The secret room

[formariz 11,987]

Many times I am commissioned for job that is a little more challenging and interesting than usual and this was one of them. So I have this client that has a collection of some very expensive and rare artifacts. He wanted me to make him a modern style display unit for some of them in a small TV room he has in his bedroom. He also had the concern that when he goes on vacation he always removes what he has on display and places them in a large safe. He was concerned about the large safe being very obvious and easily found. So, I came up with the solution of building a large “closet” all the way across end of room where display unit was to go and then the display unit over that wall with a secret movable cabinet that when open will allow him to walk into hidden room where safe will be. He will also have much more space for additional artifacts there. Cabinet is nearly impossible to detect that is it movable (one would have to know it) and it is also alarmed.  Cabinet is anigre with glass shelves, weighs nearly 400Lbs, swings on a single pivot and can be opened and closed with one finger. As much fun this one was I am kind of glad it is over.Installation on this one was not easy.

 

Edited April 1, 2019 by formariz

[ebinmaine 67,274]

That's pretty cool.

Wonderful work!

 

[953 nut 55,075]

Thanks for the heads up on this, I will let my friends know about this!!!!!!

April fools!         

[JCM 9,130]

Excellent craftsmanship, it is nice to see someone very passionate about the end result of their work, I have always felt and approached my trade in that fashion, word of mouth referrals in my opinion show the true character of an individual and have always worked for me.By the way,I have a customer who has something very similar in his basement which prompted me to write this,it is made up of a combination of raised panels and bookshelfs and when you open them there is a room as large as a small bedroom that is a wine cellar,pretty impressive to say the least.On another note, this is where my 1986 417-8 came from, I had my eye on it for many years and when i saw a new Farris zero turn parked next to it one day I thought I would ask about the WH, we worked out a barter in trade for Plumbing work that made each of us happy. To get back to the secret room,I had worked adjacent to that " bookshelf " for quite sometime before he opened it and could not believe my eyes. Keep up the great work.

[ebinmaine 67,274]

12 minutes ago, JCM said:

word of mouth referrals in my opinion show the true character of an individual and have always worked for me.

Best kind of advertising right there

[Mikey the Monkey 697]

Our house has secret rooms. Never knew about them until after we purchased it. We were watching TV one night and the former owner pulled in driveway. We'd never met him, but he wanted to meet us and talk. He showed us how to get into them. If he hadn't we would never have found them. He said there's more surprises waiting for us too. Don't know if that's good or bad, but intriguing. Anyway, I should say there's nothing valuable in them. Tresspassers will be shot on site...😘

[WHX?? 48,779]

Gotta like them high end customers fellas! Trouble with me in these custom million dollar homes they want secret rooms but then a two bit HVAC system!

Nice work Cas....

[roadapples 6,983]

In the movies they usually do away with the builder of said secret room...

 

 

[JCM 9,130]

@WHX22 Good comment on the HVAC, as long as they don't blame you when the house won't go below 80 in the middle of July.

[Achto 27,504]

9 minutes ago, JCM said:

as long as they don't blame you when the house won't go below 80 in the middle of July.

 

But you know that they will.

[WHX?? 48,779]

21 minutes ago, JCM said:

won't go below 80 in the middle of July.

Always! ...I should get a tattoo says I told you so!

[formariz 11,987]

6 hours ago, 953 nut said:

Thanks for the heads up on this, I will let my friends know about this!!!!!!

LOL. This is one of those places that I always jokingly say that if you manage to get in there and get away with it you deserve it. Some of the people that I do work for, this one included, are I think a "little" paranoid about security. Every corner inside and outside is on camera every conceivable type of alarm inside house such as even glass breaking sensors. I have done a lot of work for them and probably have set off more alarms on my own than everyone else combined. Many times I didn't even know what was happening until either the police walked in or i happened to see all the lights flashing outside the window. I am extremely selective in my help which I only use for some installation parts and have used the same individual for many years. You cannot have an inquisitive nature inside a place like this and start to wonder around or be nosy since there are always eyes on you. Even for the photos taken I asked permission to do so. In a way that has paid off for me since because the way they are, if they like your work and they trust you the next times there usually is no competitive bidding. They just call you and its yours. They act that way with all trades that do work in their home.

 

2 hours ago, roadapples said:

In the movies they usually do away with the builder of said secret room...

 

 

Believe me, I have worked for some that I was never at ease thinking similar things.

9 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

That's pretty cool.

Wonderful work!

 

 Thank you Eric and everyone. I really enjoy my work and due to the combination of liking a challenge and others not wanting to get into many of these projects for various reasons, I developed a little niche in the this area. Although I have always succeeded, many times I just ask what the heck did I get myself into now. Even the little woman here many times looks at what I am doing and asks "do you know how to say no?"

[JCM 9,130]

@formariz         After checking out your fine carpentry skills I thought I would post some older pics of 2 Boiler Installs & 1 Boiler Repipe.I have worked alone for most of my career so I can't take on emergency work but these 3 jobs, nowadays like most of them it takes what it takes to bring them to completion. I smiled when I read your comment about no competitive bidding, 90% of my work is when complete, send an invoice and get paid. Naturally when a lot of material is required deposits are needed.It is nice to have that type of customer base, but takes time to build that type of relationship.

[Mikey the Monkey 697]

that is true talent there, for both of you. i have a lot of respect for craftsmen

[formariz 11,987]

@JCM That is absolutely beautiful work. One never gets tired of looking at workmanship like that. It is kind of sad that today its all about hurrying up  and getting paid, without any pride. Unfortunately also many clients are not educated on how something should look and wouldn't appreciate it anyway. I guess we are fortunate that we have the right type of clients.

[WHX?? 48,779]

Saaaweet JCM!

Looks like yer a Taco fan but on the fence about your choice of boilers. Truth be told they're all junk just some better junk than others! 

You getting perks from Webstone tho? ...you should be

Couple of nice primary/secondary loops going on ther.

I did notice sweat fittings... why no press?

We have quite a few jobs out ther like that but sadly I don't take pics... camera too full of   tractors I guess! 

Tell you what guy we could have a conversation and a half about this work!

I am really impressed about the electrical work!

Edited April 2, 2019 by WHX22

[JCM 9,130]

      @WHX22          You are right, they are all junk;the boiler in my own house is an old school cast iron Burnham ESC  with 80 feet of cast iron baseboard heat, those boilers pictured were customer supplied because they changed from oil to gas because the utility companies said they would give them a free boiler if they converted, yea right, free boiler, now they are tied into a major gas supplier instead of their choice of any oil company. Never got into press on the copper fittings, I still do a lot of sweating, kinda on the downside of my years in the trade , but still need to work, glad you liked the pics.      Jim

[WHX?? 48,779]

Actually quite the opposite in this neck of the woods Jim..utilities won't give you the time of day to switch from oil to gas no less than some pos modcon boiler we are suposed to support? The boiler alone is a pretty  good chunk of coin right ther.

I would have a real hard time in your neck of the woods where oil is still the queen.