Why do we ‘sister’ joists?
Why do we ‘toenail’ ?
There must be more of these sayings we use everyday whose origins are lost in the sweepings of old buildings.
Why do we ‘sister’ joists?
Why do we ‘toenail’ ?
There must be more of these sayings we use everyday whose origins are lost in the sweepings of old buildings.
Ford Motor Company slashes prices for some F-150 Lightning models to stimulate demand for electric vehicles (EVs).
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox
Fine Homebuilding
Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox
© 2024 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.
Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox
Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.
Start Your Free TrialStart your subscription today and save up to 81%
SubscribeGet complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.
Already a member? Log in
Replies
How funny! In a proposal I wrote this morning, I used the terms "sister joists." And as I wrote it, I was sure I would be explaining this to the customer. It can't be the same as "sister cities."....These sistered joists are thick as theives! Hmmmm....doesn't work.
You toe nail because you use your toe to keep the
stud from kicking sideways. Try not to nail yourself to the floor.
As far as sistering, I expect any close relative would
be OK. But, to be sure you'd need to tell us what she looks
like, whether she's single or not and her current bank balance.
You ever see how two sisters sleep? They snuggle right up, kind of like sistering joists. Females are a lot more comfortable touching other females than males are touching males.
some old structures have something called a "summer beam" in them. Look closely, and it looks like it took all summer to make it.
butt hinges: put your butt against the hinge side of the door, to determine the hand. That's why you call them butt hingesno turn left unstoned
Summer: from French, sommier, rafter, beast of burden
Sister: one of the same kind, of the same condition
Merrium Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1949 ed.
"Sister: one of the same kind, of the same condition"
So Bob, are you suggesting we should use another undersized, or broken framing member when we sister in a joist or rafter? <g>
Besides, I kind of like the idea of the Thompson twins, all snuggled up, waiting for...never mind.
That's a bunch of bologna!
Learned that one on a local radio commercial. Years ago...some deli packed mystery lunches for worker guys. Made sandwiches up....put into lunch bags...and sealed them. Sold them with no labeling......lunchtime suprise. Then...they decided to put in more bologna than ham or turkey...to save money...and the worker guys would get pissed when they opened the bag to find.......a load..or bunch...of bologna!
Paul Harvey would be proud! Jeff "That's like hypnotizing chickens........."
So your saying that sistering joist is works.
But if you brothered joists it just wouldn't come out ... straight?
Edited 5/26/2002 5:57:50 AM ET by 4LORN1
"the Thompson twins, all snuggled up, waiting for...."
The Barbi twins occured to me first. Same reason, probably.
Edited 5/26/2002 8:00:41 AM ET by Boss Hog
It seemed a good idea at the time.
Tried to find the original source for this on the net, no luck -- anyone know the originator of this saying??
One of my favorites....Anahiem Ties" Darkworksite4: When the job is to small for everyone else, Its just about right for me"
"Seemed like a good idea at the time."
The first time I heard it was -- guy with a light bulb tatoo'd on his balled head. Said "it was new years eve and seemed like a good idea at the time." :)
Dave Smucker
"That's what she said"
Excellence is its own reward!
"Make hay while the sun shines" and "God willin and the river dont rise"... Darkworksite4: When the job is to small for everyone else, Its just about right for me"
nuthin' unknown about those two ron, if you've been raised down on the farm.
What's a Donneybrook?
Excellence is its own reward!
According to Bartleby.com
The writer was Rebecca West, in the NY Times 2 Oct 1977:
If the whole human race lay in one grave, the epitaph on its headstone might well be: “It seemed a good idea at the time.”
- Simpson’s Contemporary Quotations. 1988.
Then in 1986 Bill Cosby used the phrase in one of his routines, and it's my guess that this is where it entered the popular lexicon:
"I guess the real reason that my wife and I had children is the same reason that Napoleon had for invading Russia: it seemed like a good idea at the time".
- The Columbia World of Quotations. 1996.
Hope this helps.
Thanks, I'd seen those also. Methinks barlett's is getting lazy also. I recall hearing the saying in the '50s. There were some references in the 1920's also, but were quotes from some unknown source, have not found anything earlier. Probably one of the "anon" quotations.
Likewise the "bunch of baloney" quote. I've seen a reference (Hays' history text from 1927) that it was first because one of the first schools specifically for LAWYERS was the early (1500's??) university at Balonga Italy. What came out was a bunch of "Balonga".
quote
Likewise the "bunch of baloney" quote. I've seen a reference (Hays' history text from 1927) that it was first because one of the first schools specifically for LAWYERS was the early (1500's??) university at Balonga Italy. What came out was a bunch of "Balonga".
ENDQUOTE
Well, it's like they say, watching laws being made is like watching sausage being made: you have to have a strong stomach for both!
"Sistering" joists -
According to a recent news release, you can now "cousin" joists without fear of defects. Did I hear that right? ;o)T. Jeffery Clarke
Quidvis Recte Factum Quamvis Humile Praeclarum
"It seemed like a good idea at the time"
I was thinking that I heard it in the background voices on the "Dark Side of the Moon", which came out in '72.
But on re-listening it was, "I don't know, I was really drunk at the time."
A funny thing about those voices. They add a kind of subliminal creepyness to the album, and make you think that there is a story being told just out of earshot. But in Pink Floyd's biography, "Saucer Full of Secrets" they explained that it was just a bunch of random speaking by their roadies. They recorded whatever popped into their heads and faded it in and out on a few of the tracks for texture. What a great album, when you listen to it its hard to believe its 30 years old...
Here's a saying that's on that album (those voices again):
"It'll be a short, sharp shock, and that'll be the game, dig it, eh?."
I wonder where "Short, sharp shock" originated?
> wonder where "Short, sharp shock" originated?
Gilbert and Sullivan -- the executioner's song in the Mikado.
-- J.S.
John, you've got the "paramount" show biz know-how. Maybe you can help.
The earlier ?? I posted about "it seemed a good idea at the time" may definetly have show biz writer connections. I know the J. Candy movie of '75 has that title, and that Fibber McKee radio writers have also been credited. Did either of those sources give credit to earlier sources?? <G> maybe it was a key grip who lost his "grip"?
Thanks.
PS: I'm on a technical panel at a symposium in July with that quote as it's inspriation for electrical power system foulups (e.g. greyout davis et. al), so was trying to find THE ORIGINAL source. One source I saw was guessing that it is a rough translation from greek for what Alexander said when asked how he figured to cut the knot rather than untie it.
Way back in I think 97 I asked the question in the old Remodeling Online forums:"What's
a dutchman?" What I posted way back then read
My on-line friend and CT based builder Mike Heslin replied:
I don't know how you'd trace authorship of a specific line like "It seemed like a good idea at the time". I doubt even the WGA would have formal records for anything but entire works.
As for things that seemed like a good idea at the time, this may be one of the first:
http://www.crystalinks.com/bentpyr.html
-- J.S.
...and whether she needs nailing in the first place?....If it is to be, 'twil be done by me..
Why would she be fooling with a carpenter if she didn't?
The important thing is whether she can support me in the
style to which I've become accustomed.