Topic: MoMo's shop/blog finished bath UPDATE starts post 107

[MoMo]

MoMo,  that is great work you have done.  I love the arm chair, likely very comfortable. Imagine Shaker style furniture of high quality is plentiful if you know where to look.

It is nice sometimes to reflect on where we started and how things have progressed when things are good.

David

Since I'm in the heart of Amish Country, USA old stuff is somewhat plentiful.  That Windsor chair was one of my wife's family heirlooms-supposedly dates to the early 1800's.

[MoMo]

Magnetic media degrades over time.  Even CDs and DVDs have a limited shelf life.b  much longer than a tape, but still limited.
LPs wear with every playing  very very high end stuff has less negative impact that economy turn tables will have on the vinyl.  The resurgence of vinyl has really revived the market and the machines are the same with better sensors and understanding of production process.  The warm rich sound of vinyl has new life breathed into it.

Surprisingly, cd's have not stood up to time nearly as well as audio tape.  Many of the mass produced cd's used a clear finish that has degraded, ruining the laser's ability to pick up the data.  CDR's are just terrible, I don't own any, more than ten years old, that even play.  I have cassette tapes that I recorded in the early 1980's that sound exactly as they did the day I recorded them.  Even a perfect, new, cd is easily scratched, causing  annoying skips and drop outs where a scratched vinyl lp is mostly still playable and enjoyable to listen to.

You are right, CD's require way more care than vinyl.   I have a couple hundred lps and maybe a hundred or so cds.  Once a cd is damaged it becomes just about unplayable but with an lp the most that happens is a pop or a skip.  Sound of vinyl is still the best,  sound of silence can be good too

[MoMo]

One thing in bringing back an old house or motorcycle is attention to small details.    On this house somewhere back in the past a PO had removed the original wall sconces and replaced them with really tacky, shiny brass fixtures.  At a local auction I was blessed to find 3 sconces that could have been taken from this house for the tidy sum of $7 . That little detail plus restoring all window and door hardware was a small detail that dramatically improved the appearance.


I do not like the mess of putting hardware in a stripping bath so I use a tiny, very light all metal ball peen hammer and continually tap the metal, after a couple minutes paint begins to fall off.  What residue is left is removed when I put the hardware to a soft wire wheel mounted on one of my 4(yes I have 4, auction cost was minimal) bench grinders. 

Photos of the sconce and hardware

[MoMo]

Original style bulbs would look better in the sconces but I have converted my entire house over to LED.  Another original detail that can be hard to find are lamps, they always have to be rewired and often one has to rob from Peter to pay Paul for parts.  These vanity lights were a steal, and only required basic rewiring

Oh yeah, that is a photo of my parents back in WWII, handsome couple they were.  Too bad smoking and alcohol destroyed them.

[MoMo]

These are photos of the other, connected master bedroom. I use the southside(this one) in the winter and the north during warmer months. Nice to have 4 bedrooms  
The bed is a family heirloom as is the bureau(from my wife's side).  The hope chest is my Grandmothers from when she was married at the ripe old age of 16 back in 1921(Dad was born a year later).  She went all the way to 8th grade

The Cezanne type landscape was painted by my wife.  I painted the pitcher and vase.  Painting of young man with hat was done by Henry Hotz, who was president of Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art(I think back in the 50's).  Landscape was a Strawbridge & Clothier purchase according to my wife. 


The speakers are KLH 25( only paid a couple bucks) that are remote speakers from the system in the other side.  Door connects the two rooms.

[jgger]

One thing in bringing back an old house or motorcycle is soattention to small details.    On this house mewhere back in the past a PO had removed the original wall sconces and replaced them with really tacky, shiny brass fixtures.  At a local auction I was blessed to find 3 sconces that could have been taken from this house for the tidy sum of $7 . That little detail plus restoring all window and door hardware was a small detail that dramatically improved the appearance.


I do not like the mess of putting hardware in a stripping bath so I use a tiny, very light all metal ball peen hammer and continually tap the metal, after a couple minutes paint begins to fall off.  What residue is left is removed when I put the hardware to a soft wire wheel mounted on one of my 4(yes I have 4, auction cost was minimal) bench grinders. 

Photos of the sconce and hardware

Good on you Larry, one thing that slaps me in the face when I see old hardware on a house/cabinet/furniture is a phillips screw. To my eye it is like a red blinking light! Slotted screws and square nuts were the order of the day back then.

[MoMo]

One thing in bringing back an old house or motorcycle is soattention to small details.    On this house mewhere back in the past a PO had removed the original wall sconces and replaced them with really tacky, shiny brass fixtures.  At a local auction I was blessed to find 3 sconces that could have been taken from this house for the tidy sum of $7 . That little detail plus restoring all window and door hardware was a small detail that dramatically improved the appearance.


I do not like the mess of putting hardware in a stripping bath so I use a tiny, very light all metal ball peen hammer and continually tap the metal, after a couple minutes paint begins to fall off.  What residue is left is removed when I put the hardware to a soft wire wheel mounted on one of my 4(yes I have 4, auction cost was minimal) bench grinders. 

Photos of the sconce and hardware

Good on you Larry, one thing that slaps me in the face when I see old hardware on a house/cabinet/furniture is a phillips screw. To my eye it is like a red blinking light! Slotted screws and square nuts were the order of the day back then.

I see the screws the same( I've been told I have a screw loose  though).   I've had a lot of trouble finding brass, slotted screws, most stores only carry phillips.

[jgger]

Unless you need some very weird size, I have seen them at both the Depot and Lowe's. I confess I haven't needed to look for any lately though. Things may have changed, oval heads have always been a bit of a slim pickens.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

The problem with old reel to reel tape is it had a plastic coating on it that degraded over time so now when you try to use it, its gumminess transfers onto the playback or record head and scrapes off creating a thick build up on the head.  It is cleaned off the head relatively easily but the tape is ruined.  There are reported elaborate procedures to salvage these tapes but not really worth the trouble unless it was extremely valuable material.  Tapes manufactured in the 1960's or earlier seem to be generally ok, but the stuff from the 70's and 80's is almost all totally useless now.  Of course, proper storage is critical. 
     About 10 or 15 years ago it was extremely difficult to buy audio tape as every manufacturer had totally ceased production.  Last I checked you can once again buy brand new 1/4, 1/2, and 1 inch tape with the renewed interest in analog audio, but it is quite expensive.

Larry, I'm sure you can identify with this situation, as it is totally analogous to the situation with real photagraphy versus digital.

I made it a point to use top shelf Maxell reel tape. Still sounds great after 40+ years.

[RAFster122s]

Larry,  Now I see why you have a good eye for decorating, not meant as a slam but many guys couldn't decorate a room with a nice color selection and balance to save their life... You being an artist, photos and paintings show that, give you that nice sense of balance, color, perspective, and space to join them into a cohesive look.  Love how you have selected the pieces for the places you have shown.  You were thinking of painting the cabinets red and black and white tile in the kitchen...was that a reality or did you go with a different scheme?  Having colorful rooms is refreshing and adds to ones mood. I am glad you haven't chosen blue for a bedroom, that or a tan tends to be common and blue is depressing.  White or tan is not a mood lifter.  You red and golden yellow in the one bedroom is very nice...that's the summer bedroom I imagine given the one with more windows would be warmer.  The red paisley like duvet is very nice...classic and very appropriate for the house. 
Are all the art work from you or your wife?

The

Screwed up a Fuji A500, old 8 MPixel, camera last night when taking some photos of the CX motor torn down, hand slipped on the rear cover and camera was in left hand and I hit the extended lens body on the cover to keep it from hitting the concrete floor and potentially damaging it.  That camera took great low light photos and decent flash photos, better than my Canon Powershot A150...it really struggles and takes awful grainy photos in low light in auto mode, you have to go manual in low light.  But you don't use those photography skills you lose them with time.
Neither camera is (was) very expensive, so naturally I can appreciate the photography skills but it is not a passion for me...I have some artist in me as well...did quite well in art classes from 7th grade through senior year.  Art is a hobby, not a career type thing for me...it like flying rc gliders is done for relaxation and peaceful soothing recreation...great stress relief.  Just high stress and much of art for me does not mix.

Sorry to wax on so long, great living spaces you have created, a house you can be really proud of and you have made it a great home.

Thanks for breathing life back into this thread with the great photos of your results, sharing how the house has came together....

How are your cats doing?

David

[MoMo]

The problem with old reel to reel tape is it had a plastic coating on it that degraded over time so now when you try to use it, its gumminess transfers onto the playback or record head and scrapes off creating a thick build up on the head.  It is cleaned off the head relatively easily but the tape is ruined.  There are reported elaborate procedures to salvage these tapes but not really worth the trouble unless it was extremely valuable material.  Tapes manufactured in the 1960's or earlier seem to be generally ok, but the stuff from the 70's and 80's is almost all totally useless now.  Of course, proper storage is critical. 
     About 10 or 15 years ago it was extremely difficult to buy audio tape as every manufacturer had totally ceased production.  Last I checked you can once again buy brand new 1/4, 1/2, and 1 inch tape with the renewed interest in analog audio, but it is quite expensive.

Larry, I'm sure you can identify with this situation, as it is totally analogous to the situation with real photagraphy versus digital.

I made it a point to use top shelf Maxell reel tape. Still sounds great after 40+ years.

I mostly used Sony and Maxell (but not the high end).   Who would have known the  tapes would go bad?  Enough before I have to go to the pissed off thread.

[MoMo]

Larry,  Now I see why you have a good eye for decorating, not meant as a slam but many guys couldn't decorate a room with a nice color selection and balance to save their life... You being an artist, photos and paintings show that, give you that nice sense of balance, color, perspective, and space to join them into a cohesive look.  Love how you have selected the pieces for the places you have shown.  You were thinking of painting the cabinets red and black and white tile in the kitchen...was that a reality or did you go with a different scheme?  Having colorful rooms is refreshing and adds to ones mood. I am glad you haven't chosen blue for a bedroom, that or a tan tends to be common and blue is depressing.  White or tan is not a mood lifter.  You red and golden yellow in the one bedroom is very nice...that's the summer bedroom I imagine given the one with more windows would be warmer.  The red paisley like duvet is very nice...classic and very appropriate for the house. 
Are all the art work from you or your wife?

The

Screwed up a Fuji A500, old 8 MPixel, camera last night when taking some photos of the CX motor torn down, hand slipped on the rear cover and camera was in left hand and I hit the extended lens body on the cover to keep it from hitting the concrete floor and potentially damaging it.  That camera took great low light photos and decent flash photos, better than my Canon Powershot A150...it really struggles and takes awful grainy photos in low light in auto mode, you have to go manual in low light.  But you don't use those photography skills you lose them with time.
Neither camera is (was) very expensive, so naturally I can appreciate the photography skills but it is not a passion for me...I have some artist in me as well...did quite well in art classes from 7th grade through senior year.  Art is a hobby, not a career type thing for me...it like flying rc gliders is done for relaxation and peaceful soothing recreation...great stress relief.  Just high stress and much of art for me does not mix.

Sorry to wax on so long, great living spaces you have created, a house you can be really proud of and you have made it a great home.

Thanks for breathing life back into this thread with the great photos of your results, sharing how the house has came together....

How are your cats doing?

David

All the photos were taken by me,  I identified source of paintings in 129.  Thanks for the compliment, I am proud of what I've accomplished over the years I've been here.


I posted in For Cat Lovers Only that two of my cats were poisoned,  Manny and Moe are gone.  I came home from work and found Manny dead on the kitchen floor and Moe dead in the back yard.  Moe was like a dog,  liked to snuggle, followed me all over and would come to greet me when I came home from work.  It was very depressing, still miss them.  Thanks for asking...Larry

[Terry in Australia]

You need some more cats Larry. I'd send you my fat black baastard Felix, but it'd cost you a fortune to feed him, and in return he'll piss on your bikes. He does like to sit in my lap, but he's so fcuking heavy he cuts off the circulation in my legs. I shouldn't feed him so much, but he makes me laugh when he runs around with his belly dragging on the ground.........

[MoMo]

You need some more cats Larry. I'd send you my fat black baastard Felix, but it'd cost you a fortune to feed him, and in return he'll piss on your bikes. He does like to sit in my lap, but he's so fcuking heavy he cuts off the circulation in my legs. I shouldn't feed him so much, but he makes me laugh when he runs around with his belly dragging on the ground.........

Moe was like that Terry,  fat and snuggly-topped the scales at 20 lbs. or more.  I'll pass on the offer

[Terry in Australia]

That's a good sized cat Larry, and the good thing about cats is that there's an over-supply of the poor things, so you should get yourself some more, I reckon they'd line up to piss on your Yam! Cheers, Terry.

[RAFster122s]

The problem I would have is, if the poisoning were intentional...then you would have to worry about whomever did it, would they  do it again?

It is not good.

[MoMo]

The problem I would have is, if the poisoning were intentional...then you would have to worry about whomever did it, would they  do it again?

It is not good.

If it was( I doubt it) there is a special very hot place awaiting the perpetrator...

[MoMo]

Trying to post on this thread with 5 photos of a new tool box I bought but my post disappears when I hit post.  All info goes away and I have to retry. This is a test

[MoMo]

try with two

[MoMo]

try with three

[MoMo]

Guess it didn't like 5.  Anyhow, I bought the box at a local Amish auction for the outlandish sum of $7,  highway robbery, huh?  The box was filled with a bunch of rusty, old, useless(is that a self-description?)  tools.  I blew out all the crud and wiped the box down with WD-40.  Looks decent for a circa 1930's genuine MAC box, my son took it to work and had the MAC man certify it.

I like the design of the upper drawer and handle of the lift out top tray-something I'd never seen before.  Plan is to ebay it and make a humongous profit

[RAFster122s]

So, you are not going to be like Terry and get a trash can full of phosphoric acid solution to set it in to clean all the rust off, create a few templates to relocate paint masks for the Mac Tools logo, strip the paint, and then repaint it? 
I guess the value would go out the window will AAAALLLLLLLLL that work...

It is and was a good deal at  twice that price.  

Terry, meant to ask you...what strength is that phosphoric acid you have and did you buy a 55 gallon drum of it?
That is a lot of phosphoric acid.  How did you buy that much?

[RAFster122s]

My parents do not like cats, or I should say my dad did not since he has passed, and my Mom pretty much hates them, as does my aunt Helen.  But, both are not fans of pets.  My mom and aunt grew up around cats and they would trip them by being underfoot and or step in to firmly rub up against their shins and trip them.  Some cats are quite aggressive with their rubbing up against you.  Don't know if it is their way of marking you with their scent or they just like to be rubbed.
Their cats they grew up around were not house cats and they were not always nice cats apparently. Didn't help any when a couple cat ladies lived a few houses away and their cats would come use mom's flower beds as litter boxes and sleep on the front porch furniture's cushions and the front outydoor carpeted mat and use it like a scratching/shedding post or pee on the rug.  So, they did not like the neighborhood cats at all.

I however like cats or large dogs (collies, shepherds, retrievers, great danes, boxers, sheep dogs, etc.) , I have no use for and generally dislike small dogs. I would like to have a cat, or have one own me as they often do...

Several of my siblings and my mother would disapprove I am sure...


MoMo,  sorry about Manny and Moe, I had forgotten about them being poisoned.  Surprised you have not adopted another cat since.  Having a companion like a cat could be good for you.  But, sometimes the loss of a pet takes a while to recover from or go through that grieving process.

[MoMo]

My parents do not like cats, or I should say my dad did not since he has passed, and my Mom pretty much hates them, as does my aunt Helen.  But, both are not fans of pets.  My mom and aunt grew up around cats and they would trip them by being underfoot and or step in to firmly rub up against their shins and trip them.  Some cats are quite aggressive with their rubbing up against you.  Don't know if it is their way of marking you with their scent or they just like to be rubbed.
Their cats they grew up around were not house cats and they were not always nice cats apparently. Didn't help any when a couple cat ladies lived a few houses away and their cats would come use mom's flower beds as litter boxes and sleep on the front porch furniture's cushions and the front outydoor carpeted mat and use it like a scratching/shedding post or pee on the rug.  So, they did not like the neighborhood cats at all.

I however like cats or large dogs (collies, shepherds, retrievers, great danes, boxers, sheep dogs, etc.) , I have no use for and generally dislike small dogs. I would like to have a cat, or have one own me as they often do...

Several of my siblings and my mother would disapprove I am sure...


MoMo,  sorry about Manny and Moe, I had forgotten about them being poisoned.  Surprised you have not adopted another cat since.  Having a companion like a cat could be good for you.  But, sometimes the loss of a pet takes a while to recover from or go through that grieving process.

I still have Jack, who has become a much nicer kitty since his brothers are gone. 

David,  Home Depot sells prep and etch, which is phosphoric acid-I use it full strength....Larry

[Terry in Australia]

So, you are not going to be like Terry and get a trash can full of phosphoric acid solution to set it in to clean all the rust off, create a few templates to relocate paint masks for the Mac Tools logo, strip the paint, and then repaint it? 
I guess the value would go out the window will AAAALLLLLLLLL that work...

It is and was a good deal at  twice that price.  

Terry, meant to ask you...what strength is that phosphoric acid you have and did you buy a 55 gallon drum of it?
That is a lot of phosphoric acid.  How did you buy that much?

Yeah, I wouldn't restore it David, it's only original once, and a lot of folks (like me) like that "Patina Look", because it tells a story of a time gone by, that sadly we'll never see again.

Anyhoo, Phosphoric Acid. That bin holds 50 litres and is around 3/4 full, so there's probably 10 (US) gallons of the stuff in it. I buy an Aussie product called "Phos-Wash" which is pure phosphoric acid, not the watered down stuff that you buy at the hardware store. I only used 4 litres (1 US gallon) and mixed it with around 9 gallon of water, but that's plenty, it cleaned those pipes up in only 2 or 3 days.

Once I get my hands on the K2 tank that John (Jleather) is selling me, I'll strip the outside with regular paint stripper, then dump the tank in the phosphoric bath to clean the interior like new. It's not aggressive on good steel, but I did leave one tank in a bath for too long (around a month, from memory) a few years ago, and it's paper thin.

Get a cat, raise it from a kitten and get it spayed so it doesn't go feral, and it'll be a great companion. I was never a cat person when I was a kid living in the country, but my wife is, and I have to admit the furry poofters have grown on me over the years. Not as loyal as dogs, and more pig headed, but interesting critters, for sure. Cheers, Terry.