Our Tiny (10 x 12) Cabin

[Gary O]

Gary I am sure you have figured out this thing called life.  It is the journey not necessarily the destination.  Step back and take a look.  Gosh I did that.       I am sure that you have more motivation but maybe on a slower pace than your job ever had.   

Man, you got that right, John.

It’s a funny thing.
Never in my life have I experienced such fulfillment.
Everthing we do out here has immediate reward…and it’s already paid for.

In town, it seems, one is somehow coaxed into getting high end things ‘now’, then paying on ‘em until they aren’t worth even a fourth of the principle.
Then do it all over again with faster, shinier stuff, scrapping the older slower gizmo.

Oh, there’s immediate consequence to doing something without thought out here too.

Keeps ya on yer toes.

Makes you mindful.

Yessir.

[Gary O]

It is the journey not necessarily the destination.

I made a poster awhile back;

[Gary O]

Uke's post on his infected cut reminds me of a recent event of my own.

This happened back on 9/11;

Well, I did it up good.
Found a saw stop.
My hand.


I’m careful. To a fault.
But there apparently are times, like today.

I was zippin’ off some wood chocks.
No measurement required.
Got in a rhythm.

Forgot....I don’t have rhythm.

A stuck pig comes to mind.
Thing is, my lovely better half was up at the neighbors.
She hardly ever goes to the neighbors.

Today is nine eleven.

Fitting.

So, after nicking the large artery in the top of my hand, I kept my composure and immediately ran down the road, screaming.

Juuust kidding.

I stumbled around, muttering fond remembrances of my childhood puppy.

Kidding again.

I knew to stop the blood.

Thing is, when one uses the good hand to help the hurt hand, well, there’s just no other hands.
I was rather amazed at my sensibilities during what could rapidly develop into a somewhat dire situation, by;
Sticking my hand up in the air
Pressing my fingers on the vein
Pouring water on the cut
Then pouring good Scotch on it
Then finding a clean cloth, ripping it in shreds, and tying it tight.

I stood there looking at the smart phone.
Thought about asking siri what next to do.

Then realized the bleeding had stopped.
Went back to work.

My woman got home an hour or so later.
She got a bit excited about the carnage…’OMG!...blood everywhere’.
She should be well aware of my thin skin, and I bleed most every working moment of every day.

What agitates me most is I didn’t think to apply super glue.

One may ask how this could happen.

Permit me to illustrate;

Haphazardly put your left hand in the path of the whirling saw blade by placing it directly underneath while the other hand is reaching for another piece of wood.

Hurry

Deftly use the sliding feature of the compound sliding miter saw; pushing down and forward while it’s wind milling (not under power) during a brief state of confusion as to what’s wood, and what’s your hand, and whether or not the saw is on, and what a saw is.
All the while considering changing your political affiliation.

Permit the teeth to grind into your flesh until it stops.

Wince

Bug your eyes out with amazement at the idiocy of the event

Call yourself several defamatory names

Bleed on everything

Run to and fro

Eventually sit, holding hands with yerself


 
That about covers it

[Adam Roby]

Ouch.... about sums it up.
Something like that happens and its scary enough when in the city close to resources, but being in the middle of the woods alone is when it gets "real", as in it could actually be life threatening. 

I have suffered for over 20 years from bouts of extreme vertigo.  Doctors can't figure it out, I've been to probably a dozen ENT (Ears Nose and Throat) specialists over the years and every test they do shows all is fine.  When I go to my land, I am very isolated... it is already a very small town in the middle of nowhere, and my land is a couple thousand feet back from the road, and I am in the center of my 7 1/2 acre lot.  I am using chainsaws and other potentially dangerous tools... and when the dizzies start I literally fall down where I am and have no control of the world spinning around me.  It can get scary very easily, and the wife often doesn't want me to go because I will be all alone.  She's right, but at the same time that means I will never go and get the land ready to build on... so I do what I have to. 

Take care out there ladies and gents!

[Redoverfarm]

Seems a lot of injuries occur as a result of repetitiveness or trying to accomplish thinks in a hurry.  Remember I was using a scroll saw.  The kind that you had to remove the pin blade to make inner and outer cuts.  I just tried to slow down the blade to remove it so I could move to another area.  Of course using ones thumb to stop the blade is not an acceptable way to do it.    Ouch !!.  Well after about a week it had healed nicely.

Seems in my later years my skin has lost it's ability to stretch and the slightest bump will create a strawberry and most often break the skin.  This is not from being careless.  In my younger years I would bump things and never miss a stroke whereas now I look down and am decorating the floor with an abstract design of blood.  Thank goodness my body has not lost it's ability to coagulate my life fluid.

A tetanus shot periodically is a must.  I keep up with those in hopes that it will prevent a loss of limbs in the future.  I try to learn by others mistakes.  Fellow woodworkers share their experiences.  When I get to a chore that reminds me of how they have loss appendages I actually think of them and try not to make the same mistakes.

But of course if you are going to work you are eventually going to have injuries.  But hopefully they will be minor and not stop the work process.  Oh yeah I buy band aids by the gross anymore which are not far from me. 

[Gary O]

Winter is coming here on the right side of the Cascades of southern Oregon.
4520 feet elevation
In the 20s at night and 70s-80s in the afternoon.

Kinda nice.

Kills the bugs.

I can do finish work and keep the door open for air hoses and cords.

Prollem is, I lost a whole week entertaining folks from Texas.
Was a goodly visit though.
What opposing philosophies.
They are the antitheses of everything we do, every way we think.
It was very stimulating for me.
The premium hooch helped.

Not sure why a lady has to have more than one bracelet on her arm.

‘Eeits th rayedge.
The more ya heyave own yer ahrm, the reetcher ya look.
See, ah heyave seeux of ‘em. Ther twayahlve thousand dollers eetch.’

‘Uh, do you happen to have any mayo for this dark looking lettuce?’

Meanwhile, back at the cabin, got about three more cord to chop before I’m in a comfort zone.
And that works for me.
Been laying out more money than income lately.
Gotta back off buying boards for a couple weeks.
Can’t tap savings.
It’s irreplaceable.

Using a chopping maul has been so therapeutic.

Gets the tension out.

Loosens the ligaments.

Keeps the bones from creaking some.


I’ve cautioned her on over doing it....

[pmichelsen]

Using a chopping maul has been so therapeutic.

Couldn't agree more. Once I get a good rhythm going I feel I can go for hours.

[rick91351]

Using a chopping maul has been so therapeutic.

Gets the tension out.

Loosens the ligaments.

Keeps the bones from creaking some.


I’ve cautioned her on over doing it....

Hummm!!!  Wonder if Ellen might want to work out some tensions and frustrations? Sort'a gives a new perspective going to the mall or going to the maul to work out your tensions. Wonder if I report that the one is a lot more cost effective than the other?   

[rick91351]

Couldn't agree more. Once I get a good rhythm going I feel I can go for hours.

Hummm that might not be good.  Best stop and reboot!!    

[Gary O]

So, I'm OK with leaving the bedroom unfinished for winter.
Too many more important things to get done before it gets so cold ya just don't want to go outside...unless it's for more wood.

Here's some pics of our living room now;






I went with bigger, cut to desired width, fence boards for bedroom trim.
Haven't stained it yet, and won't until spring.


Things is, unfinished wood tends to yellow, and that may be enough 'stain' to our liking, since the bedroom is a tad dark.
'Course a dark bedroom becomes more preferred the older one gets....

We stained the living room with 'redwood', and that sucked up a lota light, but the windows take care of that.

Gotta concentrate on firewood for awhile until we're in a comfort zone.
Had a pile of limbs I'd set aside for making furniture.

'Had'

I fancied me in my shop, crafting those neat chairs and tables you see in wood crafting mags.
Then reality popped that bubble when considering the struggles I have with dimensional wood....

So, I made a sawbuck.


And tiny wood.

...for burning


Oh, I do need to put some doors on our bedroom closet, then I'll take a couple pics of that area.

Next, finishing the siding, insulating the pump house, then building the utility addition.

So far, the days have been perfect for working outside, warming to the fifties and sixties (F) by noon.




This can't last.

[rick91351]

WOW you have become a mere wisp of what you were!!!  Lookin' good there man.  Your cabin looks great as well.  How cold does it get there?  You get a pretty far amount of snow as well do you not?  You ain't wrong about getting cold and the qick trip to the wood supply.  It chilllllled down to freezing here finally.  Had frost but not really freezing.  At the mere sight if frost I am thinking of loading the fifthwheel and going to Az. The mere mention of such and Ellen and the dogs and the cat starts looking for her 9MM in her purse........ so might as well dig out the long underwear and the insulated coveralls and the snow boots and the snow shovel.  We are  here to stay. 



 

[Gary O]

Yeah, I'm not tiny by any means (212 lbs) but feel good, r-e-a-l good.

It got to 37 below a couple days last winter....that's 'F', as in 'EF IT'S COLD!

Haven't had a good snow for 2-3 years here.

Had 14 foot drifts 12 years ago.
Typical now is 2-3' when you can get it.

It got in the teens here last week.
An ol' boy up the road saw 7°

I do love my long handles

[Redoverfarm]

Gary it is funny that Ole Man Winter has the ability to change our "to do list".  Happens to me all the time.  My list gets reorganized with the first frost.  I have tried to prioritize the most important with that being wood.  Most of the time I don't get it done as soon as I would like but I am not freezing my buns off because I was doing something else that could have waited.

[Gary O]

Yeah, I'm very glad we sawed up so many rounds months ago.
Those babies just pop open into sometimes three pieces with one swing of the maul.
What's nice about having rounds on the ground, is calculating the number of pieces it'll all yield.
I've about 260 pieces (quarter rounds) still layin' in the round, and several feet of silvers that I'm gonna git after.
Starting to like pine.

[MountainDon]

Once you have enough wood for this winter, keep cutting. The newly cut frozen sections split very nicely. Then they have a whole year to dry/season.     I am a year ahead at this point.

[Gary O]

keep cutting

Sounds right, but the slovenly side of my brain sez, ‘naw, not gonna do that…’

[Redoverfarm]

Once you have enough wood for this winter, keep cutting. The newly cut frozen sections split very nicely. Then they have a whole year to dry/season.     I am a year ahead at this point.

Just a tad bit ahead of me Don.  I had about 1/2 of this years wood left over from the last.  Try to stay ahead and eventually I will have a year in reserve.  Not really as it is a continuous process to try to stay ahead.   

[Gary O]

So, it’s starting to snow here.

Finally got the siding on.
Just need to calk and stain





Did I mention snow?

Had to thaw the darn pump once already
Easier to keep it from freezing in the first place
Insulated the pump house
Covered the pipes with foam tubes


Throw two sleeping bags on it all



Gonna be in the teens tonight
We’ll see
If that keeps it from freezing…WHOOPEEEE!
If not, well, that little round heater, set to low, will be its roommate.
(yes, I’ll remove the sleeping bags first)




We prolly have enough wood




There’s more piles


But there’s still several blow downs that are callin’ me…..


I was going to build a little utility attachment.

Was

Bought wunna those Costco canopy/tent/garage things
$230
The lady at checkout said they tend to leak at the seams.
Bought a huge tarp
Tied it down
Quite roomy


They also have a reputation for being blown over
I see why
They come with ‘tent stakes’ for a kiddie tent
Went to town on a hard target search for circus tent stakes
Seems there’s a shortage of circus tent stakes
Bought 4’ steel rods that ardy have a point on the end
And 150’ of nylon rope
Drove ‘em three feet into the ground at around 45°
Can’t make ‘em budge

(not done with the tarp)

Come on wind….let’s see whatcha got



Keep a fire, y’all

[rick91351]

I'm thinking of using the Costco tent carport for a woodshed because I never got one built.  They seem to work okay so long as you knock the snow off once in a while during the blizzard.  With the other tarp in there it will last longer.....

[Gary O]

My only angst now is keeping it pointy side up during a winter blow.
I first used the loops to tie it down.
Only thing, they got in the way of the tarp.
No matter how hard I configured it, there was always flappy sections that would surely become sails with the right direction of wind.
So, against the little voice that screams, I removed the ropes from the loops and now just have it tied down via girding ropes.




So, nothing is resisting, really.

As I type, thinking tomorrow I may take the tarp off, fold it to just cover the edges, and use the loops in conjunction with the tarp ropes.

Gonna sleep on this, so hope to see y’all’s input in the morn.
The other thing is, my lady is gonna go to her artsy fartsy class tomorrow and I vowed, after my last episode, to never touch a power tool that has teeth while she was gone.
So, retarping/configuring should take up the time she’s away.

Or, I could just crank up ol’ betsy an zip off some logs....

[rick91351]

Gonna sleep on this, so hope to see y’all’s input in the morn.
The other thing is, my lady is gonna go to her artsy fartsy class tomorrow and I vowed, after my last episode, to never touch a power tool that has teeth while she was gone.

Gary I think that is a good idea.  Do I do that - no but I should.  But she is sort of cabin bound right now quilting and sewing and I sort of get a little torqued but that soon passes.  Just a good IDEA that some one is around to dial 911 as they apply the tourniquet.  That said if my buddy is excavating over on this side of the mountain lots of times I will jump on my four wheeler and run over and do a drive by.  About noon maybe stop in and say hi.  He really appreciates me doing that. I tell my wife hey kid come out and check on me now and then.  But .................   

[Gary O]

Well, I redid everything
Ended up cutting slits in the tarp for the ropes to get thru.
It's a learning curve...
Calling it our 'tarport'


We are in a bit of a comfort zone now

Got everything calked and stained

Pressure's off, it seems

Have the giddy feeling we're not complete idiots

Will re-assess come January
 




Wood chopping day....never enough of that

[rick91351]

Does feel nice to get to a place where - 'What the heck' - we so experienced that last year.....  Floors were done - moved in without an occupancy permit  Ellen said she was not spending another minute in the fifthwheel.  It just felt good to get moved in and after a year of hitting hard to kick back and take a nap.  A long winters nap.  I so enjoyed that but come spring was more than ready to go hit it again.  One thing nice I think about your cabin a couple cords of wood  should put you through. 

[Gary O]

Does feel nice to get to a place where - 'What the heck' - we so experienced that last year.....  Floors were done - moved in without an occupancy permit  Ellen said she was not spending another minute in the fifthwheel.  It just felt good to get moved in and after a year of hitting hard to kick back and take a nap.  A long winters nap.  I so enjoyed that but come spring was more than ready to go hit it again.  One thing nice I think about your cabin a couple cords of wood  should put you through.

maybe two cords
haven't put a dent in the first pile
but
haven't been here for the winter
have just become accustomed to this stove
and
some wise men said it'd be good to get a start on next year
and
I'm developing a fever for it
can't explain, but some sorta euphoric feeling comes over me every time that maul makes the wood pop

I may make some wood ricks tomorrow
neaten the place up

[MountainDon]

If the wood is not fully seasoned, it splits easier when frozen. Back home in Canada I cut trees in November, December, hauled it home and then in January when things were solidly below zero got out the maul. That was the next years firewood.