Safety and security. People don't realize they need it too until its too late to do something about it. I knew I needed a security system and monitoring service. I started the due diligence asking for a full install with the largest, ADT. The ADT installation bid consist of 100% batteried wireless door and window contacts (they won't do wired) at $2200 and monitoring at $34 a month. HomeGuard where roughly equilivant. Brinks would do a wired system, but only a few hundred less. I finally went with a local security firm who monitors banks and highrises in the region, who would work with my own installation and wiring. They would do the final inspection for $59 and monitoring at $19 a month.

I chose the ELK M1 security system for the house. The base unit's cost ($300) is a little bit more than the Ademco, GE Concord or V15P systems, but the features of the ELK blows away those other systems. Along with security monitoring and with proper sensors, it can detect the water content of the soil in your yard and turn on the sprinkler system if needed, or automate your home (with PC) and control every electrical device in your house by voice recognition (via RF, X-10, et al). Every geek should have one! Had to order it via mail order, since WA has a strange law about selling security systems to non licensed installers (regardless if they are home owners).

I thought I'd hire a company who specialized in alarm wiring installations for commercial businesses, thinking they would be reliable. Pro-comm is their name. It was a simple job: wire 3 doors, and 10 windows (I would do the rest of the windows myself, since they are at basement level). They could make holes in the walls and window sils if required. It took them 4 hours to do 2 doors and 2 windows. They also showed up at a day and time when they weren't scheduled, and I had to race over from work to let them in, and old me (when they arrived) they couldn't finish because they had an emergency to attend to 4 hours from then. They said they would come back next week. It took them two weeks to come out again, while I was at work. I didn't bother to race from work this time. They appologized, saying they would call to setup an apointment. Guess what, they called 5 weeks later!

I have since picked up a 3 foot flex drill bit ($23) and fish pole ($10), and completed the wiring on my own... Contractors, can't even trust the commercial kind.

Toys! Gotta love 'em!

A few nights ago, I responded to an ad on craig's list tools section:

Kity K5, French made multipurpose woodworking machine and #695 very powerful shop vacuum/ dust collector that attaches to the K5. The K5 was intended to compete with Shopsmith. It has a table saw, planer, jointer, shaper and slot mortising attachment and has numerous accessories and instruction manuals.

I was soon on my way to a garage that sits upon a hill, over looking Portage Bay and the famous Sleepless In Seattle floating house. B was selling the K5 and dust collector (see pics below) that his wife bought when she was learning woodworking. She had made one table about 5 years ago, and hadn't used it since. The machine looked almost new. The motor's hum on the K5 was so quite, one could hear whispers. And with only a few spots of surface rust on the chuch (the tables are made of some rust inhibiting alloy), I was sold. I talked him down $380, and he threw in 500' of 1x2's of alderwood left over from a project.

I rented a van this morning to haul my new toys back home ($33). I had to disassemble and reassumble each of the tables to get them down to the basement shop (the machine weights over 200 pounds). I ran a few scraps though, and they cut like butter. Toys! Gotta love 'em!

I’ve made a decision. After getting quotes from numerous mills around the region (as well as from other states) for the custom shiplap siding, I’d decided to venture down the wood workers path. I’ll build up a basement shop and mill the siding myself. The shiplap siding was only the first in many molding and trims I’d have to replace on the house. The exterior crown moldings (3 different styles) and trims (4 styles) need replacing, along with all the window casements. Did I also mention the interior is devoid of any window, door or stairs trim as well? I also wanted to put up a box or a frame type of molding as well.

Last week I started combing the free section of Craig's List; a great resource for the avid pack-rat. One can find free lumber, free tools, almost anything free. The problem is that one usually has to be the 'first caller'. I was lucky on a Friday morning. I picked up a Delta 50-850 dust collector (which only need a new hose, $5), a Delta 34-444 table saw, devoid of motor and 60 dry 2x4x12s that came from a botched remodel, that had some nails. I'll buy a new (or used) motor for it soon. There is also a tools section as well. I'm just about out the door on my way to look at a French machine that has 7 different power tools in one, driven by one motor; switch the belt around to run the other tools (joiner, planer, shaper, band saw, table saw, sander and ?). I think he wants $375 for it...