November 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... more talk than actual labor... seems to be the way things are with some trades...
Anyhow, I hired in a temp for the day and we moved all my mailing tables and equipment into the new mailing space and got everything set up so we'd have some Greatful Dead to stream all day! Then we moved on to some small drywall for the equipment rack enclosure and then framed the Drum Booth inside wall.
Tomorrow morning I'm heading down to Redco Audio in CT to pick up my orders and get the $0.50 tour. Then my temp and I will be back at it with the last of the framing I will be doing and hanging some drywall on the Amp Booth/Live Area wall so I can put the doors into place...No I'm not going to install them... that's for the laser level guys.
Monday I have the HVAC team coming back, the cloth panels in the Amp Booth being fabricated and put into place, installation of the Amp Booth audio panel and with any luck the electricians will be in to run the HVAC power and bend/install my EMT conduit on the floor and into the main CR cable Box under the Console location.
The alarm folks have to come in to run my wires into more conduit and separate the video lines from the monitor/access system control for the console area. Then I can drywall the other side of the Equipment Rack space and install the Winsted rack with some power conditioners, MAC PRO frame and some other stuff. Close off that space with plastic 'door and ceiling' until the CR is completed.
Weds. the framers start and late next week I should have blown in insulation on the South wall roof joists.
It'll be nice to sit back and watch the others busting arse for a change. I have been putting in 12-20 hour days for the past 10 months and I need the rest. Will take lots of pics though...
Have a nice weekend.
Jon
Dec 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 with their work for the time being tomorrow afternoon. Saturday the electrician and I will be laying EMT conduit all over the CR floor from various rooms and reack spaces in the CR to a central junction box under the right wing of the console desk.
Monday the drywallers begin work on the Ramp and then onto the Chill Room, hidden walls of the CR and then the Drum Booth. Once the drywall is complete on the perimeter of the Drum Booth, I can build the Trap walls and install the subflooring in that space.
Weds. the floor installers lay the Vocal booth flooring. The Cloth panel crew will follow right behind them once the 5 speaker boxes have been fabricated for the CR framing crew.
By the end of next week, the Drum Booth should have a ceiling, 2 layers of drywall, glass in the Amp Booth/Drum Booth wall and the cloth panels and audio panel installed in the Amp Booth ready for door installation on the 17th.
Sprinkler gang are going to delay putting roofs on the three rooms with pitched ceilings which is a snag I didn't predict.
Still hoping to have 2-3 rooms complete by year end so I can get some testing done and begin recording some of the local folks in the building. Nice to have guinea pigs in the same building.
Take care,
Jon
12/10 ---
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 condenser unit will reside. The demo crew is almost done, so I hope to have some heat by Christmas. Everyone is working with hats and jackets on at the moment...
Spent Sunday reconfiguring my snake runs in the EMT conduit. 3 rooms complete and working out cable orders given the new layout. Some of my cables came up short since the equipment rack is going to be much taller and sit 18" off the floor above an active storm drain. Now I am gluing down sleepers for the CR a few each day as I don't have enough buckets of joint compound to weight the sleepers while the glue dries overnight. Will be done by weeks end and then work on the sleepers for the Live Room. Thinking about using Cork for the CR floor.Does anyone have experience with this type of flooring? How is it on the feet and knees?
Framers are hard at work on the Drum Booth ceiling joists. Should be done tomorrow or early Weds. Then they'll start framing the CR window walls and the associated speaker fly. Quite the piece of engineering on John S. part... Cantilevered joists hung below a 4" x 16" Glulam beam to hold the weight of Dynaudio AIR 20s... Can't wait to fire them up once the CR is all framed and the ceiling/roof deck installed!
Namaste,
Jon
Tom:
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 Photoshop working in order to shrink photos... huge bummer. Will try to get some photos posted later this week if I can ressurect my other computer with PS 4.
Namaste,
Jon
ms office comes with a pix manager which is capable of scripping and resizing stuff...
otherwise upload'm to some host like imageshack.us which will adjust it for ye.. :twisted:
Tom:
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.
Namaste,
Jon
Definately don't tell her if you meet another woman. Talk about wreaking havoc. :shock:
12 years later and still having to deal with mine on occasion. We have a daughter that graduates this year. Then college, then marraige, then grandkids. Hang in there bud it does get easier with time.
Peace
Tom
December 16---
Finally... some pics...
1) Control Room Beam installation/HVAC ducting
2) Information Superhighway...(CR wiring)
3) Looking out from the Vocal Booth into the Control Room
This week is going to be a ball buster with everyone and their brother coming and going. Hope to have some heat (current temp is 51.2 degrees F), first layer of drywall hung, Acoustic Ceiling grid in the Chill Room/Ramp area, Glass in the Amp Booth/Drum Booth Walls, Doors installed in the Amp Booth, Drum Booth and Vocal Booth, Cloth panels installed in the Amp Booth, Speaker boxes built and ready for installation into the speaker fly wall of the CR.
Begin work on the Acoustic Panel prototype
Get some subflooring installed in the Chill Room and Control Room. Sleepers installed in the Drum Booth.
Hope everyone is staying warm/cool and enjoying the fruits of their labors.
Namaste,
Jon
December 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 broken. My contractors stayed on the job and with luck, have made tremendous progress in my absence. I will check on their work tomorrow morning and take a bunch of snaps to post.
Seems like my budget was way off on the wall finishes :):):)
Have to cut back on the finish work til January... but the Amp Booth, Vocal Booth, Drum Booth and Control Rooms should be complete by the end of January.
If anyone is available to come to Easthampton for a day to help me with crimping/soldering connectors for the snakes, that would be a tremendous help, since I am not able to get around very well and only with crutches/chair until the end of January. Also looking to test out the rooms as they are completed for sound quality and leakage.
Call me at [removed] to set up some time. Any assistance greatly appreciated.
Namaste,
Jon
December 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 yesterday... Drywall hang will be complete next Weds. and all the taping should be complete by the following Monday.
First shot is of the space behind mine which has been demolished. My HVAC unit will sit just to the left of the door and 3 feet off the back wall on neoprene blocks lagged into the cement pad. Still don't have the wiring roughed in yet... soon I hope.
Second shot is of the glass wall install looking from the Drum Booth side into the Amp Booth. Need to fix the fabric inside a bit and remove a couple of bits of painters tape I missed.
Third shot is of the second CR beam in place. The joists running from the rear beam will hang below the front beam and cantilever the speakers from this beam/joist system. There is still a third beam in front of the speaker fly beam to carry the weight of the whole Live Area roof deck which should be in place by the end of next week.
Last shot is of Dimitri, one of two brothers who have been doing anything I ask of them for the last week... nice job to boot. Today is their last day, so I hope to have the insulation completed on all the Live Area walls and the subfloor in the CR almost complete.
Once all the walls are locked together as needed, drywall completed and the Live Area roof deck installed, the sprinkler system can be completed for location, length and 1/2 of the escutcheons installed. After the sprinkler guys finish, I can have my wall finish tream come in to work on the Vocal Booth, Drum Booth and Control Room. I am going to run out of $$$ to complete the Live Area for now, so will work with Gobos and such until I can get the wall treatments completed.
Once I am able to get back to work, I'll begin wiring the snakes from various rooms, and rack equipment looms to the patchbays... and the console once the console desk has been constructed.
Hope everyone has a joyous New Year...
Namaste,
Jon
As much as I love them pix, I do, I HAVE to ask you to resize'm to max 640x640 so we poor people (who can't afford 100" wide screen LCDs) don't ' ave to scroll around to see the whole. It's actually one of the forum's policies....
(technically I'd say: the serverside scripts (php) has to auto resize'm to fit.. but Hell I'm not the administrator of this site.. so, euh. John? :) )
wow, that was quick :)
Yeah, friends happy new hair.. eh, year!
(is it new year already in Aussie John? Still another 12 hours here in the Netherlands to pop that champagne bottle)
Jan 2 2008!!!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
My ex is a Bitch,
My ex is a Bitch,
My ex is a Bitch,
... you get the idea...
Alas, It's 2008 and this year energetically will be one of transition, more hard work and most of all time to take better care of myself, my sweetie Rose and my two cats Sam and Mia.
I appologize for the 640/480 debacle... still digging through the front porch to find the legal version of Adobe Creative Suite 2 so I can shrink my photos properly.
My left knee is healing quite well, however the right one is SOOL.
Need some help on a few things studio related...
Does anyone on forum know of a good resource for help with Apple Final Cut Pro Suite 2 and Video Capture systems? It's been 25 years now since I last worked with video editing and part of my studio will be Audio for Video Post... plan to have FCP Suite 2 with either the new MOTU unit or a Kona 3 Capture System... working from Panasonic DVC Pro 50 VTR as well as others client provided. Want to have the best versatility/compatability for the $$$.
Any suggestions for extending my 2 HDMI 24" monitors through 40' of cable... without breaking the bank... I've seen some CAT5e converters but they are in the $1K range and I'd need two... ouch. Also need similar solution for USB/Firewire 400/800 from my MAC Pro to the Console Desk running in 1" EMT conduit... Really want to avoid a floor bump up if possible.
Looking for assistance with systems integration on site at a reasonable price... could put someone up at my place (have two cats) to save hotel charges... and pay something like $15-20/hr. Must have own tools as I only have one set of soldering/stripping/crimping tools. Need to fabricate something on the order of 400 EDACs and the other ends with XLRs and TRS plugs... by the dozen.
Anyone available to help me put down the sleepers/subfloor in my Drum Booth/Live Area? Something on the order of 500 sq ft. of Advantech t/g plywood sometime in the next two weeks?
We now return you to our regularly scheduled program...
Jon
Jan 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 think this should take?
I've paid almost $1,500.00 for the priviledge... Go figure. There's apparently a lot of 'figuring' to do to determine the angles and such... according to the rocket scientists doing my framing. My take is that they are working time only, so 'figure' they can take their time... Not on my dime.
This is also the case with having my speaker enclosure walls built in the rear of the Control Room. 32 man hours, and they aren't completed yet. What gives.
I don't want to rant any longer... I just want my control room framed properly per the plans. Is that too much to ask for?
I did manage to have 4 doors partially installed. Seems like the installers didn't check for clearance at the door swing, so there isn't enough clearance for the hardwood flooring/clearance space... Guess they'll have to fix that in the morning. Tomorrow after that gets fixed, it's on to the next 3 doors, installation of my HVAC system on Weds. Hope to have some heat cooking by Friday. Monday sees the hardwood installers back to tackle the Drum Booth. Drywallers should be able to finish up as well.
Still limping along with my left knee recovering and my right knee getting worse. Had an MRI tonite and will know soon if I need another surgery. My Ortho guy told me I'd have to be off my feet for 3 weeks in order for both knees to heal properly... That's going to set me back a month at least. Darn it.
More pix coming soon.
Jon
Jan 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 of work in front of me to complete my studio build, mostly by myself.
Tomorrow I will tackle laying sleepers down on the Live Room concrete floor with shot nails and PL400. Once that is complete, I have to re-lay the sole plates ( for the third time) for the Control Room Glass walls.
Once this is complete the Drywallers can finish their work and I can get the Live Room Ash floor laid and all the ash sanded and finished with 5 coats of poly.
I've been hard at work soldering wire looms for the console and some outboard toys.
Still have to hire someone to build the CR glass walls, finish the CR ceiling and roof deck and the ceiling/roof deck over the Live Room. Insulate and seal all 9 doors and construct the two sound lock doors at either end of the Live Room.
I am asking once again if there is anyone who has the time/inclination to help me out for a day or two, I can put you up, paay for grub and you can twiddle the knobs on my toys... If interested, please PM me or call [removed].
Namaste,
Jon Frost
Easthampton, MA
Hi Jon, I'd still be interested in helping you out sometime, but my schedule is utterly crazy right now, trying to absorb some changes in our family structure/routine. Maybe I can find some time in the next several weeks.... have a Dad/Husband overnight getaway or something. My family is good about giving each other alone time when we need it.... :-)
Looks like you're 3-4 hours away from me....
Jan 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 were in to install the solenoid valve for the hot water coil. They put a funky locking cap over the draincock... The acoustic ceiling grid is in over the Ramp/Chill Room.
I spent the day insulating the Vocal Booth ceiling and insulating/acoustic sealing around the Amp Booth doors. Tomorrow I'll start insulating the Drum Booth ceiling.
Weds. I should have the Trap walls in the Drum Booth built, then the ceillng/roof deck in the Control Room completed so I can start insulating that ceiling; installation of the CR door and completion of the double glass walls in the front of the CR including the Speaker Fly. That aught to be interesting.
2/3 we'll be installing the Trus-joist ceiling in the Live Room and the accompanying roof deck. Then the sprinkler guys come back to put in the final heads.
Hope to have the heat working by 2/7 and the balance of rough wiring complete by the same time. Lights and power connected shortly thereafter.
Valentine's Day week the flooring guys come back to lay the Ash floor in the Live Room and sand/finish all the Ash floors.
Things appear to be back on schedule for opening in Mid-March. Keeping my fingers x'd.
Namaste,
Jon
Jan 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 work.
Here 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 homosote... to be installed shorly.
Back corner of the CR showing couch riser, and knee wall which will have super chunk in the bottom and diffuser wall behind with hangin 703 on homosote to the ceiling joists.
Insulation of the Vocal Booth
Have a nice day,
Feb 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 fired up the HVAC system... nice... but no heat. The coil is air locked until Monday when I can get a key for the bloody draincock cover. Surprises around every corner.
Today I hung the can lights for the Live Room, prime painted the Ramp and Chill Rooms and the Vocal Booth wall adjoining the CR. My what a coat of paint will do!
The electricians we busy giving my Studio power, llights and outlets/switches for the 5.1 monitoring system. Tomorrow I will be prime painting the Drum Booth walls, finish insulating the Vocal Booth ceiling and installing 2 mil plastic on the ceiling. Then I'll be working on some wiring harnesses for the Console Rack equipment.
Monday the framers will finish up with loose ends and we'll start hanging the front 3 speaker boxes. That's going to be interesting so will have my camera at the ready!!! Once the speakers are hung, I can install the last 9 can lights in the CR behind my seat and over the console desk. After that I'll be insualating/2 mil plastic on the ceiling once the electrician's finish rough wiring.
Got a nasty surprise about the costs of finish carpentry and building cloth panels/acoustic panels, etc. Seems that the cost of templating/building the cloth frames is wicked expensive along with my Acoustic Panels costing almost $1,400 ea. Going to put the work out to bid with some other finish carpenters in my area. Perhaps that will bring down the price with my neighbors who are currently doing the work for the Amp Booth, Vocal Booth and the CR. All you have to do is use the word 'custom' and the price skyrockets!
Will have a bunch of pics once the speakers are hung and more painting is finished. Things are really moving along fast, though I am going to have to do a bunch of the labor to save $$$ to get things finished.
Take care, work safe, and remember to take time off from your build now and then to gain perspective on all that you have accomplished...
Namaste,
Jon
Feb 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 the HW coil pipes, and confirming that the HVAC system Economizer dampers are working properly. Come to find out that the 'hot' water in the building is only 115 degrees... rather than the usual 160-180 degrees. Now I am caught in the middle of a pissing match between the system installers and the building management about who is responsible for what. All I want is to have 68-70 degrees in my studio so the paint will dry... I don't imagine many people will want to record with jackets & hats on...
This morning I came in to find that all the snow/rain we had overnight had clogged a drain outside my space and water was coming in and down the ramp at the back of my space. Called the insurance agency and was almost immediately told that this probably wasn't covered... WTF?
Spent the whole day stemming the tide and dealing with the pissing match over the lack of heat.
Finally got some dinner and got down to soldering some cables for the outboard racks and painted the Ramp/Chill Room areas along with the Amp Booth front wall and the Vocal Booth/CR wall. It's now almost 2am on Valentine's Day and I have to be back at work at 6:30...
Signing off...
Namaste,
Jon
