Floor, Rain, Windows, Lazy Susan and Leaks

What an anti-climatic project...the floor in the kitchen. Granted it hasn't even been swept since the last board was fit into its final resting place but still. I am the only witness to the floor as I type...okay since the heavy rain storms we have lately it is not as convenient to cross the creek because I removed the 2x12 board (with a step) because of rising water. There is still the Fallen Tree Crossing but when wet it is slippery and well, you might fall.

Torched Doug Fir Floor

That is why I live here, Nature Rules, we work around the elements, not against them. Such is my work, if it is raining you can bet I won't be standing out on a ladder with my tool belt on. Been there, done that. Sikes cabin shingling the outside, my first and only time I built a cabin from the ground up. More like below the ground and up because we started that project with shovels in our hands. Almost all the redwood in that cabin came from stumps that were left over in the 1950-60's logging that took place in the Humboldt Redwoods. A large percentage of lumber was eaten up during this time... ramble, ramble ramble.

Rising water

With the rain comes the indoor projects and they have been stacking up. The first rains are a good reminder that your wooden windows (with missing glazing putty) should probably be dealt or else the moisture will work its way into your home and destroy the window. Glazing putty is the protective barrier that keeps water from getting behind the glass. I have three sashes in the shop now that have putty problems and also structural issues - mainly two funky bottom rails. Damn those dowels, they always rot away and there is nothing left to hold the rails to the stiles. Mortise and Tenon joinery should be standard for wood window sashes.

Window sash without a bottom rail.

I agreed to make a lazy susan that will display different roasts of coffee. I offered a couple suggestions and it was decided that I use a maple burl that has been under my roof for over a decade and came from a majestic tree that once resided in what was known as the Ranch House. The previous house to the Rathbun family who opened their home to the hill abiding residents of the early back to the landers, acting as a message center and postal pick up. This is a 5 inch slab cut from one of the many burls this tree had. Today my sister and I removed the bark with the aid of a steamer and assorted nail pulling tools.

I have a few more projects like a current conditions and assessment of the Mattole Bell Tower. We were hoping to clear the water pump and filtration system out of the tower and into a separate shed so that the tower could be used as a local museum. A room that the school kids could visit and view historic photos of the Mattole valley and even have rotating historic artifacts. It could be opened to the public once a month and serve as an historic monument, not a barricaded pump shed. Well it needs some maintenance, I have found a few daunting leaks.

Leak in the Bell Tower

Rot, Floor, and Flattening Jig

Busy time of year is the autumn season, gardens are coming to a close, firewood should get under cover, and houses need maintenance. I was asked to build replacement doors to replace French doors  at the Cockburn estate and found several rotting areas of wood around windows. I spent a day replacing rotten sills and walked away with a couple sashes that need repair.

Rotten sill

I am very excited to be laying the floor in the kitchen of the house. We let the wood guide us in how to lay the (locally milled) rough sawn Doug Fir boards ranging in width from 4 to 14 inches. There was just enough wide boards to do the perimeter and then we divided the room into three sections determined by the tiles for the wood stove. Two of the three sections are again split in half and these areas are infilled with a log cabin pattern. Get it? The boards are perpendicular to each other pressing them together. This is a first for me but it seems like it would be a ancient way of laying a floor with rough lumber and keeping the joints tight.

Laying the floor in the kitchen.

The oak cabinets for the Arcata rental were installed. Oliver helped me out and we discovered the tenants were all music majors at HSU and they knew Oliver's violin teacher Cindy and showered her with compliments.

New upper cabinets.

The shingle project is close to being finished. We ran about two bundles short. The last section will have some sort of vine pattern flowing through it. I also finished siding the last wall with corrugated galvanized steel.

Cedar Shingles 

I have seen a few people recently (on Instagram) using a router to flatten slabs. I needed a slab to bolt an old apple peeler/core to. I built a quick jig with a sled that the router slides back and forth in as you push the sled along the length of the slab. I worked really well! I tried using a power planer and a belt sander first but the slab was severely twisted. This jig flattened both sides in no time.

Flattening Jig