Key posts: Meow Mix - Commercial Space Conversion in W MA

Substantial posts by frostgfx, who started the thread, and by the forum’s most active contributors. 94 of 161 posts are listed.

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frostgfx, 16 January 2007So here I sit in the middle of the night signing on to my thread to describe the buildout of - "Meow Mix" - A ProTools recording space. UPDATE After many a long night…
frostgfx, 19 January 2007UPDATE January 18 - Spent the afternoon at GCPro in Boston going over the equipment list with "PK" the rep for GCPro. Great guy with an even better customer service…
frostgfx, 31 January 2007January 30 - Today I finalized the lease terms and tomorrow AM should have the lease signed and send off pix and a basic sketch to John Sayers for design ideas. Will try…
frostgfx, 6 February 2007Feb 5th --- Today I went to sign the lease and found out that the building owner had ' a few more details' to be ironed out... Nothing to serious on my end, buy…
frostgfx, 7 February 2007keith: That big drain in the floor is no longer in service along with a number of other smaller drains... however, there is a storm drain along the front/right hand wall…
gullfo, 10 February 2007maybe instead of floating (if the slope isn't too bad, you could build a frame inside and down in the floor openings (with some steel mesh) and pour cement in it to seal…
frostgfx, 10 February 2007Glen: Thanks for the suggestions... The floor isn't all that off kilter but even if I did level the floor, I still want to have harwood floors in the live space since it…
frostgfx, 12 February 2007Feb 11 --- Today was Demo day! The electricians came by to remove all the commercial electricity including something called a 'Bus Dock' which took the better part of…
frostgfx, 19 February 2007Feb 18--- Friday was another demo day after I got the OK to rip out the drywall walls (DIY screw by screw and then pull down the 4' x 10' panels...) and in their place…
frostgfx, 19 February 20072/18--- Here a few pics of the recent mailing equipment move and the demo of the east walls to be blocked in on Monday with 8" cinder blocks and paint. John mentioned…
frostgfx, 19 February 20072/19 --- Rod Gervais came out for a site visit and uncovered a number of things I hand't thought about or considered carefully enough... He arrived just in time for the…
frostgfx, 24 February 2007Feb 23 - almost midnight... This week has been hectic with all sorts of demolition, masonary walls going up, water lines coming out, old window wells being demo'd (by…
frostgfx, 27 February 2007Feb 26th --- As promised, here are some pics from the weekend demolition derby... Tomorrow 2/27 - Masons start on the largest wall 28' x 15' and the rear door RO. Turns…
frostgfx, 28 February 20072/27--- Here's a pic of the new South wall door RO... soon to be filled with a real live door. Bad news today... No more money to continue with renovations til later in…
Luftweg, 28 February 2007I saw the 'western MA' location tag, so I opened the thread and looked at the pics.... Said to myself, that building looks familiar... Then saw the NOHO tag.... I spent…
frostgfx, 4 March 2007March 4th --- Finally got PayPal payment to go through to John S... He's come up with some great ideas! Large Control Room, Piano Room, Drum Booth and an Iso Booth in…

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frostgfx, 5 March 2007Stan: Just my luck...location, location, location. Since this is probably the only studio I'll ever build I want to get it done right the first time. I have been out of…
frostgfx, 9 March 2007March 8 --- This week has seen real tangible progress! Started the week with moving the power panel; Finishing the South wall egress door RO and the 29' West Wall with…
frostgfx, 9 March 2007March 8 Continued... Weds. was demo day for the Fire Door on the South wall so the new steel security doors could be installed. Tim from TradeMark Custom Installations…
rod gervais, 9 March 2007Jon, everything depends on the fan itself - weight - as well as frequency........ The solutions availible are quite wide depending on the need......... Mason Industries…
frostgfx, 14 March 2007March 14th --- Finally reached the end of Demolition... Now the pros come in to remove old steam pipes which weigh something like 100#/ft... and the asbestos guys have…
frostgfx, 2 April 2007WOW! It's been awhile since I posted on the progress at Meow Mix... John S has been hard at work on the final changes to the design and here is the jpeg of the final…
frostgfx, 2 April 2007Thanks for asking... Yes, there is way too much stress... that's why I am happily following my doctors advice... "Better living through chemistry". By the end of this…
frostgfx, 3 April 2007Here are some pics from the pipe cutting that took place today and will finish tomorrow morning... love the sparks... The first shot is cutting a pipe that was filled…
John Sayers, 4 April 2007camistan - I have the Pro6 version of Sketchup - The paid for version. ;) It has the added option of creating a video of the page sequences. YOu can determine how many…

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frostgfx, 6 April 2007April 5th... Hi again... Jon with an update on Meow Mix... Asbestos is all gone... East and West block walls are complete and will be painted next week by your're truly.…
frostgfx, 11 April 2007April 10th... More photos of the end of demolition, etc. Photo of last pipe being demo'd from the ceiling by the West wall; Shot of ramp demo by yours truly last weekend…
frostgfx, 13 April 2007April 13th --- Here's some photos of the last bits of work I've done until more $$$ arrives. I spent this morning walking around the space knocking off old bolts, a few…
frostgfx, 24 April 2007April 23 --- Floor plan is almost finalized... off to the Architect for final review before I go for my building permit... I stopped into the local building department…
frostgfx, 4 May 2007May 4 --- Gretings earthlings, It's another sunny albeit chilly day and things are moving ever closer toward the stick of lumber being anchored into the cement floor...…
frostgfx, 10 May 2007May 9th --- Spent the last two days painting the storage area and prepping space for the masons/demo guys to take out the three windows and then promptly block them up…
frostgfx, 16 May 2007May 16 --- The last week has been a whirlwind of progress on the space front, and a deep black hole on the divorce front... but I digress... Last Weds. I took possession…
frostgfx, 19 May 2007Rod: I found some stall matts at Tractor supply--- about 3/4" thick. 4' x 6' = 25matts = $925... to use for pucking under the walls an floors... What do you think about…
frostgfx, 19 May 2007MAY 19 --- 3 layers of degreaser and rinsing later... I have got things together to start the Muriatic Acid Etching process. I called the FD and they told me because I…
rod gervais, 19 May 2007John - the problem with this stuff is that there is really no way to know for sure - because we don't know the duro hardness of the material - and you have to be in the…
frostgfx, 19 May 2007So why not just anchor the sole plates to the floor with double sill sealer adn slap anchors every 4' to bolt the sole plates to the floor/ or put a thick layer of PL400…
frostgfx, 20 May 2007I'd much rather go with dry sand between the sleepers... drop the rubber pucks altogether since they are so damn expensive... Use double sill sealer OR a heavy layer of…
frostgfx, 11 June 2007June 11 --- Finally have some progress to report... Received my permit to block in the window bays last week and the masons have been hard at work! 8 hours pay for a 4…
frostgfx, 24 June 2007June 24th --- Finally some progress... The demo guys came to smash lots of glass out of the 3 window sashes...2 guys 2 more windows (they did the first one about a month…
frostgfx, 13 July 2007July 13th --- I know it's Friday the 13th... but I've given up that superstition in order to complete as much framing as I can before my framing nailer rental is up next…
Ro, 14 July 2007Hai there Frosty, Great pix on a great project. Progress feels good, doonit? However, I'm a bit conserned. On the next picture I see hollow core blocks. Did ya fill'm…
frostgfx, 15 July 2007Ro: Those walls are 8" SOLID BLOCK... I know I carried a bunch of 'em... Today I built the Chill Room back wall, small angle wall at base or Ramp and the header over the…
frostgfx, 16 July 2007July 16 --- So here we are... some pics of the last two weeks of work on Meow Mix. Sole Plates for Control Room Couch Corner. Shawn the framer checking out the framing…
frostgfx, 22 July 2007July 22 --- The past few days have been busy with finishing the Amp Booth framing and ceiling joists, framing the Ramp and Chill Room walls and the Vocal Booth. I also…

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frostgfx, 24 July 2007July 24 --- Ah, the sweet smell of fresh cut lumber wafting through the air, the sounds of the hammer and saw, the scratching of the pencil on the square... now if only…
frostgfx, 23 August 2007August 23 --- What a difference a month makes. 30 days and I have the Vocal Booth Framed and started drywalling, 1/2 the Drum Booth framed and progessing on that right…
frostgfx, 23 August 2007Keith: Thanks for the photo of the lifter. For the time being I am only sheetrocking walls on the flat and lifting them into place. Once I start on the Drum Booth the…
frostgfx, 28 August 2007August 27th --- PROGRESS!!! Finally buckled down, turned anal and cleaned my space, organized every piece of lumber of all sizes (proved very useful today) and took…
frostgfx, 7 October 2007October 7 --- After many weeks away from the studio build due to divorce, health issues and lack of funds/energy... I am back at work on Meow Mix. Today I finally…
frostgfx, 25 October 2007October 24 --- Last two weeks have seen real progress. Vocal Booth is all framed and almost finished with drywall. Drum Booth is 3 out of 4 walls framed; Control Room…
frostgfx, 27 October 2007October 26, 2007 --- What a difference a couple of days can make... Yesterday I got divorced! Got to finally move a bunch of my stuff from the old house (after 15 months…
frostgfx, 1 November 2007Nov 1 --- Well, there you have it... my whole retirement savings going into a life long dream... at least I can bed down in the Amp Booth with the floating floor! But…
Lou, 1 November 2007Hi Jon – Mate, I’ve been meaning to reply to your awesome thread for weeks, but, to be perfectly honest, have been a bit rapped up in my own little project! :oops: By…
frostgfx, 1 November 2007Nov 1 --- Thanks Lou for your support and kind words... I did fair better since we didn't have kids and it took 'only' 15.5 months... of shear mortal hell! You are…
frostgfx, 3 November 2007Nov 2 --- Spent the day insulating the perimeter walls of the CR which have no electric in them... Finished building the North perimeter wall of the CR over to the west…
frostgfx, 6 November 2007Nov 5 --- Today the Builidng inspector came around and signed off on all my framing to date so I can close in 75% of the studio walls built to date. Spent the day…
frostgfx, 10 November 2007Nov 9 --- Spent the last couple of days ordering the last of my kit for the studio minus the CR monitoring system. Thursday/Friday and later this morning, I'll have…
frostgfx, 13 November 2007Nov 13 --- Promises, Promises... I'll get some pics posted later tonite... In the meantime, I've been juggling real work (bulk mailings) with answering the phone…
frostgfx, 24 November 2007November 23 --- Vocal Booth floor insulated and ready for subflooring/final Ash flooring. Amp Booth ready for glass install and doors. Cloth frames will be next along…
frostgfx, 26 November 2007November 25 --- It's been a busy few days trying to get loads of stuff accomplished so the framers can come on and do their thing... Spent 30 hours +/- over the last 2…

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frostgfx, 30 November 2007November 29 --- Whooohooo! Progress at breakneck speed today. HVAC guys showed up at 8 and with three guys (union I presume) hung 25' of 14" x3' x 5' main ducting...…
frostgfx, 7 December 2007Dec 6 --- Finally some progress... Vocal Booth ceiling joists installed today... finish tomorrow and move on to the Drum Booth ceiling joists. HVAC team should be done…
frostgfx, 11 December 200712/10 --- HVAC team is just about done with the ducting install and moving on to the Main trunk lines heading out over the back door out to the space behind me where the…
frostgfx, 11 December 2007Tom: The Ex is still wreaking havoc on finances even after the divorce was finalized by the judge! Also interfereing with the US mail... go figure. I still don't have…
frostgfx, 17 December 2007December 16--- Finally... some pics... 1) Control Room Beam installation/HVAC ducting 2) Information Superhighway...(CR wiring) 3) Looking out from the Vocal Booth into…
frostgfx, 22 December 2007December 21 --- Be careful where you walk... as I found out the hard way at 7:45 on Weds. morning. tripped and fell on my right knee which has been damaged but not…
frostgfx, 29 December 2007December 27 --- Yesterday we got a bunch of things done or almost done..Today I had my knee surgery which went well and I am home recovering. Here are some pics from…
frostgfx, 2 January 2008Jan 2 2008!!!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR! My ex is a Bitch, My ex is a Bitch, My ex is a Bitch, ... you get the idea... Alas, It's 2008 and this year energetically will be one of…
frostgfx, 8 January 2008Jan 7 --- OK... How much are you willing to pay to have three sole plates installed, each measuring roughly 48" and glued/Shot nailed into portland cement? How long do…
frostgfx, 15 January 2008Jan 14 --- Left Knee almost fully recovered and Right knee doesn't need further surgery... I have Golfer's Elbow on the Right side... yada yada yada. I also have a lot…
frostgfx, 29 January 2008Jan 28th --- Just back from 3 days running a Canvas Products trade show in Springfield, MA. While I was away a bunch of sheetrocking got done. This morning the plumbers…
frostgfx, 30 January 2008Jan 30--- As promised here are some shots from last week and today... Lots of progress since last Thursday. Nice to have people who know what they are doing... doing the…
frostgfx, 31 January 2008Here are a few more shots... Drum Booth Corner Trap wall with Super Chunk on the Bottm... 4" 703 fiberglas glued to the walls and Hanging 2" 703 doubled up on…
frostgfx, 10 February 2008Feb 10 --- Friday we finished installing the Live Room ceiling/roof. Insulated the Drum Booth and finished the closet doors in the Ramp area. At the end of the day we…
frostgfx, 14 February 2008Feb 14 --- Happy Valentine's Day! The last two days have been hellish! Still no heat in the space after repeated visits by the installers, bleeding any residual air from…

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frostgfx, 16 February 2008Feb 15 --- Today was a monumentus day for Meow Mix... The Ramp/Chill Room got its ceiling installed! The speaker boxes are all hung and the CR walls are set with drywall…
camistan, 17 February 2008Hey Jon You're progressing right along and things look GREAT! Congrats on the progress and what looks like will be a top-designed studio. I had a question for you... It…
frostgfx, 18 February 2008Feb 17 --- Thanks for the comments about the speaker fly. That had me tossing and turning late at night in recent weeks. How was this going to be engineered? It turned…
frostgfx, 25 February 2008Feb 25th --- Ahhhh! Another week gone by and things continue to move closer to opening day. Last weekend was spent installing the cork floor in the Control Room the…
frostgfx, 29 February 2008Feb 29 --- Today the floor was sealed for the last time and I had a chance to set up my drum kit for some jamming tomorrow afternoon. Spent most of this afternoon…
John Sayers, 26 March 2008I noticed Jon hasn't posted the latest pics, I think he's worn out :D so here they are. Jon, and his crew are doing a wonderful job of this - It's very complex. The rear…
camistan, 26 March 2008Greetings! I had a few questions on those last pics... 1.) Is the rear wall a "diffusor" type build? 2.) It looks as if the speaker box baffle is not flush with the…
frostgfx, 8 May 2008Ah... if only I could take credit for those carpentry skills... Those belong to Tim and "X". As of today, I have the AIR20s working in stereo w/ Sub. Still working on…
frostgfx, 10 May 2008May 10 --- Finally got up some energy to tackle the phantom power problem. Seems two panels were wired correctly and two were wired backwards... Go figure. Sent an…
frostgfx, 15 May 2008May 15 --- Sometimes things just work in your favor.... like the epiphany I had while some friends were rehearsing this afternoon. Now I can make up two more cables and…
frostgfx, 12 October 2008October 11 --- Greetings from Western MA. I've been away for the summer and made no progress from June to September 30... Now that I've rewired my brain, I'm working on…
frostgfx, 27 October 2008October 26 --- Things are back in motion at Meow Mix. The carpenters are hard at work having completed construction of 7 - 4x4' Gobo frames which I am finishing tomorrow…
frostgfx, 1 November 2008Nov 1 --- OK... The Drum Booth is completed and I had my first paying customer in to track two songs on Friday. After some tuning and muffling of the toms, had the kit…
frostgfx, 5 November 2008Nov 5 --- Obama in the White House... now on with our show! Pics from Gobo, Drum and Vox Booth finish work. Happy building. IMG_1937.jpg IMG_1934.jpg IMG_1930.jpg…
frostgfx, 5 November 2008More pics from the latest work. IMG_1941.jpg IMG_1942.jpg

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frostgfx, 7 November 2008Ro: It's been a long strange trip... but the end is in sight and the rooms sound great. Still working out a few bugs and getting acquainted with MIDI and Cubase 4. One…
frostgfx, 26 February 2009Hi everyone: Just checking my mail and forums which I haven't been able to check for awhile. The studio is complete, customers recording and happy with the space and the…
frostgfx, 12 March 2010Greetings to all from Meow Mix... It's been too long since I visited the board, so if you have specific questions, probably better to send me an e-mail at [removed] for…
frostgfx, 21 September 2010Hey everyone... It's September 21st 2010 already. A few updates... 8 channels of Neve 1073 Mic Pres (2 Vintech 473 units) JBL 4328 Nearfield Monitors Peluso 2247SE Tube…