNGqMmcNJ5 ViXHefCEI6ZUJ-Y7MbjluRorLmiQ56LBG4GoQEUnd7RQBN4JJrcvRFgBGAxbIaEd d-39wK8r1cNNxse5fvMMARwVyrobPwGbsnjozNcxZc6S9M_80-ejpS9mYnbDAI4gK37zGVcvNZzKXHw_htrzmOYs_oEv6omRmGeP FQUnHNihhB32_4rKNbQPouw2BqI7qbdGJm1yyG_xKVFPuruxM1 IR4FCPHuF4U5O3cRoMsqyg84hwSP5TGaBMEnEcWuEmFZ4Fg-v3ac0Xc2iR-Juli6PCBD5LC2lsbVyOKYzhyaw0hqAxuqXqiOTP4rU8vgL0Z9w eM4_pRY4uIJjEeLVBXvOeMg9YeUOvQ9wo48PwYM7I2WV5d2Cmt mdou63xeJLQmUqz0v1dH7LGeUdxP-AC-76OUhYJUufkJHfN-XWcS5dz6lUVJFNDXCZU-ol2IbrtzKrtnZPZ95kr_3triLswGmHYaPwAtlmOor7iYE-Rfp09PEyDI7gRG8FrAWzt-jZkzyrQ1GNm0r1HeVCeCO6IcOB2w65ttC022PW0sl6hwlrv1RU 01dP6EzwXqroSL9iFx1DIs1er5-YQwfw=w1920-h888-no?authuser=1

Nice contrast with the black pulls.... hardwood going down just as I finished ....and the stairs with stained treads and accents looks nice I think..
I really dont like blind corner cabinets.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6gUWQTNSso6EREbLacKv5sjXB-qCawP7GRBT9M-RqdIUJiloGjhUY8bfe8rqra3XqF0GmgtoNs6RnD4ntyvt7Iy0A UuqNPrMgfCjpJF4WPOdo0aSGOukTfWxFwIpxSfzG_k2T_nqEhH 4Sqx2RzeJcfIyBHmwaVJc9-f0oGqonFhe-NG0o7V-aIB3kbiIJVSC49bmZUiV6XgiMvmWWQr3vCDWFeJIi3I1lzjybu ipCQJR8TK9JYk4Uj_dAQLJza4m79URreQFT3d99ZzLLdnedATO baZ8bLTPyfvT6oPzIT0evQ25ZNKerytN5v7t53lWR8orjYbXjJ sI_JZ4FPeZS3UJ7uwgkbfuQZAmGedweAc51Y6Rf2jneF4bItZE Y9D8Gv5irUBED0s08pJVkRlrGi_PQyhlZa665ZersrMvP5ndst gBrphDqkiDaRh02Qs0vInI0u_V0EPnyn4oS-myl3oXWoAqtDBQi6StVG-nohZfSKDhfb_qRy1EjsNEs4U_gS1PDCBQ3Y46cM7001-T0qg6z3ODZAzQ9N3tFavVwa0WKBiKEmXGuAL9y28f2rpvMvj6D r9IRpRO7gkB-U8_Ecxm-LijBYzn2Z1313GgAm48j_cb72AnvUNBS-BRjjJRnI2oLZlqwgftnpm_fvxEepBVPyh7jJgKAZR7rRy05bNk WvHDxqQGtO37hJ5OIQMT49a72QCN2U_55rBW7q5TjVv3sc5AoE XMximzv05hZ2swm-ymO6NvTyJgaLeGB84ddOUlNR3CUoVwnYd_XCknkPw8bn6T2vLZ bgSzeiVx7yT7-gHglBxUzLkBsEAP8bPSxvWDPX4zbBrZWhJ4ty8P0u78Rh9UzDl bCngGUHlaQipA2e3QKblQi2S9JNiCCF5Dtm9xEi_5lebLHLE11 Y3B6fElF8ogtQ0M6riSEslkeHo_AdFMJThSewWf6CXDLHAxz9b 7VpisfEARRrvmV_tIxA=w1920-h888-no?authuser=1


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/qQNE-0cC83r1QqWvjKIjcIBj7xJp5q-YV6k7uGX9mKbcgiMZfCzZOoft5SzhZVp-68OmQe7vGzSriw__7Vn4jfKW1YfGFAmLf4SuJl_re7H_rHOvYp-8LulIDhuM8DdtOX-t07NLiC9KLfLgXNeohIGImkehJENNpt338QVyUcj2NzZR3LCco gxRqmpMRimWOG4sW69gj9FU4iCBUXn5IX8D2aXA5wRoQgAMBP3 CHRcVauJarD-TxH4F8jUDIi_I187qorbK6wVDWH-U3C4ZLZNUFeSWRsD7-aLB7Cp0TtEqWWQYoTPA6LEEVdgWBqz5appwiaIce-x4JftRV90HZcwLlYKuU_xZiyr0IExBpxBZ6Nk2VELEekiIr4vf CpC6UHPlVQNepHOVskCSXYfQKzj8n2yjXefMO3hrD0nUwo4pNT HLPl7_m2lNE6ac1hGwFZqhL2muPIRiDQlBnBCKkti2rnk1ldPb 35i4UYEyv82gOgGI2DcE7MAGJ2x4MmYq3TBXfoW7Q8HNaKggfa jeQmxXpnIiezGfa4NArSYr2Nrn--FQz0RCu67_p6yECaKdL-_2ryFBADUjyb6hQCFxvn4HCXZNBm1ZUNviY0AIwF7K197ucGmS em_bavzBvvpx7F78zDVnh3d-EGMBfh9pujE0N-gJcGDAo5Utq7Z4wjSoysDzvS_z_TmIhPtM9sh3IwKM7eKwgBl-5DhMIJ0yDl01-FtSmDUiQaCegDcZVqEqwJOsGB2tg8wGb1E5g0Um5UTbDTY3szd elDsBsv3ZQ4d0tgH89yJWZbDFPDZJpPHasDkw-4kAnIKh2HOLyNBD0pG_NRbX8TonqAjfM3s1P_WG_9KFEhgIgec SBDmfALa1ifjji4J5oAuB0tOj6puQj5ArDmyS_IKN_N9LOLFu2 aQFzN8tQI6ZbyhUCch5HHD3gt9REjYCX6vsiw76ewlVXrVmw1P PkNUpOkFx5_gAHg=w442-h955-no?authuser=1

simple pair of doors for the built in...all cuts made with my table saw

done except for appliances

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/9CIPW5HKPMoP7_APL6bPJbC7_GCg3wvL-vQdmnVAooeForUYV3y4WlWMOZ4mIVvu6vKMRP43Midn_8Kih6k 2Dp4iS6zUqNL2NfQwiblC8e-9xDb7UrDXP9KO_qWf3io-oqKsEjXVcHOi4RE37XJVsoF6q35DUrD0V8eF-Jta-BUtipMTefdHnRw1C_kH4SKAc9jHhc8VE2JweGhXwDqbNJcRRLi I-Cdi4awdM6RkwGwSwUByPw-sSQD74MM71633SCegN0e_y08olsSZTeg6eJrM_I94WoHLqH8i1 Nx0kgTmF9_S2sLfiH40xArSiJjYBYLbstYby9FhNM6CHPCOIZK sKaCwTZ_M8VlKNWkpwW1bBJd1-tJMTCfhihmtAEqPEHhyhSG7R1d67EExOJEPRXK_ys64JXRHvYU hFKjjsGu6rgkOvLAk6-WycXLc08a08GDmrupIPt4N1tfZFPjkm7h3cStuoZyLnBi1BcJP KEcJIpdKbtx_CKYJcQeCybiw_0PXDWhvTWdIZ1sJ4gaXZfXClM DsgyGVt-Ad3e56EWDeI3jqMB4eAMIBjtWa4CveQng2J-g2RidlaNNpi9IG6MiHvkWv71D6tgRx_B-4rtl80BsoMA79E-WUEgg6pRlxdJgL5d4yTTIW91aTLGwCFelpiuQj490Mp0ybXXyh nlfo5hfdtOuK0_bKLPMp5_eUMLqsq3HhTwn7txIO8FrbCmm0dH FHSEKda9Aj4FVc2QHN9-KCymsoj60ItbSaPN8hakgYVVY9rkcER3GjznRyic2oCBY-8EzN8sHwZtc5YxWtCRRdRBCykuqSsn1J8eviHygcVz8j0peOno MZsUmQHxuTiDQK2nY6zvN0XrBpmSAbeT9EqQMkVMphD9zoCsEH MQrwAT3yCOure1g1DPlr_GLFB3xz5gAzI5a6VP-syUwT7CLjCU9grs-_da6sGmBb3UFWx_k8obVeeOWDPIGjoQ=w1543-h713-no?authuser=1