Today, I Became a Man

CraigSca · 05-24-2005, 05:00 PM

No...this is not some sexual coming-of-age post, this is about DIY at the home.

Today, I took an existing outlet and light switch in my son's room and did the following: cut a hole in the ceiling, added a braced ceiling fan rough-in, ran new wiring from the light switch through the walls into the attic, added a new switch to control the light in the fan (used the existing one to turn the fan off/on) and the thing actually works!

I've done the process with existing rough-ins but never had to do all the wiring/switches myself. Needless to say, I'm proud.

/incoming sarcastic comments....

lurker · 05-24-2005, 05:07 PM

I did that when I was 17 to all the lights in my parents house

Well, maybe not the attic part.

I hope I didn't become a man then.

Passacaglia · 05-24-2005, 05:08 PM

You had a son when you were 17?

Lurker, we need to talk.

lurker · 05-24-2005, 05:09 PM

About which part? The man part, the son part, or the being mean to Craig by belittling his accomplishment? I guess you're finding out about all my terrible secrets today.

gottimd · 05-24-2005, 05:12 PM

I thought this was a thread about someone having a Bar Mitvah.

CraigSca · 05-24-2005, 05:17 PM

It's okay to belittle - I come from a "Call the Electrician Because the Lights Went Out" kind of family. I'm hoping to break that horrible trend with my son.

CraigSca · 05-24-2005, 05:18 PM

dola - the attic is half the fun - straddling two beams while drilling a hole and then eventually fish-taping the wire through (man, does that have sexual connotations or what?). Meanwhile...even though it's 55 degrees outside it's 90 in the attic - I think I lost 10lbs in water-weight.

AlexB · 05-24-2005, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CraigSca

No...this is not some sexual coming-of-age post, this is about DIY at the home.

Today, I took an existing outlet and light switch in my son's room and did the following: cut a hole in the ceiling, added a braced ceiling fan rough-in, ran new wiring from the light switch through the walls into the attic, added a new switch to control the light in the fan (used the existing one to turn the fan off/on) and the thing actually works!

I've done the process with existing rough-ins but never had to do all the wiring/switches myself. Needless to say, I'm proud.

/incoming sarcastic comments....

If it had been attempting this DIY task, the thread title would have been 'Today, I became a Eunuch'!

Hats off to ya feller for not injuring yourself while doing home improvements - that's always a success in my book. The fact that it went as planned is one of those unexplained miracles that happen from time to time!

lurker · 05-24-2005, 05:20 PM

That does sound like fun. I miss living in a house and being able to tear it apart. Shelves in an apartment doesn't cut it.

CraigSca · 05-24-2005, 05:25 PM

Thanks

When I thought I was complete not only did the fan/light combo not work, but we no longer had any power in the room (that's typical of my DIY jobs). Anyway...an hour of trouble-shooting and we were back in business. I'm popping open a brewski in my honor

Scoobz0202 · 05-24-2005, 05:28 PM

I have been trying to become a man for the past 3 weeks. I am trying to change the water pump in my car, and I figure that is a 1 day, probably 2 hour job for a mechanic. In about 4 days work, and about 7 hours per day, I have the old one out, new one in. Only thing left is putting the serp. belt on and I have spent 5 hours on that and I can't get it on

I will report back when I am a man...

CraigSca · 05-24-2005, 05:31 PM

Good luck, Scoobz! Isn't that the one where you have to remove the timing belt before even attempting (may be a Japanese car thing)?

Airhog · 05-24-2005, 05:47 PM

scoobz0202: took me 2 hours to do the job on my fiance's car. Whats the problem?

judicial clerk · 05-24-2005, 06:14 PM

make sure your fire insurance is paid up, man.

Scoobz0202 · 05-24-2005, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airhog

scoobz0202: took me 2 hours to do the job on my fiance's car. Whats the problem?

Supposedly one of the wheels is supposed to rotate too allow the belt to slide on easily, but I can't get the damn thing to budge.

Glengoyne · 05-24-2005, 08:04 PM

Very good job with the wiring. My father is very handy,as is my father in law, so I rarely actually have to do anything around the house, except be their gopher and occasionally lift something or other. I am hopeless with a set of tools.

As for the water pump. That took me a full eight to ten hours the first and only time I have ever done anything like that. Now I go to the mechanic.

hhiipp · 05-24-2005, 08:11 PM

If I had to replace a water pump I'd first have to go buy a book on my vehicles to show me a diagram of where the water pump is located.

LoneStarGirl · 05-24-2005, 08:25 PM

...cars have water pumps?

Sidhe · 05-24-2005, 10:53 PM

I built a basement room, but I didn't do any of the electrical work. Maybe I should have, because when the occupant plugged in a light in one outlet, the stereo exploded in another..

Bee · 05-25-2005, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneStarGirl

...cars have water pumps?

sure...in case they flood.

05-24-2005, 05:07 PM	#2
lurker High School JV Join Date: May 2001	I did that when I was 17 to all the lights in my parents house Well, maybe not the attic part. I hope I didn't become a man then. Last edited by lurker : 05-24-2005 at 05:07 PM.

05-24-2005, 05:12 PM	#5
gottimd Dearly Missed (9/25/77-12/23/08) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: DC Suburbs	I thought this was a thread about someone having a Bar Mitvah. __________________ NAFL New Orleans Saints GM/Co-Commish MP Career Record: 114-85 NAFL Super Bowl XI Champs In memory of Gavin Anthony: 7/22/08-7/26/08 Last edited by gottimd : 05-24-2005 at 05:13 PM.

05-24-2005, 05:17 PM	#6
CraigSca Pro Starter Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Not Delaware - hurray!	It's okay to belittle - I come from a "Call the Electrician Because the Lights Went Out" kind of family. I'm hoping to break that horrible trend with my son. __________________ She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! She loves you, yeah! how do you know? how do you know?

05-24-2005, 05:18 PM	#7
CraigSca Pro Starter Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Not Delaware - hurray!	dola - the attic is half the fun - straddling two beams while drilling a hole and then eventually fish-taping the wire through (man, does that have sexual connotations or what?). Meanwhile...even though it's 55 degrees outside it's 90 in the attic - I think I lost 10lbs in water-weight. __________________ She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! She loves you, yeah! how do you know? how do you know? Last edited by CraigSca : 05-24-2005 at 05:23 PM.

05-24-2005, 05:25 PM	#10
CraigSca Pro Starter Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Not Delaware - hurray!	Thanks When I thought I was complete not only did the fan/light combo not work, but we no longer had any power in the room (that's typical of my DIY jobs). Anyway...an hour of trouble-shooting and we were back in business. I'm popping open a brewski in my honor __________________ She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! She loves you, yeah! how do you know? how do you know?

05-24-2005, 05:08 PM	#3
Passacaglia Coordinator Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Big Ten Country	You had a son when you were 17? Lurker, we need to talk.

05-24-2005, 05:09 PM	#4
lurker High School JV Join Date: May 2001	About which part? The man part, the son part, or the being mean to Craig by belittling his accomplishment? I guess you're finding out about all my terrible secrets today.

05-24-2005, 05:20 PM	#9
lurker High School JV Join Date: May 2001	That does sound like fun. I miss living in a house and being able to tear it apart. Shelves in an apartment doesn't cut it.

05-24-2005, 05:28 PM	#11
Scoobz0202 Pro Rookie Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Dayton, Ohio	I have been trying to become a man for the past 3 weeks. I am trying to change the water pump in my car, and I figure that is a 1 day, probably 2 hour job for a mechanic. In about 4 days work, and about 7 hours per day, I have the old one out, new one in. Only thing left is putting the serp. belt on and I have spent 5 hours on that and I can't get it on I will report back when I am a man...

05-24-2005, 05:31 PM	#12
CraigSca Pro Starter Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Not Delaware - hurray!	Good luck, Scoobz! Isn't that the one where you have to remove the timing belt before even attempting (may be a Japanese car thing)? __________________ She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! She loves you, yeah! how do you know? how do you know?

05-24-2005, 05:47 PM	#13
Airhog Captain Obvious Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Norman, Oklahoma	scoobz0202: took me 2 hours to do the job on my fiance's car. Whats the problem? __________________ Thread Killer extraordinaire Yay! its football season once again!

05-24-2005, 06:14 PM	#14
judicial clerk College Benchwarmer Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Portland, OR	make sure your fire insurance is paid up, man.

05-24-2005, 08:04 PM	#16
Glengoyne Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Fresno, CA	Very good job with the wiring. My father is very handy,as is my father in law, so I rarely actually have to do anything around the house, except be their gopher and occasionally lift something or other. I am hopeless with a set of tools. As for the water pump. That took me a full eight to ten hours the first and only time I have ever done anything like that. Now I go to the mechanic.

05-24-2005, 08:11 PM	#17
hhiipp College Prospect Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: OH	If I had to replace a water pump I'd first have to go buy a book on my vehicles to show me a diagram of where the water pump is located.

05-24-2005, 08:25 PM	#18
LoneStarGirl College Starter Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Little Rock, AR	...cars have water pumps?

05-24-2005, 10:53 PM	#19
Sidhe H.S. Freshman Team Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: NOVA USA	I built a basement room, but I didn't do any of the electrical work. Maybe I should have, because when the occupant plugged in a light in one outlet, the stereo exploded in another..

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