The Home Ownership Thread

[brokencycle]

I'm no expert on mahogany, but it looks quarter sawn to me. Mahogany can have that "ribbon" effect which is really nice.

Also it's better to preview the finished wood with alcohol or mineral spirits. Probably didn't hurt anything though.

Good to know.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

When it comes to sawing orientation, some woods like mahogany you'll have to refer to the end grain to really tell. It's very obvious in others like oak and douglas fir.

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/97/ba/4a/...700bb86f--decorating-tips-craftsman-style.jpg

Also, Honduran mahogany and African "mahogany" are quite difficult to tell apart on how they look so you may want to dig into that a bit. They're worlds apart in terms of cost and Honduran is not typically very easy to get.

 

[brokencycle]

When it comes to sawing orientation, some woods like mahogany you'll have to refer to the end grain to really tell. It's very obvious in others like oak and douglas fir.

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/97/ba/4a/...700bb86f--decorating-tips-craftsman-style.jpg

Also, Honduran mahogany and African "mahogany" are quite difficult to tell apart on how they look so you may want to dig into that a bit. They're worlds apart in terms of cost and Honduran is not typically very easy to get.

Is the implication that this doesn't look like Honduran mahogany to you? It was priced at a level I would expect for Honduran.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

No implication at all, just a question to ask your supplier. I know many door guys and interior molding guys bought up a ton of stock once it was CITES listed. The only place I know to buy Honduran mahogany from, local to me, is a person who bought a tremendous pre-ban stock from someone who wanted to exit the lumber business. Honduran was listed CITES II in Nov 2003, so quite hard to get new imports at that point as they're quite particular about what qualifies.

There is one other supplier, but he has a few hefty boards left and that is it.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Continuing along with this kitchen build.

https://brianholcombewoodworker.com/2017/12/07/kitchen-series-bar/

 

[jbarwick]

That chamfered corner shot is great. It seems like such a minor detail but just seeing that can tell you so much more about the project.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Thank you! I very much appreciate that. It's funny some of the details that my client will initially sort of shrug off are things that they too find to be important afterward, the chamfers are one they've commented on a couple times. I did the same, I believe, initially did not plan around them much at all, but after I started making shoji I then began using them in all of my other work to a higher degree.

 

[Ataturk]

Really cool as always. Would like to see high res pictures on the blog.

Also I'd have put the interesting end on the more prominent side, but I guess that's aesthetic preference.

 

[idfnl]

That chamfered corner shot is great. It seems like such a minor detail but just seeing that can tell you so much more about the project.

Was going to post the same thing.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Thank you Ataturk! Working on the photos, I want to move from iPhone to something more series when funds allow. The phone takes ok pictures but the resolution does not stand up to enlargement well.

Absolutely, though I was careful in this case not to as my client wanted it as toned down as possible. If I could have found a piece big enough for a bar top that was just perfectly straight they would have even chosen that, I think. All said and done I was really happy with it having some character.

Thanks Idfnl!

 

[skeen7908]

sorry if this has been discussed before, but has anyone got any opinions or experience with Tesla roof tiles?

We have a slate roof on our mid-1800s terrace house that is in pretty poor condition.
Replacement slate and the expertise required to replace/restore it is quite expensive

Heritage regulations dictate that we can't put in traditional solar panels or use other roofing material, but given that Tesla has an option that LOOKS like slate heritage division may let it fly especially as there is a general push nowadays towards being "green"

The tesla roof will probably still be more expensive than having the traditional slate restored, but the free electricity will probably push the value equation slightly in its favour.

My main concern is that there will be a never ending series of failures or other issues, as it is first-generation technology.

 

[brokencycle]

sorry if this has been discussed before, but has anyone got any opinions or experience with Tesla roof tiles?

We have a slate roof on our mid-1800s terrace house that is in pretty poor condition.
Replacement slate and the expertise required to replace/restore it is quite expensive

Heritage regulations dictate that we can't put in traditional solar panels or use other roofing material, but given that Tesla has an option that LOOKS like slate heritage division may let it fly especially as there is a general push nowadays towards being "green"

The tesla roof will probably still be more expensive than having the traditional slate restored, but the free electricity will probably push the value equation slightly in its favour.

My main concern is that there will be a never ending series of failures or other issues, as it is first-generation technology.

I don't have a slate roof, so I can't comment on that part, but you need to be real careful with their calculator. Even if I replaced 100% of energy used with the roof panels, I wouldn't get my payback in 30 years based on my math. I'd also have to cut down a bunch of trees, which my association wouldn't allow, that I wouldn't want to.

Then again even a Raleigh summer, my electric bill is only about $150/mo.

 

[skeen7908]

Yeah I agree the numbers definitely aren't worth it if you are starting with a perfectly good roof to begin with

 

[FlyingMonkey]

Of course it's not only (or even primarily) about saving money, it's about moving away from a reliance on fossil fuel-generated power and preventing catastrophic climate change. Generating your own electrical power will also mean you won't suffer from brown-outs and other problems with the unreliable and ageing power grid.

 

[brokencycle]

Of course it's not only (or even primarily) about saving money, it's about moving away from a reliance on fossil fuel-generated power and preventing catastrophic climate change. Generating your own electrical power will also mean you won't suffer from brown-outs and other problems with the unreliable and ageing power grid.

Maybe for you, but I live in the real world with budgets and having to justify my spending. The marginal utility for using solar over anything else is solely the operating cost savings. In my ~10 years of home ownership, I've had two blackouts and one brown out. The blackouts were caused by major storms tearing down power lines (which by the way means I somehow need to generate solar energy when I don't have sun for a couple days at a time), both of which came in a house that was 50+ years old and had above ground powerlines. I don't know what caused the brown out, but it lasted 15 seconds or so.