Rick and Ellen's Homestead

[dablack]

Loving the floor!  It looks great with the sealer on there.  Nice job.

What filler are you using?

Austin

[rick91351]

Loving the floor!  It looks great with the sealer on there.  Nice job.

What filler are you using?

Austin

Thanks ....

Some got filled with Wood Dough a commercial product you mix with the 'woodflour' from your sanding.  Then parts got filled with Woodwise Maple/ash/pine.  Woodwise was what my buddy used a lot of it back when....   I wanted to use Wood Dough because of a couple spots we had to tell the truth were pretty bothersome.  But as I say it is a homemade floor and it sure is not vertical grain fir. 

I wish I knew then what I know now about putting this floor down.     

[rick91351]

We got a very good rain....  It stated to fill the trench we are using to carry a few utilities to the house.



Up in the mountains above us our first snow of the year on this side.

Loving the floor!  It looks great with the sealer on there.  Nice job.

What filler are you using?

Austin

It is wood doe not wood dough.....



Mixed with wood floor (sanding dust) in a tub when it kicks it is hard like a rock....  You have to get it worked in and tight. 



Woodwise comes in different tints



I get a lot of this with Woodwise when sanding.  Nother reason to call in the pros.

[Windpower]

Nice work on the floor !

We could not face winter in our camper last year -- we moved our mattress into the master BR closet floor before the first bedroom had flooring. we did that almost exactly one year ago  -- we were talking about that experience last week -- we were never sorry we 'moved in' before the house was done

we lived through me doing the flooring and and getting the trim done and a lot of the wiring and tiling and plumbing fixtures and having a make-shift kitchen sink and toaster oven for our kitchen until late January

it was well worth dealing with the construction mess.  Being in the camper through last year's brutal winter would not have been easily possible

I'd vote move in -- you have earned it

[rick91351]

Thanks Windpower - Most likely we will be moving in as we really just have trim and a lot of 'varnish' to apply.  Well plus the porch decks.  I think we can avoid the bad places here and there where we will be in the way of ourselves with a little planning and trying. 

People who have faced winter in a camper in the great white north I think need special recognition of some type. A sterling silver frozen snowball pin from hell or something.  We never never really 'froze' this puppy up but it took a lot of planning and heat tape and skirting and crawling underneath to dump the sewer.    It was fun and enjoyable at times but hardly comfortable.  I do know if you ever freeze one up it would be almost impossible to thaw out. 

There is a special temp occupancy permit in this county if you meet certain criteria.  But the only thing I get out of the inspector is Rick just finish it you're not that far out.  Only permits we have still hung out there are the HVAC and the woodstove hook up.  Both work well but not yet inspected both are hung in the Idaho State Plumbing office.

Yesterday the floor guy finished up.... Dang my marriage lines did not look all the bad.







Putting down the first coat of finish.  It is a two part system with a hardener they mix with water and pour in the jug.



Then laid it down with a hand pad or a T-Bar



Last night about nine the floor guy was finished with the hard top coat called Traffic. Same type system. 

We are sort of out on if we like the sheen or not.  They felt satin would work best up here.  Ellen was wanting a more semi gloss.  So last night she was bummed and we will call the owner and see what we can do or do a walk through and say WOW this is nice. 

   

[rick91351]

Now with the floors finished we are returning to trim out and varnishing and  ___________. 

Couple issues seemed to have come to a head.  One the roofer used a cricket eliminator.  That did not work at all.  We had snow piled up higher than the stack.  While it never bent the stack or chimney,  that needs attention.  So getting him back up here is like GRRRR!!!!  Nother issue is all couple loose ends on the furnace - heat pump - vent covers and such..... feeling I am getting is heck that is a long drive you can install them..... in have now inherited a box of PVC fitting and a valve and plastic vent covers that go in the ceiling.  The switch they installed on the woodstove does not trigger the stove fans when it heats up.  Rick 91351 is starting to get a little whizzed.

I did contact the roofer.  Made call after call.  I got no answer nor returned calls from my hey give me a call messages.  Why not just return my call and tell me hey we will get the metal ordered and be right up there by the ______.    Hard to keep a civil tongue.  But he says the fifth.  COOL first thing in the morning.  Dude remember this last fall.  You can not get on this till afternoon there is frost up here.  Oh ya might take a couple days......  have to wait on the frost.....  Ya and if you would have been up here when I started calling NO Frost.  But then I am not running a roofing company. 

Now I am so Whizzed will most likely call the HVAC dudes and tell them I am whizzed at the roofers come up and finish your job.  I have enough to do myself without a half day doing yours.  Beside I thought that was what I paid you for.....

So what has Rick and Ellen been doing?  Varnishing or lacquering





Working on marriage lines.  I started out using the old regular jointing mud finally broke out the 'hot mud'.  Lot faster and get 'er done.  Sanded it fairly smooth and shot it with some canned texture.  Look pretty good last night when I stripped the sheeting.














   

[Redoverfarm]

Typical for contractors.  At least 75% of them.  I have never really met any from the remaining percentages.  No there are good ones which return calls, do good work and are reliable but they are few and far between.  I guess demand keeps the others a float.

Deft is wonderful stuff.  The fumes are the only drawback from using it.

Looking good.

[rick91351]

Ellen is pretty wobbly today after an all day yesterday.  You are so correct about the Deft.

[Mike 870]

I feel you on the contractors.  I gave my road guy a down payment, when he said I was next in line for the job. he cashed it.  Month later, I keep going down there and no road work.  No answering calls, no call back.  Getting ready to get a lawyer and finally reach him and he started today.  It's like buddy, just give me an update, I'm losing sleep here.  Ok you got a bigger better paying job and I'm pushed out a couple weeks, fine, at least have the decency to tell me.  Of course when they are trying to get the job the communication is great.

[rick91351]

I still have a couple marriage lines to complete between the wainscot and the sheetrock.  I have found a system that seems to work well. 

Ellen did two days of eight hours brushing Deft Lacquer.  That was it she went on strike.  Got on the internet and found the solution.  Zenith by Valspar....

HAPS-free/Low VOC
Low Odor
Non-Flammable
Water Clean-up
Formaldehyde-free/Isocyanate-free

New product she sent me to the only store that sells it in Idaho that she can find.  She calls the store yes it is on the shelf.  Zenith by Valspar.  It is in Hailey a 'burb' of Sun Valley where Bruce and Demi used to hang out before they split the sheets.  And the stars and VIPs with their one upmanship 'cabins' in Idaho.  So I make the drive hoping to bump into someone.  Doubt John Kerry and his wife would be in the store looking at paint chips but you never know.   

Make the trip grab the product and go.....  No one seen.....  Get home waisted four hours of drive time to find out wrong @#$#R@##$ stuff.  Ellen sent me back the following day.  Nope your going with.  So off we go.  Back to Yeppyville.  I explain - they both remember me.  The owner has a cabin not far from us..... Loves it over here.  Guess not everyone hangs out in Hailey.....  We have a great conversation with him.  Talk about the product in question.  Turns out the Zenith is not a brushing lacquer.  I don't want to learn lacquer spraying 101 when we really don't have that much more to do.  So he says why not try one of these masks and should help a lot.  So this trip nets a mask and another gallon of Deft Semi Gloss.  And Ellen even said she was sorry because of all the trouble she put me though.  Not knowing it was not brushable.  I told her it was a good thing we went together because we took time to ask the right questions and find some answers.

BTW she loves the mask and that was money well spent.  Ellen the Lacquer Lady went back to work.  But I gave her strict instructions no more lacquer marathons.  Take breaks and get some air - get tired - knock it off and go to the trailer.  Rehydrate - take a nap.  But get the heck out of the house.

We unpacked some furniture.  Careful placed it on the new floor.  Boy do I ever need to start working on the entertainment center and book shelves.  The OSB looks pretty tacky.  Ellen had me wait on the laundry the other night in the dryer.  So I actually sat down and started to read.  First time to actually sit down in the new house and take time to read.  First time I could now that I think of it....  Living in the fifth wheel and spending huge blocks of time working on the house.  I just do not take time for stuff I did.  Plus the fifth wheel is not the most comfortable;  Great unit but not home.     After a few sentences I discovered dang I'm tired and laid down on the couch and crashed.  Stumbled up the hill with the now dried laundry at about 10:00 PM.  Ellen was in the fifth wheel watching TV.  She looked up an said you must have went to sleep.....  Dear like a rock - like a rock.           





This is all coming to a head very quickly and none to soon......  We got our first snow....

[Redoverfarm]

Starting to look a lot like....  HOME.

[Danfish]

There's a lesson for everyone...anytime you are using a product containing VOC's ....wear a respirator with organic vapor cartridges, not a simple dust mask (which does no good)!

[glenn kangiser]

Looks great Rick.  So much hard work. [ouch]

I agree about the campers too... I stayed in an RV for a while working on the underground cabin but it was warmer in the unfinished cabin with plastic over one open wall than it was in the RV, so into the ground I went....

[GSPDOG]

Looking really nice Rick.  BTW on a side note I did an inspection of my four hives two weeks ago and all looked set for winter.  Went there today and 2 hives knock test and the girls are setting in.  2 hives nothing have to wait till spring now to check unless we get some 50+ degree days.  Very strange.

[rick91351]

Looking really nice Rick.  BTW on a side note I did an inspection of my four hives two weeks ago and all looked set for winter.  Went there today and 2 hives knock test and the girls are setting in.  2 hives nothing have to wait till spring now to check unless we get some 50+ degree days.  Very strange.

Small world you hanging with Mark?  Thanks for the update.  I really think I am going to have to winter them down in the valley as up here there is just to much winter and the fall is of course too many yellowjackets and wasps.  I have talked to Mark a couple times lately but not about the bees.

[speedfunk]

floors look great Rick...awesome landscapes that surround you as well

[rick91351]

Have not posted anything as of late not that nothing is happening but resting up a little to hit it again. 

We did have our annual rib feed and Christmas celebration



I did veg in front of the TV for the New Years Bowls - BTW two of my favorite teams did very well!!!

Then today I received my St. Lawrence Nurseries Catalog.  Old Jarhead turned me on to them.   

http://www.sln.potsdam.ny.us/ 

This is their last year for catalog sales.....

So if you live where I live and you want real cold weather fruit trees and edible shrubs and oh yes the nuts and the cold weather grapes.   We have roughly planted I would say 25 of their fruit trees and love them.  But if you are looking for trees that gauge real large you will be disappointed.  But if you are looking for trees that will root well and grow well in cold environments.  This is your last chance.

The owner is very old fashioned.  He wants personal checks made to him.  He wants to send you your trees via the postal service.  He wants you to send him your order via the mail not the internet.  Over the past couple years I have called him several time and got good answers to problems. 

So with that all said if you decide to order needs to be in ASAP as they do run out of some product. 

I should add a disclaimer mostly for the administrators if this sound like spam or a solicited plug for a company.  It is not it is just a great place to get cold weather trees and shrubs.


       

[OlJarhead]

I saw that too   Hate to see them retire but there is a notice that some of their kids may start the biz back up in a year or two.

I plan to order a tree or three this year.  One to replace one that got damaged by some critter and maybe a couple others just because.
Erik

[rick91351]

I did note the black raspberries are gone.  We ordered some last year will report    to off and never looked back.....

Will make another tree order mostly super cold hardy apples and a few pears.  Might order some more grapes as well just have to see.  Sure will miss them. I still plan on planting until they plant me.  Best gift I can give those who come after me.  Not much prettier than spring time blooms and fall fruit. 

By the way we ended up with a couple good bushels of apples this year.  Our peaches the cold winter ones are doing well.  But we have not had a arctic blow. 

[rick91351]

When I started posting on here I proclaimed we lived in a snow belt.  I am about to pull my statement - this is the third or fourth year in a row of hardly any snow.  We have about a foot here on the flat. We have had ample moisture this year as well as last but not in the form of snow.  The water in the Boise River Basin looking close to 100% to 110% of normal!!  Just got a few inches of very very wet snow and now this week end they are saying some rain. 

Have not really posted anything as of late.  Not doing much finish work and all that.  Great to just kick back and enjoy and wait till spring when we can give it a sprint to the finish. Did make make to the cardiologist for my yearly check up for a little heart problem I have.  He informed me that "My God man when you stopped building on the house you needed to stop eating as well."  I have been heavier but not heavier and this old!!    So that said - he said he never has said anything about weight because I was always stable and very active..... Saddddlllyyy  I'm now on quarter rations and exercising -     Not all bad I've been on walkabout and taking some photos. 





 

Have had the big IH 1566 snow plowing as well.  For a homemade snowplow myword it works great!!!      







     

[rick91351]

Well, spring has sprung pretty good or is that pretty well? Or its just time to get back to work on the house!

Getting the porches on seemed to be number one.  As we are getting tired walking planks and dealing with the issues such as that.   



We put the porch decks down with the Phantom screwless clips or brackets.  I really do not know what I think about them.  If they don't work we will pull it up and take them off and screw it down.  To me, there is a lot of flex and give.



We worked on the tapered porch piers as well.  Got them in pretty well I think other than the finals or finials



The one on the end, the side toward the house is sort of a problem child and we very well may marry it up with the house without a taper.  Will get some photos today of it.  And see is anyone might have a why don't 'chew' do this???  That might work.



I am already ready to go get a few Cracker Barral rockers and do so sitting.  And it is just starting.   



Back porch is completed so now wrap the tapered porch pillars and start beautifying them.  Then hopefully it will start drying out over here to get some landscaping done.  A yard, a fence, a garden, a rock wall or two. Then there is the fill in the blank _________.   

[Redoverfarm]

Looking good Rick.  Was wondering about that clip system for decking.  I have to install a portion on the apartment.  Problem is that I will be attaching them to steel and then using composite decking.  Most likely will get some Stainless metal screws and attach them with those.   I will just have to find some that will work.

The post next to the house I would be inclined to just use a façade rather than a regular post.  Unlike the others where you have open space around each that particular one would be odd that it would have a dead end space against the wall of the house. Unlike the back door the post support footing could pose a problem doing that.  I like when a well laid plan comes together.  Join the crowd.   

What is your choice of material to wrap them in or were you going to use cultured stone?

[rick91351]

Getting the tappered porch columns trimmed out and getting them ready for paint and then the infill. 

The guy the owns the lumber yard where I get 95% of my stuff....  He had a large pile of 1X4 Hardie that he let me have because someone had given it to him during the housing bubble bursting thing.  So it had been stored.  When I got done trimming I had two long boards left. 



Then also remembering that this is a ranch.

Saturday I got a called that Sunday they were going to brand our calves.....  So missed church but got to look at our livestock up close....   These are taken down in the valley where they winter.  They soon will be on trucks for the summer pasture.....  Sorry no photos of me.  These guys and gals are the real pros.... Been years and years since I tossed a rope and took a dally on a saddle horn....















Getting mothered back up--

[kenhill]

Makes me glad I have a picture ID!!!

[rick91351]

I'm starting to gain on the front of the house or so I feel....

The siding guys did not have a couple boards to do up under the eves...  So I picked them up last year and here it is already next year.....WOW Where does time go.....

So anyway that is one honking heavy board to get up there over your head then nail it off.  Ladder was okay but.... needed more hands and a lot of other stuff.  So set up my painters scaffold.  That seemed to want to work but it got loose.  So Ellen held it and I go it up there and then flipped it into place. And the fiber cement ceder textured board was backward so down it had to come and we did it all over again.....   Check that off it is hung......