I'm a home owner now.

[KC2UGV]

That is all. After an hour of signing, and two hours supervising the seller's movers ensuring the vacate the property, it's our home now. Pics coming later. Not sure how much later, but they'll be coming.

[n2ize]

Welcome to the club. Being a homeowner is great. Just go easy on the neighbors for the first few months. Don't attack them with the lawnmower or the leafblower just yet... ;)

[W5GA]

Congratulations!! Go get an account at Lowe's AND Home Depot, you'll need both. But don't get lumber at either. You'll get cheaper/better quality from your local lumber yard.

[KG4CGC]

Congratulations! I don't remember if you mentioned anything about a basement or a upstairs hamshack.
At least now you won't be paying rent to a landlord. You'll be paying for the privilege to stay there via property taxes! Well Done!

:cheers::cheers:

[N2CHX]

Well, you had an awesome agent Corey ;)

[PA5COR]

Congrats and enjoy the new home!! ;)

[kf0rt]

Woot! Congrats, Corey. Are you & Kelli both buying a round? :lol:

[N8GAV]

Good for you Corey. Any room for towers?

[KG4CGC]

Woot! Congrats, Corey. Are you & Kelli both buying a round? :lol:

Put it on Carl's tab.

[KK4AMI]

Well, you had an awesome agent Corey ;)

Congrats Corey, but sounds like the Agent owes the round. :clap:

[KC2UGV]

Congratulations! I don't remember if you mentioned anything about a basement or a upstairs hamshack.
At least now you won't be paying rent to a landlord. You'll be paying for the privilege to stay there via property taxes! Well Done!

:cheers::cheers:

Nah, the taxes pay for the great schools :)


Well, you had an awesome agent Corey ;)

She was awright :D

You were great :) I've got a story to tell you later about when we went over there with the keys. lol

[KK4AMI]

Well, you had an awesome agent Corey :lol:

I just realized you probably have a very unique Real Estate talent. Not only can you pick a "Ham" friendly property, but you can get the spouse to like it to. You are kind of like having an Amateur Radio 5th column behind the lines. :lol:

[KB3LAZ]

Gratz mate. Enjoy it.

[NQ6U]

Put it on Carl's tab.

Yes! And pour one for Eddie, too. He's been feeling neglected lately.

[KG4CGC]

Yes! And pour one for Eddie, too. He's been feeling neglected lately.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/bebop5/drinks/40d83c57.jpg

[N8YX]

Congrats!

Oh, and you didn't buildbuy that. :lol:

[KC2UGV]

Congrats!

Oh, and you didn't buildbuy that. :lol:

Not yet. My lender did. I promised to pay it back.

[NA4BH]

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/bebop5/drinks/40d83c57.jpg

What is the name on that bottle "ASSWISPERER"?


Congrats on the new house.

[XE1/N5AL]

Congratulations!! Go get an account at Lowe's AND Home Depot, you'll need both. But don't get lumber at either. You'll get cheaper/better quality from your local lumber yard.
Does the change-of-address package, that you can pick up at the post office, still include the 10% discount coupon from Lowes?

[XE1/N5AL]

Congratulations on the new home!

Here's a house-warming gift for you that might come in handy:
7157

[WN9HJW]

Deleted

[VK3ZL]

I'll second that. The quality of lumber at both Lowes and HD has deteriorated badly in recent years. Especially what passes for pressure-treated lumber these days. Finding a relatively straight peice in the pile isn't easy to begin with, and even if you do, the moisture content is incredibly high and if you use it like that, when it dries it out will be warped and twisted like crazy.







Just like most of the minds around here...:snicker::snicker:

Congrats Corey and I am waiting now for you to put up the mandatory 160 meter 4 square array so that we can have a CW contact...

Cheers..Bob..VK3ZL..

[kb2vxa]

Good deal, now's the time for the copper spiders before the snow flies. Spring is planting time, by then you'll have those aluminium seeds ready.

"...when it dries it out will be warped and twisted like crazy."
"Just like most of the minds around here..."
Actually it works quite the opposite. When they dry out they untwist but they have some nasty hangovers.

[KG4CGC]

What is the name on that bottle "ASSWISPERER"?
Kwispelbier.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/bebop5/drinks/3f7b9160.jpg

[NA4BH]

I have some of these mugs

http://images9.cpcache.com/product_zoom/292183049v2_400x400_Front_Color-White.jpg

[KG4CGC]

Never. Google. Beerwhiz.

[NA4BH]

It does exist. You want me to send you a picture of the mug?

[KG4CGC]

It does exist. You want me to send you a picture of the mug?

Oh no. I believe ya. Bear Whiz beer is real. I wasn't questioning it. I was just moving the ball.

[VE7DCW]

Put it on Carl's tab.

Yes .....tab larger than the GDP of Bolivia ...... so i'm told.... ! :shock:

[KG4CGC]

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/bebop5/Aliens%20Guy/557eee04.jpg

[NA4BH]

http://i22.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/be/da/2515_1.JPG

[W3WN]

That is all. After an hour of signing, and two hours supervising the seller's movers ensuring the vacate the property, it's our home now. Pics coming later. Not sure how much later, but they'll be coming.Congratulations!

But I'm not building anymore decks. Not even for you. This is the last one!

[W3WN]

I'll second that. The quality of lumber at both Lowes and HD has deteriorated badly in recent years. Especially what passes for pressure-treated lumber these days. Finding a relatively straight peice in the pile isn't easy to begin with, and even if you do, the moisture content is incredibly high and if you use it like that, when it dries it out will be warped and twisted like crazy.Tell me about it! I'm only using Home De$pot because I can put it on their plastic... I'll have the shekels by the end of the month, but not now.

Since I was transporting everything in the back of an Olds Alero... yeah. imagine one of those running down the road with 16 5/4" x 6" x 12' boards sticking out the back... which limited what I could haul, I was basically using "Just In Time" lumber purchases. And some of the wet/damp boards I picked up had started to dry & warp within 2 hours... fortunately once I got home, it only took about 2 hours to put each set of boards on...

[n2ize]

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/bebop5/Aliens%20Guy/557eee04.jpg
PAPOON !! PAPOON !! PAPOON PAP POON. PAPPOON A PAPA POONA PAPA POON PAPOON .

[W4RLR]

Congratulations Corey from one new homeowner to another.

I would advise AGAINST getting a Home Depot or Lowe's card, their interest rates on their plastic would make a Mafia loanshark blush. But to go there and look at their clearance department if you need appliances and such. The wife got a new washer, dryer, convection oven, and microwave for about 40 percent off. Nothing wrong with any of it, other than all of it being last year's model. What we saved living nearly half a year in our RV meant I could pay cash for nearly all of it, and the rest I bought with a signature loan from my credit union. 10% from Trust Federal Credit Union beats 24% from Chase or GE Capital any day of the week.

As with you, my pictures of my mountaintop retreat will be posted soon.

[W4RLR]

Congratulations!

But I'm not building anymore decks. Not even for you. This is the last one!Pity about that, Ron. Stories about your big deck are the stuff of legend.:snicker:

[N8XE]

Congrats!! Home ownership is a blessing and a curse. I love the freedom I have to do what I want to the house. However, I don't like the costs that seem to creep up and up (And up and up) when a small project that should take 50 bucks takes a turn for the worse and before you realize it, a new water heater is needed..

73,
Jason N8XE

[KG4CGC]

Congrats!! Home ownership is a blessing and a curse. I love the freedom I have to do what I want to the house. However, I don't like the costs that seem to creep up and up (And up and up) when a small project that should take 50 bucks takes a turn for the worse and before you realize it, a new water heater is needed..

73,
Jason N8XE

well that's because water heaters do not make good water bongs.

[N8XE]

well that's because water heaters do not make good water bongs.

Bigger doesn't mean better eh? lol

[W3WN]

well that's because water heaters do not make good water bongs.Then you're not doing it right.

[KC2UGV]

Thanks for all the well-wishes and advice here :)

Spent 3 days moving (1 really, really hard and long day, and 2 lighter, but still hard days), and finally getting things into place here. I'm plunking my shack/office in the garage, so I'll have some room to stretch.

So, in the two days I've been here, I've made 2 trips to home depot. All for the fecking gas line for the stove. Needed a nipple. Wrong size. Got a bushing to make the nipple fit. Tomorrow? Another trip, to get a pipe wrench. Pliers will not torque the gas line enough to get a leak-proof seal (Soapy water FTW).

I thought I was doing ok, paying only 20$ more a month in PITI than in rent. Pfft! I still need to buy a lawn mower, snow blower, rake, shovel, and hoe.

Nice thing? My first mortgage note isn't due until November, so October "rent" will fill in the "needs" to at least maintain the home.

It's both fun, and daunting. And, tiring. No more lazy weekends for me lol Especially after the chicken come, and the vegetables are planted. On that note, I need to pick up manure to ammend to soil here, since it's been getting the Nitrogen stripped with the grass.

[N2NH]

Congratulations on your new home. Wish I could offer advice, but I've never owned one.

[W5GA]

Thanks for all the well-wishes and advice here :)

Spent 3 days moving (1 really, really hard and long day, and 2 lighter, but still hard days), and finally getting things into place here. I'm plunking my shack/office in the garage, so I'll have some room to stretch.

So, in the two days I've been here, I've made 2 trips to home depot. All for the fecking gas line for the stove. Needed a nipple. Wrong size. Got a bushing to make the nipple fit. Tomorrow? Another trip, to get a pipe wrench. Pliers will not torque the gas line enough to get a leak-proof seal (Soapy water FTW).

I thought I was doing ok, paying only 20$ more a month in PITI than in rent. Pfft! I still need to buy a lawn mower, snow blower, rake, shovel, and hoe.

Nice thing? My first mortgage note isn't due until November, so October "rent" will fill in the "needs" to at least maintain the home.

It's both fun, and daunting. And, tiring. No more lazy weekends for me lol Especially after the chicken come, and the vegetables are planted. On that note, I need to pick up manure to ammend to soil here, since it's been getting the Nitrogen stripped with the grass.
Too bad you don't live closer, I'd be more than happy to donate manure...I've got lots. If you're going to garden, go buy yourself an empty plastic 55 gl. drum that used to hold some liquid edible thing and turn it into a compost bin. That puts your grass clippings to good use, and you can also put in coffee grounds, egg shells, veggie scraps etc. I've got one mounted between the wheel trucks from a pair of skateboards so it's easy to turn.

[kf0rt]

So, in the two days I've been here, I've made 2 trips to home depot. All for the fecking gas line for the stove. Needed a nipple. Wrong size. Got a bushing to make the nipple fit. Tomorrow? Another trip, to get a pipe wrench. Pliers will not torque the gas line enough to get a leak-proof seal (Soapy water FTW).


Way cool, Corey.

Here's how you'll know you've truly "arrived" as a homeowner: Pull off a repair job with ZERO trips to Home Depot. You'll accumulate the tools and parts over time.

Oh, and more torque is NOT the answer to a gas line leak. Gas lines should seal without a lot of work. Get a few rolls of teflon tape (they're cheap and have many uses). Tape the male end of the pipe fitting and use a proper tool (not pliers or pipe wrenches). It should just seal, nice 'n' easy. Gas is dangerous shit - do it right or hire a pro. If you're forcing things, you're doing it wrong -- this is actually a universal rule that applies to life itself. This will come back to bite you, but with gas, it could kill you.

Replaced a gas water heater here a couple weeks ago as an "after work job." I was aiming for one trip to the store (buy a damn heater). Bought the heater, but it was taller than the one I replaced, so I had to shorten the inlet and outlet pipes by about an inch and a half. Took three trips (including the purchase of the heater) to replace the couplings. Water off at 3PM; had hot water running on the new heater by 6:30. The gas was the easy part on that one.

Got a number of experienced homeowners here on the Island, and unless I miss my guess, we're all ready to talk plumbing and carpentry in lieu of politics. Well, I know I am. :lol:

[NQ6U]

Do not use teflon tape on a flare fitting!

It's okay to use it on the pipe threads but not on the part where the flex connector threads onto the adapter! This is very important!

http://www.comfortgurus.com/images/Detail%20of%20Flex%20Gas%20Connector%20End%20-%20Female%20Fitting.jpg

[W5GA]

I'll second that, just be careful which way you wrap teflon tape. Go the wrong way, and all it'll do is bunch up ahead of the female threads. Pipe joint compound is some goo that doesn't care how you put it on, but it's a bit more expensive...but were talking maybe a dollar or two for enough to do hundreds of jobs with either one.

Just to add some clarity to Carl's post...the part with the flared end should have no sealant on it at all.

[kf0rt]

Do not use teflon tape on a flare fitting!

It's okay to use it on the pipe threads but not on the part where the flex connector threads onto the adapter! This is very important!




Huh. Never heard of that before. What's the reasoning?

[NQ6U]

Flare fittings have finer threads than pipe fittings and are tapered, designed to be self-sealing. Using Teflon tape or any othe sealant interferes with the close tolerances and can cause them to leak.

[KC2UGV]

Proper tool, for the proper job. Good ole universal wrench ($14 at Depot), and got it done in a minute. Now... Adding to the peg board in the basement lol

Wife wants a fire pit already, for the yard. I'm debating just digging a hole, and lining it with brick (Gives me the excuse to buy the shovel). Also, need a drill and exterior wall putty, so I can run my coax :D

[W5GA]

Flare fittings have finer threads than pipe fittings and are tapered, designed to be self-sealing. Using Teflon tape or any othe sealant interferes with the close tolerances and can cause them to leak.
Almost...flare fittings are designed to seal on the flare, not the threads. Teflon tape only works on the threads.

[W4RLR]

Use yellow pipe dope. Don't use Teflon tape on gas line fittings.

There are no gas appliances at the Ray household. The previous owner took them all, and we converted the place to all electric. The wife is frightened of gas, be it natural or propane.

[PA5COR]

Natural gas heating and warm water supply here, did most of the work myself including soldering the new lines in, had it checked by a competent engineer pressure checked and signed off for it.

Since we seem to have lots of natural gas in our own ground here we have relative cheap natural gas, electricity is somewhat more expensive so not really suitable for heating out of cost point.

As ex pipefitter T.I.G. certified welder we did the main natural gas lines for larger companies where each weld was 100% checked with rontgen photography, the importance of good connections that ase tight and stay tight is quite clear.

Having most welds checked puts some pressure on your work ;)
Most my work was in beer factories, milk and other factories making food products so welds at all time had to be flawless.
Loved my work till my back gave up, if i could i would be back today....

[W3WN]

Proper tool, for the proper job. Good ole universal wrench ($14 at Depot), and got it done in a minute. Now... Adding to the peg board in the basement lol

Wife wants a fire pit already, for the yard. I'm debating just digging a hole, and lining it with brick (Gives me the excuse to buy the shovel). Also, need a drill and exterior wall putty, so I can run my coax :DThat's nothing. Wait until she wants a new deck. Then a second one.

[W5GA]

Use yellow pipe dope. Don't use Teflon tape on gas line fittings.
Why not? It's allowed by most building codes that I'm aware of, and works fine as long as it's applied properly.

[KC2UGV]

So, gas line is done. I got some pipe dope, because the SOB was leaking from the valve (I smelled gas about an hour later).

Another trip to depot: Got the pipe dope, gas leak checker, and another wrench (And some various hardware). It's done, and leak-free. I hope. Going to check on it in about an hour.

[W5GA]

Corey, one of the most reliable leak detectors is soap bubbles, and it's a whole bunch cheaper than the one at the box store.

[KC2UGV]

Corey, one of the most reliable leak detectors is soap bubbles, and it's a whole bunch cheaper than the one at the box store.

Yeah, I did that, but didn't trust it. I know, idiot proof and all, but I just don't trust NG, and wanted three checks: Bubbles, Nose, and Detector. In fact, I still think I smell NG when walking by the stove, and there's no bubbles, and the detector is all-clear.

[ab1ga]

A lighter costs a little bit more, but not only does it detect the leak, it also stops the leakage of uncombusted gas, which many consider hazardous.

[VE7MGF]

the yellow teflon tape is for nat gas the white for most other things

[kf0rt]

A lighter costs a little bit more, but not only does it detect the leak, it also stops the leakage of uncombusted gas, which many consider hazardous.

I tried that once. Woke up two days later... in a Road Runner cartoon.

[KG4CGC]

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/bebop5/Aliens%20Guy/d635c31a.jpg