B(reak) O(ut) A(nother) T(housand)

Repairing a boat and a house have a LOT in common hence the Break Out Another Thousand. The good news is we are so close to being done I can taste it. We have  several goals already met and in place.  Here is the latest photos of what we have been doing.

Given the choice of painting the skirting outside after it has been installed when the weather has been so weird we pre-painted it inside. After it was cut all we had to do was touch ups along the edges and screws and wala it was done!

Yes that box is my custom paint table for this part of the project

How to keep the paint off of the floor?  Part 1

 How to keep the paint off of the floor?  Part 2

Finis!

The Window

Do you remember me saying a couple of post back about how I kept sanding the floor and  the window kept nagging at me? I forgot to take a before shot but here it is as it sits right now. We took it all apart and basically am completely revamping it. The top pane was  once a  four part pane with this really pretty wood separating the panes of glass. The top piece  literally fell apart in our hands. After several attempts to redo it as it originally was we decided to KISS and just replace the top frame with a straight single pane.

Ready  to replace inner wooden guides. Yes, that is temporary caulking in the form of  paper towels in the cracks between the storm window and frame to keep the wind out.

Plexi glass ready to be installed into frames.

First coat of paint and ready for Plexi to be installed

Other frame ready for Plexi

 Why Plexiglass? Because I had this 4 x 8 brand new piece left over from a different project.

The floor
I may have already posted this earlier. It was still on the camera so to be sure here is the shots of my partially stained bed room floor. Yes we are going to have to re-sand it but what the heck. I like bending over on my knees on a hard wood floor in the middle of winter fighting with a  sander right? NOT!!!!!

Ladies using a belt sander for this application to get the old finish off is IMHO a guaranteed way to increase tone in certain muscles. IF your back can handle it! It gives new meaning to "OH MY ACHING BACK!"

From left to right ,  the dark is where I stained it.  I wanted to make sure I was going to like how it looked before we did the whole floor. The clearer middle is where it has been sanding  and the dark really bad looking is the before shot.

Along the wall

Last but not least the Surround for around the wood burning stove.
This stove has sat on the cinder blocks already laid  on the floor for years. I had put a double layer of the thin 2 " x 8" x 16" around it. It does not hold as well as you would think. For warmth , heat retention that radiates heat long after the fire is out, it was GREAT!  I was just not comfortable putting ceramic tile on top of it. We are putting a cinder block wall around it . It will guide air to circulate from the bottom to back and then out the top using convection. With ceiling fans it make a little bit of wood heat this house up really well. I close off the rooms until the living room is  rather warm, then open up the rest of the house. This one little stove will literally keep the whole  house warm except in the coldest weather. Then we close off the back  rooms and are nice and toasty.

Normally the stove sits in the corner but the question was how do we heat the house and do this job when it is 30 degree F out side at night? Hence the steel extensions. Can you believe Ace Hardware charges an extra 5 DOLLARS for black of the same size stove pipe? The good news is once we are done the extra pieces will be used out side. Yes, I know there are HUGE gaping holes next to the  side walls. Those holes will let the air flow go through with out having to drill into the cinder blocks.  They will be covered with the thin blocks that used to be the side walls.  Once I get that part done I will ( hopefully remember to ) post photos.

How to do the windows? Drapes or traditional curtains are a fire hazard. Flame retardant liquid is REALLY expensive. I think I'm just going to leave it like this. If any one has a SAFE and relatively inexpensive idea of a better looking window treatment PLEASE POST COMMENT OR EMAIL ME!!!! I am seriously considering the draped scarves look where the long side is opposite of the stove. If I go with that look the long side will be far enough away to be safe from accidental spontaneous combustion.

Ladies I am convinced there is  a very good reason by brick layers and work such as this is traditionally done by men,. IT IS DARNED HARD AND HEAVY WORK!   I'm pacing my self and even with that if I get 5 blocks put in solid  every couple of days I'm doing good!
Some one asked me if it turned out good would I consider doing it for them. I told them IF it comes out to suit me,  and they want me to do it for hem, the labor bill will be   a flat rate and out outrageous and it won't be fast! They asked how much would I charge. I told them I don't know I have not finished this one yet.


 Any way that's whats been going on here. Hope your enjoying this nice cool weather we are having and that Ol man winter is not being to hard on you.
We are still land locked for a bit longer but we are nice and toasty warm and NOT paying a high priced heat bill.   I Hope you can say the same.

 Rember life is to short for hassels.  GO sailing and leave the hassles on  the  dock.
Til next time......