Nov 6th - Leaded Glass Windows

R. D. has opened up the crate that has been sitting for months and removed the first leaded glass windows from the crates. I remember months ago my neighbor Mark and I building the crates and then crating the windows in Iowa for the long journey to Colorado. At last they are ready to install and I am anxious to see how they look. First up is the octagon shaped window going in the 2nd floor bath. R. D. has to add the diagonal openings to the rough window opening before he can install the window into the opening. Soon it's up and it is amazing how much light the window refracts through the honey comb glass.

Bill and R.D. go to install the west loft windows which are made from old door transoms. One is emerald green glass and the opposite is ruby red glass. Originally they were installed horizontally above some exterior entrance doors from an old house in Richland, Iowa. Interesting how they originated in Richland and ended up in Rico (which means rich in Spanish).

Unfortunately, R. D. discovers a large crack in the emerald glass that grows larger once it's installed. The old wooden frames are actually made from walnut wood and I have kept the original paint on the outer frames. Once I see the crack and the two windows next to each other, I decide that the colored glass needs to be removed and clear, old style glass needs to be reinstalled. These two high windows I had designed to bring in some color high up in the loft on the 2nd floor. Now that I have added a 3rd level in the upper portion of the house, this new room requires more light anyway. I will plan on changing the glass at a later date.

Next we install the south kitchen leaded glass window. It's the first big window we install and weighs around 300 pounds. It takes 4 of us to get the window inside and into place. Next, R.D. has built a scaffold over the stairwell and this one is a little tougher as we have to lift it high on to a rolling scaffold and then slip it through a stud bay on the 3rd floor level. They all mount nicely and look superb. I couldn't be happier.

Towards the end of the day, we install the west facing leaded glass window into the north bedroom. Out on the pump jack I install the mounting screws while Greenbay, R.D. and Greenbay steady and level the window from the inside. One more to go in the west bedroom tomorrow.

Bill and I have spent a good part of the day completing all the straight lining and ripping of the heart pine decking which will go up later this week over the rafters in the master suite. Greenbay has been working on the oak blocking that he installs between rafters. It's especially tough as it's not nailable and so he ends up drilling and screwing the blocking in. Another job that requires all of our help is getting the 5 x 9"-16' long oak beam from ground level up 16' so that each end rests on the south and north walls of the master suite. It takes 5 of us to get the beam into the place.

Pat and Gary are still on the roof and have completed the steel installation on the south slope. They have moved down to the first floor and completed the steel roofing on the bay window in the dining room. Hagen is still on the roof and in the late afternoon completes the stone work on the north slope. It's covered up again and the heat turned on. Hopefully tomorrow we will get to remove his work platform and begin work on the north slope of the roof.