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Small Cabin Forum / Member's Projects and Photos / We just started building our little 20X20 cabin
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Tim
Member
# Posted: 19 Oct 2011 11:08
Reply 


Quoting: curious
Not sure it would prove anything


No need to prove anything on the part of either of us. I was just hoping to see your cabin.

Wow, you've solar electric? Composting toilet? Awesome, now that I would love to hear more about.

I hope to add some solar panels and at least one wind generator in the future.

Tim

PA_Bound
Member
# Posted: 19 Oct 2011 12:20
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I'm going to throw in my $.02 here, and say that I think Tim has a point we all need to remember. While everybody here has an interest in cabin building, how we define the idea of a cabin varies widely. Some of us are building small homes that could be show pieces of design, construction, envrionmental awareness and/or something else. Some of us are bulding what is basically a a hard-walled tent for hunting or an occasional getaway. Each use case, topography and the rules/regs of the locality make each build unique. What somebody does with their cabin may or may not be valuable to anyone else- but that doesn't make it wrong for the setting.

I have a hunting cabin that a professional builder scoffed at. It turned out perfect for what it is- a hunting cabin. It's warm, safe and dry. The floor doesn't sag or bounce like they said it would and... guess what... who cares if it did? It's a hunting cabin! Does that make the builder wrong? Not if I was building a house. Was I wrong? Not for building a hunting camp...

I'm in the beginning stages of building another cabin. This one is a little better than a hunting cabin but far from a house. I've been hesitant to post on it as, similar to what Tim experienced, I would like the advise but don't have the desire to defend my decisions. I'm doing the best I can with what I have to work with. Will it have mistakes... certainly! But the mistakes will be all mine... :-).

trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 19 Oct 2011 13:31
Reply 


Well said PA_Bound.

Most of us don't have much experience building and some of us not much $$ to spend either. Sure there will be mistakes made but that is ok-the point is we are each fulfilling the dream of having a place to go to relax and get back to basics and nature, whether it is a place to live full time or just visit occasionally.

Tim
Member
# Posted: 19 Oct 2011 13:40
Reply 


Quoting: PA_Bound
I'm in the beginning stages of building another cabin. This one is a little better than a hunting cabin but far from a house. I've been hesitant to post on it as, similar to what Tim experienced, I would like the advise but don't have the desire to defend my decisions. I'm doing the best I can with what I have to work with. Will it have mistakes... certainly! But the mistakes will be all mine... :-).


I find this sad! But here is our chance to correct this situation. PA, I would love to see your build. We don't all have deep pockets, and even for those who do, some of us may just not feel a need to spend extra money because somebody "thinks" we should. I don't care if somebody in here is building out of salvaged pallet material, in its own way, it will be a thing of beauty. A point of pride, and accomplishment to have built it yourself! If it leans a little to the north, NAME HER "Eileen" and be proud of her!

Tim

trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 19 Oct 2011 13:48
Reply 


"Eileen"...HA,HA,HA!!!!

Scott_T
Member
# Posted: 19 Oct 2011 22:29
Reply 


Tim,

Thanks for posting your experiences. Everyone is free to take what they want or don't want from the info provided by forum contributors. For me sometimes I need to be knocked in the head with a 2x4 to understand anything.

Tim
Member
# Posted: 20 Oct 2011 13:33 - Edited by: Tim
Reply 


Here is a funny little story. Maybe it is why I have no respect for computer programs, college degrees, and architects.

I work at a college. Yep, believe it or not! A student that works part time for me, commented today that she is pretty bored with her "stage hand course" because it is all about carpentry. She went on to say, she ALREADY HAS a 2 year degree in Carpentry, so she isn't learning anything new.

I said to her, hummmm...interesting! If I had a building 20' wide and was going to put a roof with a 6/12 pitch on it, how would I calculate the length of the rafter I need?

Her answere? "Now, how would I know that"? I said, I was just curious what a 2 year degree in carpentry would do for somebody! Now I know!

You see, she has a certificate on the wall, that states she has studied carpentry in depth for 2 years. She is certified to have successfully learned the material and has great knowledge of carpentry. And yet, has no idea even how to calculate rafter length.

Sorry if I offended some college grads. Hopefully your degree means more than most of them do!
Tim

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 20 Oct 2011 23:14
Reply 


Hello Tim. I don't know what to make of a graduate of a carpentry course who can't say anything about how to determine rafter length. Doesn't seem right unless all they were teaching was how to read drawings and cut and nail wood. Puzzling. However, I'm not sure we should judge every college grad by one. I've met some who I don't think should have received their paper but I also know several who are geniuses or close to it.

Anyhow, hope the weather holds for you.

Bevis
Member
# Posted: 20 Oct 2011 23:19
Reply 


... now back to the build and pictures. Oh and don't be talking about my deck (swamp) buggy, Eileen. :D

Tim
Member
# Posted: 21 Oct 2011 06:00 - Edited by: Tim
Reply 


It has been raining here for 3 days. Not much progress at the build site. Last night, I made an hour long trip to Akron to a salvage yard.

I found a guy on Craig's List that has salvaged styrofoam. I was able to get 4'X8'X3" thick foam for $10.00 a sheet! It is a little discolored, and ugly, but will still do the job. I will be attaching that to the inside of my foundation skirt to help keep the crawl space insulated, so I don't care at all what it looks like.

I need to get that put in before I sheet the floor, but then I am finely ready! lol

Hopfully the weather will cooperate a little more that it has been.
Tim

jrbarnard
Member
# Posted: 21 Oct 2011 06:39
Reply 


Tim, I am going to strongly disagree with you on all points. You should come to my ranch ooohh..next April, and argue your points. We will, of course, be working on MY cabin, so you will have to help out while you argue.. but argue we shall!

*snicker*

p.s. Keep posting till then!

Russ

exsailor
Member
# Posted: 21 Oct 2011 08:39
Reply 


Hi Tim,
One of my hobbies is living history. What we think of common everyday occurrences will soon be lost to time, and a "better way". Common everyday things that Daniel Boone knew for instance, like surveying land by yourself, finding your way back from or to someplace without a GPS, or even starting a fire in a wet woods. Any host of skills that then were so common place no one thought them special enough to document were forgotten. For example today not many people can do anything with DOS, it is all point and click. If somebody doesn't teach or show the old ways, it will be lost to the vagaries of time. Bring on your old time techniques and teach all of older "whippersnappers" a few things. That being said old isn't necessarily better, neither is brand new, so we all take and use what we want or need as the situation fits. Keep on keepen on, others and myself are listening.

Tim
Member
# Posted: 21 Oct 2011 09:55
Reply 


JR,
I think you really need to vent sooner than that! Get down here and argue your case while we get some walls stood! :)
Tim

Tim
Member
# Posted: 21 Oct 2011 10:12
Reply 


Quoting: exsailor
One of my hobbies is living history. What we think of common everyday occurrences will soon be lost to time, and a "better way". Common everyday things that Daniel Boone knew for instance, like surveying land by yourself, finding your way back from or to someplace without a GPS, or even starting a fire in a wet woods. Any host of skills that then were so common place no one thought them special enough to document were forgotten.

I couldn't agree more. In 1990, I spent some time in Vermont with a cousin of my wife's. I was there for a short apprenticeship to learn to make Windsor chairs. The skills I learned, enabled me to start with a log, split it with wedges, then a froe. I used a draw knife to shape chair parts and a treadle lathe to turn the legs. I was able to make a "pretty darn good living" making and selling Windsor chairs at about $800.00 per chair to wealthy customers for over 8 years.

This is only one very small example of soon to be lost knowledge.

In todays society, we don't have a need to know how to throw and axe, or make our own bow with arrows to kill a deer. But guess what? If the bottom ever falls completely out of Wall street, these just might not be bad skills to know!

Tim

jrbarnard
Member
# Posted: 21 Oct 2011 12:08
Reply 


lol! Touche'

I have to wait till April. Most of my "help" will not be available during deer season ;) and it would not be prudent to build during that time either.

We tend to do the whole "12-months no financing" thing in order to buy everything we need all at once, to get a bulk deal. So, we are waiting till tax return time in order to really knock down what we need 'financed'.. tends to get us 25-40% off on most everything that way.. heh.. and we work the lumber yard quotes against each other big time :p

Anyway, I figure the first week of April is the best time to build down here and I expect to have about 6-10 guys helping, and one coming just to keep food cooking and people fed.. heh

Russ

Tim
Member
# Posted: 22 Oct 2011 05:53
Reply 


Last night after work, I got the styrofoam installed inside the foundation skirt. I was surprised I got it all done, and just barely before dark.

This morning (it is now 5:30am) I am headed for Lowe's to be there when they open. I will be getting the plywood for the flooring.

Here is another trick I learned over the years. Get WATER BASED driveway sealer. Paint your plywood floor with it. It will protect your floor from delamination until you get under roof. The water based will dry and not get sticky in the hot sun. When it is dry, it looks like flat black paint. You can install what ever finished floor you wish over it later. A 4.5 gal bucket at Lowes is $15 and will cover 350 square feet.

I hope to be standing walls later this afternoon! :-)

Tim

Tim
Member
# Posted: 22 Oct 2011 20:10
Reply 


I'm just home from putting in a 12 hour day. Boy, do I hurt! lol. I was at Lowe's just before they opened at 7am to get my flooring. Here are pics of what I did today:

Tim
Lowe's didn't open their doors 'till 7:15am
Lowe's didn't open their doors 'till 7:15am
Flooring started
Flooring started
Getting there!
Getting there!
To protect the floor from delamination untill the roof is on
To protect the floor from delamination untill the roof is on


Tim
Member
# Posted: 22 Oct 2011 20:13
Reply 


And then................................
Floor done!
Floor done!
A Wall!!!
A Wall!!!
Layed in angle brace
Layed in angle brace
Working with the light and generator
Working with the light and generator


trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 22 Oct 2011 22:02
Reply 


Quoting: Tim
Boy, do I hurt!


There will be plenty more of that! You'll sleep well tonight!

Tim
Member
# Posted: 25 Oct 2011 20:29
Reply 


I took a vacation day today. There was a zero percent chance of rain, and it sure was a beautiful day to work!
THE FORMAN!
THE FORMAN!
THE LABORER!
THE LABORER!
Zi6_5990.JPG
Zi6_5990.JPG
IT'S COMING ALONG!
IT'S COMING ALONG!


Montanan
Member
# Posted: 26 Oct 2011 01:04
Reply 


Looks like you're making good progress. Congrats!

Tim
Member
# Posted: 26 Oct 2011 20:11
Reply 


October 26th, 2011
I finished the kitchen wall tonight. It includes the window that will be over the kitchen sink.
Zi6_5994.JPG
Zi6_5994.JPG
Zi6_5996.JPG
Zi6_5996.JPG
Zi6_5997.JPG
Zi6_5997.JPG
Zi6_5999.JPG
Zi6_5999.JPG


samoni
Member
# Posted: 26 Oct 2011 20:32
Reply 


I think it's coming along beautifully, Tim! Nice job!

Bevis
Member
# Posted: 27 Oct 2011 01:21
Reply 


coming along nicely Tim. Won't be much longer and you'll have the walls up.

hattie
Member
# Posted: 27 Oct 2011 13:30
Reply 


WOW your place is coming along great!!

Tim
Member
# Posted: 27 Oct 2011 18:47
Reply 


Thanks everybody! It has done nothing but rain almost every day for the past week. I have been working mostly after work, between showers. Tomorrow is supposed to be fairly nice, and I have some overtime this week, so I hope to get off work a little early. Big hopes for this weekend!

Tim

concretefire
Member
# Posted: 27 Oct 2011 20:10
Reply 


Hey Tim. I have no dog in the fight so please don't take this the wrong way. I worked in concrete for 5 years. Well, that is to say I was given a brief training and then my job was more or less take orders on the phone for ready mix concrete. So I know a lot of the terms and meanings but in actual use....not so much. Haha. I loved your foundation piers, understood that part. (what psi btw?) Then I read that you 'backfilled' with dry cement.

Now in my mind, dry cement is literally dry cement. I don't know if you just meant a drier / less wet mixed cement (which doesn't make sense since you would want it flow I would think) or if you literally meant dry cement. In which case I still don't understand.

I mean no criticism at all, it's just in 5 yrs of taking probably 100,000 orders I never once had anyone ask me for dry cement. Just curious. Thanks.

Tim
Member
# Posted: 27 Oct 2011 20:18
Reply 


Concretefire,
Ok, here is the story. Many years ago, a very good carpenter tought me this trick. Have you ever stored a bag of cement in a damp basement or garage? It will harden into a block shaped like a pillow.

When you pour wet cement around a wooden post, the water in the cement soaks into the wood and swells it. Then the cement dries into a permanent shape. The post then dries out and shrinks down to its original size. Instantly you have a gap between the post and the cement allowing water in.

I DID put wet cement in the bottom of the hole and allowed it to set over night. Then I put the post on top of that "footer". The dry cement then went in the hole around the post and dirt on top of that.

Hope this is all clear.

Tim

Bevis
Member
# Posted: 27 Oct 2011 20:39
Reply 


Tim,

I got a call from an older feller that I know, wanted to know if I could give him a hand today building the floor and walls on his little hunting cabin. after the floor was done, he starts rolling on this driveway sealer...then I remember reading that you had put that down. He said the same exact thing about it keeping the plywood from delamenating in case he doesn't get the roof on before it rains. He goes on to say that he's used it for years when building houses back in the day.

Tim
Member
# Posted: 27 Oct 2011 20:50
Reply 


Bevis,
;-) Thanks for sharing that!
Tim

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