The previous later evening blog update when the contractor left was a bit of a blurry photo, so I wanted to include a better photo and opted to give the Lumix GX8 pano-mode a try (above). Since I was not sure exactly how it would turn out, opted for a normal wide angle image as […]
Just a few photos from Thursday and Friday after the first week of kitchen demolition and construction. A few more prior to the cabinets below to archive the project. Dent in our new refrigerator
While waiting for the new kitchen cabinets to be built and delivered, the final decisions need to be made on the under counter lighting, faucets and backsplash tiles. The latter has become quite the struggle. The kitchen designer who is helping has picked a glass tile with a tint of green, but the opinions from […]
Designer rendition Last summer we started to plan for a kitchen remodel as our "builder grade" cabinets and mishmash of appliances were in serious need of replacement. We updated our dishwasher and refrigerator already, but need to finish off the final stages once and for all. I’m currently working with a designer and close to […]
Although Pinterest isn’t my thing, it is a good place for "lookers" to collect ideas. One of the items yet to order for the kitchen upgrade will be counter height stools and my daughter, who is on maternity leave, said she would do some looking on Pinterest (whew, I don’t have to look there!). The […]
Yesterday morning was rushed, as I attempted to get a few things done in the backyard. I mowed the front yard on Friday night and was hoping to get the back done on Saturday — nope, the rain and thunderstorms arrived before lunch. BUT … I was able to at least use my new Worx […]
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The past weekend projects consisted mostly of trim painting and then roller painting the long and drawn out office update project. Part of it is due to other things getting prioritized … like Christmas and family … and some of it out of my dislike for painting. BUT, I finally “cut” or trim painted all […]
This should have been one of the first things I did when assembling our six metal stools back when we remodeled our kitchen in 2017. I bought slides for the condo stools after remodeling since there were only two and on tile, but cheaped out with stick felts at home. They were never worth the […]
A filler photo tidbit for today’s post, but this creative kitchen island idea from one of my sailing groups caught my eye. It “would” have worked in our kitchen … I’m just not sure I could have pulled it off without adding a mast! 🙂
Last year’s Condo1718 update to the kitchen and guest bathroom was a bit more ambitious than this year, but so far it doesn’t seem like it. Mentally I had my timetable worked out and figured the demolition wouldn’t take all that much. Well really it didn’t, but after finding a few things not where I […]
After working on both the condo guest bathroom and kitchen last year in Delray Beach, Florida, I’m hoping to work on the master bathroom when we vacation this year. Our renters have emailed just how pleased they are with the new updates and suspect they will rent again in 2020? At one time I planned […]
During the last trip to the condo, we enjoyed the fruits of our 2018 labor – our recent kitchen and bath updates. As is the norm for us, we discussed future projects, like updating the master bathroom too, since it looks stodgy compared to the guest bathroom. So IF we don’t find a buyer for […]
Well finishing the kitchen upgrade at the condo was my goal, but since Brenda was with me, more than the condo kitchen was worked on! The guest bathroom’s minor vanity update grew into a MUCH larger project. One thing lead to another and before I knew it, my wife had me doing more tile than […]
We have a disliked old style medicine chest in the Florida condo and after the kitchen project is finished, Brenda and I wouldn’t mind updating the bathroom. We have picked out some floor tile (while looking at kitchen backsplash tiles) and intend to us a credit with IKEA for the new sink and cabinet. (BTW […]
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It has been a slow process and a while in coming, but the beveled glass and shelves finally came in last week in order to finish the kitchen cabinets. These items are part of the "improved" corner cabinet for Brenda. She wanted a more attractive beveled glass door (larger window) and glass shelves so that […]
Finally, our long awaited kitchen project begins in earnest. Monday was what Fixer Upper’s Chip and Joanna Gaines call "Demo Day." Our long and drawn out updates and upgrades are finally starting and have grown in both design changes and cost as the weeks have grown into months … if not years! We really started […]
Although I’m not really accomplishing much this Saturday morning, I am working on a few projects. Little things like setting the type and printing the dinner menus (PDF) for Katelyn and Drew’s wedding and creating the type mask for a sign project are going ok, but without the basement workshop being back together, it is […]
After we “cooked” our generator (my fault for not telling Brenda to prop open the enclosure door), I’ve been tinkering to get parts in order to fix it as mentioned before … but my best attempt as scrounging parts has failed. I could only come up with a possible match for the windings and the […]
This isn’t the first time I’ve admired the clean professional, but “make-able” jigs from Rockler. This taper jib would be great to have when and IF I decide to make nesting tables. I do already have a “questionable quality” … but adjustable … taper jig that I quickly made for the high chair project, but […]
While contemplating a previous idea for a router guide (photo) … and waiting for paint to dry (it was raining on Saturday), I made a push sled for my router table. I’m not sure the hold down will really do much, but added it with a couple spare parts from my drill press table. Edit: […]
The final steps of finishing the rocking chair for my granddaughter are finally getting done. The canvas strips of material have been added with a little flexible adhesive in the center and epoxy on the ends. The canvas material should do a couple things, first prevent the painted rockers from wearing to bare wood and […]
Generally we (really just me) eat up the bananas before they go too soft or brown, but when they do, I make banana bread. Slowly but surely I’ve been tweaking my recipe (below) … usually adjusting the amount of bananas (and how soft) and the 1/2 – 3/4 cup of sugar part. This past week, […]
Now that the wiring in the basement is no longer laying on the floor in order to feed the kitchen television cable extender and ceiling repairs are finished up, I’ve been cleaning up and moving things back into the home theater and game room areas. With some fresh paint everything looks pretty good, so I […]
It has been a long week since the 2020 Presidential Election and I haven’t posted or commented on the vote or “media reported results” regarding several projections as to Joe Biden being our president-elect. For me, the tabulation of votes in key swing states is very close and legitimately contested based on several questionable issues […]
Flew on the airlines for the first time since COVID19 to Florida via Baltimore (photo BWI terminal above) last week and thankfully the flights and negotiating the airport was uneventful. Besides a computer glitch which backed up lines on check in, everything else went smoothly. It is yet to be seen if the rise in […]
We replaced our rusting “hand-me-down” rebuilt grill from 2016 (thanks Jeff) this year with a new natural gas Weber Spirit S-315 stainless steel grill set up. So far it is a great grill and perfectly sized for our family. For those looking at it, be sure you know that there is some assembly involved if […]
After cutting a few miter joints earlier this month with a 45 degree jig on my table saw crosscut sled, I started to contemplate the best way to cut clean tendons and dadoes. In the past I’ve used an added fence to the stock miter gauge, but it really doesn’t do a great job. Of […]
While I was suppose to be cleaning up and throwing away junk that has taken over some of my basement woodworking shop, as usual ended up sidetracked in making a few jigs for my upcoming projects AND reorganized a couple of cabinets that were buried under boxes and clutter on a back wall. I moved […]
When chatting about our recent vacation to Florida with a long time customer (friend) in Akron, Ohio, he asked why we picked Delray Beach, Florida as an area to buy a condo (I detected he is beginning to think about retiring). Although I realized that I really haven’t given much thought to how we ended […]
My wife does not appreciate the common everyday American branded sinks, vanities or faucets … and wanted something a little more unique for the Condo master bathroom (sort of like the other bathroom update last year – see photo at bottom of post). I really didn’t think that much about it until realizing that not […]
Working on remodeling projects away from home a few days at a time really seems to stretch a project out (photo – flying home from Fort Lauderdale FLL last night – I was checking out the FULL anchorage at Lake Sylvia from the plane). Thankfully both Brenda and I have always enjoyed the hands-on projects. […]
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Only one little piggy had a bad day down in Florida. It was unusual for me, but decided to wear the Sperry watershoes rather than leather boat shoes while working on Encore … basically just cleaning and getting her back to pre-hurricane prep form. Unfortunately we have not been sailing enough to justify even owning […]
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Likely I’m not the best driver when it comes to not glancing at my phone in the car, but I am improving and in recent years am trying not to "read" or "text anything." Unfortunately we still have drivers who are "comfortable" (leg up???) with multi-tasking while driving. Ugh. I spent a few more days […]
Although it rained constantly over the Memorial Day weekend and practically the entire time I was in Florida working on the kitchen update, I did squeeze in a couple of minor hurricane prep items aboard Encore. The canvas (spray dodger and bimini) is starting to show signs of wear, but a little tear maintenance will […]
New tools are my jewelry when it comes to presents … and Brenda agreed to buy me a new 12" Hitachi sliding compound miter saw so I could more easily work on a couple of projects (after promising to do them this year). Hm, what have I gotten myself into??? The first project is to […]
This past week has been a busy one for me. I was off to Florida for a few days to check on the condo in Delray Beach after our winter renter and to start the demolition of the kitchen. It is a project that is way past due and I’m not sure I know exactly […]
Here’s some advice from someone who as blogged daily since 2005 — AVOID using data, photos, video, etc archived on other services. Over the years, I have been frustrated by “what seemed great at the time” using services offered by companies who specialize in hosting data for users. A little history: It started for me […]
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Let’s end 2017 with a kitchen cabinets knob repair. One of the changes to our new kitchen were the crystal looking knobs … Brenda felt they were too small. So we added larger ones, but the adhesive they used is not as solid as it should be, so out comes the epoxy and clamped in […]
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The kitchen remodeling hit a snag today as the custom cabinet that was suppose to fit the new Bosch double-oven was way off. I’m not sure why it was off because the specifications sheet for the oven was sent to the manufacture, but it wasn’t even close. The "fix" is that the installer will butcher […]
This past weekend while killing a few minutes, I had an enjoyable conversation with a nice young man about 2017 Superbowl LI. After finding out I always lived in Ohio, he introduced himself as Mike and ask how I liked growing up in the mid west, saying that he grew up on the east coast. […]
If you’ve been around our house much, you will notice that we always have Dawn Dishwashing Liquid around. It has become our go to product for things other than dishes (use it for that too) as a hand wash, a degreaser and as a way to remove poison ivy oils after working in the yard. […]
When the rain came this past week, I turned to an indoor project that we’ve been tossing around: “How to aesthetically increase the height of an antique table?” After toying with a couple ideas for increasing the height of my mother-in-laws old table that we now have in our kitchen, I opted for adding ball […]
An article on “do-it-yourself” home improvement ideas for empty-nesters caught my eye since we’re at a place where updates and repairs are on my mind. I currently need to work on the pool tiles before closing, painting is an ongoing update and I know our AC and furnace are showing signs of age … unfortunately […]
I fell for the “cash for appliances” boondoggle last spring when replacing our dishwasher, but now after the fact I couldn’t be happier with how much easier dishwashing has become. It’s hard to believe that in my lifetime Brenda and I have never had a dishwasher that cleans … or scrubs dishes. We’ve owned three […]
My Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter (EAA284) met at a new shop of one of our members today for our May meeting. We had a chance to both work on projects for our chapters ‘rentable kitchen’ and to learn a bit about welding. We enjoyed a beautiful day in Waynesville, Ohio while discussing the summer flying […]
I’ll get a jump on the weekend with a couple of Independence Day suggestions: If you’ve never owned a US flag make this year the year to show your pride and appreciation for our country. It is a good way to reflect and remember those that founded, fought and continue to protect this great nation […]