October 6, 2018 – We took a week off for a wedding in York. Then a family vacation at Seneca Lake in upstate New York. It was a great time but now we’re back to continue the Cot-Taj-Mahal renovation project. The last time I posted I had started the temporary electric. Today I continued with the installation of two GFCI outlets and a new Security Light.
Getting ready to install the first of two GFCI outlets.Weatherproof outlet box for the first GFCI outlet.The first of two outdoor GFCI outlets is complete.TayMac 1-Gang Rectangle Plastic Weatherproof Electrical Box Cover.2nd GFCI Outlet and new Security Light.The second of two outdoor outlets is complete.New GoodEarth Security Light mounted on temporary pole.GoodEarth Motion-Activated Floodlight.GoodEarth Motion-Activated Floodlight lighting up at dusk.
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.
The solid wood joist bridging is complete.Temporary pole deck deck flood lighting and GFCI outlets.Temporary pole for GFCI electrical outlets.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 !
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.
Water is almost up to the Boob on the Boob Tree. Juniata River level in Lewistown 14.33 feet.Bridging continues past the living room window.The sky is falling!The plywood runway from Labor Day weekend is removed.Plywood runway removal.Joist bridging continues past the living room door.This is the view at the end of the day.Only 11 joist spaces remain.
September 9, 2018 – Rained out! Today the game was called on account of rain! We packed up and headed home while the yard began to flood. Hopefully we will have better luck next weekend and I will be able to continue the blocking installation.
Shot thru the screen door from inside the kitchen. Game called on account of rain.Front yard flooding. Too much rain!
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!
Installation of 2 × 10 solid bridging between the porch addition floor joists in the rain.Work stopped because of rain.Wood bridging completed in 8 joist spaces.Bridging completed in 8 joist spaces. Opposite view.Dinner and drinks at Shy Bear Brewing.
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.
Porch addition floor framing continues.Temporary stairs and plywood decking at living room door.The kitchen and porch addition floor framing is 90% complete.Sizing up the length of the porch addition. 64 feet!
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 installation along the front of the cottage.Ledger board installation complete.Kitchen and porch addition floor joist framing.Future leader of Gyeem’s Sled Dog Team…. Peppero!My old friend Katydid.
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.
Floor joist framing for the new porch addition continues.Floor joist framing and copper ledger flashing for the new porch addition.Plywood runway at the living room door for access.Special guest star “Hurricane Dan” takes the stage under the light.Hurricane Dan Def Jam poetry reading straight outta his cell phone.
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.
Lowe’s truck leaving after the floor framing lumber delivery.The porch floor framing lumber pile.Framing the 1st section of porch addition floor joists.I broke the handle of my favorite framing hammer!Near the end of the day.
August 19, 2018 – Today we placed the remaining limestone under the new addition. All of the sub-grade stone is complete and the landscape fabric covered! By volume we have moved almost 9 tons of stone. Not to shabby for a weekend.
Started the porch framing but we quit when it started to rain. Even the toads were seeking cover.
In two weeks I will have the balance of the porch addition framing lumber delivered in one shot. Much easier to have it delivered rather than try and haul it in ourselves.
Placing the last of the limestone under the porch addition.Double Wheel Barrows!Sub-grade stone is complete and the porch framing is started.Rain storm, even the toads ran for cover.View of the new kitchen floor framing from inside the existing kitchen.
