I've never heard of such a thing, but I bet someone out there has done it. Annie

randy427 and lewisnc100: Most of the building inspection people around here limit the acceptable distance from the disconnect to the panel to 15 feet or so. I'm not sure why, but I can see that cost will be an issue for me. So, I'm thinking about just bringing the service in on the exterior wall of that enclosed vestibule. I believe the panel can't be within 3 feet of a window, though(??) If that's the case I'd have to move it to the outside of the laundry room. That's too close to the living areas. I'm thinking that as rarely as homeowners in new construction actually have to access their circuit breakers, maybe I'll just leave it in the garage and walk outside to get to it. Despite the reassurances of my learned medical colleagues here, I believe I'll practice prudent avoidance until all the evidence is in. BTW, while the media is busy beating the public into a stew about a very remote possibility of EMF effects on cancer, there's an area you guys might want to study a bit. You'll have to hit the medical library, though, because it's far too complex for the media to understand, or reduce to a sound bite. There is a consistently demonstrable decrease in cardiac variability (a bad thing) from exposure to ELFs, especially in certain populations--men, the aged, people with high blood pressure, and children. While that generally poses a problem for a relatively small group, if you're not a member of any of those groups, or expecting to be, then I wouldn't worry about it. Anyway, these observations are monitored by the high tech medical industry because it represents a potentially lucrative opportunity. And, in fact, technologies are currently being developed to harness ELFs in a therapeutic way in an innoculative procedure prior to some cardiac surgeries. The procedure involves about a 10 day exposure to prescribed "dosages" of ELFs prior to surgery, in an effort to get the heart to stop making its usual undesired response to ELFs (that is, decreasing its variability pattern). Dogs are so far doing well with it, so there's hope for us all yet. There is, of course a problem of a higher risk of complications from the innoculative treatment itself, but only for patients in those higher-risk groups I mentioned. Unfortunately, the majority of patients undergoing any cardiac surgery also have high blood pressure. Medics just can't get a break what with all these sick patients showing up on their tables! It may be that the risk can be managed medically with those patients, or that it will simply be the least of their worries. If the research pans out, and we don't lose too many Bowsers and Fidos along the way, then the FDA will approve the new treatment, and a lot of us will be getting to enjoy the GOOD aspects of having some ELFs slipped to us. The point being that electromagnetic fields are ubiquitous-- in living creatures, in the earth, as well as in our industrial and commercial applications. There are good effects, and bad effects. And it's a pretty complex situation that no one group has figured out yet. And it is an essential part of our lives, in fact is part of our heartbeat, and ceases when our heart stops beating. And I think all this is pretty inspiring. Nevertheless, I'm putting my service panel away from my living space and am glad that building codes require certain connectors to have metal shielding. And that's not coming from someone who is easily impressed by unfounded evidence. So, that's from me, for what it's worth. Maybe I'll see you all around the OR someday.

@RayeSmith: I don't think I can attach my mirror directly to a hinge, given how it is constructed. (1) the frame is completely round, front and back (2) the back of the frame is not very wide (3) I don't think the construction of the frame is strong enough to stand up to the stresses of movement. @pennydesign, I don't think I'd try to convert the floor mirror to a jewelry mirror--I just think it would be too complicated. But I could make the box/tray that attaches to the wall, and attach a slab door of plywood (size everything so that door fits inside the frame of my mirror), and then remove my mirror from the stand and glue it to the slab door. Maybe the frame would stand up to that simpler stress. I've wanted to hang that mirror on the wall all along anyway; I love how it looks (the design of the frame), but having it on a stand is a PITA.

I keep a pair of Handeze around. They aren't copper, but are just enough light compression to help without being bulky, restricting. I have arthritis at the base of both thumbs and find they really help when doing pruning, painting (holding a roller), chores like that. I have rather small hands (ring size 4) and this brand came in sizes that work for me - so I haven't looked into anything else. I originally got them from a Womens gardening tool catalog, but a long time ago. Handeze on Ebay, lightweight compression DH wears copper knee sleeves by Tommie Copper. He swears by them. I don't know if they help or not but he does better with his knees than he did decades ago, injured both in high school football. Even if the copper doesn't really help, if he thinks it does I'm not going to argue with him for no more than the knee sleeves cost ;0) A few years ago he re injured a knee falling over a tree. MRI showed a deep bone bruise, and an old meniscus tear, old ACL tear, and arthritis. He's never had surgery and stays really active, does a lot of hiking, so I'll keep ordering the Tommie Copper knee sleeves if they make him happy.