Okanogan 20x30

[Yonderosa]

Did you get your Hog Wire in Omak?  That looks good and doesn't obscure the view as much. 

Heck of a year for Bears this year.  Two in Seattle, another out my way and I know seven guys that have filled their tags so far this year.

[SkagitDrifter]

Got the hog wire here in Skagit Co.  Could not find the 4" mesh over there.
Built the panels over on this side.

Thought about getting a tag this year but then upland bird season hit.
Cash and I have been hitting the grouse woods pretty hard and lovin' it.

[Arizona Highlander]

Nice job. Really like the metal siding with wood shingles look.
Also, the taller crawl space/garage is cool.

[wildcottonroad]

Skagit,

I had some questions about your place and sent an email. If you get a chance, type me back.

Thanks

Jay

[Bishopknight]

looks awesome man, great job!

[Jens]

really got me wondering now.  Those exterior shots look like a raytraced computer model imported to actual photo of property.  There something fishy going on here?  You pulling our legs?

[RainDog]

Oh noes! Another conspiracy!

It's those pesky Illuminati Rothschild Zionist Trilateral Commission dudes again! Oh, and where's that birth certificate, anyway?

Just kiddin', just kiddin'.

I think he may have used some digital effect to sharpen the photos, is all. If that.

[SkagitDrifter]

No smoke and mirrors here gang- just good old fashion point and shoot camera work.
Spent the Thanksgiving weekend over at the cabin- did no real work.  Got the  snowmobile and snowshoes out of mothballs and ready for the snow.  Did some grouse hunting, read by the fire, had some great pioneer food and drink and got my butt kicked by my wife in Gin Rummy.  Slept great and got re-charged.  Everytime I'm there I never want to leave.  Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.

[SkagitDrifter]

[SkagitDrifter]

It's been a long winter but with all the Okanogan action being posted I thought I should get busy and get something done on my project.  We have been over a few times this winter for fun and relaxation but this weekend we headed over ready to work.

We started with a pile of Doug Fir T&G we will use for wainscot.  I had all the T&G cut to length before we made the trip over.  The less I have to use the generator the better. 


My fab wife in install mode- she thinks she is so bad when she has the nail gun in her hand- but then I have to remind her that she has a pink hammer.  I installed the blocking ahead of her as we worked around the room.


I also filled in between the Glu Lams with like material to give the room a more complete look- also it will make the install of the horizontal T&G easier. 


I built out the woodstove hearth and mantle area.  Next trip over I will cover it with tar paper, wire mesh and hit it with a scratch coat of mud and get it ready for stone.  The actual pad the stove sits on was given to me by a friend- If I had to do it over, I would build it myself.  I may have a hard time blending the wall and pad together.  The wainscot got a quick coat of semi solid stain.  The T&G that we use for the rest of the interior will be natural Fir, run horizontally.  We'll install a chair rail between.


Nature is really working overtime.  Everything is waking up- lots of deer and tons of grouse drumming in the woods. 


Looking forward to my next trip over- There never seems to be enough time to get everything done.
Hope you all had a safe and productive weekend.
All the best-

[JavaMan]

That wasn't you coming out of Valley lumber in Okanogan last Saturday, was it?  Someone was in there with their black lab that looked a lot like yours  as I was heading in.

Looks like you are really getting close! I wish I was that close on the cabin, but the shed comes first.  Your place is looking real good 

[Redoverfarm]

It looks like it is coming right along.  I appreciate the toning of the wainscoat rather than just natural.  I would critic some concerning the woodstove platform.  From experience I would have raised the platform up off the floor on a 12" pedestal.  Not that it would make it function better (heat wise) but it is a lot easier to load and clean with it being up off the floor.  If you haven't noticed it now it will become apparent in the future. My knees and back are not what they used to be and I curse everytime I have to get down to the floor level to fire my stove. As for the 12" elevation it could be treated the same as the wall behind, covering it with stone as well and allowing the base to overhang the sides of the platform.  

[SkagitDrifter]

Java
Not me at Valley Lumber on Sat. - I try to bring as much material with me from this side and limit the trips to town as much as possible- I get more done that way.

Red- I like your idea of raising the hearth but like I said "if I had it to do over again".
I'm sort of stuck with the pad the way it is at this point.  It would be alot of work to disassemble the stove/pipe, build the new hearth, re-fit the pipe etc.  I think we'll have to just make the best of it for now and wait for the "remodel" by the next owner.

[Redoverfarm]

SkagitDrifter the only reason I mentioned it was that you were at a point that it could be done without too much modification .  Wished I would have picked up on it earlier in your thread though.  I did however build a raised hearth on the fireplace with 2X material & Ply followed up with lathe and stone.  I just wished I would have done it at the house with the stove.  

[SkagitDrifter]

Hey Gang-
Beautiful weekend over in the Okanogan.  We kind of took it easy but did manage to do a few things that needed doing.  We made it into town for lunch and a few cold ones and to cruise the local junk shops looking for one of those one of a kind vintage items that you don't really need.  I kept an eye out for any of the other Okanogan posse- Yonderossa, OlJarhead, dyifrank, JavaMan- but no luck.  I'm not sure that I would be able to pick them out except maybe Ol because of his Jeep on steroids.  I hope you guys were out at your projects working away enjoying the beautiful weather.
 
Wild flowers everywhere you look.


Got the scratch coat done and will be ready for stone on the next trip.


We put the tile backer down on Saturday and got the tile done Sunday morning.  Pretty simple 4x8 pad at the doorway for wet/muddy feet/dogs etc.  Never did tile before but I think it worked out ok.
We also got a start on the Doug Fir t&g for the walls.  Were using a clear jel finish on the paneling- putting a coat on as we work our way up the walls.


Welded some brackets together for the camp fire benches.  I had some scrap 1x6 Ipe decking hanging around the shop and thought it would make nice bench tops.


We'll be back over for the long weekend at the end of the month.  
Hope you all had a great weekend and got tons done on your projects.
All the best-

[Redoverfarm]

Looking good.  Might I give you a hint.  If you are going to trim out the fireplace surround do it first or put a "substitute" demensional lumber temporaily around before you lay your stone.  If not you will have to scribe the complete thing to make something work as a transition.  That way you can cut your stone to go flush against the side trim. 

[Pine Cone]

Very nice!

How did you make your fire ring?  Is that a truck rim inside with loose stacked stones?  I really like the benches too.  

Great view, but not much for summertime shade.  Are you planning on a deck or arbor near the house?

[SkagitDrifter]

Thanks Red-
Good idea as usual.  I hope to layout the stone back home at my shop, number the stones and install over there.  The less cutting/fitting over there the better.

PineCone-
Thanks.
The ring is actually 5" x 3/16'' flat stock that we welded the ends together to form the ring and then dry stacked the stones around it.
As for shade...
East of the cabin about 50 yards there is an aspen grove where we built a free standing deck.  It is in the shade most of the day.  Also the view side of the cabin has a 10' deck on it which gets the morning sun but by early afternoon is in the shade.  We thought of building the cabin in the aspen grove but we were worried about the fire danger.  Lots of wild fires over in that area and being out in the sticks no way for the fire dept. to get out there to save the structure.

The deck is on the north side of the building which is in shade by early afternoon.
You can see the aspen grove in the background.  Also, we're over three thousand feet in elevation so it tends to be quite a bit cooler than in the lowlands.

[John Raabe]

Very handsome cabin - standing proud on a lovely site.

[Redoverfarm]

I am not sure if you are using real or cultured stone.  I have good results with a 4-1/2" angle grinder equipted with a diamond dry 4" blade (Harbor Freight (3) for $10.  If cultured always cut from the face side to prevent chipping. Actually you will have very little cutting except on the ends of the courses.  

Pine Cone as a alternative for a some what smaller diameter firepit some around here use an old washing machine tub ( The WV coming out I guess  ).  You can set it into the ground as far as you want it to protrude out.  The factory holes in the side make good ventilation and draft.  

[SkagitDrifter]

Hope everyone had a safe and fun weekend.

We spent the long weekend at the cabin with family and guests in tow.  Spent most of the time kicking back, riding quads, playing horse shoes and drinking beer- regular Memorial day stuff.

Did not plan to get much work done but I did get to the rock wall behind the woodstove.  This is my first attempt at stone work.  I picked up the stone at a local stone yard on this side of the mountians.  We laid out all the stones on the floor of the shop and started to put the puzzle together.  When we were happy with the layout we took pictures and did a rough sketch so we could transport and replicate it when we got over to the cabin.  It went together pretty well with everything fitting in place
-sort of.



Anybody have any tips on grout?
Is there anything I need to do to clean the stone after grouting?  Acid wash, etc?
Do you use a sealer on natural stone?
Thanks for any information you may have.
All the best!     

[Redoverfarm]

SkagitDrifter pick you up a grout bag, tuck point trowel (1/2" will get the most if you laid them for a uniform grout joint) and a natural hair brush.  Mix the mortar a little wetter than used in laying.  Fill up the grout bag to 1/2-3/4 capacity. Fold over the top.  I normally start at the bottom and squeeze the mortar into the joints to the rock surface.  Allow 20-30 minutes to semi-set up.  Followup by using the tuck point to push the mortar back against your substrait (hardee board or lathe parge) and against the stone edge.  Once that has had about 15-20 minutes of set time use the tuck point end and "rake" the high points and eccess from the edge of the stone below it's surface.  Followup with the brush and gently brush the joints and stone edges.  The result is a smooth grout joint and clean stones. Setting time may vary depending on humidity, amount of water in the mortar so you will just have to gauge it by trial and error.  If you try to brush it too early it will smear on the stone surface. If it is dry it will brush clean.  

If there is some joints that the tuck point will not flatly lay between the stones you might have to improvise with something else to tuck the mortar in between the stones.  They also make a 1/4" width tuck point.  I have used a variety of instruments ( What ever was handy and would fit   )that the standard width tuck point would not work.  Common mistakes in laying is that you try to get the joint as tight as possible and forget that you need a uniform grout line.    I think you get the jist of what I am describing.  Have any problems just ask.

[SkagitDrifter]

Thanks Red- Good tips as always.

Anyone have any thoughts on adding some color to the grout?
I was thinking of a dark grey/black color to pick up the tone of the wainscot paneling.
Thanks-

[dug]

I was thinking of a dark grey/black color to pick up the tone of the wainscot paneling.
Thanks-

I agree that a bit darker than plain grey grout would look really nice with those stones and the wainscot. I would not go too dark though, maybe just a little lighter than the wainscot?

[germangirl]

Skagit - Love your place! I was showing my husband your hog wire deck panels. We are going to build a deck here in MI and really love the look of them. Could you give us some more detailed information on how you built them? Was the hog wire in roll or in separate pieces? We have a farm supply store we could check out but wanted to see more about what into the construction of the panels first.
Also where exactly are you? I was showing my hubby and 4 kids the pictures with the wildflowers and everyone has been asking - "where is that!?"
Thanks, Liesl