Blog Archives

Cross-sighting a door jamb

Posted by on 26/ 11/ 15

Cross-sighting ensures that a door fits accurately in its frame because the jambs are parallel to each other. You can cross-sight with strings, pulling two from corner to corner diagonally across the frame. If the strings just touch in the middle, the jamb sides are parallel. A faster way to do this is by eye­balling. Stand beside the wall about 3 ft. from the frame and sight along the side jambs to see if they line up with each other from top to bottom (see the drawing below).

When a house frame has been well plumbed and lined, jambs cross-sight easily. If the jambs aren’t parallel, place a 2x block against the bottom plate near the frame and hammer it until the wall moves enough so that both jamb sides line up. Then drive a 16d toenail into the bottom plate to hold it in place...

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SELECTING A FLOOR FINISH

Posted by on 26/ 11/ 15

Floor finishes are often divided into two cate­gories: penetrating sealers (penetrants) and surface finishes. Penetrating sealers usually contain plant-based oils, such as tung oil or modified lin­seed oil, and soak into wood fiber. In time, they harden to seal and protect the wood. Because penetrating sealers form a hard outer shell, they can be easier to touch up by sanding lightly and adding more sealer if wood becomes scuffed or scratches—touched-up areas won’t be obvious. Wood stains penetrate and don’t really seal.

When they have dried, penetrating sealers are often waxed to make them more durable. But waxed floors are durable only if they’re regularly maintained, which takes time. Thus most floors today are sealed with surface finishes, which don’t require waxing.

Surface finish...

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. EXAMPLES FROM THE DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS

Posted by on 26/ 11/ 15

The city of Lacey requires a 10-foot separation between public water and public sewer, a state and local code provision. When a sewer lateral crosses a water main or vice-versa, a З-foot vertical separation must be maintained. This occurred in The Park, but Phillips was unable to make the З-foot vertical separation.

Подпись: Lacey, Washington. EXAMPLES FROM THE DEMONSTRATION PROJECTSBecause of this, the city required a heavy gauge metal sleeve around the water pipe within 10 feet of the sewer. This apparently is a carryover requirement from the time of cast iron and concrete soil pipe, when joints often broke and leaked. However, with longer lengths of seamless PVC pipe available, the separation require­ments and the need for a metal sleeve appear to be unnecessary.

Подпись: Portland, OregonBuilders in Portland frequently install gas, electric, telephone, and TV lines in a com...

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Creativity Phase

Posted by on 26/ 11/ 15

Objective. The objective is to generate, by creative techniques such as brainstorm­ing, numerous alternative means for accomplishing the basic function(s) identified.

Key Question. Accomplishing this phase should result in answering the question “What else will do the job, that is, perform the basic function(s)?” The completeness and comprehensiveness of the answer to this question determine to a very high degree the effectiveness and caliber of value work. The greater the number and quality of alterna­tives identified, the greater the likelihood of developing an outstanding solution. Additional alternatives that have not been considered will usually exist regardless of the skill and proficiency of the study team.

Procedure...

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TEMPERATURES OF ASPHALT MIXTURES

Posted by on 26/ 11/ 15

The recommended temperatures of SMA mixtures with road bitumens accord­ing to EN 12591 are given in the standard EN 13108-5. The minimum tempera­ture of delivery to a laydown site and the maximum production temperature in an asphalt plant are provided there. When using a modified or special binder, one should follow the information passed on by its producer or as determined in other documents.

Example temperatures for two of the most common road bitumens (EN 12591) used for SMA are as follows:

• 50/70— minimum temperature 150°C, maximum temperature 190°C

• 70/100— minimum temperature 140°C, maximum temperature 180°C

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Wildf lower

Posted by on 26/ 11/ 15

The Wildflower is like my house on the outside with a single, open room inside. Add closet(s), a loft, utilities, furniture and entire rooms as you see fit.

Square feet: 117

House width: 8’

House length: 19’

Road Height: 13’-5” Dry Weight: 5100 lbs

Porch: 3’x 7%’

Ceiling height: 6’-3” – sizes are approximate

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Prudent Avoidance Strategies

Posted by on 26/ 11/ 15

There are many simple and inexpensive ways to make the bedroom a sanctuary that is free from these stressful fields. Here are five suggestions:

1. Use battery-powered clocks near the bed. Re­search has shown that exposure to high mag­netic fields during sleep can cause severe long-term illness. Many electric clocks pro­duce high magnetic fields.

2. Turn off circuit breakers affecting the bedroom while you sleep. A restful sleep is necessary for health and a strong immune system. Electric fields affect the biocommunication system, keeping you from sleeping soundly.

3. Use beds without metal. Metal frames and metal box springs can amplify and distort the Earth’s natural magnetic field, leading to a non-restful sleep.

4. Make sure there are no elevated magnetic fields...

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Dishwashers Are Shaping Up

Posted by on 26/ 11/ 15

Dishwashers have changed quite a bit in recent years. They use a lot less water, which translates into lower energy use for water heating. In 1978, water use by dishwashers ranged from 11 gal. to 15 gal. for a normal dishwashing cycle. By 2000, that usage had dropped to 6 gal. to 10 gal.

As water use has gone down, total energy use has also dropped, while the proportion of energy use for processes other than water heating has risen. In 1978, 83% of the total energy use for dishwasher operation was for heating water; 10% was for motor opera­tions, and 7% for drying. By 1994, energy use for water heating had dropped to 56%, according to a 2003 Virginia Tech report.

However, that does not mean most dish­washers are as energy efficient as they could be...

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Closing In

Posted by on 26/ 11/ 15

With the timber framing completed, it was time to fill in the wall panels. We used the small lower panels beneath the windows as training panels for students at the building school, but, as we got higher, Jaki and I pandered to a dream which we
have had for a long time: to make the most beautiful and artistic cordwood panels that we’ve ever done. The motif would be our Pacific Rim Journey of 2001, especially our one-week visit to Rapa Nui (Easter Island). The results of our efforts appear in the pictures at the end of this chapter. See my previous book, Cordwood Building: The State of the Art for more about cordwood masonry

Windows and doors. I don’t want to spend a lot of time on windows and doors. There are myriad choices...

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Finishes, Cleaning Solvents, and Applicators

Posted by on 26/ 11/ 15

FINISH

CLEANS WITH

APPLICATOR

COMMENTS

Water-based

polyurethane

Soap and water

Synthetic brush; pad; round applicator

Probably best all-around finish for nonpro; tough, water-resistant finish; easy cleanup, low smell; work fast, overlapping edged areas before they dry

Oil-based

polyurethane

Mineral spirits

Natural-bristle brush; round solvent-resistant applicator

Tough, durable finish; favored by pros because dries slower than water-based; slightly stronger smell while drying

Penetrating sealers (tung and modified linseed oils )

Mineral spirits

Lamb’s wool applicator, natural-bristle brush

Slow to dry; strong odor; scratches easily but can be touched up with new finish over old; usually waxed

Stain-sealers

Mineral spirits

Varies: natural-brist...

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