Month: September 2018

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Temporary Electric

Day #46

September 16, 2018 – I finished the bridging for the remaining 11 joist spaces by midday.  Hooray! The floor framing is complete. Next task, temporary electric outlets. 

The cottage has only ever had one exterior electrical outlet. It is located in the side wall of the living room. Up to this point we’ve been using this one outlet to supply all the power tools. This wall, and it’s outlet, will be removed in the next phase of the construction so I needed to rig up some temporary electric.  

Near the kitchen I installed a couple of 10 foot 2 ×4’s to serve as both a light pole and a receptacle location. In front of the bathroom I placed a couple of shorter 2 × 4’s.  This will serve as an additional outlet location. I have the wire roughed in. Next time I come down I will install a new motion sensing flood light, some waterproof outlet boxes with GFCI outlets and a couple of breakers inside. 

Solid Bridging Complete
The solid wood joist bridging is complete.
Temporary Electric
Temporary pole deck deck flood lighting and GFCI outlets.
Temporary Electric
Temporary pole for GFCI electrical outlets.
Porch Overview
Bridging complete and temporary electric roughed in.
More on the Bastard Gypsy Moth Caterpillar

After I got home Sunday evening Robrandi and I went out to grab a bite to eat. As I was sitting in the restaurant eating, the back of my neck,  my shoulder and my right arm started to itch like a son of a bitch. I broke out in what looked like a poison ivy type rash. It was baffling. There is no way I was anywhere near poison ivy. Jokingly I told Robrandi that I was turning into a caterpillar. The only thing I remember was half smashing one as it tried to crawl down my tee shirt.

Well, son of a bitch,  it turns out that the hairs on those little bastards can cause a histamine reaction similar to poison ivy.  To get the itching to stop I  have to wrap myself up in old newspapers.  After 4 months I will emerge with full on wings cee…… Caterpillar Gyeem !

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Joist Bridging Continues

Day #45

September 15, 2018 – Installation of the floor joist bridging continued today. It was overcast and cloudy. The river was raging by at a little over 14 feet. Acorns were falling from the trees all around me.  I half smashed a Gypsy Moth Caterpillar that was crawling down my shirt on the back of my neck (more about this little bastard later).  All things considered I had a good day.

After the removal of plywood runway from the Labor Day weekend I got my groove on.  Finished up the day with only 11 of the joist spaces remaining. Tomorrow I will have the bridging completed.

Juniata River
Water is almost up to the Boob on the Boob Tree. Juniata River level in Lewistown 14.33 feet.
Joist Bridging
Bridging continues past the living room window.
Falling Acorns
The sky is falling!
Plywood Runway
The plywood runway from Labor Day weekend is removed.
Plywood Runway
Plywood runway removal.
Joist Bridging
Joist bridging continues past the living room door.
Bridging Overview
This is the view at the end of the day.
11 Joist Spaces
Only 11 joist spaces remain.
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Solid Bridging Installation

Day #44

September 8, 2018 – I started the installation of 2 × 10 solid bridging between the porch floor joists today.

Solid bridging provides lateral support to twisted joists and it helps them maintain a vertical orientation. It also facilitates load sharing. Load sharing across wooden joists is important because of the large variation in material properties found between the joists.

It rained just about the whole time. It’s been raining for this entire project and it’s getting old! Once it got to heavy I quit for the day. We packed it in an headed to Shy Bear Brewing for dinner and adult beverages.

Hopefully it will stop raining tomorrow and we won’t have another rain delay!

Solid Bridging - Install
Installation of 2 × 10 solid bridging between the porch addition floor joists in the rain.
Solid Bridging - Rain!
Work stopped because of rain.
Solid Bridging - Porch Joists
Wood bridging completed in 8 joist spaces.
Solid Bridging - Porch Joists
Bridging completed in 8 joist spaces. Opposite view.
Shy Bear Brewing
Dinner and drinks at Shy Bear Brewing.
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90 Percent Complete Floor Framing

Floor Framing 90% Complete

Day #43

September 3, 2018 – Labor Day and boy did I ever. Today I finished the all of the porch addition floor joists. The floor framing is 90 percent complete. All that remains is two rows of solid bridging. This is next weekends project.

Here is a look back at the start of the floor framing.

Porch Addition - Floor Joist Framing
Porch addition floor framing continues.
Porch Addition - Floor Joist Framing
Temporary stairs and plywood decking at living room door.
Floor Framing 90 Percent Complete
The kitchen and porch addition floor framing is 90% complete.
Floor Framing 90% Complete
Sizing up the length of the porch addition. 64 feet!
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Ledger Board Install Complete

Day #42

September 1, 2018 – Today I completed the ledger board installation along the front of the cottage. This allows the ledger flashing to continue and the porch floor joist framing to resume.

I’m very grateful for all of the help today (sometimes it seems that the more help you get the slower you go). At the end of the day we had 29 floor joist in place. Only 20 more to go! Thankx guys…!

The future leader of Gyeem’s Sled Dog Team was introduced today. Peppero is her name and acting all fuzzy and cute is her game. We hope to make the Iditarod 2025 Race. Stay tuned.

My old friend Katydid showed up this evening. The seasons have been kind to her. She’s still as green as ever.

We are taking the day off tomorrow to kayak. I will finish up the floor joists on Monday before heading home for the week.

Ledger Board Framing
Ledger board installation along the front of the cottage.
Ledger Board Framing
Ledger board installation complete.
Kitchen & Porch Floor Joists
Kitchen and porch addition floor joist framing.
Peppero - Sled Dog
Future leader of Gyeem’s Sled Dog Team…. Peppero!
Katydid Friend
My old friend Katydid.
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Porch Floor Joists Def Jam Session

Day #41

August 31, 2018 – Framing of the porch floor joists continued today.

I installed the first section of the Yorkshield 106 PT copper ledger flashing. This flashing keeps water from migrating back into the cottage walls.

At the end of the day approximately 22 porch joists were set.  To allow for easier access at the living room door, we screwed down some temporary plywood decking.

In the blurred, whiskey soaked wee hours of the night the first Def Jam poetry reading occurred at the new Fire-Pit Stage.  Thankx to special guest star, Hurricane Dan and stage Lighting Technician, Studgie Studger.

The kitchen addition floor framing is complete . Tomorrow we will continue with the porch addition floor framing.

Porch Floor Joists
Floor joist framing for the new porch addition continues.

 

Porch Floor Joists & Ledger Flashing
Floor joist framing and copper ledger flashing for the new porch addition.

 

Temporary Walkway
Plywood runway at the living room door for access.

 

Fire-Pit Stage - Hurricane Dan
Special guest star “Hurricane Dan” takes the stage under the light.

 

Fire-Pit Stage - Def Jam Poetry
Hurricane Dan Def Jam poetry reading straight outta his cell phone.
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Floor Framing Lumber

Day #40

August 30, 2018 – Today Lowe’s delivered the balance of the floor framing lumber. The delivery included the remaining ledger boards, edge beams, rim joists and all the porch addition floor joists. 

Even though the delivery was rather late, after the lumber arrived I started installing the first section of the porch floor joists. At the end of the day I had about 8 or 9 joists in place. Tomorrow will be more of the same, porch addition floor joists.

Sadly, I broke the handle of my favorite framing hammer. This is the same hammer I used to build my house.

Hopefully I will find a good replacement.

Floor Framing Lumber - Lowe's Delivery
Lowe’s truck leaving after the floor framing lumber delivery.

Floor Framing Lumber
The porch floor framing lumber pile.

Floor Framing Lumber - Porch Floor Joists
Framing the 1st section of porch addition floor joists.

Broken Hammer
I broke the handle of my favorite framing hammer!

Floor Framing Lumber - Porch Floor Joists
Near the end of the day.