Small stones can be cracked with a sledgehammer. But what about solid bedrock that extends through the globe to China?
Well, you use a giant jackhammer when blasting is too expensive or there are other houses too close to the blasting site.
Part One of this two-part series is below the Cracked Stone video.
Most rocks are very hard. Granite is especially hard as is the Meredith Porphyritic Granite.
Cracking stone with a giant jack hammer is cheaper than blasting with TNT.
Corner Bookshelves | These corner bookshelves in a quaint Maine cabin are good looking and practical. Note the slight curvature of the corner shelves. Copyright 2022 Tim Carter
I’ve had enough trips around the sun such that I often find myself thinking of what might be inside future homes. For example, do you think that architects and builders from 100 years ago would have thought laundry chutes would go out of style? They might have thought placing washing machines on top of wood floors was the most foolhardy thing one could do.
Can you imagine the shock on the face of an architect or builder from 125 years ago when you might say, “That built-in pantry you’re specifying is going to be ripped out of the house in 1990 during a kitchen remodel job.” They might think only a mooncalf would get rid of a piece of built-in furniture.
What about bookshelves? What’s the future of books made from atoms instead of electrons like you might read on your Kindle, iPad, or tablet? I’m sure there are statistics that might show a decline in the number of print books sold, but try to look out fifty or more years from now.
What the future holds for books shouldn’t be important to you if you have hundreds of books you want to display. I’m one of those people and want easy access to my books. Over the years my wife and I have collected hundreds, perhaps thousands, of books made from atoms.
It turns out many have become quite valuable as the vast majority of books go out of print. I have several books that currently sell for over $1,000 in online auctions. In these inflationary times, it’s a good idea to hold onto things that aren’t cash. Don’t give away your hard-bound books for goodness sake.
In fact, I’m on a mission now trying to collect old dictionaries. Being a professional writer I’m intrigued by how the definition of words can be different in dictionaries of the same age. The scary thing is that in this electronic world, people can change the meaning of words in online dictionaries and you might not even realize it’s happening. But I digress.
Wooden bookshelves seem to be the most popular ones. Several years ago I did a cross-country tour showing how to build in real time simple bookshelves on live morning television news shows. Yes, believe it or not I assembled in real time a 4-foot by 4-foot bookshelf made from 1x8 solid poplar with a nice plywood back panel for strength and stability in less than one hour on live TV. You can see a photo and read all the details about this here.
The point is you can create simple or ornate wall bookshelves with a few tools, patience, and a basic plan. The best place to start a bookshelf project is looking at hundreds of photos of them online. Once you’re inspired you’ll discover it’s a powerful motivator. You’ll discover it will be so much easier to get the job done after you can see what the finished product will look like.
Not too long ago I had the pleasure to marvel at corner bookshelves inside a quaint cabin my daughter purchased that sits on the shoreline of a lake on Mt. Desert Island in Maine.
These shelves sat on top of an oak corner desk. What caught my eye was how ornate they appeared at first glance but in reality they were very easy details to produce for a DIYr like you.
The choice of oak for the shelves was smart because it’s such a strong wood. You can span four or five feet and the shelves will not succumb to gravity over time. If you choose shelves made from sawdust and glue, you might notice in months a pronounced sag should you load the shelves with heavy books.
It really pays to inventory and organize your books early in the planning phase of your project. If there are certain books you want on the same shelf, you need to know what the tallest book is so you get your spacing right. Sometimes it make sense to lay tall books on their side so you don’t end up wasting valuable wall space.
That’s the biggest challenge when planning bookshelves. What has to be done so the maximum amount of wall space is taken up by books and there’s minimal air space above the books until the next shelf starts? Keep in mind you should have about an inch or inch and one-half of space above the top of books and the bottom of the next shelf above. This allows you to get your finger in on top of the book to tip it out so you can grasp it and pull it off the shelf.
Don’t spoil a bookshelf by attaching metal shelf standards on the vertical side boards. These screech low-quality in my opinion. You should be able to permanently mount the shelves to the side supports with adequate planning.
Screws that hold shelves in place can be disguised using caps or finishing washers. You can get these in brass to produce a very professional look. If you need other tips, consider reaching out to a local woodworker. Visit her/his shop and see if they might have a few tips. Better yet, take the photos of your space and your dream shelves with you.
You might be surprised at how low the cost might be for a woodworker to create what you want. They often have so much experience they can do in one hour what might take you four hours. They also have all the tools to produce the best results. Send me a photo of your finished bookshelves. I’d love to see what you end up with!
Column 1463
You could build a dormer like this with some inspiration and over-the-phone help. Angel’s doing one, so can you. Copyright 2022 Tim Carter
I can call you on the phone and coach you through a DIY project.
It’s my intention for this column to inspire you as dark financial storm clouds form on the horizon. I feel you’ll enjoy the stories I’m about to share where readers like you have saved tens of thousands of dollars. By the end of the column
it’s my hope you’ll feel empowered so you might decide to tackle a big job yourself.
Over the past few months I’ve been alarmed at the stratospheric rise in food prices. I’ve seen the same thing happen with prices for everything, including gasoline, and of course building materials. The prices contractors charge, if you can even get them to bid your job, can take your breath away. That’s a perfect segue to Zoe.
Zoe is a young woman who lives in rural New Mexico. She decided over a year ago to build her own home but couldn’t get local plumbers to give her the time of day much less a bid. She discovered me while searching on YouTube and found out I had been a master plumber since 1981.
She also discovered, much to her surprise, that I did phone coaching calls and also drew plumbing riser and isometric drawings. You need these drawings almost everywhere to pull a plumbing permit. She had me draw hers and then ordered up a phone call. Within a month she and I were on the phone two more times.
Zoe texted me one day, “Tim, I just got my below-rough inspection done. Passed with flying colors. Inspector said it was the best DIY job he’d ever seen in his 30 years. Thanks.” Suffice it to say, Zoe was thrilled and went on to finish all the plumbing in the house with my help saving herself probably $20,000.00.
Last fall Angel reached out to me. It was a similar story. Somehow she found out I did phone coaching calls. She lives in upstate New York and couldn’t get local contractors to give her quotes on building a large dormer. She wanted to transform unused attic space into a playroom for her kids.
The purpose of the first call was for me to interview her to see if I felt she had the mental and physical skills to even tackle a project like this. I determined she absolutely could do it.
I then had her email me all her questions and we did two other phone calls to answer them. After these calls, Angel had all she needed to get started. I estimate she’ll save about $35,000.00 doing this dormer by herself. I reminded her that elephants are best eaten one bite at a time.
A week later Greg reached out to me. Greg lives about an hour away from me and five years ago he hired me to come look at his failing roof. Greg said, “Tim, I see in your newsletter you’re doing lots of phone coaching calls. You should figure out a way to record and transcribe the calls so people don’t have to take notes. Some people need to read what you say, not listen to complex instructions.”
Within a few days I had discovered a way to do very accurate transcriptions of recorded calls. I could instantly see how this could help you save lots of money.
Just last week I did a fascinating call with Jean in Spokane, WA. She had a bunch of projects to do and needed help sorting them out. She wanted to know what projects were most important and which ones should be done first as she had to budget for things to be done over a period of years. Money was a major concern to her as it is to just about everyone, including myself!
In less than 30 minutes I was able to give her all the advice she needed and save her at the very least $10,000.00. She wrote to me the next day, "All I can say is WOW. To have you share your expert knowledge in such an approachable way was fantastic. My one call with you covered a multitude of projects. We have only owned our home for a little over a year and we needed to prioritize what projects to tackle first.
You helped me organize and prioritize each repair. You talked me through what easy fixes my husband and I could tackle ourselves and which ones we would need an expert's help. You also offered to talk us through learning to tackle some of the repairs ourselves.
You suggested brands and shopping sources for some of the items that we might need. You also suggested videos and articles on your website that could assist us.
This one call saved us countless hours and thousands of dollars. In today's expensive world, your advice is simply priceless. We will keep you in our contact list forever. We are grateful that you exist and that you so graciously share your gift.”
If you need to eat an elephant at your house, maybe I can help set the table. I’d love to help you save huge money and get things done at your home. It would put a grin on my face to get a text from you.
Column 1461
Raised Garden Pond Ideas | This is my own raised garden pond. It's surrounded by a pond garden with lots of shade plants. This pond is 10 feet front to back, 5 feet wide, and about 24 inches deep. Copyright 2022 Tim Carter
Before I got married, I was invited to go out to dinner with my future wife and her parents on a routine basis. One Saturday afternoon we ate lunch at a restaurant on a floating barge tied up on the north shore of the Ohio River. My future father-in-law and his partner had built this restaurant years before but they had sold it to a new entrerpreneur. I had no idea restaurants like this existed in Cincinnati, Ohio in the early 1970s.
While eating a marvelous dinner, I marveled looking out the windows as giant tows pushing 15 or more barges loaded with coal chugged by. Many recreational boaters zoomed past as well. After dinner was finished, we drove just five minutes away to a 240-acre piece of land my future father-in-law owned with that same partner. We parked next to a magnificent stone manor, got out of his car, and walked a short distance to a breathtaking view of the mighty Ohio River.
I was spellbound. My future’s wife’s father then said, “Nothing enhances the value of real estate like a view of water.” Those words were branded into my brain from that moment forward.
You know that what my future father-in-law said is true, so why not enhance your yard, your patio, or your deck with a view of water? You can make it as small as a fountain or bird bath, or large enough to dunk a VW Beetle car.
I’ve had small koi or fish ponds in my last three houses and I have one here at my current home in New Hampshire. The Internet is littered with advice and tips on how to build a pond. I’ve tried all sorts of methods. I believe I’ve finally come up with a formula that creates a natural-looking pond and keeps pond maintenance to a minimum.
The first pond I built 45 years ago was made with concrete. I dug a depression in the backyard that was the size of a two-person jacuzzi. Fortunately I had enough fall that I could put a drain in the bottom to empty out the water. This allowed me to clean the pond.
The concrete was 3 inches thick and I put chicken wire in it to strengthen it. The day after I poured the concrete I then applied a 3/4-inch-thick layer of cement stucco over the fresh concrete. I pressed thousands of pieces of rounded gravel into the stucco to make it look better.
This pond worked really well, but it was not easy reaching down to unscrew the drain plug. There was no electricity to the pond so I didn’t have a pump or waterfall. This pond would transform to a green swamp in no time. It was a maintenance nightmare and the fish would die from lack of oxygen.
My next pond project involved a cheap plastic liner that had two different water levels in it. This is a good idea because as you’ll discover, the key to having clear pond water is to have certain aquatic plants that work to keep the pond healthy and the water clear.
The house I currently live in has a magnificent pond that I didn’t build. The previous owner had it installed. The liner of the pond is a giant sheet of black commercial rubber roofing. It’s been installed now for twenty years and has never leaked.
Installing the rubber is simple. You just dig a hole that’s the size, depth and shape of the finished pond you desire. Be sure to incorporate different levels. You then unroll the rubber and set it in the depression with enough excess to lap up onto the ground surrounding the pond. I have about 16 inches of rubber ringing my pond. It’s covered with granite boulders, plants, moss, etc. so you have no idea the rubber exists.
I also have a waterfall. This waterfall does three things. It adds oxygen to the pond water, the falling water makes a relaxing sound, and the splashing water makes the surface of the pond move ever so slightly. This movement draws your eye to the pond like a magnet is attracted to iron.
Frogs, chipmunks, squirrels, litter peeper frogs and who knows what are attracted to this oasis. It’s very soothing to sit by the pond reading a book or just relaxing as a breeze blows by.
If you really want to go whole hog, you might want to build a small stream that has several small waterfalls within it. This stream eventually feeds into the pond. A recirculating pump in the ponds sends water to the top of the stream.
Think about it. When you go on a hike and come to a moving stream, you almost always stop to watch the water move. Most humans are mesmerized by moving water. I have my own thoughts as to why, but it really doesn’t matter. You know that the babbling sounds of water moving through a stream fills you with happiness. That should be your goal - create a water feature on your property that will bring a smile to your face each and every day.
To keep maintenance to a minimum, be sure to think about covering your pond with some sort of screening to capture fall leaves. You want to keep these out of the pond so you don’t end up with an overload of rotting organic material that could foul the water.
You can also decorate your small garden pond with solar lights and pumps. Look at this photo and you might think it's three UFOs from outer space.
You can really decorate your small garden pond. If you don't have much space, just use decorative pots for your tiny ponds.
Column 1460
How to Prevent Wood Rot Repair | This is the wrong way to install wood trim unless you’re building in the center of the Atacama Desert.. It’s touching the ground and soon it will start to rot. Copyright 2022 Tim Carter
Hours before I began to write this column I was backing my car into a parking spot at church. Just ahead of me was an older garage on the church campus that was being remodeled. New vinyl siding is being installed and my guess is all of the trim is going to be wrapped in pre-painted aluminum coil stock.
New trim boards had been installed around the garage door because the remodeler had enlarged the opening. I was aghast to see he had placed the bare cedar trim boards in direct contact with the asphalt paving and the soil at the building corner. In his defense, this garage had been built too low to the ground decades ago.
I think the original builder has just poured a concrete slab just an inch above the ground around the garage. Such a sad mistake as Queen Cersei says to Lord Stark in the Game of Thrones.
My sweet wife had walked ahead to get out of the blazing sun as I stopped and took photographs and looked closely at what was going on. As I turned and walked across the macadam driveway, my tiny gray cells started to fire off asking all sorts of rhetorical questions:
Why didn’t this remodeler use treated lumber for the trim boards since he undoubtedly knows they’ll soak up water over time and rot in just a few years? The aluminum coil stock will not prevent water from getting to the wood.
If he had no choice and had to use cedar, why didn’t he pre-paint the wood on all sides and edges with a minimum of two coats of paint to make it really hard for water to soak into the wood?
Did the church building committee write the specifications for the job and how could they miss this glaring error? I’m not on this committee by choice because I’m allergic to drama.
My mind then drifted to how lucky I was to grow up in Cincinnati, Ohio surrounded by older homes built by builders and carpenters who treated what they did as a vocation, not a job. They passed down to apprentices decades of building experience and what they knew about how to prevent wood rot.
One building technique you’ll often see in older homes, and I’m referring to ones built it the late 1800s and early 1900s, is the top of the foundation was often two, or more, feet out of the ground. This kept the wood siding well out of the splash zone of falling rain.
This technique also saved money on excavation as the basement holes didn’t have to be as deep. Tall foundations like this also allowed operating windows to be incorporated into the foundation allowing ventilation and light into the basement spaces.
By the time I was at the church door, I was relating all of this to the current building code. I then thought about the great writing of J.R.R. Tolkien in his Lord of the Rings book series. He wrote, “And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. HISTORY BECAME LEGEND. LEGEND BECAME MYTH. And for two and a half thousand years, the ring passed out of all knowledge.”
So much accumulated building knowledge is taking the path of the ring. The current building code allows wood siding to be extremely close to the grade around homes. I constantly do phone consult calls with people that have water streaming into their homes because the top of the foundation is far too close to the ground. When this happens, it can be hard to achieve great sloping positive drainage away from a foundation.
I thought about some landscapers and not-knowing homeowners that pile mulch up in planting beds creating dams that allow water to leak into homes.
I pondered why grade schools and high schools don’t teach home improvement and the basic science of what is going on inside and outside your home. Can you imagine the magic of doing a year-long experiment in grade school where children just take untreated pieces of lumber and lay them on the ground for months? In the spring they examine them and note how they’ve started to rot.
If you feel the same way I do about all of this, it’s time for you to get active. Once a month you need to attend your school board meetings and speak about this void in the curriculum. Give real-life examples of why boys and girls all need to be taught how things work in and around homes. This knowledge is invaluable.
It’s unacceptable that all of this cumulative knowledge might shift from history, to legend, to myth. This is why every word I’ve ever written is stored on my AsktheBuilder.com website. It’s there for you and for all those unborn in the future so what I know does not pass out of all knowledge.
Column 1462
How to Find a Roof Leak | While this metal chimney flashing looks worse for wear and design, it does a fine job and prevents water from leaking around the brick chimney. Copyright 2022 Tim Carter
Several weeks ago I shared with you the different types of roofs you can use on your home. I should have realized it would create a tsunami of help requests regarding roof leaks at my Ask Tim page on my www.AsktheBuilder.com website.
You may have been one of the many who have roof leaks that local roofers have not been able to fix or maybe an unskilled laborer was went up on your roof with a caulk gun loaded with black goo. Today I’m going to do my best to share with you the locations of almost all roof leaks and how simple it is to prevent them or fix them.
Just about any professional roofer will agree that roof flashing is at the center of the vortex of just about every leak. If you’ve never been up on a roof, most homeowners haven’t, then you might wonder what is roof flashing?
I feel the best definition of roof flashings is they are transitional materials that connect a roof to something that’s not a roof. Here’s a partial list of things that are not a roof:
At each of the above locations you need to ensure water will not enter around the thing popping up through or immediately adjacent to the roof. Master roofers centuries ago solved this problem. Castles, cathedrals, and common homes had flashings most made from common malleable metals such as lead or copper.
If you paid attention to the news stories after the tragic fire at the 2019 Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, you know that the ruins were considered a toxic waste site because of the tons of lead that had become part of the ruins. Vast amounts of sheet lead was used hundreds of years ago as flashing at countless places up on that roof.
It’s possible, although very rare, to have a leak in the field area of a roof far away from flashings. I did a phone consult with a man a month ago. Within minutes I had him locate the source of his leak. He saved hundreds of dollars using my advice.
The good news is it’s simple to install most roof flashings. If I came to your city or town and did a half-day clinic, I would be able to train you how to install most common flashings in just a few minutes. Yes, it’s that simple.
Many roof flashings are available that are far superior to others. I’ve been using a superb plumbing vent pipe flashing for years that outperforms the cheaper flashing most roofers and plumbers put on your home. The flashing base is made from heavy-duty powder coated metal and the flexible boot is made from a silicone-rubber material that resists ultraviolet (UV) rays that destroy the cheaper flashing in just a few years.
A well-known skylight manufacturer provides their own aluminum flashings with each skylight. These are so simple to install anyone who can fog a mirror can do it. The best part is the flashings are so well engineered they don’t leak even in harsh storms. If you live in a cold climate where ice and snow can build up on your roof, it helps to install an ice and water barrier material up against the sides of the skylight before you install these factory-made flashings.
Years ago tin-coated steel was the flashing material used by professional roofers. It came in different weights with 20 and 40-pound tin coating being the most popular. Sadly government regulations have prohibited you from using this fantastic product. To get the same results and ease of installation, you need to use expensive copper.
The best flashing materials in my opinion, and time has proven this, are those you can solder. Certain flashing connections have to be folded and interlaced. This metal origami creates tiny holes where two flashing meet that must be soldered to provide a leak-proof installation for decades. I can take you up onto roofs of old homes in the Northeast and Midwest where soldered flashings are still in excellent condition having been exposed to nearly 100 years of weather. Caulk would never produce this result.
If your roofer tells you he’s going to use caulk, suggest to him you’d like to pass on that option. Caulks can be damaged by the sun’s UV rays and break down. Those roofers that swear high-performance caulk will provide no leaks must use expert skills to get the caulk to bond to all the flashings and the things the flashings touch. Will the employee who’s up on your roof have these skills?
I’ve assembled quite a few videos that demonstrate to you how flashings should be installed. These videos can help you communicate to a roofer what you want done to ensure you and your possessions stay dry. Watch the flashings videos here.
Column 1459
Did you just subscribe in the past week? If so, many thanks. This issue is somewhat unusual. Also, in the summer, I take my foot off the content throttle as I spend lots of time outdoors here in central New Hampshire.
But you, did you subscribe back about twenty years ago? What would you say if a video you watched back then is still the #1 video on YouTube about the topic?
Go here and forget about having to call an EXPENSIVE electrician.
Are you terrified of the raging inflation I've been talking about the past two weeks? Sadly, it's going to get worse.
The wheels are going to fall off everything just before Christmas. The amount of financial pain many will feel is going to be beyond belief. I can say this with authority because I've had enough trips around the sun and I've BEEN HERE BEFORE.
Here's a quote from a news story written by Peter Reagan I read just yesterday:
"Due to these price increases, 61% of Americans say they’re worried about their financial situations… Many Americans now expect they’ll have to spend more on a range of purchases, from personal care and home improvements to experiences such as vacations."
Are you faced with doing projects around your home and you're getting sky-high quotes from contractors?
Are you wanting to SAVE MONEY in these very turbulent financial times?
Please read the following. I believe it will inspire you. Investing just ten minutes, or less, continuing to read this newsletter could be a life-changing experience for you.
Do you remember me talking to you about Angel? She's a young mom that lives in upstate New York. Angel has completed, I think, three phone coaching calls with me over the past seven months.
She's going to do another one next week.
Look at a screenshot from my phone from just three days ago.
I used a magenta highlighter to block out Angel's phone number. You also should focus on the text inside the magenta oval at the end of the screenshot.
If you don't remember Angel, she reached out to me last fall. She was trying to get bids from local contractors so they could build a large dormer on her home. The plan was to transform part of an unused attic space into a magic playroom for her kids.
She couldn't get anyone to bid on it! This is where the story gets good.
Angel, bless her heart, decided she was going to do it herself. She started to do research and discovered me.
On our first call, I vetted her to see if I thought she could do the job - both mentally and physically.
She passed the test.
I then said, "Angel, I want you to write down ALL of the questions you have about the project. Email them to me, I'll sort through them, put them in order, and then we'll do another call and I'll start answering them."
I think there should be a new saying, "Never underestimate a determined mom that wants to enlarge her nest for her kids."
Angel did exactly what I asked, I did my part, and proceeded to transform her into a journeyman carpenter over the phone.
I also pointed her to some great books with amazing illustrations that would help her visualize what she needed to do.
Did you see what she texted me above? Angel's about to get started and she's nervous. I tried to frame the moment and put everything into perspective.
You, too, can eat the elephant at your home.
The good news is with my continued help, she's going to build the dormer.
She's going to save about $35,000 using my phone coaching calls.
Hours after texting with Angel, I spoke with Jean in Spokane, WA. She set up a phone coaching call too.
Here's what she emailed me the day before:
"I have a number of questions. The first are all in our bathroom: I will send photos, but I wanted to see if we could schedule maybe a series of two to four 15-minute calls to address these issues. We want to pick one or two projects to fund this year, but we want to know which ones we need to prioritize. Thank you."
Jean sent the photos. I always ask for photos because they show me so much. I see important things in photos that may mean nothing to you.
I was able to answer ALL of Jean's questions in just 27 minutes.
There's no doubt I saved her thousands of dollars. My suggestion about putting off the new driveway alone saved her $10,000.00.
After the call Jean sent this to me:
"All I can say is WOW. To have you share your expert knowledge in such an approachable way was fantastic. My one call with you covered a multitude of projects. We have only owned our home for a little over a year and we needed to prioritize what projects to tackle first.
You helped me organize and prioritize each repair. You talked me through what easy fixes my husband and I could tackle ourselves and which ones we would need an expert's help. You also offered to talk us through learning to tackle some of the repairs ourselves.
You suggested brands and shopping sources for some of the items that we might need. You also suggested video and articles on your website that could assist us.
This one video call and VIP call saved us countless hours and thousands of dollars. In today's expensive world, your advice is simply priceless. We will keep you in our contact list forever. We are grateful that you exist and that you so graciously share your gift."
(BLUSH!)
A year ago, I did three consult calls with Zoe. I got a feeling talking to her she was about 29 years old.
She was building her own home in rural New Mexico and couldn't get plumbers to bid her job.
I've been a master plumber since 1981 and with my phone coaching she installed ALL the plumbing in this new home, including the tough stuff under the slab!
The plumbing inspector said it was the BEST work he had ever seen a DIYr do in his 30 years.
Be like Zoe. Start by THINKING you can do it. Most of the time it's just a mental block and you're nervous like Angel is. Or, you just overthink the job and convince yourself that it's not possible.
What would you say if I told you that I know a 63-year-old man that completely ripped off the shingles on his house and then put a new roof on by himself?
Sure, it took him MONTHS to do the job piece by piece, but he SAVED himself $30,000.00. And he did the job SAFELY with no water getting in the home over the summer.
If you and I get on a phone call and I think you can't do something, for the love of God I'll tell you!
But if you CAN DO IT, you might save TENS of THOUSANDS of DOLLARS.
Why not jump on a call and allow me to see what your skill and comfort level is?
The big problem is you may be cocky and think you know all there is to know about something.
You may say, "Screw Tim. I don't need to invest any money with that old goat. I can just watch videos on YouTube and get 'er done."
What happens if you watch videos that show you the WRONG way to do the job?
Do you have any idea of the number of videos I've seen on YouTube that show the WRONG WAY TO DO SOMETHING?
What will it cost to RE-DO the work?
Do you realize I offer a phone call service where I RECORD the call then give you a WRITTEN transcription of the entire call?
You don't have to take notes!!!! You just listen and read over the transcription countless times until you feel confident.
I don't have a dog in the fight.
That's quite enough for a Sunday in June.
Go out and enjoy the WX as we call it in Morse.
Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Hilton Hotels Use - www.StainSolver.com
Field Day 3 Weeks - www.W3ATB.com I'll be 1B
Do It Right, Not Over!
P.S. Jean asked me about bidets, specifically the ones that replace a toilet seat.
Do you have one? Do you LOVE it?
Do you HATE it or wish it could do something else?
Please SHARE with me everything about your retrofit bidet so I can share it with Jean and all others.
Thanks in advance.
Bidet Conversion Kit. Here's a great one - BioBidet Elite. You just switch out your toilet seat and connect the water and Presto Amino you have a clean bum!
Did you know some people in the world think using toilet paper is disgusting? This is why they use a bidet or a bidet attachment to their existing toilet.
Why do you think Proctor & Gamble pays huge money to creative advertising people to use friendly looking bears to sell Charmin toilet paper?
Millions of people across the world don't use toilet paper. They clean feces from their posterior with soothing warm water. They don't have skid marks in their small clothes like you probably do.
I produce a FREE weekly newsletter and asked my subscribers to share their experiences about bidets. Each one had glowing positive remarks about their bidet toilet seat. Sit back and enjoy what they have to say about a toilet bidet:
Andrew sent this:
"We have two washers in our home, specifically the Toto S500E because it offered a “soft wash” feature that sounded good to these newbies. After reading an article we decided that we were ready to reduce our toilet paper usage.
We had an electrician install an outlet behind the toilet. The bidet seat install is not difficult, directions were good and YouTube videos are available to assist with many seats.
My first three times or so using the bidet I had it on the softest lowest setting and thought I had made a terrible mistake. For about two weeks I felt uncomfortable.
Since then I dislike the unclean feeling I have after using toilets with tissue only. We later purchased a second seat, opting to get the same model for ease of learning the remote. We put the second one in the half bathroom on the main floor, and used a very short heavy duty extension cord to reach the existing outlet."
Kathie is about to sell you a toilet seat bidet. Here's what she says:
"My daughter single-handedly installed one at her condo a couple of years ago (and has since easily removed/re-installed it at a new address).
Her raving about it made me anxious to experience it. Well, without going into "great" detail it truly was a life-changing experience and I wanted to install one at our home.
The brand that we HIGHLY recommend to everyone is LUXE Bidet Neo. They have several different model numbers based on the control colors/features. The one we purchased is their most basic model -- cold water only, non-electric, gray/white control and only cost $20 at Walmart last Christmas. It's also available on Amazon at various price points for various models.
The main points of our total satisfaction are:
The only additional piece we purchased (minimal cost) was a certain length cold water supply line to work with our particular toilet.
At first I thought cold water only would be too harsh, but you definitely do not need warm water to feel comfortable while using a bidet.
I wish we had one in our home many, many years ago. It is such a civilized and thorough way of cleansing that makes so much sense.
I'm so spoiled by this method that I purchased a portable squirt bottle (made for this purpose) when I travel."
Rick loves his bidet toilet attachment:
"A couple of years ago I purchased a Brondell (Swash) and I don't think I could ever go back. My only regret is that I do not have enough funds to cover the other two toilets in the house.
This one is electric so I dropped a new line down from the GFCI above the toilet. I'm pretty anal (no pun intended) about hiding wires and have no qualms about installing a new outlet if it will keep most of the wiring out of sight. My only wish is that the supply line was more concealable.
I have become so spoiled by this thing that I will run to the master bath on the second floor if it's time for a sit down. Cold seats are shocking after living with a warm bidet. Oh, and the heated water! I cannot imagine using one of these discount setups that merely shoot the cold supply line water-BBRRRR!
Only one real complaint-I've noticed the seat is discoloring despite following all cleaning instructions but for the comfort achieved, I'll live with it."
Bill loves his Tushy. Read why:
"Hi, Tim! I’m responding to your request about experiences with toilet seat bidets.
My son gave me one about a year ago, I think it was for Father’s Day. At first I thought it might be kind of a joke, but discovered he had one himself and loved it, and unknown to me at the time, my daughter had one also and loved it. My son told me it would be “life changing“. Well, that’s a little overstated, but we installed it together (it was easy) and I’ve been using it ever since with great satisfaction.
It’s a little intimidating at first, especially when that stream of cold water hits you where things usually come out instead of going in, but once you get used to it the result is great. I’ve never felt so clean, and I believe I’m saving money on toilet paper. The brand I have is called Tushy, and I would recommend it highly.
Love your newsletter and read every last one, and although I’m 75 and have done a lot of DIY home improvement over the years, I learn something new from you all the time. Thanks for that!"
Ken has words of wisdom. Be sure to go before you leave your home:
"I've had two different bidet seats. Each had different features so you need to look at what they are offering to determine what you want.
The first was an OVE and the second was a Bio Bidet USPA. Both had heated seats, water to wash your bottom, and air to dry with. They both did the job they were supposed to by washing and drying properly. They had remote control that I consider essential.
They were easy to install. My preference is for the Bio Bidet as it's easier to adjust temperatures and other settings. The biggest problem is using a toilet without a bidet seat."
Sharon had a wonderful story to share:
"Hi, Tim,
Regarding bidets, we have a BioBidet Elite in each bathroom and I'll never go back to toilet paper. Ours are attachments, not the entire toilet. They work well enough for us. I was concerned about the water temp since these don't use hot water hookup or heaters. I was surprised that it's not shocking when using regular cold water, even during the winter.
To me, all the fancy extras that come with the bidet toilets aren't necessary, not to mention how expensive those toilets are. I wasn't willing to spend that kind of money on replacing an entire toilet and then not liking it.
I highly recommend the bidet attachments. They do the job very well."
Did you just subscribe to this newsletter in the past week? That's cause for celebration. Let's each get a two-scoop sundae made with mocha-chip ice cream. If you want to go whole hog, we can eat a 5-way and cheese coney before we pass out eating the sundae.
If you, though, have been a subscriber for about thirteen trips around the sun, you very likely might remember the rare video I recorded about one week after shaving off my mustache. I had that fuzzy lip about 45 years. I got out the razor because my youngest daughter played a prank on me that I fell for.
Did you see the news this past Friday? The folks higher up the food chain than you and I reported an 8.6% inflation rate for the month of May. That's the highest in over 40 years.
How bad is it around my house here in central New Hampshire? Go here to see living proof.
Keep in mind the only reason I'm bringing up inflation in this newsletter is to warn you to either BUY the stuff you need for your home now before prices continue to spiral up and up, or figure out a way to get much more revenue than is currently flowing into your purse, wallet, or bank account.
I mentioned to you in last week's newsletter that inflation is going to bite all of us in the gluteus maximus. The trouble is, it's going to get MUCH WORSE. You better start looking for some bite-proof padding to put in your pants.
The 8.6% rate is a half-truth and all half-truths, as we know, are whole lies.
Why is the 8.6% rate a lie?
Well, those folks crunching the numbers today aren't doing it the way they used to do it in the 1980s. If you computed the current rate of inflation like it used to be done, you'd wince when you'd discover the actual May inflation is very likely over 15%.
After all, in the past twenty months, gasoline is up 100%, airline fares are up 38% on average, diesel fuel is up over 135%.
An article I read on Friday, quoting a Bank of America executive said that "Since the beginning of the year (just six months!), Hartnett noted, natural gas prices have increased by 141 percent, gasoline by 91 percent, oil 61 percent, iron ore 45 percent, wheat by 39 percent, and soybeans by 33 percent."
So how in the world are those folks tucked away in some stark limestone government building coming up with a single-digit number of 8.6%?
After digesting Mr. Harnett's numbers, you have to ponder if you're being played. If you don't feel you are, I'm to assume you must love getting sand stuck in your nostrils.
To add further misery, did you see the drubbing the stock market took as a result of Friday's economic news? How's that 401K of yours doing? Yeeeouch!!!
Your investments need to be doing BETTER than the inflation rate or otherwise you're standing still or going backwards.
The best advice I can offer is to start making better decisions about anything directly or indirectly related to finances. But what do I know? I ate lunch for 20+ years sitting on empty overturned drywall mud buckets. Joan tells you below what she thinks of my ability to gather facts and share them with you.
A new batch of ten tons of Stain Solver is about to be made. ALL of the prices of ALL of the ingredients, packaging, freight to get things to the plant and finished product to the distribution center are UP.
If you want to get the BEST and LOWEST PRICE EVER for Stain Solver, order it NOW!
At least one size is already out of stock and two others are dangerously low.
Three days ago, we had some really heavy rain. I had to go to town and grabbed my favorite rain jacket. It's a stunning blue one that makes my eyes pop on gloomy days.
I had last worn this jacket about six weeks ago on a visit south to see my son. He and I walked to a nearby pizza parlor on a drizzly day to grab dinner. On the pizza parlor carry-out counter was a small box filled with schedules for the Nashua NH Silver Knights minor league baseball team.
I took one of the folded paper schedules, stuffed it in the jacket pocket, and proceeded to forget about it.
After getting back from town the other day, I reached my hand into the pocket days and found the schedule. I opened it up, started to read it, and a big smile appeared on my face.
Kathy, my loving wife, thought I was nuts. She asked me what was responsible for the grin.
"Look! Check out the names of the Knights opponents.
Brockton Rox
New Britain Bees
Norwich Sea Unicorns
Pittsfield Suns
Vermont Lake Monsters
Westfield Starfires
Worcester Bravehearts
I've got to get a Sea Unicorns hat or a Lake Monsters one! Surely they have one in 7 and 7/8 size. What do you think?"
Kathy rolled her eyes and made it clear that I should spread my happiness in other parts of the house.
Two days ago, I collaborated with a life-long friend, Phil Clymer. We co-authored an article about a very very special room we spent time in as undergrad geology students.
You might want to read this wistful time-machine piece, especially if you've been financially successful and would like to enhance your legacy by having something named after you.
I'd also be interested to know if you might have been in the car that sunny day on I-40 in New Mexico. It's a 1:10,000,000 chance that you might be one of my subscribers! How funny would that be?!!!
Finally, I started book #2 of the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. Book 1 - The Eye of the World - was pretty good. So far, lots of plot armor.
Last week, I also had a fast text exchange with a very dear friend of mine from high school days who lives nearly 900 miles from me. We still communicate on a regular basis.
About a month ago, she had told me that the trim on her old distinctive brick home was going to be painted this summer and then immediately switched to another subject. I didn't comment at the time about the painting job.
Here's part of the text exchange from a few days ago:
My dear friend later told me that she's used this painter for many jobs and she trusts him and his crew.
I scolded her for not sending me a text months ago saying, "Tim, I need some advice. Bob and I need to get the house painted. What do I need to know about the process so all goes well and what is the BEST paint to use?"
Had she done that, I would have sent her this simple document that YOU SHOULD BE USING AS YOU PREPARE TO GET BIDS FROM PAINTERS.
In that document, I specifically WARN you and the painter of a potential lead-paint hazard.
Go here NOW and get the document.
Go here and READ HOW TOXIC the LEAD is that might be in and on your home.
It's obvious to me that my dear friend's painters are CLUELESS about the lead hazard. If they were cognizant, they would NOT be using sanders.
Not only are they endangering my friend and her husband and any other homeowners they work for, but the painters are also endangering themselves.
What's more, and I'm not a fan of many regulations, the Federal EPA has strict guidelines contractors must follow when disturbing lead in residential homes.
I ended my conversation sharing that her days of growing vegetables outdoors next to the house are pretty much over. All of this misery could have been avoided.
Don't ALLOW THINGS LIKE this to happen to you. Always ask me for advice BEFORE YOU EVEN THINK of reaching out to contractors.
Look at this photo:
What killed those weeds and the grass? How many days do you think it took? Would you eat what I used to kill the weeds and grass after seeing this photo?
Go here and tell me what you think of my experiment.
A friend of mine sent me a short video you need to watch.
Before you watch the short video, think about how many videos you've seen online that you think are believable and then you SHARE them with others not thinking twice at what might happen.
You might want to reconsider doing that until such time as you make sure what you're sharing is true.
Last week's newsletter section about Inflation generated several replies that were dripping with vitriol.
If you're tempted to write something similar to what I received from Joan in Toledo, OH, you may want to run it through your Mom Filter first.
Imagine what your mom would say about a flaming email you're about to hurl at someone in response to something you read. Would your dear sweet mother approve of your response, ask you to tone it down, or would she send you to your room?
Here's what Joan sent to me. It's copied and pasted with absolutely no editing or touch up:
"You obviously are a Republican (I think Donald Trump is a disgrace to the human race) and don't believe in the covid vaccines and now you're an economy expert blaming the higher ups (Biden) is he also to blame for Europe's inflation?. Please stick to your expertise and leave politics out."
- - -
I responded politely to Joan asking her for some hard facts to back up what she said. She never responded.
I didn't mention politics at all in last week's newsletter. I just stated financial and historical facts.
It's my suspicion that Joan has thin skin about what's going on, who's not doing anything about it, or who's doing lots to make inflation worse.
Each and every response similar to Joan's had a common theme. All were telling me what I should do.
I find that personality flaw quite interesting from a historical perspective. Go back in history and focus on people who love to tell others what to do, where to sit, etc.
That's quite enough for a Sunday in June.
Go out and enjoy the WX as we call it in Morse.
Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Hilton Hotels Use - www.StainSolver.com
Field Day 3 Weeks - www.W3ATB.com I'll be 1B
Do It Right, Not Over!
P.S. Do you want to know the dirty little secrets PR people use to get you to buy products?
I'll bet you had no idea how easy it is for people to knead you in their hands like a piece of soft warm putty without you even feeling their touch.
But soon you'll know and better yet, how to defend yourself!
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