It’s funny how Fridays just keep coming and coming. I usually don’t pay much attention to what day of the week it is. (I know that sounds weird, but it’s true.) That only applies when I’m not racing. When I am racing, I’m very cognizant of the day. And it really doesn’t matter that it is Friday again, for me today. I’m not going to be doing anything different tomorrow than I’m doing today.
Today is going to be the 5th day in a row I haven’t ridden my bike. It has been wicked cold, here in Denver, with snow cover on the roads. Vincent suggested that I take his fatbike out this afternoon and ride a little off-road. That sounds like a great plan, but I know how that goes. It goes like, I get caught up in something I’m doing and the afternoon disappears.
This morning there is an inspector coming by to check out the shower pan. It seems weird that there is a shower pan inspection, compared to other aspects of home owner construction that there is no inspection for. All you have to do is show that the shower pan holds 2 inches of water, without leaking and, I guess, drains out through the drain, ie. slant underneath. Mine is fine I think.
A couple days ago I got wrangled into “helping” Vincent install a couple TV’s at a remodel. Vincent did that for a while, install low voltage wiring in new construction. He’s doing this for a friend. Man, was it a job. I had to drill holes through 13 inches of rock and brick, then mount a TV bracket flat on the rock. It was a pretty challenging job. I have no idea if the 1 inch masonry bit was just wasted or the rock that hard, but it took forever.
Today, after the inspection, I’m going to finish the shower pan and then maybe lay radiant heating mat and tile the whole area. We can’t install the drywall until the framing inspector comes by, and that seems to be tougher to schedule that the plumbing.
Jinglecross starts today in Iowa City. I would be going there, just to watch, if I was around Kansas. I love the race and it is a very spectator friendly place to watch cross. It is the 11th year of the race. I’ve done it every year, other than when I was hurt, or once when I was roofing my building during the winter. I’m going to be torn following the race from here.
Random fun fact. Apple stock is really doing some big moves the last week. I read that the value of Apple, the company, is more than the whole Russian stock market. That means, if you sold all the Apple stock, you could buy all the stock of every publicly traded company listed on the Russian stock market. Plus, you’d have enough extra money to buy each person in Russian a new iPhone 6 plus. Man, that is a lot of money.
Okay, I think I need to get going. Vincent is calling.
Shower pan layout deal.
Sort of finished, before the next layer of concrete.
Vincent’s homemade test plug. I’m going to get a real one right now.
Seems like the only time I get out of the house is to go to HomeDepot.
Rocks the TV mount had to be attached to.
Barely made it with this 1 inch masonry bit.
Worked.
Had to attach at TV here too. Was much easier.
The snow doesn’t seem to be going anywhere here.
Jack, Vincent’s dog, has been hanging with me here. We go for a long walk every night.
Do the Fat. Ride the Fat. Love the Fat. Race the Fat. Then go win the USAC Fatty Champy thingy in UT.
Haven’t had an update on Bromont in a long while unless I just missed it?!? Is he up there with you?
Personally, I think Bromont should have his own blog.
Russian stock market is cheap now due to fracking and Ukraine.
Sell Apple. Buy Russia. Give everyone an iPhone 6. Straighten ’em out.
Or maybe not.
Most of my time at Home Depot is spent trying to find straight pieces of lumber.
I love the homemade test plug, it looks viable. And the PEX plumbing sure saves time. I hated in remodels working with copper in a wall, Don and I had a few exciting moments and buckets of water at the ready.
Steve,
I’m doing the same job on my house. I have the shower pan in place. But, I can’t quite figure out how to get the proper slope to the drain. Its a big shower 8ft. X 4ft, with the drain in the middle. It appears you have done this a few times recently. Any suggestions?
Nage-It is fairly straightforward. You need to have slope under the plastic membrane. You need a minimum of 1/4″ slope per foot. So figure out the furthest distance from the drain and figure out the total slope rise. After you attach the membrane all you need to do is make sure the finish concrete has the same slope as the original. The key is making sure that the concrete is super dry, like hardly any waster in the mix, so it is easy to level and compact. Also make sure that all sides are level with each other so the tile meets the floor equal. You can do this by marking the liner, using a level to make sure it is even.
I have a bunch of different lengths 2×4’s to compact and level the concrete. Then I check a bunch with a level. Don’t forget, super dry mix. Just use topping mix. There are lots of videos on YouTube that help out.
Good luck.
dude, if you had a job like most of us do, had to wake up when you’d rather sleep an extra 30 minutes, had to fight traffic on the way to work , hear your boss complain all day, fight traffic all the way home, then try to get in some training, you sure as hell would know what day of the week it is and when friday finally rolls around..
why not just use a prefabricated shower pan – like this: https://www.tileredi.com/ ? Also, are you aware of the difficulties with certain brass PEX connectors: http://failures.wikispaces.com/PEX+Plumbing+Failures ?
Bromont went with Trudi up to Chicago to her mom’s, then they drove to Wisconsin and got caught in the 18 inch November blizzard, so he’s running around in the snow in the Northwoods. His favorite past time.
mike-Actually, I’m ultimately aspiring to not be cognizant of any day of the week, including weekends, but that might take a little while.
You sure make it sound like I don’t want to “have a job like most of you do”. Doesn’t sound like you enjoy the weekdays much.
He’s pretty accurate. One of the reasons I follow this blog so much: I love the odds and ends jobs you get into. I hate my job, my boss, everything about it except the money. I’m a risk-averse paycheck whore, like most.
Steve, I need a shower in my basement. Let m know when you are available.
Well, Friday is a great day for me,as it brings weekend and some relax from a long hectic schedule.