Workshop Level

Working on the joists for the workshop area to the right when you walk in the door. Trying to decide where/if to have a step going up, how to frame that in given the no-floor and that it will be directly on top of the old refrigerator walls. Standing up 3 feet in the work space and looking around, into the loft, the kitchen, out the windows; it feels nice. Hard to quite grasp how much more there is to do.

Half a Half

Couldn't resist putting one of the corrugated sheets temporarily up top to see where the previous screw holes lined up with my layout. Cheap thrills.

Four Rafters Up

An interesting day. Began thinking, "I need help." Got help. Was sufficiently stubborn enough to alienate help. Continued on my own. Did a little inverse tangent equationing. Finished the day somewhat proud. The arcs. The arcs. Hopefully not in the rafters.




{AND the license arrived today in the mail. $20 for a five year permit through the DMV. Permanent trailer plates.}

RIGID FOAM, how nasty?

I'm going in circles. Rigid foam insulation, nasty. How nasty?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

what goes between the studs... what goes between the studs... what goes between the studs...

FOUR WALLS!

Precious, I think they're great.

Living in Santa Rosa

Not Bad.

NOW HERE, an animation from the Great Handcar Regatta 2009.

PART II

Work Day with dad & a TERMITE

He has incredible patience, and I bow to him: thanks for working with me today dad, for sticking those mortises in the top plate of the north wall. (The highlight of his day was uncovering his absolutely glorious-looking 1 7/8" chisel, sharp and shiny after all these years.)

Re: a TERMITE

The wood I have does not seem to be infested. Nevertheless, it came from an old chicken coop barn with a few small locations that had termite damage. Seeing one termite today was alarming. I killed it. I am wondering with what measures I should proceed. Please add suggestions as comments if anyone reading this has tips. I do not want to fumigate with a heavily toxic medley. The wood I am using seems to all be solid and good. But this one termite--what a little bugger! Are there more? Greg suggested I pressure wash the whole thing once I finish framing, let it all dry out, and then go ahead with siding and all. Any other suggestions?

A few photos from the day showing how it's coming along.

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(Thanks to Hana Permillerkins and tremendous family, in New Zealand, Indo, France, Oregon, or where is she next?)

Another Day

A bit more progress.

Really, just need to decide Decide how I want the wall in the kitchen to take form in order to form it. Did a lot of sitting on top of the ladder as the sun set, imagining that hitch-side wall.

Working on this project brings up some core issues: 1) trusting myself, 2) the gender spectrum, 3) my stubbornness, 4) the abundance in this country I have access to, my selfishness coupled with my desire to see my friends around the world unafflicted by the greed for natural resources by the richest in the world, 5) where do I fit in? / what do I want to do with my life [next]?

One place some of these issues collide is regarding the nastiness of some of the building materials I have scavenged (see entry ALL THE BAD CHOICES I'VE CHOSEN: Killing the Planet, Killing Myself: Why I'd rather

be building with straw and mud, period..). Though on the one hand I feel good about keeping them out of the dump, on the other hand I am (slightly) killing myself as I work with them and aware of how toxic some of the materials are to all the workers involved in the process of making whatever material I'm using.

Thoughts.

Closer to Two Walls

Not plumb, yet. The rain cleared, allowing fine time to work. Isn't the tarp wrapping around what will be the northwest corner nicely?

Before Typhoon Melor

A wall and a half came up. Great heightened joy!

The first growth fir from the barn is delicious to frame with, and it's face will be left exposed on the inside. The north wall now stands 10' from the base of the sill plate with room inside for 3' of storage beneath the workshop. The tippy top of the roof will (as per DMV regulations) be just under 13'6" from the ground.

(the 2"x6" coming through the center is a temporary mast for the tarp, though it's hardly the rain protection I'd envisioned)

ALL THE BAD CHOICES I'VE CHOSEN: Killing the Planet, Killing Myself: Why I'd rather be building with straw and mud, period.

? but the rot...

I used this on the 2"x6" redwood decking that I ripped down to 2" x 3 5/8" to be the base sill plate. The decking was salvaged from someone in Santa Rosa and has places with dry rot. I don't like the decision I made, nevertheless, I do not want the rot to transfer from the redwood to the fir framing the rest of the house. If anyone has any alternative options to the nasty wood preserve, please leave a comment here!

? but the rust...

Another decision I don't like. The paint seems like it will do a superior job at keeping rust from eating away at my foundation, but the stuff is nasty. If anyone has any hot ways to keep rust off steel that are less nasty, please comment here.

? rigid foam insulation

sure, yes, by all means, insulate your house, insulate the heck out of it, depending on the climate you live in, that is probably a good idea. nevertheless, this rigid foam is nasty. i know i've got to get more articulate with these things, i'm just giving a first stab at articulation here. the hanging shiny particulates when you cut this stuff is not good for babies, other humans, plants, soil, water systems and so on.

Can he sail?

Can I weld?

Don't know. But that appears to be what's going on. And the angle iron is all attached around the trailer, ready for sill plates!
Attached: liquefying metal, the white hot seam barely stirred, electrifying tools if you're not careful, omnipowerful, and confusing to the muscles because they couldn't smush metal together, yet (with their doing?) right in front of the body, metal was just squished in a deciding come-together even if 1/4" out of place. White hot. Hindsight rocks.

Don't forget gloves when you're grinding.

(Heck of a picnic Greg and Janelle! Beware of "Metal Fume Fever" I've been nauseous a week.)

An Extra Here: Photos from the mock laying out

Featured are 6" thick 3'6" x 9' rigid foam industrial refrigeration walls spotted by the illustrious Shantytown outside of a northern California winery by the side of the road. They will become a good portion of my floor.

Above: Imagining the bathroom.

Pictures can be deceiving, it's actually HUGE.