Creating The Tin Room

Delayed Gratification

2008-11-12T12:04:00.000-08:00

Aahhh! Completion! Sooooo Good!

Studio Landing

2008-11-11T20:58:00.000-08:00

I found a really great rug in the Fashion District in downtown LA. It was a bit out of my price range, but after a little negotiation, I walked with it and it's a perfect addition. Here we see the rug laid and centered with the first of the studio furniture and gear falling into place.

The Negligent Blogger!

2008-11-11T19:59:00.000-08:00

I admit it! Je suis culpable! I simply have not kept this here blog up to date in any fashion...But, dammit, I'm a busy man. I gave my camera to my father and just failed to focus on documenting the remaining building processes. I've been in and out of town and when in town long enough to get into a rhythm in the space, I just didn't have it in me to stand back and shoot shyte photos from my phone.

So what we see in the photos here are three shots of the first of two similarly designed and constructed bi-level storage areas. These are poor quality shots taken with my Nokia E61i camera phone - and some of the only shots taken until what is now pretty much an finished and operable studio. We have steel studs spanning the entire 12' floor to ceiling height with a loft storage level built at 7'. This framing has since been sheathed with OSB and painted, along with the second gear storage and CPU/studio machine room.

The Bike is DONE!!!

2008-07-31T00:38:00.001-07:00

Cool! Finished the bike and had my first ride this last Monday...and have since been riding every chance I get. What gratification. What liberation. I love this little bike!

Slowly, but Scheherazade

2008-05-25T02:04:00.000-07:00

Well, it won't be quite one thousand and one adventurous nights, but I'm learning from her nonetheless. I picked up the wheels a week ago and really felt that tectonic shift from a thousand pieces of metal to a realistic view of an overhauled vintage motorcycle. I had the wheels and hubs that I shined up threaded and trued and the tubes and tires popped on and balanced at the premier spot in Azusa, CA, called Buchanan Wheel and Spoke. Amazing place - all they do is make wheels and spokes - I was taken on a tour tour by one of the elders and witnessed spokes being made on cylindrical presses from the turn of the Century...yes the other Century! Very cool insight. Wheel truing is an art form. Mine are now shiny and beautiful...and on my bike! The photos show the wheels flanking the frame, and then on the bike. The engine block is up on the bench. I've sent the the barrels, heads and reed cages, along with new .25 first over-bore pistons and rings, off to a two stroke specialist in Tennessee. This guy is passionate about these bikes. He is going to do a glass bead pressure cleaning of the parts and then carefully bore and fine tune these parts. The compression will be considerably higher and therefore the bike will offer much higher performance. These other shot is of a pair of old Yamaha shocks that I disassembled and cleaned up. They are now on the bike and looking sharp.

Like you need another project, Brett...

2008-05-04T12:25:00.000-07:00

Those are the words, verbatim, voiced by many of my friends upon learning that I'd bought a '70's street bike and had decided to completely rebuild it. It's true, with my loft only half done and a number of musical endeavours crossing my path it's seems a bit overwhelming to take on such a project, but truth be told, I'm loving every obsessive minute of it! And the unfinished half of my space is the best bike repair shop in the world!

Seemingly from out of nowhere, I've become fascinated with 70's Japanese street bikes. I first had a Honda CB750 Four in mind (which I'd still like to have at some point), but then after meeting people who had different smaller bikes was introduced to the Yamaha RD series. After looking up all things RD on Craigslist, a day later I found this RD200 2-stroke bike that ran, but needed some love. It was an impulse buy and after having some major issues during my first ride on it, I thought I'd really made a mistake. But with some encouragement from local bike shop personnel, I had it towed to the loft. One thing led to another and by the end of the week it was in pieces!

The shots above are of the bike the day I bought it and about three weeks later completely disassembled, with the frame and peripheral parts de-greased and repainted, wheels unthreaded waiting for new chrome spokes, and all chrome and cast aluminum parts rigorously cleaned and polished. Whew! that's a run-on sentence...and that's kind of what the process has resembled to this point; one continuous line of research, reading and hard work.

Vanity Shots!

2008-04-07T10:38:00.000-07:00

Mornin'! So, getting back into the swing of things here after returning from Japan. While I don't have any new updates, I have a few shots that I took while documenting the stairs that were just for self-gratification - to kinda get an overview of how the place is developing. I thought this would be a practical way to bridge the next official entry...Official, whatever! Along with these I've included a close-up of the lamp that I built to illuminate the kitchen bar/dinning table - I absolutely love this thing - and a second work in progress that will be a ceiling assembly comprised of a trio of industrial fixtures that will illuminate the studio area...Um, I guess that makes this an official entry.

And he's building....the Stairway...

2008-03-24T15:44:00.000-07:00

Ahhh! The joy of calculating and cutting stair stringers...Here we have shots of the finished corridor, the cut stringers and the 1"x8" planks that would become the runs, or steps, and finally the job (almost) done. There are a few finishing touches that I was not able to finish before leaving - as I write this I'm 39,000 feet in the air en route to Tokyo for 10 days of shows in Japan. I still need to put a clear coat and run a string of rope lights throught the middle of the two stringers. I had a vision of underlit stairs from the moment I visualized the stairs to the boudoir. My inspiration was very linear steel framed stairs with wood planks. With custom steel stringers out of my budget, I was commited to creating the same aesthetic with wood - the end result is basically two 2"x10"x10' planks separated with a 2"x4"x10' and bolted together. The runs were made with the three planks of 2"x8"x10' you see in the rough photo.

Lofty

2008-02-20T11:28:00.000-08:00

The loft is in! The pictures above were taken this past Sunday. Shortly thereafter, various comforts were put in their rightful place. I've even started to pull some books out of storage and begin filling the glass bookshelves that I designed in the loft 'nook' - truly the first real move toward comfort since signing the lease on this bloody space last July. Gratifying to say the least.

With each new completed task I become more fulfilled as my designs take shape. I'm really happy with the outcome of the translucent paneled walls framed with steel studs and internally lit with rope light snaking through the bottom track. I ended up using three types of material for the translucent walls: I began the design with corrugated fiberglas for both inside and outside, but quickly decided to seek an alternative for the inside that was flat - mainly for a flush surface on which to mount shelving. I started this with standard acrylic florescent light panels - very difficult to work with - and finished with what are actually polyurethane plastic floor mats (i.e. typically found under a wheeled chair at a computer desk). I doubt that I would have considered this material, had it not been for a visit to the Ikea damaged/seconds area and literally stepped on a stack of them. Got eleven of 'em for $3 a sheet and thought they would at least make good work mats. Alas, they served a much higher purpose, being relatively easy to cut and offering a really desirable diffused light. Like in the kitchen, I've balanced the translucence and steel with the warmth of sanded fir panels on the back wall and shelving nook.

The Showroom...

2008-02-09T12:57:00.000-08:00

I'm back...finally...As I mentioned in my last post, it's really getting harder to pull away to make posts and after giving my ol Nikon point and shoot to my pops for Christmas, I've been shooting less. I'm in the market for a digital SLR and haven't decided on one yet. For the record, the photos in this post are from mid January. After having some work out of town since then, I've been making insane progress on the loft and storage area above the kitchen and bathroom, respectively (the areas are best viewed in the top two shots on this post). I intend to show the progress in a new post by early next week - that's a promise.

I recently befriended and old Hungarian wholesaler who, after conducting business out of this building for more than 28 years, is finally calling it quits. A. Lebovitz is his name, coolest cat; wears a three piece tweed suit and hat daily - his trusty pipe hanging from his mouth. He needed some help moving a few things when I learned he was leaving and offered me to browse his decades worth of accumulation. Wow, what a pack rat's dream - boxes, carts and bolts of fabric - unopened mail postmarked from '72. Crazy! I found a few useful item: wheeled carts i'll use for side tables, misc. light fixtures. But the coolest thing was an old cast iron knitting machine that Lebovitz allowed me to grab. I'll be using the iron stand/legs as the base for a bar height dining table that out of the kitchen area. Cool beans!

Outer Shell

2008-01-14T16:22:00.000-08:00

So...I have the basic shell of the kitchen and bath to show in this post. Honestly, I've had such a productive past week that I'd like to post the progress to date. However, in keeping with even a remote concept of a step by step blog, I'm posting these shots from a week and a half ago. I've found in this stage in the project, it's getting harder to pull myself away to take photos when I'm in a hyper-productive flow, particularly when finally having the opportunity to realize my vision for the bath and kitchen.

In the kitchen, I've decided to go with sanded Douglas Fir panels. I saw this used for the walls in a cafe and really thought it would bring a bit more warmth in combination with the galvanized steel back wall. In the bath, rather than using corrugated steel panels, I have instead used a solid color floor and deck stain in a cobalt blue color. I've covered the stained OSB with translucent fiberglas panels (which you'll see in the next post) and am very, very happy with how it's turned out.

Framed!!!

2007-12-23T16:24:00.000-08:00

The basics for pretty much all the amenities are now framed in and ready to be built upon - this includes all plumbing (with a brilliantly designed tankless water heater) and in-wall electrical. I'm really proud of how compact I was able to keep the network of water, gas, drain and vent lines - all tucked neatly into the back corner of the bathroom with an access door that will likely be covered by a mirror. I've now begun to install the shower pan and Wonderboard concrete panels; I intend to simply put translucent corrugated fiberglas panels over the concrete panels for the shower walls. All walls framed with steel stud will also be sheathed with corrugated fiberglas panels. This wall covering is great in a situation like this as it allows light in and out while offering privacy. The halogen and rope light in the kitchen has gone up recently - the string of rope light will be tucked into the rafter to illuminate over the sink/stove area. Rope light will also be snaked through the rafters of the bathroom (including over the shower area) and also be covered in fiberglas panels, illuminating the entire ceiling.

Hiatus

2007-12-12T21:49:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I Rock-n-Rolled...Well, sort-of. Actually, it's 'Le Rock' that has kept me away from my loft, and consequently this blog, since shortly after my last post in late August. I was invited to go on tour in early Sept. and landed in late Nov. After settling back in and acclimating from post-tour stress disorder over the Thanksgiving weekend, I've been hard at work and will have a number of additions to exhibit on my next post. Until then, hold tight!

Build that...um, those walls.

2007-08-23T17:22:00.001-07:00

O.K., so it's been a bit since my last post. This is due in no small part to the fact that I finally moved out of my former flat. The move took a bit longer than normal because, as it turns out, my previous landlord allowed me to salvage nearly every amenity and fixture in the entire apartment. This includes the Kohler bathroom fixtures, the fridge and stove and kitchen cabinetry, among other items. Big help, indeed! The sizing of all these appliances works perfectly in my design that, as you can witness by the photos, is beginning to take shape. The framed areas will be the kitchen (left), the bathroom (right) and the loft area (above kitchen). In the walls exists all of the finish plumbing, gas lines and drain pipes that I completed this past week. It's really beginning to take shape, but working alone can be taxing at times, so today I took a break and accepted an invitation to lay low with a friend at the pool of the Hotel Figueroa in Downtown L.A. Tomorrow? ... exactly, back to work.

Whoa!!!

2007-08-02T19:32:00.000-07:00

Wow! From out of nowhere the major plumbing is done. A friend recommended his long time plumber Alex Lopez, and though he 's rarely in downtown Los Angeles, he happened to be in the area yesterday and offered to come have a look. He was extremely gracious and offered to move another obligation and come back downtown today and now, voila!, it's done. We core drilled three holes in the 9-1/2" concrete slab floor and installed plumbing for the toilet, shower drain and kitchen sink - which doubles as a bona-fide vent for all three fixtures. Smooth sailing for all that waste...what joy! Needles to say, my freshly minted floors took a beating, but that's only because I'm a knucklhead and decided to make ev'rything look purty before the rough work was done. A few touch-ups and we'll be back to exalting in no time. I've yet to place a large materials order, and now with this rough plumbing done, which has been the most ambigous cornerstone in this project, there is nothing holding me back from fervently moving forward.

Shiny Happy

2007-07-28T19:12:00.000-07:00

A nice, clean, shiny concrete floor to be trampled upon. What bliss.

The Spray Booth

2007-07-26T18:32:00.001-07:00

Ahh. Almost there. I finished spraying a second coat of acrylic hi-gloss sealer on the entire concrete floor. It's really gratifying to see all of the texture and color variations that were hidden for so many years come to life with this clear finish. I used an airless sprayer in conjunction with a 3/8" nap roller to even out the finish. The sealer was particularly powerful on the exposed red brick, which was endlessly dry, rough and crumbling. The acrylic clear coat was soaked up by the thirsty brick and grout and the walls are now sealed and water-proof. Now I'm on to sort the pluming drainage system. I expect to core two or three holes in the concrete floor and tie into the vertical sewer drain through the floor below. While doing this I am also finalizing the order for building materials, which I plan to have delivered all at one time.

Scrub a Dub Dub...

2007-07-24T18:52:00.001-07:00

Oh goody, concrete surface scrubbing! What fun!!!! Ok, it was a lot of work, but surely the end result is worth the effort. This floor has not been cleaned for many, many years and the newly exposed concrete is really impressive. I rented an industrial floor scrubber with a "concrete brush" for the task. I had three gigs and 2 rehearsals over the past weekend, but still found time to painstakingly scrub the floor. This, of course, was accomplished by NOT SLEEPING AT ALL! I caught up on sleep a bit last night and today taped off the kitchen and bath area and laid the first coat of light grey epoxy floor paint. I decided to coat the kitchen and bath area with a solid color for uniformity. After this painted area is dry, I'll be spraying a few coats of acrylic gloss sealer on the entire floor and exposed brick. The photo on the right is the first real glimpse of this brick, which I exposed by carefully chipping away the ailing stucco that once covered it under both of the casement window walls.

When I first started this blog, my dear friend Brando suggested I include photos of myself working on-site to give the blog a sense of human-ness. While I'm not crazy about action shots of myself working on a loft, I figured a still shot of an un-manned concrete floor scrubber would indeed be quite benign...so there I am, in all my flattering glory, conducting said floor scrubber. Hope this helps make my blog a bit more personable.

Isle of White!

2007-07-18T01:45:00.000-07:00

I've finally taken a break to make a new post. As you can see, the room is a bit brighter after a couple coats of white primer base coat. Two weeks may seem like a long stretch for a couple coats of primer, but it's the prep work you don't see that takes time. With the help of my new Makita cordless tools, including a 4-1/2" angle grinder (thanks guys!), I removed a number metal anchor bolts, conduit supports, etc. from the ceiling and did what seemed like endless patching on the ceiling, walls and support columns. One big obstacle was sealing the back wall (not shown) that had separated from the concrete pillars, floor and ceiling. There were gaps as big as 1" wide, some exposing daylight! I used strips of pink insulation as a barrier and then sealed off the gaps with Great Stuff expandable spray foam. There were also a number of gaps and cracks from the outside, in the hallway, that needed patching and sealing. It's a bloody old building that just simply hasn't been very well kept. I'm currently onto preparing the floor for a cleaning with a rotary scrubber and TSP (trisodium phosphate). The floor has a number of holes, presumably for anchoring heavy machinery from the room's past life. I've just begun filling these with a rapid set concrete mix. Once the the floor is prepped, I'll be diving into coating it with a high-gloss sealer or clear two part epoxy coat.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...

2007-06-27T20:38:00.001-07:00

Wew! It's been a long week and a half since my last post. As promised, I've razed the storage room at the front end of the space, leaving for your visual stimulation a decrepit, but usable network of plumbing, an ancient sink and water heater, and an oh so beautiful aged "beech" paint color...Eeee! I really hope that it's not lead based paint. The chipboard (1/2" OSB) is covering what was the door to the former storage room. I've meticulously sealed all gaps and crevices with expandable foam spray before covering the inside and outside with OSB. In order to remove the old sink mounted to the outside of the storage room without cutting the water main, I cut around the hot and cold water lines, leaving, in my humble opinion, the first piece of art to come out of this room: A sort of Picasso face or a hot and cold Laurel and Hardy duo...In the coming days I will be sorting out the plumbing, reducing the existing pipe to the main water line with a master valve and a hose bibb. This will remain until I begin framing the walls to the kitchen and bathroom which will determine where the runs will go. I will also begin clearing out any redundant electrical conduit and sorting out how I will run the circuits. As you can see, the photo of the mains box is not a pretty site.I believe there is only one 35 amp circuit running into my room - I'll need three 20 amp circuits minimum. Once I've sorted out the plumbing and electrical basics, I intend to fll any holes and cracks in the walls and ceiling and spray a coat of white primer over the entire room. This will leave a clean slate on which to start the build-out.

Countdown to ecstasy!

2007-06-15T20:11:00.000-07:00

Well, finally got the keys today after a couple days of massive cleaning. The gracious and scholarly building manager, Mark Cornley, allowed me the keys a couple weeks before my lease downbeat. Until now, this unit has been an uninhabited storage space for the building owner's business. Needless to say, there was a lot of accumulation - both of random industrial items and, well...DUST! During the cleaning, i was able to procure a few useful items: including two barrels of wheels and casters - which will come in handy, as I wish to have much of my furniture, et. al. on wheels - and a table saw which will be invaluable during the build out. If you compare the above photos to that from my first post, you'll notice that it's beginning to feel a bit more like a spacious 1100 sq. ft. of loft space. The drab colors don't reflect the light well, so I expect the ambient light to increase markedly once the walls get a fresh coat and the concrete floor is treated with a wet-look sealer. By the time of my next post, I'll have razed a 7'x17' storage build-out at the far end of the loft. This area will become the Kitchen, Bath and loft areas. A water line and vertical sewer main that will serve these amenities run behind a wall in the corner of this storage space.

Ground zero

2007-05-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

Here we are! I've finally decided on a unit in a building in Downtown Los Angeles as the location for my new music production suite The Tin Room. It is so called because I intend to use a combination of corrugated tin and corrugated fiberglass panels for much of the wall materials - along with framing with steels studs and exposed electrical conduit. I've looked at a number of rooms in this building before committing to this suite, and while the others may have a better view of the skyline or more direct sunlight or the like, they all proved to have other undesirable qualities or insurmountable technical issues. This unit gets it's light from the building's interior light well. The windows get plenty of light and blue sky to boot and it stays cool. But perhaps the most important attribute is its' sound...or lack thereof. With the windows closed you can hear a pin drop. My acute case of tinnitus might even have a hard time in this space, but that's OK, because the microphones are going to love it! A view...? you can have it. I plan to be looking inside whilst working in this space, and that's the only view I'll need.