August 22nd - Rain Delay

Joe and I have gone down to my lumber yard and we have uncovered several bundles of lumber underneath the tarps. By using a long pipe we are able to pry and flip two bundles of lumber over the side of the stack without having to unload them by hand. Under the 2 bundles is the bundle of (12) 9’ 8” x 8” posts we need. We cut the bands and then unload them by hand into the back of Joe’s pickup. It will take us two loads as these and the solid oak beams from another stack are unbelievably heavy. We have to move a bundle of banded porch posts off another stack to get at 3 long 8” x10”s we need for beams in conjunction with the posts.

Greenbay and Double D help us unload the beams from the truck and up onto the floor. It’s decided we had better order a motorized material handler, which is a 4WD extendable construction forklift to save all of our backs.

Greenbay and I begin cutting our first post and at noon it begins to rain and it looks like it will set in all day. Greenbay and Double D head for home as the weather is socked in. I head down to the “lumber yard” to grab the two large cast iron old furnace grates I’ve brought with me from Iowa. I’ve had them in storage for at least 10 years. I haul these grates and all the iron beams I’ve had up at the house to Fabian’s shop.

Dylan will help me assemble all the components for the iron landing we have to construct over the south patio. I’ve also picked up a unique old heavy screw jack with a screw that is nearly 2” in diameter. I got this from my friend Jim in Iowa several years ago and have been told it is a an old horse drawn wagon screw jack. For the next 5 hours I tackle disassembling the jack which is partially made from wood and old wrought iron hand-forged bolts. The bolts have been in place for more than 100 years and I’ve had to use a number of different size punches to remove the bolts. In doing so the threaded ends are damaged and I will have to grind the ends of the bolts and re-thread them.

Once I have the wooden components apart I have to mate a long 8” x 9” post onto the bottom of the jack and in doing so, make it look like it was always that way. I have had to hollow out the center end of the beam using a drill and chisels and then cut a center tongue on the end of the post and then carefully cut and mate it to the bottom side of the jack. It takes me most of the day to complete the tedious process. It has to look good as it will become the main support post in the kitchen, supporting a good part of the 2nd floor and roof system.

technorati tags:Rico, Colorado, hand+hewn+cabin