What did you do today?

[C.J.]

Z, you’ll have to wait till Monday for a picture. Gotta be honest, I tried the hand chompers one time and threw them in my box to never be used again. They do save time but the quality just wasn’t there compared to a miter saw. I would end up having to hide slight inaccuracies with caulk and that bothered me so in the box they sat, just waiting for me to one day pull them out of the box and love them again even if only for a day.

Most guys use the Crain 855 wood miter chompers.

https://www.craintools.com/wood/wood-miter/855
My buddy got me Ridgid’s version. Don’t think they make them anymore but you can still find them on eBay. I like the fence on the Ridgid.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2346265470...044&customid=c0a9c3f123ad121a5c60a1092bce4580

 

[highup]

I never got past the design phase for a mini chop saw.....maybe a cross slide. Battery powered but only large enough for 3 1/2" base, quarter round and carpet metal.

 

[C.J.]

7.25” slider is perfect for 1/4 round and short base but definitely has the capability to cut large base in a pinch.

 

[highup]

My idea was to have something you could slide around on the floor as you moved along instead of standing up and running to the garage or room where you'd normally have a chop saw set up.

.......or maybe just a 32 ounce cartridge of quarter round. Yes, we've all seen that done.

 

[C.J.]

Get a dolly to roll around with you if you wanna stay down. I crawl around the room and make a cut list. Then I get up and cut the entire room of trim at the same time. After that I place the trim around the room and nail it up.

There’s still some up and down in the equation but I’m trying to minimize how much. I do prefer to get up and use the saw though. You’ve got better safety and accuracy when cutting trim working from a stable standing position. Not to mention now I have control of where the saw is placed which will help control dust. Besides saws belong outside.

 

[highup]

Dust is a biggie.

 

[zannej]

Thanks, CJ. I will probably stick to a miter box and handsaw. LOL. Or I can see if my miter saw that is in the car port still works and replace the blades.

Was going to get bro to help me clean but he knew that so he took Mom's car without permission to go hang out with our friend. She's ticked bc he didn't ask first he knows he's only supposed to use it to go to and from work. I'm sure if she says anything he'll whine about him treating him unfairly. But she doesn't want extra miles put on the car without it being necessary & he doesn't pay for the gas in it.

I got tired of cats knocking my speakers off my desk and my keyboard cover always getting knocked askew. So I cleaned with rubbing alcohol and used Velcro to get them attached. Subwoofer & cover are stuck to the desk and the smaller speakers are stuck to the cover.

I'm trying to motivate myself to get up and cook. I need to sautee some mushrooms for later. Finished sauteeing some mushrooms, had some popcorn (I found a stray packet lying around and was hungry), took the trash bag out of the kitchen trashcan, brought in the new box of contractor bags, and put a new bag in the can. Its a bit heavy and I'll see if I can get my brother to haul the bag out (since taking out the trash is his one and only chore). I'm responsible for the cooking, cleaning, changing hvac filters, fixing plumbing (if I'm able), grocery shopping, taking vehicles for maintenance, feeding/watering the animals, and yardwork (to the best of my ability).

 

[C.J.]

Took the palm sander to my patch n putty knives today. Gotta do that every so often. Now I’m ready to scrape a tub clean.

Since we’re talkin bout putty knives, how many of you have ever eaten your lunch with a putty knife? Chicken salad? I know some of you have. Hopefully not the same one you use to scrape wax rings with. Maybe give it a good wipe down with lacquer. C’mon, what’s your putty knife story.

 

[Floorist]

How about a bandage story? Using a paper towel and duct tape on a deep cut. Had to finish the job. Got stitches after.

 

[C.J.]

Maybe you cut yourself with a freshly sharpened putty knife? Yeah, that’s what happened. Then you had to play tool box doctor.

Now if one of you old timers has a story about hand sewing your own stitches, well I do believe that would take the cake.

 

[DarisMulkin]

Now if one of you old timers has a story about hand sewing your own stitches, well I do believe that would take the cake.

I didn't do it intentionally. I slipped when pushing the needle through the carpet and pushed the needle through eye first. The trick was getting it all back out.

 

[C.J.]

I thought for sure you would be using a pine needle.

 

[zannej]

It's only a flesh wound!


I went to bed before my brother got home. Put on some music that is supposed to be soothing for cats. Apparently its soothing for humans too. I didn't wake up until after 3pm. Dog was near the speakers so she liked it. My velcro job is working to keep my stuff in place.

My brother forgot he said he'd come home earlier so we could go to the store for something (don't remember what now). He told me this morning about an incident while he was over out our friend's house. More redneck drama! So, they were about to watch a movie when his gf's sister-cousin showed up with her husband & toddler (who is a few days younger than the gf's toddler). They invited themselves over but only announced to the gf that they were coming a few min before they arrived. Didn't ask if it was ok. Then they wanted food and started raiding the fridge/freezer. The said they would cook if they could use my friend's food. So they got out some frozen chicken and were defrosting it. Now, the sister-cousin, is mentally challenged (to the point she gets social security bc of it) and is also a super entitled bitch. Both she and my friend's gf are like that. They were raised like that bc their adopted mother is like that. Bc they took over the couch and were making noise, no one could watch a movie. So my friend went to play video games in his room. The inbred chick came stomping into my friend's room and got right up in his face and started screaming at him wanting to know when the chicken would defrost and when the food would be ready. Her husband told her to calm down and stop it. Friend told her "it'll be ready when its ready" and she kept screaming at him so he said "get the **** out of my face and out of my room!" She eventually left and then sat down with the remote and saw my friend's tv has his amazon prime account. So she decided to make a profile for herself without asking him. At one point, her baby Emily, started hitting and biting the gf's baby, Axel. Rather than try to protect him, the gf started yelling at her sister-cousin to come grab her daughter and "beat her ass" to make her stop. She was biting so hard it was leaving marks and Axel kept running from her. He started crying really hard so the gf finally picked him up, but only to put him out of the room. She dumped him on my friend and ran away covering her ears shouting "I can't deal with this, Bruh!" (her 2 responses anytime the baby cries are to scream at him or to run away with her ears covered). And she's having a 2nd child in a few months. Ugh. Night went on & the uninvited guests used every single pot & pan they could get their hands on, all of the silverware, every plate they could find etc. They made a huge mess and didn't clean up a damn thing. When it was clear they weren't going to clean and they were just being annoying, my friend said they should go bc it was going to get dark soon. They sad "Oh, we'd planned on spending the night". My friend said "No. You're not" and they argued with him about why they needed to stay the night even though they hadn't even been invited. The gf kept telling them they were amping up her anxiety bc she felt there were too many people around but they were refusing to leave. He finally opened the door and told them to gtfo. They left super angry. My friend told his gf to message them that they were not welcome back to his house ever again. While they were there, they apparently said it didn't matter that they mooched bc my friend could afford the $30+ in food they used while there. Entitled ********. Ugh. I'm glad I wasn't there. I would have throat-punched the inbred girl for getting in my friend's face.

On the upside, at least I got some cleaning done today. And now Mewlatto thinks I'm his bed. My brother rescued him when he was a kitten but I'm his favorite human now. He's so soft and fluffy.

 

[highup]

Took the palm sander to my patch n putty knives today. Gotta do that every so often. Now I’m ready to scrape a tub clean.

Since we’re talkin bout putty knives, how many of you have ever eaten your lunch with a putty knife? Chicken salad? I know some of you have. Hopefully not the same one you use to scrape wax rings with. Maybe give it a good wipe down with lacquer. C’mon, what’s your putty knife story.

View attachment 15197

Gotta samwitch in a baggie and want to cut it half to share with your brother?
Take that 6 incher and shove it straight down through the center off the baggie. It'll cut it in half without cutting the bag.

 

[C.J.]

Gotta samwitch in a baggie and want to cut it half to share with your brother?
Take that 6 incher and shove it straight down through the center off the baggie. It'll cut it in half without cutting the bag.

You could cut up a pizza with a 16” float trowel. Mine is pretty damn sharp on one side. You ever cut yourself on a float trowel? Yeah, once.

Speaking of float trowels, anybody ever have one of the Orcon trowels? Somewhere between 2005 and 2010 when they were around. I picked one up from T&A and I remember it was $5. I shoulda bought a few cus by the time I wore that one down and was ready for a new one they were gone. Was that when Orcon sold? Or bankrupt? Whatever. That was the best damn float trowel ever cus it had one of them hand grip shaped molded handles. You could skim acres before your hand started to cramp up. Anyway, I loved that trowel.

 

[DarisMulkin]

Was that when Orcon sold? Or bankrupt?

I did't know they did either. I think they just got out of the carpet tool thing as it wasn't profitable. They are still in the thermoplastic thing as that is what started them in the space industry. They still make seam tape the last I knew.

 

[C.J.]

I did't know they did either. I think they just got out of the carpet tool thing as it wasn't profitable. They are still in the thermoplastic thing as that is what started them in the space industry. They still make seam tape the last I knew.

Whatever they did I don’t appreciate it cus they made nice tools. The Orcon stair tool is the nicest one of the bunch.

 

[Floorist]

Whatever they did I don’t appreciate it cus they made nice tools. The Orcon stair tool is the nicest one of the bunch.

View attachment 15204

Yep, only bought Orcon or Roberts after Crain screwed me.

Bought a nice Roberts Jr stretcher at a pawn shop when I first went out on my own. A few years later I needed a cottonhead and could not find one for the Roberts. So I bought a new Crain. What a piece of junk. The tube that slides in and out was square. It was binding after a month. Called the Crain rep., they knew they were bad but could only tell me to remove the lock and I did. Did not help. They refused to refund or exchange even though the rep admitted that the stretcher was faulty, Still have the poles, they fit my Roberts. Never bought another Crain tool,

 

[highup]

Whatever they did I don’t appreciate it cus they made nice tools. The Orcon stair tool is the nicest one of the bunch.

View attachment 15204

I bought one of those Crain toe kick models and I don't use it often but I love it when I need it. I'm guessing my regular stair tool is robert's, but I don't remember. Both have served me well.

 

[Tile Tom]

Got a couple old timers in my area that only use brick chisel's for a stair tool. Not sure if they grind the edge off first or if it's just worn off over the course of 60 years in the trade.

I love watching other installers routine/ tool selection. I've picked up a lot of little things that make **** go so much smoother. Watched a Mexican crew when I was on vaca in Vegas about 10 years ago. They used a bic pen with the ink cartridge removed for a row runner in carpet. Damn if that wasn't a great idea! I pretty much use that method when I get stuck doing that fuzzy crap.