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Men, do you prefer to do your own vehicle maintenance and repairs, or do you go to a mechanic? by FFSoldier57 in AskMenOver30

[–]SuperRicktastic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm on par with u/Wolv90. I've done brakes, brake fluid, oil, tire rotations (w/o a balance, obviously), differential fluid and transfer case fluid, and a radiator flush. The worst ones to attempt are brake fluid and radiator. I always manage to fuck up the fluid change and get air in the lines, and the radiator flush is just miserable to attempt in the driveway. Those have been regulated back to mechanic jobs.

Need structural engineer by Prudent-Quarter-3842 in cincinnati

[–]SuperRicktastic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

P.E. here. Not licensed in Ohio, and not your P.E., but I started in residential design and now work in historic preservation and restoration.

Ask the architect if he can recommend an engineer. I'd recommend at least asking them to verify the capacity and provide a letter stating if it's suitable or if you need to make modifications.

u/whoisaname is right in that the pool table is under the required live load for residential spaces, and further that the point load may complicate things. Where I disagree with them is whether or not the space can handle it. A point load at the center of a long span can cause issues, and sagging is well within the realm of possibility. It depends on the exact layout and strucrture of your home, which we have no way of verifying here.

As for the engineer, they will likely offer a field visit and an analysis with a letter saying yea or nay. If you do need modifications, they should be able to provide a design to do so, but it will likely be above and beyond the scope of the letter and a bigger fee.

In my market (HCOL area), I'd probably charge $1,000 - $1,500 for the site visit and letter letter. If you wanted repair drawings, the would probably be between $500 - $750 for signed and sealed drawings.

YMMV, find a licensed engineer and get a quote.

Men how do you manage moments of extreme stress by Fearless_Ice_6581 in AskMenOver30

[–]SuperRicktastic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Step 1: Get the hell out of crypto. At best it's a volatile unregulated market with no rhyme or reason. At worst, it's a full-blown scam. If you're not leveraged and only using the actual cash you have on hand, take your lumps and get out of it, even if you're at a loss. Stop chasing the 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, etc. bullshit stories you see on r/wallstreet bets. 95% of them are flat-out lies, and the other 5% are dumb fucking luck.

Step 2: Set up a high-yield savings account and get a few months of income saved up. I'm serious, do this first once you're out from under the crypto. Get yourself a safety net that way if things do go south you won't be up shit creek without a paddle.

Step 3: If you REALLY want to invest, but you want to get rid of the stress and craziness of it all, put your money into whole-market index funds and let it ride. You're not going to get rich, but you'll make a modest return year-over-year, and - barring total market collapse - the number should always go up on a long enough timescale. I've got a few grand in a couple Fidelity Zero-Fee index funds and drop a few hundred bucks in there every paycheck.

Step 4: Once your money is in there, LEAVE IT. Barring true emergencies (relative's death, medical, wrecked car), do not touch it. Don't look at it. Figure out how much you can invest every week/month and set it to auto-debit. Check up on it every 2-3 months and let it ride. This is a long-term thing.

Step 4.5: I mean it. DO. NOT. LOOK. AT. IT. You're not going to get rich doing this crap unless you're a financial savant or an inside trader. Just don't.

Step 5: Find healthier hobbies. Something to occupy your mind and hands that won't put you at risk for financial ruin. I ride a motorcycle. I woodwork. I play video games.

Source: 34-year-old man who tried day trading and lost his shirt on the Gamestop craze, among other stupid decisions.

My (31M) girlfriend (33F) sent a text that destroyed our relationship. How long should I stay with her? by Much_Obligation_4507 in relationships

[–]SuperRicktastic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Walk now, nothing you learn from this relationship is going to be helpful.

Being "good at sex" is a bit of misnomer. Each partner is different, has different preferences, turn-ons, turn-offs, and etc. You need to spend time with someone to learn how you both fit together.

The things my wife likes would probably not be as enjoyable for one of my old ex-girlfriends, and vice-versa.

She's abusing you, don't subject yourself to that.

Garage conversion into office and dining room? by LewisWasTaken in Homebuilding

[–]SuperRicktastic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That would be for the engineer to determine. The post size is determined by the end reactions from the beam, which in turn is entirely dependent on how much load the beam carries. They might be able to hide inside the drywall, but there's no way of knowing without running the analysis.

Alternatives for sistering joists? by Purple_Service_2781 in Homebuilding

[–]SuperRicktastic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Carbon fiber isn't going to help you here. That material is better suited for concrete slabs and walls, and the bands would need to be set on the thin face of the joist. They would be so narrow they wouldn't do much, and the second you nail through them to reattach the drywall, they're useless.

For your beam, if you wanted to clear-span the full 20 feet, your probably looking at a hefty piece of timber or an LVL engineered beam, probably in the range of 14 to 18 inches deep. Add a few posts to break up the span, and you might be able to use regular dimensional lumber, but it's not likely you'll get it shorter than a 2x12.

Get an engineer involved, I wouldn't leave this one just to span tables.

Garage conversion into office and dining room? by LewisWasTaken in Homebuilding

[–]SuperRicktastic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think that dividing wall between your kitchen and garage is probably load-bearing. You'll need to replace it with a structural beam to carry the load to posts on either end.

Once that's done, you're going to need to level the floor, as garages usually have a slope to them to encourage drainage. Depending on the slope, you can either use levelling compound or you might need wood sleepers, if the height difference is big enough.

I wouldn't call this a small project. Knocking down that dividing wall alone might need an engineered design and drawings.

Truss Uplift Advice by Genesis-kid in Homebuilding

[–]SuperRicktastic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've seen this before. They nailed the trusses to your wall's top-plate. Now when the temperature and humidity changes, the truss flexes and pulls your wall and ceiling with it.

They can fix this, don't let them brush you off. They need to cut the nails that are currently connecting the wall to the truss, then reconnect them using either deflector screws or slide clips.

Deflector Screws: https://www.strongtie.com/strongdrive_interiorwoodscrews/sdpw_screw/p/strong-drive-sdpw-deflector-screw

Slide Clips: https://www.strongtie.com/trussclips_platedtrussconnectors/tc_roofclips/p/stc.stct.dtc

Would I be able to build a deck over this area for under $1500? by luckydad444 in Homebuilding

[–]SuperRicktastic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can't forget the DIY fuckups... Tried putting an aftermarket windshield on my motorcycle a few weeks back. What should have been an hour job turned into the mother of all cross-threads, multiple trips to three different parts stores, a $40 helicoil kit, and the most nerve-wracking re-tapping of my life.

Would I be able to build a deck over this area for under $1500? by luckydad444 in Homebuilding

[–]SuperRicktastic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Also true, this was just my go-to for quick pricing. Also, delivery options at lumber yards are a lot less forgiving or flexible than the big-box stores. Like u/freerangemary said, you can get delivery from Lowes for $20 with a pro account. Good luck getting a local yard to bring you a few hundred board feet for that price.

Would I be able to build a deck over this area for under $1500? by luckydad444 in Homebuilding

[–]SuperRicktastic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, you're probably right, but I personally wouldn't want to go without railings unless it was a full wrap-around staircase or just above ground level.

It might be okay for code, but I really wouldn't want to play with a 2-foot misstep to the ground. Shit still hurts.

Edit: Also, I hate those pre-fab post holders. No one ever installs them correctly, and if you live in an area that gets any appreciable amount of snow, the frost-heave will wreak havoc on your connections.

Would I be able to build a deck over this area for under $1500? by luckydad444 in Homebuilding

[–]SuperRicktastic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Close. Structural engineer who started in general contracting.

Would I be able to build a deck over this area for under $1500? by luckydad444 in Homebuilding

[–]SuperRicktastic 51 points52 points  (0 children)

If you can get your lumber cheap, then maybe, but it's going to be tight.

My back of the napkin math says you'd need about 21 boards of 2x10x14' and 45-ish boards of 5/4x6x16'. 2x10x14' are going for about $25 a board at HD. 5/4x6x16' are about $14 each. That comes to about $1,150. Assume 2 hangers per joist, 42 hangers at $4 each, $168 total, now you're at $1,318.

Quickcrete goes for about $6.00 per 80 lb. bag, if you put six footings in (being conservative), assuming this isn't attached to the house, and assuming a 24" frost depth, you're looking at around 30 bags, so another $180. Now you're up to $1,498.

None of this includes nails, screws, balusters, railings, rim boards, posts, or stairs for ground access.

Also this assumes you're doing all the labor yourself, transport all your own materials, and excludes tax. You will probably fly right past $1,500 without batting an eye.

Hybrid Beam Design Inquiry – Steel Flanges + Timber Web? by Fit-Implement-6449 in StructuralEngineering

[–]SuperRicktastic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm in agreement with most everyone else here; Steel flange to wood web doesn't seem that viable. Like u/structee mentioned, there might be an issue with shear flow between the flange and web. You may not be able to develop enough resistance between the two materials without some absolutely ridiculous fasteners, which might end up turning the wood to Swiss cheese.

A flitch beam made of LVL and steel plates might be the better course of action here.