As with some of my earlier projects, I decided to work on something a little practical. I've been marathon watching HGTV's Property Brothers with my lady friend and since we will be moving to Atlanta within the next year and staying there for a while, I figured that we might buy a house. At this point I realized that while I know a lot of the concepts of home improvement and repair, most of it has not been put to practice. Plus, it's great to show someone that you will be living with that you won't leave them with a bunch of holes in the wall and a huge repair bill!
I've lived through a few renovations back home, but my father has always been pretty hesitant to let his young son help out. I don't blame him honestly because time was always at a premium and having to go back and re-do things would of just added additional stress to an already hectic time.
Currently I know a few things handy. I'm confident that I can put boards together and make something of a wall that would stand. I've built bed frames, desks, coffee tables, and even a pantry before that all served their purposes. Best thing I could do right now is invest in a metal square however. Ninety-degree angles and hinges are the bane of my existence.
I've lived through a few renovations back home, but my father has always been pretty hesitant to let his young son help out. I don't blame him honestly because time was always at a premium and having to go back and re-do things would of just added additional stress to an already hectic time.
Currently I know a few things handy. I'm confident that I can put boards together and make something of a wall that would stand. I've built bed frames, desks, coffee tables, and even a pantry before that all served their purposes. Best thing I could do right now is invest in a metal square however. Ninety-degree angles and hinges are the bane of my existence.
Along with wood I also know a little about electrical systems. I've taken courses in physics and electrical circuits which cover a lot of material on how a circuit is formed, in respect to current, voltage, and loads. They never really covered very much on how to wire up an electrical socket or switch so that the light can be turned off from multiple switches. Now, I've put together both electrical outlets and switches before in the past. Most notably, I really pimped out my room in Afghanistan with extra plugs and mood lighting. I would credit my mother with me knowing this, because after I moved out of the house she decided to go back to school and take some trade-school classes. She clued me in on some of the basics and books filled in the rest.
The current project is a simulation of what it might be like if I had to finish a basement or replace electrical and drywall in a room. I figured this was a simple place to start. It would require me to hook up a few electrical receptacle with outlets and a switch. I want to take this further and install a couple of drywall sheets (2' x 2' repair panels) with holes cut for the electrical and finished off with joint compound and paint. So far it's been a little messy and some cursing when it comes to things not being square, but I accept these faults for what they are and will hopefully learn from any mistakes. Here are a few pictures of the current work in progress.
As you can see, it's not perfect, but I think it is not bad for a first attempt. Obviously, things are not spaced out as they would be on a real wall. The switch will eventually be wired to a small light salvaged from a different project. This will all be wired up to a plug so that it can be plugged into an existing outlet and tested. I'm most familiar with that aspect (see mood lighting above). The patch job was pretty rough, but I believe that to be because I purchased the wrong kind of putty. It's a lighter material which is used for small repairs. I hope that it will sand down after it drys so another coat can be put on. Luckily this will never hold any load and the studs are only 18" apart vertically. Once it's dry, sanded, and the light wiring installed where it needs to go, it can be painted and presented as something that shows learning happened.