@RevStench i don't mind the questions. I feel guilty for monopolizing the chat.
Yeah, I'm going to do the flower bed on both sides. I'm not sure if I'll have to bust concrete or not. Not 100% sure what's under that flower bed already. That may be the bigger job. Tbh I may reuse the existing bottom rows and just replace the rest of railroad ties with the cedar boards.

You could get some cedar 1x and do a veneer, dress up the old. If it's solid and not rotted out that could be an option.

It surprisingly is solid

I like that idea

You could get fancy and do a dovetail joint to go around the corner, it would look good and you wouldn't have a failure point because of a nail or bolt.
Check out this chart, just throwing out ideas haha

Get a little Japanese with your carpentry haha.

I do need to get some better blades and saws. What i have is only good for rough cuts. I can't even get a decent miter on trim pieces.

Haha I feel you man, if you don't use those tools a lot they turn into expensive paper weights.
Good luck on your project, are you going to start it soon?

I'm probably going to have to spend a couple months accumulating the martial. Getting ready to insulate and frame the basement.

@Placidseven - MO damn bro, you have a lot going on.

Need any advice framing that's where I started in carpentry.

Actually now that you mention it. So I left the header in place for one of the walls and removed the footer (It was dry rot) so I'm replacing it with pressure treated wood. I've got my chalk line. But how do I ensure my footer is square with the header before I anchor it to the floor? I know the correct way is to build the frame on the ground and then lift into place.

Not sure I'm visualizing what you're doing correctly but usually I anchor rim joists to the wall the build the frame and use temp supports until I set footers and posts. Use levels to plumb down to where anchors should sit. Square up by using the 345 method of measuring corner to corner

@Placidseven - MO there's this thing called a plumb bob, basically a weight on a string. Attach to the header. And it will show you where you need to put the footer.
Level the studs. And you'll be good

Ok sorry for the short answer, busy at work doing some African engineering.
The plumb bob is the best tool for setting rafters, finding a level point and other things. It's an old way of levelling walls.

Tack a nail or put a screw in the side of the header wrap the string around the nail tight against the board, the plumb bob will attached to the end of the string, the plumb bob has a point on the bottom and will show you the outside of the footer. Run a string line or put a mark on the floor and that will line you up.

@Placidseven - MO

I want to go over how to use a speed/hand square but the best way for me to explain it is by talking rafters. Give me a few days and I'll get on it, I'll have to write a book.

Now thats a lesson i need! A speed sq cunfuses the hell out of me. Never had a proper lesson on one

Thanks much @RevStench

I got you bro @Deleted User. @Deleted User I wish I had a little extra free time on the job site to take some better pictures and do a better walk through.

Hell dude theyre fine

Better than mine!

haha thanks man

How hard would it be to make a bed frame for a queen size Ben?!?

Bed

not to hard. depends on what you want. I love those "floating" bed frames, and they are cake to make, and you could add storage in the box(frame).

@Whitelash

I'll have to look up a guide

Floating frames look sweet

And you can be sloppy because no one will ever see hahaa. No shame bro

Haha I got a lot of stuff to learn

I'm a home owner now and my trailer needs some work,

This would be a nice project because if you fuck up a little, like I said no one will see it. And you can learn a lot.

Would a drill and a circular saw be good?

Yes sir.

You can do anything with a circular saw.

It might not always be the easy way but you can do it

Okay good tyvm!

I pretty much have access to anything carpentry related. So if you need a little help with cuts, I might be able to show you how to make the cut in pictures. or a video

Sweet!

If I could buy any three carpentry tools to start my own home workshop for basic home repair and construction of simple wood objects like chairs, tables, birdhouses, etc, what would you recommend I purchase? Assume I have half of a garage to work with.

Probably a radial saw or a compound miter saw. A planer and a router table.

I feel like you could do any drilling with a hand held drill.
Chairs and tables would need legs or spindles, if you're turning them yourself you'd need a lathe or buy premade ones.
@Envian or @Jhawk nc might be able to give some good advice here. I believe they have hobby shops.

Ok I had to see what other guys out there recommended, and the router and planer is a must because almost everything is going to start with an even flat surface.
I saw one guy recommend a band saw but I feel like you could use a crosscut or circular saw. Now I'm thinking about it a table saw would be good because you can do some joinery on it, tenons and box joints, even the tails for dovetail joints. You can rip even parallel edges. It'll give you a good straight cut you might not be able to get with a circular saw.

@Deleted User

If you're looking at making bedframes and things you should get a Pinterest. You can find a design you like and it will usually have all the measurements @Whitelash

@Whitelash Careful on the circ saw. Maybe check out some videos on operating if you're not familiar. They're simple to use but can fuck you up if the blade gets pinched and kicks out on you. I always hold my trigger arm out and perpendicular and in the direction of my cuts so you can put force behind the saw in case it wants to kick back. Also you can see what you're cutting being to the side of the saw

@RevStench Has some great pics in lessons for using a circ

@RevStench that window job was reeediculous!

^^^

Thanks guys. It really means a lot. That guide is a great start into the historic window restoration world. We're working with a couple of other guys to set a standard on historic windows also, so it was nice writing it out.

If anyone wants to see something specific let me know. I have a ton of jobs going, and I can probably pick up some more weekend work to get little walk throughs on new builds and remodeling.

Doing some boring ass stair treads on my rental today

haha get some Conway and you'll have a blast!

I just caught up on Jim goads podcasts

This is truly a shit job. Just slap it on and go as quick as I can no jig or anything

I have to have something to take my mind off the boring stuff. Are you putting carpet on them?

Nah just basic treads and risers. They had carpet and the treads were just 2x material. It's a duplex we just got

I did oak in 2 units but these are just gonna be 5/4 pine. Cheap and easy

haha nice. I love the natural/stained wood look. I don't care for painted trim or stairs. But I get why people do it.
Are you changing the flooring?

Nope just adding tile in afew places

Getting there

Damn bro you're having fun.

Looks nice

You get what you pay for, here's why you don't call a handyman.

Bondo is NOT made to fill wood.

They wrapped the window in metal and plywood and it turned into a water trap.

That's awful bro

It's a mess, not sure I can save the brick molding, the sills I can save.
I'll get some pictures of this process, because we'll be installing a new frame. And if you can handle doing a historic window a replacement window will be a walk in the park.

Also don't let ivy grow on your house, it destroys the mortar, and wood. It costs more to have a house tuck pointed and/or new windows, brick moldind, doors, corbels, soffit, everything, then it is to rip that junk off the house. I know it looks neat/nice, but be good to your home and it will be good to you.

Dang yeah that's a shit show. A lot of work

That it is, but that's what I signed up for ahah.

What's the carpentry (finish too) field looking like these days? Is it impacted? I work as a museum crate technician and want to transfer over. Any tips?

Things are going good, busy all around. I work in historic preservation and we do finish. Low skilled guys and immigrants have driven already low wages down. But if you're working for someone honest or yourself you can do pretty good.
If you're starting fresh try a little bit of everything until you find what you like. I really enjoy framing, but I found this historic work and I fell in love.

Honest white guys that do half way decent work and show up on time can make a killing in today's market. Problem is so many of the trade guys don't have their shit together

All the technical/artisan stuff is still white guys for the most part

Yeah I know more than a few trades guys. They struggle with drugs, alcohol, and minor criminal stuff. Good men all, though, and good at what they do.

Yeah the drugs and alcohol shit is so pervasive for dudes in the building trades.

I try to only hire white guys but it can be a challenge

Step 1: Don't do drugs

Step 2: Do almost anything else

Easy as that

Eh, not so easy for some guys I know. They struggle with chronic pain and working the hours they do is hard on them. I can sympathize.

Yeah, me too, but I work 80 hour weeks around 3 months out of the year. I understand the chronic pain thing, too. I'm 6'3", so my back is falling apart already. But I've never done coke, meth, bars, perks, or any of the other shit that people try to sell me.

I feel for these guys, but they've got to get their shit together themselves. No one else can do it.

True true

I used to do a lot of drugs and booze. Haven't touched a drop of anything in 7 yrs. much better

BTW for those goys out there with HVAC systems always use these cheap filters. Cheapest you can find cause they don't restrict the air flow for your handler. Unless you got allergies

Otherwise all the techy filters just pay schlomo

I have allergies. What is the best filter for me?

I've beat the shit out of my body broken fingers, toes, arms, legs, cracked ribs, more stitches than I can remember, I've ridden ladders down telephone poles and walls, rode a few to the ground, I've 2 hernias repaired, and I've been shocked by power lines while 30 feet in the air. But you rub some dirt on it and carry on. Like a man. Haha

I've worked 6 days a week for years. I smoked pot for almost 15 years, it didn't help with the pain, it just took my mind off it.