Gulf Island Building.

cocobolo · 03-19-2010, 11:39 PM

Same guys only from the top. Yes, I know, it's dark again. Sorry about that.

cocobolo · 03-21-2010, 06:47 PM

Kinda got waylaid doing other stuff. Started to sort out the underpinnings for where the tub will go. It needed to be shifted over from the original location - which had nicely poured reinforced concrete footings.

There was another of my all time favourite arbutus roots in the way. Took all morning to get it out and down to the bonfire. What a hassle.

cocobolo · 03-21-2010, 06:54 PM

Out of the original 3 poured footings, two will be used to support the tub. It's overkill, I know. The third one, which is narrow concrete blocks laid on their side, is on the far side. This gained me about a net of 10" of room between the tub and stairs.

The hole where the root came out was filled with dirt about 4 or 5 inches, then tamped hard. Then a layer of rock, again tamped hard. More dirt, more rock, more tamping.

I broke the handle off the tamper. I note that whoever cut the slit for the wedge cut it 90º away from where it should have been. After drilling out the old wood - well, actually, it's quite new, only had it a short while - I cut a slit in the handle with the grain, instead of across it. Then pounded the handle back in as hard as I could. Seems to be OK now.

cocobolo · 03-22-2010, 11:04 PM

Beyootiful day out here today!

Got the cribbing started yesterday and finished this morning. The top layer needs to be cut into a circle which will just fit inside the bottom of the hot tub from below.

I used a piece of wood as a trammel to draw the cut line.

cocobolo · 03-22-2010, 11:05 PM

And here it is nicely cut out using the jigsaw.

cocobolo · 03-22-2010, 11:11 PM

I had just coated the wood with preservative in that last pic, so that's why it looks a little dark.

Note that there is a nail way offset a long way from centre. I'm using another long trammel board, 9' 3" this time, to locate the deck blocks which will carry the back of the deck framing.

This will make the deck very asymmetrical, just to be different if nothing else.

Here the trammel board is resting on the last deck block.

cocobolo · 03-22-2010, 11:14 PM

The difference in the width of the deck as it goes around the back of the tub will be more obvious when it's in. But on this side, the deck is only about 5' wide.

cocobolo · 03-22-2010, 11:17 PM

After supper tonight I chainsawed up some 6 x 6's which will be the inner supports for the rear deck framing.

Yes, I know they look like a bunch of drunks, but they haven't been trimmed yet. Hopefully, they will be a little more upright when I'm done.

cocobolo · 04-13-2010, 12:20 AM

Those big, heavy 6 x 6's have been abandoned in favour of some cedar 4 x 4's. We won't get to see those until after the tub is together. So here goes.

This is the tub base just cut out. I have put slots for biscuits in between the boards. It isn't for any extra strength as such, because the boards are very strong. It is just to keep the boards nicely lined up while the staves are being installed.

cocobolo · 04-13-2010, 12:21 AM

Back outside now, the cribbing has all been covered with 15lb. roofing felt.

cocobolo · 04-13-2010, 12:23 AM

Here the base is being assembled in place.

I tipped the one board up so you can see the biscuits used for guidance.

cocobolo · 04-13-2010, 12:24 AM

And here we are with the base done.

cocobolo · 04-13-2010, 12:28 AM

The next thing that needs to be done is to put a chamfer around the edge of the base. The purpose of this is to have the staves exert quite a bit of pressure on the base as they are brought home tightly with the hoops.

This is the japanese marking gauge I use for such things. It has a knife edge, rather than a point, which leaves a nice crisp line.

cocobolo · 04-13-2010, 12:29 AM

You will also need a line marked on the outside edge of the base, so that when you start planing the edge down you have some idea where to stop.

cocobolo · 04-13-2010, 12:33 AM

I use a low angle block plane to chamfer the base. It's pretty important to take a few minutes and make sure the blade in your plane is really sharp for this job.

I use the water stones, and usually it is possible to get the edge of the blade very shiny. I tried to get a pic of this, but it didn't come out that well. But you can see that the blade is not dull, as they are when they come from the factory.