Sweating Like a Redneck Trying to Speed Read

Let me get up to speed from last week; it was a long week but I got a few jobs done. The big job that we have been working on is done...almost. The stairs need to be repaired now. We had one of those "told you so" moments: They put red paper on them so that they would not get beat up during the work, but the tape pulled the finish. I need to find a way to make them look good without sanding them. Should be fun?

I am installing 500 feet of factory-finish and Joey is in Georgia at train class, so it is just me. I forgot how many tools you need to get out and put away when you are working alone; with two guys it is so much faster. It is 100 degrees here and 88% RH, so the moisture meter is our friend. Here are the readings from before the install on this job:

The two bedrooms are easy, but the layout is slowing me down. There are four doors in the master bedroom and three in the other. The funny thing was the extra bedroom had carpet, and as I was removing it (hate the staples) there was a floor vent that was never cut in. I left it open and cut for it. The homeowner asked why I installed an extra floor vent... Here is your sign! The house had that vent covered up from the day it was new; how funny is that? Like I went under the house and added more duct work and installed the vent… Just a good laugh for the day, and it made me feel good because have I told you that I dislike carpet and pulling staples forever? Oh, do they love to put the staples to the pad. I had a full dustpan of staples in 500 feet, plus the tacks along the wall lines.

I worked with Roger Friday last week; he has 4,000 feet to resand, plus some carpet glue to get off the floor. It is an old store that is being repaired from water damage so he needed to replace 1,500 feet and resand the entire floor. During that the owner wanted to take out the glue-down carpet and get it all the same. The 12 grit would not touch it, so what do you do? That is right; get out The Teeth and the buffer! Man, I like that thing. Thanks again, T-Karl for the T-cad or whatever you call it… the Git-R-Done Plate. It was a big old room with a ton of edger work. Here are some photos:

Now, it is hot here in the Mid-South and all I can say is, when you are my age (men of a certain age) do not forget to drink lots of water. I worked out in the shop for 2-3 hours after work, and, well, let's say the price was paid most of the night. I hurt all night long and still have the rest of the floor to nail up today (not much, maybe 200 feet left). I was sweating like a redneck trying to speed-read all day, then I came home and worked in the shop, and there is no air in the shop. I repaired a 12" drum sander for a friend in New Mexico, then worked on an edger. I have been working on it for a friend out of West Virginia for three weeks (yes, that long). He needs new gears and bearings for the gearbox, however the pad was rusted on so bad that I had to soak it in WD-40 forever to get it off. I got it off last night, then put it back together, so today my goal is to run it and set it up again. I have never had trouble with a pad like this one; it was locked on.

By the time I got in, my shirt was wet from top to bottom, and the sad part is my wife would not give me a hug. Women, you would think a hug is a good thing any time! I had to hang my clothes so they could dry, then put them in the hamper. You know, all the rules… she wants to know why I have trouble getting stuff in the hamper, not on top. Well, take the lid off, and I just know they will make it in! It's just a man thing, I am told.

So, I have got to go finish the install; sorry for not posting but my posts go to Kim to review and she took the week off to be with her family. She has two wonderful babies and her husband is alright... just a joke, Brent. I am glad she had a great time being with her family. Thank you, Kim, I could not do this without you. Welcome back, and yes, folks, you will be hearing from me again.