This week we install our suspended ceiling. However, before getting to the matter of the perimeter moldings and cross tees, let's devise a plan.

Required tools? Pencil, graph paper, and tape measure. What goes on the paper? Any and all ceiling obstacles that will interfere with the regular installation of our main tees and cross pieces, including light fixtures, stairways, posts, windows valances, and ductwork.

Due to the fact the 12 ft. main tees support the entire weight of the grid system and tiles, our goal will be to have them extend from wall to wall with as few breaks, or separations, as possible. The only sure way to achieve this is to draw the grid on paper first, keeping in mind that your first main tee should run down the center of the room. Centering the first main tee will ensure equal spacing of the perimeter tiles, an esthetic must-have.

If an obstruction won't allow a center main tee, shift this center tee over by 6, 12, or 18 inches. Position the main tees 4 ft apart. Once the main tees are drawn in place, sketch in the 4 ft. and any 2 ft. cross tees. Basically, we want equal perimeter spacing, along with as wide a perimeter tile as possible. Tiles cut too narrow become brittle, and tend to break or crack as they're raised into the grid.

The only exception to this "avoid too narrow a tile" rule, is if for decorative or strategic purposes, your plan would benefit from a 6-9 inch perimeter. Such could be the case with the raised pattern of an elite series tile. Because elite, or premium series tiles, can have very intricate step down or wavy type surfaces, requiring the installer to painstakingly cut every tile edge to the matched specifications of the three other sides, which will add hours to the installation process, choosing a plain tile to act as a perimeter is not such a bad idea. A plain perimeter will not only provide a little formality to the ceiling space, but it'll save you a few bucks as well, a sort of "class without the cost" type of scenario, since plain tiles are only a fraction of the price of an elite series tile.

Next, ceiling height. For the easier installation of rigid tiles, be sure to place the perimeter molding at least 4 inches below the joists system. Allowing yourself 3 inches of the space to work with will be very frustrating, while dropping the tiles down only 2 inches may very well push you towards mental calamity. Understandably, something that's basically made of crushed paper, doesn't bend so well, or allows itself to be force-fitted, without you either breaking a corner, or scratching the tile's surface, two absolute issues that will challenge you every time you attempt to place a tile in position. What about beams or low hanging ductwork? Finish or box in the beams with ready to paint MDF or finger-joint pine panels, then attach the perimeter molding in the same manner you would against a wall.

If possible, re-direct ductwork to the perimeter of the room. Then box it in. Or, paint the ductwork white (to match the tiles), or black (for that contemporary, industrial complex look), then install a valence (made of 1x6 or 1x8 FJ pine) on either side of the duct, to which you will attach the necessary perimeter molding. Install the perimeter molding first, using either a hand held level, or better yet, laser level to guide you. Next, pull a mason's line along the center or the room, tucked under the perimeter molding, parallel to the joists. The mason's line, or string, will be essential to you setting the main tees in a level position. Check the drawing, then mark an "x" on the joist where the first main tee will cross, then mark a spot every 4 ft. on either side of the first "x", along the same joist. These points will indicate where the main tees will cross the room.

In order to avoid sag, main tees must be supported at every third joist (4 ft.). So, mark an "x" on these spots as well, then twist in an eye-screw, and about 8-10 inches of tie-wire, on every mark. Use tin snips to cut the main and cross tees (a hack saw will do a sloppy job) and pliers to fit and twist the tie-wire through the pre-cut slots of your main tees. After having installed a few cross tees, insert a tile or two to verify that everything is going up squarely.

Happy ceilings.

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Handyman Hints: Up we go

Tending your numerous social media accounts has very likely left you feeling overwhelmed at some point. Staying connected and being an active network participator requires a lot of time and can easily become an exhausting flurry of updates and posts. If youve ever wondered what it would feel like to step inside that blizzard of data, the following art installation made that happen.

PHOTOS: Tasty Tech Eye Candy Of The Week

For this years TED conference Vancouver, artists Lauren McCarthy and Kyle McDonald teamed up with experimental marketing agency MKG and Delta Airlines to create an immersive, 360-degree digital infinity of social media called Social Soul. Visitors stepped inside a room covered entirely by mirrors, which reflected their social media stream along with their body. The system then used custom algorithms to analyze visitors Twitter feeds to assign a conference soul mate based on interests. Once the person stepped out of the room, both parties were sent a tweet and encouraged to connect offline.

Social Soul is an immersive digital experience inspired by the question: how does it feel to be inside someone elses social media stream? MKG explained.

BLOG: Magnetic Bricks Bring 3-D Interaction To Screens

The project featured seven different languages of code, audio and music to create a more dizzying experience. Check out the impressive project in the video. Just try not to get too overwhelmed. Good luck.

via Gizmodo

Credit: MKG

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Step Inside Your Social Media Feed

Fan blades must be mounted at least 7 feet above the floor. For maximum efficiency, they shouldn't have any obstruction within 24 inches of the blade tips.

An appropriate junction or outlet box securely attached to the building structure is required. Replace the old box with one labeled as approved for ceiling fans or ceiling-suspended paddle fan installation. The box and its support must be able to support the moving weight of the fan. Use the installation hardware recommended by the junction box manufacturer. Fans over 35 pounds, with or without accessories, require additional support independent of the outlet box.

Secure the new box to a brace between ceiling joists. If there isn't a 2-by-4 wood brace between the joists but you have access to the framing through the attic, add a brace.

Otherwise, install an expandable metal ceiling-fan hanger bar. These may be positioned either from the attic or from below the ceiling, through the rough opening. Secure the box to the bracket with a U-bolt.

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Install a Ceiling Fan - Lowe's Home Improvement ...

SOURCE: ZyXEL Communications

ANAHEIM, CA--(Marketwired - Apr 1, 2014) - ZyXEL Communications, a leading provider of secure broadband networking, Internet access, connected home and routing products, today introduced its NWA1123-AC, a dual band, 802.11ac access point aimed at businesses requiring high performance wireless network with flexible installation option.

"Businesses including healthcare, hospitality and education institutions are upgrading their wireless infrastructure to keep up with the relentless demand for mobility," said Steven Joe, executive vice president for channel business for Americas at ZyXEL. "With our latest 802.11ac Access Point, ZyXEL has afforded these businesses and solution providers servicing them, with a device that will future-proof this effort and secure their investment."

The ZyXEL NWA1123-AC comes loaded with enterprise-class features including:

The NWA1123-AC is a great choice for small businesses; its practical features -- designed for business deployments -- include multiple SSID, solid WPA2 security, Layer-2 isolation and 802.1 x radius authentication. All these practical features along with the high-performance RF design make the NWA1123-AC the best solution for building flexible Wi-Fi networks in small businesses.

Pricing and Availability

ZyXEL NWA1123-AC is available now, through all ZyXEL authorized partners for a MSRP of $199.

About ZyXEL Communications ZyXEL, a pioneer in IP technology for over two decades, provides a complete portfolio of multi-service LTE, fiber and DSL broadband gateways, home connectivity solutions, smart home devices and enterprise-class Ethernet switches, security and Wi-Fi equipment for small to mid-size business. ZyXEL offers integrated, interoperable network solutions based on open standards. Headquartered in Anaheim, California, ZyXEL offers its partners service-rich solutions backed by a domestic team of logistic, sales, and technical support professionals.

http://www.zyxel.com

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ZyXEL Debuts Professional Grade 802.11ac PoE Wireless Access Point

At this year's CeBIT computer expo, one European design studio took the notion of Big Data very literally. Asked to create an exhibit for Code_n, a self-described "international initiative for digital pioneers, innovators, and groundbreaking startups," KRAM/WEISSHAAR installed a 32,000-square-foot, floor-to-ceiling series of graphics on hanging canvas using data sources like Google Ngram.

On one wide expanse of wall, the 295-foot-long Retrospective Trending installation put Google Ngram data into perspective by graphing more than 400 terms according to the frequency with which they appear in the search engine's 4-billion-book database, which spans the years 1800 to 2008. The terms visualized include political, scientific, cultural and philosophical themes, and include everything from "God" to "utopia" to "big data."

Words like man, nature, quantum mechanics, DNA synthesis, Napster, and morality make an appearance. Similar or related terms are grouped together, their graphs shown overlapping to track their relative usage between 1800 and 2008. You can see the slow rise of words like "data" and "big data" during the 20th century, compared to the decrease in mentions of God, or track how frequently different presidents are mentioned over time. (Lyndon Johnson got a little spike in 2005!) You can see when words begin to take hold in the collective consciousness, like when people begin using the phrase "Big Bang," in the 1970s, as the theory gains acceptance--two decades after the name was coined.

In the brutal aftermath of World War I, mentions of the word utopia rise dramatically. Not surprisingly, this fervor for a better world coincided with the rise of modernism, when architects like Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright were busy re-imagining the built world as a series of utopian communities. Utopia has a been a word writers have been concerned with in greater and greater numbers since.

Kram and Weisshaar see these little upticks as part of an age-old battle for the English lexicon, where words fall in and out of fashion, but some ideas, like will, reasoning, and nature, stay relatively constant over the ages.

"Re-imagined as an overlapping series of gradients, each polychrome precipice articulates the prevalence and staying power of human histories, beliefs, concepts, theories and inventions," the designers write. "The space of the hall is redefined by hundreds of these rotated prismatic turrets, each monuments to human innovation, enterprise and thought; each peak and sweep a battle of relevance."

[H/T: Visua.ly, information aesthetics]

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Track The Rise And Fall Of "God" In 295-Foot-Long Data Viz

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A bureaucrat has disputed an email claiming she and former environment minister Peter Garrett believed installing batts was "not that hard".

Then-environment department secretary Robyn Kruk says the conversation in question was about the do-it-yourself nature of the industry, rather than the ease of installing insulation batts.

It was a do-it-yourself industry.

The pair also discussed how hopeless they were at renovating, she said.

A royal commission into the troubled scheme was on Wednesday shown an email from another bureaucrat that said: "The Secretary and the Minister compared notes on their personal experience in installing batts! 'not that hard'."

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Ms Kruk said she disagreed with the comment.

"The sentiment of that discussion was in effect the installation of batts could be done by anyone," Ms Kruk told the inquiry in Brisbane on Friday.

"It was a do-it-yourself industry."

Ms Kruk also told the inquiry that environment department staffers devising the home insulation scheme worked their "butts off".

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Bureaucrat denies 'not hard' claim over ceiling insulation scheme

Maker's Mark, in conjunction with its 60th anniversary, unveiled a 36-foot by 6-foot glass installation by world renowned artist Dale Chihuly in one of the distillery's rack houses in Loretto. HERALD-LEADER|BuyPhoto

LORETTO Maker's Mark Distillery raised the bourbon tourism bar Wednesday, unveiling a world-class artwork nestled among barrels of aging spirits.

"I'd like to toast the founders of Maker's Mark my grandparents to celebrate their vision. I'd also like to toast Dale Chihuly, an American treasure," Rob Samuels, Maker's Mark's chief operating officer, said as he saluted the world-renowned Seattle glass artist standing beneath 36 feet of hand-blown splendor. "We're so honored to have this beautiful installation here that will be enjoyed by hundreds and hundreds of thousands of bourbon lovers and Maker's Mark fans."

Made of about 1,300 individual pieces of glass, Chihuly's piece, The Spirit of the Maker, will cap the tour for throngs of visitors who come to the Marion County distillery, designated a National Historic Landmark.

"I'm excited about having the opportunity to work in this beautiful, historical building and to make a piece for the 60th anniversary," Chihuly said. "It's also the first piece I have on public view in Kentucky. ... Just come on down."

Chihuly said the piece, created after a handwritten letter arrived from Samuels asking Chihuly to consider a commission, was inspired by bourbon and Maker's Mark. Its blue glass represents water, amber and green for corn and wheat, and red for Maker's Mark's famous wax. The ceiling installation is made up of Chihuly's Persian series of elements, which he started creating in 1986, according to his studio.

A ribbon of red glass runs through circles, swirls, tendrils and seashells, culminating in a panel with only red pieces. Cherubic putti suggest the angels who get their share of bourbon in evaporation every year.

Altogether, it weighs about 1,875 pounds and was shipped to Loretto in 100 boxes. Three members of Chihuly's team installed the artwork over the bourbon barrels Feb. 18 to 22, after about six months of planning and blowing glass.

"You look at just one piece, and the depth and richness and the layering are just mind-boggling," Samuels said. "Really spectacular."

The piece was designed by Chihuly and laid out first at his studio in Washington state. Samuels said he was invited to help blow a small piece for the sculpture.

Originally posted here:
Maker's Mark unveils Chihuly glass sculpture at Loretto distillery

Compiled by Nick Bensen Marin Independent Journal

Art in motion

A walk in the forest can be full of surprising sounds, changing conditions and expected diversions. Artist, instrument builder and avid birder Walter Kitundu captures that sense of the unknown variables of nature in "The Ceiling of the Day," an interactive photographic installation where the movement of each visitor triggers flying birds and vintage slide projectors. Get a first look at Kitundu's work and other new exhibitions at a "Night in the Museum" cocktail party from 6 to 8 p.m. March 28 at the Bolinas Museum at 48 Wharf Road. Tickets are $20 to $25. A free preview is at 2 p.m. March 29, followed by an opening reception from 3 to 5 p.m. The exhibitions run through June 1. Call 868-0330, or go to http://www.bolinasmuseum.org.

Ciao Italia!

Nothing goes with a crisp glass of bubbling prosecco and a hearty Tuscan dinner quite like the warm, expressive tones of classic Italian opera. The Golden Gate Opera debuts its new Supper Club Opera series with "Italian Opera Night," featuring a sampling of passages from operatic favorites such as "La Boheme," "La Traviata" and "L'Italiana in Algeri" performed by soprano Michelle Jasso (pictured), mezzo-soprano Nickola Prinz and maestro Robert Ashens. The evening starts with appetizers at 6:30 p.m. March 28 at the Sausalito Seahorse Restaurant and Night Club at 305 Harbor Drive in Sausalito. Tickets are $45 to $100. Call 331-2899 or 339-9546, or go to http://www.goldengateopera.org.

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Best bets in Marin County, March 27 through April 3, 2014

Momentum by UVA is the collective's most recent installation. Image: UVA

Momentum by UVA is the collective's most recent installation.

Housed inside the Barbican's Curve Gallery, the installation is mean to bend your perception of time and space. Image: UVA

Housed inside the Barbican's Curve Gallery, the installation is mean to bend your perception of time and space.

Light and sound are emitted from 12 pendulum-like objects that hang from the ceiling. Image: UVA

Light and sound are emitted from 12 pendulum-like objects that hang from the ceiling.

They move in different patterns to create tension between the natural and unnatural state of the room. Image: UVA

They move in different patterns to create tension between the natural and unnatural state of the room.

Ultimately, the installation wants visitors to suspend their expectations of the normal world, if only for a moment. Image: UVA

Ultimately, the installation wants visitors to suspend their expectations of the normal world, if only for a moment.

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Light Installation Wizards Create Their Most Dazzling Work Yet