Ok this will be my official Link for the Cabin Kickoff! We start tomorrow. My mom and dad just came through Oklahoma and are in Fort Smith Arkansas as I write this. They should be here around 3 or so. So there's no turning back now! I will do my best to post pictures. I will also re post picutres of what I have done so far and try to keep everything in order. OK!! Here we go!! I will try and post all my stuff every Monday or Tuesday as I won't have access to the internet over the weekends. See ya all soon and stay tuned!
Last edited by RC51; 04/01/1112:43 PM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Oh and PS: Make sure your family doesn't get caught "outside" if you get my drift.
Last edited by jeffhasapond; 04/01/1102:46 PM.
JHAP ~~~~~~~~~~ "My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." ...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
What's the layout? How big? What shape? How many bedrooms? How many 5 gallon buckets?
How many 5 gallon buckets!! Funny! The lay out. The cabin is going to be 24 x 40. 2 bedrooms in the back then a utility room on one side for electrical box and laundry hook ups on the other side will be a storage closet. Then 1 full bath on closet side and kitchen area on oppisite side. All of it will be under a typical 8 foot ceiling.
Then the dinning room area and living room area about 13 x24 will be under a cathedral type ceiling then a 12 x 16 foot deck overlooking the pond with a roof of it's own. Some previous pictures to come and a few of what we did this weekend nothing to exciting this weekend yet just finishing up clearing and getting ready.
Last edited by RC51; 04/04/1108:41 AM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Ok here we go. First pic below is of the driveway / land before us humans touched it
Second pic here is of the tear drop driveway now.
Here is the trench we dug last year to put in the 200 amp elec. 225 feet of trench 30 inches deep.
This is me on the ryder trencher we used to dig the trench.
Here is the final result kids hanging out enjoying our hard earned electicity!
Then Dad and I built a nice shed to keep our stuff in while we are building the cabin.
Finished product. Now if the cabin is just this easy to build!! Ha,ha.
Well that's a quick review of the stuff we have in place. We also have the water main in place now too but that's another day.
Ok this weekend we just did some more prep work nothing real exciting but have a few pics.
First priority. Someplace to go in case of an emergencey! I told Dad you'll have to watch your back cause you never know what might sneak up on you out here!!
Here is part of a very large Hickory tree we had to take down. I hated doing it but it was a must. Bottom of the tree was 26 inches in diameter.
Here is my youngest boy Brett helping Grandpa pick up branches! He had a blast all weekend. Man was he wore out!!
Here is one of the big stumps we were trying to cut down a bit farther. Like I said no real exciting pictures just yet. That's next week!
Last but not least we are going with a 1000 gallon ribbed poly septic tank I towed up there this weekend. We will be putting that in the ground in 2 weeks. Can't wait for that!!
Quote "First priority. Someplace to go in case of an emergencey! I told Dad you'll have to watch your back cause you never know what might sneak up on you out here!!"
Very nice accomindations I must say. Reminds me of when we were building my brother built a 3 legged version not near as nice. Didn't even have sides on it like yours. We were walking my 92 year old grandmother around showing here the place when we ask her what she thought about the out house. Her reply was. " Well I never seen anyone do there business on a table top before."
Last edited by rockytopper; 04/04/1112:52 PM.
The road goes on forever and the party nevers end...............................................
Donna-ski is quick to remind me of our first facilities....when I handed her a shovel, a roll of TP, and pointed her into the woods. I included a dixie cup filled with water to use for "tidying up".
Awesome! So what your saying is our out house is pretty darn fancey then hey? Here I thought it was kind of sad but I guess not! I even faced it towards the pond so you have a view!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Have you ever thought about what might happen if a rough bull catches you in the outhouse?
Our first structure was an outhouse. Several years later a guy from the County visited and recommended that I paint a sign saying that it was a deer blind. Seems that outhouses are now illegal in my neck of the woods. I told him that I thought that was kinda dumb since I had a lot of cows running the place that I didn't tidy up after. He told me that College students graduating with degrees in Public Administration were getting their heads packed full of junk about upgrading rural Texas. These idiots get jobs and start trying to influence County Commissioners who have friends/relatives in the plumbing and septic business.
Last edited by Dave Davidson1; 04/05/1105:15 AM.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
UPGRADING RURAL TEXAS?? OUTLAWING OUTHOUSES??? SHEEESH!! I WOULD FIGHT THIS ALL THE WAY TO THE SUPREME COURT AND BEYOND. JUST TRY THAT IN THE APPALACHIANS!
" EVERY DAY I'M AMAZED BY HOW MANY THINGS I DON'T KNOW AND HOW MUCH STUFF I DON'T UNDERSTAND"
Way to go RC. Looking forward to your progress updates.
Thanks guys, We got 24 6x6 posts to put in the ground this weekend about 3 feet deep. That's a LOT of concrete! And a LOT of post holes!! Thank goodness we will have a Bobcat T180 with an auger attachement on it!! Whew! I don't even want to think about doing that by hand. I will try and post pictures this coming Monday. If I am not to wore out!!!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Well it would appear photobucket is having some issues at the moment so I will try and post pictures later. In the meantime I can tell you this. That was the hardest fricken work I have done in a long, long time!!! Those dang 6x6 post get heavy. Put em in the hole take em back out put em back in line it up level it up take it back out...... I hurt so bad by the end of Sunday night I thought I was going to cry!! My dad wouldn't addmit it but I know he was hurting pretty bad too. Bottom line is we got it done. 22 posts later and 50, 80 pound bags of concrete and they are locked in tight!! My Dad said one of the most important things here is the X between corner posts. He said they need to be exact or forget it! Well we finally got it. Both ways our X was 45 feet 4 and 3/4 inches! I did not realize what all was involved when putting in posts for a building. It was a great learning experience. In the picture you will see some of the post still have to be cut off and leveled on the top but Dad said he would do that durning the week. I'll post pictures as soon as I can. This weekend it's septic tank time!!! Whoowhoo can't wait!!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Man, I get tired just lookin' at the pics. I gotta ask, RC... Why the choice to use posts instead of a concrete slab or stem wall/slab foundation?
Hey Ski,
Ahh yeah is was a TON of work! I am reminded of you when you said how hard it was to get motivated to go back to work cause you were so sore and tired!! I already have felt some that action and were just getting started!
Umm why posts and not a slab? Well they main reason for that I would say would be cost. I got all these 6x6 posts for right near 300 bucks a far cry less then what a 24x40 foot slab would have cost me that would have been a little over 3 grand here. Second I sort of wanted to have my cabin up a little on the front side anyway so I can get under it easy and work on drain lines / piping things like that. Why not a stem wall /slab foundation? Thats a good question and I don't have any answer other then we never really gave it any thought. The posts I put down are good for 30 years they say or longer we'll see about that. We have them surronded nicely with concrete too so I think we will be fine. With 23 posts and concrete included it only cost us about 450 bucks. You can't beat that.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
I see your off and running RC, in the mornings when it hurts to get out of bed, just think of how great the place will be if you survive.
Hey AP yeah it's a go now for sure! No turning back now! I am a little sore in the mornings that's for sure. Me and IB Prophin are becoming good friends. Like you said though if I survive it all, I can't wait to sit back on the deck and drink that fist cup of morning coffee while watching my pond do it's thing!! I know that's a ways off yet but it will keep me motivated for sure!!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Ok well it took us 3 days but we got the septic system in! Here are some pics that we took. What a job to do on your own! Now I know why these guys get paid good money to do this stuff!!!
Here is the hole dug for the septic tank and us using the boom on the piece of equipment to lower it in place.
Here is another shot of the tank and D box 70 percent covered. We couldn't cover the front as the inspector needed to see that before we barried it.
Here is another view of the same thing. Getting that D box level and the tank level and all that was a pain in the butt!! Of course we put a little downward slop on everything about a half a bubble on the level.
Here is the main drain line from the cabin to the tank. We went a 1/4 inch drop per foot and it ended up perfect.
Another view of the drain line. Good thing we didnt' glue this yet. The inspector failed us as we forgot to put in a 2 way clean out! Duh!! I was glad he told us that it just helps me out too if I need to snake it for some reason.
Here is the 2 way clean out we put in then he said we were good to go.
Here we are digging the leach lines! We put 2 40 foot leach lines on the D box. Figured that was more than enough for a 2 person cabin. Maybe 4 person once in a while. (2 kids).
Another view of us digging the first leach line. We used that EZ Flow leach line that is surrounded by styrofoam peanuts. They are about 10 inches round and don't require any gravel. They come in 10 foot sections and hook to each other with 4 inch slit pipe in the middle.
Here is the end result. Done!! That pipe you see in the background is a vent pipe we put on one of the leach lines. It's not required here but my Dad said with that on the end you can take the cap off and look to see if you have standing water in your lines and if you do that's not good!! Just kind of a thing so you can see whats going on down there! We will cut it lower later once the ground settles a bit.
Well that's it for this weekend, but that was enough! I don't want to do that again any time soon! Next week we will be trenching the water line and starting to put up our center brace to start the floor!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Hey Todd thanks, hopefully we can actually start building the cabin soon! One doesn't realize all the prep work you have to do first. I think this weekend we will start nailing a few boards together I hope!
Last edited by RC51; 04/20/1109:01 AM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Yeah, I can imagine. When we built our storage building (or barn, as we like to call it), there were no utilities or anything so it wasn't a lot of work prepping the site. Watching your progress and the other projects I've seen on here makes me realize how much base work has to go into something like this. But, the good thing is obviously that with all the care and attention to detail at this stage, the rest of it should come together smoothly (notice that I did not say easily, but smoothly!).
Good luck on keeping it rolling - I'm anxious to watch your progress!
Nice work RC. It does look like a lot of work but keep looking at the big picture, like when it's done. Something you'll be proud of I'm sure. I'm starting on mine this weekend. Just got a dozer so we'll see how it goes.
It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance? Ronald Reagan _______________ The good Brian
Ok here are a few pics of the 350 foot water line we had to trench and put in. Everything went pretty good and the inspector was pleased too which is always a good thing!!
So now we have the big 3 in place. Water, Electric, and Sewer!! So we can actually get back to building the cabin which we are starting on Tomorrow some and then hitting it hard on Friday, Sat, and Sunday. I will post them pics as soon as I can. Meantime here are the water pics.
This last pic is the final result. We put in a water hydrant so we can shut the water off and drain it all from the cabin when we need to. These hydrants are petty cool! This one is sticking up so far because ultamatley it will be inside a ustility room with about 2 feet of it in the room and the rest under the cabin. This same room will have my hot water tank and 2 valves to drain the rest of the house. Then all you have to so is add a little RV anti freeze in the elbows and your good to go.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Hey Ski what's up? If we can get this darn rain to get out of here we can actually start building finally! Should have some pics this weekend of us finally starting on the floor!! I can't wait! We also bought a big ole tarp so we can cover the whole floor as we go in case it rains... ha,ha did I say in case??? Well more like when it rains at this point!!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
I highly recommend use of Advantech subfloor. You won't need tarps and the floor will become a roof for everything underneath it. The price is comparable to most other conventional subfloor products, but the exposure resistance is nothing short of amazing.
I highly recommend use of Advantech subfloor. You won't need tarps and the floor will become a roof for everything underneath it. The price is comparable to most other conventional subfloor products, but the exposure resistance is nothing short of amazing.
Wow really? Thanks for that info Bski we will look it up and check it out. Thanks!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
I generally use it in traps and toilet. Or, anyplace that water can stand.
I also blow my water lines. Get a gizmo from an RV place that has a tire valve and screws onto the sink faucet. Install it and winterize whenever you leave and worry about temps in the mid to upper 20's. Then, open both valves(hot and cold) and use a small compressor to blow the lines. You can't get it all but will or should get enough to keep the lines from freezing and busting. When you repressurize water lines, open the valves very slowly.
Flush the toilet to empty the tank. Then dip as much water as you can from the bowl. Add enough WW antifreeze as you figure you need to each. Then pour some down sink and tub traps.
Last edited by Dave Davidson1; 04/28/1105:03 AM.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
If Dave ever moves north he will be able to handle cold weather plumbing.
Another thing that helps get most moisture out is to use a shop vac at the lowest point sucking out water as you blow out the pipes from the highest point, but probably not necessary in your part of the country.
It does get cold in North Arkanas here, but not for very long. It will get in the teens but most times it's only for a few days. Not a few weeks or months for that matter. Growing up in North Wisconsin as a kid I know what cold is and don't want to have any of those issues here with my pipes!! Thanks for the advice guys I appreciate it!!!
Last edited by RC51; 04/28/1107:56 AM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Well we been trying to work in this mess! Leave it to me to build a cabin the year we have had more rain than in the last 20 years!
Heres what we got done though.
Starting to work on the inner sill and center beam.
More sill work here. At least is was nice for a day or so!
We decided to hang brackets boards on 16 inch centers.
Inner sill all the way done! Still need to do the outer sill later, once all 2x10's are in place.
Started laying down them boards for the floor! We decided to go with 2x10 not 2x8 for a little more strength.
We put some 7/16 inch OSB board strips on the bottom of the 2x10's and up and down the sides of the sill so we can lay down 16 inch wide OSB subfloor and put our insulation inside of it before we put the real floor down. This way it is also easy to get at from underneath if I have to. Just lift up and move the subfloor over to get the any line I have to get at.
We got a little over half the floor boards in and mother nature came a calling! So we tried our best to tarp things up. Man it just keeps raining here!
Well that's it for now. Didn't get as much done as we would have liked due to all the rain, but we did get some done and that's what counts. I can't wait to see the sun again!
Last edited by RC51; 05/02/1101:30 PM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Hey Road no problem, I enjoy sharing our progress sometimes I get caught up in what I am doing and forget to take pictures! Then I'm like awe man back up I have to take a picture first! And my Dad is like really?? My dad is really given it his all for me that's for sure. I must buy him a GREAT Fathers Day gift!!!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Hey Everyone here are some updates from this weekend!
We did the plumbing, subflooring, insulation and started the floor this weekend. Wow talk about sore!! Now I know what Brettski was talking about!!
First pic here is of the washer and dryer area and kitchen sink drains.
This pic of course is the main 4 inch drain going to the toliet with a 3 inch vent pipe.
Here is some of the pressure lines we put in. We could only test the cold at this point but it all worked great!!
This pic is of the 2 valves we put on the outside of the cabin for hot and cold so we could totally drain the pipes under the house for the winter and we can use the cold side for a garden hose when needed.
Here is a pic of all the floor joists in place and done.
Next we started putting in the subfloor for our floor insulation.
Here is a picture of the insulation being laid in and the first actual floor board being put on!!!! we used 3/4 inch tongue and groove for the floor.
And this last picture is of the first 16 feet we got done yesterday! Talk about work! I got sores on my sores!! As you look at this last picture I will have 2, 48 inch windows on the front wall looking out to the pond. Plus a door in the middle going out to a 14 x 12 foot deck sooner or later. It's an awesome view! Hope you all enjoyed the pics. Wont be long and we will actually starting on the walls!!!
Last edited by RC51; 05/10/1109:57 AM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Yeah and it's not getting any cooler in this hot Arkansas humidity either! It's real easy to make some bone head mistakes when your so tired the brain goes numb!! I think I got real close to that the other day!! It gets hard to stay focused!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Won't those lines freeze? Or am I missing something?
Hey BK there is a hydrant on the begining of the pressure lines. So once you turn the hydrant off the water pressure stops to the house. Then you open the 2 valves in the picture above and the pressure lines in the house will drain out of them as we put all the pressure lines on a slight downward decline towards the 2 valves. Then all you have to do is drain the hot water tank and your done. Put a little antifreeze in your elbows and lock it up.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Great work RC, before you know it, you'll be inside looking out.
Hey Cisco I hope so!! I can't wait to start on the walls. I will be glad to handle 2x4's for a while. All these 2x10's and 4x8 sheets of plywood are starting to take its toll for sure!! A 2x4 will feel like picking up a toothpick
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Great work RC or should I say RC's dad. That is one big job.
Hey Eric,
Yeah my Dad is the master mind that's for sure! But make no bones about it I am the hustle behind this muscle! And I am learning a lot that's for sure! My Dad is a trooper and I try my best not to leave him to much hard stuff to do during the week on his own! Like I said i am going to owe him a NICE Fathers Day gift for sure!
The cabin is nice sized at 24x40 we got what Brettski calls 4 foot i'tis a couple of times. It started out 20x32 but that didn't last long!
Last edited by RC51; 05/11/1109:39 AM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Great project, RC. You guys seem to have an excellent plan and are attacking it hard. Working with your father is going to be something you will always remember when you visit the cabin...enjoy every minute of it.
Great project, RC. You guys seem to have an excellent plan and are attacking it hard. Working with your father is going to be something you will always remember when you visit the cabin...enjoy every minute of it.
THE JOY IS IN THE JOURNEY !
Buzz
Hey thanks Buzz I am enjoying the journey for sure! My dad won't admit it but I can tell he loves what he is doing and he loves spending the time with me. At 7 in the morning when it's nice and cool out and the pond is calm and the birds are singing and your fixing to go to work there is a small second you just have to take and soak it all in before you start. It is awesome!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Well I only have 1 picture to share this week, but it's a good one! The floor and the plumbing are done!!!! Whooohoo!!! We took a break and went fishing Sunday afternoon and caught about 11 BG nothing real big just about 5 or 6 inches. It was fun though and a well deserved break! Next were going to start making the rafters and the trusses and get them ready to go so when we start putting up walls we can go for it!! Talk to you all later,
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Hey RW thanks I am trying to keep up as best I can. With just me and my dad doing this it already has been a lot of work, but it has been enjoyable too working with my dad! I'll try my best to keep everyone posted.
Thanks,
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Ok well here are a few pics of what we dad done this week and weekend. We worked mainly on the Gable ends the trusses, and the rafters we got them all done late Sunday afternoon. Wow a LOT of work!
This first picture here is of my dad holding up the first truss that was done. This one in the pic is an inside truss not a Gable end as the Gable ends will be a lot more braced and heavier.
Here is a pic of my mom next to the first truss. My mom and dad built this one together and several more durning the week. My mom has been a real trooper and helping out as much as she can. THANKS MOM for your help!!!
Here are a few more pictures of the rest of the trusses and Gable Ends we all finished this weekend. We cut rafters as well. So my dad is now starting to put up WALLS!!!!!! Whooohooo I thought that day would never come!!!!
On this last picture you can see the difference. This one your looking at is a Gable end notice all the extra wood and bracing involved. Man them babies are heavy!! Well that's it for now but hopefully next weekend I can show you all some pictures with walls up on this cabin!!! I can't wait for that!
Last edited by RC51; 05/23/1101:04 PM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
My mom and dad are staying at an RV park about 13 miles away from my land. I have a 26 foot camper that they are staying in and I stay there as well on the 3 and 4 day weekends I take to help out. It's a nice camper and a real nice RV park so it's not to bad! Here is a picture of the camper. It's just not really something you want to be in with all these dang tornado's flying around though!!! Dang weather has been crazy for sure!!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Cool, RC! That represents a lot of effort right there, I'm sure. Looking forward to pics of the walls - tell your dad the PB family said "great job!"
Hey Todd thanks I will tell him for sure. I showed him the pond boss site and he loved it!! I also directed the rest of my family to the site as well so they could keep posted of our progress.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Thanks DD1 my uncle was nice enough to sell it to me for 800 bucks!!! Can you believe that?????? My Uncle David he's a great guy! Thanks Uncle David once again for such a great camper.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Ok this don't happen very often but I have an update in the middle of the week!
My dad and mom have been hard at it building the walls. I wish I could be there but someone has to work to pay for all of this
Here are a couple of pics of the north side wall. We hope to have all the walls up be the end of the week. We have to get this baby in the dry soon. We been getting way to much dang rain!
Here is a full size picture of the North wall my dad sent to me a while later. Now you can get a little better idea of what it looks like.
Last edited by RC51; 05/25/1110:18 AM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
How much are you paying him? Not enough I bet. Take time to smell the flowers along the journey. That time is priceless - trust me.
How much am I paying him??? I am paying for all his gas, room and most of there food. My dad would never except anything from me for payment I don't think. This was something we wanted to do as father and son not contactor and owner.... Like I said though going to have to come up with something nice for him for Fathers Day for sure! I am enjoying the journey with him and my mom and I have a four day weekend comin up this weekend and on Saturday we are all going to get togehter with the grand kids my wife my sister her boy friend, and all of us are going to have a big picnic and grill some burgers and brats have a few brew's and make a day of it. It's should be great fun I will take some pics of that also!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Time spend with your Mom and Dad like this is priceless. Wait until you are done, then you will be making even more great memories with them.
The cabin is looking great!
JHAP ~~~~~~~~~~ "My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." ...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
Ok lets kick things off this time with a few introductions.
First off, Here is my Mother and Father. Without them this cabin wouldn't be possible. They have been working with me now for 2 months and staying in a RV park in my camper. They live in Mesa AZ but have been here since April first helping me. Thanks mom and dad for all your help and sacrafice I appreciate it very much!!
Secondly we have my wife Lauri and our son Noah. They were a great help on Saturday when we needed it for the trusses. My wife would help out more but she can't get away to much right now as we are also taking care of her mother and can't leave her alone at this point for very long. My son Noah was a real trooper helping carry them gable ends. Thanks Lauri and Noah for your help!!
Next we have my sister Crystal and her friend Thom. They just happen to come down at the perfect time to put them to work! Crystal and Thom helped out and ton and I don't think we could have gotten it done without them! Thanks Sis, and Thom for your help much apprecaited.
P.S. Thanks again for dinner too!!
Here we all are back at the camper having a little lunch. Hamburgers and Brat's anyone?? After we ate we went out to the cabin and started to work it off!!
Now for some cabin pics. Ok here is where I left off. This is the other side of the cabin wall done.
Here you can see the wall up nearest the pond and the 2 side walls.
Here is the view from the dinning room and living room windows.
Here is me putting in the last couple nails on the header board over the bedroom window all the walls up!!!!
Ok hold tight I will be doing part 2 of this update in a little while this afternoon so come back soon ok. Later
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Ok here we go. It was a long but fun weekend. We got a lot of things done and the cabin is starting to take shape! I am excited! The first pic you see here is of all the trusses and gable ends except the far one laying on the top of the walls and center wall.
Next picture here is of all of us working on getting the front gable end up and in place it was tough but we got it!
Here is my little trooper Brett picking up all the messed up nails we had laying around man he did great and had it done in no time. Thanks Brett you were a big help!!
Here is a veiw from the back with some of the trusses up and the gable end up in place. If you look real close you can see me up in the trusses hanging on for dear life putting them things up while balancing on a 2x4 wall.
This next picture is a side view of the trusses going up. This took what seemed like forever to do. A lot of up and down and up and down and up... Well you get the picture.
Here is a picture of the front of the cabin from down at the pond. It's a WHOLE lot bigger looking with them gable ends on there!
Here is a picture from inside. I took this to show you that some of our trusses and one gable end are actually half trusses and a half gable end as the kitchen area is going to be cathedral ceiling along with the living room and dining room.
And last but not least. A picture from the side with all the trusses up and in place. Now we still have to build the center beam going from the center wall to the front gable end then we can put up the rafters and get to putting a roof on this bad boy!! Hope you all enjoyed the pics this week.
Last edited by RC51; 05/31/1103:29 PM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Hey thanks everyone it's been tough but feels good when you reach a goal and it looks good.
Roofing material. We are going to use 1/2 inch 4x8 OSB 30 year shingles, and continuous roof venting instead of whirly birds on the roof. It's not the most expensive way to go but not the cheepest either. I am trying to keep this cost in the happy medium range and so far it's been working.
Thanks ya'll
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Wow, tremendous progress, way to go RC and family!
JHAP ~~~~~~~~~~ "My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." ...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
Hey everyone well it was a long hot weekend to say the least. It's already 98 to 100 degrees here and guess what were doing? You guessed it roofing!! It's been a little slow but we been taking off about 10:30 a.m. or so and stopping until about 5:30 p.m. At least that way the sun isn't beating down on you! Man that is just unbearable on the roof!! Anyway I have a few pics to share so I'll get right at it.
This first pc is of me trying to show you all the 2 foot outriggers we put on to extend the front and back of the cabin out as far as the sides of the roof so we could put on our fascia boards.
Next we have my Dad putting on some 1x6 fascia board on the left side of the roof.
In this picture you can see me putting on some primer on the fascia board before we put the drip railing on the edge of it. We also wanted to get some kind of protection on the fascia boards in case it started to rain. As you can see here the left side up to 24 foot is ready to shingle. The felt is down and the drip rail is on. Eventually we want to put on colored aluminum fascia to match the drip rail which is a chocolate brown color.
On this last picture you can see we got our OSB on this side 24 foot as well but we ran out of time and daylight! We worked that night till about 8:15 and I still had a 98 mile ride home yet! We got a good ways though. Stay tuned for next week we hope to have some of the roof shingled and in the dry.
Last edited by RC51; 06/07/1112:09 PM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Awesome, RC! That's actually some really great progress you guys made! What a huge step getting that roof on. I'd bet the finish work won't be too tough once you have everything else complete - the shingles will be quick with the underlying work done so nicely. Keep it up!
They're calling for your kind of weather up here for the next few days. I can't imagine working on a roof in that type of heat (anymore).
Looks good! Hopefully it'll cool down for you so you can finish the roof. Once that's done, and the walls are sheathed in then the house is a LOT easier to work on.
Hey thanks guys!! Yeah these next few weekends will be a test of will for sure!! I thought putting on the floor was bad!! Ha,ha this 6-12 pitch roof is kicking my butt!! Roofing is definatley a young mans job no doubt!! I can't wait to see it all done though! It will be a hugh goal met!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Ok this weekend was a true test for my dad and I. We had to get the front gable end in the right spot first. It was up in place but we had to adjust and center and all that good stuff. Then came the fun part. Beam time! Here we go! This beam is 2 feet tall 16 feet long with angled 2x4 bracing inside of it all the way down and 3/4 inch plywood on the outside. And me and my dad to have to somehow get it 16 feet up in the air..... It didn't look good at first!
Ok here is the beam in place, we used step up 2x4's screwed onto the walls to walk it up one side at a time with a small scab on the end of each side of the beam so it couldn't fall off of one end or the other if we pushed or pulled to hard. This bad boy has to weigh 220lbs at least. It took all afternoon to get it in place but we got it. Cudo's to my dad. At his age there is not many guys I know could do what he did today with me! Way to go Dad!!! In this pic you can see my Dad up there not waisting any time to screw and brace that bad boy in place!!
Here it is on a different angle going the other way. If you look close you can see wire hanging out of it in the middle. We pre-wired it for a ceiling fan.
Once that beam was in place we secured it and went home!!! We were bushed for sure! Remember that numbing feeling Brettski was talking about well were there baby we are there for sure!!!!
Ok the next day as hard as it was to get up and get motivated we had to still get rafters up on this beam. So that was are next feat.
Here is a picture from underneath looking up at the rafters now that they are done. Looks pretty good for us wanna be carpenters! We were happy no one got hurt this weekend and everything got done and in place.
Here are a couple of more pics from the outside looking at the rafters and that's it for this week. Next week we will be trying to get the rest of the roof up and on and felted. Were getting close to having that roof done!! I can't wait I am tired of it already!
Last edited by RC51; 06/13/1102:47 PM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
And I thought cutting brush was hard in this heat ! Hang tough RC and Dad.
Hey Eric, I told Dad to take today off and recoop a bit. I am more sore today then I was yesterday. And of course we just have to have record breaking heat this year!! I don't think we had any 80's this year we went straight from 70's to 90 plus! Not mad though at least I am not 8 feet under water!! Or my house is not down on top of the next door neighbors house!!!
Last edited by RC51; 06/14/1109:12 AM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Well I am sore, numb, I can't focus anymore and my brain is fried, just like Brettski said it would happen! Hey thanks Bski for the heads up. At least you let me know it was coming!
Anyway here are a few pics of what's been going on. The roof has been a challenge and took some time but we are about done with it. We only got a few rows left and then the ridge vent on top! Thank goodness!
Here is a front look of the fascia and drip rail on with felt on the roof. As you can see we still have to cut some of the felt on the left.
In this next pic you can see the left side of the cabin 95 percent shingled and looking good! We also finally got to take down the cat walk on this side. You can also see the OSB boards we are starting to put on the walls!!!
Here is the other side of the roof right near the top as well. We had to stop as the darn sun would get to hot and them shingles just get to mushy, but we almost got it. I want to say thanks to a buddy of mine his name is Eric for coming out and helping on Saturday! Thanks a bunch Eric for your help we sure needed it! Of course you can see the 3 inch vent on this side also. We haven't cut it down just yet and it will be painted to blend in once it's all said and done.
Then once it got a little to hot to work on the roof, we came down and started working on the walls. Got a couple of windows cut out and a few OSB boards on. Won't be long and we will be wrapping this baby I hope, and putting in windows!
Well that's it for now. We hope to get a lot done this coming weekend being hows it's a 3 day weekend for us. I'll update you all again as soon as I can.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
JHAP ~~~~~~~~~~ "My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." ...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
RC51 the cabin is lookin good. I just want to know how do you get your freinds to come help you??? My freinds only come beating on the door or dialin up the phone when its time to go hunting?
Last edited by roadjoker22; 06/27/1109:14 PM.
A weeks worth of vacation, 59 hours in a John Deere 160, 2 logs of Skoal, 1500$ in fuel, Lots of help from the neigbors and my old man, and a wife with an open mind to let me dig a pond at are cabin. All i can say is life is good!
Well first off I have to give thanks to my mom! She has been hard at it working on my front yard and pond edge for a while now and the other day when I showed up I couldn't believe what she had done! I will have to show you a couple of before pics first. Here in this pic notice the big oak tree on the left, and that you can't really see anything left of that. Even if it was in the picture more all you would see is brush and junk! I would say 35 percent of my pond or more you couldn't see because of how thick and full of brush it was.
You can see it better in this picture notice above the air station all the junk up in there! It was a mess to say the least!
Now look at the after pic!! All I can say is WOW!! It looks awesome! Notice my air station and the big Oak tree, and how you can see all the way over to the left now! The view is so wide now I couldn't even get it all in the camera!! It's just really great! Thanks a ton mom for all your hard work!! Your the best!
Now as far as the cabin goes! WE GOT THE ROOF DONE!!!! Man if I had to get on that dang roof one more weekend I think I would have just jumped off the high side and been done with it!! My dad called me and asked if I wanted to do the last couple of feet when I got up there this weekend to finsih it off, and I respectfully declined! I said no rather quickly and told him to go right ahead and finish it off! Here is the roof done with ridge vent. We decided to go with ridge vent instead of the turbines.
Here is the left side of the cabin.
Here is the front with all the OSB on. We did all the OSB this weekend so we are ready to wrap here real soon once we do some minor things like caulking and such.
And here is the back side where the 2 bedrooms will be.
Well that's it for this week. Next weekend we should start wrapping and putting on siding and windows and all that good stuff so stay tuned!!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
yep, the form of a house has surely come together...and FAST! - We also did the ridge vent. I added the gable fan with louvered vent, too. It makes a big difference in keeping the attic/broiler from smokin' the roast below.
Great progress RC, nothing beats family help. Are you going to enclose around the bottom of the cabin or leave it open?, I enclosed mine with 3/4" pressure treated plywood.
Looks like a house now. What's first after the outside is done ?
Hey Eric,
We are going to try and get all the walls inside put up yet this month if we can. At that point we will be locking it up till this spring. Dad has to get home, and we both need a serious break from all this fun!!! Next spring (March) I would think we will be starting on the electrical first and getting wire ran in all the right places. Then insulation and all that good stuff! Dry wall can't wait for that ha,ha... And in the cathedral area we will be putting up tongue and grove spruce boards on the ceiling and on the top of the header and footer and we will be coving the drywall seems with a 3 inch strip of spruce as well. There is a TON to do yet that's for sure, but it's a good start for this year! I am happy with where we are and I am only about 1500 bucks over budget!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
RC, I assume that you will wrap it with house wrap and install all the windows and doors before you quit for the year. Are you going to let it sit with only the house wrap, or is siding still part of this year's plan of attack?
RC, I assume that you will wrap it with house wrap and install all the windows and doors before you quit for the year. Are you going to let it sit with only the house wrap, or is siding still part of this year's plan of attack?
Hey Ski you got it. We will be doing wrap, windows and doors and siding still. Then lock it up. I will update with that as we get it done.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Congrats, RC! That roof is a huge step. I agree with the others - your project has come along really nicely. Your folks deserve a serious commendation for their efforts!
Boy have I ever enjoyed watching this process from RC's first post to building the pond of his dreams and now there's almost a cabin, too. Thanks for bringing us along every step of the way and documenting your progress - it will serve as a guide and encouragement for all of us out there!
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
Boy have I ever enjoyed watching this process from RC's first post to building the pond of his dreams and now there's almost a cabin, too. Thanks for bringing us along every step of the way and documenting your progress - it will serve as a guide and encouragement for all of us out there!
Hey TJ it's been my pleasure. I know I am blessed to have what I have, and this forum has givin me so much GREAT info and still does every day it's hard not to give back to something like that. Thank you for your kind words and thanks to everyone out here for being a part of an awesome family here on the BOSS!! I will have a couple more updates this month I believe and then will shut things down until next March, but if I can I will pick up this same thread once we kick back off in the spring.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Great progress RC, nothing beats family help. Are you going to enclose around the bottom of the cabin or leave it open?, I enclosed mine with 3/4" pressure treated plywood.
Hey AP, I will be enclosing it with something?? Just not sure yet what I want to do. But yes I will have something around it when it's all said and done.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
You are blessed with such supportive parents. If it were my cabin, I'd look in to filling in the bottom of the cabin with a stone veneer or something similar. It does get a little pricey though. Maybe even use real stone if you have a line on some.
Thanks, and the veneer stone is a good idea. We are looking at a few things just not for sure how quote "enclosed" we want it. There are pros and cons to both type of bottom. As you stated a veneer would look great but being enclosed is a magnet for critters to want to get in and not leave! IE: mice, snakes, and who knows what else out in the great outdoors! A laddace type fence may not look quite as good but it's more open and I think would deter animals from trying to make my cabin there home! Plus you can spray through it too if you need to spray. So like I said just not sure yet what were going to do.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Ok now were getting somewhere! Siding and windows going in folks! Here are a few pics of this weekends progress. The Tyvek worked great thanks everyone for the insight and advise on how to use the wrap!
Here is a couple of pics of the wrap going on ,in this first pic you can see a window we installed already. We used 36 inch side slide Pella tinted windows from Lowes for the bedrooms and the one kitchen window.
In this next pic you can see the back windows in and siding on. Of course we have to do all the trim work and caulking and stuff still. The siding we are using are 4x8 sheets overlap and it has a old time wood grain look about it with knots in it and everything. When you put paint to it, it really brings out the wood grain pattern and looks awesome!
In this second shot you can see a door on the left. Well this was not in the original plan but we decided to put it in there after we thought about how much easier it would be to get to my shed with all my stuff in it if I needed to instead of walking all the way around the cabin to get to it. It's a smaller 32 inch utility room door that will go into the small laundry room.
This last pic is just down the left side of the cabin. Where that windows is you can see is where the kitchen sink will be. Looking out into the woods where I will have a deer feeder 35 yards in the woods and you can watch the deer come in and eat. We were taking a break on Sunday and all of a sudden across the pond there a doe showed up to get a drink and didn't think twice about us. It was pretty cool!
Well that's it for this weekend. Man it was so hot we had to stop early on Sunday!! The heat here this year has been just horrid to say the least! Dad and I are ready to be done for this year for sure! This kind of heat kind of takes the fun out of it, but we are pressing on for now as best we can.
Last edited by RC51; 07/11/1102:03 PM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
I only have a few pics but thought I would post them. My dad did a lot of ground work Thursday and Friday with a piece of equipment we had and leveled off a lot of areas which look great now. Man that equipment can save you some time!!! I'll get some pics of that for next week.
After that we finished up the siding on the front side of the cabin and put in windows and all that good stuff. Here is a pic of the front.
And here is a picture of one of the sides with paint. I think it's going to look real good when it's done! I like the color and pictures don't do it justice.
Then Saturday night we took a break and went fishing and my mom took the show. She caught several nice BG here is one of them that was a bit bigger. They were biting pretty good. My dad and I couldn't get any bass to bite at all in this hot weather and the weeds are pretty thick right now so it's not easy bass fishing.
Well that's it for this weekend. Next week we will finsih up the back gable end siding and put 3 doors in and finish painting and were done for this year. I am so ready for a break!! This heat is a killer!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Looking good! I hear ya on the heat. We have your temps now. They are calling for mid to high 90's all week and right now the humidity is at 75%. Just walk outside and you're sweating.
Nice job RC. Was hot and humid here as well. 110-112 with the heat index.
Hey thanks Eric, yeah the heat has been hard to manage to say the least! Looks like it's going to be really hot this weekend as well. Good thing we only have the back gable end to side and put on 3 already framed doors. It shouldn't be to bad and we will more than likely quit working around noon each day. It's just to hot! Were almost done for this year and I don't wnat something stupid to happen to us now!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Ok first time trying this! Here is a video I took of our progress on Sunday night. Thought a video would be neat instead of all these still pictures. Anyway here is goes.
Hey everyone things are starting to come to an end for us this year and I find myself almost going to miss it. Almost that is If it wasn't for the heat I would miss it for sure! Below are a couple of pics of the cabin as of Sunday afternoon. We got it all painted and windows caulked trim on the windows and all the doors on! Man what a difference with the doors, windows and paint on! It really is starting to look great! A specail shout out to my mom and dad for everyting they have done this 4 months with me. They really have worked hard and I think they are in the best shape of thier lives!! If it were not for them this would have never been able to happen!!! Thanks mom and dad for everything!
Picture of parking area side with main front door. This door will have a landing on it and steps along with about a 3 foot wide by 8 foot long sidewalk up to the steps. That will be next year! And of course we will be putting on white alluminum fascia and white vinyl sophet next spring. We sure have come a long ways since post number 1 though!
Here is the front view of the cabin now. We will be taking down the walkway this week and next March we will be looking at putting on the 14x16 foot deck with a subroof covering the deck.
I will have a 1 or 2 more pics next week yet as we wrap things up, but for now just wanted to say thanks to everyone out here that encouraged us along and helped us out when I ask for it!! You guys are all great!!! Thanks a TON!!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Ever considered a ramp instead of stairs? They aren't good for just wheelchairs, but for anyone with bad knees. Just something to consider. The big deck is gonna rock!!!
No I have not concidered a ramp? I am only 43 and I never gave it a thought at this point??? May have to think about it though.... At least for future plans for sure!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Well we wrapped things up for this year on Saturday. Man it's been a fun but LONG 4 months! The last 2 months have been so hot it's just been hard to even get motivated to do anything, but we got done for now. Here are the last few pics I took.
Here is the shed all painted nice to match the cabin! I have to give a big shout out to my mom for all the great painting she did! Thanks mom!
In this pic you can see the trim work my dad put on the shed and a picture of a small boy walking home with his fish he caught! My mom says it reminded her of me when I used to walk home from the lake with a stringer of fish in hand to show them off!
Here is another pic of the parking lot side all done up with no holes in it!! How about that!
Here is the utility room door we put on to make it easier to get to the shed from the cabin when needed. We put a small platform here with stairs on so we could at least have a way to get into the cabin. My dad made the stairs and put on all the door locks and knobs last week on all the doors so we can lock it up tight now that were not there every day.
And last but not least a picture of the front! Of course next year we will have a 14x12 foot deck on the front of this so that will be nice! I hope you all have enjoyed this ride with us. It's been cold, rainy, hot, tiring, and fun all in one and very rewarding as well! Next March I will pick up where I left off on this thread and continue our journey with the new cabin.
I want to say thanks to my wife who has not seen me on a weekend in 4 months hardly! Thanks honey for putting up with me! My parents for all there hard work, and some of the rest of my family that helped us out on a day we needed them badly!! And to God for making this possible! Until next March I leave you with this last pic.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
JHAP ~~~~~~~~~~ "My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." ...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
Yeah, ya dun good RC....real good. I'm thinkin' you better be scheming somethin' real nice for your folks around, oh say, Christmas time. It doesn't have to be a 2-week cruise to the Galapagos, but should be more than a trip on the Peel ferry at Hwy 125.
Hey guys thanks, Eric that is exactly what I was thinking. I have a lot of outside work to do still and planning on where I might want some nice flower bushes and maybe a Crape Myrtle or 2 and a nice dogwood tree, getting my driveway correct with gravel. All kinds of stuff to do yet for sure. What's nice is once I recoop a little all the "real" hard stuff is done. Thank goodness!!! Well except for drywall.... Dang it!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
I'll have to second that BC, sh_t rock is a pain in the butt, it's cheap but you gotta paint it and it damages too easily. RC if you can swing the extra cost nice wood paneling or T&G pine boards make that nice rustic ambionce .
Very cool looking AP very cool! I am doing spruce board for a lot of it, but decieded to break it up some with drywall but we are going to put a header and footer ont he drywall and on the 4 foot seams we are going to put a 3 inch spruce board to match up against the header and footer. So there won't be a whole lot of sanding and seam work to do. Don't worry I am not into that much manual labor!! Thanks for the suggestions though.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Wow AP is that the inside of your place? It is beautiful!
JHAP ~~~~~~~~~~ "My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." ...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
I don't remember the thickness, probably 1/2" to 3/4" but the T&G boards were about 6 inches wide, I had to go back 2 times and get more, I underestimated the amount we would need.
The only sheet rock is in the downstairs bath, and soon I'm gonna cover it with pine, even the ceiling.
That pine is just like the spruce I was looking at. 1/2 by 6 T&G 10 feet long. Not cheep either! That is basicaly what I am going to be using but to keep the cost down a bit we are not doing with it 100 percent. Dang stuff is 14 bucks a board around here.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Just a quick update. We will be kicking off the cabin building once again this next week! My mom and dad are coming up from AZ as I write this and should be in Friday afternoon. We will be setting up shop on Saturday and getting ready to kick start this project back up again. We will be working on the fascia and soffit, walkway and steps to the main door, the 12 x 14 foot deck, and putting in electrical inside, also working on putting up the rest of the 2x4 walls and start on the bathroom, and then we will see after that!! I will post pics when I can.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
You're doin' real good, RC. We are about to begin our 4th year, so you're way ahead of the (my?) curve. Bring the pics, man.
Hey thanks Bski! I may be ahead of the curve on you, but your place is SOOOOOOO much sweeter than mine and bigger! I apprecaite your comments though. I will post pics when I can for sure! I am looking forward to phase 2. By the end of July last year I didn't even want to see my cabin or land!!! I was so sick of it I never thought I would say that but when your doing this kind of work in 100 plus degree weather it will make you feel that way and I know you know what I am talking about! Pictures and update coming as soon as we get started!!
Last edited by RC51; 04/26/1206:42 PM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Well we got things started this weekend! Wow the body does not want to kick in gear for some reason!! I think we got one of the hardest things out of the way though that we will be doing this year.
We had to get electrical from the main outside into the cabin. So I had to dig a trench from the main to under the cabin and down the side of it to put the Sch.40 pipe in and the fricken wire that takes the HULK to bend in the pipe!!! Man that stuff is hard to work with!
In this first pic you can see the trench coming from the outside main going under the cabin. A 12 inch trench doesn't seem that big of a deal but some of this dirt felt as hard as concrete!
This second pic is me trying to trench under the cabin. Man it was hard enough now I have limited space too!!! Dang it!
Here I am trying to put this wonderfull non bending wire in a curved piece of pipe!! It's kind of like trying to put a square peg in a round hole!! Wow not easy. This was so hard I even had to have my dad help me feed this wire. It was a 2 man job for most of it!
We decided to put one piece of pipe on at a time and work the wire in. We put the center curve on first and worked our way back to that from each end. And we still barely made it!!
Then we mounted the electrical box in the cabin and hooked it all up. Here my dad is finishing up mounting the box.
And here is the other end outside. At this point we didn't hook this end up till the evening when it was a bit cooler out. It's already getting pretty hot here in Arkansas!
So I now have electricity in the cabin! We then sat down and went over where all I wanted outlets and switches and how many 30 and 20 amp breakers were gonna need and all that good stuff.
Then of course we decided to do a little fishing too.
Here is a NICE CNBG my dad caught. My fish are starting to grow nice! I am finally starting to see some progress after 3 years. This CNBG was right at 3/4 of a pound, and it was nice. I have a hard time trying to see what a 2 pound CNBG would look like!! I hope I can get a few that size!
I also caught 2 bass that night but they looked a little skinny. It's not because of lack of baitfish and BG I can tell you that. I have little 2 and 3 inch BG everywhere! I think these bass may have just spawned out not long ago. I hope that's why they are a little skinny.
I don't have pictures but I also caught 1 or 2 of my HSB and they are already growing!! And my fish are hitting the feeder pretty hard! Ok well that's it for now. I will update as I can.
thanks,
Last edited by RC51; 05/08/1209:27 AM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Outstanding, RC! Congrats on the progress! I suspect that getting electric into the cabin is going to be the game changer for you and for future progress! Having power readily available makes everything a lot more convenient. Well done, and nice looking fish!
Outstanding, RC! Congrats on the progress! I suspect that getting electric into the cabin is going to be the game changer for you and for future progress! Having power readily available makes everything a lot more convenient. Well done, and nice looking fish!
Hey Todd thanks! Our goals for this year are electricity ran in the cabin, finishing up the fascia and soffet and making the deck. After that we'll see, but I think we can get that done and have some fun fishing time too. Last year we work waaaaay to hard to get things in the dry, but it had to be done. This year not pushing it just taking it easy and doing whatever we want and stoping when we want to!!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Before you start loafing and fishing, install air conditioning. It's hard to enjoy your getaway place when you can't sleep at night.
Hey DD1 that's a given here in Arkansas! It's so humid hear most of the time it's like living in a jungle in the summer! Were catching a break right now with the humidity but I'm sure it will be right back in a minute!!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Nice! I second the A/C. It looks like the pier is holding up nicely too. I agree, post spawn on the LMB.
On the electric cable/pipe, it feeds thru larger dia pipe easier.... Plus they make a slime to put on the cable to get it to slide easier too, although it IS a mess to work with, and you have to be careful not to let dirt get in the mix or it gets to be a REAL mess!
This weekend I will try and catch one of my HSB and take a pic of it. They are getting fatter already! The one I caught was already about a half inch longer and thicker!! Nice fat belly I think the bigger ones are also feeding on pellets now too. The one I caught looked to be one of my 10 inchers and he was over near by the feeder! I have also caught 2 regualr bass over there! They know where the action is for sure and are hanging out waiting to catch some of those smaller BG!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Nice! I second the A/C. It looks like the pier is holding up nicely too. I agree, post spawn on the LMB.
On the electric cable/pipe, it feeds thru larger dia pipe easier.... Plus they make a slime to put on the cable to get it to slide easier too, although it IS a mess to work with, and you have to be careful not to let dirt get in the mix or it gets to be a REAL mess!
Hey Esshup I hear ya on the pipe!! Thanks for the confirmation on the LMB I hope that's what it is? I have so many 1 and 2 inch BG in my pond I can't hardly believe it's anything else. And by adding the Cutrine Plus this spring my chara has been at bay for the most part too. I am hoping that will help the LMB find the fish a little better!
thanks,
Last edited by RC51; 05/09/1204:23 PM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Hey everyone sorry it's been a couple of weeks since my last update. So here we go. We started on getting our fascia and soffit done which I thought was going to be fairly easy, ha,ha I am starting to figure out nothing to building a cabin / house is easy it would seem! Well here are a couple of pics of the fascia we got on.
It wasn't to bad once we got down a system. We are saving the front of the cabin for after we get the deck on so we will be up higher and won't have to stretch out those ladders as far. Of couse we have not capped the end corners of the fascia yet either. Once we got that done we started on the soffit here is a quick pic of the F channels we were puttting on to slide the soffit into. These F channels have to go on both the inside and outside of the overhang of the roof in order to slide your soffit into them. For those who don't understand this process.
Then once you get your F channels on you can start cutting and sliding soffit into place. Here are a couple of pics with most of the sides done.
Wow talk about a LOT of ladder work up, down, up, down and were still not done! Dang it!
Finally we have a couple of pics of the inside where we are continuing to put walls up. This first pic is of my dad putting up the first wall in the cabin other, than the center wall which we had to have last year. In the second pic we also put up the hallway wall. It's kind of cool setting these walls and seeing everything starting to come together.
Then of course last but not least after a hard days work taking it easy and having a cold one with your dad enjoying the pond with the fire going. It don't get much better than that!!
Well that's it for this week. We will continue on the fascia and soffit and start building the deck this weekend. Pics to follow.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
I this is the second year. I figure with my budget it will be a 4 year project. Just don't have the money to get it done right away, but as Eric says that way you can enjoy the journey more! Have a good one and more updates to come.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
I figure with my budget it will be a 4 year project. Just don't have the money to get it done right away...
We work with the same budget committee! - The one thing I have noticed is that once the exterior is fairly well corked up, the pressure for progress is a lessened a bit. Don't get me wrong; the driven desire for accomplishment remains strong, but minimizing the personal disappointment for coming up short on the planned "to do" list is easier to accept. This, in turn, provides enough room to allow distraction to enjoy the journey. Oddly for me, tho, is that the newly alloted time to enjoy the journey is filled with working the land instead of the crib. It's how I roll and I doubt that I'm alone. I call it my rhythm.
I really think , from multi generations of experience, that it is better not to do it all quickly. Better to think and plan 3 generations out of what would work best. That takes a lot of work followd by conversations by the fire of ideas.
Hey all we had a fun Mem. Day get together this weekend and got some work done too and some good fishing. Here are a few pics.
This first pic is of the fascia and soffit done on the back side gable end. It turned out perfect. We thought we may have trouble at the top getting everything to fit right but it worked out great. Dad and I couldn't believe it something actually went easy for a change!!
After that we got cleaned up some we started to get ready for a cook out with the family.
We had some good grub and then decided to do a little fishing with my 2 boys. Here is Brett with a nice CNBG.
And my son Noah with a decent one also. We caught a few others too but did not take pics of them. They were all in that 7 to 8 inch range pretty nice! My fish are looking better and better every week they eat this AM500!
Well then the next day we started the deck!! Yep you heard me right the deck!!! So won't be long and I can have that morning cup of coffee out on my deck overlooking the pond! It's hard to believe we have gotten this far. This time last year the deck was just a pipe dream!! Wow!! Here are a few pics. We should have it done this weekend then we can finish the Soffit on the front side of the cabin. Were building the deck first so dont have to extend the ladders any more then we have too.
Well that's it for this week. Should have some more pics of the deck finished after this weekend. Until then ya'll have a good one.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Hey Eric going to seal it first with Thompson's Water Sealer after that I will decied if I want to stain it or not? I kind of like the natural look too as long as we can get a good seal on it.
Thanks AP I apprecaite it! Hope all is well with you bud! Hope your making progress on your Dam too!!!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Well we have had some pretty nice days to work on the deck. We got the frame all done and deck boards on in this first pic. As you can see my Dad is enjoying a cold one after all the hard work today! I soon followed him after the picture was taken! We used treated 2x6x16 boards for the floor. We also put bridging underneath to make sure the 2x8 floor joists would not try to twist or warp on us. It turned out pretty nice!
In this next pic with my mom and dad it's the next morning and we all had our first cup of coffee on the deck!! That was something I didn't think was ever going to happen!! That was nice!
In this picture you can see my dad finishing up a cut on a post that was to high. We could only get through it so far with the skill saw so for the last inch or so we went old school and broke out the old hand saw! That's right for any of you youngins out there that's actually a real hand saw he is using from back in the day. LOL! You can also see here in the background how low my water is starting to get. We need some more rain that's for sure!!
Here I am hanging out on the deck with the first section up and in place. Starting to look pretty good!
Well I only got to help dad with the first section and it started to rain on us believe it or not! We actually got some rain! So we had to hold off and him and my mom finished it up during the week! They did a great job and looks really nice thanks mom and dad for all the hard work!!
Here on the last pic kind of shows you more where the stairs are going to be. We decided to hold off on the stairs so they are not in our way when were finishing up the front fascia and soffit. Then we will put the stairs on after. I believe I had decided I will be enclosing the cabin around the bottom but will leave the deck open for easier access to under the cabin from the front side when we have to get under there.
Hope everyone enjoyed this update. I wont have to many more for this year. We will still be doing some electrical inside and maybe some insulation stuff too. I will get pictures of that and the stairs when were done and sad to say that will be it for this year. I have to save up for next year when we start the inside. My pocket book is already shaking!!
Have a good one,
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Looking good! If you enclose most of the underside, you might want to put up an easily removable part on the rest of it if the majority of the enclosure is critter proof.
yes...."CRITTER PROOF" it. You don't want to have to remove a dead skunk from under there like I did. Between the marauding skunks and burrowing groundhogs, I had to use heavy chicken wire behind the lattice, buried a foot with rock encasing the lower part. Mother Nature is out to show you how well she has trained wildlife to beat you.
Love your place and how the family is sharing this retreat.
Just a quick update from last weekend. Well we finally got all the fascia and soffit put on the cabin. Man what a job that was. Looks easy but very time consuming. Here I am putting in the last piece.
Here is a shot of the front from a little farther away. It turned out pretty good for just a couple of good ole boys doing it!
Here is my dad starting to line up the steps for the deck. He had to custom make these steps as the ones at Home Depot were not long enough. So he had to do it the old fashion way. Glad he knew what he was doing!
Here we are putting on the step boards almost done. We used 3 inch screws on the entire deck.
Here is the finished product with the exception of a hand rail. We may wait to do that next spring.
And here is the deck from a distance for the most part done. It turned out pretty nice. 12x16 foot is just right. I am glad we did not go smaller. At the last second we got what Bretski calls 2 foot itis, and went 16 foot instead of 14 and I am glad we did!!
Well after all that my mom and I decided to do a little fishing. Here is a pic of one of the nice BG she caught. She caught 2 nice ones that night.
Later I caught this nice Blue on a mini minnow crank bait. Man they are starting to grow up some!!
Then right before dark I decided to put on a 1/4 ounce buzz bait and try it. I have not caught any of my Florida strain bass I had put in the pond this year at all and was starting to get worried that they may have died?? Then all of a sudden BOOYAAA!!! This bad boy hit my buzz bait that was awesome!! I also had 2 others blow up on the bait but missed it!! I was happy to see my bigger bass once again! I was starting to think I was doing something wrong. This bass was right near 18 inches biggest one to date. I did not get a weight on it but it looked ok. Maybe a little under weight but not bad.
My son also caught a very nice HSB I couldn't believe how big they are already. I didn't get a pic of it sorry, but it was at least 12 inches already and plump When I put them in the pond in March they were 8 to 10 inches. Some of them have already grown close to 2 inches! He had a 4 foot rod and was having a blast with that fish!! I love it!! Can't wait to see him catch a 3 or 4 pounder!! Well that's it for now. I will make one more post for this year on the cabin and then were done till March. Can't believe were stopping already this year seems like we just got started!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
...At the last second we got what Bretski calls 2 foot itis, and went 16 foot instead of 14 and I am glad we did!!
and a good thing 2 foot-itis set in, l'est you would suffer my other affliction: It ain't done right until it's done twice
looks good, man Vinyl for the soffit work?....looks like it. I love the stuff for soffit work. Vinyl is final.
Hey Ski what's up? Yes we used Vinyl for sure! No more messing with that. Like you said final when it's done it's done. Like my dad says just wash the fascia off with a hose when you need to and that's that!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
RC, that is awesome progress, buddy! It looks fantastic. You and your folks have a lot to be proud of with what you've accomplished there. As I told Brettski in his garage apartment thread, after being away from the forum a few weeks, there were some threads I was looking forward to seeing and yours was one. Congrats on the results!
RC, that is awesome progress, buddy! It looks fantastic. You and your folks have a lot to be proud of with what you've accomplished there. As I told Brettski in his garage apartment thread, after being away from the forum a few weeks, there were some threads I was looking forward to seeing and yours was one. Congrats on the results!
Thanks Todd it has been hard work but fun work too. As Eric always says take time to smell the roses on the way, and we are trying to do more of that now that we have the cabin is in the dry. This coming March we will be starting more on the inside stuff. Not sure how far we will get with my budget and all but we will do what we can and then go fishing I guess! First order of buisness is getting that bathroom done!!! Talk to you later,
RC
Last edited by RC51; 08/29/1207:19 AM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Your dad must be a pretty good carpenter or he really knows his trigonometry. Cutting out those stair risers dosen't look that hard until you try it. Scraping 12' - 2x12's sucks!
Thanks, My Dad actually is good in both those areas so yeah he did it right the first time! Thank goodness like you said 2x12's are not cheep that's for sure!! The cabin is about 90 miles from where I live I wish is was a bit closer at times but at the same time once you get there you feel like your away and that's the point right? Getting away from it all!!
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Well it's that time of year again!! My mom and dad are back for another year of working on the cabin with me. We will be working on master bedroom and bathroom and getting up some insulation up as well. Maybe some sheetrock. I will keep everyone posted as we move forward this year. Not sure how much we will be able to do as I spent the better part of January in the hospital and our buget is not what it should be but we will press on. I am just glad to still be here and enjoy working on it!!
So this coming weekend I will get some pictures and our first update of the year.
RC
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Hey everyone well here is the first post for this year nothing real exciting but non the less the first post.
First I thought I would take a couple of pics of the front and back yard. It is starting to shape up some and we are getting some grass! Won't be long and I am going to have to buy a small lawn mower of some sort.
Pond side
Back side
Now down to buisness
We first started out by making some real thin strap boards to help hold up our insulation on the ceiling so the weight of the insulation wouldn't tear out our staples.
During the week mom and dad put up the side wall insulation in the master bedroom and bathroom. Those are the 2 rooms we are working on this year for now. Here is a couple of the pics in the master bedroom.
Then dad and I started on the ceiling in the bathroom. We made a T bar out of a 2x4 and a 3 foot 2x2 about the same height as the ceiling to help support the insulation as we went along with the staple gun.
So one guy holds the T bar in place and slowly moves back with it and the other staples it worked pretty good.
Then of course at the end you can pull the T bar out and finish it off.
Then we took those thin strips of board we cut and made some supports until we can get the ceiling put up. Here in this pic you can also see the fan we put in the bathroom. It's a exhaust / heater / light fan. The heater part is nice on those cold mornings!
Then last we went and bought the surround tub and shower here in this picture we kind of just got it in place your actually looking at it throught the bedroom wall. We still have to do some plumbing and all for that down through the floor which will be doing pretty soon. I will be picking up a hot water tank this week to put in also.
Well that's it for this weekend. Not sure how long we will be working this year as my money is kind of tight after being in the hospital for 22 days but we will do what we can!
RC
Last edited by RC51; 05/13/1312:45 PM.
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
Welcome back to the DIY show, RC. Please tell me that you are gonna set that tub unit into a bed of mortar. It make ALL the difference in the world for a firm, stable tub base when you are standing in it.
Welcome back to the DIY show, RC. Please tell me that you are gonna set that tub unit into a bed of mortar. It make ALL the difference in the world for a firm, stable tub base when you are standing in it.
Hey Ski I was thinking about how to firm it up?? The 3 little legs on the bottom are kind of sad for sure! I will run that past Dad and see what he thinks sounds like a good idea to me!!
Thanks, RC
The only difference between a rut and a Grave is the depth. So get up get out of that rut and get moving!! Time to work!!
I have this exact same unit. I used a couple of 2x4's laid on side then filled the small void with spray foam underneath. Makes a world of difference in stability of floor base...especially around drain area.
I drilled a hole to access the ends of the lexan handle and added an LED to each end. It lights up like a stick of neon which is a cool effect for about $8
Great start RC. Good idea to get a bed and bath ready before the big heat gets here in July. A location to retreat to and clean up. I hate working with insulation in summer. A holdover from doing attics as summer work for an electrician.
Support under the shower is critical (we had one rot the floor and it almost fell through).
I will do my best to post pictures. I will also re post picutres of what I have done so far and try to keep everything in order. OK!! Here we go!! I will try and post all my stuff every Monday or Tuesday as I won't have access to the internet over the weekends. See ya all soon and stay tuned! 
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