Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT Cabin with a Carport

[GirlnAgarage]

To be continued...


6/23/22

And we're back to continue. As you can see from the picture above I've been able to finally get out of the city and onto some property. Although it is not the size of property I wanted, it's what I was able to get into given the time constraints created by selling my house, having to be out by dates and the affects on finance, appraisals, materials and workers due to the housing market bubble in this area. It's not a process for the faint of heart and those with a full time job.



Originally, I was looking for 20acres to start running a few longhorns, with an end goal of 40-50acres and working for myself again. For now, this place is a nice side bar that I'm going to vamp up and get running right. It's got everything from land maintenance, fencing, out buildings and house upgrades to tackle that will add a lot of value when it comes time to sell. I'm not planning on this being a forever place, I want bigger. But it gives me an opportunity to build up equipment and practice skills on a smaller scale.




The carport is a 3 bay metal building and a cement foundation of 20' x 32'. Each small bay door measure 9'w x 7'h, with the big end bay being 17'1"w x 86"h. The building came with electricity and has two decent overhead dual tube LED lights. One of the bays was walled in to create a small workshop/storage area.

The carport offers a lot of flexibility of use being open and covered, but parking pickup trucks under it is not one of them. I'm using it as a garage of course; a disorganized, hasty uhaul unloaded, quick setup and put stuff there and I'll organize it later garage.

Future plans for this building are multi-purpose. The end bay will be walled and used for a workout area. The middle bay will be a tractor/equipment parking and work area. The already enclosed bay will have the interior finished, which will be a large project by itself. It needs new interior walls, outlets, switches, shelves, tool storage and organization. I'm still thinking about options for insulation and climate control.

All in all, this place has so much to do that I can start anywhere and make progress. As I write this today, a large amount of work has been done to both the house and the property. There are still more projects to come, I can't wait to get this carport settled and setup so I can effectively work on everything else. Thanks for checking in guys.

 

[j p smith]

nice setting what part of Texas. (if it is in Texas)

 

[GirlnAgarage]

nice setting what part of Texas. (if it is in Texas)

Correct, it is in Texas.

 

[captain14]

The property looks like a new piece of land. I’ll be back to see what you have going on with it.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

The property looks like a new piece of land. I’ll be back to see what you have going on with it.

Thank you. The property is actually about 40yrs old. The previous owner did his best to keep up with it but eventually got too much for him. Much of my work is getting things maintenanced, repaired/updated and back to safe working order.

I made a To Do list going immediately at move in, aside from the normal unpack stuff and put it away.

Outside:
- mow/brush cut everything
- take down 3 hazardous trees
- trim all trees on the property
- get rid of the massive wood pile in backyard

Inside, the house had several major repairs that needed attention - plumbing, electrical and exterminator. I got started as soon as I got in.

So far all of the outside tasks have been done, except for the exterminator. I'm about caught up on the land maintenance. Later this summer I'm going to bring down dead standing trees and process for firewood. I have a lot of oak.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

This is the big 17'1" bay door that I'd like to close in. I plan to frame it out using 2x4s since it isn't load bearing. I though 2x6 would be overkill and protrude much further past the metal tube framing more than necessary. Thoughts?

To attach the baseboard I thought Tapcons would be secure enough but reversible if I ever opened that bay again. Good? No? Other options?

For interior I'm going to skin it with ___?? Not sure yet. It will not be insulated, least at this time I'm not planning to condition the space. I do not even have electrical in that part of the building.

On the exterior I would like to put up something easy and weatherproof. And this exterior wall will also display a big Texas flag that I've always wanted to paint on a building. This bay faces the roadway. I'd like to cover my belongings from passersby and put up a nice display.

This inside of the bay that will house the workout equipment. I need to lay a floor, as of now I'm thinking some kind of rubber mat. I've seen videos with horse stall mats, roll out floors and the like, but no decision is made yet since that alligator is still a ways from the boat.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Grabbed the lumber for the big bay door, finally. Been needing to do this for a bit but was lazy about it. I set it out to dry since it's very wet.

I've yet to collect the Tapcons, sill foam and wood to metal screws. Have to get them from another store, unfortunately not in stock at my lumber yard.

That's about it for outside work today. It's already 102* with another 5* to go. Forget that.

 

[captain14]

I feel you in the heat. I try to work around the yard in the shade. Waited until after 7pm to do some electrical wiring in The front of the garage last night. Mounted the exterior weathertight box and GFCI plug in the morning before the sun hit that side.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

I got the wall started and in place, and for my first wall I have mixed feelings. While the whole thing was relatively easy, it was the particulars of this wall (and building) that caused for some tedious and time consuming techniques. The major factor is that the building is not square or plumb. Great, "custom".

First, the good.

Base plate & TapCons:



I took my time setting the base plate and getting holes drilled and vacuumed for the TapCons. Each of those went in without a snapped head or thread spinout, so, I'm pleased there. I laid out the base board, drilled & vacuumed each hole and once to full depth, I used a nail to keep the board in place while I went down the line. Once they were all drilled, I pulled the base board off and did a final vacuum under the base and in each hole. Videos I studied showed that even if you're vacuuming, concrete powder still gets built up. There was a lot of dust under the board, So, I was OCD about it. It worked out.

The sill gasket was easy to work with but I should have chosen the 5.5" wide one instead of the 3.5", just to have wiggle room. Not a big deal but something for next time.

The 2x4s all dried straight except for two, they got very bowed. I decided to keep those two out and you can see the gap at each end where I placed the space.

Now the bad. The building is not plumb, that left me scratching my head as to how to go about setting the walls. I contemplated how to build the wall in the first place. If I constructed the wall on the floor I could easy end nail the wall studs in between the plates, but it would be a challenge getting the wall stood up and keep the sill gasket in place.

Ok, next idea, set the base plate independently, nice n straight and end nail the studs to the top plate, then stand it up. If so, I could pre-mark the bottom plate where the stud goes and nail. Plus, nailing with a hammer and nails, it's easier to toe nail a board on the ground than it is overhead, especially with one hand. That's the plan.

I clamped the top plate in place overhead and measured. The left opening is 83" tall, the right 84.25"...great. 1.25" different in a 17'1" span. I measured each stud to length and set it to plumb and didn't think much of it. I brought everything down, end nailed the studs to the top plate and stood it up. Why does it look weird? WHY DOES IT LOOK CROOKED? Well, because it is. The vertical metal studs of the building are not plumb

That leads me to a question, should I have built the wall to be unplumb but the studs are even at 16"oc on top and the bottom? Or should I have done them plumb like I did here?


Moving on, attaching the wood to metal. I used the Teks brand wood-to-metal screws. I think they are garbage. I stripped out several and it seemed like strip outs were the name of the game. I pre-drilled a pilot hole, tried several sized bits in order to get the right one. And even if the threads grabbed correctly, no matter how delicate I was, pulsing the drive on the impact so it didn't over hammer the screw, several ended up spinning out. I'm going to retry setting another screw for those, I don't like them not being snug. Is there another option to attach wood-to-metal? I'm aware that the size/type of screw is dependent on the gauge of the metal, and I thought I had it sized right.




One thing I wonder if I should do is add some blocking or a diagonal support to the wall. Is it necessary though? My brain sees the "crooked" vertical studs and says the wall is racking. But logic says it can't rack being that it is inside the metal frame. Can someone talk some sense to me please?

That's all for now. Next I'm going to get a drip edge installed and put back the metal trim on the exterior. I plan to use Zip sheets to close it up. I've narrowed the final exterior down to matching existing sheet metal, but in white. Should be a good base to paint the flag.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Finally got the wall sheathed and taped. Nice to have it dried in if you will.

First time using the Zip sheating. It wasn't necessary for air sealing but figured the moisture protection might be useful. I'm also planning to use it on the laundry shed rebuild so I wanted to take a practice run.



I hammered and nailed the sheets, worked fine and wasn't hard. I'm trying to hold off on a framing and brad nailer, but my resolve is waining, it would really speed up the process.

For the final exterior I'm going to use some metal sheeting. Still unsure exactly which but something relatively flat n simple that is easy to paint my flag on.




This is the next wall I need to close. Part of me got to thinking with that 4x8 propped that maybe I'll do a half wall? Would keep some airflow and take less materials, or would it look stupid? Idk, just throwing ideas.




Another next phase is flooring. I decided to go with Warrior Rubber Tiles from American Flooring. It'll be an 18x10 section that should go quickly, barring any missing tiles. I'm going with the 1/2" 2x2. Once I get it down I can start setup on the equipment. Right now I've got plates, bars, benches attachments and gear occupying all kinds of other spaces on the property. My mild OCD is looking for organization already.

More to come soon.

 

[j p smith]

You may want to consider matching the sheeting to complete the new section of wall. Then doing your flag project on another piece of material, Plywood or a piece of flat sheet metal then hang that on your wall.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Since I've got the floor tiles on the way I'm getting the next wall closed up. I'm building the wall first before sliding it in place. A lot of measuring twice, hopefully it fits nicely with much fighting.

A few studs in place on the ground, sans the two on the angles and the center.


Here you see why the center stud is not attached yet. I'm going to use the existing screw hole to attach the top plate to the metal top plate, and of course, that's where the stud lands. I need to do that first.


You can see the two corner angles I'm tracing the cut lines and will put the boards in last, after the wall is in place. I may glue the foam strip to the bottom plate before standing the wall so it stays in place


Ok, that's what I got for now. See you next time.

 

[captain14]

Looking good. Is this your first framing job?

Will any of your walls include a window or door?

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Looking good. Is this your first framing job?

Will any of your walls include a window or door?

Thank you. Yes this is my first framing job. I wanted to try it on a building that didn't matter as much if I made mistakes. Good thing too, I got a lot of "I learned..." from this project lol I eventually want to rebuild the 12x16 laundry building which is currently rotting of termite damage.

This building is a different framing job in that I can't just construct the wall on the floor and stand it into place. I can mass construct the vertical studs to the top and bottom plate. I have to install each part piece by piece into an existing space and work backwards. And of course, the existing space is not square, level, plum or straight. I'm a bit tired of custom cutting. That said, I am looking forward to building a frame to stand all on it's own. Then I can be the one messing it up, instead of having to work with someone else's craftsmanship

I decided not to do windows for now. I might wish I did, for airflow, the building already had 2 put in when 2 other walls were framed in. I guess I can always go back if I wanted them.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Got the frame completed. I'm beat. That side of the bay gets sun in the morning, the trees aren't thick enough to shade. I feel like fried chicken. But I'm happy the way this wall turned out compared the the first.

I learned:

- I need a hammer drill - drilling cement with a regular drill *****. The bottom plate went in just fine with Tapcons. I vacuumed the holes out several times, even pulled the bottom plate to be extra thorough. I drove the Tapcons with the 1/4" driver, I pulsed the trigger to keep the impact to a minimum.

I learned:

- I don't like using the Teks Wood to Metal screws. A good sharp drill bit and lower speed works correctly. However, my success rate of getting the screw to drive and grab without stripping out was only about 80%. That's too low for me for all the work drilling a hole takes. I'd rather drill a big hole and use a carriage bolt/nut instead of relying on tension threads of a tap screw. I might also be coming around to the conclusion a post frame building in the way to go for me. I grew up with metal buildings, I always wanted a big metal building, but working with them to add on anything is a pain in the ****.

I learned:

- Subtract 1/8" from the wall stud length when you use the bottom sill foam or else you can't fit the wall into the vertical space. Then you gotta take it apart, cut an 1/8" off and try again. Who knew? Well, this girl does now.

I learned:

- I need to get my double bevel miter saw out to cut 50* angles, the circ saw just doesn't cut it. Hah, pun intended.

I learned:

- I like banging a nail with a hammer, but a framing nailer would be much more efficient and accurate. I'll be purchasing one eventually.






Here's the outside view. You can see I setback the frame so when I add the sheathing it'll still be tucked inside the metal trim. I did not do a great job of that on the big wall (I was trying to keep it plumb instead of just staying inside the lines. That effort bit me in the ****.) I plan to run a few vertical Zip sheets. I've got 28" + 48" + 32" sections to cover. I am happy I did a much better job keeping the studs 16" oc. I know this is just an outside building, but I'm really trying to do my best using good techniques and good craftsmanship. It won't be there on nice big projects if you don't practice it on the small stuff. I got a lot to learn.

 

[captain14]

Every project I learn something new or a better way to do it.

Every new project requires you to buy at least one new tool.

There’s been a couple of other builds recently on GJ where the framing is done piece by piece instead of one wall on the floor.

 

[captain14]

One more thought when you get your hammer drill is get a ear syringe to use to help blow the debris out of the hole. I’ve seen those as part of a hammer drill package inside the carrying case. I’m sure they’re not labeled as an ear syringe though.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

One more thought when you get your hammer drill is get a ear syringe to use to help blow the debris out of the hole. I’ve seen those as part of a hammer drill package inside the carrying case. I’m sure they’re not labeled as an ear syringe though.

I appreciate the tip. I'll look for one.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

I'm excited to say I have the sheathing up. Working solo, one-handed with 4x8 sheets is work man.

The first sheet went up easy. Just stuck it in place. I was left with an 11.5" last stud bay which I used some scrap from the big wall to cover.





The top sheet was going to be a trick. I've never worked by myself with a full 4x8 sheet up high. I used some scrap 2x4 helpers to hold the sheet after I lifted it into place. I marked my cuts and surprisingly, even with some angles and the unsquare building, things came out pretty good! I again had a last 11.5" angled stud bay to cover but quickly got that up so I could go inside. I was pretty tired. Oh, I finally put a new blade on my circular saw and man what a smooth cutter it is. I did not realize how bad my old blade got until I put this new one on.




There it is all nailed up. I wanted to tape today but maybe after the sun goes down some. If I don't get to it tonight, maybe tomorrow. I'm just glad to get this far. I have gym floor tiles sitting and waiting to be installed. I didn't want to put them down until the bay was closed up.





There's the view from the inside. Slowly but surely it's getting organized and cleared out. It's been such a cluttered mess since my move.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

You may want to consider matching the sheeting to complete the new section of wall. Then doing your flag project on another piece of material, Plywood or a piece of flat sheet metal then hang that on your wall.

I've been thinking about your response since I read it. At first I wasn't certain about the idea of using the same sheeting. But I think it may work well to transition from the top where the overhead trim was. I had been grinding my brain, trying to find a solution other than installing a new drop edge. But, if I go the same sheet, I can tuck the new pieces under the existing and have the water sheeting I need. If I get them in white, I'll have a nice canvas to paint my flag.

Now, I'm not going to paint a flag and hang it, its not a small yard art project I'm doing. The entire side of the building will be painted with the flag. Like these, except on the wall I installed.





Actually, found a US flag version of what I'm doing.



Anyways, thank you for sticking the idea in my head about the sheets. It helped.

 

[j p smith]

Your Flag will be very cool!

 

[captain14]

Can’t wait to see the finished flag.

What type of circular saw blade is needed for that sheet product?

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Seams are taped up. The wall is ready for it's final cover...whatever that will be. Not sure yet.

View attachment 1743345

The gym floor tiles are here and have been waiting. They do have an up side which is what those little orange tags indicate. There is a directional tooth, up is on left, down is on the right.

View attachment 1743346

Laid an 8x10 section here so far. They're going in easy for the most part. The squat rack will be transferred to the tile side to clear the rest of the floor and I'll continue laying tiles until it's done.

View attachment 1743347

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Your Flag will be very cool!

Thanks!

Can’t wait to see the finished flag.

What type of circular saw blade is needed for that sheet product?

I installed a new Diablo 24tooth for framing to cut the Zip sheet.

For future sheet metal, I plan to use the 14ga shear. I'm hoping I won't need to use the circular saw, I'll have to get a different blade
(not sure which?), plus it seems like it is messy.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

I finished installing the floor tiles. The space looks big! For now the spare ply, ladders and saw horses will set there until I can move them off.

Arranging the workout area will have to wait for another day. But getting this far is a big step to getting spaces arranged into what they are supposed to be. It seems to take forever after a move to really get settled in, nice and organized.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Got a couple chores done. Thought I'd show yall some of what I use the Milwalkee Hatchet on.

The trees measure anywhere from 3"-8" diameter. These trees are just a handful of the 10 or so I have marked to bring down this fall/winter.

That nasty dead group near the "pond" has been there since I moved in. I've wanted to get rid of them for a long time. They had termites and surrounded by old goat fence and tasajillo cactus. Just old stuff that had been left to rot, as is the theme for this property.




I dug out 3 of the 14 stumps. They were rotted out enough that it did not take much shovel work to get them out. The others are in there solid enough I'll need a backhoe or stump bucket to get them out.



Here's the big picture of that part. I have been working to clear about an acre of tasajillo up on the dam under the big oak. It's coming around.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Did some more limbing of the old dead stuff yesterday, had a nice fire to get rid of the brush. It's good to have the burn ban lifted. The Milwalkee Hatchet and the Dewalt pole saw got put to work.




Today, took care of a huge project, cutting up a very large fallen oak. It measures about 50' tall and 20" diameter or so.




It was down when I moved in and I hoped to get it processed before it rotted further. Again, took out the Milwalkee Hatchet and got to work...



Jk

This was an intimidating job as I didn't want to be crushed to death or injured, although the time off from work would be nice, still better to be smart. I wasn't working with any equipment like a tractor or machine to help lift or support anything that big. I used the Hatchet
to limb out as much as possible. Then the MS261 tagged in.





The cutting stopped there for the day. That is where the rot started to come in big time. The trunk will still be cut down further, probably brush burned so that land can get cleaned up.

Like other areas where trees are coming down, more trees will be planted. I want this place wooded but maintained so it can get healthy. I've planted 3 pecans already and I'm trying to start about 50 mesquites from seed. That's been an educational and frustrating endeavor so far.

Lots to still do but today and this weekend for that matter was huge progress, the kind where I can really see a difference.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Whoops, looks like I forgot to udate the progress...


Up on the hill I did a two day burn and cleaned up that area nicely. Also took the time to pick more tasajillo to get the area clear. The area is shaping up. I'll be replanting another tree or two up there. I just ordered about 10 new replacement trees so I'll be getting thoes out on the property soon.





I processed what was good out of that big oak, and junk piled the rest. I've taken down two more oaks that were dead from fungus and got those stacked too. I've got another six to go this winter. I'd like to get to them before they start rotting inside.





Oh, I also received my materials so I can finish out my closed in bay doors. I went with the standard galvanized finish. It'll look nice when it is unpainted, and be a neutral start for paint. I'm pretty excited to have the metal here and all the small parts to get it done. I took some time off from work soon so I'll have uninterrupted time to do projects. I'm really looking forward to it.





One of the things on my list is to replace the stack on my offset smoker (don't mind the set in place temp gauge on the stack, it was my first brisket). I've needed to do it for a while and since I just ordered and received the new pipe, figured today was a nice day to start. The original was a 2 -2.25" pipe which didn't draw near enough are for the size of the pit and firebox. After a little online calculations I got the right size pipe here to get it done, 3.75" is what I'm going with. Here is cooking that New Year's brisket. It came out great. As you can see, I had my 'formula' worked out for keeping that temp at 250*....wood leaned to right in the firebox, bean can opening of air
and half open on the air inlet. Like I said, needs more draw lol





I started with the 3" cut off wheel which made quick work but I couldn't get in the top angle so I switched to a bimetal blade and some persuasion.

I have a feeling I'm going to rework the hinges too. Use some rod and pipe inside of those brass hinges. They're set a little crooked anyway, plus I like the rod n pipe style better. I'm going to give her a good brush and a new coat of black paint too. I've got the new holes drilled for the stack end temperature gauge, it fits nice. That way I don't have to dangle it off the stack again. I'm toying wit the idea of adding a propane hookup to this too. But I may just leave that off and build a new propane grill instead.





That's as much as I wanted to do today work wise. I did pull out some cardboard and draw up my template for the cuts I need to make. I'll be coping the new pipe as nice as I can, then weld it on after cutting out a good opening. But before that I'm going to cut and reweld the stack in a big rig bullhorn or short 30 cut. For no other reason that I feel like it.

That's it for now. I'm tired tonight, I've been using the new gym space in the carport and it feels great to be back on weights again. It was deadlift day and I'm cooked. That's it til next time.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Here's the workout space so far. It's pretty roomy. I'll do some decorating after I get the exterior panels up. I'm on my 3x week routine so today was another one. I tell you what, I am drained, hitting the legs hard. It's an 8wk hypertrophy workout but maintains 5x5 for the squat, deadlift and bench to keep on strength. Oh, don't mind the bucket on the floor, it's a rain catch bucket. I have a screw leaking on a roof panel up there, I'll fix that took come vacation. Or wait, perhaps it's the puke bucket, from working hard. Throw up and then back to work! hah jk, it's for the rain.





Is my stack too big for my smoker?
I pulled out the new pipe, started marking stuff up. I needed to see the new thing sort of in place to imagine the next step.




I drew out the stack to my liking and then worked the form into measurements I needed. Getting the angle on the top of the stack threw me for a loop for a minute. But, I think I have it worked out.






Transferring the cope cut seemed easy in theory. But getting a one dimensional flat profile onto a round pipe stumped me. I found a great website that let me plug in my measurements and it produced a cut template for both the branch pipe and the main body. I'm excited to try that out and if it works he way it should, I should have a good fit. The stack template there is off on the side for a profile look. The new stack will go in the same place the original stack was.





Things are looking good, and working in this weather, man, it's beautiful.

 

[jonathco]

Nice thread, subscribed!

 

[j p smith]

Looks like you have been getting a lot accomplished and moving forward with your plans.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

A few trees arrived, a peach and 2 Burr Oaks. Got them in the ground, fingers crossed they get growing in the spring.

Currently waiting on 4 Live Oaks, 2 Saw Tooth Oaks and a couple of Pecans. I've got their spots picked out, just need them here.


View attachment 1810233


Oh, and the big Oak got trimmed too. It looks a ton better and it seems to be in good shape. I've got ants to take care of so that insecticide is on order. I'm going with a systemic solution called Dominion. That should be enough to treat the desireables on the property.

I did manage to get a small stash from what was trimmed. Oak isn't special here and I've got stacks everywhere. But, it seems respectful and nostalgic to use the wood off this tree. I think its the oldest tree on the property with a trunk diameter of 36" on the narrow side.

View attachment 1810239


Then there is this...
More on it later


View attachment 1810246

 

[GirlnAgarage]

I printed and cut out the layout from the website and wrapped it around the pipe. On the pipe I marked it's quarters to help me keep things straight.








I traced the cut line and removed the template.





I used my 3" cutoff saw to make the cut.






Once that was complete I used My Rage 3 to cut the other end of the pipe which is the first angle of the miter tip. Unfortunately with the o.d. being 4" the saw couldn't complete the cut at the bottom of the pipe, It's max cut is 4"..IF..the material is spaced away from the fence and the cut is straight 90*. (this is why I'd like to have the Evolution Chop saw). So, I used the 3" cutoff tool to finish the cut.






I test fit the stack and it fit pretty darn well. I'm really glad I found that website to help with the pipe joint cuts. I'm sure I'd have been hacking away at this for much longer without it. It is harderwoods.com for anyone interested.




Check out how close that is




With the fit up of the stack to smoker done I moved on to the next part, enlarging the exhaust hole...

 

[GirlnAgarage]

I just realized that I totally forgot about the second template for the hole I was suppose to cut it out and trace the cut line. Instead I traced the outside of the stack, then used a pencil to eyeball 1/8", the width of the wall along the inside of the traced line. Look how huge it is compared the original one.





And the magic of photos, a nice hole. The process wasn't nice, I'll tell you that. I only have tools that cut straight lines and this is not a straight line. Uhg, took forever. I will say, I officially need a plasma cutter.





The stack test fitting so I can see what the inside edges look like compared to he i.d of the pipe.






Hah, my smoker has the same exhaust pipe size as my truck





Here's a view from inside the cook chamber looking up the stack. I wanted to see how close I got it.





And a view looking down into the stack. I can see an edge or two I can profile better so that the exhaust flows smoothly. I'll do that tomorrow or something.





I still need to cut the final miter tip. Basically I'm using the other end of the pipe I cut the stack from and rotating it 180*. The hitch though is that the final miter cut is a steep angle on the 4" pipe and my Rage 3" will not be able to complete that long of a cut. I need a big band or chop saw. I can functionally cut the miter with the 3" cutoff tool but I know it won't be board straight and I don't have a large band saw that I can use to final dress the cut. So, I'm still thinking here how I'm going to tackle this next cut. I won't be welding the stack on the pit until the stack is completely fit and welded up itself. And that will be much easier doing that on the ground vs on the pit standing up. Well, no rush, I'll see what comes up.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Looks like you have been getting a lot accomplished and moving forward with your plans.

Oh man yes, taking time off is nice for it. No wonder new retirees get all their To Dos done in the first 6mths lol

 

[GirlnAgarage]

I hit a workout before getting started.

I do think my warmup row is coming along.





I changed gears today away from the smoker stack. I'm still in my head about how I'd like to cut that miter so I took a break.

I wanted to get going on prepping the walls for the new sheet metal. I installed the drip edge to the small bay door and got it flashed. I wish I would have got it done before taping the seams of the wall to have the tape shingled properly down there, but, it is what it is. Good thing is that side doesn't receive driving rain. The water that hits the lower portion of the wall is what splashes up from the overhang and the surrounding trees. Things should be ok.

Installing the edge was straight forward. I marked the nail holes to match the stud spacing then punched holes with an auto punch into the flashing. This made it easy to start the nail through and get it snug. I ran flashing tape over the top edge and called it good. This door is straight. But the big bay door isn't, and I started messing with it's flashing but it needed more patience than I had at this point so I'll do it later.




While I was working on the flashing, the FedEx dude dropped off my Live Oaks. I let them catch their breath for a few hours and I have them planted already. Looking at those little babies surrounded by massive other trees, it's hard to see forward to when they'll be that big. I probably won't even be around for that, but, I guess I plant to be hopeful for the future. Can't wait to see how they do.

 

[captain14]

Oh man yes, taking time off is nice for it. No wonder new retirees get all their To Dos done in the first 6mths lol

Nah, the TO DOs just keep piling up as you do one thing, another to do jumps in the line. Sometimes they multiply too.

How large of hole did you dig for the new trees? Any fertilizer recommended?

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Nah, the TO DOs just keep piling up as you do one thing, another to do jumps in the line. Sometimes they multiply too.

How large of hole did you dig for the new trees? Any fertilizer recommended?

I think that's true about the To Dos. Seems like there is always something pending.

For these little guys I set them as deep as their pot height, which is a one gallon, so about a foot in. On the bare root trees (peach and burr oaks) , I set them deeper at about 18". I did bury a fertilizer pack with all of them. Suppose to be nutrients and some bug stuff. I don't remember if they were recommended but shouldn't hurt. My soil is very sandy which means not much organic matter for nutrients unless I put it there. It was recommended on the oaks to run a ring off mulch around the trunk. I'll chip up a batch and get it distributed.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Started today with cutting down the miter tip so it was easier to work with.




The Evolution clamps are not known for their sturdiness. I used a foot from a safe I bought a while back to secure the pipe evenly.




There's the product, with the tip still to be mitered. I finally decided to create a template and cut w the cutoff tool. Since I didn't have a big enough machine to make one easy cut. I didn't know if I'd have the skill to keep the edges right.




Inside spent the day cutting templates and fitting to the pipe. I found a great website that did templates. But my printer was low on ink, so I had to be wise and lucky which I printed. I settled on a 40* cut which is what I had drawn up originally.




With a template drawn it was outside to free hand it.




Holy cow, it came out right! It took minimal clean up and I am relieved it came out as I hoped.





Time to look at this thing as it is suppose to fit




Check it out I'm pretty proud, I was worried I couldn't get it this straight. As I was sanding the edges, I couldn't help but finally feel like I was working on a project for the craft inside of rushing to just get it done.






With this cut I can finally move to welding it up.

 

[captain14]

It feels great when everything works out after all the time planning and worrying about the details. Having the right tools helps a lot too!