Great news! :banana: I know how happy you are to get that over with. (Same thing that was wrong with mine.)
Never thought retirement would be like this
- Thread starter NancyNGA
- Start date
Great news! :banana: I know how happy you are to get that over with. (Same thing that was wrong with mine.)
But I like this kind of stuff. The figuring out how to do it is the fun part. And it's probably a once in a lifetime thing. Doubt if I'll ever build more shelves. Might as well do it up the best you can. Plus, if you do something wrong in the middle steps it can cause extreme pain at every step afterwards. Ask me how I know.
I don't like repetitive things. One shelf will be fun to do. Five of them won't. The 3rd one will likely be the best. By the 5th one, I'll get impatient.
Half the wall is laid. This job ranks right up there with painting, on my all time un-favorites list. Forget level. Every block appears to be unique, a different size and shape in all directions. Can't fit in the "Florence to Annie" block. It needs to be on a corner so the year shows too. There will be other block laying jobs. In fact I've already got one in mind now.
Stopped because I have to cut some blocks before going on. I suppose it's OK to continue before the others set.
Forget level. Every block appears to be unique, a different size and shape in all directions. Can't fit in the "Florence to Annie" block. It needs to be on a corner so the year shows too. There will be other block laying jobs. In fact I've already got one in mind now. Stopped because I have to cut some blocks before going on. I suppose it's OK to continue before the others set.
Meanderer, that sounds like a spoonerism. In fact I used a wet spoon to smooth out my joints today.The "Lawrence to Frannie" block will just have to wait.
layful:Finished the wall last night. Mortar was a little too dry the first half. Started using spray bottle to dampen the blocks. Things went much better second half. Should have practiced first. It is still wet and ugly this morning. Definitely rustic. (Pictures come out looking fuzzy. )
Next step, pour concrete behind wall. While it sets I can work on the second frame. Heading out to Lowes for supplies late this afternoon. Tomorrow is Goat Day Afternoon.
)
Next step, pour concrete behind wall. While it sets I can work on the second frame. Heading out to Lowes for supplies late this afternoon. Tomorrow is Goat Day Afternoon.
...probably the mortar dust on the lens!
I'm too slow to create much dust.
I wonder if it might be something in the stones and granite---tiny specks you can see sparkle in the sunlight. Do you suppose they might be reflecting the flash on the camera in funny ways? Or maybe I just don't have a steady hand anymore.
Oh my gosh, Nancy, you did a GREAT job with the stones! Love it! Most people think of doing stone outside but you just proved they can work any where! Our neighbors across the street worked all last spring building that kind of stone work for flower beds. They used the beige colored stones and it looks sooo good. Maybe when they are gone to work, I will go and sneak a picture! LOL Don't want them to think I am spying on them!
Beige might have been better. These are too bluish. Maybe I'll smear some red clay mud on them.
Apparently for outdoor retaining walls, they recommend NO mortar. Drains better. :shrug:Better make sure *all* the neighbors are gone. Someone will tell them. Ha!
11:30: On a short break. I've been mixing and shoveling concrete from a wheelbarrow. Got out of shape this winter, so this is very good exercise. How come the second bag of concrete is always heavier than the first.
Started out this week with 5 left over bags of concrete and mortar. Hope to come out with none left over when this is finished. Just for fun, I was trying to think of the worst possible scenario: that I come up short and have to run to the store. No wait, even worse: that a wheelbarrow full of wet concrete tips over on the basement floor and that's *how* I come up short. :eewwk:
Update 2:15: Finished! Only 1/2 bag of mortar mix left!!! Used a little bit of leftover mixed concrete to repair an ugly spot in the foundation outside. I like when things like this happen. No waste. layful:
The front of the frame for these shelves is going to sit right on top of that block wall. Didn't want anything sticking out at the bottom to stub more toes on. The remaining mortar will go on top of those blocks to even them out. Any left over will go in the back to fill in low spots. (talking to myself)
The hard part starts now. :eewwk:
Taking off to check on the goats in an hour or so. Full day.
Started out this week with 5 left over bags of concrete and mortar. Hope to come out with none left over when this is finished. Just for fun, I was trying to think of the worst possible scenario: that I come up short and have to run to the store. No wait, even worse: that a wheelbarrow full of wet concrete tips over on the basement floor and that's *how* I come up short. :eewwk:
Update 2:15: Finished! Only 1/2 bag of mortar mix left!!!
Used a little bit of leftover mixed concrete to repair an ugly spot in the foundation outside. I like when things like this happen. No waste. layful:The front of the frame for these shelves is going to sit right on top of that block wall. Didn't want anything sticking out at the bottom to stub more toes on. The remaining mortar will go on top of those blocks to even them out. Any left over will go in the back to fill in low spots. (talking to myself)
The hard part starts now. :eewwk:
Taking off to check on the goats in an hour or so. Full day.
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How come on something that won't ever be seen and doesn't matter one bit, I can do a half-way decent job of finishing concrete? Every other attempt has been a failure. I'm going to give this a name---Ethel.layful: This was last night. Want to give her 48 hours rest before I start banging around on her. Perfect timing because there are lots of stiff back muscles this morning. Btw, Ethel is level.
layful: This was last night. Want to give her 48 hours rest before I start banging around on her. Perfect timing because there are lots of stiff back muscles this morning. Btw, Ethel is level.
Meanderer, I just eyeballed Ethel, and lucked out this time. Been having a run of good luck lately. When's it gonna run out
No, I've got proof. One thing that helped this time... Had to take off for 3 hours while checking on the goats. Forced me to wait long enough. Never had the patience before. I remember when they poured my basement floor one summer. The crew came first thing in the morning and didn't leave 'til dark. Most of the time was spent waiting.
More lucky coincidences.
Last thing I do before going to bed, and first thing in the morning, is go check on Ethel.layful:
Last night I laid some boards out on top of the new concrete where the shelf frame will go, just to double check space, and left them there. This morning it was raining pretty steady, probably had been all night. Only under one board this morning is a little puddle of water! What in the world?!?
Apparently water is dripping off the electric line, hitting the meter box, and running down into the basement from the top of the basement wall behind the box. So many little coincidental things had to happen at just the right time and just the right place to even notice this.
The most bizarre is a little dab of leftover concrete I slapped behind that little brick wall just to get rid of it. That funneled the water onto the concrete. The boards kept it from evaporating. Otherwise the water would have just seeped down the wall behind those bricks and disappeared from sight.
How lucky is it that I found this today! It has no doubt been happening for years and I never knew it. Will try to put some flashing around that meter box and seal the old mortar so water beads off, rather than penetrates. Or should I let it breathe? I don't think so. It can breathe from inside.
The sun is out now.:sunshine:
Last thing I do before going to bed, and first thing in the morning, is go check on Ethel.
layful:Last night I laid some boards out on top of the new concrete where the shelf frame will go, just to double check space, and left them there. This morning it was raining pretty steady, probably had been all night. Only under one board this morning is a little puddle of water! What in the world?!?
Apparently water is dripping off the electric line, hitting the meter box, and running down into the basement from the top of the basement wall behind the box. So many little coincidental things had to happen at just the right time and just the right place to even notice this.
The most bizarre is a little dab of leftover concrete I slapped behind that little brick wall just to get rid of it. That funneled the water onto the concrete. The boards kept it from evaporating. Otherwise the water would have just seeped down the wall behind those bricks and disappeared from sight.
How lucky is it that I found this today! It has no doubt been happening for years and I never knew it. Will try to put some flashing around that meter box and seal the old mortar so water beads off, rather than penetrates. Or should I let it breathe? I don't think so. It can breathe from inside.
The sun is out now.:sunshine:
Meanderer... I suppose you hoped I'd be all done and you wouldn't have to witness all the boring minute-by-minute details and pictures?
Wrong! :hatlaugh:
As far as breathing, for the last 3 days the air in the basement has been too cold, and the air around here, too hot, so I got out of the mood. I'm retired. Don't have to work when I don't want to. Back on track today. Only one minor injury so far---Bandaid level. Can't be used as an excuse. Ethel is doing fine also.
The most time-consuming part of this job is keeping track of where you laid the measuring tape. On the positive side, while looking for it, I've found numerous other tools I was looking for last week.
Maybe there will be some progress to report soon. Thanks for asking.
Wrong! :hatlaugh:
As far as breathing, for the last 3 days the air in the basement has been too cold, and the air around here, too hot, so I got out of the mood. I'm retired. Don't have to work when I don't want to. Back on track today. Only one minor injury so far---Bandaid level. Can't be used as an excuse. Ethel is doing fine also.
The most time-consuming part of this job is keeping track of where you laid the measuring tape. On the positive side, while looking for it, I've found numerous other tools I was looking for last week.
Maybe there will be some progress to report soon. Thanks for asking.
Just to prove I am working... layful:
This is the back frame finished and clamped exactly where it will go. It doesn't look like much progress from before, but it took me a lot of time and adjustments to get it to fit in there and hang just right. Any crookedness is due to the camera angles (honest!). It deserves a name: Fred.
Ethel is still a little low on the left side, but I intended to fill in with mortar where that happened anyway. I have to take Fred back down, attach plywood to his rear and put him back. This will take all day probably. I chose quarter inch plywood for the back---good stuff. [Hey! You only live once.]
The good news is Fred is much easier to lift up there now because Ethel helps. Pretty sure we can do it now.
layful:This is the back frame finished and clamped exactly where it will go. It doesn't look like much progress from before, but it took me a lot of time and adjustments to get it to fit in there and hang just right. Any crookedness is due to the camera angles (honest!). It deserves a name: Fred.
Ethel is still a little low on the left side, but I intended to fill in with mortar where that happened anyway. I have to take Fred back down, attach plywood to his rear and put him back. This will take all day probably. I chose quarter inch plywood for the back---good stuff. [Hey! You only live once.
]The good news is Fred is much easier to lift up there now because Ethel helps. Pretty sure we can do it now.
