The Homestead
Ok so a couple of weeks ago we went out to finish the Coop. It was roof, door, pipe and then we were set for the year! But following in the fine tradition of Sound Transit and the DOT's semi-decadal attempts to "straighten" the Renton S-curves it was not to be. The roof went together pretty easily...
So where are the "L" brackets to secure it? Brackets? We don't need no stinkin' brackets. Alas the brackets were sitting on the table at home. So I did a couple of futile attempts to change horses mid-stream and then said "eh next time." We did get the toilet drum filled with peat and a scoop of super composting enzymes to get ready for when we return.
And return we did with vim and vigor and a cool dozen brackets. 1st on the list - a door. (The roof survived the 10th rainiest July ever with only a couple of toe nailed braces so door was a higher priority - guests were coming.)
The door went on quickly which left me enough time to secure down the roof supports so that is tight as well. That just left finishing the front wall and thanks to my too clever by half planning we had enough leftover Hardi-panel to do a little shingling...
and tada! The coop is (97%) done! Private, sturdy, clean, no smell, weather resistant, bug resistant...not so much, all that's left is a little screen stapling and a quick cut in the polycarb roof for the stack (right now it ends like a foot below the roof so it's venting fine.)
So phase one is done and next up will be the platform for the wall tent. In theory it's a lot easier: less cutting but more nailing and must must must be level and square so we have new challenges to conquer.
And I must give a big shout out to my co-worker Coral! Not "helping" and not "assisting" but doing tons of the work herself; especially like 90% of the sawing during the framing part and driving nails through some of the toughest knots in those 2x4s. Strangely I can't find a photo of her to post... :-D
So where are the "L" brackets to secure it? Brackets? We don't need no stinkin' brackets. Alas the brackets were sitting on the table at home. So I did a couple of futile attempts to change horses mid-stream and then said "eh next time." We did get the toilet drum filled with peat and a scoop of super composting enzymes to get ready for when we return.
And return we did with vim and vigor and a cool dozen brackets. 1st on the list - a door. (The roof survived the 10th rainiest July ever with only a couple of toe nailed braces so door was a higher priority - guests were coming.)
The door went on quickly which left me enough time to secure down the roof supports so that is tight as well. That just left finishing the front wall and thanks to my too clever by half planning we had enough leftover Hardi-panel to do a little shingling...
and tada! The coop is (97%) done! Private, sturdy, clean, no smell, weather resistant, bug resistant...not so much, all that's left is a little screen stapling and a quick cut in the polycarb roof for the stack (right now it ends like a foot below the roof so it's venting fine.)
So phase one is done and next up will be the platform for the wall tent. In theory it's a lot easier: less cutting but more nailing and must must must be level and square so we have new challenges to conquer.
And I must give a big shout out to my co-worker Coral! Not "helping" and not "assisting" but doing tons of the work herself; especially like 90% of the sawing during the framing part and driving nails through some of the toughest knots in those 2x4s. Strangely I can't find a photo of her to post... :-D
