Remodel the Shop #2: Venting - Why can't you be level

Next time you go to the tool store, buy yourself one of those laser levels. That might help by projecting a level line on the walls. Then you won’t have to worry about the ceiling or floor.

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

Actually my Dad has one of the little ones. I did use it to set my workbench height.

-- Kevin, Wichita, Kansas

Unfortunately, that seems to be the norm these days. I guess it was the norm long ago as well. We have a house that was built around 1900 and there isn’t a level spot on the floor or a square corner. I guess that’s what moldings are for.

-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon

As my father-in-law, an architect by profession and a DIY home remodeller by hobby, has said, “In construction, right angles are a myth.” I believe that extends to level surfaces, too. Especially considering foundations settle over time.

-- 10 fingers, 2 eyes, and healthy lungs. for now. :P

We see this once in a while with the cabinet business, we’d get a call back saying our cabinets are not level. Well, you know the rest.

-- Thuan

There’s always a drop ceiling.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Gary Gary Gary, you’re tring to work me to hard. I can live with the ceiling and floor both being out of level. It just looks bad when I put my stuff level and it is not parallel to the ceiling or floor. With only having 9’ ceilings I cannot afford to loose any height anyways.

-- Kevin, Wichita, Kansas

i have the same problem in my workshop. nothings level and it makes it really hard to hang things other than on the wall that my dad built which is pretty small.

Well, if no drop ceiling then why not just build a whole new shop? :-)

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

GaryK, Can I get you to talk my wife into that. I don’t think I have that much skill.

Actually Sunday when I came inside after becoming fully frustrated I told that I would be better off tearing it down and building a new shop. She didn’t seem to think that was neccessary.

Well, I know who the boss is in my house so I told her how it is…..which is exactly how she told me it would be. :-)

-- Kevin, Wichita, Kansas

:-)

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

I fixed up an old house for my Mother back in 1968.

When installed the base cabinets in the kitchen the floor was nice, & level,

but then when I started to hang the wall units, I found out ceiling was 3” out of level in 8 feet.

I was going to put up a cornice, but it would have looked terrible, so I just left them open on the top.

You could hardly tell the difference unless you looked real hard for it.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Rick worked on a kitchen last year where the floor sloped one way and the walls sloped the other… he said that the kitchen cabinets were quite “interesting” :)

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)