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♪♪

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Kevin:
On "Ask This Old House,"

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our experts travel
across the country

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to answer questions
about your house.

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♪♪

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Today Nathan helps a homeowner

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install a recessed
bathroom cabinet.

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Then Mark replaces
a homeowner's chimney crown.

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Mark:
That looks beautiful.

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Kevin: And Mark also shares
a few treasures

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he's found over the years.

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Oh, there's a note inside.
Mark: There is.

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Kevin: Did you read it?
Mark: I had to.

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I couldn't resist.

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Kevin:
On "Ask This Old House."

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♪♪

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Kyle:
Thanks for coming, Nathan.

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Nathan:
Thanks for having me.

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Kyle: My wife and I
have been remodeling,

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and one of the things
that we wanted to replace

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is the medicine cabinet
in our bathroom.

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Nathan:
All right. Let's take a look

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It's right in here.

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Nathan: All right.
This is the medicine cabinet.

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Kyle: Yeah.
Nathan: All right.

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Kyle:
So it's a little bit bulky,

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a little bit outdated,
and a little bit beat up.

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So we were looking for something
a bit more modern

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that we could recess
into the wall.

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But it being a bathroom
and going to the wall,

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with lighting and plumbing

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and not knowing
if it's load-bearing --

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I know I sent over some photos.

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Nathan: Yeah. Those photos
are extremely helpful.

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With those photos,
I was able to tell

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that the rafters fly by and that
this is not a load-bearing wall.

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So we know we can nip
and tuck it.

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Other things to be cautious of,

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like you said,
electrical behind here,

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maybe a vent coming out
of the sink.

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So we want to go nice and slow,
make an opening, and check it.

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I think we can definitely do it.

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So let's get some tools
and get started.

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Kyle:
Sounds great. Thanks.

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Nathan:
The first step is to take down
the old medicine cabinet.

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All right. So I'm gonna pull
these two top screws out.

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And then I'll hop down and we'll
pull the bottom two screws.

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Here we go.
Nice.

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So now that we have
the medicine cabinet off,

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what I'd like to do
is actually do the layout

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of the whole cabinet
that you picked out.

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Then I'd like to make
a small little pilot hole

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between these studs,
make a little hole

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I can open up and look
and see if there's electrical.

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Maybe I can reach in

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and see if there's any vents
running out.

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So we'll start with the layout
of the cabinet.

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Let's grab those measurements.
Kyle: Sounds great.

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Nathan: It comes with
these instructions,

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and it gives us the dimensions

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that we need to make
our recess cavity.

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So let's get started by finding
the center between these lights.

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28 1/2 inches.

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So 14 1/4" will be
our center mark.

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So now that we have that mark,
we need to set our height.

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We have a 36-inch mirror
on the front of this,

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but the back's
a little bit smaller.

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If we go up 36 inches
off of this paint line,

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it kind of puts it
at a comfortable height

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in line with the top of the tile
on your shower.

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So if I bring over
a level mark...

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Right there.

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Okay. So that would be
the top of your mirror.

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Do you think that's good height?

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Kyle: That looks great.
Nathan: All right.

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So now that we have
our center line

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and we have a height to work to,

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I'm gonna do the plumb line
for the center of our cabinet.

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All right. So we have
the top of the mirror.

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And then we have the body,
the back side of it,

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which is 3 inches down.

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So that's the top
of our cavity there.

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And we know that we need to come
down 30 1/4".

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30 1/4.

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So if I put my tape right on
30 1/4 -- a little trick.

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I can actually use the hook of
my tape to score a line there.

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So this is the bottom
of the cavity.

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Then we know our mirror is
gonna overhang another 3 inches.

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So what's nice
is we're gonna cover

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a lot of this unpainted wall.
Kyle: Great.

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Nathan: Now we're ready
to go left and right.

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For that,
we know that we need to go

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off of our center line 10 3/4".

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Right there.
Kyle: Mm-hmm.

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Nathan: Now we just really need
to start connecting the dots.

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We'll connect everything
with the level,

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and that's gonna show us
what we need to take away.

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And then that one.
All right.

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So now that we have the layout,

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we know we have a stud here
and we have a stud here.

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So we'll have to work
around those.

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What I'd like to do
between these lights...

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...is just cut out a little hole
that I can reach in

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with my hand, check for a wire
or check for a vent.

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Kyle:
Great.

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Nathan: I feel pretty safe
cutting a small hole.

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What I like to use
is an oscillating tool.

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I have a special drywall blade
here.

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And you can see it's got
these depth gauges.

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So 1/4 inch, 1/2 inch,
three-quarter.

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We know we probably have
half-inch drywall.

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I'll cut right to that point.
It'll be a nice, controlled cut.

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If we like it,
we can cut the big hole.

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Kyle: Great.

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Nathan: And for safety,
we cut the power off.

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♪♪

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♪♪

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All right. So we've got
some insulation behind it,

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which is pretty normal
in bathrooms these days.

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We can tell this was remodeled
in the '90s

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or the early 2000s.

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There's some insulation in there

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for some sound dampening,
probably.

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So we can move that
out of the way.

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Okay. So you can
kind of push this to the side.

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You can reach up.
All right. Nice.

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I don't really feel anything
there.

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I feel a little blocking
right here against this stud.

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Kyle: Yep.

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Nathan: We have
our other stud right here.

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Reaching up.
I don't feel any electrical.

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So I think these electricians
were really on the ball.

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They probably ran their wire up,
over, and down,

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knowing that you were gonna be
screwing through here

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to put a medicine cabinet.

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Or they might have gone
all the way up to the top light,

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over, and down --
path of least resistance.

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So I feel pretty safe.

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I don't feel any vents.
I think we can open this up.

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Kyle:
That sounds great.

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♪♪

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Nathan:
You have pretty good depth.

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At least that three inches
we're looking for.

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What we'll have to do
is we'll switch the blade

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and do a deep cut here and here,
there and there.

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We'll pull those studs off,

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and then we'll notch out
the next ones.

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♪♪

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♪♪

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All right. Now that we have
everything opened up,

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we can see that this was
kind of a new-construction side.

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This here is original.

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You have your lath and plaster
nailed to your studs.

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Probably not load-bearing
considering some of the joinery,

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so we're definitely safe
to cut this a little bit.

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What I'd like to do
is actually notch these out.

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So we only need three inches
from the face of the wall back.

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So on this side here,
there's 3 inches.

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So I'm gonna take out
probably 3 1/4 for safety.

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So if I go 3 1/4 this side,
we'll take out an inch.

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And then this side over here,
maybe about 3/4".

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To do that, I'm just gonna make
some relief cuts all the way up.

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[ Saw buzzing ]

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Then I take a sharp chisel
and my hammer

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and just real slow,
real delicate,

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just chisel all those out, and
we'll have the cavity we need

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to start framing things
back together.

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Kyle:
Great. That sounds awesome.

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Nathan: So we did a relief cut
on the bottom

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and on the top about 3/4".

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And I picked up
some 3/4-inch pine here.

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I'm going to put in
some construction adhesive,

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kind of bed it inside that.

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We'll set that down in here,

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and that will kind of act
like a liquid shim.

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We'll do the same to the top.

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[ Drill whirring ]

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We're gonna take those same 2x4s
that we cut out earlier.

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We're actually gonna inlay it
on the right and on the left.

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Then the framing
is pretty much done.

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Kyle:
That's great.

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Nathan:
Right there is good.

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All right.

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♪♪

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All right. Let's put
the glass shelves in now.

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Last shelf?

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Kyle: That's the last one.
Nathan: It looks pretty good.

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Okay. A little bit
of homework, though.

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Some joint compound at the top.
Stand it.

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Little bit of paint all around.
It'll blend right in.

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Kyle: Great.

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Nathan:
Let's see how it looks closed.

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Kyle:
Absolutely.

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Nathan:
Nice, strong magnet.

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Kyle: It looks great.
Nathan: Very cool. Enjoy it.

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Kyle: Thank you so much.
Nathan: You're welcome.

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Kyle: Have a good day.
Nathan: You too.

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♪♪

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Mark: Today I'm headed
to see a homeowner

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that wrote in
about an indoor charcoal grill.

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He had a general inspection
on the chimney,

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and the inspector asked him
not to use the chimney

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until he had a mason look at it.

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I know these diagnoses
can be tricky.

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There's a flue involved.
There's a fireplace involved.

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So what I've done is
I've actually sent a crew

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to set up scaffolding
before I arrive.

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Kenny: Hey, Mark.
Mark: Kenny!

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00:09:05,300 --> 00:09:07,100
Kenny: Hey. Good to see you.
Mark: How are you?

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Kenny: Not so bad.
Mark: All right.

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00:09:08,333 --> 00:09:09,900
Oh, I love this place.
It's vintage.

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00:09:09,966 --> 00:09:11,400
Kenny: Thank you.
We love it, too.

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00:09:11,466 --> 00:09:12,766
It's from the 1960s.

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00:09:12,833 --> 00:09:14,900
I sent you an e-mail
about some work in the kitchen.

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00:09:14,966 --> 00:09:16,500
Mark: Yeah. That was
a great e-mail, by the way.

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I can't wait to see this piece.
Kenny: So let me show you.

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00:09:18,766 --> 00:09:20,433
In here, we've got
a kind of special piece --

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00:09:20,500 --> 00:09:22,766
the indoor charcoal grill.
Mark: Oh, this is great.

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00:09:22,833 --> 00:09:25,033
Kenny: I really liked it.
There's a lot of history to it.

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In fact, you can see
down here,

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00:09:26,866 --> 00:09:29,133
the original builders left
an autograph.

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Mark: I love that.
Kenny: "1962. Bill and Bob."

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Mark: So you got an autograph
from Bill and Bob.

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That is priceless to me.
I love that.

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Kenny: That's great. I really
want to get it functioning.

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00:09:36,700 --> 00:09:38,300
The inspector was telling me

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00:09:38,366 --> 00:09:39,733
that it's not
in a working state,

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but I wanted to get
your opinion on that.

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Mark: Okay.

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First thing I see
is this little knob.

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00:09:45,766 --> 00:09:47,133
That represents
a rotary damper.

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00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:50,233
There are two kinds of dampers,
this rotary and a poker,

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00:09:50,300 --> 00:09:51,566
which is just a handle

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00:09:51,633 --> 00:09:54,033
in the middle of that door
that pokes up.

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00:09:54,100 --> 00:09:56,800
But if I twist that
a little bit --

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you can hear me moving it.
[ Metal rattles ]

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Kenny: I see. Yeah.
Mark: Okay. Oh, you know what?

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00:10:00,833 --> 00:10:02,466
Okay.
If you put your hand up there...

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00:10:02,533 --> 00:10:03,600
Kenny:
Okay.

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00:10:03,666 --> 00:10:05,000
Mark:
You feel how rough that wall is?

241
00:10:05,066 --> 00:10:06,366
Kenny: I can feel that.
Mark: Yeah.

242
00:10:06,433 --> 00:10:08,300
That's probably what
the inspector is talking about.

243
00:10:08,366 --> 00:10:11,633
The only problem I have with
that is it may impede the smoke.

244
00:10:11,700 --> 00:10:13,500
And that's probably
what he's talking about.

245
00:10:13,566 --> 00:10:16,366
I do like the wall.
It's structurally sound.

246
00:10:16,433 --> 00:10:18,433
The mortar is tight,
so that's good.

247
00:10:18,500 --> 00:10:21,100
But I think we should light
a fire in here

248
00:10:21,166 --> 00:10:23,266
just to make sure
that the flow of the smoke

249
00:10:23,333 --> 00:10:24,900
does go up
the way we like it to.

250
00:10:24,966 --> 00:10:26,966
Kenny: All right. Sounds good.
Mark: All right.

251
00:10:27,033 --> 00:10:28,466
Let's get going on that.

252
00:10:28,533 --> 00:10:31,700
♪♪

253
00:10:31,766 --> 00:10:34,200
All right, Kenny.
This is the moment of truth.

254
00:10:34,266 --> 00:10:36,200
Kenny: All right.
Let's see how it goes.

255
00:10:36,266 --> 00:10:39,033
Mark: I'm gonna take this bag,
do a little flame...

256
00:10:44,866 --> 00:10:47,433
Okay.
I like it right off the bat.

257
00:10:47,500 --> 00:10:49,633
You see the way that flame
is being pulled up?

258
00:10:49,700 --> 00:10:51,766
Kenny: There's no smoke
coming in the house.

259
00:10:51,833 --> 00:10:53,133
Mark:
Okay. Look at the smoke.

260
00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:54,966
Look at how it's
being pulled up as well.

261
00:10:55,033 --> 00:10:57,466
Those are the two things
that I love right off the bat.

262
00:10:57,533 --> 00:10:59,433
Kenny:
That's getting pretty strong.

263
00:10:59,500 --> 00:11:02,666
Mark: It's getting very strong,
which is another good sign.

264
00:11:02,733 --> 00:11:05,400
So you can see
how consistent that color is.

265
00:11:05,466 --> 00:11:08,200
Usually there's a blue,
there's a lighter orange,

266
00:11:08,266 --> 00:11:09,933
there's more of a yellow.

267
00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:13,100
Sometimes there are gases and
other products in what we burn.

268
00:11:13,166 --> 00:11:14,900
But again,
this one was consistent.

269
00:11:14,966 --> 00:11:16,866
And again, you can see
that smoke being pulled

270
00:11:16,933 --> 00:11:18,366
all the way through.

271
00:11:18,433 --> 00:11:20,433
Kenny: So that's a good sign.
Mark: That's a great sign.

272
00:11:20,500 --> 00:11:21,933
But, Kenny, I do see a problem.

273
00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:24,333
You see all
this streaking water right here?

274
00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:25,766
Kenny: This back here.
Mark: Yep.

275
00:11:25,833 --> 00:11:27,866
And you can see this white hue?
Kenny: I do. Yeah.

276
00:11:27,933 --> 00:11:30,366
Mark: Okay. That's what
we call efflorescence.

277
00:11:30,433 --> 00:11:33,533
And it's actually a chemical
reaction between the materials

278
00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:34,866
that are right here.

279
00:11:34,933 --> 00:11:37,233
And that means there's
some kind of leak.

280
00:11:37,300 --> 00:11:38,466
Kenny: Okay.

281
00:11:38,533 --> 00:11:40,033
Mark: So we should
probably run outside,

282
00:11:40,100 --> 00:11:42,500
get on that roof,
and see if there's any damage.

283
00:11:42,566 --> 00:11:43,766
Kenny:
Okay. Sounds great.

284
00:11:43,833 --> 00:11:46,066
Mark: Looks like the bag
has burnt itself out,

285
00:11:46,133 --> 00:11:47,133
so that's good.

286
00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:49,300
Let's take a look at the roof.

287
00:11:49,366 --> 00:11:53,733
♪♪

288
00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:56,566
All right, Kenny. Let's see if
we can find the kitchen flue.

289
00:11:56,633 --> 00:11:58,700
Kenny: All right.
Mark: [ Sniffs ] Nothing here.

290
00:11:59,966 --> 00:12:02,700
Oh, smell that one.
Kenny: Yeah. I smell some smoke.

291
00:12:02,766 --> 00:12:04,866
Mark: It smells like the burn
we just did, right?

292
00:12:04,933 --> 00:12:06,666
And this one has heat
coming out of it.

293
00:12:06,733 --> 00:12:08,466
So that's the burner.

294
00:12:08,533 --> 00:12:10,133
One of the things I don't like

295
00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:12,166
is you can see these flues
are all at the same height.

296
00:12:12,233 --> 00:12:13,733
Kenny:
Okay. Why is that a problem?

297
00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:15,366
Mark:
There's a couple things.

298
00:12:15,433 --> 00:12:18,133
It can induce downdraft,
which is not good.

299
00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:21,566
And it can also transfer smoke
from flue to flue.

300
00:12:21,633 --> 00:12:23,966
So that's why we stagger them.

301
00:12:24,033 --> 00:12:26,200
But there are a couple of things
that I do see that are good.

302
00:12:26,266 --> 00:12:28,333
Again you can see
this brick is intact.

303
00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:31,700
Unfortunately what I do see
as well is this moss.

304
00:12:31,766 --> 00:12:33,833
Kenny: Yeah. Under the lip here,
hiding. I see that now.

305
00:12:33,900 --> 00:12:37,200
Mark: Yeah. So that indicates
water infiltration.

306
00:12:37,266 --> 00:12:40,633
So if we look up top
on this concrete crown,

307
00:12:40,700 --> 00:12:42,000
you can see these cracks.

308
00:12:42,066 --> 00:12:43,233
Kenny: Yeah.

309
00:12:43,300 --> 00:12:45,266
Mark: And the cracks are
pretty much throughout.

310
00:12:45,333 --> 00:12:47,266
This is a big crack
right here that actually goes

311
00:12:47,333 --> 00:12:49,166
all the way around the chimney.

312
00:12:49,233 --> 00:12:50,633
That's not a good thing

313
00:12:50,700 --> 00:12:52,466
because Mother Nature will push
that water right through.

314
00:12:52,533 --> 00:12:54,066
And I think that's a lot
of our problem.

315
00:12:54,133 --> 00:12:56,466
And if you look over here,
we have a hump.

316
00:12:56,533 --> 00:12:57,900
Kenny: Yeah. Look at that.
Mark: Yeah.

317
00:12:57,966 --> 00:13:00,466
So the problem with this hump
is it redirects water

318
00:13:00,533 --> 00:13:02,400
maybe into places we don't want
it to go into the kitchen.

319
00:13:02,466 --> 00:13:04,333
Kenny: Right into the kitchen.
Mark: Yeah. Exactly.

320
00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:07,066
But I think if we stagger
these flues,

321
00:13:07,133 --> 00:13:10,400
we change out this concrete cap,
you're gonna be in great shape.

322
00:13:10,466 --> 00:13:11,766
Kenny: Okay. Cool.
Mark: So let's get going.

323
00:13:11,833 --> 00:13:13,966
Kenny: Yeah. Let's get to work.
Mark: Okay.

324
00:13:14,033 --> 00:13:16,233
♪♪

325
00:13:16,300 --> 00:13:18,800
All right, Kenny.
Let's grab those screens.

326
00:13:18,866 --> 00:13:20,700
I'll grab these.

327
00:13:21,866 --> 00:13:26,933
Now that we have our
safety gear on, let's get at it.

328
00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:36,900
♪♪

329
00:13:36,966 --> 00:13:46,866
♪♪

330
00:13:46,933 --> 00:13:50,233
♪♪

331
00:13:50,300 --> 00:13:51,600
All right.

332
00:13:51,666 --> 00:13:55,833
So, masons would always
leave keepsakes anytime they did

333
00:13:55,900 --> 00:13:57,466
a concrete cap or a chimney,

334
00:13:57,533 --> 00:13:59,666
and they would be strategic
about it.

335
00:13:59,733 --> 00:14:01,233
Look at this.

336
00:14:01,300 --> 00:14:04,066
We got an old pack
of cigarettes.

337
00:14:04,133 --> 00:14:07,533
I got a soda can right here...

338
00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,066
and another soda can
right there.

339
00:14:10,133 --> 00:14:17,800
♪♪

340
00:14:17,866 --> 00:14:21,466
Now we're going to extend two
of the flues.

341
00:14:21,533 --> 00:14:29,033
♪♪

342
00:14:29,100 --> 00:14:31,100
Kenny: How's that?
Mark: That's good.

343
00:14:31,166 --> 00:14:35,266
♪♪

344
00:14:35,333 --> 00:14:37,033
All right, Kenny.

345
00:14:37,100 --> 00:14:38,966
Now it's time
for the concrete cap.

346
00:14:39,033 --> 00:14:40,800
So the first thing
we're gonna do

347
00:14:40,866 --> 00:14:42,800
is we got to close up
this cavity.

348
00:14:42,866 --> 00:14:45,733
So what we're gonna do
is take some re-rod.

349
00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:47,200
Kenny:
I'll grab one too.

350
00:14:47,266 --> 00:14:48,766
Mark:
Yep. Grab one for me.

351
00:14:48,833 --> 00:14:51,733
And we're gonna go
the length of the chimney.

352
00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:53,866
Just like that.
Kenny: Just like this.

353
00:14:53,933 --> 00:14:55,100
Mark:
Excellent.

354
00:14:55,166 --> 00:14:57,800
Now you have the short pieces
of re-rod.

355
00:14:57,866 --> 00:15:00,233
Kenny: Yeah I got some
cut up down here.

356
00:15:00,300 --> 00:15:02,633
Mark:
All right. Great. Nice job.

357
00:15:02,700 --> 00:15:04,766
We're just gonna go like this.

358
00:15:04,833 --> 00:15:06,366
Kenny:
Put them across?

359
00:15:06,433 --> 00:15:08,733
Mark:
Put them across.

360
00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:11,266
Kenny: I'll get one at the end.
Mark: And one at the end.

361
00:15:11,333 --> 00:15:13,266
So, Kenny, this piece of wire,
if you can check it out,

362
00:15:13,333 --> 00:15:15,066
has two eyes to it.

363
00:15:15,133 --> 00:15:19,200
All right. We're just gonna
take those eyes...

364
00:15:19,266 --> 00:15:23,466
and we're gonna take
our wire twist right here.

365
00:15:24,433 --> 00:15:28,166
One eye, two eye,
and all we do is twist.

366
00:15:33,966 --> 00:15:35,200
All right, Kenny.

367
00:15:35,266 --> 00:15:37,200
So we're gonna take
this wire mesh.

368
00:15:37,266 --> 00:15:38,800
We're gonna put it
over the flues.

369
00:15:38,866 --> 00:15:40,900
It's gonna sit on top
of the re-rod.

370
00:15:40,966 --> 00:15:44,000
Now, as you can see,
I already pre-cut the mesh.

371
00:15:44,066 --> 00:15:46,400
Kenny: It fits like a glove.
Mark: Fits like a glove.

372
00:15:46,466 --> 00:15:48,933
And you can see that that's
gonna stop the concrete

373
00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:50,633
from falling into the cavity.
Kenny: Okay.

374
00:15:50,700 --> 00:15:51,966
Mark:
All right.

375
00:15:52,033 --> 00:15:53,900
So right now we're ready
for concrete.

376
00:15:53,966 --> 00:15:56,000
Kenny:
All right. Let's do it.

377
00:15:56,066 --> 00:15:57,733
♪♪

378
00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:00,133
Just the base layer?
Mark: It's the base layer.

379
00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:02,133
It's a good consistency.

380
00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:04,666
It'll be easy for us to spread.

381
00:16:04,733 --> 00:16:09,066
♪♪

382
00:16:09,133 --> 00:16:14,000
Now, just remember we're gonna
do half the thickness right now,

383
00:16:14,066 --> 00:16:17,600
and then we're gonna drop
some more reinforcement in.

384
00:16:17,666 --> 00:16:27,566
♪♪

385
00:16:27,633 --> 00:16:31,633
♪♪

386
00:16:31,700 --> 00:16:34,566
You can see how that edge is
already starting to stiffen up.

387
00:16:34,633 --> 00:16:36,433
Kenny:
Yeah.

388
00:16:38,100 --> 00:16:40,500
Mark: Why don't you bring
the number 9 wire in?

389
00:16:40,566 --> 00:16:41,600
Again, pre-cut.

390
00:16:41,666 --> 00:16:44,200
Kenny: You said this is
for reinforcing.

391
00:16:44,266 --> 00:16:48,466
Mark: We're gonna dip this
into the cap.

392
00:16:48,533 --> 00:16:51,733
Oh, yeah.
This is beautiful.

393
00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:54,300
So you're just gonna take
your trowel

394
00:16:54,366 --> 00:16:58,100
and tap this into the mix.

395
00:17:00,933 --> 00:17:04,066
So this wire is gonna be
right in the middle of our pour.

396
00:17:04,133 --> 00:17:06,066
Kenny: Okay.
Give it a lot of strength?

397
00:17:06,133 --> 00:17:09,200
Mark: That's right.
Kenny: Okay.

398
00:17:09,266 --> 00:17:13,400
Mark: Again, this is another
step that most people skip.

399
00:17:15,466 --> 00:17:18,066
And again, you're not gonna
worry about that divot

400
00:17:18,133 --> 00:17:20,400
'cause we have more concrete
coming on top of it.

401
00:17:20,466 --> 00:17:30,366
♪♪

402
00:17:30,433 --> 00:17:40,333
♪♪

403
00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:42,933
♪♪

404
00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:46,400
All right. So let's put
these screens back on.

405
00:17:46,466 --> 00:17:49,300
This will keep the animals out.

406
00:17:49,366 --> 00:17:52,266
I do have something picked out
for this flue here, Kenny.

407
00:17:52,333 --> 00:17:56,000
Because you're gonna
be cooking out of this flu,

408
00:17:56,066 --> 00:17:58,533
I want to put
this metal cap on there.

409
00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:00,166
That'll keep those
water streaks away.

410
00:18:00,233 --> 00:18:01,766
Kenny:
That looks beautiful.

411
00:18:01,833 --> 00:18:04,466
Mark: It's most economical
just to use one.

412
00:18:04,533 --> 00:18:06,833
We could put one
on the entire cap

413
00:18:06,900 --> 00:18:08,600
That would be very expensive.

414
00:18:08,666 --> 00:18:10,066
I mean in the thousands.
Kenny: Sure.

415
00:18:10,133 --> 00:18:12,600
So we'll address the problem
area and just use one cap.

416
00:18:12,666 --> 00:18:14,966
And if you ask me,
I think that looks great.

417
00:18:15,033 --> 00:18:17,966
Kenny: That looks fantastic.
Let me finish this one off.

418
00:18:18,033 --> 00:18:19,933
You just put that one on
with a couple screws?

419
00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:21,933
Mark:
That's it.

420
00:18:26,766 --> 00:18:29,266
All right, Kenny.
Looks like we got all the moss.

421
00:18:29,333 --> 00:18:30,500
Kenny:
Yeah. It looks great.

422
00:18:30,566 --> 00:18:32,100
But there's just one more thing
I want to do

423
00:18:32,166 --> 00:18:33,733
if you're okay with it.
Mark: Okay.

424
00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:35,566
Kenny: I got pen here.
Let's sign the chimney.

425
00:18:35,633 --> 00:18:38,700
Mark: I see what you're doing.
I love it. I love it.

426
00:18:42,100 --> 00:18:44,133
Oh, yeah.

427
00:18:47,333 --> 00:18:50,466
"Kenny and..."

428
00:18:52,566 --> 00:18:53,833
"...Mark."

429
00:18:53,900 --> 00:18:55,800
Kenny: Beautiful.
Mark: Just like downstairs.

430
00:18:55,866 --> 00:18:57,400
Bill and Bob.
Kenny and Mark. I love it.

431
00:18:57,466 --> 00:18:59,000
Kenny: I love it, too.
Well, thank you so much.

432
00:18:59,066 --> 00:19:00,500
Mark:
All right. You got it, Kenny.

433
00:19:00,566 --> 00:19:01,900
Kenny: That's a lot of fun.
Mark: Yeah. I had fun, too.

434
00:19:01,966 --> 00:19:03,200
Thanks.
Kenny: My pleasure.

435
00:19:03,266 --> 00:19:11,966
♪♪

436
00:19:12,033 --> 00:19:15,700
♪♪

437
00:19:15,766 --> 00:19:18,700
Kevin:
Mark, what is going on here?

438
00:19:18,766 --> 00:19:20,166
Have you been dumpster diving?

439
00:19:20,233 --> 00:19:22,066
Mark: Well,
something like that, Kevin.

440
00:19:22,133 --> 00:19:24,366
Every time I dig,
I keep my fingers crossed

441
00:19:24,433 --> 00:19:25,900
and I hope to find something.

442
00:19:25,966 --> 00:19:27,900
Kevin: Is this all your stuff?
Mark: This is all my stuff.

443
00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:29,466
Kevin: You found all this?
Mark: Yeah.

444
00:19:29,533 --> 00:19:31,000
Kevin: I guess it makes sense.
You're our digger.

445
00:19:31,066 --> 00:19:32,566
I didn't even think about that.
But foundations and footings.

446
00:19:32,633 --> 00:19:34,533
That's all on you.
Mark: Sure.

447
00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:35,766
Kevin: No kidding.
Mark: Yeah.

448
00:19:35,833 --> 00:19:38,833
So this, I'm surmising,
came from a kitchen.

449
00:19:38,900 --> 00:19:40,566
I was digging a footing one day.

450
00:19:40,633 --> 00:19:41,800
I hit this kettle first

451
00:19:41,866 --> 00:19:43,833
and then started
to be really careful

452
00:19:43,900 --> 00:19:45,933
because I knew
other stuff was around.

453
00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:50,066
Kevin: So pots,
a couple different pans,

454
00:19:50,133 --> 00:19:51,666
a little tea kettle, a teapot?

455
00:19:51,733 --> 00:19:54,300
Mark: That looks like
a little teapot right there.

456
00:19:54,366 --> 00:19:56,000
Yeah.
It's in pretty good shape.

457
00:19:56,066 --> 00:19:57,466
Kevin:
And this one?

458
00:19:57,533 --> 00:19:59,466
Mark: This one caught my eye
because I know what it is.

459
00:19:59,533 --> 00:20:01,600
It's a leg
for a Ben Franklin stove.

460
00:20:01,666 --> 00:20:03,700
I'm a Ben Franklin guy,
so couldn't resist.

461
00:20:03,766 --> 00:20:05,733
Kevin: Right up your alley.
Mark: Yeah.

462
00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:07,633
Kevin: That's some beefy steel
right there.

463
00:20:07,700 --> 00:20:08,966
Mark: Yeah.

464
00:20:09,033 --> 00:20:10,966
Kevin: So was it, like,
a garbage pit, you think,

465
00:20:11,033 --> 00:20:12,700
where they just kind of
tossed stuff out back?

466
00:20:12,766 --> 00:20:14,866
Kevin: Something
that people might not know

467
00:20:14,933 --> 00:20:16,033
is back in the day --

468
00:20:16,100 --> 00:20:17,966
I'm talking early 1900s,
late 1800s --

469
00:20:18,033 --> 00:20:19,400
people used to burn their trash

470
00:20:19,466 --> 00:20:20,966
literally right
in their backyard.

471
00:20:21,033 --> 00:20:24,366
So I'm surmising that
this group came from a burn.

472
00:20:24,433 --> 00:20:25,600
Kevin:
Look at you.

473
00:20:25,666 --> 00:20:27,400
Mark: Form work
that I had to demo.

474
00:20:27,466 --> 00:20:29,166
These nails have come
out of houses.

475
00:20:29,233 --> 00:20:32,366
Those are late 1800s.
Kevin: Square-cut nails. Right.

476
00:20:32,433 --> 00:20:35,400
Mark: Yeah. Again, on a dig,
I found these two guys.

477
00:20:35,466 --> 00:20:36,733
Kevin: Yeah.

478
00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:39,233
You know, there's a spot
across the street

479
00:20:39,300 --> 00:20:41,333
from where I grew up
at my best buddy's house

480
00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:42,833
where there's a hundred
Matchbox cars,

481
00:20:42,900 --> 00:20:44,200
'cause we used to play
with them back there,

482
00:20:44,266 --> 00:20:45,333
and they'd all get lost.

483
00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:46,800
Mark:
Maybe that's how I found those.

484
00:20:46,866 --> 00:20:49,500
Kevin: That is very cool.
You or your...

485
00:20:49,566 --> 00:20:51,666
Mark: No.
These are my contemporaries.

486
00:20:51,733 --> 00:20:56,166
Right. This is used to finish
a block wall or a brick wall.

487
00:20:56,233 --> 00:20:58,766
And they used to dive a can
of beer

488
00:20:58,833 --> 00:21:00,533
right into the core
of the block.

489
00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:02,100
Kevin: Is that right?
Just a tradition?

490
00:21:02,166 --> 00:21:03,633
Mark: Yeah.
Doing some demo. Tradition.

491
00:21:03,700 --> 00:21:05,166
Kevin:
King-size Knickerbocker.

492
00:21:05,233 --> 00:21:06,833
Boy, they used a lot of steel
in those things back in the day.

493
00:21:06,900 --> 00:21:08,533
Mark: Tradition has ended,
by the way,

494
00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:11,666
Kevin: Okay.
Mr. Thomas da Silva...

495
00:21:11,733 --> 00:21:14,066
Mark: Yes.
Kevin: ...1949, Watertown, Mass.

496
00:21:14,133 --> 00:21:16,166
And is there --
Oh, there's a note inside.

497
00:21:16,233 --> 00:21:18,100
Mark: There is.
Kevin: Did you read it?

498
00:21:18,166 --> 00:21:20,700
Mark: I had to.
I couldn't resist.

499
00:21:20,766 --> 00:21:21,866
Kevin: And?
Mark: Love letter.

500
00:21:21,933 --> 00:21:23,566
Kevin: Oh.
A good one or a bad one?

501
00:21:23,633 --> 00:21:25,700
Mark: Good one.
"Where are you? I miss you."

502
00:21:25,766 --> 00:21:27,200
Kevin:
That's very good.

503
00:21:27,266 --> 00:21:29,266
And what year
and what paper is that?

504
00:21:29,333 --> 00:21:32,466
Mark: I was putting in a
fireplace in an existing house.

505
00:21:32,533 --> 00:21:35,466
So I had to do some demo.
Behind the wall, I found this.

506
00:21:35,533 --> 00:21:36,866
Boston Globe.

507
00:21:36,933 --> 00:21:39,966
And if you flip back,
you'll see the date -- 1925.

508
00:21:40,033 --> 00:21:42,266
Kevin:
Oh, very, very cool.

509
00:21:42,333 --> 00:21:44,366
And then, of course,
we find these all the time.

510
00:21:44,433 --> 00:21:45,833
Mark:
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

511
00:21:45,900 --> 00:21:48,400
Kevin: Either 'cause they've
been emptied by the worker

512
00:21:48,466 --> 00:21:49,900
or, like you say,
thrown away.

513
00:21:49,966 --> 00:21:51,400
They go through this stuff.
Mark: Yeah.

514
00:21:51,466 --> 00:21:53,766
But this is the whole show.

515
00:21:53,833 --> 00:21:56,100
I mean,
these are medicine bottles.

516
00:21:56,166 --> 00:21:58,933
This is a wine bottle
That's a milk bottle, of course.

517
00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:00,466
And that is the gem

518
00:22:00,533 --> 00:22:04,200
Kevin: I have to tell my dad
we just found his aftershave.

519
00:22:04,266 --> 00:22:05,766
Mark:
Yeah. Old Spice.

520
00:22:05,833 --> 00:22:07,066
Kevin:
What is that, clay or porcelain?

521
00:22:07,133 --> 00:22:10,166
Mark: I think it's porcelain,
but 1930...

522
00:22:10,233 --> 00:22:11,933
Kevin: That is so cool.
Mark: ...original.

523
00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:13,300
Kevin:
So you're just into it.

524
00:22:13,366 --> 00:22:15,166
You find them and you say,
"I'm gonna keep them."

525
00:22:15,233 --> 00:22:17,000
Mark: Yeah.
You dig into the ground.

526
00:22:17,066 --> 00:22:19,400
You find something like this.
I don't know what it is.

527
00:22:19,466 --> 00:22:21,533
But I find a personal
connection to everything.

528
00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:24,300
So I brush things off --
again, hoping to find more.

529
00:22:24,366 --> 00:22:26,266
It's like a treasure.
Kevin: Good for you.

530
00:22:26,333 --> 00:22:27,866
Well, we appreciate
you sharing your treasure.

531
00:22:27,933 --> 00:22:29,233
Mark: All right.
Kevin: Very nice.

532
00:22:29,300 --> 00:22:31,200
Mark: Thanks, Kevin.
Kevin: Check out this roadster.

533
00:22:31,266 --> 00:22:33,333
Mark: Yeah, really.
That's the fast one.

534
00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:35,333
Kevin: We used to blow these up
with firecrackers.

535
00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:37,566
Mark: Wow. [ Laughs ]
Kevin: [ Imitates explosion ]

536
00:22:41,833 --> 00:22:44,166
Kevin: Next time
on "Ask This Old House" --

537
00:22:44,233 --> 00:22:45,600
Jenn helps a homeowner

538
00:22:45,666 --> 00:22:48,700
who is struggling to manage
her gutter runoff.

539
00:22:48,766 --> 00:22:51,466
Jenn: See all the water
coming out of this downspout?

540
00:22:51,533 --> 00:22:53,633
This is gonna have a place
to go.

541
00:22:53,700 --> 00:22:56,300
Kevin: Then we meet a
carpenter who found his calling

542
00:22:56,366 --> 00:22:59,033
teaching the next generation.

543
00:22:59,100 --> 00:23:03,500
And Heath replaces a ceiling fan
that lacks the proper support.

544
00:23:03,566 --> 00:23:05,366
Heath: It's all designed
to hold the weight

545
00:23:05,433 --> 00:23:06,700
and the vibration of a fan.

546
00:23:06,766 --> 00:23:10,000
Kevin: All that
on "Ask This Old House."