# Handyman Hijinks



## Electric Al (Mar 13, 2010)

WE have lots of LUCKEYS around here, some have the first name NOTSO.:laughing::laughing:


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

'_Luckey_" can't even spell his nickname correctly.


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## pudge565 (Dec 8, 2007)

drsparky said:


> '_Luckey_" can't even spell his nickname correctly.


 Not sure how he spells it that was my spelling. Never was my strong suit.


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## Mastertorturer (Jan 28, 2009)

pudge565 said:


> These are some violations that I found at my mother's friends house. The work was done by a handyman named Luckey. I guess it is that since he is luckey he didn't burn a house down yet.
> 
> This one is hard to see but the wire is stapled on edge.
> 
> ...


All bragging aside, I consider myself to be very good at what I do and make $16/h CND as a second year apprentice. My common roles involve the following.

- Examining small to medium (Maintenance/Construction) jobs and sketching out details for my boss. 
- Driving/Stocking & taking care of a service vehicle.
- Working alone or without a journeyman (Not supposed to but I do)
- Conduit Bending, Lighting, Inspection (code deficiencies and maintenance), Extra-Low voltage control systems, panel building, emergency systems, office work (Database Input, Typing, general stuff)
- Lighting/Power & Data work (Maintenance & New)

So maybe I'm underpaid or over qualified but getting $20 and hour would be welcome right about now.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Notice the blue Carlon boxes, sure sign a hack did the work :no:


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

Black4Truck said:


> Notice the blue Carlon boxes, sure sign a hack did the work :no:


Why is that?


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## BCSparkyGirl (Aug 20, 2009)

Bkessler said:


> Why is that?


If you have over 1,000 posts, do you REALLY have to ask that question?:blink:


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## slowforthecones (Sep 13, 2008)

carlon smells like homos from big orange...and around here luckeys are named Juan, Carlos, Amigo, Jose, Julio, alberto, and it goes on....


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

A box is a box, it's not like they break easily or something. The Blue box makes it easier for all the persons mention above to see the box when they are drywalling.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Bkessler said:


> Why is that?


 
I would say 90% of hack work you see on this forum have a Carlon blue box connected to it.

Hacks and HO always buy their supplies at HD and get the sales guy to give a quick lesson on box fill


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

Black4Truck said:


> I would say 90% of hack work you see on this forum have a Carlon blue box connected to it.
> 
> Hacks and HO always buy their supplies at HD and get the sales guy to give a quick lesson on box fill


yeah I'll agree to that, although I use them. The boxes aren't bad it's the HO's that are bad.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Black4Truck said:


> Notice the blue Carlon boxes, sure sign a hack did the work :no:


So _that_'s why your plastic boxes are gray, huh?



Black4Truck said:


> Hacks and HO always buy their supplies at HD and get the sales guy to give a quick lesson on box fill


I still have yet to see anyone quantify the 'Carlon Blue = hack' statement. If HD sold Lambourghinis, would you consider Lambourghinis cheap cars?


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

How many of the violations did you repair?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

RIVETER said:


> How many of the violations did you repair?


Just the ones I get paid for.:whistling2:


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Just the ones I get paid for.:whistling2:


I see you know what I was getting at. If something was bad enough to report to the world I believe that I would just fix it.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

RIVETER said:


> ....... If something was bad enough to report to the world I believe that I would just fix it.


Even without getting paid?


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Even without getting paid?


I have, but it didn't involve a whole lot of money. My point was that everywhere you go you will find things installed incorrectly. If it is serious enough to take time to snap an image maybe it should be repaired or at least brought to the attention of the owner. We all know what is right and that is just my opinion.


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

480sparky said:


> Even without getting paid?


Don't be so greedy; like our fair president says, we need to spread the cheese around so that would mean you fixing it for free!


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

BuzzKill said:


> Don't be so greedy; like our fair president says, we need to spread the cheese around so that would mean you fixing it for free!


I have to be greedy. I'm a rat, remember? ALL rats are greedy.

"Spread the cheese"?:001_huh: Screw that.... I _steal _the cheese!


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## pudge565 (Dec 8, 2007)

RIVETER said:


> How many of the violations did you repair?


None I was not there for that. The work that I did do, some clean up to get access to the bilco doors to get the new water heater in, I was doing for free. I did let the owner know about them. I did tell her they are not major violations nor would I consider them unsafe but paying someone $20/hour you expect that they know what they are doing. I don't even know if he has his city of Reading license or is registered with the Office of the Attorney General for his HIC number. The only one that I would consider unsafe is the splice not in a box, only because of possible rodent infiltration and chewing leading to fire. I also did not have time that day to repair it. If she would like me to I would repair it for free as A) it won't take long and B) she is a good friend who recently lost both her father and husband.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

pudge565 said:


> None I was not there for that. The work that I did do, some clean up to get access to the bilco doors to get the new water heater in, I was doing for free. I did let the owner know about them. I did tell her they are not major violations nor would I consider them unsafe but paying someone $20/hour you expect that they know what they are doing. I don't even know if he has his city of Reading license or is registered with the Office of the Attorney General for his HIC number. The only one that I would consider unsafe is the splice not in a box, only because of possible rodent infiltration and chewing leading to fire. I also did not have time that day to repair it. If she would like me to I would repair it for free as A) it won't take long and B) she is a good friend who recently lost both her father and husband.


Good, that is all you can do...let them know, and fix it if they want. By the way you must have lived in a more affluent part of town than I did. You have rodent infiltration...we had rats.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

480sparky said:


> So _that_'s why your plastic boxes are gray, huh?
> 
> My boxes are all black
> 
> ...


It is a "rule of thumb" I use and so do other members here that Carlon boxes are used by hacks and HO's.

That is only because HD is where _*those*_ people shop :thumbup:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Black4Truck said:


> It is a "rule of thumb" I use and so do other members here that Carlon boxes are used by hacks and HO's.
> 
> That is only because HD is where _*those*_ people shop :thumbup:



Ever consider that they buy Carlon boxes because that's what HD sells, and they don't know they are not prevented from buying other brands at the supply house? There are those who think that supply houses only sell to 'those in the trades'.

Besides, HD is a lot closer to me than any supply house.


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## gold (Feb 15, 2008)

The supply house I buy from sells mostly carlon blue, so I use them ... But IMO leaving your friends home with obvious violations like fixtures without boxes and flying splices may say a little more then the color of the box. :whistling2:


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## pudge565 (Dec 8, 2007)

gold said:


> The supply house I buy from sells mostly carlon blue, so I use them ... But IMO leaving your friends home with obvious violations like fixtures without boxes and flying splices may say a little more then the color of the box. :whistling2:


Just so you know I can not technically fix it as I do not have my City of Reading license. Like I said if she would ask I would have fixed it but she didn't want me to so don't judge me.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

pudge565 said:


> Just so you know I can not technically fix it as I do not have my City of Reading license. Like I said if she would ask I would have fixed it but she didn't want me to so don't judge me.


I guess we are all in the same boat. We can't stop and fix everything in the world. I know I can't.:thumbsup:


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## gold (Feb 15, 2008)

pudge565 said:


> Just so you know I can not technically fix it as I do not have my City of Reading license. Like I said if she would ask I would have fixed it but she didn't want me to so don't judge me.


My apology pudge that was misdirected.


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

I don't like Carlon blues, but I don't hesitate to use them if i have to.
What I don't like about them:
I don't like the k/o's on the them. If you knock too hard the tab pops out. The plastic that holds the nails in sucks, very easy to end up with boxes that aren't mounted straight.

And their adjustable boxes absolutely suck. If I know there's gonna be a dimmer installed or gfci, I'd rather just mount a regular box and if I had to, use a goof ring later. I have pulled the whole box out and used a cut-in on occasion to make the device flush and level.

Slaters are nice.
Arlington black adjustable are the best. I love those boxes.


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## pudge565 (Dec 8, 2007)

gold said:


> My apology pudge that was misdirected.


No problem just wanted to clarify. 

:jester:


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Mastertorturer said:


> All bragging aside, I consider myself to be very good at what I do and make $16/h CND as a second year apprentice. My common roles involve the following.
> 
> - Examining small to medium (Maintenance/Construction) jobs and sketching out details for my boss.
> - Driving/Stocking & taking care of a service vehicle.
> ...


The benefits that you receive most likely put you over the $20 mark and your wages and skills will only increases.


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

drsparky said:


> '_Luckey_" can't even spell his nickname correctly.


:laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Kind of like some jerkoff asking me what material to buy to install a motion sensor while he saw me buying a few GE 200 amp valuepack panels at Lowes. Needless to say he left buying 100' of 10/2, a shallow gem box, a 20 amp spec grade switch, yellow ideal wirenuts, a octagon box and a heath zenith motion sensor. Attempting to wire switch I'm sure he realized wiring should be left up to the pro's.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Shockdoc said:


> Kind of like some jerkoff asking me what material to buy to install a motion sensor while he saw me buying a few GE 200 amp valuepack panels at Lowes.


Some months ago I needed (2) 150a panels, so I went to HD.

Turns out they don't carry them, so I bought at local supply house.

I was in East Patchogue and needed some parts on a Sunday, so I went to Lowe's for the first time.

They had 150a panels, but the rest of their supply line sucked.

The (2) panels cost me $120.00 more from my supply house, than if I got them from Lowe's


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Black4Truck said:


> Some months ago I needed (2) 150a panels, so I went to HD.
> 
> Turns out they don't carry them, so I bought at local supply house.
> 
> ...


Best Supplyhouse in Suffolk beleive it or not is United in Commack, my best prices for everything, my worst prices are AC and N&S . AC charged me $36 for a 10' length of 1 1/2 kindorf meanwhile HD was selling the same for $18. Figuire the owner must be doing crack ......


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Shockdoc said:


> Best Supplyhouse in Suffolk beleive it or not is United in Commack, my best prices for everything, my worst prices are AC and N&S . AC charged me $36 for a 10' length of 1 1/2 kindorf meanwhile HD was selling the same for $18. Figuire the owner must be doing crack ......


United has HD less than a mile away.. I always wondered how they stayed in business.

N&S has to pay for that new second story, but your right about their prices.

Once Lowes builds at the old Huntington Town House, I bet N&S lowers his prices.

Avon always seem to have good prices, but you got to always check...

AC is where I bought those panels.. :no:


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Black4Truck said:


> United has HD less than a mile away.. I always wondered how they stayed in business.
> 
> N&S has to pay for that new second story, but your right about their prices.
> 
> ...


I pulled a $5000 order from Micheals in Lynbrook early this year, I caught them billing me $850 for a 200 amp CH 42 ckt panel . I just bought 2/0 thhn for $2.10 a foot at United yesterday. I'm doing a couple copper services this week instead of aluminum. N&S wanted $125 for a type CH 20 GFI breaker last month, I needed it right away and no one had it so the HO got a dead front gfi mounted next to the panel. I love the GE value packs for competitive services . Its all about being a smart consumer these days since the government,corporates,retailers and gas pumps are robbing us blind.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Shockdoc said:


> I pulled a $5000 order from Micheals in Lynbrook early this year, I caught them billing me $850 for a 200 amp CH 42 ckt panel . I just bought 2/0 thhn for $2.10 a foot at United yesterday. I'm doing a couple copper services this week instead of aluminum. N&S wanted $125 for a type CH 20 GFI breaker last month, I needed it right away and no one had it so the HO got a dead front gfi mounted next to the panel. I love the GE value packs for competitive services . Its all about being a smart consumer these days since the government,corporates,retailers and gas pumps are robbing us blind.[/quote]
> 
> I agree.. and the smartest way is putting a materials list together and sending out multiple faxes for quotes.
> 
> For some reason, those prices always come in lower than if you are standing at the supply counter.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

Rudeboy said:


> I don't like Carlon blues, but I don't hesitate to use them if i have to.
> What I don't like about them:
> I don't like the k/o's on the them. If you knock too hard the tab pops out. The plastic that holds the nails in sucks, very easy to end up with boxes that aren't mounted straight.
> 
> ...


 

I have never had any problem with their adjustable boxes. I've used many of them in kitchens.:blink:


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## Mr. Sparkle (Jan 27, 2009)

jwjrw said:


> I have never had any problem with their adjustable boxes. I've used many of them in kitchens.:blink:


Yeah, me too. :blink:


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