Substantial posts by Dan Fitzpatrick, who started the thread, and by the forum’s most active contributors. 236 of 480 posts are listed.
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Dan Fitzpatrick, 13 June 2005Well it's about time i started my own thread. I've been hesitant because it seems like i change my plan every day ... but i NEED to SHARE :lol: it's been about 2 months…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 13 June 2005ok, let's back up a bit. here's something i wrote out a while back, that outlines my goals ... I'm planning a practice/recording/mixing room in my garage in my…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 13 June 2005here's a diagram of my roof structure. ignore where it says "want to add 2 layers of 5/8" that's not correct. also ignore the dotted line of studio footprint, that has…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 13 June 2005here's what i was thinking for the ceiling EDIT: this plan is no longer correct, has been changed! pic deleted to save headroom, i want to put the gypsum for the OUTER…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 13 June 2005thanks Florian! i've been following your project too. dear god, i hope not! i don't want this to take THAT long! :D :D plus i could never do that good a job. but i do…
sharward, 14 June 2005OK -- first of all, this dude is a graphic artist, so he should be disqualified from the "drawings of the year" contest! :P But seriously... Nice drawings, Dan -- and…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 14 June 2005hi keith, thanks for coming to my threadwarming ... or something :D it's good to see you! :lol: yes that's fine but don't hold me to a high standard, this is for fun not…
knightfly, 14 June 2005"bout damn time... :twisted: Some basics - always design for #2+better, but buy the best you can get (pick through the pile or walk away if they won't let you) - then…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 14 June 2005Wow Steve, thanks for the great and much needed construction lesson. i've been hammering nails a long time and never learned that trick about dulling the point. What do…
knightfly, 14 June 2005Not sure if screws are legal for framing or not, never checked; but some other problems - standard wood screws, in order to be strong enough, need to be fat (like #10 or…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 15 June 2005steve, paul woodlock used screws, but not on kiln dried wood i think. on the joists, why not add new joists ABOVE the existing joists going the 13 foot span 2x6 16" OC,…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 15 June 2005hi alex, our posts must have crossed ... yeah i am planning to do it all DIY in my spare time ... (so it will take me approximately 17 years to finish, haha) ... i'm…
sharward, 15 June 2005Hey Dan the Man with the Plan, And one hell of an awesome thread goin' here... ;) It's great that you're getting well acquainted with the nifty span calculator. :cool:…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 15 June 2005sorry, my bad, my illustration/explainin' could have been better. i should have shown where the NEW joists connect to EXISTING HEADERS ... i'll fix it tomorrow and post…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 15 June 2005clear as mud eh? ok here is the revised drawing that shows the header beams. orange=beams. i can support these beams with posts if need be. by the way, i don't know the…
sharward, 15 June 2005Yes, it makes much more sense now. And I don't think it will work. :? Although you plan to position the new joists perpendicular to the existing joists by attaching them…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 15 June 2005keith, let me think ... (also talking out of you know where) ... :twisted: yes there will be some bowing toward the center, but some bowing is allowed right? (L/360 is…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 15 June 2005One thing about actually starting this thread, it seems to make everything move faster. i have to realize it's ok to go slow (i just wrote "slab" instead of "slow" by…
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sharward, 15 June 2005It's not that bowing isn't allowed -- I realize that some bowing is to be expected. My concern is that the expected and allowed bowing of your new upper joists will put…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 16 June 2005keith, between stage 15 and 20 there should be more of an up/down between "i've got it" and "i'm so confused i'll never figure this shit out" so if you could have a…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 16 June 2005hereby acknowledged. :roll: i dunno what to think about that. what's going to happen? those joists may be pushed down less than 1/2 inch what is the big deal? they are…
sharward, 16 June 2005I'll tell you how -- because we've become so cynical about this science over the past several months that we have become accustomed to (1) having a great idea, (2)…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 16 June 2005exactly what keith said ... we've been beaten down and don't trust common sense anymore. hey, if one wall stops this much sound, lets just put up another wall (or two)…
knightfly, 18 June 2005Been following that thread as well, but ATM I appear to be poised to take a new (sorta) direction in life that has the potential of an additional $100k+ per year income…
sharward, 19 June 2005Dan, you and I have spoken on the phone about how you might want to float the outer leaf wall closest to the street, since that wall would sit on the same slab as your…
knightfly, 22 June 2005Keithers, the point is the guy was trying to keep from having neighbors call the cops, had a limited budget, and was still successful with the budget methods I…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 22 June 2005So what am i thinking TODAY. as if anyone cares; i find that spewing my thoughts in a public forum helps me focus (sorry!) ... :P I've been giving a lot of thought to my…
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sharward, 2 July 2005Cool! 8) We love it when you engineer types come to the party! :) OK, that's cool. But... Why is it that in most houses, garage slabs are built to specifications that…
rod gervais, 3 July 2005Guys, Seismic has nada to do with it. 1st off - no one is concerned if a garage slab cracks....... it is a non-structural element to the construction. It isn't the same…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 3 July 2005Rod, Thanks for further clarifying what you've been saying. It sounds like you are implying that building a wall with several layers of wallboard that may approach…
cadesignr, 3 July 2005In the area I am from(Northern California), typical residential slabs are integral with the footing AND flush with the top. Not only that, but the framing of the…
rod gervais, 3 July 2005Yes it does.......... it's one thing in the body of a slab - you can be pretty sure that the entire slab doesn't have a void - but cutting a slab or placing a bearing…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 5 July 2005couldn't resist seeing how hard those cabinets were going to be to remove ... and checking out the interior of the wall behind ... stucco bows inward inside, will be a…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 6 July 2005"Oh mannnnnnnn... " indeed! thanks for that link, i knew i had read about that somewhere and couldn't remember offhand. as far as adding MULTIPLE layers of drywall to…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 6 July 2005Rod, i apologise for exaggerating. The resonance frequency in my walls should be around 18hz if i use 3 layers 5/8 gypsum and 12" air. if i go 4 layers it will be even…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 7 July 2005Finally got around to checking to see if my room modes were anywhere near good, or if they sucked. I hadn't really considered the ratios in my design, i just hoped they…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 10 July 2005Ok, time for a report on today's progress ... it was a DAY OF DESTRUCTION :twisted: took off second of three cabinets ... External image, not preserved — original:…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 10 July 2005so, a few comments about today's work. one, it is surprisingly quick and easy to pull down wallboard. at first i tried to get it down in big pieces, but then i gave up…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 19 July 2005more destruction pix! almost all wallboard removed to make way for outer leaf beefing up ... just need to remove nails and a few bits here and there. and the part where…
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Dan Fitzpatrick, 19 July 2005hehe ... wouldn't that make life easy if i could just get rid of the garage door. but i'm keeping it for cosmetic reasons. and yes it will be a pain in the ass ... i…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 20 July 2005Hi Marcel ... yes that's a good idea. I hadn't thought of laying the panels flat (i was hurting my brain trying to pour liquid into vertical panels :oops: ) i'm…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 20 July 2005Marcel, not a bad idea, but often we talk about how important it is to overlap the seams on different layers of drywall. if we filled the door with something massive, it…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 25 July 2005Turns out i had only one day to work this weekend so all i got accomplished was finishing bagging up ALL of the drywall i took down. About 13 bags worth. Started to…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 26 July 2005here are a couple of pix of the experimental "joint compound over building paper" job i did yesterday. it has dried and is clearly NOT GOOD :evil: :evil: the paper is…
sharward, 26 July 2005Sill seal (closed cell foam) maybe? Another thought is to rip all the paper off the wall and use stucco patch on the back side of the stucco, being careful make the…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 26 July 2005keith, i'm glad you think this is valuable ... it makes it a bit easier to do all this work when you can share what you learn & maybe help someone. :) i don't know why i…
sharward, 27 July 2005I've got a lot to learn about construction, but I'm wondering about the "air permeable paint." That may very well be the way to do it. However, if you're not going to…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 27 July 2005yeah just when i thought i had it all figured out, this moisture issue comes up and i don't know a thing about it. from what i understand, moisture can go from inside to…
sharward, 27 July 2005That may be a winner... Protection of the "thirsty" gypsum bumped up against that stucco was my biggest concern, and perhaps Tyvek will address that.[/quote] No, I…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 July 2005sorry for the delay in answering, keith, it's been a busy week hearing that from the "resident worry wart" is reassuring :) no it's too stiff to work that way. you'd…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 July 2005ok, a little progress report. i've gone ahead and pretty much destroyed my vapor retarder paper behind my stucco. in preparation for adding more stucco to smooth things…
sharward, 30 July 2005Dan, we haven't seen any illustrations or photographs of the outside of your home. What's directly on the other side of that wall you're destroying? ;) What's the…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 July 2005good call. that may well be the answer. ok i just took some, see below. probably signs of leakage. some of which may have been fixed. some of which is ongoing. the fence…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 July 2005stucco today! unfortunately i only had a few short hours to try this today, due to family obligations. but i was worried about getting started, seeing how hard it would…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 July 2005a few more pix of today's work. bottom photo: the big rectangular tool was too big to be much use, although it may work better on the final coat with mortar. at first i…
sharward, 30 July 2005Look at you!! 8) Gosh, I'm frightened now because you're using my ideas, and if they turn out to be a complete disaster, you're going to blame me and I'll go on record…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 31 July 2005don't worry! i'm only following advice that i think makes sense or that i agree with, so it will be my own fault if anything goes wrong. :) like adding 2 inches more…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 31 July 2005it would have to go up in layers. if you put on too much it will not stick, it will fall off from it's own weight. [sticking area:weight ratio too low]. also even if it…
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Dan Fitzpatrick, 1 August 2005jal, if i get your meaning that would make 4 leaves ... you want 2 leaves. so the key is to eliminate that gap, by filling it with something solid and airtight. hanging…
JohnGardner, 1 August 2005Dan, Don't know if this got answered but: ""seriously. i wondered, do i really know that a 1/4 inch gap (ok, maybe 1/2 inch) here and there under my drywall will have a…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 1 August 2005John, Thanks for sharing your caulk experience, i'll be getting into that shortly as i'm the proud owner of one case of acoustic caulk, purchased last week. yes i'm…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 7 August 2005well it took me longer than i thought to try out the mortar instead of the stucco. work has suddenly become super busy with 12 hour days and weekend work etc. so no…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 22 August 2005The past two weeks have been busy, but not with studio-building unfortunately. I've been busy helping out with the launch of our company's new magazine, Scrapbook…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 22 August 2005probably around 5/16 or so, but i also have regular horizontal depressions from wire that was strung behind the paper, those are probably about the same. you can…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 22 August 2005it's hard to say how vapor permeable merkrete is. i couldn't find the data. the reason i wonder is that for example Tyvek is waterproof too more or less but is VERY…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 29 August 2005This weekend was "back with a vengeance" weekend as I hadn't been able to spend much time on studio building for the past few weeks. Today my wife even took the kids…
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knightfly, 30 August 2005Dan, don't think of GG as a "filler", in order to benefit from Constrained Layer Damping (GG's "raison d'être") the stuff needs to be THINNNN... Also, I've not had…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 August 2005Steve, Thanks for checking in on my thread! I've been wanting to do a sketch of my stucco beef-up plan for a while, to simplify things for those who have no interest in…
knightfly, 30 August 2005Couple of things - how did you get your new building paper to be continuous without removing the studs, or did you just seal as well as possible at each stud? Also, (no…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 August 2005good question. i thought about this ahead of time, luckily, and cut the paper in such a way so i could put down a full sheet of NEW paper, and then fold OLD paper back…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 31 August 2005hi stick, i'm glad you're getting something out of this! :) ok here's a rough overhead view, showing how the studs fit in to all this. i put some blue dots showing some…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 6 September 2005Pretty decent progress this weekend. I began by sanding down some of the rough parts of the mud layer, and doing a little fill-in on some low areas. But I wasn't too…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 6 September 2005here are some pix of the cracks/bubbles in the Miracle SCS-100 Sound Control Sealant, apparently from shrinkage. in fairness, this may only be a problem with fairly…
sharward, 6 September 2005I'll bet a silver Sharpie would work great: External image, not preserved — original: http://www.sharpie.com/sanford/consumer/sharpie/img/marker_metallic_silver.jpg I…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 6 September 2005excellent call! i did in fact get a can of that, which i'll be experimenting with soon :D by the way the lady next door keeps trying to peek inside the garage whenever i…
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Dan Fitzpatrick, 14 September 2005thanks guys ... :) close one there, i almost hijacked keith's thread with a bunch of baby talk :) :) we are still in hospital, but baby is off oxygen now and looks like…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 17 September 2005thanks keith! here are a couple of pictures from about a week ago, just before the baby was born. never got a chance to post them. as you can see, almost all of the…
knightfly, 18 September 2005Dan, first off congrats on the family addition; I'm sure you're already looking forward to about 20 years of interspersed periods of joy and angst - it's been my…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 18 September 2005haha good advice steve. that's the toughest part of being a parent so far, being the "mean dad." my others are only 4 and 2 1/2, but they've given me plenty of practice…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 18 September 2005time for some caulk talk :) by the way i did have a chance to try out the USG vs. the Miracle acoustic sealant. the usg seems to have more mass, although i haven't…
knightfly, 19 September 2005No preference on which side the rockwool is on, just don't put it in the middle with the fluffy fiberglass stuff on BOTH sides; this could possibly act as a partial…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 29 September 2005Quickie update. Have had a modest amount of time to work on the ol' studio in the past few days. Here are a few pix. A couple of comments. OK, maybe one comment.…
sharward, 29 September 2005Nice! Very nice! Got a close-up of your rack? :roll: (I decided not to edit that! :twisted: ) Interesting how you decided to use OSB cleats! How thick is your OSB? Looks…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 September 2005first of all i apologize for the above pic. however at least it isn't a pic of my concrete-burned bum (hi paul w!) 7/16 ... thinner than i wanted, but that's all HD…
sharward, 30 September 2005It's all my fault!! :lol: Yeah, that's what I was originally going to use. But they were out of stock on that size, but they did have 15/32, which is what I'm using.…
knightfly, 1 October 2005IF you envision having a LOT of ripping to do with large panels, I'd consider seeing if that saw will accept a table extension wide enough to allow 24" or more between…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 21 October 2005ok, here's a quickie ... somewhat interesting. i've been pluggin away at that same wall, putting up an OSB panel here and there, and caulking. but i haven't had much…
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Dan Fitzpatrick, 21 October 2005yeah i had thought of filling the gap up with sand, but i thought that would be heavy, leaky (maybe into the meter box), messy and would attract moisture. this stuff is…
knightfly, 21 October 2005Around here, we just call him "wart fer short" :twisted: - Wow, get some chickens and you kin have brains and eggs fer breakfast ( haven't tried that particular…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 25 October 2005Mike well since we are talking about this now here is some stuff i've looked at as a cheaper source for mass quantities of this type of foam ... i thought about using…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 2 November 2005i got a little time to work last saturday. i have learned to work extremely fast, since i have to negotiate a set amount of time with the wife. the new baby you know.…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 2 November 2005didn't mean to ignore this offer of assistance, keith ... it turns out some of the phone wires i see are old, not used by my current phone. so it's a bit simpler than i…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 21 November 2005sharward was kind enough to point out my thread had fallen off the first page of the forum. we can't have that now can we? it's true i haven't had that much time to work…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 December 2005Sad, sad, sad. My thread had gone all the way to page 3. Not that I haven't been doing work. I have been, but not enough to bother anyone with. Even where I'm at now is…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 December 2005Ahhh, that's better, back at the top of page 1 (at least at the moment). If it wasn't for the enjoyment of forcing others to notice my project I'd never get anything…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 December 2005Let's talk about backing rod, shall we? I really wonder how many people use backing rod, because I hardly ever see people talk about using it or where to get a good deal…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 December 2005Ok, here's the tool I was talking about. This is ESSENTIAL to have if you are using backing rod. Even people who plan to use backing rod, probably give up if they don't…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 December 2005Also here's a neat trick i just discovered today, since i ran out of 3/8 backing rod, i twisted two pieces of 1/4 rod together and it worked really well, although it…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 December 2005One more thing I have to mention, in case there are people here who haven't discovered this essential tool for screwing gypsum. You must get this if you don't have it.…
sharward, 30 December 2005Dan, shame on you for not doing all this beef-up stuff before I did my beef-up stuff, 'cuz I really wish I could have learned from you before I, uh ... wasted? ... five…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 December 2005hi Keith, I don't think i really realized how key the backing rod was until the past couple of weeks. but i kind of knew that you hadn't used it, and probably few others…
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Dan Fitzpatrick, 31 December 2005good suggestion ... here's a nice pic that shows me holding my new kid, with the background showing a piano, a baby swing and two guitars (upper left) ... guess which of…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 14 January 2006can't believe it has been 2 weeks since i posted to this thread. i have continued working on the north wall of the garage, first layer of 5/8. i've been cheating a bit.…
sharward, 14 January 2006Looking good, Dan-The-Man! 8) You may recall that I had my drywall delivered. That worked out really well for me. There was a $75 delivery charge, but when I divided…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 15 January 2006Hi Keith, Yeah I will probably break down and have a big shipment delivered once i start putting up full sheets at a time, then i'll really need a lot. But first, i need…
sharward, 15 January 2006Thanks for posting the pictures -- that clears things up a lot! :-) Your combination of siding and stucco reminds me of our old house . Have you considered putting up…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 16 January 2006you read my mind about the lights. i'm going to put them in right after i finish beefing up that area. then i will drill a small hole for the romex to come through into…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 16 January 2006by the way, i finished the whole first layer on the north wall last night. i'm getting bored with this beefing up stuff though. i think i need a break and i'm getting…
sharward, 16 January 2006Good move. Make sure that you don't overload your daylight sensor with too many watts. You may need have a pancake box on the outside... Recovered from web.archive.org —…
len-morgan, 16 January 2006Dan, If you've still got a lot of dry wall cutting to go, you might think about doing what I (and my helper) did after both of our arms got too tired to even cut through…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 16 January 2006Cool, that's an interesting tip Len! I think the fact that you can cut the drywall with a knife is deceptive, it makes you think it should be easy, when really it is a…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 26 January 2006so, my dad who recently retired has offered to come down from sactown this saturday and help me hang up my ceiling joists. BIG PRESSURE!! i have to have everything ready…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 26 January 2006Len, I've always found if you want an honest opinion on whether something needs extra work, ask a person who doesn't have to do the extra work :D well i only have to do…
knightfly, 27 January 2006You're welcome, sorry I've not had MORE time - think I'm gonna have to catch up before you're finished and I've no idea what you've built... :? You've completely lost me…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 27 January 2006no need to apologize, Steve. i've greatly appreciated all your help so far. and also, the complexities of this build are so confusing that even i can't even figure it…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 28 January 2006ok i got some pictures of the 2x12 studs (actually 2x10 :oops: ) and the truss on the other end. i think i have it figured out. there is a 2x10 nailed to the backside of…
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Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 January 2006quite right, it took me a while to figure this out ... i was going to nail another 2x board across the whole truss, but then i thought of an easier and probably better…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 January 2006thoughts on wood grades it looks like what i picked up at HD was Douglas Fir-South, because it says "D-FIR S-GRN" which might mean "douglas fir-south, green" although…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 30 January 2006i haven't completely calculated all the weights exactly yet, but it seems like i should be ok here. #2 2x8 doug fir south 16" on center spanning 12' 10" can hold 35…
sharward, 31 January 2006Careful -- you're liable to get Steve going on his home's builder! :shock: :lol: Your story about protuding lumber led me to look up the section in the California…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 31 January 2006Hi Keith, thanks for "stopping by" ... :) yeah i looked that up too ... surprising, how there is no limit on how far out you can extend ... i guess that would fall under…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 1 February 2006Thanks for that reassurance, John! :) I discovered something else today, something Keith had mentioned in his thread I think long long ago, about truss uplift. it seems…
sharward, 1 February 2006Oh yeah, truss lift... :roll: ...I was going to just roll the dice on that one! Seems out of Sharward character, huh? ;-) There are, however, ways you can build in an…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 3 February 2006bit of a screw up last night, decided to start dismantling the garage door system ... i raised the door all the way up to take the tension off the counterbalance…
knightfly, 3 February 2006IF this is a typical segmented door, there is a helical spring wound around a heavy shaft at the top of the door - this spring is preloaded by the installer so that the…
guitardad72, 4 February 2006Just wanted to say Hi to you Dan and also Sharward. I've read through this thread twice, end to end as well as most of Sharwards, both with many re-visits. Just today I…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 6 February 2006Thanks Marc :) I've been reading your thread too. that triple truss is something. :shock: the garage door dent pounded out pretty well. i bought a 4 pound hammer at HD…
guitardad72, 6 February 2006Dan, I've not used the "powder-actuated hammer tool" but I do not when the time comes I don't want to use one. That is the tool you load with basically gun powder to…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 6 February 2006Marc, Do you have to drill into concrete to use those tapcon screws? Having had some experience drilling holes in concrete that's something i really want to avoid doing.…
len-morgan, 6 February 2006Are you talking about the ones that use .22 caliber blanks to shoot in the nails? I'd have two words of advice: 1) Wear ear protection - They are LOUD. Especially if you…
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knightfly, 7 February 2006Ramset tools (powder actuated) can be dangerous if not careful as already mentioned; they are faster, they do work, but they can also "spall" your concrete (break out…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 7 February 2006Cool, i was hoping you'd chime in on this ramset thing, Steve. For the thermal break, i've bought a roll of 30 pound roof felt, and i plan on using 2 layers ... the sole…
guitardad72, 7 February 2006Yeah Dan I’m all about safety too, I’m currently pricing out steal toe shoes for my concrete wall demolition event. I made a mistake with earplugs a short while ago, I…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 7 February 2006good tips Marc. love the kid pic. i got a pair of kid-size glasses for my son (4.5 years old) at home depot so he could watch me work, but then my little girl (nearly 3)…
guitardad72, 7 February 2006Dan, my son is 3 1/2. I got him sunbanz, (sunglasses with headband) now but didn't realize HD had kid work glasses. My son can not take the noise of the hammer drill in…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 7 February 2006well i bought the hammer drill and some of those tapcon screws. i really wanted to buy the hex heads for ease of driving but i wasn't sure as they might need to be flush…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 8 February 2006well i still have to return the gunpowder tool stuff, so maybe i'll get the hex heads. now that i think about it more there should be no need to have the heads be flush.…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 12 February 2006moved the insulation out of the garage. don't worry i covered it up with plastic after. yes i feel stupid getting insulation so early ... but it was a good deal ...…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 12 February 2006started using that concrete seam sealer. this stuff is runny and a bit smelly but not too bad. it does have some scary warnings on it. best to do the sealing and then…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 12 February 2006now for the best part. my dad came down again and we managed to get part of a wall done. there was a lot to be done before the wall could be put up, basically to make it…
guitardad72, 12 February 2006Hey Dan progress must feel good huh? I've been using the 1/4 or bigger tapcon screws for anything that will take any sort of weight in my house. I've never built a wall…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 13 February 2006hehe, i was just kidding about the walmart thing ... i think Keith is still mad at me over that ... he is the official walmart greeter of this site after all :D :D…
guitardad72, 13 February 2006Dan, I'm not an expert on tapcon, I've just screwed enough of them up to have an opinion... bigger is better. You made a comment previously about constuction experience,…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 13 February 2006Ah there you are Keith! Always low prices, man! :) :) :) Thank you Don! That is super helpful. I was thinking about ditching the tapcons, they are so expensive ($14 for…
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Dan Fitzpatrick, 13 February 2006Cool, Don, you are right i did not do all of the nailing yet in that picture, but i definitely will be filling all the holes with nails, and the proper 16d common as…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 13 February 2006Let me explain more about this truss situation. This is a "howe" truss, about 18.5 feet long, spanning the garage side to side, around the middle of the garage. On the…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 13 February 2006Marc, no worries, if i decide to go another route i'm only out $14, and i'm sure i can use those tapcon somewhere else anyway (if i can remember where i put them when…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 14 February 2006Don, Wow! I appreciate you going to the trouble of running this by an engineer ... your interest and concern about my project is beyond the call of duty, and i thank…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 20 February 2006ok a couple more pix of some stuff i did yesterday. i did the second part of the wall. i left a pretty large space for the 36 inch door and associated framing, only to…
guitardad72, 20 February 2006Hey Dan, 1. Would love to see a sketch of your over all design and or M-A-M detail with STC adn LF TL goal. 2. Thanks for sparking that thread in studio tips "an…
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Dan Fitzpatrick, 20 February 2006Hey Keith, Marc and Steve, thanks for all the responses. Steve, my reply on your comment is in the next post ... i admit i wasn't looking forward to the replies, because…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 20 February 2006Steve, that frame wall is definitely intended to support SOME load. it is actually supporting some load right now, since i put the shims in. just a little though, i just…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 20 February 2006By the way these wall frames are not nailed in yet, they are only screwed in with a few screws, so they'd be relatively easy to take out, and i could recycle the…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 9 March 2006Well, nobody i guess feels strongly that my death will be imminent if i proceed to build the wall under the truss. I have to say I'm feeling pretty good about it. based…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 9 March 2006Hi Steve, I'm glad you asked :D Here's the plan i'm contemplating. 1. Getting some kind of car underbody dampening stuff (still to be researched) and slathering it on…
knightfly, 10 March 2006Is your door wood, masonite, fake fiberglass, aluminum, compressed donkey doo, or ??!? If it has any mass to speak of, I'd seriously consider NOT trying to beef it up…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 10 March 2006The door is metal. it has an STC of about -3 :lol: i like the idea of a trompe l'oeil garage door painted on a real wall. that just might work. :) your idea about not…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 10 March 2006i've been investigating rubberized coatings to paint on the door. an important criterion is that it be low odor and not dangerous to breathe. i don't want to expose my…
knightfly, 11 March 2006After thinking a bit (and finding out the door is metal), I'd use the damping stuff; then, I'd build wall # TL93-283, page 350 of IR-761; I would build the outer half as…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 11 March 2006Cool Steve, thanks for taking the time. :) that is a very good point about using more layers will LOWER the MAM, which in this case is BAD ... forgot about that, another…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 23 March 2006I finished securing the garage door setions to the garage wall using 5/16 lag screws. then i used #12 sheet metal screws to secure the door sections to each other.…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 23 March 2006Andy, I got mine at Orchard Supply Hardware, in the measured materials area. Keith, I think you're right about that. Actually, what i think i'll do is build the wall…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 29 March 2006so i spent the last few work sessions applying QuietCar to the garage door, using a short bristled 4 inch brush instead of the scrub brush, which was way too big. the…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 9 April 2006finished filling all 20 cavities with the 2" EPS. also tried to seal the bottom of the door with backing rod, strips of EPS and caulk. worked ok but not sure how it will…
guitardad72, 10 April 2006Dan, Progress is good huh? Are you saying good-bye to the side of the door you worked so hard to apply QuietCar too? I wouldn't just be thinking it, I would be speaking…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 10 April 2006no way! of course i'm not the strongest guy in the room ... also, the wood i used was pretty wet, i had to use 10 foot members and they seem to come pretty wet at my HD.…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 28 April 2006well it's taken me a while to get the garage door wall put up, but it's done. i put it up in 4 sections, bolted the bottoms to the floor and used simpson ties to nail…
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guitardad72, 29 April 2006Cool progress Dan, One more thing to mention about masonary drill bits. There are the expencive and cheap masonary drill bits... the expencive ones will outlast the…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 23 May 2006well time for my monthly update. I have to admit I've been a little hesitant to post lately because I'm a little embarassed about my shoddy construction methods and…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 7 June 2006a few updates. have been working steadily toward finishing the outer leaf ceiling structure. am within striking distance of sheetrocking the outer leaf, but am not sure…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 7 June 2006by the way i used the heavy duty joist hangers here, just because why not use the heavy duty right? they are just a little more expensive. but WHOA, did you realize that…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 7 June 2006a couple more items. one, i like these "quick change" drill bits, i just learned about them recently and they are pretty cool, check it out if you don't know about them.…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 7 June 2006Hey Keith ... Those joists, the lighter colored ones on top of the darker ones running perpendicular, are brand spankin' new joists, they didn't exist before i put them…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 14 June 2006Hey Steve, thanks for checking in ... My plan is for fresh air only. I have just bought the fan I am using, a 8" Fantech inline duct fan (see here) my plan is to have…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 15 June 2006Hi Ro, Yes I'm going to use a variable speed switch ... to change the air every 15 min i need 100 cfm ... the fan does anywhere from 481 cfm to zero depending on how…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 15 June 2006I knew you were going to say that, Keith :D Hmmmm. that makes the heat recovery ventilator seem less expensive, if yu compare it to buying two $200 fans :cry: :cry: for…
sharward, 15 June 2006I too had a whole house fan once -- in my old house. Yeah, the whole house fan that I installed without a permit! :lol: (That was before I knew any better... :roll:…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 16 June 2006yep you are right about needing extra ventilation from the roof to outside ... i worried about that a lot on the first 2 houses i installed the whole house fan on, i put…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 16 June 2006in my last house i put in a exhaust fan in the garage, the way i wired it was i just chopped the end off a heavy duty (heavy enough, i made sure) extension cord, wired…
Ro, 16 June 2006having only 1 exhaust engine in your duct line for getting rid of nasty smells for example is okay to do in normal living spaces and such. But now you've got this niffty…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 16 June 2006Thanks for your insight, Ro ... I'll definitely make a contingency plan to add a second fan. here's what i'll do. i'll put the fan on the exhaust duct, and if i don't…
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Dan Fitzpatrick, 19 June 2006oh you guys are too funny. on another note, i had finished up my ceiling framing yesterday, or so i thought. i put up my first piece of gypsum on the ceiling, and…
sharward, 19 June 2006Why not do what I did? My first layer of "beef" is an OSB panel, which is glued and cleated into place. Then I drove screws (or nails on one layer) into the OSB. The…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 20 June 2006Keith the problem is I'm not beefing up against a laundry room or exterior siding, i'm "beefing up" against air. so those 1/4 or 3/8 inch gaps between the first layer of…
camistan, 20 June 2006Hey Dan Hope you don't mind me asking this on your thread, but it has to do with the ventilation you, Ro and Keith were discussing. I'm planning on using an ERV (Energy…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 21 June 2006Hi Stan, Air changes per hour is means how many times all the air in the room is replaced in an hour. it could be more or less than 1 time per hour ... Probably a better…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 21 June 2006by the way i got my fan yesterday ... here it is, ain't it cute? a boy, obviously ... funny, it doesn't feel like $200 ... but i guess these things take some serious…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 5 July 2006a little bit of progress. decided the cheapest and most reasonable solution to my drywall backing problem was to get some OSB sheets and rip them into about 6 inch…
sharward, 6 July 2006Dan, I always really appreciate your posts because there's always something to learn! :-) I'll definitely be getting a holster for my cordless drill when I start my…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 6 July 2006i considered 2x6, but that would have been expensive, heavy, and overkill i think ... the issue is really just having something solid behind the seam, so that the seam…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 10 July 2006I just noticed that i had passed the one year anniversary of starting the physical work on the studio (jun 14). overall i guess i'm pleased with the amount of progress.…
sharward, 11 July 2006I too have lost all track (track I never had in the first place) of how much I've spent. Much of what I have spent has been via Home Depot gift cards that I receive…
sharward, 11 July 2006The annual fee is $55 plus another $30 for the wife's card. However, if you use it for everything you buy -- especially gasoline and groceries, which earn you double…
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JohnGardner, 11 July 2006As a side note for anyone that is thinking of building a studio I budgeted $2500-3000 max to do my small room. I am now up to exactly $6532.12 and I still have about…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 28 August 2006yeah i've been feeling guilty about that ... but it seems there is not enough time to do everything these days. a quickie report, sans pictures for the moment. what i…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 29 November 2006it's coming along ... slowly. as of now i have one layer on half the ceiling, also half the ventilation done. focusing now on finishing the ventilation, including wiring…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 5 February 2007all right dudes, keep the faith, my project is still underway!!!! unfortunately, i have come to the conclusion that i can't be bothered to keep updating this thread. I…
sharward, 5 February 2007Aw, Dan... You can't update your thread anymore? But you're one of the best at doing that. :-( Your famous backer rod is an example of a gem that I point people to all…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 23 February 2007Ok, ok, the guilt is getting to me. This forum has been great to me so I should give back as much as I can, heh. i was just looking at Rod's book and noticed that i was…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 23 February 2007here is a view of the inside of a silencer, with some rockwool in. the silencer was built taking advantage of the space between the joists, so the joists are the "walls"…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 23 February 2007oh and here shows the openings at the opposite end of the silencers ... check out this completed first layer of outer leaf ceiling too! the ductwork still to be done…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 23 February 2007ok, here's something that might really be worth something to someone. if you are "beefing up" between your ceiling joists and you need something to help you hold up one…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 23 February 2007that's about it for now. here are a few more pix to end with. notice how i spray painted marks to make it easy for me to see where the joists are. good idea, much easier…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 24 February 2007aw man! what IS duct tape "supposed" to be used for anyway??? if not ductwork. aargh. i'm supposed to inspect/clean the fan every year or so, so i guess i can put on the…
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guitardad72, 25 February 2007Hey Dan, Good to see some posts from you again. BTW aluminum (duct) tape is usual located in home improvement store right next to the heating and air conditioning…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 27 February 2007it WAS a while ago, sorry about that ... better late than never heh? funny Andy i was thinking about you being one of the people who could use this idea, but i was…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 5 March 2007yesterday i was able to put the proper amount of screws in all of the 1st layer of ceiling drywall, and then caulk everything. man, oh man, that was a lot of caulking,…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 5 March 2007Stan, in general I used backer rod. In some cases the fit was too tight, so I couldn't even fit in 1/4 inch rod. But in most cases i had a gap of at least 3/8 inch, or…
sharward, 6 March 20071/2" OSB secured with cleats, three layers of 1/2" drywall secured to the OSB between the cleats, then one layer of 5/8" drywall covering the cleats with screws driven…
sharward, 6 March 2007This is a really interesting point of discussion... It's not so much a "to use or not to use backer rod," but rather, "to leave or not to leave a gap that would then…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 6 March 2007n8nod9it, in my small experience you need to cut drywall about 1/2 inch shorter than your gap, so you have 1/4 inch gap all around. this is becuase if you cut it exact,…
guitardad72, 7 March 2007Hmmm, I'm going to use backer rod and caulk in gaps if all beef up. Not to say an almost exactly cut piece of drywall for a stud bay with caulk in 1/16th or so gaps…
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Dan Fitzpatrick, 8 March 2007n9nodnit, or whatever your name is :) ... and all you guys ... either way probably doesn't matter, but i'd venture to guess n8nod9it's way may be a little better than…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 8 March 2007well my point is it would not be the same result. the difference of adding anohter layer of mass would be relatively huge, while the difference between different sized…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 12 March 2007wow, i just had the best day of BEEFING UP! and i never thought i'd say that. I HATE WORKING WITH DRYWALL. or at least i did until today. it's all because i discovered a…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 1 April 2007Alright! Have I got the tip for you today. I shouldn't even be giving this stuff away, I could be making money off these tips. :lol: So, not too long ago somebody…
sharward, 1 April 2007Cool tip, Dan! Although the Safety Monitor (a.k.a. me!) might object for a couple of reasons... First, I don't know that everyone's oven thermostats can be trusted to…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 2 April 2007hehe, that's funny n8nod9it :lol: Well Keith it did make me a little nervous at first, so I set a "reminder timer" to remind me to check up on things every 15 minutes.…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 2 April 2007By the way I've been meaning to say that in the process of beefing up these last couple weeks I've been coming around more to n8nod9it's method of doing things. Of…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 2 April 2007ok one more thing. i've been doing this experiment where i turn up the boom box full blast, then go outside around my garage to see where the leaky parts are. that's how…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 16 April 2007hey Bootsy, the garage door seems to be working well. to recap, the layers are steel garage door (caulked) --> that car underbody paint stuff --> door cavities filled…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 18 April 2007No you have a BIG mistake here. The gypsum layers go right up against the OSB. Yes, that means that you have to rip 14 inch (or whatever it is) pieces of drywall and put…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 20 April 2007Bootsy, that is pretty much on the right track. One major correction i would make is do not "stuff" the gap with insulation, pack it in full but maybe slightly like 1…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 20 April 2007n8nod9it, yes i would like to see some pix. good tip on the bucket/catcher thing. its ironic that just after i bought a shitload of backing rod in 5/8 diameter that i'm…
sharward, 20 April 2007This is what I ended up doing... External image, not preserved — original: http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/files/westwallfastenerscloseup_564.jpg Note that this image…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 4 June 2007well it's been a while since i posted so i thought i'd put up an update. the good news is that the outer leaf is 4/5 done. that is, three of the outer leaf walls, the…
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Dan Fitzpatrick, 3 January 2008bwahahahhahahahahaa, clearly i lied here. but i have to tell everyone that i am still making progress on the studio. one thing i have learned during this project is how…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 27 January 2008ok, i've finally got some pictures. as of about a week ago i have really and truly completed the outer leaf. the last thing i did was the door closer and the doorjamb…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 27 January 2008oh yeah, don't forget to check out the kick ass shelves i made in the first picture, attached to the new outer leaf wall. lots of good storage space there. also, one…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 28 January 2008@ Brad: thanks for checking in on my thread! Actually that guy is my youngest, about 2 1/2. i have a 6yrs boy and 4yrs girl too. She actually likes helping me the most.…
guitardad72, 30 January 2008Hey Dan, Glad to see you posting again and that progress is happening. I actually got some work done today. I'm going to post later on my thread. This marks an over 6…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 2 February 2008Hi Marc, I'm thinking of some kind of conduit as well. The part I'm stumped on is how to get the wires thru the gypsum. Should I just make a hole and caulk around it, or…
guitardad72, 2 February 2008Dan, Don't put the wires through the Gypsum. Put the conduit pipe through the gypsum. You'll have to get conduit pipe big enough so the end of the largest cable will…
guitardad72, 3 February 2008Keith, The suggestion somewhere on this Forum that I think Aaron made is the leave a 1/4" break in the conduit run to avoid flanking. Conduit is actually in two parts,…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 4 February 2008interestingly i remember a long while back Brian Ravnaas the green glue guy did a test where both leaves had a 2 inch hole that was just left open, only the holes were…
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Dan Fitzpatrick, 6 August 2008Well I haven't even finished caulking and mudding the second layer of 5/8 on my inner leaf. Actually I don't even have the door seals done! I only have the seal on the…