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Small Cabin Forum / Member's Projects and Photos / Our 420 sq ft of heaven in Northern MN
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jaransont3
Member
# Posted: 3 Feb 2013 21:03
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More table progress. I got the last of the mortises cut...



Did some test fitting of parts....



Got the first chair all dry fitted together....



Here is the chair with the table. I also managed to get the round of the table top rough cut....



and another shot of them together. The pieces for the 2nd chair are on the table...



I have lots of sanding and staining before final glue-up and finishing of the chairs and table. Speaking of staining, we are still trying to decide on a color for the table and chairs...



We are planning on heading to the cabin for the last week of March. Gives me about 7 weeks to finish it before the trip...

trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 3 Feb 2013 21:21
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You'll have a beautiful table when you're all done! I like the warmth of the 3rd stain in from the left. Or a mix of the 3rd & 4th . Bet you're excited to get back to your cabin!

MikeOnBike
Member
# Posted: 4 Feb 2013 01:07
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Yep, I like the third one from the left too. Nice warm color.

jaransont3
Member
# Posted: 11 Mar 2013 07:47
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Still sanding on the parts for the table and chairs. Less then 2 weeks until we go to the cabin again. Need to get cracking on it if I want to bring it this trip.

In the meantime, I restored/customized a light fixture for the cabin porch. Started with an old fixture (wish I had remembered to take a before picture) with way too many coats of paint. Removed the glass and the design elements in each of the 3 panels with my cut-off wheel. Then I ground the paint off, sandblasted it, and powdercoated it all nice new shiny black. Then I waterjet cut some new copper cattail inserts for the 3 sides, had some new glass cut and made a bracket for a new bulb socket. Assembled and wired it all up.





Will look really nice on the porch.

jaransont3
Member
# Posted: 23 Mar 2013 09:58
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Didn't get the table and chairs finished, but we are heading to the cabin today anyway. Don't really need it out there just yet. We have plenty to do while we are there without having the new table and chairs in the way.

Going up for the next week. Will take and post pictures. Supposed to be lots of snow, but the temperatures look to be ideal for us to try out our maple sap gathering equipment. Should be fun to try and make some syrup.

trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 23 Mar 2013 10:15
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Have a great time!
You'll have to report back on how the sap collecting goes...it's something my husband has wanted to do at our place too

jaransont3
Member
# Posted: 25 Mar 2013 01:37
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Got up to the cabin late Saturday night. Spent the night at my Mom's place since the road in was still unplowed. Lots of snow up here. Had some good friends and neighbors with a small bulldozer plow out the 500 foot drive into the cabin this morning. Then I spent the rest of the day shoveling the critical paths to the cabin, the wood pile, and the outhouse. I also shoveled off the entire roof. Got the vehicle unloaded and the generator hooked up. Staying at Mom's one more night since we visited my brother and his family this evening and got back late. Here are a few pictures from the adventure so far....













Looking forward to getting the batteries and inverter/charger hooked up tomorrow. Going to play around with the Kill-A-Watt some to. Then it is sanding and painting drywall, installing the hardwood flooring and a few other projects.

jaransont3
Member
# Posted: 25 Mar 2013 01:42
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oh yeah, we are going to tap a few maple trees tomorrow too. Sap should be running. Will be fun to see what see can collect.

trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 25 Mar 2013 22:08
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Aren't you just thrilled to be there????
We had a ton of snow at our place too. Had too clear the driveway with the snow blower. It took 3 hours
Looking forward to seeing all the work you get done-don't forget to relax too

jaransont3
Member
# Posted: 26 Mar 2013 20:54
Reply 


Getting some stuff done...


Generator Power!


Sasha is fitting right in with the cabin life.


Luggable Loo is a nice luxury in the middle of the night instead of running out to the outhouse.


Getting ready for the Brazilian Cherry hardwood floor.


First few course installed....


Getting there...


This is enough for the first session. About 5 hours to get 3-1/2 feet x 20 feet installed. Lots if 1-1/2" wide sticks.

More tomorrow....

trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 26 Mar 2013 21:15
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It's looking great!

All those thin pieces take forever don't they We have some old flooring we may use that is also a bunch of "sticks".

Your dog's name is the same as ours She looks content!

hattie
Member
# Posted: 26 Mar 2013 23:40
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Your place is beautiful! Good luck with the maple tapping. I'm jealous!!!!

jaransont3
Member
# Posted: 28 Mar 2013 00:25
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Made more progress on the flooring today. Got about half the main cabin done now.

Got to this point...



and had to move the pile of trim boards and remaining flooring to make room for more progress...



Then had to raise the stove up and get the new flooring under it. Was an adventure with the fire still burning in the stove...


Got to here and called it a night. Time to move more stuff to be able to continue...


BTW, still no sap running up here.

trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 28 Mar 2013 08:22
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How's your back holding up?

jaransont3
Member
# Posted: 28 Mar 2013 09:54
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Back is holding up fine. The knees are the weak link right now.

trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 28 Mar 2013 10:14
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Are you wearing knee pads? Will help some. It is a beautiful floor and will be well worth it!

DaJTCHA
Member
# Posted: 28 Mar 2013 13:34
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I feel your pain. From just doing 12X12'...my knees and back were fried for several days.

jaransont3
Member
# Posted: 1 Apr 2013 12:56
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We are back home after spending the last week up at the cabin. We had so much fun and got so much done. We really didn't want to leave...but we both have work today. Although I am getting a very late start since we got home at 3am. On to the pictures....


My beautiful wife, Jill, installing more hardwood flooring.


Our sister-in-law, Janet, putting the first batch of cookies ever in our restored cookstove. We had to let the stove cook for an hour or so first to get the paint and insulation to outgas completely, but after that it was fine. Cookies were wonderful.


She even got almost all the walls in primer. One gallon was not quite enough.


Me installing more hardwood floor...


My brother, Todd, getting the electrical panel all straightened out and ready for the battery back-up system...


Here is the Tripp-lite inverter/charger and pair of 6V golf cart batteries all wired up. This system worked great for lights and such at night. Need a proper sized fuse for it to handle the frig. This set-up is only temporary. I will build a box to hold it all and make for easy transport and install.


Finally all of the hardwood flooring installed. 1.5" wide Brazilian Cherry tongue and groove. can't wait to see it sanded and finished.


Another shot with the murphy bed re-installed and lowered.


Speaking of the murphy bed, I built a fold down desk into the bottom of it. This is the desk folded up...


and here it is folded down. I need to come up with a better folding side support and put one on both sides. Next trip.


Outhouse is now official.....it has the moon shaped screened window in the door.


Installed our "mail" box and the porch light I modified. The light still need the electrical hooked up.


Jill had a great idea to use some of the left-over flooring for the kitchen countertops. We brought some home to build them here and bring back next time.


Everything cleaned up and put back into place....for now.


Our Luggable Loo worked out great. No smell, easy clean-up, and much more convenient in the middle of the night than a trip to the outhouse. Only temporary until the bathroom is done, but it was great.


Last night at the cabin for this trip...


aaahh..... the cabin life. Snuggle under the blankets with one dog in the bed and the other sleeping in the corner. Yes, Jill is under there some place.


Everything packed up and put away until next time. Moth balls are scattered about.


A little light snow to say good bye...


Heading home to Dearborn....

jaransont3
Member
# Posted: 4 Apr 2013 10:38
Reply 


Forgot to post this picture.



These are the custom grates I design and had cast for out cook stove. Seaport Casting in Toledo did them for. They turned out excellent. Still looking for a way to turn them dark brown or black.

jaransont3
Member
# Posted: 14 Apr 2013 19:48
Reply 


Finally getting back to finishing the table and chairs for the cabin. Routed the edge of the table and got all the table parts sanded and ready for stain and finish. We decided to go with the Gunstock stain. We really like it so far. Got all the parts for the table stained. Still need to put a few coats of clear polyurethane on them before final assembly.

Lots of sanding left to do on the chair parts and the table leaf before they are ready for this.

Here are some pictures....













trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 14 Apr 2013 21:11
Reply 


Very,very nice! I like the stain, it will look nice with your floor!

You have missed a lot of snowy weather this past week...hard to believe it is the middle of April.

I love the picture of your cabin at night with the lights glowing from the windows at night and all the snow. It looks very pretty!

Hope your knees have recuperated from laying your floor. I see your pillow knee pads! Lol.

jaransont3
Member
# Posted: 14 Apr 2013 21:54
Reply 


Thanks. The knees have fully recovered. The pillows really helped after the first day.

I like the night-time picture too. Wish I would have turned off the porch flood light.

I am really looking forward to getting the gloss urethane on it and getting the chairs done. Then of course getting them up to the cabin to use and enjoy.

cabingal3
Member
# Posted: 14 Apr 2013 21:59
Reply 


love that restored propane stove alot!!great thread.thanks for sharing.wonderful.

DaJTCHA
Member
# Posted: 16 Apr 2013 11:09
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Please get rid of the mothballs and make yourself a bucket mousetrap and use antifreeze. It'll catch all the buggers without a problem, is clean, non-toxic and best of all smell free. Mothballs are horrible for you and the pets, not to mention smell like >>>>

KSalzwedel
Member
# Posted: 27 Apr 2013 02:46
Reply 


Would stove blacking work on those grates? Otherwise you could have them porcelained at IPE in Missouri. Or use them to death and let the patina age them black.


Love that stove. Wish I were in the lower 48 and could pick up similar for the cabin. Oh, well, sigh.

jaransont3
Member
# Posted: 30 Apr 2013 00:42
Reply 


Quoting: KSalzwedel
Would stove blacking work on those grates?

I think so. Going to try that next time we are there. I already have some for the cast iron heat stove.

On another note, I finished the dining table for the cabin yesterday. I still have to finish the leaf, but the main table is done.















3 or 4 coats of polyurethane overt the gunstock stain.

We are very happy with the way it turned out. Now I can get back to sanding. staining, assembling, and finishing the two matching chairs.

leonk
Member
# Posted: 30 Apr 2013 08:01
Reply 


really nice table! I was never able to achieve such uniform gloss.
what varnish did you use and how did you apply it?

jaransont3
Member
# Posted: 30 Apr 2013 09:10
Reply 


Thanks. I just used Minwax Fast Drying Polyurethane (Gloss). I applied it with a disposable foam brush. I let it dry between coats and blocked sanded between coats.

I have to admit the pictures hide a few sins. I did not spend as much time sanding it flat as I might have if it was for our house here in Dearborn rather than the cabin.

leonk
Member
# Posted: 30 Apr 2013 09:55
Reply 


as a friend of mine says when I tell him about defects in my work - no one knows about it, but you!

jaransont3
Member
# Posted: 30 Apr 2013 09:59
Reply 


Yup...we are our own worst critics.

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