Plans Change, and now I'm starting with a 12 X 12

Started by JavaMan, April 20, 2010, 12:37:41 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

SkagitDrifter


Another option is to keep it simple.
I got this old wood ladder at a garage sale for $10.
It's built like the proverbial brick ^%*! house.
I'm using it as a temporary until I can get the final one built.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
Abraham Lincoln

JavaMan

Quote from: SkagitDrifter on September 23, 2010, 11:30:26 AM

Another option is to keep it simple.
I got this old wood ladder at a garage sale for $10.
It's built like the proverbial brick ^%*! house.
I'm using it as a temporary until I can get the final one built.



Both this and the other one (which I really like, BTW) are options, but there is one difference, there won't be any area open to the ceiling. it will all be a floor through which the ladder/stairs will lead.  It's the framing around that entry to the upstairs that has me a bit concerned.  I can't seem to find any information or websites that describe how to frame a stairwell.  they will tell you how to do the stringers, and such, but not the parts that the stairs are actually affixed to!


dug

QuoteI figure that I will only need to interrupt one of the floor joists for the stairwell, so that means that I will need to figure out how to support the end(s) of that joist that would otherwise simply hang out in space.

I going to guess, and if I'm wrong maybe some will chime in and tell you how it's really done!  ;D

The way you describe it it seems you could double the third joist from the wall and use a double, or triple header spanning from the doubled joist to the joist against the wall, supported by jack studs (on the wall side). All tied together with structural hangers.

Haven't read the whole thread lately so I'm not sure what the dimensions are but it seems that you would need some crazy steep stairs to do it that way.  ???

JavaMan

Quote from: dug on September 23, 2010, 07:34:40 PM
QuoteI figure that I will only need to interrupt one of the floor joists for the stairwell, so that means that I will need to figure out how to support the end(s) of that joist that would otherwise simply hang out in space.

I going to guess, and if I'm wrong maybe some will chime in and tell you how it's really done!  ;D

The way you describe it it seems you could double the third joist from the wall and use a double, or triple header spanning from the doubled joist to the joist against the wall, supported by jack studs (on the wall side). All tied together with structural hangers.

Haven't read the whole thread lately so I'm not sure what the dimensions are but it seems that you would need some crazy steep stairs to do it that way.  ???

That's what I'm talking about.  Thanks! 

JavaMan

Well, this sucks.

I just came from a meeting with my boss and due to the company scaling back the scope of the project, and budget cuts, etc... my last day will be Friday.

The good news is that he said I can use him as a reference, and stuff like that there.  He is looking around the company for a place to stick me - at least short term if he can, but I'm not holding my breath.

Sorta sucks 'cause my b'day is coming up in 2 weeks.  Happy b'day to me  >:(

I hope that it's picking up out there in the job market - like it appears to be.  We shall see.

On the bright side, I'll have more time to get to the property and work on the place.  No money for it, but plenty of time


MountainDon

Sorry to hear that. Let's hope and pray that your lucks runs about the same as Oljarhead. You'll get some cabin work done and then a job will come along and take your free time away.   :)
Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.

diyfrank

Bummer, I think this winter is going to be pretty bad for me also. :-\
Home is where you make it

JavaMan

Well, it's not really so bad.  For a while before I got this position, I was doing some independent stuff for a company that I contacted yesterday, and they still have some work that I can do.  No bennie's and the rate isn't my usual, but it's money coming in, so that's not too bad.

Got resume's out already and we'll see what happens.

Meanwhile, I'm still hoping to get up there for late deer season.  It would be nice to fill the freezer.

Thanks for the good wishes Don - it always seems to work that way doesn't it?

Frank, hopefully we'll both make it through the winter and then you can come and do some road creation for me up there in the summer

OlJarhead

I'm sorry to hear of your troubles my friend :(  However, one never knows what might be around the corner -- shoot me PM or EM and I'll chat a bit about your skillset and maybe an idea I have ;)  No promises but something I was thinking about.

Now, good luck for deer season!  Josh and I saw many deer today and watched two bucks bounding away at ~600 yards out.  My 16x35 binos just barely made out the antlers on one which I felt was most likely a 5x5 but not 100% sure because the light was fading.  We're going back in the AM to try again but I wish we were at the cabin!

One thing about work (22.5 hours Friday/Saturday) is that it can get in the way of our plans!!

Good luck and maybe we can hook up during Elk season?


Yonderosa

Bummer about the employment situation.  I know a lot of folks in that same spot.  This is going to be a tough winter for many.

I've been very lucky, just enough work to keep things floating - not adding to the savings though.  The plan drawing is sporadic but there has been a steady stream of tool belt jobs.  Passed on a few that paid less than I was making 20+ years ago...  Tough times out there.
http://theyonderosa.blogspot.com/

"The secret to life is to be alive.  To live ultimately by one's own hand and one's own independent devices." -Ted Nugent

JavaMan

Quote from: OlJarhead on October 24, 2010, 12:52:09 AM
I'm sorry to hear of your troubles my friend :(  However, one never knows what might be around the corner -- shoot me PM or EM and I'll chat a bit about your skillset and maybe an idea I have ;)  No promises but something I was thinking about.

Now, good luck for deer season!  Josh and I saw many deer today and watched two bucks bounding away at ~600 yards out.  My 16x35 binos just barely made out the antlers on one which I felt was most likely a 5x5 but not 100% sure because the light was fading.  We're going back in the AM to try again but I wish we were at the cabin!

One thing about work (22.5 hours Friday/Saturday) is that it can get in the way of our plans!!

Good luck and maybe we can hook up during Elk season?

Sent you an email ... well, I'm heading up for late Archery for both seasons and at least for deer season, it's "any" deer - well, black tail, I guess - so I certainly hope there's no white tail up there ... kinda hard for me to tell apart not having seen them together someplace.

I'd enjoy getting together during Elk season if I get up there ... suddenly the "honey-do" machine got cranked up and there's lot's to do - altho, I've been told that should go hunting if I want to, since I'm not working during the week and can get stuff done then - we'll see.   :o

I hear you tho, Yonderosa, it does seem a bit tough out there.  I was in a contract position that was supposed to go direct in a couple months, but in working out the budget for next year, they decided that since there wasn't a customer in the wings for what we were developing it could simply go on life support and have it's budget cut, scope scaled back and two of us laid off, while others got shuffled around the company for other projects that had revenue.

Can't say I blame them, just puts me back to wishing the garden had produced better this summer  :-[  However, this too shall pass and life will go on.  Back to piecework I go!

OlJarhead

Sitka and Columbia Black Tails are really just small Muley's (horns are the same) so different then White Tails...and the White Tails are bigger.

When is Archery Elk?  I was thinking Modern Rifle was coming up...

JavaMan

Quote from: OlJarhead on October 28, 2010, 12:17:25 AM
Sitka and Columbia Black Tails are really just small Muley's (horns are the same) so different then White Tails...and the White Tails are bigger.

When is Archery Elk?  I was thinking Modern Rifle was coming up...

That's what I figured ... Archery Elk begins Saturday... at least from what I can tell in the rule book.  Of course, it depends on what GMU you are hunting... Sheesh the rules - THE RULES!  What a hodgepodge of a mess they are

JavaMan

Well, the job search, health insurance, a truck repair (that still isn't finished) all took care of going hunting. :(  I was truly hoping to get up there this year - ah well.

The plan is to head up as soon as the snow is out (unless I win the lottery and can buy an ATV or something).  Of course, when that will be is pretty much anyone's guess.  And even if I go by the highway cam that's closest to the property, it still won't be completely accurate.  I wish I could figure out a way to put up a cam at the Ranch and have it send me a picture a couple times a day, but internet is non-existent there.

#8 cylinder is missing on the truck, and I've replaced the COP and the plug and it's still missing, so, it looks like I'll have to spend the big bucks to have someone look at it and figure out what's wrong.

And the topper was that I discovered that the place I last did a contract through wasn't required to offer COBRA coverage, nor is it mandatory that they offer anything from the state, so there was a scramble to find health insurance - especially since we have a couple of teenagers in the house!  

AH, yes, isn't life fun! d*  On the job front, the job I was in disappeared because funding was cut (no customer yet) - then a job I interviewed for gave me the feedback, "they really liked you and if the funding for the project hadn't been cut, they were planning to bring you on board" ...   :-\ ... then I interview for another and am told, "the account manager was pissed - they told him that you were good, but they hired someone from internally"   >:(  I just burst out laughing when the recruiter told me that one.  She must have thought I was cracking up! :)

So it looks like I'm interviewing well, but the jobs are evaporating ... and yet, I'm told the economy is improving!  HA!  I say again, HA!

Obviously, I am still looking...I am hoping that things will improve after the first of the year (this time of year is ALWAYS slow for job hunting)

But enough of my woes ... thanks to DIYFrank for keeping an eye out for some logs for me via craigslist ... .hopefully I'll spot that ad again soon and be able to pick up a few.


OlJarhead

Hmm...Jeep goes in deep snow ;)

If the truck is missing on #8 then do a compression test and see if it's reading something different then the others.  Are there other symptoms?  How many miles?

After much fighting with mine with similar issues it turned out to be a sunk valve :(  Cost me $1200 to have the top end rebuilt but the Road Warrior is much happier now.

Erik

JavaMan

Quote from: OlJarhead on December 06, 2010, 02:47:44 PM
Hmm...Jeep goes in deep snow ;)

If the truck is missing on #8 then do a compression test and see if it's reading something different then the others.  Are there other symptoms?  How many miles?

After much fighting with mine with similar issues it turned out to be a sunk valve :(  Cost me $1200 to have the top end rebuilt but the Road Warrior is much happier now.

Erik


Hmmm ... Come to think of it, there is a bit of a ticking sound I meant to investigate.  Lord I certainly hope it's not going to be a rebuild.  She's got 145,000 on her and runs like a top otherwise.  I think I have a buddy local that has a compression guage.

OlJarhead

Quote from: JavaMan on December 07, 2010, 10:09:09 AM
Quote from: OlJarhead on December 06, 2010, 02:47:44 PM
Hmm...Jeep goes in deep snow ;)

If the truck is missing on #8 then do a compression test and see if it's reading something different then the others.  Are there other symptoms?  How many miles?

After much fighting with mine with similar issues it turned out to be a sunk valve :(  Cost me $1200 to have the top end rebuilt but the Road Warrior is much happier now.

Erik


Get the compression tested -- then if it's good do a thorough cleaning of the injectors, replace (if you haven't already) the plugs, wires, cap and rotor (all ignition stuff that can be easily replaced without costing an arm and a leg) and also get someone with a code reader to check codes (unless you did that already).



Hmmm ... Come to think of it, there is a bit of a ticking sound I meant to investigate.  Lord I certainly hope it's not going to be a rebuild.  She's got 145,000 on her and runs like a top otherwise.  I think I have a buddy local that has a compression guage.

JavaMan

Well, still no update on the truck.  It's wet weather here, and I haven't had a chance to go out and work on it.  I hope the sun pokes out this weekend, because I want to see if I can track the problem down further.

Other than that I'm a bit stuck in the house dreaming and scheming ... so it hit me as I was cruising the Cabela's website, looking at blinds and tree stands, that the loft in my shed will be almost as high as some of the tree stands they sell... not that I would probably ever go up in one of those, but I wouldn't hesitate to open the window and shoot through it if I saw one! ;D

That brought to mind another thought.  Is there some way (or someTHING) I can put/use/apply to the outside of the shed to give it a camouflage look?  Yes, I know, paint, but I'm looking for something that wouldn't look like an inexperienced amateur did it (yeah, that'd be me)

any suggestions?  Ideally it would be something like Realtree(tm) or one of those things.  I wonder if I could get a "wrap", like they use on cars and busses ... hmmm...

I know, kind of a goofy idea, but like I said, I'm sitting here a bit bored and just rollin' ideas around in my head.

Yonderosa

They have all kinds of stuff for duck blinds.  It can be spendy though.

I was just at the Cabela's wonderland yesterday.  Oh Man...  Had $150 worth of coupons and points and still managed to spend way too much!  Totally passed the fishing isles too.  Dangerous place if you have anything left on your credit limit.  Got some cool toys for the Yonderosa though  :)

When I'm after Turkeys and I have the roosted I'll set up a blind using a camo poncho sometimes.  Depending on the wind (it can turn into a sail) I might string it like a low fence or even just drape it over a clump of brush.  Just something to offer concealment while I'm drawing my bow or calling.  If I have a spot I think I can call them to decoys. I might set up something more elaborate.  So far my success is less than 50% but at least it wasn't because they saw me.  In my experience those sharp eyed hens can spot any movement without some concealment between me and them.  Once they bust you they're gone and gobblers follow.

To be totally honest, I'd have a hard time finding a better hunting spot than my front porch.  I've had Moose, BIG Deer, Turkeys, Bobcats and Bears within range.  So far I've settled for pictures.  I do enjoy hiking and stalking  but sitting on the porch would be way more effective.

Bobcat out the window of my cabin


Moose from the front porch


This dude strolled through the meadow inside of 75 yards last month.  This is the game cam picture my neighbor got.


My brother-in-law shot his Black Bear this year off his front porch literally.  The Bear had grown accustomed to raiding cabins and vehicles in the area and when my sister heard something pressing on the door my BIL went out the other door and shot him.  The neighbors have been profusely thanking him ever since.  The only picture I have of him is probably not family friendly enough for the site.
http://theyonderosa.blogspot.com/

"The secret to life is to be alive.  To live ultimately by one's own hand and one's own independent devices." -Ted Nugent

JavaMan

Wow! That Bobcat looks a lot bigger than that!  And what is that electronic glow (that I assume you dropped as you move out of the way)?

Nice pics.  I had meant to get up to my place and put up the game cam Beautiful got me for my b'day, but alas, lack of job, and the resultant hole in the bank account followed by snow meant that I wasn't able to.

Ah well, next year.  Which reminds me, I need to get a couple more salt blocks... altho, I think mine was mostly used by the slow moving elk with white faces this last year.



JavaMan

OlJarHeads's thread recently has had me thinking about next steps up at my place.  SO here's what I've come up with...

First, I'm going to pull down the roof rafters (4 of them) that we put up late last summer and the ridge board.  I've decided that I don't need a ridge board,and I'm going to put the "loft" across the entire thing.  That way I'll be able to work up at that height without feeling like I'm going to fall off any moment (fear of heights) ... then I"m going to assemble some rafter pairs and stand them up one-by-one, tying them together - I'll get all of them up that way a bit easier, I think - and then it will be a matter of making sure they are all straight up and down and secured to the walls.

Then I can continue on and finish enclosing it - and getting the shingles on and siding, etc...

The other 2 things that I really want to get accomplished up there this year is to improve the road in from the neighbors place (to the south of me) up to my place.  There are a few places where it needs to be leveled out and I'd like to widen it a foot or two. And the second thing is to cut the "driveway/road" into the shed/shack and on up to another building site I have picked out.

Of course I'd like to accomplish a LOT more, but these are the things that I think I can get done this summer at a minimum given the finances right now.  If one of these full time positions actually makes a decision, I'll also start doubling up on the payments so that I can pay it off and then only worry about the taxes.

Of course, eventually there's the issue of water - I think I'm looking at a second mortgage to put in a well, tho - about $14,000 was the estimate I got almost 3 years ago.  I still think there are places where the water is a lot closer to the surface and it should be considerably cheaper to put in a well than that.

Like OlJarHead, I'd like to get myself a bandsaw mill, but that probably won't happen until late in the year (if I get a full time job - not 6 weeks)

I also need to put up the game cam that Beautiful gave me for my birthday so I can get some pictures!

Does anyone know of someone that can drop some 75-100' cedars? I have one (maybe two) in my yard here on the wet side that we are talking about dropping. I'd like to drop them in bigger lengths so I can mill them up (they are BIG trees).  I'd hate to see them simply turned into firewood.

SkagitDrifter

It will happen Java- give it time.
The employment thing will work out too- it always does.

Where are you on the wet side?  I know a few guys that are part time loggers that may be able to help with falling those cedars.
Hang in there!
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
Abraham Lincoln

OlJarhead

You'll get there!  And congrats on working, even for the short term!  I know it's tough.

Sounds like some good plans on the cabin, which is half the fun after all :)  And perhaps I can help with costs by milling some of the lumber for you?  Figure the cost of lumber you need versus what we might be able to mill and I'm sure we can reduce costs significantly!

If you get the cedars dropped (wish I could help but I'd get a pro when it's near your home etc) have them bucked into lengths that work for you (8', 10', 12' etc) depending on what you want to do with them, then see if you can find a wetside portable miller who can come and mill them up.  The pro portable guys charge about 40 to 50 cents a board foot and with the Woodmizer mills can get something like 30% more lumber out of a log then a regular mill.  Savings can be considerable!  Would kill two birds with one stone then eh?  But be sure to consider drying!  They need to be dried correctly or will warp, crack, cup etc and you could lose 40-50% of you lumber if they aren't properly stacked and stickered and protected if air drying.  Though I imagine it's better over there then the east side where humidty can be a lot lower.

Anyway, hang in there bud!  You'll get there and maybe this time when it's roof working time we might be able to come out and help!

MountainDon

Quote from: JavaMan on February 16, 2011, 09:38:47 AM
First, I'm going to pull down the roof rafters (4 of them) that we put up late last summer and the ridge board.  I've decided that I don't need a ridge board,and I'm going to put the "loft" across the entire thing.  That way I'll be able to work up at that height without feeling like I'm going to fall off any moment (fear of heights) ... then I"m going to assemble some rafter pairs and stand them up one-by-one, tying them together -

You can cut some triangles from 3/4" plywood and make gusset plates to tie the rafter pairs together at the peak. They can also take the place of collar ties. The loft floor doesn't quite make the grade as rafter ties, but on a small structure maybe that won't matter all that much.

There are goods notes on the ridge connection and rafters in general  HERE.
Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.

JavaMan

Quote from: SkagitDrifter on February 16, 2011, 02:12:49 PM
It will happen Java- give it time.
The employment thing will work out too- it always does.

Where are you on the wet side?  I know a few guys that are part time loggers that may be able to help with falling those cedars.
Hang in there!


I'm over north of Bremerton near Silverdale.  Right close to the Brownsville Marina, if that helps any.