Hi Y’all.
Watched an episode of “ASK THIS OLD HOUSE” the other day. The episode involved a homeowner who wanted to cut through an existing wall and frame in a “Pass -thru.” Well, TOH sent Mr. Tom Silva to deal with the problem.
Show started out well, but then, IMHO Tom Silva “glossed” over some troubling details…one which infact is definately a National Electrical Code violation.
First troubling incident was that homeowner wanted the wall opening to have a radiussed header instead of a flat (square) opening. Silva demonstrated his “trick” which simply involved tacking a nail at each end of the proposed header opening, and tacking a 3rd nail so many inches up in the center…he took a piece of thin wood lath, pushed it up until it touched all 3 nails, then drew his arc. This became his pattern for cutting out the radius.
Nothing really too wrong with that idea, except he had better check his glasses, the arch was clearly not centered properly…resembled more of a salt box look; which he then proceeded to cut out anyhow…Homeowner exclaims” Gee, how nice…” or something to that effect.
Second incident involved the discovery of romex buried inside the wall cavity after Tom removed the drywall. Tom tells the homeowner that this is a problem seeing how the wiring leads to 2 receptacles on one side of this wall and it runs to another receptacle on the other side as well. Tom’s great solution…He tells the owner he will simply cut off the wiring and that the homeowner can call out an electrician who will simply take the cut wiring and stuff it all inside a new junction box that will be buried inside the wall atop the new arch (header) opening! C’mon Tom…what kind of cop-out is that? You can’t bury a junction box inside a wall. There has to access to it…this is clearly a code violation. I was so surprised to hear him say that. Not only that, but what a cop-out to say basically, I’ll just frame this passage wall in place and after I leave, you the homeowner can deal with the electrical aftermath. I do what he didi on that show, and I’d be out of business in a heart beat.
Lastly, Tom demonstrated how to make a plunge cut with a recipricating saw into the wall and make a clean cut through a 2X4 stud without cutting through the drywall on the “back side” of the stud wall. He didi this manuever very nicely. Then Tom let the homeowner have a go at it. Well lo and behold the homeowner botched the job…he actually cut clear through the other side where he was not supposed to cut. This “boo-boo” resulted in marring in 2 places a section of pre-painted (factory) beadboard style wainscoting complete with chair rail. The chair rail is not damamged, but the vertical lined bead board has two (2) inch and half long horizontal gouges right through it plain as day. Homeowner says, “What can we do about this Tom?” Tom casually remarks offhandedly, “Oh, that aint so bad, put a little wood filler on it and some paint and no one will ever notice.”
YEAH RIGHT! That baby will stick out like a sore thumb forever with using that advice!
IMHO, these pros are getting sloppy and resting on their laurels.
Davo
Replies
Life is easy on low defintion TV!
The key to forgiving others is to quit focusing on what they did to you, and start focusing on what God did for you. Max Lucado
Sojourners: Christians for Justice and Peace
Life is easy on low defintion TV!
Especially with glossed over, not-nearly-well-read-enough releases, signed and in hand versus a very tight production schedule.
Why would anyone let tv talking heads butcher their house just to be on tv? I'm not entirely sure, but a couple of us now are using the term celebrephillia to describe the condition.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
....celebrephillia....
I'd much rather be rich than famous....
"there's enough for everyone"
I'd much rather be rich than famous
As long as it's not pecuniaphillia (or nummusiphillia, for that matter) <g> . . .
My grandfather taught me it is much better to be wealthy than rich. Any dufus can pile up a bunch of cash and have more than someone else; better to know the value of what you have, than merely have more things. Smart man, my grandfather.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
wealthy or rich... either is preferable to dirt poor ;)
Famous is for the birds.
jt8
is preferable to dirt poor
LoL!, I'm just hoping to move up from po' to "poor" (can't quite afford that extry vowel and 'nuther consonant, yet . . .)Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
had to go to the latin dictionary
...love of money - pecuniaphillia
but come up empty on nummusiphillia - and various permutations of the base..
regardless, I understand your point and it is well taken...
"there's enough for everyone"
but come up empty on nummusiphillia - and various permutations of the base..
Could that be the love of ummm...plus size women wearing shapeless dresses?
no, that's 'mummusiphillia' - -
now, 'nunnusiphillia' I can translate - love of nuns with syphillis...."there's enough for everyone"
ROAR! my sides are hurting
"nunnusyphillia" I think this thread has gotten off topic somehow. But that shows the wit that this board is famous for.
Back to topic
I think Tom Silva did it totally wrong [because he didn't do it the way I would have done it]. Besides the electrical nightmare he left behind, I think he puts too much faith in his TigerSaw. I would have cut out the drywall with a RotoZip. This would be cheaper for the DIYer. Safer. More controllable.
Sever the studs with a circular saw set as deeply as possible. Finish the amputation with a handsaw. As for the bottom piece, instead of trying to sever the studs 1 1/2" below the drywall -- so as to fit a 2 X 4 in there -- he could have used a steel stud or channel. In this situation, the thickness of the steel stud would have essentially zero thickness. Cut out notches if necessary [to clear nails]. Channel would be better.
~Peter
Martha Stewart needs her cat. Her cat didn't lie to Bush's government, therefore the cat can't be incarcerated in West Virginia. Therefore the only practical solution is to grant a Presidential pardon.
I think Tom Silva did it totally wrong
I haven't yet seen anything on ATOH that looks "right." Now, whether that is becasue of the personalities, or because of the show format (my thinking) is probably better debated.
They are trying to make a 3 minute video segment on things that can take days or weeks to execute. Are they "preying" on people who want to be on TOH? I don't know. I don't know if they went back and fixed that wretched header job either. (Or a couple of the Rich Trethewey "uh ohs" that have been on, too.)Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Gee, I kinda think Leslie from 'While You Were Out' is a hottie. What ever happened to Teresa[host],worth tuning in to watch.
Hay, Awl: What ever happened to JoJo from Home Time? I saw her a time or two on HGTV, but then she disappeared.
DonThe GlassMasterworks - If it scratches, I etch it!
She is advertising for some plumbing/rooter outfit. Saw her yesterday. Liked Robin and the other one Dean had better, JoJo grated my nerves. My fantasy is Robin in a toolbelt, nothing else.
that fantasy works for me too! what could be sexer than a women beating a wall out with a sledge hammer-naked with a tool belt, oh and don't forget the safety glasse's . oh yeah......... larry
I think you might enjoy this video then:
http://tinyurl.com/6f28r
It's a big file, so you won't want to view it if you have dialup.
It's a video of some pretty girls using power tools.
HAHA...that's great! The best part is at the end when they are using the power compactors.....boing boing boing! :)
Cheers!darkmagneto
I think that Alex from Trading Spaces was the hottest....She was the host before Page Davis, would like to see a TV program ( don't care what the show is about............LOL ) with her as the host again
Derrick
JoJo had her own show awhile back called 'Home Saavy', but never cared too much of her either. Anyone seen Robin in that Little Giant ladder informercial....still looks good.
love of nuns with syphillis
That's sororiumvenerarecaligiumphillia . . . I think.
The sad part is that there's probably a web page for it--I just don't want to know.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
had to go to the latin dictionary
This is a cool link: http://www.nd.edu/~archives/latgramm.htm
...love of money - pecuniaphillia
I, and my cohort, are using the clinical definition of phillia, to mean an unnatural desire for, and not mere attraction or desire.
but come up empty on nummusiphillia
Nummus, coinage, where we get numismatic and numismatist for coin collectors.
Money being the unsanitary thing that it is already, speculating on person actually engaging in "phillic" behavior with it hardy bears considering . . . Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Sounds like Tom almost did the right thing on the electrical. He recommended that a licensed electrician be brought in to properly solve the problem. If Tom had tried to re-wire the outlets, he would have caused more trouble since he's not an electrician.
Cutting the paneling was a bit of an oops, but it did demonstyrate that not all remodeling goes smoothly, like on other shows.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
I agree with you on point #2.
From an electrical point of view, it would be much easier to get the wiring fixed up before the blocking that he used was installed. There are Code things involved. Theoretically, the kitchen side receotacle should be a 20 amp circuit and part of the kitchen/dining room circuit. The living room recpt. would have to be on a different circuit. Also there is the matter of leaving an uncapped cable inside the walls.
All that dainty work about not damaging the drywall [or keeping it to a minimum] will ho for naught when the electrician will have to rip all the drywall off in order to re-establish the power to those receptacles [which are probably required due to spacing {the 12' rule}].
~Peter
Thousands of Ohio housewives are currently being denied knowledge of such useful things as how to make purses out of cigar boxes because George Bush refuses to grant her a Presidential pardon.
Nothing really too wrong with that idea, except he had better check his glasses, the arch was clearly not centered properly...resembled more of a salt box look; which he then proceeded to cut out anyhow...Homeowner exclaims" Gee, how nice..." or something to that effect.
You must have missed the part where they discussed having the arch off center so they had room for the microwave on one side of it. It was a planned F/U.
Tommy Silva once looked at a roof I did and exclaimed "Gee, how nice" or something to that effect.
Thank heavens basketball season has started, so I won't have to watch TOH 'til next July.
I invented the salt box look.
"Tommy Silva once looked at a roof I did and exclaimed "Gee, how nice" or something to that effect."
Tell us ho you came to meet Tom. This sounds interesting. I happen to like the guy.Who Dares Wins.
Tell us ho you came to meet Tom. This sounds interesting. I happen to like the guy.
I didn't meet him when he looked at my work. I roofed a house in Danville on the National Historic Register with copper shingles. I've posted pics of it here before. It was inherited by a writer from MA who is a friend of Tommy's. He dropped by to visit when my crew was nearly finished except for hanging downspouts or something we had to wait for another trade to finish so we could be complete. None of us were on site at the time. The owner said Tom gave us good marks, but it was an impressive house and an impressive roof system (not patting myself on the back - I hired two brothers - locals - who had just retired from the phone company to install the roof. They and one of their sons did an excellant job, but they were heart broken when they heard they missed Tommy).
I did meet Tommy previously when he spoke at a home show in Lexington. I was hot to get on the show and do some fancy copper work. He told me they'd be glad to have me apply, but I'd have to donate my time and probably the material depending on the scope of the work (but I'd get lots of free advertising). I don't need any more work and I decided if I was gonna donate, I'd donate to Habitat or some one who needs it.
All that being said, Tommy and Norm are the true stars of the show. I have great respect for the both of them. I would like to see Bob, Steve, and that new peckerhead square off in a Texas Death Match Sissy Boy Slap Fight. They all three grate on my nerves.
I invented the nerve grater.
I feel the same way about Norm and Tom. True profesionals that know their craft and are generous enough to share.
As far as the other "hosts" the only one I really can't stand is Bob Villa. The other two are just playing the role of question man as far as I'm concerned. I guess they could be a little more manly in their role.
One of my funniest memories from the show is from the early days. Norm was in the back yard explaining to Bob about re building a well and what he was going through to do it. Bob pops off with some budget talk and how tight it's getting. Norm smiles and says something to the effect of. " Well I guess I'll have to pack up my tools and go home." Cracked me up.Who Dares Wins.
I'm surprised the idiot boy Kevin didnt come in and say "So Tom, what was your thinking when you did this"
That show is so damn lame I cant believe it stays on the air.
They need to get rid of Kev-o & get something like Page from Trading Spaces, Now shes HOT!
I have to second the call for Paige Davis. At least when she asks dumb questions she is pretty to look at. I have forced myself through many an episode just to catch a glimpse of PD.
I can't stand Kevin. Whatever happened to Steve Thomas? One day he was gone, from the magazine, and from the show. No explantion given.Les Barrett Quality Construction
Whatever happened to Steve Thomas?
He went back to sailing or something; may have just gotten tire of all of the travel, and production schedule, and it's pressure. Any shot where they flip from one person to the other is actually shot twice. So, if something "interesting" happens, it gets to happen three times.
They actually found banker Kevin on an ATOH segment where they replastered a wall over a staircase. The episode runs in repeats on either DIY or HGTV every so often, kind of odd to see ST & KO on the same segment.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Thomas went back to his true love, sailing.
I could not find anything which mentions that he was going back to sailing, but it was mentioned at the time.
Anyway here is his bio at TOH and it mentions a lot of sailing.
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/tvprograms/bios/article/0,16528,420214,00.html
And this is about his sailing.
http://www.nemasail.org/steve.html
Now I like bob Vila for pure enertainment.
It makes a good game to count how many brand names that he can get in one sentence and another one is how many mistakes he makes in a show.
"Hi, I am Bob Vila, in my Hager slack from Sears and I checking my Timex Watch I see that it is time to start the show. He is Dave Smith, from ABC construction coming out the Pella front door, carrying a Crafstman hammer and walking across the Trex Deck."
And "I see that you are install in Whyerhouse i-joist around because it is rot resistant. No, this a an LVL rim joist. It is being installed over the PT mud sill."
When I bought my new Stilleto titanium at JLC live, the guy putting on the no slip grip commented on how they got Bob Villa to debut their grip and it's easy installation on the today show, and how he totaly blew it. A company like that rarely gets endorsment time on national t.v. and Bob blows it. I commented that they should have known that he was a putz, and couldn't be trusted. Look at the other crapola he endorses.Who Dares Wins.
I just can't believe the stuff that he (Vila) says on the show. Stuff that 99% of the general population would know is wrong.
The other week we was watching a glass company install some mirros in an alcove with glass shelves across it.
He ask "you cut and beveled the glass, yes?" And the guy replied no the edges are polished. Which was clear even from the TV.
Notice the show's sponsers by the tools they use; TOH [Craftsmen], HomeTime[Dewalt]. My fav of Old House, Villa was doing a concrete slab for Tim Allen [tool-time].After Villa shows how to properly screed the slab, Tim walks right through it. Villa's face,priceless!I DIDN'T DO IT...THE BUCK DOES NOT STOP HERE.
Tim Allen always used Benfield tools. The only one I could find is a Benfield bender.
~Peter
Finish carpenters needed to install wainscoating in a tunnel to be constructed in the vicinity of Aldersburg concentration camp.
Binford.Who Dares Wins.
Les,
I saw Steve Thomas hosting a Habitat for Humanity program. He's still in the building/host biz.
Thanks for the input from you, Bill, and Capn.
I have wondered about this for so long and haven't really watched the series since he left because of a subtle change in quality and direction, and because Kevin just doesn't fit, in my opinion. At least Norm is still around.Les Barrett Quality Construction
Well, I remember an episode some years back when Norm was demonstrating how easy it was to put together this stairway with notched stringers. He inserted a tread, went to "tap" it into place, and ended up hammering the bejesus out of it because, clearly, there was something somewhere that wasn't fitting right. He kept going, though, as is nothing was wrong.
At least on Hometime they occasionally show you their FUs. On TOH they only show you homeowner FUs.