Not too much happened today. Actually a lot did, but it doesn't seem like it.
It was rainy, so we had to stay inside. Otherwise, we would have done more of the roof.
I learned how to do insulation. It's REALLY easy, I was shocked. All you do is stick it between the studs.
I learned a little more about electrical from J, the retired Intel supervisor.
There is something called Romex, that's a sheathed cable that contains three 12-gauge wires, black, white, and bare/grounding. This is for recepticles. It's a yellow cable. The white one is for 14-guage wires, for lights. And theres a bigger, orange one that's 10-guage, for the dryer.
The afternoon I spent watching a toilet being set. I have to say that was pretty boring. But now I know.
Tomorrow, if it rains, I will probably be following Jim around, getting him things, and learning more about wiring.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Skil saw day
Today is day six of the job. Today we actually did some work that felt like what i did during my NCCC year in South Carolina. I took a picture, but now I can't find the cable for the computer! One day.
There was a really cute dog at the site, and four kittens. Don't worry though, they seemed happy, I think the neighbor's taking care of them.
I spent most of the time learning how to better use the SKIL saw. I think that's what it's called. I cut OSB for the first layer of the roof. Mostly learned about measuring though, I guess that's most important. The saw has a front edge that's 1 1/2" and back edge of 3 1/2". That became important to make straight "factory cuts". (Don't worry I'm using safety glasses)
I also relearned something I never quite could do when I did Habitat before, which is using the "square" to determine at what angle to cut the roof pieces. Once you know the angle of the roof, you subract that from 90, and pivot the square along the board until you reach that resulting number. I know it sounds boring, but simple but useful tools always impress me.
Mel is a good teacher, even though he swears a lot, and screams at you when you mess up. (He's just joking of course).
I talked a bit with a coworker. He does good impressions of people, and seems to like to gossip. There is a lot more gossip in construction than I would have guessed. Everyone hates our new boss (new as of September) because apparently he's a perpetual liar, and never works when he comes to the sites. I hear a lot about the old boss, who was "the most laid-back guy you've ever met," and who had made a banjo (??) out of a dead tree, and then could play it too. They got more houses done with him.
Getting up before sunrise still depresses me a bit. I think it's because of the negative connection I have of it with my old job, which made me a little crazy. Good music in the morning helps (thank you again Justin!). Not having to worry about what my coworkers and supervisors think of me helps.
There was a really cute dog at the site, and four kittens. Don't worry though, they seemed happy, I think the neighbor's taking care of them.
I spent most of the time learning how to better use the SKIL saw. I think that's what it's called. I cut OSB for the first layer of the roof. Mostly learned about measuring though, I guess that's most important. The saw has a front edge that's 1 1/2" and back edge of 3 1/2". That became important to make straight "factory cuts". (Don't worry I'm using safety glasses)
I also relearned something I never quite could do when I did Habitat before, which is using the "square" to determine at what angle to cut the roof pieces. Once you know the angle of the roof, you subract that from 90, and pivot the square along the board until you reach that resulting number. I know it sounds boring, but simple but useful tools always impress me.
Mel is a good teacher, even though he swears a lot, and screams at you when you mess up. (He's just joking of course).
I talked a bit with a coworker. He does good impressions of people, and seems to like to gossip. There is a lot more gossip in construction than I would have guessed. Everyone hates our new boss (new as of September) because apparently he's a perpetual liar, and never works when he comes to the sites. I hear a lot about the old boss, who was "the most laid-back guy you've ever met," and who had made a banjo (??) out of a dead tree, and then could play it too. They got more houses done with him.
Getting up before sunrise still depresses me a bit. I think it's because of the negative connection I have of it with my old job, which made me a little crazy. Good music in the morning helps (thank you again Justin!). Not having to worry about what my coworkers and supervisors think of me helps.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
6 months in Sac
This is an account of my time working for a home-building organization. It is mostly for myself- to remember what I learned and did. But also for family and friends- whenever you want to see what I did today (or this week, don't want to get ahead of myself) here is where to look.
I wish I had a picture to put here.
Maybe I'll be able to get one tomorrow.
Since I've been working a week, here is a little list of what I've done so far:
-shadowed electrician for a day (long day). learned about the grounding wire, what a GFI is, what a recepticle is, how the energy goes from the telephone lines, to the house, to the "box", to every room of the house.
-"framed" around HVAC vents in ceiling for drywalling later
-what "toenailing" a nail means
-how to install towel racks (lots of them)
-how to install door knobs
-how to cut metal with a chop saw
-how to "crochet" an extension cord
on a side note
- tonight I'm feeling slighltly stranded in my new (but really nice) room. My stressed out vet student-roommates are turning out to be a little too anal and particular for my taste. Hopefully it's just midterms.
-I guess I "had" to rent Sydney White to remain in my comfort zone while going through another "life transistion". I see that I like to use "quotes" a lot.
-i am absolutely putting up with NO bullshit ("sorry Suzanne, you're going to have to get used to how we talk around here" I've heard this three times so far. They are nothing compared to guys at my last job on smoke breaks!) between roommates with pets who shouldn't live in townhouses and landlady's who are very subtley manipulative, in a mean librarian kind of way.
I wish I had a picture to put here.
Maybe I'll be able to get one tomorrow.
Since I've been working a week, here is a little list of what I've done so far:
-shadowed electrician for a day (long day). learned about the grounding wire, what a GFI is, what a recepticle is, how the energy goes from the telephone lines, to the house, to the "box", to every room of the house.
-"framed" around HVAC vents in ceiling for drywalling later
-what "toenailing" a nail means
-how to install towel racks (lots of them)
-how to install door knobs
-how to cut metal with a chop saw
-how to "crochet" an extension cord
on a side note
- tonight I'm feeling slighltly stranded in my new (but really nice) room. My stressed out vet student-roommates are turning out to be a little too anal and particular for my taste. Hopefully it's just midterms.
-I guess I "had" to rent Sydney White to remain in my comfort zone while going through another "life transistion". I see that I like to use "quotes" a lot.
-i am absolutely putting up with NO bullshit ("sorry Suzanne, you're going to have to get used to how we talk around here" I've heard this three times so far. They are nothing compared to guys at my last job on smoke breaks!) between roommates with pets who shouldn't live in townhouses and landlady's who are very subtley manipulative, in a mean librarian kind of way.
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