Dogtrot at Hightop

[CWhite]

John, that is looking so good, but you know you can't stop now.  You did it to yourself.
Am I to understand that you will be selling this place once you're finished? or are you going to use it yourself?
Christina

[Redoverfarm]

Originally was to be sold.  I have managed to keep the cost down considerably by doing most of the labor myself.  Also in doing so I manage to pay as I go sort of.  So right now I will keep it for my friends and family. 

[ScottA]

Looks really good John. You have something to be proud of there. 

[glenn kangiser]

Nice update, John.  Really looks great.

[Redoverfarm]

Well it looks like the "phoebe" will not be returning next year.  I usually leave the front door open to the cabin while I am working on the outside.  Apparently on Wed or Thurs she managed to fly into the cabin.  I noticed she had not been sitting on the nest but I thought she was gathering food.  On Friday I found her in the rough framing of the front door wall. Yes deceased.  I hate that as I know there are eggs in the nest but my plate is full and I can't incubate them.  Maybe the daddy bird will take over the function. I doubt.

[glenn kangiser]

That's the breaks I guess.  I just couldn't hold it together to sit on eggs if I was the father.

Maybe some babies will come back.

[Redoverfarm]

Finished up most of the remaining wiring today which was not done previously.  That was mostly the Board and Batten room and the two lofts.  This week has been a combination of cabin and house projects.  Used the cool mornings to stock up on firewood for the house and the hotter afternoons to run wire.  The majority of the wiring was completed on the log sections prior to chinking. The wiring was much easier that I could use the 2X6 framing as wire chases rather than snake it through the predrilled logs. 

Just glad Willy wasn't around to inspect.  I haven't wired all the circuits to the panel box as I am waiting on a hot day to work in the basement.  I guess tomarrow will be another firewood day in the AM and then errands in the afternoon. Another trip to town.  The dog and cat are due for their booster rabies shot.  The Vet only comes on Thursdays so I guess tomarrow is the day. I will also stop by the saw mill and see how my T&G order is progressing for the ceiling.  Needing approximately 1300 sq ft which is somewhere around 2600 ln ft. The cheapest I found on the linial feet was $.70 or $1.800.  As it turns out the local for sq ft was $1.15 or roughly $1,500.  I guess that is another example of "shop locally". 

Also glad school is out as I have drafted my son to help.  He helped me with the firewood.  He also is more agile than me to crawl in the crawlspace to pull wire.  Of course he didn't really mind as it was probably 10-20 degress cooler than upstairs.  All except the spiders.   

[Redoverfarm]

It's amazing what a little paint will do.  Well actually stain.  I finished the front porch by adding the rake & facia board followed by staining all exposed white wood.  I had initially thought of a ceiling in the porch but decided against it.  After the rafters and the underside of the metal roofing was stained it is quite nice.  The stain was the same as used on all the overhang soffit and gable board and battens.  I purposely did not stain the rim joist and flooring yet.  Still have alot of materials that have to pass over it and I will wait until the majority of that is done and the yard is in better shape. 

Here is the latest photographs. Enjoy



Morning sun



Evening sun



Although it doesn't show there is a good bit of difference in the appearance of the shading in color between the two different times of the South eastern view.
Back to firewood in the morning.

[glenn kangiser]

Looks great, John.

[ScottA]

ditto. Very nice John.

[Alasdair]

Fantastic!

[apaknad]

very impressive. what a wonderful blend of textures, styles and the old and new. you could help me build my place john and i wouldn't mind at all.

[Redoverfarm]

Spent the majority of the day pouring my concrete steps.  If nobody gains anything out of my project I hope they get this.  Don't pour your own concrete.

Seriously though it wasn't that bad only had to contend with an old mixer with a small drum. It was borrowed so not to wear it out I only mixed 1/2 -3/4 of it capacity.  Even then it took approximately 6 mixes.  The steps are approximately 8' wide and 12" deep with a 1-1/2 X 2" lip. So actually the tread surface area is 13-1/2" deep.  Yes I cheated some.  I had to PU a ton of sand and Type I/II cement.  While I was at it I also PU some cull blocks (8") for the reduced price of $.55 to use as fillers on the steps to reduce the amount of concrete. 

When I get the forms off I will try to attach a picture later.

[glenn kangiser]

Now you are scaring me, John -- I just volunteered to help Harry pour his concrete walls 9' high.  Any pointers?

Not pouring conncrete is good advice - it's too much like work, but I'm a little whore and will continue to sell my body for money. 




(...at least for construction work-- I don't think I'd get anything for it in any other line.)

[Redoverfarm]

Now you are scaring me, John -- I just volunteered to help Harry pour his concrete walls 9' high.  Any pointers?

Call in sick that day.

Not pouring conncrete is good advice - it's too much like work, but I'm a little whore and will continue to sell my body for money. 

If you sell your body then price it high.


(...at least for construction work-- I don't think I'd get anything for it in any other line.)

It's not too bad if you are ordering it from a batch plant but I would tremble at the fact of mixing a wall form by hand.  I say again " Call in sick"

[Redoverfarm]

Front steps poured 07/22/08.  They will be faced with stone as well as the adjoining piers on either side.





Say Hello to my new neighbors.  Not really sociable.

[ScottA]

Nice steps John. I was going to build concrete steps but the wife vetoed them in favor of wood. She hates concrete for some reason.

[Redoverfarm]

Scott I am just the opposite.  It is durable and very low maintenance.  If you are wondering whether it fits the theme of the cabin they are not done yet.  When the rock is laid on the riser and the piers the only visible portion to distinguish as concrete will be the treads themselves and the lip.

I had to retrain my brain so to speak when I moved from the house remodel to the cabin project.   Everything at the house is concrete. No wood deck just concrete patio's.  In the cabin I wanted to make it modern to a point but still retain the rustic cabin atmosphere.  Make sense    .

Different scene different style

[Sassy]

Such a beautiful job - the way you've integrated everything - btw, just saw some other pics I'd missed of the rock around the base of the house - June 27 or something - must have been working - I can't see the pics at work - then I miss a bunch of postings...  that home is really going to be an historical masterpiece!   

BTW, your other house is really nice too - kinda the contrast between our house in the valley compared to the cabin. The inside is pretty modern at the house although not much cement outside - Glenn made a lot of walkways of bricks & a circular courtyard with herringbone pattern next to the pond that he built with lots of different levels for flowers, trees etc.  Really pretty. 

[Redoverfarm]

Well it's finished more or less with the major outside work. Still some cosmetic stuff but no great rush.  Time to move inside. I have put it off as long as I can. That is having to leave the great outdoors and move inside. 

The steps and piers I finished today, grouting the rock that was laid yesterday.  I also stained the band board yesterday before the rock to avoid any spills or overspray.

I thought I would post a few pictures because from this point on they will be few and far between for awhile with the interior work. In fact I did do some interior nailing blocks in the gable ends of the roof for the ceiling.  My son was a great help.  I just called out the measurments and he manned the mitersaw.  Just 13 but uses his head (Most of the time).  I guess framing is in order for next week on the 1/2 loft bathroom.  Will have to take some figuring as it has to be directly over the 1st floor bathroom and with the slope of the ceiling it will be tight.  If it was a convientional ceiling it would be no problem but with the beams and T&G ceiling/floor it is a little different. Oh well I will figure it out.







I just thought I would post a picture of the rafters on the porch with the purlins and metal sheeting shown. If anyone had an outside porch and was wondering about a ceiling and finishing it in some fashion this is what I did.  I used a oil/alk based semi-transparent stain and sprayed the metal roof(underside) at the same time that I sprayed the rafters.  It made a world of difference eliminating the raw wood.  The stain worked great on the metal just as if it were painted. 

[glenn kangiser]

Great idea, John.  Thanks for sharing.

[ScottA]

The place looks great John. The rock work really sets it off.

[Redoverfarm]

Scott do you think the concrete steps are out of place since I  disguised them somewhat with the stone.  Trying to keep it as rustic as possible but bringing some modernism into play.

[ScottA]

People are used to seeing concrete. It seems to blend in nicely. I really think you nailed it.

[considerations]

I'm impressed!   The steps look great.