i do love a project

Garage Plans - all go!

2009-09-09T07:10:00.001-07:00

Idea for project

2009-07-09T07:06:00.001-07:00

Bridget thought a roofspace conversion might be a nice idea one day in the future in our bedroom. I did a few sketches in microsoft paint to see how it might work. not a bad idea.

Aul Grey Booncy

2009-07-09T07:04:00.001-07:00

Here is a photo of my trailer. Got this from my brother for free and have used it loads, very handy indeed. Rambo also is rather partial to it.

Shed becomes Printmaking Studio

2009-07-09T06:58:00.000-07:00

Been a while since I've updated my Blog, but getting a namechack on Kate's well maintained blog has inspired me to get it in gear.

Latest projects are aplenty - the lack of blog entries is mainly becuase I am so busy doing things. The best project I'm just starting is my printing press which I got in Edinburgh on ebay a few weeks ago, it weighs a lot, so was good to find one in Scotland.

I've used it a few times now (not as much as I'd have liked) and created some nice prints I'm pleased with. I'll upload one once I get some photos.

Anyway, here is the press in my shed:

Finished Chicken Shelters

2009-02-25T02:53:00.000-08:00

Chicken Shelter

2009-02-25T02:50:00.001-08:00

There has been a long standing issue with the chicken food getting wet. I put small round roofs on teh individual hoppers but any wind at all and the contents quickly got waterlogged and became inedible and a mess to clean out.

I resolved to build them a wee shelter to sit alongside their house, and built it this weekend.

Here is a photo of me screwing together the frame.

New Woodstore

2009-02-04T06:39:00.000-08:00

Had some nice weather on Saturday and managed to get my new woodstore up, painted, roofed and filled with logs. Just in time for some snow to test it out.

Rainy Sunday

2009-01-25T02:16:00.000-08:00

A total contrast to yesterday, today is so miserable the dog wont even go outside!

I'm sat in the house peering out at my half-built woodstore that is sat on the lawn awaiting completion...

Sunny Saturday

2009-01-25T01:52:00.000-08:00

Had a good day for projects yesterday. Got the tractor going and moved it over next to the shed, although its not going to be its long term home. not quite as invisible from the house as I'd first thought...

Wind Damage

2009-01-13T01:55:00.001-08:00

Stormy winds the other night have damaged my little lean-to woodstore that sits against the house. Looks like the bracing has come clean off the uprights and the roof has lost a few planks of tongue-and-groove. I'm hoping I can fix it without taking all the logs out of it - perhaps i'll manage something with a few G-clamps and a car jack.

Apple Trees Ordered

2009-01-13T01:50:00.000-08:00

We ordered a couple of apple trees from a nice organic nursery down in Ayreshire, seemed like a friendly chap and he was keen for us to choose breeds well suited to our area. We've ended up purchasing Laxtons Fortune and Red Windsor, both on M26 rootstock - whatever that means. Hopefully they'll arrive soon enough and we'll get them planted, and will be enjoying lovely juicy apples within - erm - a decade?

Colds all round

2008-12-30T03:11:00.000-08:00

No project progress over the festive period, which is a real shame. Just managed to knock down the wee squinty shed and pile it all up when Christmas, and then a nasty cold struck. First I was feeling awful, then it hit Holly (poor wee thing) and finally (and inevitably) Bridget has been struck. Hopefully we'll be clear of it by the new year.

Baby Holly Rhodes has arrived!

2008-12-06T11:03:00.000-08:00

Sunny Day, Fergie Fun

2008-12-06T11:02:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Rambo I got the new HT leads on the Grey Fergie and had it fired up and lapping the garden again.

Also you'll see from this photo had another big load of logs delivered so I'd best get stacking. However, another fantastic project has cropped up - wee Holly Rhodes was born. I'll post some photos shortly!

Other Woodstore

2008-12-02T05:54:00.000-08:00

Heres my other big woodstore - that has now been emptied to fill up the one that is part of the new shed. Hopefully we'll get this one filled up at the weekend if the log man comes and delivers a nice big batch.

I built this one in the summer and its not quite right. It could do with a bigger roof, also i'd like to slate it, but it was just built with what was lying around.

The nice thing about it is that it uses the weight of the logs to hold it to the wall, no fixings. it has two feet at the front then it kind of leans against the wall.

Mental note: keep an eye on it if it gets windy this week - it doesnt have many logs left on it!

Log Storage Progress

2008-12-02T05:45:00.000-08:00

It was freezing cold this weekend. I did manage to get an hour or so out in the garden, and built the wee log store along the driveway so we can order another batch of firewood. I managed to build it without buying anything - just from stuff lying around.

Its basically 3 end panels left over from our kitchen, all screwed onto laths, then felted, with additional laths to sandwich the felt in place top and bottom (folded round). I found some old hinges, so its kind of hinged from the fence to allow improved access, and it can be let down so it hangs against the fence taking up less space if required.

More Snow, More Tractor fun

2008-11-23T12:52:00.001-08:00

No project progress really. But here's a photo of me on my tractor doing laps of the garden this morning.

PTO & Hydraulics working

2008-11-22T10:42:00.000-08:00

Not a very productive day from a project point of view, but it was great to wake up to 3 inches of snow this morning. It was good to take the fergie for a few laps of the garden, see how it handles the snow - excellently it turned out. Even with its rubbish tyres it was just like driving in the dry, no skidding at all.

While I had it up and running I decided to spend a while playing with the various levers. I had spent a while this week researching the workings of the PTO and hydraulics and figured out that the lever to the left of the seat should engage the PTO. I was hopeful that the pump that runs the hydraulics was also tied into the same engagement. Turned out it was, and once i'd got it switched on, the hydraulics were pretty good. I think I need a wee cap for my PTO, looks a bit vulnerable open to the elements as it is.

I also got a nice trailer for free from my brother today - it was a great day to learn to drive a trailer for the first time ever - snow and ice everywhere. hopefully get a towball system for the tractor made up by a smiddy.

Wintry excitement

2008-11-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

welcome to my projects

2008-11-21T09:20:00.000-08:00

I Do Love a Project.

Right now I have quite a few going on.

1. Forthcoming fatherhood - some might say the greatest project of all. the more negative may warn that this could also be the death of my projects. my thinking is more in line with the first statement.

2. Fergie Tractor - bought this earlier in the month and loving it. I love the tractor a lot, obviously. But I'm also fascinated by the responses it invokes in people. Not only the confusion, but also the most unlikely tractorphiles that I'd have down as doubters, and vice versa.

3. My Shed - in the closing stages, I am already missing working on my shed. its been great fun not only to build, but to realise that you really can just go out and get some wood and then build something that was just a scribble on a piece of paper before. I love that about a project.

4. My Garage - a biggy this one. got it through planning already, i thought that would be the biggest hurdle, and i guess it has been tough. next up is building regs, could be a challenge. hoping to start actually building in spring 2009.

5. 2cv - feeling increasingly guilty about this one. needs finished off, but i need my garage (#4) to really do it in. painting and the like shouldnt be attempted in a muddy garden.

theres just a few of the clearest cut projects. theres always a handful of sub-projects that come about on a saturday morning from nowhere and mean the biggies dont get a look in. such is the nature of the beast.