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I've never been stung by one-- probably just jinxed myself. Sorry you got stung. Bee stings suck.
 
My garage built by the last owner is framed with rough sawn hemlock and what ever else he could find. The carpenter bees have been a problem for a long time and I used to stand out there and wack them with a badminton racket as they hovered around they were non aggressive to me doing that. I read somewhere maybe here to take a brown paper bag and make it look like a wasp hive and hang it up, so I did and they left for a short time. I was planning on making those jar traps and never did. then last time I changed my oil the neighbor told me to spray it on the wood for the bees.

I filled up my primer paint gun and hooked to 100psi and fogged the whole ceiling. They left town and never came back. not sure if my garage wont go up in flames but the bees are gone.
 
Two of the neighborhoods adjacent to mine are brand new, so lots of houses in various early stages of construction. I was taking the baby on a walk a few days ago and finally saw a worker who looked like he knew English (though the actual hurdle is probably just that I'm shy) and he started talking to me about the weather but I managed to turn it around and ask him what they do with the dumpsters full of scrap 2x4, whether some other company is possessive about it, etc. He said they don't care about it, that he takes wood home all the time, that nobody would care if I came and took some. I could hardly believe it, with lumber prices right now especially being what they are I assumed they'd figure out a systematic way to repurpose as much as they could, but I guess our society's capacity for waste is not to be underestimated.

I came back with the truck that same evening and drove around the development from dumpster to dumpster, grabbing just the few pieces of 2x4 (and some 3/4 OSB!) that I could reach from each one. If I saw anyone at a site I asked them for permission, which they always gave. After maybe 30 or 45 minutes I returned home with what must be about $200 worth of lumber. It was like something out of a dream. Might do another round this weekend. Will use it to build a compost bin and my garage workbench/shelving.

That's a good idea, and it's paid for by the buyers.
 
That's a good idea, and it's paid for by the buyers.
Yeah I kinda feel bad for them. I talked to one elderly couple who were there taking pictures in their home that had just been framed and sheathed, and asked them if they'd mind if I took some scrap out of the huge dumpster out front. The man said he didn't mind but acted as if he didn't have the authority to say for sure. He apparently didn't realize he'd paid for all that material they were throwing away! It's his! There was easily $1000 of wood in that dumpster. Whole 12' lengths of 2x4 that wouldn't fit in my truck, 48x24 sheets of OSB with maybe just a little corner cut out, primed pine board, you name it.

Today I took the kids on a walk in that same neighborhood and the dumpsters were all full again, and my son asked me why they throw out so much material. I told him a lot of people have more money than sense. If I was the buyer of one of those homes I would be livid.
 
Lumber is coming back down, but it will probably never be $2.20 for a framing / general purpose 2x4 ever again. While being a gopher on construction sites in the late 90's and 2000, I would put lumber in piles because there was no room in the dumpsters. On one site, they had what must have been a 16 foot dumpster that was filled when I got there, so I was told to just make a nice enough pile beside it.

I remember that exact site, it was a home that would be valued around 1M when finished, so about 10M in today's money. The supervisor told me it cost them about 100K for all the materials, and probably 4% was waste or so. I don't remember the exact specs, but a 2x4 must have been close to a buck if not cheaper.

Nobody even wanted it for firewood back then. When I get a shop built, I'm keeping everything.
 
I'm a bit envious of all that free lumber. My landlord (before I built my house) was a builder. In fact the house I rented from him was built mostly from leftover material. He would haul scraps home from his latest jobsite for kindling or whatever. I had free access to the scraps and built many stools, small tables, shelves, bird feeders, bird houses and so on from that supply. I miss those days.

I have scrounged from dumpsters at business remodeling sites. Strip malls have businesses coming and going and get remodelled often. A good source if one doesn't mind removing some nails.
 
1M when finished, so about 10M in today's money. The supervisor told me it cost them about 100K for all the materials, and probably 4% was waste
Even if that 4% refers to the 100k figure, that's four grand going into the trash. I think about what I could buy for $4000. Even if I was in a position to buy a 1m home, doesn't mean I like throwing away money. In fact it's likely if I got to that position it's in part because I got good at NOT throwing away money!

Now, I've never built a house so I don't know how much waste is inevitable, but A) I have to think with just a bit of care I could waste a lot less than 4% and B) if I was paying for it I'd buy a shed, put it on the property, and insist on them at least putting the scrap in there where I could use it later. Build a deck or another shed or a gazebo or something. In this kind of market could even sell some of it!
 
Well, yeah. I agree, but the house was being built for a Microsoft executive, so it was probably akin to a vacation tree fort for his kids. I didn't even know what a Miter Saw was back then, the only use I had for the wood was a bonfire to sit around and drink.

When I have my shop built, I will tell the foreman that I'm taking all the scrap. I can put the useless stuff on Craigs as firewood for free and someone will be there that day. I can build tables out of 18" 2x4's, or even smaller for little kids or potted plant stands. They will sell, I have done it before.

My operational motto is Reduce Reuse Recycle, but the recycle part is almost impossible besides corrugated cardboard and glass.
 
I built my house within walking distance of where I was renting on property purchased from my landlord. After I had all the stud walls in place and they were beginning to weather I hired my landlord and his son to put the roof on. His son looked at my scrap pile and told his dad, "There's not a piece of wood in that pile large enough to get another sawcut on."
 
I couldn't resist. Went and grabbed a bunch of three-foot long 4x4 posts out of a dumpster. Probably $100 worth if it had been uncut of the same total length. Now I can build that bed frame I've been designing, and all I have to buy is the hardware so it can be disassembled. I need to build some stuff too, because I am out of room in my garage. But these dumpsters are just full of wood that's going to be thrown away, I can't stand it!!
 
Installed my last Sharkbite fitting in the wall behind a WC. I will watch it for leaks for a few days then reinstall the 31" x 8' redwood wall panel and the WC. Today I am checking for leaks often and will prolly turn the water off tonight so I can sleep w/o concern. I hate plumbing and I have a mix of copper, CPVC and Sharkbite in that wall supplying a soak tub, a tub w/shower and the WC. The soak tub is in the master bath on the other side of the wall.
 
Installed my last Sharkbite fitting in the wall behind a WC. I will watch it for leaks for a few days then reinstall the 31" x 8' redwood wall panel and the WC. Today I am checking for leaks often and will prolly turn the water off tonight so I can sleep w/o concern. I hate plumbing and I have a mix of copper, CPVC and Sharkbite in that wall supplying a soak tub, a tub w/shower and the WC. The soak tub is in the master bath on the other side of the wall.

I have had Pex leak, mostly user error of course, but have never seen Sharkbite leak. Once it's ALL Sharkbite and there is no Pex crimping, I will love plumbing.

What's a WC?
 
Water closet, that's how toilets are designated on construction drawings.
 
Started building my compost bin yesterday. Got the frame and lid done, now just need to cover the sides/back and add the sliding part at the front. (Not sure if I have enough scrap board...otherwise it's back to the dumpsters for me! Which I have to admit I'm kind of hoping for...) Excited to stop throwing compostable material in the trash.
 
I had leftover concrete reinforcement wire from original constriction and just formed a circle of it to contain compost. I placed it in the woods out of view and toss compostables into it. Living alone I have little compost now other than leaves and weeds so maybe I'll just toss used cat litter in it and keep adding leaves. By the time my property is sold after my expiry it would be harmless and could just be leveled where it stands. My compostable kitchen refuse at present is small enough to go in an uncontained pile that is leveled or moved .after composting has finished.
 
I worked unsuccessfully on a dripping faucet. I used to be able to fix them with washer replacement but that no longer seems to work. They are Kohler valvets and I have occasionally replaced the valvet which transfers circular to vertical motion. I have emailed Kohler to see if modern replacements are available. Sometimes Kohler will provide free replacements (wish, wish). I have eight of these in total.
 
I had some interesting conversations in Youtube comments. Learned that AC copper lines are brazed rather than sweated & that my AC guy probably did it wrong. A nice gentleman explained the differences in the processes.

Took mom to two doctor's appointments on Monday. Stopped at the Chinese place to say "Hi" and grab food. He was chewing out some woman who was getting takeout stuff and had overloaded the boxes and spilled a bunch of food all over the front area. Apparently this wasn't the first time she's done it & he was really mad. He vented to me for awhile and then apologized. Said it was so frustrating when people would do things like that and not even care. I understood though. Offered to help clean up a little but he declined and thanked me.

Went home afterward. One of the kittens I took to the vet died. Other one isn't looking so great. I'm sorely tempted to bring him home to take care of him. His mother is nowhere to be found and he's not hydrated enough. Kitten was supposed to be inside still but friend's gf threw the poor kitten out. I popped over there today after picking up mail. Killed a wasp in the living room. Friend's daughter is back from the funeral trip for her maternal grandfather. She told me her brother bullied her the entire way there but stopped when they reached their destination. Poor kid. She looked like she wasn't feeling so great- said she felt nauseous. But she'd just been outside and the actual temperature outside was 101°. Couldn't stay long bc I had to go make lunch for mom. So I cooked for her and then cleaned litterboxes. Namir was so excited about new litter that he got a litter shower jumping under the box as I was pouring it out. LOL.

Last couple of days the heat really got to me. Body aches had me barely mobile and then one of my teeth broke (back lower molar on the right side). Called the dentist & earliest they can see me is August 25. I'll have to see if another dentist can see me see me sooner.

I know lumber won't go down to what it used to be, but I'll be glad if/when it goes down. Metal is still high- not sure if it will go down. Owner of the local hardware store said hopefully metal supply will speed up & lower in price soon. Can't order my barn until then. Poor cows have been hiding under a copse of trees, under remaining parts of the barn, and in the car port.

Friend's daughter said to me that she wanted winter to come back already. I feel her on that one.
 
I called another dentist around 9:30 this morning & told them I broke a tooth. They asked if I could be there by 10. I said "No, it takes at least an hour". So they scheduled me for noon. Got in there and they did an x-ray. Dr. Honey said she thinks my tooth can be saved/filled. Next appointment is the 17th. She gave me a scrip for antibiotics since my doctor confirmed I have mitral valve prolapses. I have to take them an hour before I go in. She told me to get it filled at the Super 1 Foods pharmacy for free. The bad news is the cleaning of all my teeth and filling of 2 will be over $700. Ouch. But local dentist couldn't even see me for assessment until the 25th. I just have to be careful not to break off more of the tooth. Soft foods for awhile I guess.

This morning when I first woke up I wanted to roll on to my right side but Fippy (the chiweenie dog) was in the way. So I rolled on my back and put my arm over him. He looked at me and saw I was on my back so he rolled on his back. It was adorable. He's been spending a lot more time in my room.

Stopped by to check up on my friend. He'd given an ultimatum to his employers- albeit politely. He said he needed to be put on part time/on call instead of full time because with his health he can't keep up with it. Plus he can't find childcare for the baby while the baby's mother is at work. He said he would train someone to do the fulltime work and even train a replacement if they decided to let him go. They answered back that they will keep him on part time & on call and have him train someone who can be there fulltime or be available when he can't go in. Since he is blind in his left eye and has diminished vision in his right eye, he can't see well enough to drive at night.
 
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