Movin' on Up!

grandpaul · Jun 30, 2022

Oh, almost forgot! This morning I got a nice surprise; my pond is actually a pond!

The creek is almost a creek, now I know exactly where it needs excavating to match the common depth; this is the north end ...

In between the north pool and the actual pond, is another section of the creek that I got the depth correct on...

mean gene · Jun 30, 2022

I can smell the fresh lumber! And the grandkids can make mud pies!

grandpaul · Jun 30, 2022

mean gene said:
I can smell the fresh lumber! And the grandkids can make mud pies!

My grandsons can't wait to go dirt biking and Bass fishing, forget mud pies!

grandpaul · Jul 6, 2022

Framed out the alcove at the foot of the stairs.

Added the third/center stair stringers, with 4x4 supports bolted in place.

Ran out of time about 3 joists short of completing the living room. Also need to add a couple of double 2x4 supports between purlins, down to the slab, to transmit the load of the joists.

Only a dozen or so of the HEAVY/LONG 16' joists over the master bedroom, then frame the 1/2 bath and some A/C duct furr-downs, and the framing will finally be done!

grandpaul · Jul 31, 2022

Easy to lose track of updates, so here you go (for those who are still interested)

(3 weeks ago)
All of the joists are in place, just need centerline blocking on the 16' joists above the master bedroom.

That was tough...

1/2 bath is framed out. I bought the door for it today, I'll finish sheathing it and connect the plumbing tomorrow in the cool of the morning.

(2 weeks ago)
I had been putting off upgrading my main electrical panel, but I need to begin wiring all of the lights and power now, so I bit the bullet.

First order of business, kill 2 Black Widow spiders and a brown (possibly recluse) spider that had taken up residence on the backside of the box...

grandpaul · Jul 31, 2022

(2 weeks ago)
New 200A outdoor rated box with lots more breaker spaces than I'll ever need (it was a good deal, and came with new breakers). Not to worry, I won't be using that rusty old one...

Nice and tidy then...

The "old" 125A panel moved inside the shop and will feed all of the 1st floor...

grandpaul · Jul 31, 2022

(last week)
Just need to plumb in the kitchen sink, after I insulate & sheetrock this wall, then get the cabinets & counter in place. Both water heaters plumbed in, the one on the right still needs to be connected electrically.

1/2 Bath plumbing is done...

Installed a cartridge water filter for the whole caboodle-

1/2 bath working!

grandpaul · Jul 31, 2022

Finished the kitchen/dining/living room walls and window framing-

Tough chore blocking down the centerline of the 16' joist span over the master bedroom, got that done...

Also, all of the wall blocking is done and electrical boxes in place; need to pull all the wire this week.

grandpaul · Jul 31, 2022

My son Alex has been a huge help chopping blocking lumber for me...

His reward started out as getting to learn how to drive the tractor-

My wyfe said we both deserved a better reward, and DID SOMETHING about it-

That's one HAPPY 11-year-old!

There goes 1/2 of my free hangar space...

grandpaul · Jul 31, 2022

I've already dispatched EIGHT Black Widow spiders, several others that might have been Brown Recluse, and a large scorpion. We'll be getting a major fumigation treatment sometime this week.

Meanwhile, we arrived at the ranch to do some work the other day, and I headed straight in to the "de-caffeination station", lifted the lid, and thought Alex had neglected to flush down a huge turd.

Then I looked closer...

That's a 5-foot Texas Rat Snake (non-venomous).

Quickly made a snare out of a section of PVC pipe and a piece of wire, and fetched him the heck out of there.

Sucker was faking rattlesnake sounds, I didn't buy it. I re-homed him to a nearby creek (well, that is, if 5 miles away is 'nearby')

grandpaul · Jul 31, 2022

Almost up-to-date. Last week I started to get the A/C equipment that I was given, ready to refurbish.

As soon as I removed the condenser fan, I found this soon-to-be-dead Black Widow...

Cleaned out the compartment, stripped the panels off to prep & paint them.

grandpaul · Jul 31, 2022

I had never used this petro-based coil cleaner before. I like mild acid better...

The furnace component is brand new, fan motor also. Condenser fan motor has only 1 season of use.

I found a brand new 50' roll of 3/4" copper refrigeration pipe in the middle of an intersection near my home, still wrapped and not scratched or dented at all. So now, I only need a roll of 3/8" pipe and some insulation, and I can install the line set. That's a $175 savings!

Also found a brand-new bundle of Owens-Corning R-11 wall insulation worth $80 on the side of the road last week. Freebies, baby!

mean gene · Aug 1, 2022

To many things in Texas stings, bites or sticks in ya! Looks like you have them all!

daveforty · Aug 1, 2022

grandpaul said:
I've already dispatched EIGHT Black Widow spiders, several others that might have been Brown Recluse, and a large scorpion. We'll be getting a major fumigation treatment sometime this week....

grandpaul said:
.

How do you keep those spiders (and snakes) from returning, or is fumigation a regular requirement?

grandpaul · Aug 1, 2022

mean gene said:
To many things in Texas stings, bites or sticks in ya! Looks like you have them all!

My sister and brother-in-law have 100 acres near Mason; she named it "Sticky-Bitey-Pokey Ranch". They have much more prickly Pear cactus than I have, but plenty of "bitey" critters.

grandpaul · Aug 1, 2022

daveforty said:
How do you keep those spiders (and snakes) from returning, or is fumigation a regular requirement?

The snake was DEFINITELY a one-off.

The rest will probably be annual fumigation. Similar to new homes built in formerly wooded areas; after all, they were here first...

grandpaul · Aug 18, 2022

Time flies! Here's a condensed version of the project update:

Framing is all done, including building a small pantry in the kitchen. Exterior walls, already being insulated, and not needing framing, just get "waferboard" sheathing. I got THIS stuff even cheaper! Sheetrock can go right on top. Never mind "This Side Out", that is for external application. Windows did get nominal framing out, and windowsills...

For the first time in 30 years, I did some A/C rough-in installation - just some insulated register boxes, so the sheetrocker won't "cover me up" and then I have to get gypsum dust all over myself cutting holes (hopefully) in the right places...

Hired an insulator / sheetrocker because as "Dirty" Harry Callaghan might say, "A man's got to know his limitations". Dude sure got after it in a hurry. Used up the free bundle of pink R11 that i found on the side of the road in less than an hour...

grandpaul · Aug 18, 2022

Sheetrocker/Insulator came out Monday and started in with my leftover scraps of steel building shell insulation. Blew thru a huge stack of pieces in a hurry!

Pretty much done with insulation, sheetrock gets delivered tomorrow and he'll start right in.

Hangar sheathing done, "This Side Out"...

Actually, I finished trimming out the sheathing at the far right, workshop doorway, yesterday evening. That was a LOT of work.

grandpaul · Aug 18, 2022

The guys I bought my A/C supplies from have a giant fiberboard cutting machine, and they cut my ductwork sections for free, saving me a fair amount of time, and a lot of itching arms! You just set the cutter spacing according to the duct size, then feed in 10' long sheets one at a time. Amazing machine.

Flex duct (those mustard turds) is in short supply. I bought the last of their stock of 8", need to go back for 2 more turds next week.

The part I dread is cutting into my weather-tight building to pipe the exhaust vents thru the walls, and the plumbing vents thru the roof.

The shop is looking like a shop!

grandpaul · Aug 22, 2022

Hard day today, severe leg cramps as a result, while driving home! That's NO FUN.

Wind and rain blew thru, wind gusted so hard it pushed over all my ductwork that was stacked opposite my Triumph Legend, and wedged against the bike, KNOCKING IT OVER!!! Wind can be mighty powerful, even in moderate gusts. Had to use the ratchet cable "come-a-long" to hoist it back on it's sidestand, then relocated it to a quiet corner.

Got 12 of 17 sheets of tongue-and-groove plywood decking laid down, and the 2 bedroom ducts run between the joists. Just lack the (3) shop A/C ducts and a single 4" duct to the master bath, and everything on the ceilings can get covered up with sheetrock.

Pix tomorrow, I forgot to take any today.