Finished my project bike! - Page 5 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

03-01-2005, 01:52 AM

Zoot Katz wrote:
> Contractor:
> - A gambler who never gets to shuffle, cut or deal.
>
> Bid Opening:
> - A poker game in which the losing hand wins.
>
> Bid:
> - A wild guess carried out to two decimal places.
>
> Successful Low Bidder:
> -A contractor who is wondering what he left out.
>
> Home Office Estimate:
> -The cost of construction in heaven.
>
> Project Manager:
> -The conductor of an orchestra in which every musician is playing a
> different song.
>
> Construction Claim:
> -The contractor's guess at the amount of money needed to transform a
> net loss into a gross profit.
>
> Critical Path Method:
> -A management technique for losing your shirt under perfect control.
>
> Strike:
> -An effort to increase egg production by strangling the chicken.
>
> Delayed Payment:
> -A tourniquet applied to the pockets.
>
> Completion Date:
> -A point at which liquidated damages begin.
>
> Liquidated Damages:
> -A penalty for failing to achieve the impossible.
>
> Auditors:
> -People who go in after the battle is lost and bayonet the wounded.
>
> Lawyers:
> -People who go in after the auditors and strip the bodies.
> --
> zk

I have that hanging on the wall of my office. It's all so true. I
think the definition of Liquidated Damages is the best. Not to offend
architects, but I always delight when they turn to the contractor for
advice because what they drew on paper is impossible to build. Their
ego, which has been a major problem throughout the job, finally falls a
notch or two. Now I am working with architects the same age as my kids
who are out of college and trying to prove themselves in architectual
firms. What a nightmare. Working with an architect just out of
college. I've come to believe education begins they day you leave
college and step out into the real world.
All Good Things,
Maggie.

03-01-2005, 10:08 AM

1 Mar 2005 02:52:05 -0800,
<1109674325.140922.167190@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups .com>,
"Maggie" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote, in part:

> Now I am working with architects the same age as my kids
>who are out of college and trying to prove themselves in architectual
>firms. What a nightmare. Working with an architect just out of
>college.

We did an addition to a home that incorporated seventeen custom
sliding glass doors. The owner owned the factory making them. This
addition was larger than the existing house and was to be a showcase
for when he was entertaining his wholesale clients. The plan specified
the sizes of the rough openings, abbreviated _R.O._

When the doors arrived we measured and measured and measured again
until finally joking that _R.O._ must've meant "right on" for the
door's sizes. At the site pow-wow it was confirmed that _R.O._ did, in
fact, mean "rough opening" and the openings were within a sixteenth
inch of the sizes specified, square and dead plumb.

After the finger pointing went all around the circle and back again,
the question "what to do?" still remained.

I said to the architect, "well we could pare a little bit off each of
the trimmers and get them to go in." He looked blank and said, "You
mean plane some off". Me, dumb as a hammer, said, "No, I meant pare,
like with a paring knife. We could use a plane but I was thinking more
of a chain saw or axe so we can get all the way into the corners." He
freaked at the mention of chain saw and started blubbering silliness.
Then I realised he'd never before heard or used the verb _pare_.
I guess college educations aren't what they used to be.

We pared each trimmer about an eighth inch with a small chain saw,
just enough so the doors would fit and allow some room for insulation
and the metal to expand. I got a bottle of Dom Perignon and the doors
are still there today.

.. . .so are some steel beams and columns that weren't needed after the
plans were changed to suit a specially enacted by-law prohibiting any
more flat roofs in *that* neighbourhood. Of course, the new roof
couldn't be built as drawn, but that's another story.
--
zk

03-01-2005, 10:08 AM

1 Mar 2005 02:52:05 -0800,
<1109674325.140922.167190@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups .com>,
"Maggie" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote, in part:

> Now I am working with architects the same age as my kids
>who are out of college and trying to prove themselves in architectual
>firms. What a nightmare. Working with an architect just out of
>college.

We did an addition to a home that incorporated seventeen custom
sliding glass doors. The owner owned the factory making them. This
addition was larger than the existing house and was to be a showcase
for when he was entertaining his wholesale clients. The plan specified
the sizes of the rough openings, abbreviated _R.O._

When the doors arrived we measured and measured and measured again
until finally joking that _R.O._ must've meant "right on" for the
door's sizes. At the site pow-wow it was confirmed that _R.O._ did, in
fact, mean "rough opening" and the openings were within a sixteenth
inch of the sizes specified, square and dead plumb.

After the finger pointing went all around the circle and back again,
the question "what to do?" still remained.

I said to the architect, "well we could pare a little bit off each of
the trimmers and get them to go in." He looked blank and said, "You
mean plane some off". Me, dumb as a hammer, said, "No, I meant pare,
like with a paring knife. We could use a plane but I was thinking more
of a chain saw or axe so we can get all the way into the corners." He
freaked at the mention of chain saw and started blubbering silliness.
Then I realised he'd never before heard or used the verb _pare_.
I guess college educations aren't what they used to be.

We pared each trimmer about an eighth inch with a small chain saw,
just enough so the doors would fit and allow some room for insulation
and the metal to expand. I got a bottle of Dom Perignon and the doors
are still there today.

.. . .so are some steel beams and columns that weren't needed after the
plans were changed to suit a specially enacted by-law prohibiting any
more flat roofs in *that* neighbourhood. Of course, the new roof
couldn't be built as drawn, but that's another story.
--
zk

03-01-2005, 11:17 AM

Zoot Katz wrote:
> 28 Feb 2005 08:37:21 -0800,
> <1109608641.196441.181480@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups .com>,
> "Maggie" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote, in part:
>
> >And lets not even discuss liquidated damages if you do not finish on
> >schedule. When the consent to final payment and all release of
liens
> >are signed and the state is happy the nightmare is over....the
picture
> >of the building is finally your reward. The reward meaning you can
get
> >the hell off that job site and move on.
>
> I always figured you're not done until the pile of paper equals the
> height of the building.
>
> Construction Definitions excerpted from the Sudbury Home Builders
> Association Newsletter which appeared in the Greater Vancouver
> Division of the Canadian Home Builders Association Newsletter and is
> now appearing here without anybody's permission.
>
> Contractor:
> - A gambler who never gets to shuffle, cut or deal.
>
> Bid Opening:
> - A poker game in which the losing hand wins.
>
> Bid:
> - A wild guess carried out to two decimal places.
>
> Successful Low Bidder:
> -A contractor who is wondering what he left out.
>
> Home Office Estimate:
> -The cost of construction in heaven.
>
> Project Manager:
> -The conductor of an orchestra in which every musician is playing a
> different song.
>
> Construction Claim:
> -The contractor's guess at the amount of money needed to transform a
> net loss into a gross profit.
>
> Critical Path Method:
> -A management technique for losing your shirt under perfect control.
>
> Strike:
> -An effort to increase egg production by strangling the chicken.
>
> Delayed Payment:
> -A tourniquet applied to the pockets.
>
> Completion Date:
> -A point at which liquidated damages begin.
>
> Liquidated Damages:
> -A penalty for failing to achieve the impossible.
>
> Auditors:
> -People who go in after the battle is lost and bayonet the wounded.
>
> Lawyers:
> -People who go in after the auditors and strip the bodies.
> --
> zk

And you deserved that bottle of Dom Perignon. And maybe a box of cuban
cigars. The worst feeling in the world for an architect is when he
realizes his plans are wrong and he has to turn to the contractor to
get him out of the situation he finds himself in....I love those times.
;-)
All good things
Maggie

03-01-2005, 11:17 AM

Zoot Katz wrote:
> 28 Feb 2005 08:37:21 -0800,
> <1109608641.196441.181480@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups .com>,
> "Maggie" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote, in part:
>
> >And lets not even discuss liquidated damages if you do not finish on
> >schedule. When the consent to final payment and all release of
liens
> >are signed and the state is happy the nightmare is over....the
picture
> >of the building is finally your reward. The reward meaning you can
get
> >the hell off that job site and move on.
>
> I always figured you're not done until the pile of paper equals the
> height of the building.
>
> Construction Definitions excerpted from the Sudbury Home Builders
> Association Newsletter which appeared in the Greater Vancouver
> Division of the Canadian Home Builders Association Newsletter and is
> now appearing here without anybody's permission.
>
> Contractor:
> - A gambler who never gets to shuffle, cut or deal.
>
> Bid Opening:
> - A poker game in which the losing hand wins.
>
> Bid:
> - A wild guess carried out to two decimal places.
>
> Successful Low Bidder:
> -A contractor who is wondering what he left out.
>
> Home Office Estimate:
> -The cost of construction in heaven.
>
> Project Manager:
> -The conductor of an orchestra in which every musician is playing a
> different song.
>
> Construction Claim:
> -The contractor's guess at the amount of money needed to transform a
> net loss into a gross profit.
>
> Critical Path Method:
> -A management technique for losing your shirt under perfect control.
>
> Strike:
> -An effort to increase egg production by strangling the chicken.
>
> Delayed Payment:
> -A tourniquet applied to the pockets.
>
> Completion Date:
> -A point at which liquidated damages begin.
>
> Liquidated Damages:
> -A penalty for failing to achieve the impossible.
>
> Auditors:
> -People who go in after the battle is lost and bayonet the wounded.
>
> Lawyers:
> -People who go in after the auditors and strip the bodies.
> --
> zk

And you deserved that bottle of Dom Perignon. And maybe a box of cuban
cigars. The worst feeling in the world for an architect is when he
realizes his plans are wrong and he has to turn to the contractor to
get him out of the situation he finds himself in....I love those times.
;-)
All good things
Maggie

03-01-2005, 12:33 PM

Pat Wrote:
> I was given a mountain bike in pretty sorry condition as a project bike
> I
> stripped it down to the empty frame and rebuilt it one piece at a tim
> (with
> the help of some bicycle repair books). Along the way I learned a to
> about
> how bikes are put together and some of the little "tricks" to gettin
> them
> to work right. Yesterday, I finished putting the new cables on the
> derailleurs and I actually got them to work correctly!
>
> I highly recommend this approach to learning how to work on a bike. By
> removing a lot of the tension involved in working on a good bike,
> wasn't
> afraid to goof it up. But, now, I have confidence I could replace the
> cables and cable housing on my good bike. I now see the way to fi
> that
> front derailleur that has been auto-shifting from the middle chainrin
> to
> the granny gear by itself. And, as a bonus, I have a sense of
> self-satisfaction that comes from working with my hands and brain t
> create
> something of value---that actually works!
>
> Don't get me wrong---I am not an accomplished "wrench" after doin
> this. I
> spent about $100 on tools and supplies, and it took about 2 weeks t
> do,
> working in spare time. Still, I have a good, workable
> front-suspension
> mountain bike without rust and grime on it. Everything works!
>
> Pat in TX

Couldn't agree more. In my youth I scoured the scrapyards for frame
and parts to build bikes... Great Fun! Is still do it now and then.
just finished rebuilding a damaged Cannondale Ironman (a friend sold m
for $50) which I left in Australia so I can ride it when I'm there
Saves hefting a bike half way round the world and back

--
Dominic Sansom

03-01-2005, 12:33 PM

Pat Wrote:
> I was given a mountain bike in pretty sorry condition as a project bike
> I
> stripped it down to the empty frame and rebuilt it one piece at a tim
> (with
> the help of some bicycle repair books). Along the way I learned a to
> about
> how bikes are put together and some of the little "tricks" to gettin
> them
> to work right. Yesterday, I finished putting the new cables on the
> derailleurs and I actually got them to work correctly!
>
> I highly recommend this approach to learning how to work on a bike. By
> removing a lot of the tension involved in working on a good bike,
> wasn't
> afraid to goof it up. But, now, I have confidence I could replace the
> cables and cable housing on my good bike. I now see the way to fi
> that
> front derailleur that has been auto-shifting from the middle chainrin
> to
> the granny gear by itself. And, as a bonus, I have a sense of
> self-satisfaction that comes from working with my hands and brain t
> create
> something of value---that actually works!
>
> Don't get me wrong---I am not an accomplished "wrench" after doin
> this. I
> spent about $100 on tools and supplies, and it took about 2 weeks t
> do,
> working in spare time. Still, I have a good, workable
> front-suspension
> mountain bike without rust and grime on it. Everything works!
>
> Pat in TX

Couldn't agree more. In my youth I scoured the scrapyards for frame
and parts to build bikes... Great Fun! Is still do it now and then.
just finished rebuilding a damaged Cannondale Ironman (a friend sold m
for $50) which I left in Australia so I can ride it when I'm there
Saves hefting a bike half way round the world and back

--
Dominic Sansom

03-01-2005, 11:49 PM

1 Mar 2005 12:17:12 -0800,
<1109708232.016962.14580@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups. com>,
"Maggie" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>The worst feeling in the world for an architect is when he
>realizes his plans are wrong and he has to turn to the contractor to
>get him out of the situation he finds himself in....I love those times.

"The physician can bury his mistakes, but the architect can only
advise his clients to plant vines."
- Frank Lloyd Wright
--
zk

03-01-2005, 11:49 PM

1 Mar 2005 12:17:12 -0800,
<1109708232.016962.14580@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups. com>,
"Maggie" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>The worst feeling in the world for an architect is when he
>realizes his plans are wrong and he has to turn to the contractor to
>get him out of the situation he finds himself in....I love those times.

"The physician can bury his mistakes, but the architect can only
advise his clients to plant vines."
- Frank Lloyd Wright
--
zk

03-06-2005, 11:39 AM

Maggie wrote:

> ...
> The only rewarding construction is building a shed in the back yard for
> yourself. Or building anything on your own. And even then you may have
> to deal with zoning. Maybe building a birdhouse would be rewarding. A
> 10 million dollar building is another story. It is one cut throat back
> stabbing business and you have to be tough as nails to be in it to win
> it.

I built a birdhouse out of 20,000 psi silica fume/Portland cement/carbon
fiber mix.

--
Tom Sherman - Earth