Conference 7.286::home_work

    I have been looking for a 6" or 8" 'contour transfer' device.
    These allow a irregular-shaped surface to be 'traced' with a slight
    pressure between the device and the surface. (The unit actually
    has 100's of long straight steel pins lined up side-by-side in
    parallel. The are all held by a center spine.  I used to have one
    but the pins were bent so did not work too well. Not a very expensive
    unit, but I haven't seen them in a long time.
    
    Any clues in the Nashua, Littleton, or Westboro area?
    
    Mark

    Re .2
    
    You can probably find them in any hardware store.  I saw one at
    Channel yesterday, I believe it was called a "Profiler".
    
    pbm
    

    Where to find unusual hardware parts in central Mass:

    I was in Village Hardware in Westboro Mass the other day and they have 
enlarged their stock of screws/nuts/bolts/washers/etc to include things 
like in/outside retaining clips, roll pins, all kinds of odd plumbing and 
hardware bits and pieces that I have seen on stuff I own, but never have 
seen for sale anywhere. My guess is that most of this stuff is strictly 
from an industrial supply house in bulk packages. All these parts have been 
added by the owners to be of help to us and garner business. He told me he 
now has people calling and coming in from a number of towns to get the 
stuff they could not find anywhere else. If you have an odd part that you 
need to duplicate or is missing, call first to see if they stock it and 
then drop in to browse. The selection is amazing. I was told that the next 
items to expand will be metric stuff and stainless steel parts, something I 
have not seen around anywhere else. The selection of stuff here is easily 
much broader and more in depth than the biggest Sharon nut/bolt assortment 
or anything similar.

    To get there:

    Village Lumber
    1 Phillips St
    Westboro, Mass 01581
    508-366-8222  (corrected phone #)

    Head for rt 9 (west) exit of I495. Follow signs for center of Westboro,
    rt 30. At the Rotary in center of town, take Rt 135 north towards rt 9
    and Northboro. Go about 200 yards and Village Lumber/Phillips st will 
    be on your right side. As usual, I have no interest or afiliation with 
    this company, just an interest in finding places that carry what I need
    and can't ever find!

    	Vic H

    	RE .2
    
    	I picked up one of these devices at Somerville Lumber in 
    	Westboro about six months ago.  I can't remember the exact
    	name, but it was about $5.
    
    	Ken 

I'm looking for brass switch-plate and outlet covers.  Satin or antique finish.
Specifically, I need a triple switch plate cover, and a single outlet cover with
one opening for a test/reset type outlet.  

I've tried the 'major' hardware and kitchen/bath stores in the 
Nashua-Chelmsford area with no luck.  I guess I'm looking for a catalog or
specialty store.  Anybody know of any?

- Chris

<                     -< Wanted: brass switchplate & outlet covers >-

    Try Renovator's Supply.  They have stores
    in some local malls, and the main store is in Millers Falls, MA.

    You could call the main store and ask where the local outlets are.
    

      Summerville Lumber has many sizes and types of brass outlet and
    switch covers.
    
    					Kenny

I've seen the brass covers in Grossmans too

    I have seen the covers at Spags in the Old Schoolhouse, if you are
    in the area.
    						Chris

       You could also try Lowell Electric Supply.
                                                         Denny

    RE: .6
    
    	OK, I'll let out one of my secrets :-)
    
    	There is a place (almost) on the corner of Harbor and East Hollis
    	in Nashua called Maroon's (I think that is how it is spelled).
    	They have just about every kind of brass whatever made.  I can't
    	seem to find their number.  Last I remember, they kept fairly
    	weird hours (mostly afternoons).  We get all our brass recepticle
    	covers from them.  Neat place to browse.
    
    - Mark

    I'm looking for a latch for a Dutch Door--specifically the triangular
    piece that hooks the top and bottom together.  The door did not
    come with one, and I haven't been able to find it at a hardware
    or lumber place.  Any suggestions?  Thanks.
    
    Susan

    If you live near (or not far from) Hudson, MA, go to Lamson
    Lumber.  They have them.  I bought one several years ago for
    a dutch door that I made.
    
    
    Mark
    

	I'm looking for clips for holding screens and windows in
	screen doors.  Only they're not the normal ones I've seen
	(everywhere).  The ones I've seen have a slot or hole, and
	the screw threads into the door, holding the clip against
	the screen.  The ones I want have the screw threaded into
	the clip, which forms a clamp that is tightened onto the
	door frame.  There is an extension on the side of the clip
	opposite the clamp to hold the screen in.

	Here is an end view:


                       @ - (screw)
                       |
                     ------\
                       |    \
          +-----------+----  \(clip)
          |           |  -----------
          |  (door    |         +--------
          |   frame)  |         | (screen frame)
          |           |         +--------
          +-----------+------------

    You mean the kind where the treads of the clip get stripped
    after about 1 year's use?
    Would these happen to be from a Sears door?  

    
    Or a Spag's special? I've got the same problem, and will probably
    make up a better system using molly bolts.
    
    CdH
    

    re : .15 screen door clips
    
    If they are the type I think you have ...
    
    You can get them at Somm. Lumber. They come in two varieties of
    angles, 8 to a bag, four of each style, four screws. 
    
    You have to ask at the Door and Window counter for them: They 
    are not on display. They'll have to hunt around a little but
    they do have 'em. 

    I'm missing  one  of the springs that holds up the pull-down attic
    stairs  (or  in  my case, the drop down attic stairs.) Does anyone
    know  where  to  find  such  a spring? (1" coil diameter 1/8" wire
    diameter, just under 12" long rest length, 18 1/2" stretched)

    Grossman's said  that  it  would  be  cheaper  to buy a new set of
    stairs  ($100  !!),  and  Slummerville had one spring but it was a
    little too long.

    What happened  to  an  old  fashioned  hardware store that had odd
    parts?

--David

    I was surprised to find such springs in two different hardware store
    close to my home, and have the impression they are fairly common. My
    spring was about 4-5 inches long by 1/2 inch but there were many longer
    and wider. Spags -of course- has an even more extensive selection.
    
    
    			herb

    One old-fashioned hardware store that has odd parts is Schwartz's.
    It's on Watertown street in the village of Nonantum (also called Silver
    Lake) in Newton, Mass.  It's about five minutes away from the Newton
    Corner exit of the Mass Pike.  They charge list price for everything,
    even trash bags, but they have everything and they give good advice.
    When I worked in a pretty good hardware store in West Newton, we always
    sent people to "Schwartzie's down at the Lake" when we didn't have what
    they needed.  (There is no lake by the way, the city dumped trash in it
    thirty years ago!) 
    
    If it was fasteners they needed we sent them to Albeco Fastener
    on Border street in West Newton, just a minute away from the West
    Newton exit on the Pike.  Albeco will sell you anything from one
    to a truckload of most any nut, bolt, screw, whatever.
    
    A little further down Border Street is the monster plumber, R.P.
    Holmes.  They operate a wholesale/retail plumbing store on the
    premises, including custom cutting.  It's where their own plumbers
    get service.      
    
    Newton is not just another posh suburb.  There are lots of small
    industries there that need these kind of services.  I sure hope
    it stays that way.  
                       

    
    Hope this is the right place to ask...
    
    	Does anyone know of a local (NH/MA) supplier of _folding_ trailers?
    	I've seen a 4'x8' version in a mail order catalog, but the shipping
    	amounted to ~$75.00.  The trailer will be used for a combination
    	utility/12' Jon boat trailer.  Folding isn't necessary, but the
    	ability to hold a 4x8 sheet is.
    
    	Any ideas???
    
    	ADVthanksANCE
    	Moe

    Have you checked the Sears catalog?  They carry trailers of different
    sizes and some are folding.      

    An outfit in Boxborough, Mass builds custom trailers and may be
    able to help you.  They do excellent work at a reasonable cost.
    
    Spec Trailers
    508-264-4909

    
    
    I'm looking for a foam pad 4' by 6' about 3" thick.
    Does anyone have one they want to get rid of or 
    know where I can get one?
    
    Steve 
    dtn: 297-6033
    Mail is perffered   
    HPSTEK::SKIEST

    I've seen numerous sizes, shapes, etc at the different Building 19's.
    you might try one of them, if you haven't looked there yet.
    
    deb
    

         It has been several years since I was there, but I used to go
         to Hygienic (sp?) Mattress on Grove Street in Worcester when
         I needed stuff like this.  Maybe you can check the yellow
         pages for custom mattress companies.

Your best bet might be a packaging material supply house, or a packaging
house. The latter will be more expensive.

Depends on what kind of foam you want: Polyurethane, polyethylene, what
density,....?
 The yellow pages have several listed.

Bob

    
    	There is a place in Milford called Jeffco  Fibres.  From them
    you  can  order a piece of foam cut to  your  dimensions.    Your
    dimensions sound like you want a mattress.  You can  buy  foam in
    various densities for varying degrees of firmness.  I suggest you
    get the firmest foam you can for a 3" thick mattress.
    
        Foam densities  vary  from about 2.2 or less to 3.8 or so.  I
    think the density  is  in  pounds  /  cubic  foot, but the higher
    numbers are the denser foams.
    
    	I bought a piece of foam from Jeffco  for under a futon on my
    platform bed.  I placed an order and picked  up the foam within 1
    week.  I thought they were too expensive, but I didn't comparison
    shop.   My  estimate for a piece of the densest foam the size you
    want is more  than  $100.00  at  Jeffco.  On the bright side, the
    futon is much more comfortable.
    
    

    

    I'm looking for a foam pad 2" thick and 60 X 80 in size to go
    under my mattress on a platform-type bed.  Anymore suggestions
    as to where these can be had cheaper than the previous $100
    price?  Is this thickness less in price?  I want to make a 
    foam box-spring to ease the board marks of the bed.  A regular
    box-spring would make the mattress too high for the bed-frame.

    I can be reached at DEMING::GARDNER.

    Please and thank you.

    justme....jacqui

    You could lay a piece of 3/4" plywood under your mattress (if
    getting rid of board marks is all you're after).  That's what
    we use for our platform bed.  Saves some $ as well.  Plus provides
    a FIRM foundation for the mattress.
    
    Al

    You can also buy the foam shaped like egg cartons from Lechmere's
    or Marshall's. It's about 2" thick and very comfortable. For a
    double bed, it'll run about $25.
    
    If want the kind of foam used for furniture or matresses, you
    can cut it your self with a bread knife. No need to special
    order.

    
    re:.0
         What I want the pad for is the back of my pickup.
         I would rather not pay $100.
         I took a look at sum of the egg shaped pads at AMES I think
         I might go that way.
    
      thanks for all replys
    Steve 

    re .8
    What about an air matress?
    

         Try Railroad Salvage. I was out in their store near/in?? South
    Hadley recently and they had a great selection of foam pads/cushions
    from 1" to 6" thick.
    
         Bob

    Building 19 et al had some advertised in one of their flyers.
    Different sizes.  
    
    	Ted

    re:  last several

    Gee, thanks.  Did try them out and got two pads but must go
    back and get a third to properly cover my queen-sized bed!
    They were *ONLY* $5.99 each!  Quite a difference from paying
    the fortune required at *real* stores.  They were the 2"
    thick pads.  I now no-longer *feel* the slats!

    I would suggest that anyone shopping at Bbdg 19's WASH
    your hands BEFORE you sit down for dinner though!  Wow!
    That place is not known for it's upkeep.  The store in
    Natick, MA is getting an outside facelift I think.  The
    rest of the plaza is undergoing rennovations so don't 
    know what will happen to 19.  I had to really prove who 
    I was to use a check for paying for it.  Also found a 
    bargain on some health type stuff that I got for $1.49 
    which I had purchased elsewhere for $3.99.  

    Caveat....make sure if using check payment to bring at 
    least one thing more than your license that has *your*
    name and address on it.  A light bill, phone bill, other
    checking account!

    justme....jacqui

    
    Can anyone recommend a place in Mass to buy and have prints framed.
    We are looking for reproductions of European Masters ( not Cheryl
    Tiegs and rock bands ) types of prints.
    
    I'm sure that I saw some mention of a location in this file at
    one time, but can't find it now .
    
    Thanks,
    
    
    George
    

    Try FrameKing in Framingham on Rt. 9
    
    They will dry-mount prints of any size.....and also do "matte" borders
    within the fram..  You can buy do-it-yourself frame kits where they
    will cut the frame peice for you..........or you can have them do the
    whole job. Good work at a reasonable price.

    I have had work done by The Frame Shack, in the former railroad
    station in Wakefield, Mass., that was very satisfactory.  If
    you're looking for the prints themselves, try the bookstore of
    the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
    
    pbm
    

    
    you can always buy the prints at the MFA in Boston...the museum
    store has late hours on Wed. and also open on Saturday (maybe
    Sunday too.)  They frame them as well, though they may
    be very expensive...don;t know...never asked.
    
    deb
    

    I strongly  recommend  you  visit  the  Harvard  Coop.  It's in Harvard
    square in Cambridge.  They sell a large selection of very nicely matted
    and framed prints, by  the  sort  of artists you are looking for.  They
    also sell unframed prints, but  in  my opinion the price/quality of the
    framed ones is so good that  I don't try to have them framed elsewhere.
    They also do custom framing.  I've  gotten  most  of  the prints for my
    house there.  Call ahead, as they have  strange Saturday hours (and may
    be closed Sunday).  They also have an enormous  sale  once  or  twice a
    year, don't know when, though.
    
    You can even use my Coop number  ( 435-173-0), so I can get the 5% refund!
    
    ;^) ;^) ;^) ;^) ;^) 
    
    Thanks in advance!
    
    George Dvorak.

    I second the Harvard Coop. They have a good selection and do an
    excellent job framing.  They are not quick or cheap though.  They
    offer advice on framing and a extensive variety of frames and matting.
    
    I've never been disappointed with their work
    
    Michelle

Good selection at the Coop at Kendall Sq. too if that happens to be more
convienient. It's right next to Legal Seafoods

    
    
    re:2772.26-31
    
    Thanks for all the tips.  I went to Frameking yesterday at lunch
    and saw about 10 prints we might be interested in.
    
    We're going to make a Coop - MFA - Frameking loop some Saturday 
    soon.  
    
    Once again, the power of Notes comes through.
    
    Thanks,
    
    George 
    
    

    Another place to try might be a tent trailer sales/repair outfit.
    That sounds like the size they would use in a camper.
    

I'm looking for perlite cement.  My brother in PA says he buys it in a bag
and mixes with water and uses it for the bedding under fiberglass showers
and tubs when he installs them.  Its just as strong as and much much lighter
than mortar or cement.

Home Deport in Nashua doesn't carry it but a helpful man at the lumber desk
volunteered as how he saw them using it for that very purpose on "Home Time".
I've called up to Manchester and down to Boston and figure I've wasted too
much time looking for this product.  Anybody got a lead on this?  

Anybody know how much perlite to portland cement to water to mix to make my
own?

    
    I'd guess this would be close to the same as for
    lightweight ACC concrete which is
    
    	1 bag portland
    	6.26 US gals water
    	7 cu ft aggregate, which can be:
    
    		2 or 3 cu ft fine aggregate
    		4 or 5 cu ft perlite or ACC aggregate

Thanks for the recipe Colin.  

For anybody in my footsteps, here's the rest of the info.  I called my brother
back this weekend to get a product name and he said its a USG product called
Structo-lite, a perlited plaster.  A call to USG at 800-873-8740 uncovered
a few suppliers in the southern NH area.  Its used as the scratch coat for
three coat plaster work, a dying art.  

It can be purchased at Dana Wallboard in Tynsboro, 508-649-4000 at exit 35
off Rt 3.  $15/ 80 lb. bag.  Goldbond sells Gypso-lite for $12.50, a comparable
product.  

-Bob

     Where can I get an Exterior Door that is 30" wide. It is going in
    an attic, seperating cold area from finished. I will have to cut it
    down to 72" because of roof rafters and location of door. HQ can order
    one at an inflated price. A solid core luan door is ok.
    
                                               Thanks,  Pete

Why does it have to be an exterior door?  You can get 30" solid-core doors
almost anywhere, but they're billed as interior doors.

The interior doors are thinner than exterior doors.  But most any place that
sells doors should be able to order you a 30" exterior door even if they don't
stock it.  It's not an unusual size, especially for a secondary entry.

					Steve

You don't say where you are, but you might want to call Maki Corp.  They
have a custom shop where they make/modify all kinds of things.  I'm not sure
what the price would be.  They have a place in Lunenburg, MA (508-343-7422),
one in Gardner, MA (508-632-5354), and also a new place in Sterling, MA (not
sure of the number.

Elaine

I think that you'd want some kind of insulation if the door is supposed to
separate a heated and an unheated area.  The door to our unheated attic
has styrofoam duct-taped to it.

      Yes, I do want some protection against heat loss. I can have a steel
    insulated door made to fit for big bucks. I had thought about using an
    interior door and isulating the "cold" side with styro or whatever.
    That is my backup plan. Is that salvage place west of Nashua still 
    around? If so, where is it? Any other places like that around.
       I would like to find a nice door, but hate to pay alot for something
    I am going to hack a foot off. BTW, I live in So.NH.
    
                                                              Thanks, Pete

    How about making your own door from some 1" foam sandwiched between 
    two sheets of 1/4" plywood, with some 5/4 stock (i.e. true 1") around 
    the perimeter to allow for attaching hinges, latch, etc?  I would
    guess you could make the whole thing for under $50.  

    There's another used building supply store in Manchester N.H.  It's
    called Vermont Salvage.  They are willing to have items brought in from
    the main store in Vermont.  The store in Manchester has plenty of
    stuff.
    
    To get there: If you are heading north on 293, get off at the Granite
    Street exit.  Turn left off the ramp (which will send you under the
    highway).  12 inches after the highway turn right.  The store is on
    that street (on the left).  If you miss this turn it is a real pain
    to get another opportunity to get on that street.
    

>The interior doors are thinner than exterior doors.

I have a 30" solid core door that I use as a desktop.  I got it at Home Depot,
and I think it was billed as an interior door.  It's 1.75" thick, which is
thicker than any of the interior doors in my 1934 house.

what is it called and where can i get one?

it is a metal cylinder, roughly the same in diameter and height,
with a hole along the axis, not quite all the way through,
and internal threads. i have not measured it yet, but diameter is
about one inch, and the threads are about 1/2 inch.

thanks.

(this topic seems the closest fit for this query, but not
a perfect fit.  moderator, feel free to move it.)

    re:last
    
    	Perhaps if you mentioned what this is used on someone could help. I
    have no clue after reading your reply.
    
    	Ray

    what is it called, and where can I get some?
    
    I have windows that have a wood insert, sort of
    
    --------
    |\    /|
    | \  / |   this is held in place by a metal/plastic pin, sort of:
    |  \/  |
    |  /\  |      ...
    | /  \ |      . .......
    |/    \|      . .......------         Note: .=plastic; - = metal
    --------      ...
    
    I need some of these pins, to replace broken or lost ones.
    
    dick bator
    MLOPCS::BATOR
    DTN 223-3824
    
    

    
    Re .60:
    
    I bought a door from Rivco in Nashua that has a wood lattice insert
    held in place by the same pins. Were I looking for replacements, I'd
    start there (though I believe the hardware is fairly common, and any
    business that deals in replacement windows and/or doors would be
    a probable source...)
    

    re: .58
    
    A pipe cap???
    

the unknown thing in .58 is on a loom. it seems to be a very low speed
bearing.  the thread to be woven goes on a wooden reel about 8"
in diameter and 4' long. the reel is mounted on a threaded rod a few inches
longer. the rod is the axis of the reel and turns with the reel.
the reel is mounted horizontally with the ends of the rod supported
in a wood frame.  the wood frame has round holes to fit the
whatever it is. the gizmo at one end is missing.  thus my question.
i'd guess the speed is about 10 revolutions per month.

the gizmo looks a lot like a cap for cast iron pipe, except that the 
sides are perfectly smooth and straight.

    re: .63
    
    I strongly suspect it's a custom-made part and you won't find
    one except from the loom manufacturer.
    

re: loom part

Steve's probably right about it being a custom part. If you can't find the loom
manufacturer, you could try having a machine shop make a duplicate for you.

    RE: .- a few
    
    I have seen the part in question and it is indeed a custom part.  I'm
    having my BIL create one.  To possible minimize any further confusion,
    let me describe the part a bit more clearly:
    
    	Cylinder with a length of 1" and a diameter of 3/4"
    	Bored in the center to a depth of 7/8" with a threaded hole
    	compatible with a 1/2-13 standard bolt.
    
    Dan
    

>    	Cylinder with a length of 1" and a diameter of 3/4"
>    	Bored in the center to a depth of 7/8" with a threaded hole
>    	compatible with a 1/2-13 standard bolt.

	Any reason you can't just use a 1/2-13 standard nut and washer
instead, then?  It this just a retainer thing, or is the outer diameter
and length of the gadget functional?    

re .67, what does it do?

it is a bearing, for very low speed rotation, perhaps 10 revolutions
per month. the o.d. fits an existing hole in the wood.
other parts of the loom have metal sleeves in holes where metal
parts turn, so i expect there is some sound reason for this arrangement,
rather than just ignorance or cheapness.
the length might or might not be important. i don't know yet.
the gizmo has about 1/4" exposed outside the supporting wood legs.
i'm guessing that is just a tolerance for easy assembly.
i don't know much about looms, yet, but as i learn i'm expecting
to discover i knew even less than i thought.
perhaps i'll have some interesting stories/problems to tell here.

I have an old cabinet with a missing lock.  This is the kind of lock that's
mounted on the inside of the door.  There's a keyhole drilled through the
door, and a slot for the bolt on the doorpost.  I called Period Hardware
in Boston and they may have it, but their hours make it difficult for me
to get there (I live in the Boston area and work in Nashua, but they're
only open the hours that I'm at work).  Any suggestions?

    Take a day off?
    
    Seriously, can you fax them a picture of the mounting hole, including
    measurements?
    
    
    brian

	I'd second the recommendation for a day off.

	Seriously, any fan of old stuff deserves some time in
Period Hardware in Boston.  Right up on Beacon Hill...I think
the reason they have the good old stuff is because they bought
it when it was new, and it's still there...a wonderful sight
for afficionados of old hardware, or old hardware stores.

	I was once cleaning up some inherited furniture, with
lots of bail-type handles on an oval back plate, all painted
with imitation-gold spray paint (actually a fairly nice mahogany
bedroom set, but it'd been 'restored' after smoke damage from a fire).
I took a sample in to this place, looking for a nice brass replacement
for what I assumed was junk installed during the 'cleaning'.  The
guy behind the counter examined the handle, tried a magnet on it, 
rubbed the back a bit with steel wool, and proclaimed 'this is solid
brass!'.  Turned out the 'cleaner' had painted the originals instead
of polishing them...and Period offered to clean and polish them for
me for $1.50 each, when I was about to pay them $5 per for replacements!
They did a few dozen for me, with polishing wheels, and they came out
beautiful.  

The Woodworker's Store carries all sorts of locks like this.  You can get
their catalog by calling 1-800-713-0289.  They have a web site at
http://woodworkerstore.com/ww/ , but no online catalog.  They DO have a store
in Boston that is open typical retail hours, so that may be something of
interest.

				Steve

I called Faneuil Furniture Hardware in Salem, NH, and they have this item
(called a flush lock) in several sizes.  So I may head over there one
lunch hour.

It turns out that none of the stores discussed here (Period, Faneuil, and
Woodworker's) has this lock in the size I need.  It's apparently larger
than normal (1 1/8" from the center of the keyhole to the edge of the door.)