gtblum

I agree with everything Jim said, except for the comment about the mantles. They fit perfectly with the rest of that slam together, wanna be, finish work. You might want to consider hiring someone with a bit of talent to start over, or maybe just decorate it to where it distracts from the obvious. Click to Enlarge 47.52 KB

Candy, doughnuts, pizza, pens, key chains, and other, are worn out, and old school. They've seen it all. If you want to make a lasting impression that will get them talking about you, just pass out envelopes of ca$h. Everybody likes cash and it won't screw up anyone's diet plan.

Did you write it up? If so, was it a narrative or a checklist item?

I wasn't going to mention this. I'm not a fan of people sharing their personal, family business on the internet, but I think it's best to share this picture of my cat's substance abuse problem. If I can save one cat by raising awareness of this very real and often ignored problem with other upper branch cat owners, it's worth the little bit of embarrassment to Punkinhead. Click to Enlarge 54.2 KB

For the record, I'm a dog guy who's down to only having a cat these days, that acts more like a dog than a cat. He won't shit in the box no matter how nasty it is outside. He's going out. He'll fight anything and everything from the pitbull he ran out of here twice, to the god damn fox that wakes me up a 3:30 in the morning with its distress barking when they're about to go. He rolls around on the ground with his buddy the beagle from up the road. The neighbors all know him and treat him like the neighborhood dog. The son of a bitch will kill mice, moles, and chipmunks, outside of the house, but he won't touch the mice in the house. If anything puts me on the branch above, it's not taking on the extra responsibility of having another dog. Cats are low maintenance.

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I used to use the "water popping" technique (though I never heard that term applied to it) when finishing pieces of furniture, though not to prep for stain. I'd do it to achieve a flawlessly smooth surface. I'd repeatedly raise the "fur" and sand it down again with fresh sharp sandpaper until no more fur would come up. It made for an impeccably smooth surface. With stain, I'd be concerned that even a light buffing with steel wool or scotch brite would remove some of the stain, leaving light spots. Let us know how it works out. Never heard the term water popping, but raising the grain or nap is a common step in creating a glass smooth finish with cabinets or furniture. I use sanding sealer to raise the grain and a 320 grit for the final sanding.

According to the OSHA 10 training manual, a dust mask won't stop the particulates that cause health problems. You might better wear a respirator with the proper filter for what you're hoping to stop, and maybe use a spray bottle of water to keep everything wet enough to reduce the amount of airborne.

Funny. Around here, they're called potato bugs.

Wood mizer has been around since 82. Pretty much the same machine. There's been a dealer in the neighborhood since around 1990.

Pointing fingers and blaming others is a lot easier for those who possess the negotiating skills of a four year old in a shopping cart, than overcoming objections and working a deal until it's dead.

Sure. Now he brings in the good snacks. Some advice for the students. If you have lunch at the Village House Restaurant, stay away from the bacon cheeseburger deluxe. You'll keep eating until you finish it. If you do, you'll be junk for the rest of the day.

When you get done playing with that toy, make one of these. [utube] " type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="344">

Dio horns! There's one I never expected to read here! Didn't know we had headbangers in the group. He was from Binghamton. Never met him. Have friends who knew him. I did on many occasions, shoot hockey pucks at Joey Belladonna, (Bellardini to us) (Anthrax) when we were kids. He grew up in the neighborhood, and was a very good goalie. Dio horns. Ha!

It would be politically incorrect to use that word for anyone other than agents, so...beware. Marc Is that right? Apology accepted.

I don't know about RE sponsored programs, but the one I'm involved with does an incredible job educating the students. Vulnerable? Not when they're done. http://www.hochhq.org/homeowner-education/

My mistake. I missunderstood the acronym. Just the same, I'm not sure I'd muddy the water with discussions about Governors, boards, and things that these people won't understand, and won't retain.

If Marc feels the need for name calling, maybe I should step back and reconsider my approach. Tell me, Marc. In what way is this information beneficial to first time homebuyers, who likely don't have much of an understanding of what a home inspector is, to begin with? What is it you hope they will take away from this that will give them an understanding of the home inspection process? Are these folks on the edge of their seats while you explain about (trying to seat the most qualified folks on the Board)? Are you involved with an RE sponsored program, where someone is over everyone's shoulder, expecting them to all play nice with each other?

15 more of them got the message on Saturday, during my segment of the FTB program I work with. When it's explained that everyone involved, from the seller, the agents, the lawyers, and the lenders depend on the sale going through, in order for them to make one dime, the students get it real quick. It's about them. They need to make the decision about who they hire, for what. Realtors can control as much as we let them. The way around that is in educating the public. I got an FTB class in 2 hours (32 individuals/couples). Tonight is a different approach: it starts with what regulation doesn't do: require disclosure of COI's, then moves to the problem of a lack of a metric for inspector expertise which inconveniences both homebuyer and the governor (trying to seat the most qualified folks on the Board). After that is a novel way of determining inspector expertise and a couple other COI's relating to termite inspectors and 3rd party code inspectors on a Builder's payroll. Several other topics until I hit 90 minutes. I'll ponder your approach. Sounds like a good one. Marc Not sure who you're talking to at your classes, or how you plan to keep them awake. Sounds like 90 minutes of who gives a crap? Sorry if that sounds harsh. I'm talking to first time homebuyers. I make it all about them. They're the ones committing to a 30 year investment. They need to be in control of who they hire and know why. Who are these inspectors? What do they do? Where do they come from? How do you hire one? What's the process? Why is the inspection arguably the single most important part of the entire transaction? We talk very openly about dirty agent tricks, and what kind of things should raise a red flag. That subject alone, can burn a good 20 minutes of time. I use My FB page. Pictures. Everyone loves pictures. Lots of scary stuff and lots of funny stuff. I get them involved. I make them laugh. I ask them questions and encourage them to interrupt when they have questions. People having fun while learning don't fall asleep like they do at a death by powerpoint lecture. In the end, they have more than a clue about who we are and why they need us. I'm not saying I have the answer. The people running this program seem to like my message. They've upped my schedule in the rotation to three times a quarter, now. I'm just fine with that.

Here's you story. Well, their story. http://www.boldtcastle.com/visitorinfo/about

Last time I was there, it was a graffiti filled shell. Nice they were able to scrape up the loot to try to finish it.

15 more of them got the message on Saturday, during my segment of the FTB program I work with. When it's explained that everyone involved, from the seller, the agents, the lawyers, and the lenders depend on the sale going through, in order for them to make one dime, the students get it real quick. It's about them. They need to make the decision about who they hire, for what. Realtors can control as much as we let them. The way around that is in educating the public.

Get the coffee mugs and give them to everyone. Forget the pens. People will bring them to work and leave them in break rooms. People who don't use them, will leave them on their desks and put the other guy's pens in them. Either way, they're seen.

I agree with Kurt. Glue is king. I'd like to see the same test done with plywood sisters instead of dimensional lumber.

Thought about adding a place for reviews? Fabry did an outstanding job presenting an 8 hr course on Advanced Exteriors and a 16 hour course on Electrical inspection of existing dwellings, based on the information in the book of the same title written by Douglas Hanson, with Redwood Kardon and Jim Katen. Chad was one of my licensing school instructors, nine years ago, so I knew I could expect nothing less than a professional presentation with encouraged class participation to ensure the information was understood. This was the first time I felt like I got my money's worth from any CE courses I've taken. The Electrical inspection book was included in the price of the course and since it was the course, it won't end up becoming another dust covered, partially read reference manual on my desk. I know what's in it, and where to find it. If you don't already own this book, you need to buy it. Maybe, the best part of the whole experience was the venue. Rather than walking into the store front of a typical strip mall, decorated with VCT tile flooring, a luxurious suspended grid ceiling and the type of furniture you might remember from middle school, this majestic jewel of historic significance was a three day trip back in time, and nothing less than a treat for me. The pictures posted do not come close to seeing this place in person. I would strongly urge anyone looking for more than just fulfilling a required CE obligation to seriously consider the quality and value this school offers.