German House Rebuild

concretemasonry · 12-16-2009, 05:16 PM

Dorf Dude -

The holidays definitely have an effect.

This is a little off the wall, but consider an early Holiday Open House and invite the neighbors, Campbell, the "electric gal" and the "heating dude" with some sausage and bier and a snack or two. It helps to cut the official strings, but do not make it too WARM or nice so they have to realize you have a project under construction. And definitely do NOT tighten up the front door. I would not go as far as having an open fire pit using wood for fuel and effect. - the social aspects could speed up the process by a couple of days or weeks and make things happen sooner. I am just a few thousand miles away, so I do not appreciate or understand the day-to-day problems, but do have a feel for the holiday problems, but have seem what works in many areas, especially if you are in a small village within a regimented system.

The other Schu

shumakerscott · 12-17-2009, 03:27 PM

I'm calling a stop to heating with propane. Winter wins

. I will box in my water line and heat it with a light bulb. The rest of the house will be unheated. I am waiting until next year then my firms can get their acts together and work for me. I will try and keep cleaning beams in the mean time without heat or very little. This is a difficult time of year to build. I promise some new pics this weekend. I have made progress. dorf dude...

shumakerscott · 12-18-2009, 03:25 PM

It has gotten colder yet, -12C or 10F. I bought an extra bottle of propane just in case yesterday. I'm going to need it. Next week it is supposed to warm up to about 34F. Then I will turn it off. Mat came by this evening and helped me with getting some beams cut and placed. Moving along and pics will follow this weekend. Sure looks different now. dorf dude...

Scuba_Dave · 12-18-2009, 03:36 PM

Yeah, I've stopped work on the house too
Luckily the main part of the house is closed in & heated
But the addition is down to 20f degrees....7f at nite
Too cold to work

shumakerscott · 12-19-2009, 11:52 PM

Here are some pic's as promised. It has gotten even colder -17C or 2F. I shut off the propane heater. It was costing $15 a day and the moisture build up was getting out of hand. I built a box around my water main and put a light inside to keep it from freezing. It is supposed to warm up in about a week to above freezing. Until then I am in a holding pattern. It will too cold to be constructive. dorf dude...

shumakerscott · 12-19-2009, 11:57 PM

I sure wish I had my mud room on the front right now. The draft from the old door is pretty bad. dorf dude...

gma2rjc · 12-20-2009, 02:53 AM

The beams are beautiful.

Look at all the progress you've made since this time last year. You're doing great.

Have a very Merry Christmas Dorf Dude!

shumakerscott · 12-20-2009, 04:25 PM

Thanks for the support. I wish you and yours....... dorf dude...

Lali · 12-21-2009, 05:05 AM

Well, dorf dude, I gotta say: This is Ah-May-ZZING!!! Congratulate yourself on an incredible accomplishment.

Photos, additional history & descriptive progress are all fantastic! Feel proud for attempting something that the majority of the population would't even have the slightest inkling where to begin or would even consider undertaking this monstrous project that you have performed masterfully.

Thank you for sharing your remarkable journey with the world. You deserve an award. You have already been blessed many times over; I will still pray for financial abundance to come your way (and for you to get your heat sooner than later!) Merry Christmas & God bless!

shumakerscott · 12-21-2009, 04:24 PM

Thanks for the support. I will get this thing done. Things just are not working out at this time. It might be for the best that I take a break right now. My apartment is a complete mess because I have been consumed with the house. Maybe a regroup and settle down is needed. Again thanks and keep tuned in, things will get going again in the future, dorf dude...

scoggy · 12-23-2009, 07:38 PM

Shu, Dorf Dude, whatever you like,...if you could stand on a place where you started this project, and look over it, where you are now..you would get a nose bleed because the 'hill of accomplishment' would be that high! You can be the "architect of your own destruction".. or catch a second wind, exhale,..and go again...every one needs 'time out', you are not alone in this, 'we' are your fans, and 'we' understand what you can and can't do, with all kinds of 'restrictions'! Kick back for this brief holiday season, ..calculate what you have done, what you have,..then Taurus that you are..'charge on'! Merry Xmas..and may the Force be with you!
SQUID

:thum bsup:

shumakerscott · 12-31-2009, 11:01 AM

I had to get back at it. The weather has warmed up so I couldn't just sit around. I cast the top of the ugly wall too high. I took the beams that rested on top down and ripped the excess with my circular hand saw. Not perfect but they are good to go and I also anchored them. No twisting in the future. I have been 1 beam short in the bedroom. After weeks of asking around with no luck I decided to splice 2 together. I hated to use one of my beams for this but no choice. Here are some words of wisdom, "Don't forget to add the length of the splice to the overall length" I found out the dumb way. I knew this but today I forgot. I used the circular saw for the first cuts and then hand sawed the rest. I will power plane and sand the splice so it is even. A little sawdust and glue in the cracks to hide the gaps. Gorilla Glue and screws should work out just fine. I will just grind off the excess of the screws sticking out. Here are a few pic's and as we say here "Ein Gutten Rutsch" A good slide into the New Year, dorf dude...

cocobolo · 12-31-2009, 10:28 PM

Happy New Year Shu!

Keith

cocobolo · 12-31-2009, 10:43 PM

Shu: just had a thought about your beam splice. I can't remember the name of the hardware, but they make a nasty looking steel ring thing with spikes sticking out which you put between the mating surfaces. It really locks the two halves in place. It must be 25 years since I used one.

shumakerscott · 01-01-2010, 01:47 AM

The screws I used are pretty wicked. They are 8" long, torx 40 self tapping with some special threads half way up the shank, counter sink type head. I was looking for an image online but couldn't find the exact type. I used a total of 6 to join the 2 beams. The one pic only shows 5 but I added one more. It won''t be coming apart anytime soon. I will post pics when I blend the splice and get it in place. dorf dude...