Man Cave Mk2

[DJ.]

Excellent, bails are in the air

30 fps! That does help. When I've been to Santa Pod, I found if I pressed the shutter when I saw the car (top fuel dragster) move, it was out of the frame before the photo was taken (and the cars aren't short!). In the end, I kept both eyes open and pressed the shutter as the lights changed, I got some pretty good ones with the front wheels lifting and the rear tyres creasing as the car moved forward, once they start moving they're just gone!

[b33fy]

A bit of an update, been a while, though not a huge amount to say. Helping the roofer mostly. He dropped a bombshell, needing a bit of time away for some surgery following the results of a biopsy. Lovely guy, wishing him the best with it all. Health comes first, hopefully a positive outcome and we’ll see him again soon.

Started on the cladding, though James is presently away and it’s a two person job. Picking him up tomorrow from Edinburgh Airport, so hopefully we can crack on.

Finished framing around the bay window. A hateful job, loads of angles, nothing to fix to and nothing square, a by product of the bay being damaged previously. Was hoping to install shutters though this may be a big ask given the issues.

The plan is to get the exterior cladding installed and maybe some guttering and then pin the plasterer down for a start date, hopefully mid August.

Out and about with the camera, trying out my Macro lens.

@Duncan, great article online, thought of you when I read it. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... SApp_Other

[DJ.]

Interesting article Mike, next year I will have been knife making for a quarter of a century, but I have never sold one. I found the pleasure was making something as close to perfect as possible with no thought to time or expense. If I sold them, I doubt I would be able to ask enough even to cover minimum wage for the time I spent.

This year I have being making (and being paid for!) spacers to fit movements in watch cases using my new toy a 1940s Atlas lathe.

However, yesterday, my younger daughter put in a request for a nice sharp knife to cut up vegetables, so I'll be running the forge again soon.

The house is going well, shame about the roofer, I hope it goes well for him.

You and James obviously get on well. If I'd had to build a house with my Dad in my early twenties, one of us would have ended up murdered.

[b33fy]

Same for me Duncan, I didn’t have the best relationship with my father at that age.. probably more about me than him

Picked James up Tuesday from Edinburgh Airport. He didn’t miss me. Straight onto the exterior cladding so we can get the outside rendered asap. Using a Eurocell product, a composite cladding with aluminium extrusion trims. It is designed for vertical installation though it’s a bit more tricky for us as we are insetting it between blockwork. We’ve also got to allow a gap for the render.

Needless to say it’s slow going using an unfamiliar system along with working off a tower. We are also doing the barge boards and soffits at the same time as they affect each other. We’ve put a window sill along the bottom to ensure rainwater goes in the right direction and the trims are raised slightly so they drain out on to the sills We’ve made a 10mm gap down the sides to allow for the rendering. The top has a 3mm gap to allow for the finishing trim so it sits tight on the soffit. We’ve worked out the planking spacing which is more or less central to the window. We couldn’t get the planks central to the space because of the ribbed profile on the back of the plank. If you don’t cut it in the right place the edges aren’t supported as the ribs need to sit on the finishing trims.

All in all a right royal pita. At least now we’ve worked it out the other gable end should be completed considerably quicker.

Popped out with the camera club to snap the local pond life, got some ducks instead.. A few shots below.

[b33fy]

Cladding and barge boards done on one end. Not much more to say other than repeat at the other end, probably start Monday. The slater is back Tuesday so hopefully we’ll get the cladding done before we need to cut more slate.

Popped along to the walled garden at Floors Castle and snapped a few flowers.

[b33fy]

Started on the other gable end. All ready for the cladding after double battening and fitting the trims. Spent a bit of time helping the slater who is easing himself back into the swing of things. The roof is progressing with another pitch completed. Stripped off the last bit, once done then it’s onto the front of the lodge. There is more finished than there is to do, so hopefully the end is in sight. Stewart is a one man band, also a lovely guy and brilliant at his work. So many people have said what a great job on the roof, we are happy to support Stewart and get the job done properly even if it takes longer than having a gang throwing on the slates.

It’s not been a quick or cheap process, with James and my time taken up cutting the bullets and sorting and holing the slate but we think it is worth it especially from a quality and kerb appeal aspect.

A couple of shots below, working on the cladding and stripping the roof this week. Also a snap of the countryside when we were out and about Wednesday evening eyeing up another potential project.

[DJ.]

You have transformed it, but in a sympathetic way. I'm sure the locals must appreciate your efforts. Good to hear you roofer is recovering too.

It's a beautiful part of the country, with good roads too. How about another kit when you've finished

[b33fy]

You have transformed it, but in a sympathetic way. I'm sure the locals must appreciate your efforts. Good to hear you roofer is recovering too.

It's a beautiful part of the country, with good roads too. How about another kit when you've finished

Thanks Duncan, we get a lot of nice compliments, which is great. Was at a flea market yesterday and in general conversation “are you local” type of thing.. the stall holder said how much she admires the roof and we were doing a great job which was no doubt widely appreciated.

Not sure on the car front, too busy with other things and they can be money pits. Maybe a modified daily driver, or rally type car. Fiesta WRC replica or Yaris GR. I do fancy a VW Tiguan diesel with a hybrid turbo set up, good for 350bhp and 50mpg.. obviously not at the same time.

[DJ.]

Thanks Duncan, we get a lot of nice compliments, which is great. Was at a flea market yesterday and in general conversation “are you local” type of thing.. the stall holder said how much she admires the roof and we were doing a great job which was no doubt widely appreciated.

Not sure on the car front, too busy with other things and they can be money pits. Maybe a modified daily driver, or rally type car. Fiesta WRC replica or Yaris GR. I do fancy a VW Tiguan diesel with a hybrid turbo set up, good for 350bhp and 50mpg.. obviously not at the same time.

Nice to hear they appreciate sympathetic restoration, people are very quick to complain, but much slower to praise.

Good to hear you have plans on the car front. To be honest a kit in Scotland is going to be in the garage for months over the longer winter, so something fun but water tight seems a good idea

[b33fy]

Cladding done on the gable end. A couple of smaller areas to do next then ready for render. The slate is all done at the back of the lodge now except four slates to be done where the brackets were. Delighted with how it’s turning out. On to the front next week, which means more sorting and bullet cutting for James and I. Another local stopped by today and was full of praise for the work we were doing, which was really nice.

Popped over the Galashiels to get get some more fascia trims as the saw cut the others in the wrong place Grabbed a shot of the countryside along the way, which is starting to look more autumn than summer.