Puget Dude’s creations and fabrications (Random project thread.)

[PugetDude]

The original deck had log railings but they were in really bad shape anywhere they weren’t covered. We decided to take a hybrid approach and do log posts with metal railings and suspended metal inserts.

Picked up 200’ of 1-1/4” square tubing and three 5’ x 16’ 4x4 heavy gauge cattle panels and got out the Evolution chop saw and the Miller 211. I discovered the key to keeping the wire straight was to use weights and spacer blocks. Spent three days building the insert panels and top rail mounting cups.





The top rails are 2-3/8” OD powder coated fence posts from Lowes. Had to have a couple of the longer ones powder coated to match because Lowes only carries them in 6’ and 7’ lengths.
I made mounting cups out of 2-1/4” exhaust tubing and 2-1/4 washers I hole sawed out of 12 gage sheet. The 2-1/4” tube was a bit too large so I ended up slitting it and rewelding the longitudinal seam- perfect snug fit.

.

These went into 2-1/2” flat-bottom holes I drilled into the log posts, the rails just slip over them.

Found a local place for sandblast and powder coating. They did a really good job on them, had them back 3 days after I dropped them off.

 

[PugetDude]

The log posts all came off the property, I cut and stacked them a couple of years ago in anticipation of needing them for something like this. Peeled them with a drawknife and then used a random orbit sander to clean them up. They are secured with 1/2” x 20” long lag bolts that pass through full- height pressure treated 4x6 crush blocks bolted to the 2x10 framing. Where do you buy a 20” long lag bolt? You don’t, but a 10” carriage bolt and a 10” lag bolt welded back to back with the heads cut off works really well. Ends up with about a foot long 1/2” bolt threaded into the end of the log posts- they are really solid.



Took a couple of days to drill the rail pockets (and my left forearm) with a 2” sawtooth Forstner bit and a 2-1/2” hole saw, clean up the pockets with a chisel and install the rails. The frames are secured with 3/8” x 6” lag bolts into the posts. I’m debating whether to cut sleeves to cover the lag bolt threads, or just paint them black along with the bolt heads.

 

[PugetDude]

And a couple of shots after my bride added the finishing touches…


We hung the Statue of Liberty flag above the loveseat this morning. Might have to add a sloped cap to it to keep the birds off.

 

[stinkity stoink]

Very nice !!

 

[readhead]

You might be getting good at this fabricating thing.

 

[zmotorsports]

WOW Scott, the deck turned out amazing. Excellent job.

 

[Jayman17]

Very creative railing solution, I like the look of that. Nice big new deck too. Lots of room on it.

Jay

 

[PugetDude]

Forgot to include the photo of the Statue of Liberty flag on the back of the fireplace.

 

[PugetDude]

Got the matching gate installed this morning; we’re kind of taking it easy today after a full week of holiday company. Need to figure out a narrow latch I can screw to the 1-1/4” square tube; don’t want to weld on the freshly powder coated steel.

Bungee cord works to dog-proof it for now.

 

[Bears Fan]

Your flag turned out awesome I like the wrap job on your UTV too

The cabin looks amazing and you did a great job on the new deck, I love the rail design

 

[PugetDude]

Your flag turned out awesome I like the wrap job on your UTV too

The cabin looks amazing and you did a great job on the new deck, I love the rail design

Thanks, Tony. The cabin had rough log railings, posts and columns when we bought it. Had to replace the two 10' columns holding up the roof over the covered front porch last summer, they rotted at the bottom due to a lack of gutters on that section of roof. The railings that aren't under cover were all in bad shape. Decided to do something different this time. Just having log posts as the only exposed wood will make the deck a lot easier to maintain, will probably cover the tops when we head back to Phoenix so the snow doesn't sit on them all winter.

 

[readhead]

Log rail systems just don’t hold up. Over the years I have replaced so many wood rails. Some we could save the posts but most were replaced completely. There are to many places to catch water and snow and start rotting. I like your solution and I have used some variations on that design several times.

 

[PugetDude]

We left the log railings on the front porch, but I did build a couple of log gates to dog-proof it.
These were small trees/limbs we cut a couple of years ago. Used a Lumberjack “pencil Sharpener” tool to cut the 1-1/2” diameter tenons for the rails; posts are just 2x4’s I had left over from something else. Took a bit of time to peel and sand the pine logs smooth- my Makita 5” RO sander died halfway through, grabbed a Bauer from HF for $29 to replace it. It’s every bit as good as the Makita it replaced IMO.

I added a couple of powder coated black fence panels from Lowe’s to close up the spacing. Hinges were fabricated from 3/8” carriage and lag bolts and 3/8” black pipe.



The stain is Australian Timber Oil in Jarrah Brown over a base coat of Sherwin Williams “ Red Brown Sugar" SuperDeck stain. It’s holding up well to the western exposure.

I built the cane bolt on the left hand side out of a scrap piece of 1/2" sqaure tube and the plunger from an old quart-size caullking gun. It just drops into the space between the deck board- the right hand side has a conventional gate latch from HD.

Thanks for checking in.

 

[readhead]

Looks great. Did yourself proud.

 

[PugetDude]

Looks great. Did yourself proud.

Thanks; it’s been a lot of work getting this place in shape. Bought it a little over 3 years ago but life got in the way for the first couple of years. Finally getting to spend some time up here.

 

[Bears Fan]

Very resourceful on building that gate and it looks awesome! what a beautiful log home

 

[PugetDude]

My wife and I made a run to Home Depot yesterday afternoon for paint and electrical supplies. Ran into these guys on the way back just around the corner from the cabin. They were more than happy to pose for pictures.

 

[Bodj Built]

Beautiful!

 

[ntsqd]

On that gate that needs a latch, assuming that it hasn't been addressed by now, how about a loop of steel flat stock that hinges on the gate frame and "lasso's" the latch post? Sort of, kind of like how some cattle gate latches+ work; only you flip it up over the top of the post to open the gate.
Might be inconvenient if this gate is a frequent use gate, but not too bad if it is an occasional use gate.
FFT anyway....

 

[PugetDude]

Quick project this weekend. Trying to stave off “ Squirrellmaggedon” in the crawl space at our cabin.
Saw a Gray Squirrel the size of a cocker spaniel push his way through one of the block vents into the crawl space.
The vents were thin aluminum louvers with light gage screen wire behind them. The tree rat bastards had pushed the louvers open and tore out the wire- easy access to the crawl space.

Not any more.


Welded up 8x16 frames out of 3/8 rebar and filled them in with expanded metal. Wired a piece of 1/4” mesh hardware cloth behind that to deter mice. Shot them with a coat of primer and gloss black paint and installed them over the existing vents with 3/8” one-hole conduit straps- Tapcons into the concrete block foundation.





I’ll get a picture of the finished installation when we get back up there; had to go back in PHX for a dental emergency.

 

[rattle_snake]

High security! Bars on the crawl space vents.

Good luck with dental modifications.

 

[shortykorte]

1-800-PETA

 

[PugetDude]

High security! Bars on the crawl space vents.

Good luck with dental modifications.

Tooth extraction tomorrow....cash extraction will be ongoing.

 

[LXCam]

What happened bud. The little woman clock ya again??

Way to go steph !

 

[PugetDude]

All of my dentist’s hygienists quit during Covid. He was trying to run the practice as a one man band, so I didn’t get in to see him for over a year; a problem spot I have been fighting for years finally won.
Went to a different dentist today; starting a new course of treatment. Unfortunately, I let it go too long.

 

[Bob Heine]

starting a new course of treatment

Scott, too bad you can't get a shot of novocaine in the wallet.

 

[PugetDude]

Scott, too bad you can't get a shot of novocaine in the wallet.

Might be a good idea; especially if I left it in my rear pocket.

 

[rattle_snake]

From my favorite Ren and Stimpy episode...

 

[PugetDude]

That's what I feel like this AM. Not sure why a tooth that was supposedly just barely intact would require 8 shots of anesthetic and twenty minutes of pulling and yanking to remove.
I could have pulled a transmission in less time.

 

[LXCam]

That's what I feel like this AM. Not sure why a tooth that was supposedly just barely intact would require 8 shots of anesthetic and twenty minutes of pulling and yanking to remove.
I could have pulled a transmission in less time.

Yanking trannies and tooflessness?............some days self restraint is difficult I tells ya.

 

[flicker]

very skilled.. doing the same kinda work just custom ..

 

[Bears Fan]

You should of converted those vent covers into VENT LIVE TRAPS, those gray squirrels taste just like chicken, but they are high in cholesterol

 

[Toolfool]

I think you just discovered your next business venture.

 

[PugetDude]

I think you just discovered your next business venture.

I’d be competing for hourly wages with the 9 year old Indonesian kid sewing Nike Sneakers.

 

[readhead]

This is the year of the squirrel. They have taken over at our place. I feel like I may have to start paying them rent to live here.

 

[PugetDude]

Got all 12 of the vent screens installed; left the crawl space access door open while I was installing them to give any of the treeratbastards a chance to vacate voluntarily while I was closing up their ingress and egress points.

One of the vents had been used to bring coax into the house, so I worked around it, 3/8” long piece of 1/2” S80 pipe worked perfectly.

Had some scrap rebar left over so I made the one screen in the dog run both squirrel and dog proof.

 

[PugetDude]

This is the year of the squirrel. They have taken over at our place. I feel like I may have to start paying them rent to live here.

We’re seeing a lot more jackrabbits this year, too. They are big, about the size of a Schnauzer.

 

[Bears Fan]

Nice work on those screen covers

Damn, those are some large rabbits

 

[ntsqd]

Those are the does, and the bucks have antlers?

 

[harley jim]

I like your screen solution, keeps them saber toothed squirrels out.