Six inches left to go… either one or two courses depending on which rocks I choose to use. Jeffrey Many came by to replace the window inserts and make some adjustments to the shed garage door, which was hitting the cable wheels when it was opened manually and was bindin’ somethin’ awful when it tried to close electrically. Even after all Jeff’s machinations, the top west corner still is hitting the cable wheel when the door is opened manually, but does now close properly when you push the magic button. Latest word is that Genie no longer is making the single button remotes that I ordered, though the search is on to see if some distributor has a couple in stock. More to follow…
Another day, another course laid and mortared, though not without considerable frustration… seemed like every rock I touched promptly fell off the wall. Not a good day when you run out of expletives and have to start repeating yourself. Also found out that the rubber gloves used for dishwashing really aren’t rugged enough for washing rocks. But when the temperature is slightly above freezing, having dry hands was nice… for awhile. On a positive note, the auxiliary storage area floor came out reasonably level, in spite of it having been troweled flat purely by eye. Guess that must mean that I’m a (wait for it) level headed guy.
Laid and mortared another course of the between-column rock walls in the three incomplete sections. Mixed up a batch of concrete and poured the floor for the auxiliary storage area. We’ll find out later just how level the floor is… Started moving odds and ends into the shed upper level for winter storage. Cleaned up the mess I made the other day with Mr. Jonsered on the path down to the lake.
Installed the door handle and deadbolt lock on the shed people door. Liam Powers came by to exchange one of the florescent light diffusers (cracked on receipt) and regaled me with the tale of why it has taken nearly six months to get an intact replacement. Finished the course of between-column walls that I’ve been working on since forever. Only five more courses to go and those three sections will be done. Built the form into which I will pour concrete for the auxiliary storage area floor. Started raining just as I finished work for the day.
Stayed up well past midnight reading Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon. Consequently, energy level today was kinda droopin’. Trimmed the rocks already dry laid in the three sections of between-columns rock walls that are still abuilding, then mortared them into place. Put the final top coat of paint on the south wall vertical trim and the people door. Took chainsaw in hand and cleared branches and trees that were impinging on the path down to the water.
Assembled the shed ramp and lag bolted it into place. Should be strong enough: my calculations show that it will support better than 1,600 pounds. Top surface still needs a couple of color coats (gray) with nonskid (sand sprinkled onto the still wet first coat, then, once dry, covered with a second coat). Nailed up the two corner trim pieces on the south wall. Applied one color coat to the corner trim and the people door, which didn’t dry before quitting time due to the cold, moist, cloudy, typical Vermont fall day. Lots of Canada geese overhead all day, headed south.
A totally cold, wet, nasty, miserable, rainy day, perfect for curling up in bed with a good novel. I should be so lucky! Put together the two south wall corner trim pieces, then applied a second coat of primer… which didn’t dry due to the cold, wet, nasty, miserable, rainy day. Also put a coat of primer on the ¾″ Advantech that will become the top surface of the ramp. It, too, didn’t dry because of the… Sealed up the large opening to the left of the people door with odd pieces of ⅝” Advantech, scrap from the roof construction. Took an hour to put together that covering, which will come out in the spring by removing just six screws. Discovered that the inside of the auxiliary storage area was nice and warm, dry, and completely sheltered from the wind. So spent a productive hour smoothing up some crappy concrete work with hand sledge and chisel.
