Sunday, November 18, 2018

Rustic Harrison Specials (3).

Before and After "Puttin' on the Trim".

[Photo: The main roof is made up of four cedar slats]

I knew when I designed this type of birdhouse that it would take more time to make than a basic four-sided box. But the extra cutting, sanding and assembly time are worth it, in my humble and dusty opinion.

I get to show off the old cedar faces a bit more, and the extra space at the front gives me room for a small picket fence. As well, parents get extra space for those teenagers who are occasionally reluctant to leave home for college right after they get their high-flying-school diploma.

Before and After the Trim Job:


I add roof edge trim, windows, perch and fence. (Good use of scraps).

More photos and a final "Voila!":




This is the last batch for 2018.

Time now for The Big Sweep!!

See you in the spring!

Please link to Rustic Harrison Specials (2).

Photos GH

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Rustic Harrison Specials (2).

I've Got Shingles, The Good Kind.

[Photo: Western cedar house on a square pine base]

After cutting the thickness of the cedar slats down to 7/8ths of an inch (approx.), I cut the slats into several pieces, seen assembled above into a birdhouse with a side apartment large enough for a teenager to rent from its parents for a week or two.

I have not noticed other birdhouses like this (Who else thinks like a teenager who wants his own pad for just two weeks?), so, I call it the Harrison Special, or Rustic Harrison Special, or After Two Weeks You're Outta Here!

The inside looks almost as nice as the outside in my opinion:


The two sides are a titch shorter than the roofline, allowing for air flow.

I often make the roof slats out of the cedar that has been trimmed from the rustic cedar slats, but on this occasion I spotted some rescued cedar shingles in The Annex (lumber, bicycle, yard tools and lawnmower storage facility). Why, I think they're perfect for the apartment roof!



Final photos soon to follow.


Photos GH

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Rustic Harrison Specials (1).

This Style Goes Way Back!

[Photo: Last batch 2018; solid houses with side apartment]

The western cedar is pretty rustic, for sure. It came from Joe Flagler's dock repair, Fenelon Falls, five or six years ago, and Joe said it had been his dock for twenty years. And from the look of it, the cedar was old when he bought it - and it aged like fine wine (next to the Trent-Severn Waterway), in my humble opinion.

 Joe's lumber just needs a titch of sanding.

Rustic, rescued, valued western cedar!!

Age-wise, the cedar is quite old, and it's also aromatic, easy to cut and sand. Nails pop through it as nice as you please.

I rescued it (paid for my son to truck it to London) after Joe and son David found it was going to cost them $150 per pickup-truck-load to get rid of it, well over $1,000 total (!), at the town dump. David, in charge of building Joe a new dock, didn't go for that price. So, he called me.

David: Dad, do you want the 2 by 6s from Joe Flagler's dock?

Gord: You've got me interested. Tell me more.

David: There's a lot of it ("150 per truckload!"... ), and I'll bring it down. You just have to pay for the truck. 

Gord (Pause. I thought about 1,000 cedar birdhouses for 5 seconds, no more): I say, yes.

And, several years later, I'm still working on that pile. Log cabins are next up (as a spring project)! 

I had to go back to photo files to find samples of my last rustics. I'll do more of them in the spring as well.

Photo from July 2015:

Link to Harrison Specials 1 for more details.

I'm already looking forward to my first workshop projects for 2019 - a western cedar bonanza.

Rustic, rescued log cabins, from Spring 2018. 

To see more rustic log cabins, please link to The Shop is Open, Already Dusty.

Photos GH

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Custom Four-Plex (2).

Finished Before the First Snow!

Fresh off the workbench, in spite of the 1970 license plates!

This would be a good time to clear away the tools and dust in the shop - The (annual) Big Sweep is surely needed - that is, before the snow flies and it gets too cold to work comfortably on any further project. But, I have six rustic birdhouses 'in progress', so I will press on for another week at least.

That being said, I liked working on this sturdy four-plex and will do more like it in the future.

 A "bird's-eye-view", as it comes in for a landing.

There's no back door for my feathered friends.

More about the rustics soon to follow.

Please link to Custom Four-Plex (1).

Photos GH

Saturday, November 3, 2018

Custom Four-Plex (1).

Yes, I Have Some Left-Over Lumber.

[Photo: 1970 license plates make a sturdy roof. One more roof to go]

Before winter comes and the workshop gets too cold for comfort, I'd like to finish one custom four-plex and six rustic cedar birdhouses.

The four-plex is made chiefly from white pine barn board and old pine from left-over battens (originally stained green) that once were part of my house's siding.

An hour here and an hour there in the shop should allow me to finish everything in time for a December 1st sale at a local church.

 Roof slats for the right-hand section are cut and sanded (lower right).

 Sections of the three roofs can be removed, and act as clean out doors.

  More cedar trim and a fence is one the way.

More photos to follow.... before the snow falls, I hope.


Photos GH