notebooms useless nonsense

So, i’ve written several times about a relative of mine, Lee Frayer.  Lee had his own car company (Frayer-Miller) during the early 20th century, raced in the first Indy 500 and takes credit for several innovations (invented the first V6 automobile, introduced air cooling innovations that companys like VW latched onto years later, invented the first wire wheels, etc.)  Being a car guy, im fascinated by the history…

Well, i just discovered that one of the Frayer-Miller cars won an economy race that was held in 1906 between Los Angeles and Pismo Beach (it was mentioned in a June 17, 1906 LA Examiner newspaper.)   The race was promoted by Earle C. Anthony, who was an early California Packard dealer, as well as the founder of the well known AM radio station in Southern California, KFI.

In this race, the contest for the economy prize was to demonstrate the lower expense of traveling in an automobile machine, versus other forms of transportation used during those times.  The notable means of making this trip would have been via train, which would have cost a tad over $6.00 (that seems expensive to me, being 1906 and all…)

E.H. Howe carried 5 passengers with him in his Frayer-Miller.  Took him 2 days to do the trip, at a cost of $1.27 per passenger (everything in connection with the car was considered — cost of oil and gasoline consumed, wear and tear on the car, cost of repairing punctures, and any broken parts of the machine.)  Also take into consideration that there really wasnt very good roads then (more like wagon trails,) and broken springs, etc were a big problem with the cars during the race.

Here’s a picture of a Frayer-Miller that would have been similar to the one that won this race:

-scott noteboom

I’m pretty proud of myself.  Framed my first window.  First i had to build a window sill, which had a couple tough angle cuts to get it straight in the angled bottom window frame. Then boxed the sashes in, and framed around.  Built the top 2×2 to match the lower sill.  Made all this stuff out of nice vertical grain douglas fir.  Used Sikken’s stain, which is nice stuff.  As you can see, i haven’t stained the interior doors yet.

That said, got in some of the hammered copper work goodies that Craftsman Hardware Company made for us…..

1) This is a mock up that shows what the interior door handles look like. I wanted to have the door handles hammered out, but wasn’t in my budget:

2) Matching electrical plates:

3) The mailbox is up:

4) And i hung up the house numbers.  We now officially have an address:

New copper piping going from utility feeder and into the house:

Copper is going to a manifold system and i’ll run PEX for distribution.  Running a variable btu Embassy Onex combo boiler w/ domestic hot water heat (98% efficient when it’s above 32F outside) exchanger, which is arriving next week.  Boiler is because i’m running hydronic heating w/ old style cast iron radiators and radiant floor heating in the bathrooms.

All new gas lines have also been run under the house.  1″ from meter splits to boiler, under fireplace (im going to run a gas converter old coal heat stove) to stove and to back laundry room / enclosed patio.

I fully ripped out the kitchen and have been brainstorming layout:

I found a  knot and tube electrical circuit in this wall w/ exposed wires (eaten apart by rodents) that i’m very suprised didnt arc over the years.

Also been installing new sash locks on the restored sash windows:

We had several holes in the floor throughout the house that had gas floor / wall heaters.  Those were torn out and the floors had to be patched (pain in the ass) and the holes in the walls were patched:

Next week the front door, side gates and front fence panel that i had built (Real Carriage Door Company) will be arriving from WA state in a 900 pound crate that we have to pickup at the Con-Way Freight terminal.  These same folks built the basement hatch doors (which i showed in my previous update, but have still yet to mount yet.  I had to brainstorm a mechanism to help lift open (they’re damn heavy) and hold them open– i’m going to use car hood hinges… duh!)

-scott noteboom

To save money and the headaches of trying to describe what i wanted the stairs to look like, i built them myself (NOTE:  I used salvaged siding, which isnt painted yet, and still have to add trim.)  Anissa painted the porch, after i replaced all the wood that was previously damaged.  This was my first step of stairs i ever built and it was challenging, but doable.

Here is what the old stairs looked like, with the old porch wood. The windows were out at that time for rebuild:

We also decided to DIY tackle refinishing the original wood floors.  I used a hillbilly mix of stains to get the color we wanted.  This room has a whole bunch of wood trim (enclosing the double door area, around windows, doors, picture rail, etc) which is going to look great when it’s done and in (interior wood work is one of the most expensive parts of this project.)

Here’s sanding in process.  We’re using a big drum sander and floor edging sander (rented both.)  Anissa started to strip the redwood built in, as you can see in the back of the picture. That will be all nice wood finish when done.  We’re also going to strip the paint off the fireplace and refinish the redwood mantle.

Here are the recently completed craftsman built basement hatch doors.  Anissa is in process of putting the finish on during this picture:

The doors will go here (and look so much better:)

The interior doors are built (made from vertical grain douglas fir) and i started to hang them:

Met with the electrical inspector last week and got sign-off to have the new 200A panel lit by PG&E:

The inspector also signed off on the new roof and Will Piazza did for me. I served some time as his laborer, and was successful in not falling off that roof– which is about an 8/12 pitch– steep.

Lastly, im in process of working with a structural engineer to get plans for my garage improvements.  I will be making it taller,  bigger, and with a tall open ceiling for plenty of access height for my lift.  The single garage door opening will be replaced with dual carriage house doors, built by the same woodworker who did the basement hatch doors and is currently finishing off the front door and side gates / fence.  The front door and side gate/fence panel should get here in a couple weeks.

Here’s the before starting point for the back, detached garage:

Progress is good.  Lot’s of work.  I’m missing working on my car stuff.

-scott noteboom

In my job, it seems with good work also comes evil. Building big internet shit over the years has helped enable better open communication amongst all– but, at the same time allowed easy means for anti-constitutional government to monitor all communication of it’s sheep (without warrant or cause.)

Lately im working to bring together the smartest Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering professors/students/minds in the world (thus why i’ve been traveling to universities) to build a more efficient, high horsepower, geo-replicated, utility computing grid. In doing so, we can save power, enable more advanced computing to help cure disease, enable learning, etc– but at the same time computing power will be more centralized– which allows anti-constitutional government to establish more control. Why does more freedom seem to demand more control?

On a good note, these universities sure are accepting of an uneducated goon in welcoming me. That’s changed my perspective. Look forward to continuing to work with MIT, Georgia Tech, CMU, Mich State and whomever else wants to play. I’m speaking at Georgia Tech in a couple weeks.

-scott noteboom

As im typing this, im damn lucky….  sitting by myself on an original Morris Settee with my feet kicked up on a Roycroft footstool.  Not only that, but im doing so in the original Grand Salon / Music Room of the Roycroft Inn– staring at a beautiful room surrounded by wall murals of the eight man made wonders of the world (with the Roycroft being the eighth,) painted by Alex Fournier.  Built in 1905, this room served as a lecture hall for Elbert Hubbard (founder of the Roycroft’s,) many known musicians entertained in this room as well.  As I sit here, i’m inspired…… to tell you about my experience today on “the other side of the coin.”

After i finished my work today, i took a quick visit to check out the Graycliff (Martin family summer place) home that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.  Nope– while beyond  amazing, that’s not my biggest inspiration today (do a search and check it out.)  My biggest excitement occurred at a small diner down the road from Graycliff– in a small “town” called Derby, NY.

I decided to have a late lunch at this diner, as it wasn’t McDonalds and looked older mom and pop– which i normally dig.  Going inside, i had a seat with the other customers at the time….. about 3 pairs of fat women who looked to probably be hanging out in there all day.  The waitress was nice and took my order.  Chicken Burger w/ fries and a  diet pepsi.

In walked Scotty.  I knew his name, as everyone greeted him coming in the door.

Scotty asked the waitress for a salad and a pop.  People sure talked loud in this place.  Lisa (the waitress, i now knew her name,) said OK about the pop and asked Scotty if he wanted a glass of ice water.  Scotty looked confused and slightly peeved– “No, i want a pop, like i said!”  Being the high toned sum bitch that he now seemed, Scotty obviously didnt get the intent there.  She quickly got him his pop.

After reminding Lisa that he didnt like black olives, Scotty turned on the smooth moves…. “Where does your boyfriend work?” he asked Lisa.  She replied with a friendly “he delivers mail and works as a cook, Scotty.  Where does your girlfriend work ?”

After a slight pause…… “I don’t have a girlfriend, but i like a girl that works over at Timmy Hortons (coffee/donut chain.”   “Why don’t you ask her out, Scotty?” she countered. Scotty stuttered and changed the subject…. “Hey, my birthdays coming up.”  I learned that Scotty’s birthday is on October 20th, he’s going to be 52. Shortly thereafter, Scotty left without even saying goodbye to anyone. Nobody seemed to notice.

About 5 minutes later, Jim came in….  “Hey Jim.”  “How you doing, Jim.”  “Jimmmmmmm!”  everyone separately exclaimed.

“Scotty just left, he had a salad and a pop,” the waitress told Jim….. who seemed to at least act that Scotty’s salad choice was valuable.

Jim countered with something even more exciting to the group…. “I just got back from The Walmart and picked up a new shirt,” he boasted bobbing around his Walmart bag.  To the surprise of everyone, he pulled out a brand spanking new Buffalo Bills tshirt that everyone got very excited about.  Talk continued on for a few minutes about that shirt.  Jim got so excited, that he had to go into the bathroom and put it on.  Then he left, without saying goodbye. Nobody seemed to notice.

At that point, it occurred to me that compared to my normal world— this was feeling like the Twilight Zone.  Everybody seems very nice, but talked very slow.  They seemed very interested, but not interested at all at the same time.

When Lisa came back to refill my own diet pop, she asked what i did.  “Ah, im just traveling around,” i explained.  I didnt have to offer up anything more, because it was hardly as interesting as Scotty’s crush who worked at Timmy Horton’s or Jim’s new shirt that he got at The Walmart.

This experience was amazing to me.  Roycroft art, Hubbard philosophy, Frank Lloyd Wright architecture and impactful history…… and a typical dialog in the diner of Middle America sticks with the most impact.

God bless America.

-scott noteboom

I watched this video and it reminded me of the beauty of flow.  You can watch & listen while you read on:

There is doing, and then there is flowing– the point when the action becomes nature.  Picture in nature a flowing river– it’s beauty is in h0w it just happens.  It’s incredibly complex, powerful and amazing– and it just happens naturally.

Whether it’s hobby, work or family– always seek flow, as it’s beauty.

That said, you’ll never flow unless you fall.  Have you fallen lately?  I don’t necessarily mean a physical fall.  I mean that the effort must become natural before it flows as part of nature, and that doesnt come easy– and it doesnt come without many falls.  Have you fallen enough lately ?

Currently i’m falling a hell of a lot working on my home restoration and my jiu jitsu game.  These are the same areas I seek flow….. paying my dues to Mother Nature with every fall, until my movements become second nature.

Dave Camarillo is the man when it comes to jiu jitsu flow, so im happy to be learning from the best:

-scott noteboom

I’m really stoked to be restoring our 1908 Craftsman bungalow (note: picture above is a completed example, not mine,) and really look forward to moving in towards the end of the year if everything goes to plan.

Being that i work in next generation technology, people often wonder why I’m so interested in living a traditional lifestyle– one surrounded by old stuff.  I’ll explain a bit why, and how it fits into the Arts & Crafts movement…

The Arts and Crafts movement started in the late 1800’s as a direct backlash against the Industrial Revolution.  Artists and Craftsman felt that mechanization, expanded supply chain & logistics, mass manufacturing and division of labor removed the uniqueness and soul from products, communities and people. It was believed that the machine and mindless labor was root cause of all the “repetitive and mundane evils” the world was evolving towards.

The world we live in today is a direct result of the Industrial Revolution and subsequent globalization. I say the result of this mix isn’t so fucking great…

- Mass production, mass consumerism, globalization and division of labor (this is where people do the same low skill task over and over again– like bolting a door on a car) via assembly line manufacturing sucks.  Mindless. Boring. Blah.

- End-products are cookie cutter copies of each other, with little to no uniqueness. This lack of uniqueness in manufacturing and product is subsequently killing the uniqueness of people– thus turning the world into a society of corporate programmed, obese robots. The human robots of today have uncontrollable hunger to consume empty, unfulfilling items– over and over again with little satisfaction. Just an increased craving for more (reminds me of how another corporate trick named “corn syrup” works on people.) Welcome to the cookie cutter lifestyle of Costco and Walmart.  The same little boxes, for everyone.

The Arts and Crafts movement saw this growing problem early and recognized & respected the following:

- The Artist and the Craftsman are important and are a key to stimulating beauty and uniqueness– as is handcraft production.  High skill and master craftsmanship is valuable.

- Simplicity is key. Quality beats quanity.

- Use of local materials integrated into construction…. making the home part of the landscape, both inside and exterior.

In 1897 the Society of Arts and Crafts was created, with 21 founders who were interested in more than just sales. They focused on the relationship of designers within the commercial world, encouraging artists to produce work with the highest quality of workmanship and design. Here was their credo:

” This Society was incorporated for the purpose of promoting artistic work in all branches of handicraft. It hopes to bring Designers and Workmen into mutually helpful relations, and to encourage workmen to execute designs of their own. It endeavors to stimulate in workmen an appreciation of the dignity and value of good design; to counteract the popular impatience of Law and Form, and the desire for over-ornamentation and specious originality. It will insist upon the necessity of sobriety and restraint, or ordered arrangement, of due regard for the relation between the form of an object and its use, and of harmony and fitness in the decoration put upon it. “

To me, the Arts and Crafts movement was very punk rock like–  a focused, brave rebellion against the grain.  Guys like Gustav Stickley, Frank Lloyd Wright, Greene and Greene Elbert Hubbard started it, and I’m one of many who are here to carry on this traditional lifestyle that celebrates the artist and the craftsman.

-scott noteboom

Over this past weekend, i had the pleasure to spend time with an older couple.  I love nothing more than just sitting back and listening to what they have to say….

So, the ol’ gal was the daughter of Ancil Hoffman– the trainer of former heavyweight champion of the early 1930s, Max Baer.  I’ve always been a big fan of Baer, as he lived in the Bay Area (Oakland) and was a tall power puncher with a good chin (as I took pride in being when i fought.)

I got to hear stories about how she hated being around the gym, knew how to wrap hands, stories about Max, his bout with German Max Schmeling and how he wore a jewish star of David on his fight shorts just to piss the Germans off– as as a salute to her Jewish father.  I also got to see some old pictures and memorabilia– which i was happy to hear she wanted to keep in her family for future generations.

Most people only know of Max Baer as the nasty opponent of Jim Braddock in Ron Howards movie, Cindarella Man– where he was unfairly portrayed.  From all I hear, Max was a great guy.

Learn more about Max Baer here.

And, while you’re at it, make an effort to talk to more old timers and focus on listening rather than telling– they’ve usually got a lot of interesting stuff to say.

-scott noteboom

In 1900, the Catholic Diocese of San Francisco opened a mission in San Jose– on the corner of Palm St and Willow St– to serve the growing downtown Italian neighborhood. By the 1920’s, the mission was replaced by the Sacred Heart of Jesus church and parish house.  Aside from repairs post the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake– it largely remains the same.

Here’s how it looks today:

Today at an estate sale i bought a cool old candle holder that they church used to celebrate it’s opening in 1926:

The family lived around the corner from the church since the 1920’s and the old timer who’s estate i bought this from passed away recently.  $5 bucks for a little piece of San Jose history!

His place was like a museum– with stuff ranging from WWI era to the 60’s.  Here’s a list of things we picked up, in addition to the candle holder:

- clawfoot bathtub for our house project

- a early 1900’s clock (cool as it comes with 1908 repair documentation from a clock repair place in san jose.)  This clock will go above our mantle in the house project. Also a 1950’s Lux starburst clock– likely for the kitchen.

- a bitchen late 1940’s / early 1950’s kitchen table / leaf / chairs for house (we’re doing kitchen circa that era, as earlier is just not practical enough for daily use today.)

- the guy served in WWII.  I picked up his combat knife and a Nazi belt that he took off one of his kills.

- A cool Russel Wright bowl and complete set of eight bar glasses

- 1920’s belt buckle for the leather belt i had made in mexico; old gas can; a cool fondue set; other misc stuff too….

I dig estate sales, old stuff and history.

-scott noteboom

I finally got a new digital camera, so i’ll finally give my first update on my house project (a huge project that we will live in when done.)  It’s a 1908 Craftsman style bungalow in downtown San Jose.  We picked this one because nobody updated it, so it’s great to keep old style (although they abused it badly.)

So, we bought this house in June.  The first step was removing over 80 dumpster yards of junk that was left at the house (probate sale buy.)  There was shit all over the place– inside, outside, underneath in the basement and overhead in the attic…

As you can see, there were broken windows throughout the house.  Here’s windows going into the enclosed patio when i started.  Also notice the fine graffiti spray painting in the interior:

The plaster walls inside were thrashed.  Many holes, many failed patches.  Much writing on the walls.  The carpet was nasty.  Here’s the carpet coming out:

Here I am taking out all the broken windows in the enclosed front porch, so that they can be restored:

Here’s update pics as of today:

#1) Im restoring the windows in batches.  The first batch done were all the broken windows and doors– mostly in the enclosed porch.  I got them back in (except for trim work, etc) and also did some test painting to get a feel on colors.  Here’s some pics of the porch so far:

For a color scheme, im thinking lighter green, with white trim and dark green windows.  Here’s a pic of the rebuilt enclosed patio door.  I found the mortise lockset w/ working skeleton key at the Moss Landing antique fair a couple weeks ago :

My new roof is on.  I hired Will Piazza, a great guy who was a roofer for years to do it– and he did a fine job.  I helped out a bit, but i gotta admit that i wasn’t too cat agile up on that roof– which is steeper than it looks:

You can see that i’ve got my second batch of windows out for restoration (thus why they are boarded up.)  The horrible, long “honeymoon” staircase is coming out next– being replaced with simpler, craftsman era looking stairs.  The attic vent louvers are being replaced by a window in the upper dormer.  The new front door is being ordered this week. The redwood gutters are currently being built, the old ones were rotted and are off the house.

Also complete is the repair work on the interior plaster walls. Notice that i also pulled all the carpet out, revealing the original hardwood floors underneath. All the trim work in the house is also removed and Anissa is beginning to strip / restore.  They were painted and we’re using our cool, new infrared stripper to remove. They (and all the great built-ins throughout the house) will be wood finished in a darker tone. The hardwood floors are going to be refinished with a lighter tone than the trim work and built ins.  Here’s the front parlor room:

Several steps forward, and one step back….. I accidentally stepped through my recently restored plaster ceiling, proving that i’m still an idiot:

Lastly, im posting this picture of the side gates so that i can show my woodworker how things look now (he’ll be building me new gates and fencing– which will be wood finished to match the new front door.)

Next steps over next month:

- finish install of new 200A panel and get new feeder in from PG&E (right now i only have construction power)

- primer all interior walls, get the ceiling i fell through fixed and paint base white (we’ll decide interior colors later.)

- install new interior doors (5 panel, craftsman style.)  Measured them up today, and ordering this week

- refinish hardwood floors (in all rooms except kitchen and bathrooms.)

- begin installing baseboards throughout, along with new electrical receptacles that will be installed in them (along with old style push button light switches.)

- then rest of interior trim can begin to go on.

- stare at current exterior test colors for another week or so.  Exterior paint throughout begins August 27th

- Demo old front stairs / rear porch and construction of new begins within next 2 weeks as well.

- Next batch of windows come back shortly.  They will go in. 3rd batch comes out.

- Begin install of PEX plumbing system and tankless water heater (modern conveniences that are hidden.)  Begin tilework of rear bathroom.

Oh yeah….. today we found a *great* old clawfoot tub for the main bathroom, an an estate sale.  It was sitting behind the garage of the house.  $60 bucks— great deal.  It was damn heavy…

Progress is on schedule and it’s fun.

-scott noteboom