Photo Blog

I was looking over a quote for roofing materials, with which the lumber yard was good enough to include an installation guide for in the quote, and I happened to notice where it said “requires <certain thickness> roof deck, minimum”. And then I realized my roof deck is not that thick. By enough that matters. … Continue reading Shit.

Laying out stair stringers is challenging, especially getting the treads and risers perfectly perpendicular and carrying those lines and angles up the whole stringer. I had an idea which made it go much easier and quick: cut a scrap the size of the tread on one side and the size of the riser on the … Continue reading Stairway to Cozy

Remember when I said “Before anything can be done, something else must first be done (applies recursively)”? Here’s another case. Today I was thinking about siding. Shown here, some lovely knotty cedar T&G V-groove, a sample I bought at a local lumber yard a few days ago. Before I start installing the siding, I have … Continue reading But First…

Light port prototype – close-up. (B) points to the port’s basic framing, which is largely unseen behind the green sheathing board. This framing bears the weight of the glass block and positions it in the wall. It’s a little hard to see that it is a different piece of wood, but (A) points to the … Continue reading Light Ports

“Before anything can be done, something else must first be done.” — Me, often. This applies recursively. Here I am in late winter, having resumed FRHT at the drawing board. The next thing I *want* to do is take off the winter wraps and put on the roof. But no. The roof is not next. … Continue reading Before anything can be done…

Sheathing done, front corner view of windows. Open windows are bathroom (left) and kitchen (right). The double-hung window in the rear is one of three in the BeDeLiA. What’s a BeDeLiA? Well, it’s the BEd room, DIning room, LIving room, All-other-purposes room. BeDeLiA. No Amelias will be decorating it. Rear corner view of windows. Cozy … Continue reading Greenboard Everywhere

I noticed something different a day or two ago while I was installing some sheathing on FRHT. The project has ceased to be an abstract construction task and has transitioned into Home Building. It has reached some kind of critical mass such that it no longer feels like an assembly of lumber and nails but … Continue reading Home Building

In the next day or two, I hope to put a few more sheathing boards on FRHT – I have a few such boards on hand (evidently, though I computed my needs for 2x6s exactly, I somehow underestimated the sheathing boards, so I’ll need to get more) and then I’ll tarp it for a couple … Continue reading Goals for 2017

September 30, 2017. Mostly over my sickness and VERY eager to get the roof on FRHT. My friend for 25+ years John Early generously volunteers to come up for the weekend and work with me on everything for two solid days. Also shown here, the scaffold I rented… a week ago friday… thinking I would … Continue reading Roof Begins

The router is one of my favorite tools but it sure throws a lot of dust! PPE not optional. This is actually a relatively minor case of router face! Sometimes a full face shield or at least adding a dust mask is required. Continue reading Router Face