The Journal of Light Construction articles from December 2002

The Journal of Light Construction archives from December 2002

Gauge block for crown. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2002... To the Editor: We use many of the same techniques that Gary Katz outlines in his excellent article on running crown molding (9/02). One thing we do a little differently is make a gauge block that is sized to both the rise and the run of...

Waterproofing membranes need drain. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2002... To the Editor: The excellent overview in "Waterproofing Basement Walls" by David Frane (9/02) may leave some misconceptions in the mind of the casual reader. Waterproof membranes, by definition and by design, resist hydrostatic pressure....

More on overhead. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2002... To the Editor: At first, I was quite interested in the concepts presented by Les Deal in "How to Charge for Overhead" (9/02). I especially liked his concept of fairness and the idea that marking up material prices at times can appear fishy...

Not inspired. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2002... To the Editor: Congrats on 20 years, and thanks for an issue full of meaningful details. This magazine remains one of our favorites--so helpful and informative. Keep up the great work and thanks for many years of learning. I will say,...

Drawing conclusions. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2002... To the Editor, I enjoyed the 20th-anniversary issue (10/02), particularly the "Best-Practice Construction Details" illustrations. If it's true that a picture is worth a thousand words, then your artist, Tim Healey, must be JLC's all-time...

Court ruling could put codes on the web: postings exceed "fair use," code-writing organizations say. (NoteBook).(building codes)
December 1, 2002... If a Texas Appeals Court ruling is upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, building codes adopted states and towns could become freely available over the Internet. The Southern Building Code Council International (SBCCI) has turned to the high court...

Study examines staple-up radiant heating. (NoteBook).
December 1, 2002... How do aluminum heat-transfer plates and insulation placement affect the heat output and recovery time of staple-up radiant floor heating systems? A recent ASHRAE-funded study conducted at Kansas State University--and described in the Radiant...

The Northeast Florida Builders Association will teach construction skills to cadets in the Florida Youth Challenge Academy. (OffCuts).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... The Northeast Florida Builders Association will teach construction skills to cadets in the Florida Youth Challenge Academy, according to a report in the Jacksonville Financial News and Daily Record. The academy program, which is sponsored by...

Home mortgage foreclosures in the Atlanta metropolitan region have nearly doubled in 2002. (OffCuts).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... Home mortgage foreclosures in the Atlanta metropolitan region have nearly doubled in 2002, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle. The paper reports that roughly 20,000 homes have been advertised for foreclosure during the year. Experts...

Fannie Mae is offering experimental "smart commute" mortgages. (OffCuts).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... Fannie Mae is offering experimental "smart commute" mortgages to Pennsylvania home buyers who locate near public transportation. Under the pilot program from the nationwide backer of home mortgages, borrowers can apply estimated savings from...

Bob the Builder has replaced Barney the purple dinosaur. (OffCuts).(Britain's cartoon role model)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... Bob the Builder has replaced Barney the purple dinosaur as a cartoon role model for many children, according to the Associated Press. The AP story noted that in 2001, Bob's theme song, "Can We Fix It? Yes, We Can!" became Britain's...

Solar goes to Washington.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... For ten days this fall, by touring a collection of temporary solar-powered houses on the National Mall, visitors to Washington, D.C., had a chance to experience what solar enthusiasts hope the future of housing will look like. The structures...

Cheap OSB limits market for wheat-straw board. (NoteBook).
December 1, 2002... North America, it appears, is not about to run out of trees. Alberta, Canada, for instance, is cutting only 68% of what it considers to be its maximum sustainable tree harvest, according to provincial government reports. But even if...

Engineers at MIT are developing tiny turbine engines. (OffCuts).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... Engineers at MIT are developing tiny turbine engines that could eventually be used to power portable hand tools. An article in the July 2002 issue of Smithsonian magazine speculates that a tiny kerosene-fueled turbine generator, etched from a...

Ten years after wreaking havoc on South Florida, Hurricane Andrew has gained strength. (OffCuts).(Hurricane Andrew found to be stronger than previously thought)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... Ten years after wreaking havoc on South Florida, Hurricane Andrew has gained strength. In August of 2002, scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that the destructive storm was even stronger than...

Pope John Paul has blessed a Toronto SIPs house. (OffCuts).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... Pope John Paul has blessed a Toronto SIPs house being built by Habitat for Humanity. According to the Structural Insulated Panel Association newsletter, the pontiff performed the "drive-by blessing" of the 21-by-44-foot bungalow from the famous...

Union-funded home mortgages. (Notebook).(state-based home-loan program favors unions)
December 1, 2002... Most single-family houses in the U.S. are built by nonunion labor, but an innovative home-loan program now in operation in several states aims to give union labor a larger piece of the residential-construction pie. ProLoan mortgages--which...

Building barn doors. (Q&A).
December 1, 2002... Q. I need to build three pairs of swinging barn doors to fit 8x7 openings. I'm looking for suggestions for a lightweight but sturdy door that won't fall apart. My approach was a sheet of 3/4-inch mdo with an applied 5/4 stile-and-rail effect....

Margin math 101. (Strictly Business).(advice on professional markups for construction businesses)
December 1, 2002... Many magazine articles advise contractors to apply a "professional markup" to their bids. But what, exactly, is a professional markup? Does a 50% markup make you a professional, or should you apply 67% to qualify? The simple answer is, if you...

Installing a skylight: weave the flashings, membrane, and roofing together properly for a worry-free installation.
December 1, 2002... I design and build custom sunroom additions in Chittenden County, Vt. (see "Building Custom Sunrooms," 5/00). Many of these rooms include skylights as a practical way of adding glazing overhead. I install around 20 skylights each year, so I...

Using a Volt-Ohm meter: use this versatile tool to trace wires, troubleshoot water heaters and light switches, and even check your truck battery.
December 1, 2002... As an electrician, it would be impossible for me to identify or locate problems without my VOM (Volt/Ohm meter). It's so important I always carry two in my truck, one as a backup. The tool's versatility makes it invaluable for an electrician,...

Detailing laminate flooring: well-planned transitions are key to a good-looking installation.
December 1, 2002... There are two basic types of laminate flooring: square or rectangular tiles, which are usually made to simulate stone or ceramic tile; and plank flooring, which resembles wood. In both cases, the laminate surface is bonded to a substrate of...

Cost-effective marketing for builders: beef up your marketing with the help of co-op dollars from manufacturers, supplier, and subs.
December 1, 2002... My building business in Lindon, Utah, has grown and changed a lot in a short time. A few years ago I was building just three or four custom homes a year. But then two things happened. First, I started building both specs and customs and...

Cutting barrel-vault rafters: a site jig allows fast, accurate cutting and assembly of these curved composite framing members.
December 1, 2002... Our company recently completed an extensive addition and remodel job on an old New England farmhouse. Among the design challenges confronting us were two vaulted portico roofs abutting the main gable roof. The rafters were specced by a...

Is speaking English a valid job requirement? (Legal Adviser).(Column)
December 1, 2002... Before my husband's retirement, when he was still running a job site, he objected to hiring people who couldn't speak English. When I pointed out that that could be a problem under the antidiscrimination laws, he said, "I don't discriminate. I...

Bright idea. (Products).(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2002... Promising longer life, increased efficiency, better color rendition, and superior durability, LED light bulbs are almost certain to increase in popularity. They're already providing the illumination for an increasing number of traffic lights...

Screen saver. (Products).(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2002... Screen door closers can literally be ripped from a doorjamb when a propped-open door is forced closed by a careless occupant or a gust of wind grabs an out-swinging storm door and takes it for a ride. The brightly polished Ultra Jamb Reinforcer...

New tile backer. (Products).(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2002... No customers would be thrilled to find a crack in their new ceramic tile floor. The manufacturers of Crackless Cork Underlayment promise to put an end to stress-cracked tile. The cork-and-rubber composite is said to have good moisture...

Window seeding. (Products).(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2002... Although their popularity had fallen off somewhat, garden windows, once limited to kitchens and bath rooms, are now finding their way into family and dining rooms. The Gardenaire Window's vinyl construction provides greater resistance to a...

Everybody needs a buddy sometime. (Products).(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2002... No matter what the task, it's good to have a buddy to help out. The Work Buddy, a polyethylene jug originally designed as a paint holder, is now being touted as a device for holding nails, fasteners, and small hardware as well. The bright...

Nice knife. (Products).(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2002... It slices, it dices, and there's no beating a utility knife for job-site versatility. But pocket portability can be a bit too dicey with your typical toolbelt saber. The Superknife packs a razor-sharp utility blade into a slim, anodized...

Computer space maker. (Products).(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2002... If your customers have asked you to squeeze a little more space into their kitchen for a computer, you might suggest a Nova Retrofit Kit, which allows a monitor to be installed under a counter. The tempered-glass viewing panel and adjustable...

The Hatchet cordless reciprocating saw. (Toolbox).(product evaluation)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2002... Given the worldwide popularity of the Sawzall, one might expect Milwaukee to rest on its laurels and simply refine its existing models. But about a year ago, Milwaukee introduced the Hatchet. The innovation caught my attention, and I recently...