Not Quite Rockin'

Sheet-rockin', of course.

Another visit, another bunch of pictures.  I find the details of construction fascinating.  More so since I continue to believe that we will enjoy the result someday, even if not until sometime after the visit of the Easter Bunny.

I hope I'm not boring you.

"Welcome!" declares our snow-bound greeter.

Mud season has started.
The lawn may need some work if construction ever finishes.

What's the significance of this shot?
The truck on the right means that Andy, the heating guy, has braved the mud.
And is working!

The furious pace continues.
As you can see, insulation and the coat rack are already installed.

With the place sealed up and insulated, albeit without finished walls,
the ambiance was much better.

Which means we didn't freeze our asses this time.
Of course it was warmer outside, this being the end of March,
but the fireplace made the place warm enough
that windows needed to be opened to regulate the temperature.

Ceiling boxes and supports are in place for lights and fans.
I hope they are securely fastened!

Wiring in place for external sconces and plugs.

What decking material do you like?
I like the low-cost one that requires no maintenance for at least 25 years.

Progress, yes, 
but there is still plenty to do.

Mary measures to see that a washer and dryer will fit
in the small laundry space off the master bedroom.

Almost the wake-up view.
Maybe we'll remove the plastic film and labels.
But we don't want to be too hasty.

Dryer vent on left will be installed under the deck.
Soffit vent on right is for shower and bath exhaust.

"Enough.  Let's go next next door to see Pete and Mary.
They always share their food."

Knee wall for the island is in place,
all wired up for appliances.
The tamarack boards drying on the racks to the left
are for siding the entry way.

I see a power outlet and a speaker just below the higher beam.

In soccer, too many headers can give you brain damage.
I hope the same is not true for radiant heating.
Go, Andy, Go!

Paper mockup of where the heating unit
for the radiant heating will go.
Lots to think about regarding thermostats.
We'll want to make sure that we know if anything fails,
heating wise.

Tubes full of heated fluid will make for toasty toes.

Maybe all those wires will be powered up someday.

And it could also be that we'll have plumbing.

Loft and main floor awaiting drywall.
The guest cottage is looking much more like a place to stay.
In fact, Mary has strongly suggested that happens first,
so we can be sure to enjoy weekends during black-fly season.

The guest cottage panel awaiting breakers.
With the insulation in place, the wimpy little heater
actually makes a difference.

Outside not showing too much difference since last two visits.
Note the two flues atop the chimney chase.
A good sign.

Also a good sign is that it
doesn't look as if the snow will last 'til May,
as it sometimes does.

Unless we get another storm...

How To Doctor A Dock

First, you need a dock that needs doctoring.

What do you think?  Does my dock qualify?

Then you need some friends.  Quality friends.  Friends who not only have ambition and capability, but who are willing to use their fine qualities to help you out.  

Maybe that's the definition of "friends."

High quality and thirsty friends.

And if they're a little arrogant, it's no big deal.
It's a fine line between what is perceived as arrogance
and competent confidence.
I'll make no comment on lineage.

And tools.  You need tools.  Lots of them.  You can never have too many tools.

A small sampling of tools at the ready.

Tools are even more important if you use them.

And for doctoring docks, you also need specialty garments.

Gotta have waders.
Suspenders are not a bad idea either.

As evident from the initial dock photo, another key point in doctoring docks is that the water is low. The DEC (Department of Environmental Confusion) failed to close the dam on the advertised date, so the water level had not risen nearly to the MHWM (Mid-summer Happy Water Mark).  The spring runoff was pretty much over, and there had been no rain, so a semi-dry opportunity presented itself, even though we were in month #5.

The snow was almost gone.

With the planets properly aligned, it was time to commence work.

Hmmmm....
What to do...what to do?

Unassisted manual reconfiguration proved unsuccessful.

Perhaps a more-or-less level string for reference would help.

And a jack to take the weight off the posts
while you remake the supports.

Contrary to appearances, the design of the the dock is actually quite good for situations where the support posts will be moving due to shallow insertion depth.  In other words, it's a great design for a situation where shoddy work has been done to pound posts into the ground.

Steel pipes slip into the aluminum uprights.  Brackets welded to the top of the pipes are bolted to the dock.  In effect, the dock "floats" on top of the aluminum supports.  We just had to make a few "minor" modifications by shortening the supports.

The Dock Doc at work shortening a support.

Always good to have one of the crew who can fit into tight spaces.

Hope the jack is well situated.

Grinding off the unnecessarily high portion of the support.

Next one!
The added dynamic of water and muck made this much more fun.
If you stand in any one place for a time,
your feet get stuck in the muck.

I'm not sure that Cut Boy is enjoying the beautiful surroundings at this point.

He's looked at posts from both sides now.

Be sure to remove all debris from the water.
Don't want to make a casualty of an obvious observer.

Success in the shallows
means it's time to mess with the deeps.

Already looking much better.

"Better?  What are you talking about?
You've ruined my home."

A new challenge.
The upstream post is too short.

Crazy man with an electrically powered reciprocating saw
up to his waist in water.
He is not called "Cut Boy" for nothing.

And he also does finesse work with a hammer.

Do you think there is anything wrong with the closest post?

Using the jack, part 2.

Using the jack, part 2.5.

Some confusion here.
Perhaps we don't know jack.

More finesse, this time with a splitting maul.

Maybe the jack is better applied to the other side.

Yeah, this is better.

Then the jack fell of the the jury-rigged tree-trunk-support we had constructed.  For the fourth time.  After a sufficient amount of cussing and the required cooling off time, and after Mr. Homefries (unfortunately not pictured here) solved several previously insoluble physics problems, the jack went back into the water to perform its mission.

The jack is lag-screwed to board, and the board is screwed to trunk.
Disembodied arm and hand cling to dock.

All positioned more-or-less correctly,
the offending post was winched to a new position
and bolted in place.

A wonderful improvement it was, and it became even better the next day, when Plumb Bob (also unfortunately not pictured here) joined the crew, assisting with the search for a welder, and with corralling the rogue post in support of the dock.  

The repositioned dock became a sight to see.
"Behold, for that which was crooked is now straight,
and the unruly curves have been put asunder!"

Yes, this was another great weekend in the woods, working and carousing with friends.  Cue "Ya got to have friends," by either Bette Midler, or perhaps more appropriately, the Muppet version.

Chainsaw sharpening school.

How much wood would a wood splitter split...

Installing some naughty pine.

The Loonatics, May 2015

Good time had by all, and an incredible amount of work done, of which this account documents only a portion.  

Looking forward to doing it all again.