Arts and crafts: Bathroom Tile, Plus

It was a long weekend and it feels like I pissed it away.

I finally finished hanging the wall tile in the bathroom.

Then as I was pulling out the spacers, a section of tiles came down onto me. The tile needs 90% contact with the wall and you can see from the residue actually on the wall, I was hitting about 2%. The large gap created by the bow in the wall was just too much. If I had used smaller tiles, like 4-6″ tiles, they would have likely followed the contour of the wall. But these large format tiles are tricky.

With the leftovers, I put in a backsplash in the mud room.

I even had time for a lot of cleanup. I used a small circular saw (4″) with a tile blade to clean up grout lines where floor tiles are too close together. I made sure the depth gauge was set to make sure I didn’t penetrate the waterproof barrier under the tile.

Next weekend, grout.

Arts and Crafts: Tile

Moving right along. Finally able to get the wall tile up. I had to buy a bigger saw from China freight to handle the 12×24″ tiles. I wish I had it all along. It would have made all those floor diagonals much easier. The new saw also cuts the tiles better with less chipping at the edge. The right tile was cut by the old saw. Left by the new one.

The tiles are pristinely flat. The wall I’m putting them on is not. This will lead to variations and gaps between the tile and the wall. The tile is supposed to have 90% contact with the wall. I’ll be lucky if it hits 15% in some places. Good thing no one will be walking on it. Also good thing I bought this tile on clearance. I have plenty for wastage and wont care it the whole job needs to be replaced … by the next people who own this place.

I don’t know who put up these walls, but he needs to buy a straight edge and a level.

It’s hard work bending over for each trowel of thinset. I mix it the thickness of peanut butter so it sticks to the wall better and doesnt run off. It also fills the gaps better

I got lucky. The window ledge I put in is exactly at the height of an even tile. No cutting needed on that block.

Arts and crafts: Window

So…. still working on the bathroom and my creative consultant tells me the window is 4″ too far to the left. It overhangs the bench in the shower and prevents anyone from later adding a shower door.

So. Cut out the old window and unscrew the wallboard. Then frame in the new window, (36×36), re-insulate the wall, seal the gaps, install house-wrap outside, install new window, and freehand the wallboard.

Tada!! New window. Now I can finish installing the baseboard tile on that wall.

MERRY CHRISTMAS one and all.

Even you Godless communists, pagans, militant atheists, and Mohammedans.

May you all continue to have the great blessing of living in a country founded and maintained by the worshipers of the Risen Christ… instead of those rat-infested crap holes where non Christians are dominant.

May you communists out there still earn a great living because you live in a country that isn’t communist, despite your best efforts to bring it down.

Why would I be so magnanimous to the open enemies of my nation, my religion and my culture? Because that’s what being Christian is. Also, because I share the lifeboat that the communists, mohammedans, pagans, and militant atheists are trying to drill holes in the bottom of. The longer ther continue to prosper in this land. The longer the lifeboat is sound for the rest of us.

Of course, we could ensure our lifeboat stays sound by kicking all the destructive elements out. But that wouldnt be very Christian.

Art and crafts: welding

I bought the cheapest welder from China Frieght. Under a hundred bucks for a flux core welder.

Here you can see my weld versus the factory weld. The device did a pretty good job. The metal was sealed nicely, though a bit ugly due to my own inexperience.

I also cut the flange from the existing pipe and welded it onto the new pipe, creating a nice bolt on connection.

Vacation update

I went on vacation. Took a ten day cruise and just got back.

1. Longer cruises have the advantage of very few kids. This is more than offset by the addition of geriatric customers. Imagine everything taking an hour or two longer to make time for all the people in walkers and scooters. Ships were not made for that. Boarding ramps are too steep. Hallways are too narrow.

2. The crew did an excellent job feeding me multiple times a day.

3. Private beaches in Aruba and curcoa were awesome. Warm, clear water and tropical beezes.

Above video was taken on my phone, in a zip lock bag.

4. I am happy to report that after crossing the entire gulf of Mexico and Caribean sea, I did not spot a single plastic straw floating in the water. We can call this one a success and have our straws back, please? I also did not find any floating garbage of any sort.

Quid pro quo

The democrats are putting a lot into this argument.

I don’t care.

Every agreement with any foreign government, to include all of our treaties and military alliances, is quid pro quo. Every single one. If we aren’t getting anything in exchange for what we give, it’s charity, not foreign affairs.