ChiTownMigrant Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Hey everyone, Got into watching Tools in Action on YouTube and liked the guys so much I figured I would join the forum. Living in downtown Chicago right now as I just got out of the Marines and am going to school by Northwestern Memorial. Spent most of the money I saved being deployed in Afghanistan on buying my first place (condo). Excited to finally have a place that I can work on as I find doing work to be one of the few therapeutic things for me. Unfortunately living in a condo is a bit of an adjustment for me (from Nevada) and my neighbors are a pain in the ass (directly next to us is the "treasurer of the condo board"--which he tells me is a big deal). Only being able to work on my place M-F 9-5 is a bit difficult, but I still love it. Looking to learn from you guys as I work on our place. Currently working on putting up crown molding in our place and plan on updating a lot more since most of it is still stuck in the 1970s. Biggest problem for me right now is getting work done during the "prescribed hours" as our retired neighbors have nothing better to do then call management on us (they called to complain about the smell when we painted our place and when we had our carpets cleaned--that smell bothered them too). God forbid I'm still running the compressor for my nailer at 5:05 because I'm trying to work at the end of doing stuff all day. Anyhow, sorry for the bitching, just need somewhere to gripe right now. Just not used to being able to do what I want in place I "own". Anyone else had to deal with doing work in a condo? Not sure if I am being a crazy entitled ass or not. Only been here a while, but cannot wait to live in a real house again. Any ideas for getting work done that are really quiet (believe me I have been trying)? Anyhow, looking forward to learning and seeing what everyone else is up to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR99 Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Welcome to the crew Chitown!! Yea and place like a condo or neighborhood with a HOA can be a pain to deal with. Strict hours on how and when you can do any work on your place. Also retired people can be the worst they have nothing to do but bitch about minor issues. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chadlanthier Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Just remember complaining to management can be a 2 way street. God bless u, could never live that close to neighbors. Can barely see neighbors house and that is to close. They once called animal control while we were at the movies to complain dogs were outside in the cold. Animal control pulled in yard at the same time we did and questioned us. I was happy to point out that they had a doggy door connected to their fenced in area. So I let them bark till 2am. I hate neighbors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiTownMigrant Posted January 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Haha, I know what you mean chadlanthier. I guess it was the way I was raised in that I'm very reluctant to make problems for anyone. My upstairs neighbors work the swing shift and will be vacuuming and walking around at 2am. Is it annoying? Yes. Am I enough of an asshole to complain about it? No, because they aren't bad enough for me to want to make their lives annoying. Worst thing about the people next to me is that I gave them my number and email and asked them to call, email, or knock on my door if anything was bothering them. They are so passive aggressive and smile at my wife and I when we see them in the hall. They say, "oh gosh, I'm so sorry someone called management, it wasn't us" (maintenance and I get along very well and they tell us exactly who is complaining). I hate people who are so spineless they hide behind systems like that. It also bothers me they treat the management and maintenance staff like their personal servants (they have lived in the building for 30+ years). Oh well, not worth taking my time to be angry about. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigmikez Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Welcome to the crew!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T75R Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Welcome to the crew brother. Thank you for your service! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Welcome aboard chi town!JimboSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Welcome to the forum and crewWorking in apartment condos or places with home owners association sucks they have rules and they always complain and usually a nosy neighbor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMG Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Sounds like you could use a new Dewalt cordless nail gun All jesting aside, are there actually covenants that restrict you from working on your unit on the weekend? That to me would be a bit harsh. On the extreme side, and in case of emergency, you might consider building a sound proofing box that would cover your compressor for short term use. I took a tour of a factory once that had all of their fabrication equipment enclosed inside of sound-proofed and ventilated enclosures. It was an enlightening experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisK Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Welcome to the forum Stephen!'And welcome to the the forum John! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comp56 Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 welcome to the forums guys.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poisonfangs85 Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Welcome buddy! I'm in and around Chicago for work everyday. I know what you mean about complaining tenants. If we so much as take a trash can down a hallway we will get a call. Some people just don't understand construction, it's loud and dusty. It does not matter if it's a condo or office building there is always someone in there ready to complain. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiTownMigrant Posted February 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 Hey guys, thanks for all of the welcomes. JMG, that is a fantastic idea, hadn't even occurred to me. Do you know what they used to make the soundproofing box? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMG Posted February 1, 2016 Report Share Posted February 1, 2016 Generally, they were constructed of 3/4" plywood with the old egg crate style foam lining the inside, with plexi-glass view ports cut where needed. It was an amazing low tech operation for a national product manufacturer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiTownMigrant Posted February 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 So I think I'm going to start writing a guide to doing work in a condo/in minimal space. I've only gotten as far as step 1: Step 1: Don't live in a condo. Haha, I'm trying to get some drywall work done before our new fridge shows up (had to bribe the wife somehow to let me destroy her place and have it filthy for a month). Just hand sawed and scored more drywall by hand han I would like to admit. Metal studs are also a fucking bitch to hand screw drywall screws into. I had to do this all after hours and so I am being ultra-quiet. JMG, I am coming up with all kinds of ideas for how to sound proof a work area based upon what you told me. I am allowed my own room in the condo (the ruler, the wife, is generous to her subjects), the study, but it is lost when "guests" come into town and must be made "clean" when they are here. (I am joking, but she is awesome with me, and honestly keeps me from living in filth my entire life). So any sound proof room I would build would have to be break-downable and storeable. I would love to dust and sound proof the room for woodworking, but it ain't gunna happen. If I could gut the whole place I would put in resilient channel mounted sound-dampening drywall with spray foam insulation, knowing what I know now. Only problem is I can't gut the whole place and those materials cost 10x more than normal shit. Other issue is how to minimize vibration transmission to above and below the unit. In reality I need to find a place to do work with my tools. Would love to have space to set up my router and table saw and whatnot. I either need to make friends with someone with a garage, or find a place I can rent and put all my shit in (they would have to allow me to work in it). This would be easy down in NC where I was last stationed, not so much in Chicago. Now what I have made progress on is buying tools that are compact and space saving. Due to have literally no storage place in our condo (I'm working on some big built-ins), I can't have much. However, I have become crafty in finding compact replacements for a full-size garage work area. This is actually probably why I found tools-in-action. I am using the current remodel work to get my wife to let me buy Dewalt's heavy duty miter saw stand. I am going to use it to build a work table attachment and a router table. (I told her I absolutely needed it to do her crown molding) Then I would love to use that to make new cabinets and whatnot down the line. Good news is that I can break all this down and throw it in a big closet when I don't need it. Anyways, thanks again for all you guys chiming in to talk to me. Feeling a bit isolated in a new town (Chicago) now that I am out of the Marines. Living in a city is a bit different for me too. Anyone else have experience doing work in a condo? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMG Posted February 2, 2016 Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 I found this link while looking for co-op work space in the Chicago area. http://www.chicagoartistsresource.org/spacefinder/make-chicago-community-workshop If they do not have a program that fits your needs or budget, or are not convenient to your current location, they might have some good suggestions. It never hurts to ask, as I am sure that someone like this has a finger on the local network. BTW, I do not live in the Chicago area, and have no idea who these people are, but with all the tech and start-up co-ops that are available these days, I just figured that someone out there had to offer something like this for the artisan crowd. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiTownMigrant Posted February 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 JMG, This is exactly what I need. I am going to shoot them an email to figure out where they are located. Thanks for the info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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