Small Fence, Big Difference (Final)

Today, I return to building the fence. Again, we are using fencing material we salvaged from a neighbor who was having their fence replaced. While the initial cost was $0US, nothing is free. Instead of paying for wood, we are paying with time cleaning and cutting. We start this final installment with more of that. One unrelated bit: on the day we finished the fence, we sold GoRo, the 2009 Audi A4, to a guy down the street. He saw it parked and asked. A couple conversations and a test drive later, it's gone.

Prepare the Pickets

finished

In my prior update, we sanded and ripped down 30 pickets for our fence. Before we could start hanging them, we needed to cut off any rot from either end. Basic math says that's 60 considered cuts with a circular saw. Each cut took a few minutes so, again, simple math says this took a few hours. For each board, we would find where the rot ended, and score straight across the plank with a knife. The board would then get laid onto a work table, clamped down and then cut. We would repeat the process with the other end, and then move on. Considering how randomly we selected the old wood in the first place, Boo and I were quite surprised that we did not need to throw any away, nor did we come up short, in terms of fence-height, once we cut the ends off. We did, however, need to produce a few extra pickets on our final day.

Fence Hangers

I described the efforts to build the gates last time. I still had the short section of fixed fence to receive hangers and then 2x4's to which we would eventually afix pickets. I arrived at the location for the set of hangers closest to the person-fence by aligning to the bottom of the runner along the top of the gate. With a level, I confirmed it was correct height-wise and then held a piece of scrap picket to set the depth the same as the gates. I repeated this process for the lower hanger, and attached the hangers with roofing nails (they don't rust). To set the height for the post closest to the house, I used a picket and a level. Again, I set the front-to-back depth with a scrap picket and mounted the hangers with roofing nails.

laying out pickets

By this time, we had run out of viable fence runners from the salvaged fence. I was surprised we found enough material to build the gates, but 2 more 2x4's which needed to be just over a meter long was just too much. What remained was mossy and dusted off in chunks: rotted out. I looked in the garage and found a couple of 2x4's from when I removed the little closet around the furnace. While these are not pressure-treated, they are in perfect shape. I cut off a little bit off each end (because whoever built the closet hadn't and the ends were not square), and then measured and cut 2 runners. I slid them into place in their respective hangers and nailed them into place with more roofing nails.

Picketing

fixed fence

While I worked on getting the fence runners done, Boo was considering the pickets, deciding which would fit where and which side should face the street. We decided that we would start with the section of fence needing the least skill on our part: the not-moving part of the fence that I just prepared. For each picket, we would determine it's location left-to-right, using a spare picket as the spacer. Once determined, we would lay that spacer on it's side on top of the upper runner and use it to set the height of the "tooth". Since this part of the fence is so low, the bottom runner is practically on the ground. So, we decided that trimming-for-length by cutting the bottom would protect against a bad run with the circular saw, leaving any error virtually un-seeable. We flipped the boards over, and did it again, this time marking the cut line with a knife. I took the boards over to the work table (in the shade, it was practically 35*C or 95*F by this time) and ran the saw along the lines.

Taking the boards back over to the fence, Boo set them back in place one by one. I then drilled a single hole through the picket and then the top runner. Through that hole I sent a coated outdoor grade screw I had found in the toolshed. More free materials. We repeated this process to get the "fence" section, versus gates, picketed. Once the run was done, we visually set each picket vertical and drilled/screwed to the bottom runner. We returned to this a few days later and repeated the process for the vehicle gates and then the people gate. Remaining nimble, we decided that having the bottom of the gates level with each other, rather than contouring with the uneven ground looked better. This also avoided the gates from getting hung up on the uneven ground as they opened and closed. Last, this meant that I could cut every board the same length so the process got much quicker.

The install remained the same, though. We quickly discovered that the gate sizes did not perfectly allow the pickets to be exactly one picket width apart. To resolve, we started by installing the pickets on each end of each gate. Then, we installed boards much like you would cut sushi: put in the center first, and then keep doing the picket in the  exact center between the pickets until there is insufficient room for another picket. In this way, all of the pickets are spaced evenly, relative to the size of the gates. Since the vehicle gates are identical, the pickets appear consistent all the way across. The people gate ended up having the pickets placed maybe 1/4 inch closer together than the vehicle gates, but the space difference is not really noticeable. To us, the imperfections are part of the charm.

Latches

We were feeling the end approaching. While the heat of the day was unrelenting, Boo and I both simply wanted it done. So, I started with the latch for the vehicle fence. These were part of the gate-frame kit, so no additional cost. They are simple bar-to-latch style, mounting with a pair of screws for the bar and 2 pairs for the latch. For the vehicle gates, I put the bar on the gate closest to our neighbor's fence, and added a second latching mechanism to his fence so the gate could be latched open. The latch for the people gate was a fairly simple install as well. I added a spacer behind the bar so the front side of the gate would be aligned with the other gate and fixed fence. Last, I added a footer "cane" to the vehicle gate which had the latch (versus the post) so the gates would remain in place without putting pressure on the small latch. I did not drive a pipe into the ground for the cane to fit into, so that step remains, but otherwise, the work was finished.

gate latched open

With the fence/gates fully built, the next test was to bring Tuukka over to see how well it worked. He does not like them... because they effectively keep him in the back yard. While we were building this, Tuukka would come out and hang out with us, walking from the back yard to the front, not threatening to run away even when other dogs or people walked by. He just sat or laid there. If one of his dog-friends happened by, he would sit upright and wag his tail, but wouldn't move. So, while the gates will keep him in the back yard, we will probably leave the gates open most of the time where we are out there with him. These will be a big win when we need to put him outside so we can get a big project done (move the furnace, build the kitchen, etc). Those times, we can keep the gates closed, and Tuukka safe.

That's it for today. The total cost of this fence was $120 for the steel gate frames plus the "cane".  All the wood was salvaged and the fasteners were just in the shed (prolly, maybe, $20US for a box). We have not decided about the height of the posts, so we will cut them later, or maybe not.

Thanks, as always, for following along-

Small Fence, Big Difference (Part 2)

Continuing the fun of building a fence or series of gates, to keep Tuukka (the dog) from escaping from the yard. This stretch is literally less than 8 meters wide, but with only 2 peoples doing the work and trying to do the whole thing with salvaged wood extends the timeline significantly.

Where Were We

gate frames hung

In the first post, I described the fun of freeing planks from salvaged sections of fencing. A few weeks of occasional or infrequent labor resulted in a large pile of pickets, a small stack of 2x4's and a small stack of 4x4's. The best 4x4's became the fence posts. The best 2x4's will become the runners and gate main support sections and, of course, the pickets will become the pickets. The fence we salvaged had pickets that varied in width, but they were around 5 or 5-1/2 inches wide. That fence was a 6 foot fence and we are planning on a fence that is around 4 feet tall. I say "around" because the ground is not perfectly level. We installed 3 posts: one nearest the house, one about a meter away from that post and a third another meter away. Our plan is to have a "people gate" between the second set of posts and a "vehicle gate" between that third post and the neighbor's fence. So, the 4-foot fence will be 4 feet high at that third post. The ground drops a little bit toward the neighbor and rises a little bit towards our house. So, the top of the fence will be level, but the bottom will not be.

More Material Prep

prep area

Boo and I were having a hard time visualizing the fence enough to make seemingly easy decisions, like "will the fence have teeth and if so, how long?". By "teeth" ,I mean some length of picket above the top runner. Some fences stop clean with a runner along the top, and some don't. Without that clearly known, we could not plan for the gate construction because the location of the upper runner was unknown. So, we return to materials prep. This time, we selected 30 pickets, and ripped them down with a table saw to 3-1/2 inches wide. Then, we cleaned them up with a belt sander to get the grot off, and expose the wood. We laid 2x4's down to simulate the ground, bottom and top runners and then laid some of the cleaned up pickets on top... all on the grass... so we could imagine different configurations. We resolved to even spacing of 3-1/2" between each picket and  3-1/2" teeth with the bottom runner aligning with the bottom runner of the neighbor's fence.

Measure, Cut and Assemble Gate Frames

considering gate visual

At this point, we did some measuring, and ran some math for how large the rectangular gate frames needed to be. In retrospect, there was a flaw in my logic here, so the fence will either be a couple of inches short or the teeth will need to be a couple of inches longer. Why? Well, we considered where the top runner was based on the measurement at the neighbor's fence measuring up from that bottom runner rather than triangulate off of the middle post. So, while we had everything else assumed right, the gate frames are actually 2.5 inches too short, resulting in a fence that will be 45.5" tall at the third post rather than 48" tall there. Will it matter? No, not really. The dog will not jump a 45.5" fence any more often than the 48" fence. Honestly, reaching over a 45.5" gate to unlatch it might be easier and while having it 48" high at the at post would have been great, at the neighbor's fence it would have been over 50" high. Anyway, with an angle square, a measuring tape and a circular saw, I prepared 3 gates' worth of 2x4's. Then, with a cordless driver, I drilled and set up the angle-irons I had purchased (Azn link). These angle-irons were the only new bits for this fence, by the way. Constructing the frames took a few hours.

Hang Gate Frames

cleaned pickets

Next, I shifted to hanging the gate frames onto the posts. I started by attaching the hinges to the frames, making sure I had the right end of the gate, and had the hinge swinging the correct way. Once all 3 were equipped, I took them, one at a time, over to their respective post for install. I started at the neighbor's fence end, so I could get the bottom runner height correct. I put my racing car jack under the frame and lifted it up, against the neighbor's fence, until the top of my bottom runner was aligned with the top of the neighbor's fence's lower runner. This would have the best visual appeal. Since we want the pickets to align with the post faces (not behind or jutting out in front), I accounted for the width of the picket to set the hinge spot on the post. Before I went any further, I made a couple of templates: one for the hinge screw pattern, from the leading edge of the steel plate and a second for the space from the leading edge of the hinge to the leading edge of the post. This way, all 6 hinges would install in the exact same relative spots.

With the templates formed and the location of the first pair of hinges defined, I drilled the holes and sent the screws through. We had one gate frame hung. I needed Boo's help to steady the other 2 gates, but the process was very similar. We would set the gate onto a jack (or 2x4) to set the height. To get the height correct, we aligned the top of the top runner against the adjacent gate. Once the gate height was set, we marked the top of the hinges with a scrape of a screw. From that scrape-mark we would use the templates to define where the holes were to be drilled. We'd drill the holes, and send the screws through the hinges into the posts.

hinge close-up

In a weekend, we went from a pile of 5" unfinished grotty pickets to 3 gate frames hung and a pile of pickets nearly ready for install. Next is the addition of the short section of not-gate runners between the first 2 posts. The pickets require a little more prep (cutting the rot off one end), but then we will be attaching the pickets, fresh-cut side down. Once attached, there will be some trimming off the top to get to nice straight teeth. We have not decided if we are going to paint the fence or not. So, we are going to clear-coat it after the fence is built. Then, we'll finish the job by add latching hardware. I'm getting quite a bit ahead of myself, and I'll post on all that next time.

Thanks, as always, for following along-

Where were we?

Hapy New Year. It has been a busy holiday season for pretty much everyone I know, and Boo and I are no exception. Today's post will touch on some of the things we have been getting after since my last post. 

CoViD Hangover

Cooper Spur snow

During one of my holiday social engagements, I had a conversation with my niece where we were both remarking on how could we have been able to do all the things we're doing now plus have to commute to work every day. I recall, back before the whole CoViD shutdown / work-remote thing started, I would take a train into the city, work in an office all day, train to the gym to work out for an hour or so and then walk a couple miles home. Around that work-week schedule, I went out to play or listen to music, attended ball games, visited friends etc like most people. And, of course, fiddled on cars a little bit. Now that we are more consistently mingling with others, I am having a hard time rationalizing how I was able to do it while maintaining that daily cycle. I know many people are returning to offices, and I wonder if there are more people out there trying to figure out how to make it all work again. Frankly, I think many people are failing at it and that's why there is such a growing discontent. Maybe it's the holidaze, but I swear I am encountering more surly people than ever lately.

Cooper Spur

Tuukka at rest

Of course, my holidaze had much more going on and much more positive interactions than just my realization about the world's increasing surly. Boo and I spent XmasEve and XmasDay with Boo's family. This was emotionally and spiritually taxing for a couple of introverts, but we were warmly welcomed and had a really nice time. The weekend before, my younger siblings and their families joined Boo, Tuukka and I at Cooper Spur, on the east side of Mount Hood. Boo and I took Tuukka for long walks along the groomed cross-country skiing paths, and shared meals, crafts, music and games with my siblings' families. It was a great kick-off to a holiday season.

NewOldHouse - 1/4 round

Anyway, back to what I was originally going to post on: NewOldHouse projects. Among the things left incomplete, preventing us from moving in-earnest into NewOldHouse was the 1/4 round along the baseboards. I touched on this last time, but simply identifying which pieces were to go where was only part of the battle. Once identified, cleaned and primed, I needed to install them. For this, I got a finish-nailer powered by an air compressor, and then moved my air compressor down to NewOldHouse. Working with the nailer was fun: point, press and shoot. I had the 1/4 round installed in a couple hours. Next, I spackled the nail holes, sanded them flush and then caulked the top of the 1/4 round to the base board. Last, I slid around with a paint bucket and brush, brushing in the 1/4-round with the same paint that I shot the walls and trim last summer. Start-to-finish, it took me a few days, working a few hours a day (let's say 15 hours). I need to caulk the bottom of the 1/4-round to the floor with clear silicone caulk (at least along the outer walls), and then the 1/4 round is complete.

NewOldHouse - bathroom

bathroom floor done

The bathroom was in mediocre shape when we bought the house, even after all the rubbish was removed and it was cleaned. There are meaningful divots in the plaster, the sink cabinet was nasty and the floor under the toilet was failing. First, the sink and cabinet were removed. The cabinet went to the dump; I don't remember what we did with the sink. Then, the toilet was removed, and set into the tub while the floor was cleared. Once the linoleum was pulled, we could see the original hardwood floor was in pretty bad shape. We removed the pieces around the waste pipe and could see that the sub-floor had been compromised at one point. We were around this point when I posted last.

Since then, the damaged pieces of sub floor have been removed and replaced. New flooring has been installed on top of that, a full floor sheet of thin veneer was installed on top of that and peel-n-stick tiles applied on top of that. The peel-n-stick took a full day, which seemed like a really long time for a room not much more than 8 square meters (5 foot by 5 foot). Details take time, though, and tiles will not fit exactly without trimming. So, for aesthetics, you want the trimming to be behind the toilet or under a cabinet with the uncut tiles along the main walls that you can easily see. This means, though, that you need to lay everything out to figure out where the cuts need to be for the heat and the waste. Also, orienting the tiles one direction of another takes some laying out, thinking, and laying out again. Quality takes time; slapping things together is fast, but it will always look... well.. slapped together.

Our last hiccup was with the toilet waste flange in the floor. The studs to which the toilet should mount were stripped and rusted to the flange. They needed to be cut off, drilled out, tapped and then new studs threaded before we could install the toilet. Once ready, though, it was a fairly simple process to set the wax ring and install the toilet.

Bathroom Next

cleaning hardware

The sink and cabinet remain ready for install. We purchased a new cabinet / sink / mirror combination at Lowes and the low price is definitely reflected in the workmanship (or lack thereof). Still, it will work, and after some fiddling with the hinges, the doors close without rubbing. The holes for the pulls were not put in the right spots, so the handles are wonky, but again, it will work. We have all the bits and pieces, just with all the holiday events and family in town, we have not installed the sink and cabinet.

Once the sink is in, we will hang a shower rod, and re-hang the door. The hardware for the door has been cleaned up, though. Prior owners had painted without taping things off nor removing hardware so every door handle, strike plate and hinge was covered in multiple coats of paint. I have spent many otherwise-idle hours picking off paint and then rubbing down with steel wool door hardware, yet more remains.

Moving

With the 1/4-round complete, I have started moving things over to NewOldHouse. It is difficult living in one house, wanting to be in another. So, the items selected to move is not easy. I am finding things that we 100% want/need there but can live without for the time being in the current place. Obviously, this makes the move harder, and slower, but until the bathroom is fully functional, we can hang out there, and even sleep there, but it is not quite ready for full time living.

Around this work, Boo and I have been combing through all of the belongings moved here from my parent's old apartment. It has been a considerable undertaking. We have found homes for over half of the items, and while in some ways we are picking up steam, we also realize that the easy things are running out, and we will soon be left with things which only represent value to their original owners. By this, I mean things like personal correspondence, notebooks, etc that are very personal. It feels wrong to simply discard these things, but I think we will just have to work through that.

Canopy Calamity Again

example wrath of Jerry

It seems that no matter what tricks I try, the canopy known as "Jerry" just will not stand. After more windstorms, that canopy lifted and flipped onto it's side, scratching Zed again. Fortunately, the chrome around the rear window and windscreen has not been further dented, nor have either sheets of glass broken. Still, I have had enough risk of that for one winter. So, Boo and I deconstructed Jerry, leaving the poles in a heap. We used the canopy like a tarp, covering Zed for the winter. To prevent water from pooling in the hole where a sunroof will one day be, we placed a large rectangular sheet of stiff foam under the tarp. After a couple gusty days, the tarp has held firm, so Zed is hopefully protected until Spring. I think, between all of the scratches, the disappointment in both the final finish and the olive-green shade within the 9mm color, I will be sanding and re-shooting Zed before I install the interior. Since every time around is a learning opportunity, I expect this next round will be much better than the last, which was better than the one before that. Of course that means Zed will not be driving around next Summer unless we get a freak warm dry spell in April/May.

With the holidays behind us, our next significant event is the memorial for my father, planned for 21-January. For that, Boo and I will be providing our current home to my sister and her family while they visit from the Bay Area. Boo and I are marking that as the drop-date for when we can live in NewOldHouse without having to run here for various things. Please wish us luck. Thanks, as always, for following along. I hope you have a happy, healthy, and emotionally stable NewYear-