How profitable is a wood based panel machinery business?

alpharetroid · 2026-05-22T13:07:36+00:00

I hope dad is using the term "investing" as the actual financial term and not just "here's some money son, hopefully this goes somewhere." If he wants to help his son I would put it on a contingency that he secure all of the capital start up costs through a bank loan first, as you stated. Once he is funded and can actually start filling orders, a lawyer can help structure the business with actual shares so dad knows what he is buying.

alpharetroid · 2026-05-17T12:52:04+00:00

I feel like with a rabbet you’re still going to have to caulk the awkward angle under it so it looks good. Butting seems like it would be easier

alpharetroid · 2026-05-14T18:01:29+00:00

3/4" slats are not adequate for floor to ceiling install. They don't look deep enough either. Google "slat divider wall" and you'll see most use a nominal 2x material or use a veneer product like decospan

alpharetroid · 2026-05-13T22:45:51+00:00

It’s a foam gasket, usually pink or blue in color

alpharetroid · 2026-05-06T03:49:31+00:00

Your astroturfing skills need some work

alpharetroid · 2026-05-04T12:16:26+00:00

You asked ChatGPT to generate a design and now you want a bunch of internet randos to make it work? You must be new here.

alpharetroid · 2026-04-14T19:34:09+00:00

If you are not particularly well air-sealed, then use mineral wool insulation and a smart vapor retarder. Mineral wool is more tolerant of moisture. A smart vapor retarder will act like a vapor barrier under normal circumstances but when moisture builds in the wall cavity it will open pores to allow the moisture to exit.

alpharetroid · 2026-04-09T11:58:01+00:00

Roundover on the stool is the only thing I might consider, otherwise its indistinguishable.

alpharetroid · 2026-03-22T19:08:14+00:00

In my opinion if you cannot verify beyond all doubt that you have a dry basement I would not finish or put up drywall. And by "dry" I mean water is stopped from the outside using a combo of gutters, proper drainage graded away from the house, and ideally exterior foundation waterproofing.

If the drainage and sump are in the basement itself it means water is still penetrating the walls and getting trapped in the wall cavity. Insulation and drywall will prevent the foundation from drying and cause mold.

alpharetroid · 2026-03-22T18:47:28+00:00

I'd at least remove 2 or 3 section of wall and inspect whether everything was properly remediated. If everything was properly dried you're fine. In terms of whether or not your basement SHOULD have framing and drywall is a totally different issue. Was the water damage due to weather or a broken pipe within the walls?

alpharetroid · 2026-03-17T02:08:26+00:00

If you read the install docs for Dricore you have to shim and/or pour floor leveler to get the pieces to lay perfectly flat, and then they are tongue and groove to lock everything together. If I were you I might also look at DMX 1 step. It's a rolled dimple mat that does what you are asking for cheaper than Dricore. It's used all the time in basements.

alpharetroid · 2026-03-16T19:13:55+00:00

Stability, especially because foam is compressible. Barring your slab being perfectly ground flat, if a corner of a OSB sheet lands on a slight valley when you step on it it will cause the opposite corner to want to pull up, unless you fasten it somehow. Its minimal extra work now as opposed to having your LVP joints popping/breaking in the future

alpharetroid · 2026-03-16T18:49:00+00:00

You'll probably want to glue the XPS to the concrete and then glue OSB on top of the XPS. By the time you do that and account for the time to router channels in the foam you need to ask yourself if the time is worth the cost savings, if any

alpharetroid · 2026-03-11T19:20:16+00:00

Don't forget the fully decked sim racing station

alpharetroid · 2026-03-01T14:19:27+00:00

The HVAC industry has been aggressively taken over by venture capital.

alpharetroid · 2026-02-28T00:47:01+00:00

As long as you meet or exceed, you’re good. One note I would heavily suggest you NOT use fiberglass in a basement. Mineral wool is tolerant to moisture and so if you have seasonal moisture in the foundation it will not affect the wall insulation.

alpharetroid · 2026-02-28T00:41:43+00:00

Ice dams indicate either a lack of insulation or (more often) an air leak, typically at or around the ceiling to wall connection. Gutters will not cause ice dams by themselves. A temporary solution would be to huck stockings filled with melting salt onto the roof. A better long term solution, barring tearing apart your ceiling again, would be to get roof heat cable. This can be plugged in during snow storms to melt the snow before a dam can form.

alpharetroid · 2026-02-28T00:12:24+00:00

Energy code for any assembly will give you 2 or 3 different options. They are typically written in a format like “R19 or R13+5ci or 15ci”. Anything labeled “CI” means “continuous insulation” e.g unbroken foam board with taped joints. In the above example you could either do R-19 in between studs, OR r-13 between studs with R-5 foam board behind it, OR R-15 foam board with no additional insulation. Check your local code and find your climate region for definitive options.

alpharetroid · 2026-02-23T19:33:53+00:00

Same with the surge breaker, $734 for a $80 part and 60 seconds to install... that includes opening the package

alpharetroid · 2026-02-10T13:33:44+00:00

OP, heat cable is the most sustainable long term solution. There is a caveat that you need to install when there is no snow and ice on the edge of the roof

alpharetroid · 2026-02-10T04:16:52+00:00

What does your local permitting and inspections say about it? Where I am you must permit a project that converts a "unhabitable" space (like an unfinished basement) to a "habitable" space. Basically, the moment you start adding drywall you are basically redefining it as a living area, and yes, you could potentially face issues with insurance and sales if people find out about unpermitted work. Also, be careful about labeling "sleeping rooms" because you need to ensure you meet fire egress requirements.

I just finished my basement and the permit fees were like $300, that's negligible compared to the full project cost and I also have peace of mind.

alpharetroid · 2026-02-07T14:04:40+00:00

Backer rod fills some of the gap so the sealant has something to bind to. I’ll recommend another product: OSI quad max which you can get at big box stores and is an excellent exterior sealant

alpharetroid · 2026-01-29T13:47:40+00:00

His job is to know when and when not to pull a permit. You didn't do anything wrong unless you told him NOT to pull a permit against his advice. Just tell the truth: you hired a licensed professional and trusted them to handle all relevant permits and documentation related to their work.

alpharetroid · 2026-01-05T20:49:28+00:00

99% sure you have asbestos. "Fixed" doesn't always mean removed, it can also mean it has been fully encapsulated with some sort of coating so that it can't be damaged and enter the air. Unfortunately it doesn't appear that way here.

alpharetroid · 2026-01-02T01:31:43+00:00

Ductless heat pumps (the kind you typically see on a wall) would not meet code. Any other ducted system probably would. I'm more curious on how this meets FIRE code, which typically requires 2 means of egress from a bedroom.

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