When I had the backhoe last weekend I'd exposed several rock ledges around the property and was interested to see what the rains would wash clean. I got more than I bargained for. On the northwest side of the house I discovered a concrete footing which I hadn't been able to see before. I have no idea what it belonged to, but there it is. I also got a clearer picture of the rock beneath the West Wing and hope that will facilitate our plans.
Yesterday I spent a few hours clearing away some more of those rocks and smoothing out some of the rough edges on my new "road" around the back of the lower property where it gets marshy in spring. It won't be quite wide enough for a car or truck, yet, but it'll keep the tractor from bogging down, that's for sure.
Last weekend I was also filling holes here and there and digging out obstructions placed by the former owners. They had a four wheeler and had built various ramps and jumps to race over. These present a problem for mowing in the back so I used the backhoe to clear them out.
In my travels I was able to bring down off the hill another 6-8 tires, so my little collection is growing by leaps and bounds... :)
Today I want to see if I can pick up the lumber for the new shop header and get the "quick and dirty" wall and doors installed on the interior wall. If I can get the interior wall in place and the header installed I can build a barn door and begin to lock up the shop area, which means I can put in machinery, like a table saw.
I also may do some more clearing of brush by the power pole so it doesn't get overrun by vines again. Amazing how fast those things grow around there.
Pictures are another thing on today's task list. I've posted an "update" on the Webshots site.
http://community.webshots.com/user/Stickbug54
Hope you enjoy!
Doug
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Saturday, April 14, 2007
A day for grading. Dirt, that is.
Today was spent finishing off the slopes of some of the dirt I'd moved yesterday. We're due for a major gully washer this weekend, so we'll see what survives. I'm hoping it will wash some of the rock ledges clean of dirt.
The trap door in the barn is now done, hinges in and they work fine. Now I can lift things straight up into the loft, if I want. Of course, I lost the hinges I was going to install the other day, so I had to make a run to Lowes for new hinges...
I also managed to disassemble several sections of the fence around the backyard so that machinery can work around the West Wing easily and trucks can drive around back on the high ground. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get all the posts out. Only one came up the easy way. I've got an idea for a post puller, using a piece of chain and a car jack. We'll see if there's another way that's easier though. My car jack is holding up the end of the barn right now, so the posts will have to wait. I figure anything big and heavy enough for the posts to be in the way can give them a nudge and loosen them up.
Taking the fence apart proved to be very tedious because the horizontal boards were oak, the posts were treated and the nails coated with something that made them almost impossible to get out without a long wrecking bar. Add to that the staples that held on the wire and there's a recipe for a time consuming afternoon. ;)
Fortunately I was able to pick up a pair of fencing pliers to make the staple removing go faster. Before that it was a much bigger chore. The right tool for the job is always a blessing.
That's all for now. We're battened down for the big storm this weekend. Hope you're warm and dry.
Doug
The trap door in the barn is now done, hinges in and they work fine. Now I can lift things straight up into the loft, if I want. Of course, I lost the hinges I was going to install the other day, so I had to make a run to Lowes for new hinges...
I also managed to disassemble several sections of the fence around the backyard so that machinery can work around the West Wing easily and trucks can drive around back on the high ground. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get all the posts out. Only one came up the easy way. I've got an idea for a post puller, using a piece of chain and a car jack. We'll see if there's another way that's easier though. My car jack is holding up the end of the barn right now, so the posts will have to wait. I figure anything big and heavy enough for the posts to be in the way can give them a nudge and loosen them up.
Taking the fence apart proved to be very tedious because the horizontal boards were oak, the posts were treated and the nails coated with something that made them almost impossible to get out without a long wrecking bar. Add to that the staples that held on the wire and there's a recipe for a time consuming afternoon. ;)
Fortunately I was able to pick up a pair of fencing pliers to make the staple removing go faster. Before that it was a much bigger chore. The right tool for the job is always a blessing.
That's all for now. We're battened down for the big storm this weekend. Hope you're warm and dry.
Doug
Digging up the yard
Friday was a productive day. I rented a mini-backhoe and was able to remove 98% of the rock from the garden area (which had formerly been in what is now the shop area of the barn). I used it to build a better roadway to the back of the property, which in theory should get me around the wet spots in the ground during the spring rains. It's still pretty rough, but it'll do for now. And at least most of the stone is off the garden!
My first project was to regrade the area around the new shop garage door entrance, so the slope will allow the water to drain away from the door, not into it. I found the same ridge of rock they'd worked on in the barn/shop floor, right outside the door. I may try to break some of that up with a digging bar, or just leave it until Butch comes with his backhoe.
I also went poking around the house in the "West Wing" area and found that the ground there has some ribs of rock running through it, but there is a lot of soil between the "pages" of rock. Think of a book laying with it's spine on a table and pages standing straight up, with space between each page. Each page is a layer of rock, on edge. Some of it I could snap off with the backhoe, much of it is tougher and will require the "jackhammer" of Butch the professional backhoe guy.
I got a late start, but worked until 9:15 under the lights, so it made up for it. Gotta scoot back there today and try to dig a bit more before they come for it. :)
Doug
My first project was to regrade the area around the new shop garage door entrance, so the slope will allow the water to drain away from the door, not into it. I found the same ridge of rock they'd worked on in the barn/shop floor, right outside the door. I may try to break some of that up with a digging bar, or just leave it until Butch comes with his backhoe.
I also went poking around the house in the "West Wing" area and found that the ground there has some ribs of rock running through it, but there is a lot of soil between the "pages" of rock. Think of a book laying with it's spine on a table and pages standing straight up, with space between each page. Each page is a layer of rock, on edge. Some of it I could snap off with the backhoe, much of it is tougher and will require the "jackhammer" of Butch the professional backhoe guy.
I got a late start, but worked until 9:15 under the lights, so it made up for it. Gotta scoot back there today and try to dig a bit more before they come for it. :)
Doug
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Kitchen cabinets moved, trap door 98% done
Yesterday, Tuesday, Todd and I removed all the cabinets from the old kitchen and reinstalled most of them in the new shop. I now have 20' of counterspace to spread projects out on. We set one 10' run of countertop at the normal height, the other we mounted on 4x4 so that the level is up higher to suit my height. I've wanted a 'my size' workbench all my life and now I have one, yee ha! :)
We also fixed a large hole in the upper floor of the barn. An empty hole for a fold down stair was redone with a trap door that will fit flush to the rest of the floor and be a big asset in getting things up into storage. I even bought a pulley today that will allow me to rig a rope to haul things up rather than have to make repeated trips up and down a ladder or stairs.
I need to screw the hinges on it and add a bit of trim on the ends, but it's essentially done.
We then started working on the structure of the north end of the barn. I got out an old auto jack and we shoved the main beam for the upper floor up a couple inches. It had sagged down due to wood rot and an inadequate door header to support the weight it was carrying. It was a little unnerving to hear the floor creak and pop as we jacked the beam back into position, but nothing fell on us, so we're good... :) Unfortunately, I forgot to loosen a sill plate bolt and one of the cement blocks popped loose. Now I have to remove the old mortar and replace it with new. That'll be a project for another day though.
Tomorrow, if the cold weather holds off, I intend to try to get Eloise running again and mow some grass before it gets away from me. We managed to shove her into the barn out of the rain this afternoon, so at least I'll be able to work on her out of the rain, if it does mist.
I also would like to tinker with the electricity in the barn/shop but may not have time. Power IN the barn is not working. Power that goes THROUGH the barn to an outside outlet by the pool is working. There's something amiss there. Having the juice working in the barn would help a GREAT deal. I have an appointment in the afternoon that I must keep and that may pinch my day too much to tackle this though.
Essentially there are three more days to work on the place this week. Friday I should have the mini backhoe to play with and move a lot of dirt. There are a lot of holes that need filling, and rocky subsoil from the floor of the barn that needs a new home. I'm going to probe to see how deep the soil/rock interface is behind the house too. The lower I can set that floor, the more headroom there is in the great room.
Thanks for reading. I hope to have pictures up this weekend. Gotta scoot.
Doug
We also fixed a large hole in the upper floor of the barn. An empty hole for a fold down stair was redone with a trap door that will fit flush to the rest of the floor and be a big asset in getting things up into storage. I even bought a pulley today that will allow me to rig a rope to haul things up rather than have to make repeated trips up and down a ladder or stairs.
I need to screw the hinges on it and add a bit of trim on the ends, but it's essentially done.
We then started working on the structure of the north end of the barn. I got out an old auto jack and we shoved the main beam for the upper floor up a couple inches. It had sagged down due to wood rot and an inadequate door header to support the weight it was carrying. It was a little unnerving to hear the floor creak and pop as we jacked the beam back into position, but nothing fell on us, so we're good... :) Unfortunately, I forgot to loosen a sill plate bolt and one of the cement blocks popped loose. Now I have to remove the old mortar and replace it with new. That'll be a project for another day though.
Tomorrow, if the cold weather holds off, I intend to try to get Eloise running again and mow some grass before it gets away from me. We managed to shove her into the barn out of the rain this afternoon, so at least I'll be able to work on her out of the rain, if it does mist.
I also would like to tinker with the electricity in the barn/shop but may not have time. Power IN the barn is not working. Power that goes THROUGH the barn to an outside outlet by the pool is working. There's something amiss there. Having the juice working in the barn would help a GREAT deal. I have an appointment in the afternoon that I must keep and that may pinch my day too much to tackle this though.
Essentially there are three more days to work on the place this week. Friday I should have the mini backhoe to play with and move a lot of dirt. There are a lot of holes that need filling, and rocky subsoil from the floor of the barn that needs a new home. I'm going to probe to see how deep the soil/rock interface is behind the house too. The lower I can set that floor, the more headroom there is in the great room.
Thanks for reading. I hope to have pictures up this weekend. Gotta scoot.
Doug
Monday, April 09, 2007
An installing, uninstalling and repairing day
A belated Happy Easter to all!
Today I spent way too much time installing and then removing a new water pump on the tractor. It never had one before, original from the factory. It normally just "thermosiphons" but on hills that can be a problem when you're going down hill and the "cooler" is below the "hotter." I bought this aftermarket pump off eBay that was supposed to allow it to run cooler. However, once I installed it I discovered the pump shaft sticks out too far forward and interferes with the fan blades, thus the fan can't turn. I had to remove the pump and reinstall the original housing. Now I have to try to get my money back. :(
I had to make no less than three trips to town to (not) accomplish all that. First trip was for a different mounting bolt than the original. That was before I figured out the fan problem. Second trip was for a new fan belt once I got the old housing back in place since the one that was on there was not tight and the adjustment was maxed out. The third trip was to get a larger belt since the replacement I'd selected was a tad too small. (Fifty year old tractors with a modified alternator are not in their computer.) However, the next size was not in stock and I have to go back a fourth time tomorrow. Yippee. Hope this one fits.
On top of all that, the carburator needle float stuck open and I lost about two gallons of gas on the ground since the last time I ran her. And then I ran the battery down trying to fire it up. And when I hooked up the jumper cables to the truck, she still wouldn't turn over for some reason, so now I need to pull the tractor battery and have that checked out. And it's not easy to get it out. Ugh.
I tapped the carburator and I think the float freed up because the leak seemed to stop. I'll know tomorrow when I check the tank level. Expensive problem these days...
After the third trip today I gave up on the tractor and turned to another project. In poking around the barn a while back I realized that there had been a pull down stair installed at one point, but whoever had done it had simply cut the floor joists and left them hanging in mid air. They were being held up by the floor boards. It's supposed to be the other way around. Last week bought a couple 2x8x14 joists (to "sister" in alongside the now crippled ones). Today I got to instal them. I REALLY needed my big red wrecking bar to pry off some of the old boards but can't seem to find it. So it took me twice as long as it should have to pull out the remains of the old stairs. But the new joists are in and I should be able to install the rest of the new flooring tomorrow. It felt good to make a genuine improvment, not just cut grass or trim bushes.
In order to work on the floor joists I had to clear out the south bay of the barn, so many things migrated either to the second floor for later use, or the burn pile or the growing "to da dump" pile. As soon as I can drag out the old rusted freezer that weighs a ton, and can get Eloise running again, she can pull right in there with no problem.
I've ordered a rental backhoe for Friday to move some dirt and fill some holes and perhaps poke around where the "West Wing" will be. It's sure a nice feeling to be able to move stuff without asking anyone's permission. Just "have a vision, make it happen" is a very gratifying process.
I've got to be up early tomorrow. One of my buddies is taking the day off work to come help me with some two man jobs around the place. I'd hoped to pick up some windows a friend gave me, but I wasn't able to get ahold of the guy who owns the shed they're in. Maybe later in the week...
Tomorrow I'd like to start removing the kitchen cabinets and get them mounted in the shop. Then tear out the paneling in the kitchen and perhaps even tear up the floor to see what's under the linoleum that's there now. Never a dull moment!
Thanks for reading!
Doug
Today I spent way too much time installing and then removing a new water pump on the tractor. It never had one before, original from the factory. It normally just "thermosiphons" but on hills that can be a problem when you're going down hill and the "cooler" is below the "hotter." I bought this aftermarket pump off eBay that was supposed to allow it to run cooler. However, once I installed it I discovered the pump shaft sticks out too far forward and interferes with the fan blades, thus the fan can't turn. I had to remove the pump and reinstall the original housing. Now I have to try to get my money back. :(
I had to make no less than three trips to town to (not) accomplish all that. First trip was for a different mounting bolt than the original. That was before I figured out the fan problem. Second trip was for a new fan belt once I got the old housing back in place since the one that was on there was not tight and the adjustment was maxed out. The third trip was to get a larger belt since the replacement I'd selected was a tad too small. (Fifty year old tractors with a modified alternator are not in their computer.) However, the next size was not in stock and I have to go back a fourth time tomorrow. Yippee. Hope this one fits.
On top of all that, the carburator needle float stuck open and I lost about two gallons of gas on the ground since the last time I ran her. And then I ran the battery down trying to fire it up. And when I hooked up the jumper cables to the truck, she still wouldn't turn over for some reason, so now I need to pull the tractor battery and have that checked out. And it's not easy to get it out. Ugh.
I tapped the carburator and I think the float freed up because the leak seemed to stop. I'll know tomorrow when I check the tank level. Expensive problem these days...
After the third trip today I gave up on the tractor and turned to another project. In poking around the barn a while back I realized that there had been a pull down stair installed at one point, but whoever had done it had simply cut the floor joists and left them hanging in mid air. They were being held up by the floor boards. It's supposed to be the other way around. Last week bought a couple 2x8x14 joists (to "sister" in alongside the now crippled ones). Today I got to instal them. I REALLY needed my big red wrecking bar to pry off some of the old boards but can't seem to find it. So it took me twice as long as it should have to pull out the remains of the old stairs. But the new joists are in and I should be able to install the rest of the new flooring tomorrow. It felt good to make a genuine improvment, not just cut grass or trim bushes.
In order to work on the floor joists I had to clear out the south bay of the barn, so many things migrated either to the second floor for later use, or the burn pile or the growing "to da dump" pile. As soon as I can drag out the old rusted freezer that weighs a ton, and can get Eloise running again, she can pull right in there with no problem.
I've ordered a rental backhoe for Friday to move some dirt and fill some holes and perhaps poke around where the "West Wing" will be. It's sure a nice feeling to be able to move stuff without asking anyone's permission. Just "have a vision, make it happen" is a very gratifying process.
I've got to be up early tomorrow. One of my buddies is taking the day off work to come help me with some two man jobs around the place. I'd hoped to pick up some windows a friend gave me, but I wasn't able to get ahold of the guy who owns the shed they're in. Maybe later in the week...
Tomorrow I'd like to start removing the kitchen cabinets and get them mounted in the shop. Then tear out the paneling in the kitchen and perhaps even tear up the floor to see what's under the linoleum that's there now. Never a dull moment!
Thanks for reading!
Doug
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Houston, we have liftoff! (So to speak...)
Today was a wonderfully warm, sunny day, high about 75F, warm breezes, a great day to be outside.
Last Saturday I was able to get the PEX installed. I'd estimated that it would take close to 300' and I was right. I had to lay it out in three zones because I could only get it in 100' rolls. The stiffness of the material had been a concern, that it wouldn't turn corners well, etc. However, it went down fairly easily and I had oodles of zip ties left over.
Today I went over after work and found the concrete guys just finishing up. They were quite helpful in letting me know how the pour had gone. They said it will be a few days before the new slab will take the weight of the tractor but that I could start putting the shop together Wednesday.
That's a long day for me but I think I'll start moving the kitchen cabinets out there this Friday, assuming it's not raining or nasty cold. The floor has a slope to it, so I'll have to compensate for that somehow or my work bench will have a slope to it too... :)
The backhoe will be delivered the Monday after Easter. Then I can start scratching around where the West Wing will go and see exactly how deep the soil and rock are there. The masons put the rock they dug out of the barn onto my garden spot, so I want to get that off there and put it behind the "pond" site to build a better road to the back field. Currently one risks getting bogged down when it's wet back there. There are also a multitude of holes around the place that need to be filled up so Eloise can mow effectively. Should make for a full day with the machine.
Speaking of Eloise, she's sprung a leak in her carburator and I lost about a gallon of gas dripped onto the ground... :( Not sure why that happened, but I'm just hoping it's a stuck needle valve or something. I'd hate to have to stop everything and rebuild her carburator right now. I turned off the gas at the little bowl beneath the gas tank, we'll see if that helps. I ran the battery down pretty far trying to get it to fire up, fortunately I have a good set of jumper cables and the tractor has been modified to 12V.
I walked around the areas we planted bulbs last fall (thanks, sis!) and counted something like 40 of them have sprouted. About 3/4 have flowers showing right now, some more have buds and a very few are just leaves. The ones with flowers are a mix, everything from miniature daffodils to full size narcissus. It really adds a nice touch to the place, I have to say. Didn't get any pix taken before the light died, unfortunately. The coming cool weather will hopefully prolong their bloom.
The weeds and briars make much of the place unusable so today I cleared a path through the weeds for the new roadway so I can dump the stone there next week. The "trash piles" on the south side of the house were treated to a hair cut as the brambles went away from around the power pole, etc. Amazing how much stuff is buried under those weeds. The neighbor says that his grandfather used to have large chicken sheds there, which would make sense of the piles of stone and cinder block and rotten boards I'm seeing. Hope I can remove the debris and get it cleaned up a bit. The briars make good cover for the birds, but the trash beneath is unsightly, so perhaps I can cut them back, pull the trash and then let it regrow.
Still need to get that permit application in this week so I can get moving.
Once I get the shop space somewhat in hand I can start rebuilding that north face of the barn and we'll really be cooking with gas! :)
Wasn't able to get a pic of the new barn/shop floor today, but I'll try to snag one Thursday and post it.
We're making progress!
Doug
Last Saturday I was able to get the PEX installed. I'd estimated that it would take close to 300' and I was right. I had to lay it out in three zones because I could only get it in 100' rolls. The stiffness of the material had been a concern, that it wouldn't turn corners well, etc. However, it went down fairly easily and I had oodles of zip ties left over.
Today I went over after work and found the concrete guys just finishing up. They were quite helpful in letting me know how the pour had gone. They said it will be a few days before the new slab will take the weight of the tractor but that I could start putting the shop together Wednesday.
That's a long day for me but I think I'll start moving the kitchen cabinets out there this Friday, assuming it's not raining or nasty cold. The floor has a slope to it, so I'll have to compensate for that somehow or my work bench will have a slope to it too... :)
The backhoe will be delivered the Monday after Easter. Then I can start scratching around where the West Wing will go and see exactly how deep the soil and rock are there. The masons put the rock they dug out of the barn onto my garden spot, so I want to get that off there and put it behind the "pond" site to build a better road to the back field. Currently one risks getting bogged down when it's wet back there. There are also a multitude of holes around the place that need to be filled up so Eloise can mow effectively. Should make for a full day with the machine.
Speaking of Eloise, she's sprung a leak in her carburator and I lost about a gallon of gas dripped onto the ground... :( Not sure why that happened, but I'm just hoping it's a stuck needle valve or something. I'd hate to have to stop everything and rebuild her carburator right now. I turned off the gas at the little bowl beneath the gas tank, we'll see if that helps. I ran the battery down pretty far trying to get it to fire up, fortunately I have a good set of jumper cables and the tractor has been modified to 12V.
I walked around the areas we planted bulbs last fall (thanks, sis!) and counted something like 40 of them have sprouted. About 3/4 have flowers showing right now, some more have buds and a very few are just leaves. The ones with flowers are a mix, everything from miniature daffodils to full size narcissus. It really adds a nice touch to the place, I have to say. Didn't get any pix taken before the light died, unfortunately. The coming cool weather will hopefully prolong their bloom.
The weeds and briars make much of the place unusable so today I cleared a path through the weeds for the new roadway so I can dump the stone there next week. The "trash piles" on the south side of the house were treated to a hair cut as the brambles went away from around the power pole, etc. Amazing how much stuff is buried under those weeds. The neighbor says that his grandfather used to have large chicken sheds there, which would make sense of the piles of stone and cinder block and rotten boards I'm seeing. Hope I can remove the debris and get it cleaned up a bit. The briars make good cover for the birds, but the trash beneath is unsightly, so perhaps I can cut them back, pull the trash and then let it regrow.
Still need to get that permit application in this week so I can get moving.
Once I get the shop space somewhat in hand I can start rebuilding that north face of the barn and we'll really be cooking with gas! :)
Wasn't able to get a pic of the new barn/shop floor today, but I'll try to snag one Thursday and post it.
We're making progress!
Doug
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