REAL MAN TRUCKWORKS & SURVIVAL
TOOLS, CONSTRUCTION, ALTERNATIVE ENERGY => What are you building? => Topic started by: Flyin6 on June 15, 2019, 11:45:34 AM
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So, yea, even with bringing in the Suburban to a finish, albeit, not a complete win, I have had my two pre-Rangers out of school. And we all know that idle hands with loads of time is not fertile ground for good things to grow.
Therefore I decided to keep them busy.
Our home was a custom built thing that she moved into in March of 2007. It is a bit large and was pretty expensive and boasts lots of custom features, but it also served as a place to finish out three girls and raise two boys from some tender pre-school days. What that means is that it has suffered a bunch of abuse! Add to that, a tornado went right through my front lawn and hit my house taking out a good third of my landscaping and a bunch of trim on the exterior. It was not a big one or the damage would have been much worse.
I didn't even get to live in the thing for the initial few years. My "Work" kept me abroad for many years where I only got to visit the family and home a few weeks a year. Most of the folks who are regulars here know all about that, sort of.
Well the bottom line, considering with the ravages of time constantly at work, My working on our farm (Not here), building SquareD, the suburban, my truck, constantly fixing broken John Deere tractors, the place needs some TLC. So the boys and I got together and began what we call the "Zero to Hero" project. We are giving ourselves from March when we started until Christmas to take the place from, "in need of repair, somewhat faded and run down, and wanting for a makeover," to something besting its original glory.
Our advantages are we now have grown up a little and can actually work. The trees that survived the twister are now mature and 25-30 feet tall. The back lot is all cleared, in grass and looking nice. We have beaucoup equipment to use and we have a rough idea of what to do.
I wasn't taking pics like I do with car projects, but I can list what we have done so far.
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So starting at ground zero, we:
raked the flower/shrub beds
pulled weeds, did some trimming and hauled off clutter
Cut in the flower beds
Cut in the driveway
Cut in the sidewalk (Its long)
Mulched with 10 yards of black triple shredded mulch. (lost a John deere tractor in that)
Cleared out mom's garage
Burned a huge amount of debris from shrubs and splitting wood for the stove
Sealed the water boiler fluid transfer lines thermal cover with foam
Pressure washed the deck
Pressure washed the screened porch/deck thing
Sealed the deck with Olympic water proofing (The deck is trex composite decking)
Painted the garage and ornamental outdoor lighting
Repaired the electric (useless) dog fence
Cleaned off the concrete pad below the deck
Pressure washed the concrete pad
Pressure washed the concrete pad where the boiler is located
Sealed the concrete water boiler pad
Consolidated the scrap metal (BIG PILE! YIKES!!)
Trimmed some larger trees
Painted the shutters hunter green
Painted the french doors from the screened porch to the kitchen
Pressure washed both outside heat pump units
Planted grass into bald spots
Spent a lot of time chasing after our dog which gets out of the yard daily
Painted some large flower pots
Built and installed a privacy water hose and stuff 4 X 6 enclosure for the driveway area near the garages
Sealed and brightened the floor in the screened in deck
Cleaned out the storage/workout room
Installed pine bark nuggets around conifers in year
Planted an area with Hostas
Divided and planted some bulb perennials
Dropped several large dead/dying trees
trimmed dead thatch out of trees/shrubs
There is more, but I think you get the idea. This is a little like eating an elephant one bite at a time, but on it goes.
Updates and pics as we move forward
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I'm going to have to take a nap after reading that.
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Just woke up. It was nice
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Great to have assistants of that age group - keep 'em busy and outta trouble!
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Great to have assistants of that age group - keep 'em busy and outta trouble!
Rog!
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Painted shutters
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But this Jap Maple is getting a bit too big for its britches. I am thinking I take about the top five feet out of it and round it up some.
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All the various exterior lights got a fresh coat of semi gloss black. I seem to have gotten some overspray happening, but a quick blast from the pressure washer and that business will be A-OK
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Had a bunch of Cedar dried which I was going to turn into several Adirondack chairs, but I did this instead. Simple privacy wall with door to hide the water hose and other things.
Wife did not like it. Said it does not go with the house and looks hillbilly. I disagree and that is the end of that discussion, Next?
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Working under the deck now. Have loaded a good 2 tons of scrap steel to haul off to the scrapper. Deal is thirds for each of us. Following that. I plan to restack up the retaining wall that the Kat knocked over with the zero turn (Last time she ever drove it) and wall up the area beneath the porch for a storage area for the mower and a place to stackin a bunch of timber to dry and later use in the shop to build things
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Added to the list in (green):
raked the flower/shrub beds
pulled weeds, did some trimming and hauled off clutter
Cut in the flower beds
Cut in the driveway
Cut in the sidewalk (Its long)
Mulched with 10 yards of black triple shredded mulch. (lost a John deere tractor in that)
Cleared out mom's garage
Burned a huge amount of debris from shrubs and splitting wood for the stove
Sealed the water boiler fluid transfer lines thermal cover with foam
Pressure washed the deck
Pressure washed the screened porch/deck thing
Sealed the deck with Olympic water proofing (The deck is trex composite decking)
Painted the garage and ornamental outdoor lighting
Repaired the electric (useless) dog fence
Cleaned off the concrete pad below the deck
Pressure washed the concrete pad
Pressure washed the concrete pad where the boiler is located
Sealed the concrete water boiler pad
Consolidated the scrap metal (BIG PILE! YIKES!!)
Trimmed some larger trees
Painted the shutters hunter green
Painted the french doors from the screened porch to the kitchen
Pressure washed both outside heat pump units
Planted grass into bald spots
Spent a lot of time chasing after our dog which gets out of the yard daily
Painted some large flower pots
Built and installed a privacy water hose and stuff 4 X 6 enclosure for the driveway area near the garages
Sealed and brightened the floor in the screened in deck
Cleaned out the storage/workout room
Installed pine bark nuggets around conifers in year
Planted an area with Hostas
Divided and planted some bulb perennials
Dropped several large dead/dying trees
trimmed dead thatch out of trees/shrubs
Trimmed out front shrubbery
Repaired deck/patio furniture (Webbing had failed)
Gathered all scrap metal and loaded to remove
Planted about 100 flower bulbs
More painting on patio
Cleaned all gutters, like as in lots and lots in high and scary places
Built some climbing flower things from cedar
Potted and planted three Clamantis flowers
Pressure washed outdoors furniture a second time
Cleaned out woodshop
Replaced burned out light bulbs...Some bad ones still remain
Pressure-washed a big, "Trump Pence 2020" sign into the driveway ;-))))
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Pics of the last one or it didnt happen....lol
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Pics of the last one or it didn't happen....lol
It happened!
Love it that ma boyz have this in their spirit
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Fear of heights resistance training and gutter cleaning. Now about 75% complete
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Flowers growing like someone put a turbo on the root systems
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Today tree and shrub trimming, again.
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Well over a hundred bulbs planted in this bed alone. The area immediately adjacent to this will be where I plan to drop in a Gazebo, and a hammock and a fire pit for summer/autumn family gatherings
The sticks indicate COM of different species clumps
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Still has the rest of the driveway to wash, then I'll seal it. Most beds are now mulched, and dead stuff pulled out. I'm a bit short on shrubbery thanks to the tornado
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Scrap steel ready to take a little trip
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These boxwoods grow pretty fast. Gave them a serious haircut
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More around the front along with the birch trees, weeping cherry, barberry and who knows what
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Did you get you a new side by side to replace the tac-gator?
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Thinking I spy some sq d and tac topper remnants on that load..... :popcorn:
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Pre-Ranger number small finally got the doors painted. Then he pulled most of the paint off the silicone while pulling off the tape
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Thinking I spy some sq d and tac topper remnants on that load..... :popcorn:
Stay with Ken, I'll drive out and dump this stuff on your yard! ;-))
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We cleaned all the patio furniture again, and I placed some OSB beneath the cushions to shore up the cushions because the webbing had failed
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Got the Clamantis in on the cedar things
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This bed is next, but I think I'll just let the volunteer climbing Ivy, climb away. I planned to put some on the front of my office and on the stone around the entrance. Over the years should make for a very interesting entrance
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Actually, this bed is next. We decluttered it enough to figure out which plant was which. Plan it to take the failed retaining wall bawn to nothing and start over with a two tiered wall and after digging the slope out of the earth beneath the porch so I can backfill with gravel and create a shed/storage space by walling off the open area.
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All of the underground heat transfer piping is now completely sealed and encased by insulation. When the dirt comes up to near full height, a lot of this will be buried
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This area is going to become a small mountain of split firewood sitting on a bed of cedar chips I have created from planning the rough cut cedar into planks in the shop. I can only imagine I'll have 10-50 cords of wood in there before October.
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So you still planning on putting this place up for sale or staying for a bit yet?
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So you still planning on putting this place up for sale or staying for a bit yet?
He’s got to be planning on staying for A while. Ain’t no sane person that goes to this length in order to help sell the house in a year. Plus, the two rangers still have some years until graduate high school, no?
Edit: right this is Don, so he’s probably aiming for next year sell and move? Keeps a man spry moving every few years, no?
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Did you get you a new side by side to replace the tac-gator?
:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
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Oh snap. Needs better camo!
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Did you get you a new side by side to replace the tac-gator?
:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
Son in laws. They are leaving it here so senior pre-ranger can practice driving. He isn't gettin' any lessons in C-Max or Ravin8!
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Probably Duane's, mr eagle eye.
edit: guess I should've waited to read the above post^^^ oops
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Sell? Its a great question, and tell you why.
OK, so I can pay off the place and live here until I assume a lower fighting position, but what then.
Assuming we keep it nice and live here, well it would be a great gather ing place for our largish family, and that's good. But the taxes are over $6K annually. The insurance approaches 3K annually. So 9K/12=$750 a month. On top of that the electric bill and water easily goes another $300. So the question is could any of the three girls who live locally afford $1000 a month to keep it, after having bought their siblings shares off?
Clearly, no. They are plumbers, teachers, fire fighters, cooks, property managers and house moms. None of that suggests any kind of income anywhere in the future, so I would think they would have to sell it shortly after the last of us passes.
But should I sell this, perhaps add a coming windfall to it and possibly even sell my farm. we could move one county or two south, buy 100 acres and build a reasonable cap cod around 2200 sq/ft on a full basement, put up a 60 X 60 barn/shop and have no mortgage.
The taxes down there on that place would hardly be $2K a year, and probably half that. The whole farm would be paid for the first day I laid my head to rest there, so that plan is doable and one that I am considering.
Another plan has me giving the pre-rangers the farm, equal parts, then the girls get the house here. They could sell it and pocket a couple hundred grand each and use that wisely (I hope) to benefit their own families.
In the meantime, we have a certain social position that makes ownership of this house, fitting. So I don't know what the heck I'll do, but know this, I will never live in a big or small house in a neighborhood again. This Equestrian development is big, as in all big lots ranging from 2.5 acres to over 20 on the back side. All the homes I see you folks building would look a lot better if not sitting 20 feet away from the next castle. Here at least they have to be 200 feet apart so you aren't all squished into a sardine can. But just being able to see my neighbor is a bit too close. I'd say neighbors need to be just outside of 7.62 max range to remain friendly.
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Today, we hauled off all the scrap steel, right at a ton. That netted the boys $75 which they divided. They put one leather loveseat into my office and a leather couch in the basement. We had the whole house measured for replacement carpet which will come in short of $9,000 I think and had the first of our custom built furniture delivered...Pics coming of that, but have a couple hours of paint brush time remaining, so back at it for now
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Did you get you a new side by side to replace the tac-gator?
:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
Son in laws. They are leaving it here so senior pre-ranger can practice driving. He isn't gettin' any lessons in C-Max or Ravin8!
what make, model, etc is it?
do some of need to come east and give that young man proper instruction on how to safely operate a motor vehicle?
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Did you get you a new side by side to replace the tac-gator?
:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
Son in laws. They are leaving it here so senior pre-ranger can practice driving. He isn't gettin' any lessons in C-Max or Ravin8!
what make, model, etc is it?
do some of need to come east and give that young man proper instruction on how to safely operate a motor vehicle?
His sisters have this, Nate...Or so I am told.
I thought I'd give it to them to build into their relationships and all that. You could never dismiss the fact that they were the ones who taught him this all important how to drive thing.
Some day I will be gone and all they will have is each other. Therefore I constantly fertilize that ground to make their roots strong.
As for the sXs...chinese junk, who knows who made it...who cares!
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Piece of custom furniture we had built for us. The factory will cover the piece in whatever color leather you want. Kat's pick is this.
Its a Bernhardt piece. Really upscale. Since we are moving out of the little kid livin' here phase and into one of celebrating upcoming empty nestin' and follow on invasion of the next crop of kiddies, we are remodeling and upgrading to what this house should have in it.
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Assembly complete
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Two coats of a warmer brown color, gel stain, on the front door. Trim is not painted yet...
Thinking about leaving the door looking like this. I like the bleed through of the darker earlier color and wear marks on the high points. Adds some timelessness and depth to it
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And working on this area. Pressure washed and about to paint the furniture. I am thinking of using the same brown as the door and perhaps trimming some details in the hunter green on the shutters. I'll likely seal the crete, maybe even add a splash of color so that all youse girly men will feel more at home should you visit ;-)
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Door looks really good as it is I’d agree.
Carry it like you said into the furniture.
One giant cleanup going on at the casa.
You’re neighbors will be thinking you’re leaving. :evil:
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I’d stay away from more of that green color. Yuck
As for the interior color floor. I like that!!
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I’d stay away from more of that green color. Yuck
As for the interior color floor. I like that!!
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Thinking HH6 picked interior and Boss man picked exterior....
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I’d stay away from more of that green color. Yuck
As for the interior color floor. I like that!!
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Black Walnut harvested locally. A company restored the Taft theater, the local Broadway place. I picked up the pile of remnants and had them drop it in here. The floor would have been $18K+ but they did it for us for something over $3K
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I’d stay away from more of that green color. Yuck
As for the interior color floor. I like that!!
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Thinking HH6 picked interior and Boss man picked exterior....
She did the whole thing. I was doing the sling-wing-thing in Afghanistan for the year(s) it took to build this monstrosity.
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And it looks like she did a darn good job of picking it out. Absolutely a beautiful home.
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Don what brand of stain was that?
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Don what brand of stain was that?
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Valspar
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So on to another project. This time I tore out the old retaining wall which was improperly constructed and was toppling over. Additionally the area beneath the screened porch was a catchall for junk and had a muddy/dirty surface with a lot of slope.
My plan is to wall that area in and turn it into a storage shed and level it all up. We will restack the retaining wall, of course in a mo-betterer fashion.
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The little Deere is about useless as a mover. Even though it was just repaired, after one cut down at the farm, the pulley fell apart again. Maybe the thing can move a little dirt...
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These mud filled blocks were HE-AVY!
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Had to do some hand digging too. That deere is such a piece of junk! With the bucket full, there is not enough hydraulic power to have any power steering at all. I shouldn't have to pay for this piece of crap!
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Oh, and I will be adding an oil burner to the wood boiler for this coming winter. With all myequipment, I accumulate quote the stockpile of the gooey stuff.
It's completely full, but I'll roll it onto the gravel once its graded and bury the oil line up to the boiler, along with another electrical conduit for future growth and another water line for who knows what.
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So with the area somewhat leveled with the shovel and fine tuned with a bed of dense-grade gravel I set the first block.
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Then over the next few sweat soaked hours stacked up a whole bunch more
Add retaining wall building to my list of things I don't ever have to do again in my life!
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That thing measured out pretty level until I had to hop over the ridges of blocks when i was adding in the curves. There was a 3/7" lip I had to jump over and while backfilling with the gravel and setting the next block into a bed of the stuff, it is impossible to get them level and match up at the same height as the previous block.
And as for the exposed base. You are looking at the wall without a bed of 4"-6" locking it in place. I'll add in a step at the base of the PT timbers and level the gravel with that which should nearly bury the first course of blocks. There is definitely no wiggle at all, as everything is filled with dense grade gravel which I compressed with a hammer.
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I tried to bring in several progressively tighter curved wall sections as the slope closed in tighter to the walkway
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So that buried most of the water boiler piping and conduit PVC. I added in some drain convoluted tubing and connected it to the downspout...
I may change that some to collect rain water...
I leveled up the beds to created a tiered effect
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More work to do, but it's almost ready for plants and mulch
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Oh, and it gets cap blocks to finish off the tops of the blocks.
The tractor was just a mess. With a load of gravel on the front axle, the power steering simply didn't work.
Add to that the transmission is slipping out of 4WD again. You may recall that J-Deere had a recall on the things for doing that. They say you need to put all sorts of weight on the rear. I say BULL CRAP, John Deere. Here's an idea. When you're designing the "World's best tractor, why not design it correctly. You know like a bit better than the indian and korean brands that cost half as much and do a better job.
I want to find a lemon law attorney and have deere refund me all my money and take this headache back.
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The gravel pit does not allow trailers any longer, only dump trucks
Read: WHHHAAAAATTTTTT???????
So I had to purchase the gravel at a landscaping place. one level bobcat bucket load for $29!
That's ridiculously expensive. That weight maybe 1800 lbs. Normal price is $16 per ton so it's way over priced, like twice as expensive. But with no local quarries now, this could prove to be a problem
The trailer had a load of 14,000 total weight, trailer and gravel, and pulled just great. Not worried about a bumper pull any more.
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Those climbing flowers I planted are growing like weeds!
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Hard to tell on your retaining wall, did you bury a plastic drain pipe inside wall at base to divert water away so water doesn’t come out under the wall eroding the foundation of said wall?
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Hard to tell on your retaining wall, did you bury a plastic drain pipe inside wall at base to divert water away so water doesn’t come out under the wall eroding the foundation of said wall?
There was a pipe already there, perforated convoluted that was buried in gravel. I cleaned around it, poured in fresh gravel and stacked on a leveled spot next to it