Okanogan 14x24 by a lurker :)

[OlJarhead]

I was told heat tape is designed to go inside the pipe actually and figure that since it would only be used if things started to freeze up then it would be unlikely to cause issue as it would not be used more than the time the generator ran to thaw things out.

The GFI monster?  Not sure I understand??  Ground Fault Interrupts are designed to protect for grounding specifically in wet locations but I didn't mention GFI's at all....just that I'd set up a generator only circuit for when I needed to heat the tank to keep it from freezing or thaw it back out.

[rick91351]

I was told heat tape is designed to go inside the pipe actually and figure that since it would only be used if things started to freeze up then it would be unlikely to cause issue as it would not be used more than the time the generator ran to thaw things out.

The GFI monster?  Not sure I understand??  Ground Fault Interrupts are designed to protect for grounding specifically in wet locations but I didn't mention GFI's at all....just that I'd set up a generator only circuit for when I needed to heat the tank to keep it from freezing or thaw it back out.

Yep you never mentioned GFI's but just in case.  They will trip when you lest notice it and most need them....  So raises the GFI monster.   

I did a bunch of direct burial 12 / 2 when we set this up up here.  We scattered out like seven frost frees and where we put one I ran 12 / 2 direct burial with an outlet.  On the farm / ranch setting some of us try and sort of stay with in code.  At least I do........  went to the electrical supply store and was going to pick up GFIs for all the outlets.  Like seven of them.  I ended up with a sort of off the cuff talk with one sales person.  He sort of knows me and that we have the ranch.    He sort of cautioned me.  With heat tape, tank heaters and engine block heaters, anything on a thermostat or a pump like a sump pump that cycles a lot they sooner or latter will trip out a GFI outlet.  He was not wrong.  GFIs are now all gone.       

[OlJarhead]

Yep you never mentioned GFI's but just in case.  They will trip when you lest notice it and most need them....  So raises the GFI monster.   

I did a bunch of direct burial 12 / 2 when we set this up up here.  We scattered out like seven frost frees and where we put one I ran 12 / 2 direct burial with an outlet.  On the farm / ranch setting some of us try and sort of stay with in code.  At least I do........  went to the electrical supply store and was going to pick up GFIs for all the outlets.  Like seven of them.  I ended up with a sort of off the cuff talk with one sales person.  He sort of knows me and that we have the ranch.    He sort of cautioned me.  With heat tape, tank heaters and engine block heaters, anything on a thermostat or a pump like a sump pump that cycles a lot they sooner or latter will trip out a GFI outlet.  He was not wrong.  GFIs are now all gone.     

OIC -- good info!  In my case I can see NOT wanting that to happen.  Would be a serious waste of propane if nothing else.  I want the heater and heat tape to work during the short window they will be in used (3 to 5 hours usually) without having to constantly check

[OlJarhead]

After MUCH too long I moved everything off this side of the cabin floor and cleaned it thoroughly.


The OSB was looking a little worse for wear having been left untreated for over 4 years and I thought it about time to do something about it.


Got down and painted the floor with 'deck floor' paint which is supposed to protect the floor and take a beating.  My plan is to protect the floor until I can get actual 'flooring' installed.


At least it brightens up the place and it should be easier to keep clean.


While I was at it the hail came crashing down!  I got over an inch of the white stuff and temps dropped to near freezing.


When the hail stopped I managed to get my auger assembled and mostly ready for action.  I still need to fill the gear box and secure the set screw but then it's ready for work.


When I left today temps dropped to freezing and it actually snowed!

[OlJarhead]

I thought to add that in the last 4 years in April at the cabin this has been the coldest.  I even went back and looked at all my pictures from each year and was amazed to see how much more green there was in previous years!  COLD start to spring this year!

[OlJarhead]

I posted this in my thread about attaching the ledger to the cabin and decided to post here while I discuss some of the challenges I face.


Something else I'm struggling with is that I have 10' walls but need to come under the eaves (12" out from the walls) so I'm figuring I have about 9'4" of rise I can use to the bottom of the rafters (I plan to flash from the old roof to the new one).  If I can get 9'9 3/8" of rise I'd have a 3x12 pitch and with a 7' ceiling at the outside edge I'd only have to lower the floor a few inches. 

So, bringing the floor of the deck to just under the cabin floor joists gives me an additional 6" of rise, push that to 7" and I have a 1" gap below the bottom of the joists to the deck floor but gives me 9'11" of usable rise.  That's within 2" of what I think I have and gives me plenty of room to sheet the roof with 1x6 or 7/8 OSB and roofing.  With flashing I ought to have a seemless transition from the cabin roof's 12x12 pitch to the 3x12 pitch of the deck roof.

Next I need to figure what size rafters I need to use.  Somewhere I mentioned I'm short on room but I'm wondering about that, after all if I lowered the floor 7" just to get the pitch I want and to meet the rise I have I suppose I could add 1 3/4" and go to 2x8" rafters on the deck or drop 3" and I can use 2x10's (dimensional).  The only problem with all of this is that each drop lowers the visible area from the cabin windows.  With the top of the windows sitting about 6'8" if the deck roof is 7' from the deck I'd have only about 5'11" from the floor of the cabin.

Doesn't sound like a good plan.

[OlJarhead]

Here is a better rendition with about a 2x12 pitch

To get 3x12 I have to lower the deck which obscures the view from the inside even more.

[OlJarhead]

Peeling logs for our gate.  I hope to get it installed today

We shall see!  Otherwise we're enjoying our week long vacation at the cabin and working hard!  More to come....

[OlJarhead]

My wife got in on the peeling for a bit too


Using the tractor for the first 3/4 of the way up (it only goes up about 9 feet) and brute strength for the last bit I got the new entrance stood up


We then set two posts and nailed up some 2x6 rough sawn boards for fencing.  Now we just have to carry the wood fencing 10 feet (or so) in either direction along the property line and then I'll start the barbed wire from there.


This is the view as you drive up.  It's this way because the property actually runs north to south but the driveway / entrance comes in at an angle so I set the 'gate' inside the property with the right (north) main post on the line and the left (south) fence post on the line.  So if you drew a line from the shorter fence post on the south side to the tall gate post on the north side you have the property line

It adds strength this way too and we poured cement (dry) mix into the holes both under and around the posts.  Figure when it rains it will set them a little.

[OlJarhead]

Gate is ordered  My wife likes red so we will have a red farm gate.

[OlJarhead]

Got some siding done today


View from the back

[OlJarhead]

Finally 'turned that corner' in the panelling on the ceiling and made it up 11" of ceiling today.  I'd finally cleaned out the 'shed tent' now 'workshop' and reorganized it so I could easily pull out tools and get them into action.  I pulled out the table saw and ripped some panelling down at a 45 degree angle so it would fit at the junction of the wall & ceiling and then installed it (which is a chore alone).  Then added another row of panel before I had to start making some.


Got the planer out and took down 16 boards after ripping 1x12's into a 6" and 5" board for panelling.  Filled up the shop vac in a hurry and added the sawdust to one of the fruit trees (they will all get some this spring as it makes good mulch).


Once I'd planed the boards down I clamped them to the work bench and routered tongues and grooves into them.  I prefer doing it this way rather than using a router table as it seems easiler and faster this way.


This is what my shirt looks like after making panelling for an hour! lol


Here you can see the tongue and groove -- my amana bit really does a nice job but it might be getting a little dull.


64 board feet of panelling done today   Now I just need to do this a few more times and I should be able to finish the ceiling.

[OlJarhead]

Our neighbor made this sign for us a couple years ago but we had no where to put it yet.  My wife got it painted today and I hung it once it had dried enough.


We will get the same neighbor to make our 'ranch sign' to hang on the cross bar of the entrance (or place above or both).  Can't wait to have it up!

Also, I'll get the gate in on Tuesday so I can install this week also

[OlJarhead]

Got the gate installed today.  Was a bit darker Red than my wife wanted but she can paint it

[OlJarhead]

Here's a shot of the gate


As you see it when you arrive

[UK4X4]

looking good !

[pocono_couple]

you wife has good taste..red was the right color for the job!  looking good...

[OlJarhead]

Thanks.

Always feels good to get more done   Over the next couple weeks I need to get some milling done but my wife also wants me to get panelling and flooring done.....so I'll be busy when I'm here as long as the weather holds!

[OlJarhead]

Saw a Moose trotting down our road this morning 

I was really surprised because I hadn't seen any around me before and here was this guy (or gal) running down the road.  Couldn't get a picture as I was too slow.

Saw one (or might have been two) on Monday across the mountains from me too.  I was heading east and it was on the North side of the road, then on my way back west a few hours later I saw one (perhaps the same Moose) in the swamp on the south side of the road.

Gotta love it!

[rick91351]

 

I took the grand kids for a ride on the fourwheeler the other day seen two BIG DEER PA PA.  (Two cow elk) Yesterday took the trash to the dumpsters seen a bull elk in the velvet nib stage. 

[OlJarhead]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3roQ9U3mNOI&feature=youtu.be
Peeling logs for the entrance...my wife shot this video while I was hard at it...

[OlJarhead]

My Crimson Beauty has buds on it!  Some look damaged (perhaps from a snap freeze as it was still getting to freezing when I left Wednesday) but some have survived.  If that's all the flowers that it will produce I'm guessing it might only give me 2 or 3 apples this year but that's a start!

Only one branch had buds on it though so I don't know if it will toss more out or not (most likely not I'm thinking).

None of the others have flowers yet but they are still pushing leaves too so maybe they are late bloomers.

All of the trees in the orchard and awake now so I should see some furious growth now which means I also have to get the deer protection moved out so they have room to branch etc...lots to do!

[OlJarhead]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G9EHGDK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1BOS6JGYXO0OE&coliid=I1486O1YWENNTX
I think considerations had something like this.

I'm seriously thinking it would be good as I'm not always heading home for the weekend and could use some light laundry washing.  I can use it during the day when the suns up and can hang on a line.

[OlJarhead]

http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/edComm/pdf/BUL/BUL0867.pdf
Goo article on high altitude fruit growing in our area

[OlJarhead]

http://www.amazon.com/Panda-Compact-Portable-Washing-Automatic/dp/B00JJZBHK4/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_tnr_3
This one is tempting.  11lbs capacity is maybe 2 pairs of jeans instead of one.