I have began taking down the chimineys. One is very old and has come down pretty easy, no cement in the mortar. It was packed full of soot and crud that was at least 2ft deep inside. It collected water like a sponge and transfered it to the inside walls. The 2nd is much newer with cement in the mortar, much harder to get down. I think the big jack hammer from above is the way to finish it off. Here are a couple of pics of the easy, old chiminey. When I start over it will be just a shell. My friends think I'm crazy!
I've been pushing on getting the outside walls done. This is ALOT of work. First I had to scratch up the styrofaom to make it rough. What a mess! It was every where. I was eating, breathing the cr@p. Also bad getting in the eyes. Very time consuming getting the mud up and screen applied, esp under the eves. At this rate it will be at least 2 more weeks until I'm done. I sure wish I had the $$ to pay some one to do this. It will get finished eventually. Greg came and mixed mud for me today and that was a huge help. I could just keep scratching it on and laying screen without stopping to get down and mix more mud. Thanks buddy. almost done with the back side. Practice here and then go on the public side when I kind of know what I'm doing. Steep learning curve. Here are a couple of pics. dorf dude...
I've been asked about exactly what I'm doing. Here are the steps,
1- Scratch the styrofoam
2-Apply mud
3-Set the screen
4-Trowel the mud through the screen
5- Smooth quickly and leave it alone! Lesson learned here.
I will be done with the back side tomorrow and moving on to the side. I'm just about ready to go public with my screen work. Man the first stuff I put up really sucks! Way too rough. Not hard to fix but extra work. I was a 1 man show today and what you see took 3 1/2 hours. Here are some pic's, Dorf dude...
I took a day of vacation today. I finished the back and made a big step on the side. It started raining and washing off my glue. Nothing I could do to stop it. It will work out with a thin 2nd coat. I'm sure getting better at this. Here are a couple pics, dorf dude...
Dorf Dude...love that Canada shirt...you know anybody in that country? Seems others fall asleep upon wearing them also...must be something about the Canadian culture, eh? Your walls are superb, and I like the way you are 'attacking' the job, from trying out of sight, to 'perfection' on Campbell's side! Your work gets more amazing evrytime I see it,...think of it as a 'flagship' of what a Dorf Dude ..who really did not know what he was getting into...can do!! If I was closer, would have had one of those beers with you! "Big Kid" looks more grown up everytime =====8^) Cheers
Syd:yes::yes::thumbup::thumbup:
Yesterday I got rained out, no way of putting up glue. I scratched most of the front styrofoam under the protection of the roof eve and scaffold. A real gusher came down and I decided to make a new sign while waiting it out. Today I finished the next row on the side. I will make a huge push this weekend. Dorf dude...
Remeber when the "oberfaltz" roof beam dude wanted to place his sign on the front of your place, and we thought about something similar to this...? Rockin the house Dorf Dude!! No t shirts or stick on signs yet ======8^) ?
Syd:laughing::laughing:
I finally got the end wall finished. The weather has not been nice the last couple days. I also got the first row of the front done. :thumbup: With luck I should be able to finish the front tomorrow but It's a Sunday!! Oh no. Germans don't work on Sundays but I must. It is quiet work. It also gives the people driving by something to look at. They really slow down now that I put the DIY sign up. Steve came today and worked on getting the inside ready to pour the floor. Getting closer. Here are a couple pics and I hope tomorrow I have some of the front done. Dorf dude...
I'm done putting on the screen! I got the 2nd row done this morning and then Greg called and helped with the last row in the afternoon. It really sucked banging my head into the beams while sitting bending over and scratching mud. Now I need to primer it and then the finish. Hot bath time! dorf dude...
...is there some color ...soon? Actually...it looks like a "Viking" "celebration Hall",...when are 'they' comming....the party will be endlass, those Vikings just never ever go ...away! Just be proud ...Dorf Dude...that amongst your ...Neighbours, you are the most ...'efficient", and they will .....learn from you...eh?
SQUID
It has really been bugging me that I have no back fence to keep a dog in, let alone the neighbors look right down on top of me. Today I took a break from working on the walls. I bought chain link fence and 45 arborvidae's. I set my end pole for the fence, no pic, I will tie into the neighbors pole in the pic for the other end. I dug the trench, well most of it, for my shrubs. What a pain! There was alot of backfill that I had to dig through, plus it was very hot and muggy. I'm also getting pissed at the former owner for not getting his junk away. By contract it was supposed to be gone by 1 July. I'm still looking at old pallets and roofing sections that he use for his wood. It will never be "MY" place as long as he has his cr@p stored there. As always from the dorf, dorf dude...
Dorf Dude, just a question: What happens when those trees grow to substantial height? Can those above ask you to keep them to a certain height? If it is "carte Blanche", they will make an awesome 'privacy' fence, something you will enjoy more each year as they grow!:thumbup::thumbup:
SQUID
I planted my arborvitae's for privacy along a fence quite a few years ago. Like an idiot I planted them the recommended distance apart. Now there is still a large gap between them.
I'm not saying don't follow the recommendations on the label, but I'd plant them closer than it suggests.
I asked the neighbors first and they don't care how high it goes. I have them at a disadvantage. They built their terrace on my property! They would have to tear about 3 or 4 ft out if I got picky. It does them a favor too for their privacy. My spacing is 12", that is why I got 45 of them. It should be a very thick wall in a couple years with the help of Miracle Grow. :yes: I do plan on having window box flowers in the future. More as the fences go in and the the walls get finished, dorf dude...
The UV was kicking yesterday as I was working. I've tried to get a pic of my lobster back tonight in the mirror holding the camera over my head and noticed that I have developed some muscles, even for 115 pounds. No bulk or fat, 100% lean. WOW. I never look at myself in the mirror normally, only for zits on my face. I'm not a poser at all. I just found it shocking. I feel vain even posting this, but it is part of the ever going story, it must be told. Fence pics tomorrow. I got the middle posts set today. Again, not a vanity post, just the facts of this house's journey. BTW all the white in the picture is reflection in the mirror. I don't have any grey hair. dorf dude...
In the previous post about my sunburn I checked the UV index for that day, 8. It was a cooker and I'm paying for it. I had sunblock right there. Anyway I got the fence hanging today and should finish it tomorrow. The tensioner pulls the bar woven through the mesh around the back of the pole. This tightens the wire and fence at the same time. I will do it 2 more times, in the middle and bottom. The neighbor with the shed has old doors for his walls. Looks like cr@p. I will plant something to hide it. With the fence up now I can get my dog in the evenings :thumbup:. If you don't know I'm divorced and my ex lives about 5 miles from where the house is. She got the dog because I live in an apartment right now and he is at home at her place.
This evening the neighbor, left side, called me over and explained that my rain gutters dumping water from 20ft is a bit of a problem. They really do gush water pretty good. His bedroom is right next to my driveway and they sleep with the window open. We have had massive storms blowing through around 4am and he says it's louder than Niagra Falls. It also washes my dirt away. I put a temp down pipe on with duct tape. I can't attach to the house yet. More severe storms called for on the weekend. The GP Motorcycle race at Sachsen Ring this weekend might get washed out. My buddy Mick is going and I bet he is sick when he gets back. Here are a few pic's, dorf dude...
I finished planting the hedge today. I also finished tightening up the fence. I set the drain pipe in the wall with spray foam. I shot it with alot to make shure it stuck. The nice thing about foam is you can just trim the excess. Yesterday I got to pick up my dog Lucky and had him run around and pee on everything. He has marked it as his place. Here are a couple pics, dorf dude...
Dorf Dude, wow, now you have lucky!! When , or how often do you get him? Make sure he stays off of that busy road, and I hope you 2 'rebond' strongly...he will know..just all the 'transitions' ..he.. has been through!! In your ..'self portrait' you look as muscular as .."the Great Houdini",...hopefully...you will make..time..dissappear!! Can you 'smell' the finish yet? The rain will pass and you will be in 'more' heat as the season progresses, since we are on a similar Latitude! Cheers
Syd
I got the kitchen drain pipe in. I started to level out the floor. Matt showed up and he helped set the windows in. Actually he set them and I secured the locking pin. They were too heavy for me alone. They sure knock out the street noise! Well worth the $$. I will finish leveling the floor to get ready for the big pour. Here are a few pic's, dorf dude...
I've been bust the last couple days. I tried to clean up around the bushes and got eaten up by little black flies. I also discovered a wasp nest in the ground in the back. I tried burning a fire on top but they had other exits. I tried gas soaked rags under buckets covering a larger area. Still have them. I guess spray is next. I received about 2 yards of stones yesterday for my floor. It took about 4 hours but I got it moved and spread. Tonight we got it compacted. I am completely exhausted! Here are a couple pics, dorf dude...
I hope you survived your sunburn. The manditory Sunday tradition is understood since my wife could never do laundry and hang it out to dry on a Sunday. - That was in both PA and a small town in MI.
I admire your planning, approach, quality consciousness and dedication. Apparently, the German ethnic is having an effect and is a welcome site to see something different than the typical construction that I see/inspect frequently. - Many times I wished I was a German instead of a Luxembourger that has ancestors that were born on the west side of the Mosel River. At least they were wine makers.
I was hoping to get tickets for the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix and use up some free miles, so I could get near your project. Unfortunately, the $250 tickets are not even available to the politicians. I will have to start watching it at 6:00 AM. I will have to follow the internet instead of actually seeing your project. - It looks great and you are coming down the to the eventual completion. At least you will be able to "camp out" in your new home.
How many trips to get the rock into the house? At least you don't have to pour a second floor.
Shu, if you don't have water restrictions, find the main hole, cover it and put a garden hose under one side and weigh it down with a rock, and let her rip! Eventually it will drown whatever is down there. Had the same problem here, but i lit the rags on fire over the hole, then did the water trick,...gone. 37C here today so stopped building my sundeck until it gets a little cooler in the late PM.
Cheers
SQUID :thumbsup::thumbsup:
Hey, looking good! Moving right along. Remember to wrap the plumbing pipes with foam before you pour. And use some expansion joint material at the existing concrete. Do they use plastic under the slabs over there? Be safe, G
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