architecture design

New Hi-Tech Tools & Gadgets


Over the last year Ridgid has come out with several great new products that take some fairly advance technology and make them cheap enough for use by anyone. Three good examples of these are the IR Thermometer, Micro Seesnake and the Gas Sniffer.

IR-100

The IR-100 infrared thermometer is probably my new favorite toy around the shop. This is a great technology with an extremely convenient application and after using it for only a few times you’ll think, how did I get along without this before. There are many obvious applications for HVAC, plumbing, mechanic, electrician, home inspectors and the list goes on and on. Then of course there are those age old questions man has struggled with for years which can now be answered such as… how hot is this McDonalds coffee really?   

micro seesnake

The Micro Seesnake, which hopefully everyone is pretty familiar with by now as we have mentioned it several times is another gret new hi-tech gadget. Really there was nothing around before this for the price that was so versatile. Great for plumbing, HVAC, home inspection, electrician, mechanics and everyone else, it has a million uses. For plumbing it can’t really replace the larger Seesnakes for most plumbing work but with up to 30’ of extensions and at a fraction of the cost it does save lots of lugging around the big equipment for the smaller jobs.  

Gas Sniffer CG-100

The CG-100 Gas Sniffer is another great new Ridgid product. This tool makes finding combustible gas leaks very simple with an easy to read LED meter and audio or vibrate modes. Again this is a great technology with a very simple application to making many people’s job not only easier but also much safer. And at the price of only $242 it should be an obvious choice for many toolboxes.  

Original post by blogs@bobvila.com (Dave)


Over the last year Ridgid has come out with several great new products that take some fairly advance technology and make them cheap enough for use by anyone. Three good examples of these are the IR Thermometer, Micro Seesnake and the Gas Sniffer.

IR-100

The IR-100 infrared thermometer is probably my new favorite toy around the shop. This is a great technology with an extremely convenient application and after using it for only a few times you’ll think, how did I get along without this before. There are many obvious applications for HVAC, plumbing, mechanic, electrician, home inspectors and the list goes on and on. Then of course there are those age old questions man has struggled with for years which can now be answered such as… how hot is this McDonalds coffee really?   

micro seesnake

The Micro Seesnake, which hopefully everyone is pretty familiar with by now as we have mentioned it several times is another gret new hi-tech gadget. Really there was nothing around before this for the price that was so versatile. Great for plumbing, HVAC, home inspection, electrician, mechanics and everyone else, it has a million uses. For plumbing it can’t really replace the larger Seesnakes for most plumbing work but with up to 30’ of extensions and at a fraction of the cost it does save lots of lugging around the big equipment for the smaller jobs.  

Gas Sniffer CG-100

The CG-100 Gas Sniffer is another great new Ridgid product. This tool makes finding combustible gas leaks very simple with an easy to read LED meter and audio or vibrate modes. Again this is a great technology with a very simple application to making many people’s job not only easier but also much safer. And at the price of only $242 it should be an obvious choice for many toolboxes.  

Original post by blogs@bobvila.com (Dave)


Location1840nleavitt
1840 N. Leavitt, Chicago Map

Owner
Alex Pearsall

Architect
Norsman Architects

1840 N. Leavitt is an existing 100 year old multi-unit residential building being converted to a single family residence with 6,000 sf above grade and 3,000 sf below grade of habitable space, totaling 6 bedrooms and 5 baths. This is another example of the jumbo-sized home that works to counteract its large size with a variety of green measures. The project is seeking Chicago Green Homes and Energy Star certification.

Envelope basics are handled with soy-based foam insulation and triple-pane windows, but the energy approach adds in solar thermal as the primary heating source. Although many green homes in Chicago are using solar thermal for domestic water heating, only a handful are using it for space heat as well. Here, the heat is provided via warmboard radiant floor, an interesting product that serves both as subfloor and radiant heating panel, eliminating the need to pour a lightweight concrete topping slab over the radiant tubing. I’m told this product is popular in Colorado, but there haven’t been a lot of applications in Chicago; readers are invited to comment with their own experiences. Finally, cooling is provided via a geothermal system, which also backs-up the solar thermal heat.

On the materials side, existing structural framing members being removed are being re-milled on site for use as exterior cladding, and numerous other recycled-content or certified-wood products will be used. Central light cores penetrating to the basement address the challenge of providing natural light to most areas of this large home. Outside, a green roof, rain garden, and rainwater cistern help address stormwater management on an existing site with a large amount of impervious area.

Other project team members include general contractor Sutherland Pearsall, HVAC and geothermal contractor TDH Mechanical, and structural engineer Louis Shell Structures.

Original post by Erik


Miriam Landman, owner of M. Landman Communications & Consulting, is a Northern California–based green building advisor and environmental writer. She is a LEED Accredited Professional and has a master’s degree in Urban and Environmental Policy from Tufts University. Question: I am looking for the best websites or sources of information to help me become a green builder. My father and I run a construction business and we are looking to turn green in every way we can.
– G. Marshall, Oakland, CA Answer: There are many ways that you can educate yourself about green building and gain the credentials to market yourself as a green builder. I’ve mentioned a few examples below, from easier steps to greater levels of involvement. Online and Off-line Publications
A relatively easy and inexpensive way to start learning about green building is through websites, magazines, and books. BuildingGreen.com is an extremely informative website; many of its resources are available free of charge, but I highly recommend subscribing to the online BuildingGreen Suite ($199 per year, or $12.95 for one week) or to the print newsletter, Environmental Building News ($99 per year for small businesses). Since you’re a builder, you also might want to take a look at Green Builder magazine and look for the green articles in Fine Homebuilding magazine. For more in-depth or comprehensive information, see GreenHomeGuide’s book recommendations (displayed in the sidebar to the right). Organizations
Becoming a member of a green building organization will give you access to additional information and will help you connect to a broader network of green building professionals. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is the largest national organization in this industry, and the Council has chapters throughout the country, including a Northern California Chapter with many active committees. Another strong organization that’s based in the Bay Area is Build It Green. Green Building Guidelines
Start using a set of green guidelines on your projects. Several green building rating systems are now available, including the USGBC’s LEED for Homes, Build It Green’s GreenPoint Rated (for projects in California), the federal government’s Energy Star Homes, and the NAHB’s Green Home Building Guidelines. Online and Off-line Training In the Bay Area, many organizations and venues host educational programs for aspiring and active green building professionals. Many of these programs are free or low-cost. Providers include: the PG&E Pacific Energy Center in San Francisco, Green Building Exchange in Redwood City, Building Education Center in Berkeley, and the Solar Living Institute in Hopland (and San Francisco). Or if you’d rather do most of your learning from the comfort of your home or office, you could take advantage of the increasing number of online learning programs, such as the Boston Architectural College’s online sustainable design courses or the “webinars” offered by Environmental Design + Construction magazine, the USGBC, and others. You could also attend a green building conference; major regional and national conferences include West Coast Green, Greenbuild, and the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) National Green Building Conference. Professional Certification
To go a step further, some builders choose to become a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) by taking the USGBC’s rigorous accreditation exam. This is currently the most recognized and prestigious national standard. One way to prepare for the exam is to attend one of the USGBC’s LEED trainings, which are offered in various locations throughout the year. Within California, Build It Green also offers a certification through the Certified Green Building Professional program. In addition, several colleges and universities now offer green building degree programs. (For a selection of Bay Area programs, see the Local Educational Program Providers section at MLandman.com.) Marketing Your Green Business
Once you’ve gained some green credentials and green project experience, a good way to market your services is to have your business listed in one or more of the online directories of green building professionals, such as GreenHomeGuide’s directory of green pros in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York. Best of luck on your green building journey. And welcome to the green building community! For more information: GreenHomeGuide offers a wealth of green building information in its Know-How sections, Ask A Pro articles, and Green Directories. See my list of recommended green building resources—including some that are specific to the San Francisco Bay Area—at MLandman.com. GreenHomeGuide’s Ask A Pro archive has answers to dozens of other green home questions from our network of the best and brightest green architects, designers, contractors and consultants across the U.S.

Original post by Erik


 

Where can I go to talk about power tools? Obviously the internet is full of great resources about all sorts of things but what are the best forums for talking about power tools? It’s not always easy to find what you want when using the search engines; sometimes it’s best to ask the questions in a forum full or knowledgeable people.

There really are not many forums specifically for Power Tools however there are many good places to discuss topics about what the tools are used for. For instance, if you are looking for information on Bosch Routers your best bet would be to look for woodworking forums which there are several great forums.
Woodnet.net 
Woodworking.com 
Woodworkingtalk.com

The best forum to talk strait power tools would have to be the Ridgid Forum  which is probably a little bias towards Ridgid seeing as all the moderators get their paychecks from them. That being said they still allow people to talk openly and don’t remove negative reviews, from what I’ve seen. There are all sorts of threads on Bosch, Milwaukee, Porter Cable, DeWalt and many other brands as well. The forum also has great discussion topics for Plumbers, Electricians, Construction and Woodworking.

The Thomasnet Forum is another good forum which is starting to reach critical mass. A little spammy at this point but I think it’ll shape up and be a good resource for many of the industries they currently serve such as Aerospace, Automation/Robotics, Machine Shops, Fabricators, Manufacturing and many others. Thomasnet is a huge directory resource for many companies.

If you would like to mention any other good forums for talking power tools post a comment and let everyone know! 

 

 

Original post by blogs@bobvila.com (Dave)


 
 

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