Tag Archives: Building

New House Redesign Layout.

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This is what the building we bought looks like right

So most of you know we bought a property.  If not, here is your notice.  It is outside Iron River, WI.  It is really nice.  Building built in 2005, 800 sq feet, metal siding, metal roof, 2x 6 construction on a slab.  It will do nicely for us to live in for a few years until we are ready to build a new house next to it and convert it to a pool hall, dance hall.

The image above is from a really neat online tool I have been using to plan out the construction.  It is floorplanner.com.  It is perfect to design and test ideas.  Here is the link to the existing building.  Check out the 3D view it is really neat.

After 14 revisions this is the build design plans we will be working from.

 

The above image is the final design that we are shooting for.  I think that some things will probably change a bit as I get to actual construction but I cannot find anything else that requires changing in this design.  Here is the link to the Final Design.

Shaving Horse and Axe Heads

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As I start building my tool collection for homesteading, I needed some good axes, they are essential to working with any kind of wood.  As I learn to work with wood, I took the cheap route and traded for some really beat up axe heads, and learned how to sharpen them.  It is a real gift to have that sort of skill.  It sort of became an obsession and now every metal edge in my house is razor-sharp.

Here are some photos of some axe heads I traded for, they were in pretty rough shape and I reconditioned them.  Starting with a wire wheel, then file, and a 3 different sharpening stones.  Well, these guys all need handles.  I have tried to find handles but they all seem to be the wrong size so I am going to make my own.

Making handles requires a draw knife, which I just purchased off of ebay for $10 and it has not arrived yet.  It will need some reconditioning as well, but while I was waiting for it I built the other part of the tools necessary, which is a shaving horse.  I asked some guys on Facebook and they pointed me to Mike Abbott’s Lumber Horse plans.   So for less than $20 and 2 hours time, I have a fully functional shaving horse.

For those of you who do not know what a shaving horse is, it is a soft-headed vice that you sit on.  You use your legs to hold the head down on the work piece.  They are pretty much required for any type of hand forming of handles, spoons, bows, and many other things.  They are very useful.

Enjoy the gallery and keep your axe sharp.
-TM

Greenhouse Repair Stage 1

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I helped out a bit doing some greenhouse repair around the homestead this weekend.  It was a nice experience.  I am really looking to get some more experience with construction related skills as I look forward to building my own place.  Helping out around here is a great way of doing that.  Stuff gets done that needs to get done and I walk away with a little bit more experience building things.

The bathroom basement of the house we just sold was the largest project I have ever tackled and that really stretched my comfort level.  I am hoping to continue to do that as I begin to get settled in here.

Greenhouse with old roof off.

Here is the greenhouse building with the roof off and the new 2×4 pine purlins installed.  The old ones were 2×2 cedar and not nearly as strong as the new ones we installed.

Property owner and jobsite foreman keeping everyone in line

The Polycarbonate and battens going up on the new purlins.

The old panels went back up, with a little bit of acrobatics.  The seams are covered with 1x 4 cedar battens.  The battens have been sealed using an interesting product called butyl tape.  It is sort of a caulk tape.  It comes on a roll and you lay it out then remove the tape from the other side.  Similar to two sided foam tape.