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

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

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JavaMan

Well, I didn't stay up there as long as I had originally planned - and missed lunch with oljarhead - but I accomplished nearly everything I wanted to, and in somewhat adverse conditions!

The snow was almost gone from the road - yes, I said the "S" word.  In most places it was melted away but there was this one place where if the snow had all been gone, the road would have been plenty wide to pass easily, but the snow was NOT all gone, and of course, it hadn't melted on the side away from the cliff.  And it was still somewhat across the road to the cliff as well.  Just one tire track through mud within a couple feet from the edge.  Yeah, that's enough, but when you are attempting to avoid sliding off the cliff into the creek below (about 15'), and the truck starts sliding sideways towards the cliff ... well, the heart beats a bit faster, and the BP goes through the roof.

All in all, I passed that section only 3 times coming and 3 times going, but it seemed like about 6 each way.

When I got to the site, I was greeted by snow just in front of the building site - right where I needed to back up to unload and be on level ground:


Oh, one more thing.  That snow was sitting on top of some cowpies ... I don't care if you have the best 4X4 in the world, trying to back up on wet cowpie is nearly impossible  d*  So, I managed to get the back of the truck somewhat close, and unloaded.

Going to work, I realized that the 4X6's that I got were actual 4X6's - not 3-1/2 X 5-1/2 ... so I had to trim out a bit of a notch for them to sit in the brackets on the foundation piers.  Not being able to level the generator made this a manual labor kind of job, so I went at it with a hand saw, rather than my circular saw.  (note - the generator has an oil sensor that when it's tipped just so says there isn't enough oil to start it, and it won't)  Note to self, find a level spot for the generator next time.

After a couple hours of digging, checking with a level, digging further and notching, the results were this:


Checking from one beam to the next, I had managed to obtain:

Not too shabby, I think.

It was going on 7:30 when I finished this up, and so I decided to take a short walk around the property while it was still light out.  Then I got back to the truck, had a bite to eat and then hit the sack.

The sun came up the next morning and woke me at about 5:30 am.  Got up, stretched, thought about what I needed to get from the lumber yard and then headed down the mountain.  Squeeked past the slippery spot, and into Omak around 7 am to the Home Depot.  Got my ties and some nails, asked where to get a good breakfast (and was informed of such a place) and headed that way.

Back in Okanogan (city of), I had breakfast at a place not far from the lumberyard, and after breakfast, went and picked up some 2X6's for joists, and headed up the hill.  Put them on - then went back and got more - this time I had them saw them to the length I needed - and finished up on the site around 3 pm.  A shot of my handiwork.  Altho, I am going to have to tack a strip on the one 2X6 because the joists that tie to it are a tiny bit high.  I'm not sure how that happened, but that's ok - the joists are level in all directions.



You see my supervisor in this picture.  In between breaks of chasing the birds away, Cricket would come and watch me work.

Finally, I took a picture of the view from the floor level:



So, since it had tried to snow at about 11 am, and then was trying to sleet at 2 pm, and that "narrow spot" in the road was making me nervous everytime I drove past it, I decided to come home and put the deck on it next time.

When is next time?  I think in two weeks.  If all goes according to plan, I will take 4 days and put the floor down, and the walls up.  Roof to be put on the third time I go up (hopefully in about 4 weeks  :) )

So that's the beginning of my adventure.  Granted, it's only a "shed" but once complete I will be able to not have to haul tools and other stuff everytime I go and can concentrate on taking the supplies I need to complete tasks on the "real" cabin.

jdejarn

Looks like a great start for a couple days work!  I got that stairs in to my deck on Thursday and friday, and when I got up there, while I have no snow on the ground, it was blowing snow and freezing rain around.  My dog was really not impressed!

Your view is about the same as mine.   I can spot a few trees to thin and improve it, but still decent.  And as for level, really good.  You're always going to have to readjust and level more later wen it settles, so good enough for now!

I too will be heading over ideally in a couple of weeks for some trim and handrails, and see if I can get it ready for the final.  I wish you luck and will check back later!


OlJarhead

Sorry we didn't connect.  I left without thinking (too much on my mind I guess) to get a cell number or give mine so decided to wing it.  I figured either you'd pop in or not but the shakes were good :D

I'll be back up either starting the night of the 14th of the morning of the 17th and will be there a week...gotta get the toilet done and the roof on!

JavaMan

Well, my plan is to head up there again on the 14th (pending review by Beautiful), and spend at least 4 days, maybe 5, getting the floor down and the walls up.

It worked out really well, to stop at the lumberyard in Okanogan and get supplies before I went up.  I'm not sure that's going to be do-able with 4X8 sheets of flooring next time.  I may have to go up and empty the truck first, but that's ok.

jdejarn - yeah, it did start snowing - at least a few flakes - on Friday afternoon, too, but not enough for concern.  And what weather I had on Saturday wasn't to concerning either - I was just plumb wore out from working at altitude and the whole thing of trying to get past that one spot on my road.  Also, that's the view from the shed  ;D  I have a view from where the first actual cabin is going that is much better than that  :)



One of the first orders of business is going to be to rent an excavator and do a bit of work on the road in, and then improve my "driveway" in so I have a level place to park.

Then I think I will also use it to dig the hole for the basement for one of the cabins... Anyone know how to drive one of those things?

SkagitDrifter

Hey JavaMan
Well done on getting some wood nailed up- it's a great feeling to finally be under way with the construction end of things.  Where all the thought and planning finally come together.

It gets easier with each trip- you will figure out new and creative ways to pack every square inch of your rig with supplies.  If you are anything like me you will find yourself planning, listing, re-checking, pre-cutting and building as much as possible before you make the trip over.   
Great views from your place.  The Okanogan sure is beautiful country. 
Keep up the good work!
All the best-
   
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
Abraham Lincoln


JavaMan

Thanks for the reply Skagit. I drove home on 20.  Really nice drive that way.  First time I brought Beautiful to the Ranch, we went through Wenatchee, up 97.  She is not a fan of high desert and that's about all you see that way.

Next time we're taking the northern route (Hwy 20) and she will see that the Ranch is right on the edge of where the high desert begins.  Or so it would seem, since much farther west of me and you've got the ski bowl, and Twisp, etc...  I think she'll like it much better from that point of view.

Now I just have to figure out how I'm going to square the floor up.  I took some measurements before I left and after refreshing my brain on all the trig, I discover that I'm not really square enough (contrary to some people's opinion  ::))

It looks like I'm about 3-1/3" off on opposite corners (that is if I did the trigonometry right).  That's way more than I want.  Grrr.  Well, that's going to slow me down a bit.

JavaMan

Well, I set up my utility trailer with the genset and the compressor, got the refurbed air nailer (porter-cable, round head nailer, $125 *delivered* - w/warranty  :D), saw horses, come-a-long, chop saw, circular saw, and other tools and the BBQ all ready to roll on Friday morning at oh-dark-thirty again.  I'm planning on leaving even earlier than last time  d* and catching the 5:05 ferry from Kingston  c*.  Should roll into Okanogan about 10-ish (depends on if I stop for b'fast)

Once in Okanogan I'll pick up supplies and head up to the property.

The only thing left to do before I leave is get groceries and check my lists to make sure I haven't forgotten anything.

I'm gonna get walls up if it takes me all weekend  :) of course, I'm planning on being there until Monday sometime.

Anyone else heading out that way this weekend? I figure I'll need to see that civilization is still in effect by Saturday or Sunday noon, so am planning on heading to Omak then for a spot of lunch that I didn't have to make

diyfrank

Quote from: JavaMan on May 03, 2010, 12:57:56 PM



One of the first orders of business is going to be to rent an excavator and do a bit of work on the road in, and then improve my "driveway" in so I have a level place to park.

Then I think I will also use it to dig the hole for the basement for one of the cabins... Anyone know how to drive one of those things?

Javaman, That's a million dollar view! 
We may be able to work something out on your site work. Post some pictures of what needs done and the size of machine you can rent. I can give you an estimate of the hours involved. There isn't much choices when it comes to renting without operator on the East side. It'll get tougher as we get into the fire season also. You can price it with and without operator and work from there.
Home is where you make it

JavaMan

The weekend update will be along shortly, but first ...

Quote from: diyfrank on May 14, 2010, 10:02:11 AM
Quote from: JavaMan on May 03, 2010, 12:57:56 PM

(Image snipped so page loads faster  ;D )
One of the first orders of business is going to be to rent an excavator and do a bit of work on the road in, and then improve my "driveway" in so I have a level place to park.

Then I think I will also use it to dig the hole for the basement for one of the cabins... Anyone know how to drive one of those things?

Javaman, That's a million dollar view! 
We may be able to work something out on your site work. Post some pictures of what needs done and the size of machine you can rent. I can give you an estimate of the hours involved. There isn't much choices when it comes to renting without operator on the East side. It'll get tougher as we get into the fire season also. You can price it with and without operator and work from there.

Thanks diyfrank!  I was thinking a bit about that this time up.  I did figure out a few things that I needed excavated.  And I know where I can rent one in the town of Okanogan.  I don't figure I need anything big, so the smallest they have.  The bad news on that is that it is doubtful that my F150 would pull it up my road.  The guy at Hamilton Farm Equipment (AKA "The Rental Place" Apparently) didn't even think I'd be able to haul it up the long, steep hill on Hwy 20 heading SW out of town!  So they'd deliver and pick up for $75/hr!  Gotta 1/2 - 3/4 ton truck?  Their rate for an unmanned excavator was pretty fair, I think, at $220/day for a 331 mini excavator. (the price sheet is at http://hamiltonfarmequip.com/rental/listing.htm)

I'll IM or email you with more detail on what I'd like to get done up there - at least the "first phase".

That is one of my favorite pictures from my property.  I have a few building sites chosen that have views either like that, or through a couple trees.  Of course, a couple of my favorite pictures are these looking south down the road at two different times of the year:




I still need a summer shot (which I'll get next time I'm up there) and a better spring shot - which I've missed my opportunity for this year, I think.

Yeah, I guess I am pretty proud of my place  :)


JavaMan

Sadly, things didn't go quite as I had expected this weekend.

They could have, had I

1) not been quite so bull-headed about doing this part by myself, or
2) figured out ahead of time how to do this without help

So, I got up there, got setup, squared up the framing - which didn't take but an hour or so, and then fired up the generator and compressor and nailed the flooring down!  Yippie!



Then I started on framing the walls.  I figured a 12' wall, 10' high shouldn't be that much of a problem.  So I laid it out on the flooring, and nailed it together.  This part went like a hot knife through butter.  I think it only took me about 90  minutes to frame, square, and skin that wall. 

Then, I discovered my problem.

Carrying the wall to the assembly point one piece at a time, it's not so heavy.  But with all the pieces together? Ok, I sat and stewed about this for a few and thought of something to try - which didn't work.

So I figured, ok, I'll still be able to frame the other walls, I just won't put the skin on until I get them stood up!  So off I go framing the second wall.  I go to stand it up.  Yeah, it got farther this time, but not nearly far enough.  Who would have thought that a few pieces of 2X4's would weigh so much!?!

So, after shutting the generator down, I sat an thought about it during lunch  Yes, it only took 1/2 a day to get this far. I was on schedule to have all 4 walls up by Sunday morning, if I could stand them up!  I figured out something to try, but I needed to use some power tools, and the Generator wouldn't start.  I think the oil sensor that keeps it from starting when oil is low was out of the oil (it wasn't on level ground)  And there was no way I could seem to level it enough.  Something I will need to look at this week.

So, giving up, I turned my attention to the road in, and how to make it better/easier to get in.  And where it needed to go for the next building (or two).

Got home Sunday afternoon, sadly.  Ah well, next time I plan on having help because I am also planning on putting up the roof - or at least starting on it. 

On the way back after the lumber run, I saw this guy perched on top of a telephone pole. 



That was at the turn off on to Buzzard Lake Road.  Guess I know why it's called Buzzard Lake now  ???

John Raabe

Help with this stage is a great benefit!

Have you got the Working Alone book? Lots of clever solutions for a one-person crew.

http://www.countryplans.com/books.html - third book on the list.
None of us are as smart as all of us.

JavaMan

Quote from: John Raabe on May 18, 2010, 12:36:53 PM
Help with this stage is a great benefit!

Have you got the Working Alone book? Lots of clever solutions for a one-person crew.

http://www.countryplans.com/books.html - third book on the list.

Of course I don't have that book! d*  I only looked in there on Amazon after getting back from the site (insert rolling eyes emoticon here) ...  Thank goodness for the preview ("Look inside!") option!  I discovered that had I thought about it (read the book first) I could have looked for wall jacks.  In fact, there is a place on the way to the site that rents them for $8/day!

Thankfully, this is not the actual cabin build.  I am beginning to think that I was really wise in doing this project first, so I can shake out all this info that I need before beginning the actual cabin! :)

Live and learn... hopefully I'll have been able to give it much thought before going up the next time. 

And yes, there is no way I am going to do the roof by myself.  Even if I have to wait a month or so before I can round up help for it!

I know for certain, tho, that I will be ordering that book today or tomorrow.  From what I saw, it looked like a great resource.

JavaMan

I received the "Working Alone" book on Friday and have read through most of it already.  At least the parts that cover what I know I have to accomplish in the next few weeks.  It looks to be a great help (now I just have to find out where to gut scaffolding!).  I especially liked the section on figuring and cutting the rafters.  The jig looks to make this job a lot easier.

Plus I thought of a few things I could certainly use to help with workspace utilization.

I also bought the "House Framing" book, which I have not started, but it looks interesting.

I don't know if by getting to Amazon by clicking on the links on this site, the site gets a spif, or commission, but I certainly hope so.

Thanks for the resources!

OlJarhead

Quote from: JavaMan on May 24, 2010, 10:16:31 AM
I received the "Working Alone" book on Friday and have read through most of it already.  At least the parts that cover what I know I have to accomplish in the next few weeks.  It looks to be a great help (now I just have to find out where to gut scaffolding!).  I especially liked the section on figuring and cutting the rafters.  The jig looks to make this job a lot easier.

Plus I thought of a few things I could certainly use to help with workspace utilization.

I also bought the "House Framing" book, which I have not started, but it looks interesting.

I don't know if by getting to Amazon by clicking on the links on this site, the site gets a spif, or commission, but I certainly hope so.

Thanks for the resources!

We need to meet up...Josh and I help you raise walls, you help us get the roofing on!  I think it's time for that coffee :)


John Raabe

Thanks - Yep, a little bit comes back from Amazon. ::)
None of us are as smart as all of us.

JavaMan

Quote from: OlJarhead on May 25, 2010, 11:01:23 PM
Quote from: JavaMan on May 24, 2010, 10:16:31 AM
I received the "Working Alone" book on Friday and have read through most of it already.  At least the parts that cover what I know I have to accomplish in the next few weeks.  It looks to be a great help (now I just have to find out where to gut scaffolding!).  I especially liked the section on figuring and cutting the rafters.  The jig looks to make this job a lot easier.

Plus I thought of a few things I could certainly use to help with workspace utilization.

I also bought the "House Framing" book, which I have not started, but it looks interesting.

I don't know if by getting to Amazon by clicking on the links on this site, the site gets a spif, or commission, but I certainly hope so.

Thanks for the resources!

We need to meet up...Josh and I help you raise walls, you help us get the roofing on!  I think it's time for that coffee :)

Be glad to help!  With the end of school, and summer fast approaching, there are "end-of-school-year" things going on this week and next, so the plan is to get up there in the middle of the week starting June 8th or 9th and working through the weekend (if I have that much to do!)  Of course, I can always find more to do.   :)

It shouldn't be difficult to meet up for coffee sometime during that time if you're up there then and we can work out some sort of plan to help each other.

I might even have a friend from here helping as well, which would probably help accomplish even more!

What I'm hoping to get done in this push is the walls stood and finished, a the roof on and at least sheathed  (shingled, if time permits).  Optional are the door and windows.  All do-able, I think, even if it's just me - as long as I have the right tools!

But it would go a lot faster with help.  And I'm not adverse to helping out in exchange, either.  ;D

JavaMan

Well, it's been a while since an update so here goes.

First - thanks to oljarhead for the offer to come help put up the walls.  I don't know for certain if it's that I wasn't quite ready to put them up (hadn't put them all together) or if I tend to have a bit of embarrassment at my methods/abilities/etc...(like the fact that I cut the one wall in half to be able to put it up) Or perhaps some of it is that I really would like to do as much of it by myself as I can.  I dunno - but thanks for the offer to help.  Also, I would feel badly about having you guys drive 1.5 hours each way.  That's a long ways, just to raise a couple walls.

So - on to the details!

I got there around 1 on Wednesday.  Weather seemed to be cooperating.  That is until I got the EZ-up (actually, "FirstUP") up.  Then the rain began.  Like the guys up near Tonasket, the hail showed up for a few minutes - apparently, they had much more.  But it rained on and off most of Wed afternoon.  Which put a bit of a damper on the proceedings.

However, the site was found pretty much as I had left it:


I went and purchased what 2X4's I figured I would need.

The next day, after the rains I was up and at it - the first wall frame went up, and a celebration was heard all throughout the land...


Then came the problem.  How to get that wall standing that I had put the sheathing on?  Well, I decided that there was no way I was going to lift it by myself as it was.  So, I figured, why not simply cut it in half and raise each half on it's own.  Which is what I did.  It's not exactly pretty, but it worked.  That wall went up, finally.


You can see that there are two sections in that photo.  Things did eventually get a bit more aligned, but at this point, I simply wanted them up.

Of course, then the rains came back, so I ran to town and had lunch.  Coming back the generator wouldn't start!  So the afternoon was pretty much a bust.

The next day I ran back to town, got the loft joists, and picked up an actual funnel to get oil into the generator (it has a cut off switch - won't start unless there's enough oil and I was suspecting that was my problem)

Put oil in the genny, and it still wouldn't start, so I clean up a bit around the site, and read.  Around noon, I decided to try the genny again, and on the second pull it started.  Didn't give me any trouble after that.

With the platform clear, I constructed the next wall frame - the "back" wall and stood it up, then moved on to the "front' wall.  That was enough for one day:


Then, on Saturday, I got up, and put as much sheathing on as I had, and then began putting up the supports for the loft joists as well as the joists themselves.  I didn't finish that job, but got along a ways:


In the course of the weekend, I spent about $150 on lumber, $97 on the pop-up awning (really, it wasn't necessary, but it was nice to have, to sit out of the rain and sun.), and $127 on a ladder.  That is besides gas to get there and home.

I am not quite sure why, but by Saturday, I had noticed a trend.  It seems that I just can't manage to do more than 1/2 day's worth of work on the cabin at a time.  I'm not sure if that's because of working at altitude, or because of working alone, or a combination of both.  I'm sure I'd get at least a couple more hours in with someone else there, because I don't break for meals, and when I do, I seem to let that slow me down too much and lose my drive at that point.

In any case, it is moving along.  I hope another long weekend will find it finished - realistically tho, it will be more like 2 more long weekends ... at least

OlJarhead

Great progress!  I'm sorry we didn't make it down to help :(  We would gladly do it becuase sometimes company is the key ;)

However, as you mentioned the weather sucked and we needed to get the roof on!  Sheesh.

Anyway, I'm impressed bud!  Got all those up alone?  WOW!  Bravo!

diyfrank

You're making progress for working alone and yes the weather does slow you down when it's cold & wet.
I'm planing my next trip for the weekend of the 4th. Crossing my fingers for the Sunny days.

Any luck with finding your logs?
Home is where you make it

JavaMan

Well, I have a "source" for logs .. but it's not really reliable.  By that I mean that he doesn't have the logs on a regular basis, so I may find that he won't have them when I'm really ready to buy them.... if that happens, I will simply tell him that the next batch he gets is mine  ;)

My plan is to go up this Monday (leaving at my usual time - 0-dark-thirty) and pick up some rented scaffolding on the way (I found some in Twisp).  The plan currently is to stay until Friday morning, leaving as early as I can.

I'm actually going to have to come off the mountain on Tuesday, late afternoon tho, for a job interview (over the phone)! This week, the recruiters have decided that I'm a hot property ... next week, they'll be giving me the cold shoulder probably. Seems to be the way it goes.

I'll have the computer along so I can fulfill my job search requirements  d*

Thanks for the kind words on the progress I'm making.  Yeah, I'd like to be much farther along, but I tend to find myself taking a break around noon/1 pm and standing there watching the weather, the wildlife, and the view.


JavaMan

Quote from: OlJarhead on June 19, 2010, 06:02:36 PM
Great progress!  I'm sorry we didn't make it down to help :(  We would gladly do it becuase sometimes company is the key ;)

However, as you mentioned the weather sucked and we needed to get the roof on!  Sheesh.

Anyway, I'm impressed bud!  Got all those up alone?  WOW!  Bravo!

Yeah, I did it all by myself! I surprised even me! ... altho, I think that in doing so, I aggravated a problem that has been slowly developing in my back due to a motorcycle accident from 10 years ago.  So, I think it's actually a good thing.  This way I'm aware of it, and am getting it treated before it goes to the point where surgery is the suggested option.  Currently, it's simply inconvenient.  If I hadn't, it would have kept on getting worse, and by the time it was found, it would be a pain in the back, literally! :(

Thankfully I haven't been told I can't do anything yet, so by golly, I'm not going to stop doing things!

As for making it down, not to worry - gotta get the roof on.  I just hope it didn't rain nearly as much as the forecast said it was going to over the last week or so.

I know I'll get the rafters up.  It's the sheathing that has me concerned at this point.  I'll probably do some of it fairly easily, but once I get to having to do the top, at the ridge, I will be slowing down a bit.  Thankfully I discovered that the neighbor rented his place to a guy I met up there 2 years ago that works for the DNR ... so I might be able to shanghi ... er, talk him into a little bit of help ;D

Then the paper, and the shingles/metal/whatever....

Maybe  should rethink this 12:12 pitch thing ... :-\

JavaMan

Well, this trip was a bit of a bust.  >:(

I got up there on Monday as planned, went back into town to get scaffolding, and got it set up.  Then the craziest things happened.  I realized that I am nearing my ## birthday - in otherwords, I'm gettin' old - and my fear of heights kicked in, and it was then that I began to understand that I'm not the indestructable 20-something that I once was.  How does that song go? I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was? Something like that.

Anyway, I thought I figured out how to do it without the scaffold, and feel safer about it.  Took the scaffold back on Tuesday morning, and had breakfast, and got lumber and sheathing.  I started by cutting the roof rafters and getting them prepped and then putting up the joists for the loft floor.

Then I had to head into town to have a phone interview for a possible job.  So I went to the store, too, and by the time I was headed back to the lumberyard for the last of what I needed, they were closed.  Ah, well, headed back up and took it easy, trying to convince myself that the loft floor wasn't all that high.

Next morning (Wednesday, for those that are counting), I went for breakfast, got the last of the roof rafters, and went back up.

It was then that reality sank in.

There is no way I am going to get the roof on by myself.  Yes, my fear of heights, but also, the knowledge that if I fell from up there, I was out at the corner of no and where, and I was there alone, gave me pause.

So, I am going to have to find some help.  Hopefully in the next couple weeks I can get help and then get up there and finish drying it in.

On the up side, I saw a doe and two fawns, and a turkey hen.  I'm hoping that means that there are more of them all up there this fall!

Yonderosa

On the bright side at least you realized it before you were busted up laying on the ground trying to figure out how you're getting out of there.  

There have been times I wished my Guardian Angel would have tapped me on the shoulder a bit harder...  Mine works a lot of OT to begin with so I can see why on occasion I manage to learn the hard way.  :)  I've heard "stupidity should hurt."  I've proven that sometimes it does.  d*  ::)
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: Yonderosa on July 02, 2010, 07:18:01 AM
On the bright side at least you realized it before you were busted up laying on the ground trying to figure out how you're getting out of there.  

There have been times I wished my Guardian Angel would have tapped me on the shoulder a bit harder...  Mine works a lot of OT to begin with so I can see why on occasion I manage to learn the hard way.  :)  I've heard "stupidity should hurt."  I've proven that sometimes it does.  d*  ::)

First, I must apologize to the group for my "whining" ... I'm just getting a bit frustrated with it all. The plan was to have had it dried in by now and working on the siding and interior the rest of the summer.  Ah well - best laid plans, etc...

I hear what you're saying about the guardian angel ... I've known too many guys that had problems while working alone that I guess I actually did learn from their mistakes! (imagine that!?! ???) - plus my own experience with the motorcycle (even tho it happened in front of a lot of people), has made me quite cautious - and aware of not only my limitations, but the sweetness of life itself.

So, today begins the search for some young bucks that don't mind a bit of work off the ground.

The other 'up-side' is that with the exception of 10 pieces of OSB for the roof sheathing, I have all the lumber I need for getting it "finished" - at that point it's simply paper and shingles and siding left to finish the outside.  And I'm still debating what to use for siding.

And the OSB has actually gone down in price.  The pieces that I used for the subflooring were priced at $13.95 per sheet... this weekend the same stuff was only 10.95 a sheet. Not too bad a drop, I'd say - still not the $6.95 from last summer, but headed in the right direction  :)

Tom

For the most part I too work alone. When I need help I ask, but it makes for slow progress... and patience is sooooo hard. if you have any helpful tips for working alone, let me know.

But yeah, I feel your pain and everyone needs to whine now and then