On the Level (or Plumb)

by marjasisu, posted in Camp Many Moons

When you’re building your own cabin, you need to make sure everything is plumb (vertically straight) as well as level (horizontally straight). So I put my eyeball up to the old transit, taking care to not nudge it and thus disturb its settings, while Jeff holds a yardstick up for me to focus on and read out the number. And so my education in DIY construction continues…

We are now in a more painstaking “in-between” phase of building, between the dramatic raising of the walls and the even-more-dramatic placement of the roof. Jeff’s prepared the ground for the patio, which must be complete before the roof goes on because it will be covered and must encase big posts to hold up the roof. We’ve ordered the trusses (the internal structure of the roof) and I’ve almost decided on shingles (the outermost, visible part of the roof). I’ve learned more than I ever cared to about shingles and continue to endure the salesmanship that accompanies every construction decision. I winced to learn that the shingles I finally chose are called “designer” shingles (as compared to “traditional” or “luxury.”) It’s quality we’re after, not trendiness, but oh well. I’ll ignore the marketing ploys.

Besides the preparation of the patio, Jeff has been busy readying the walls and all their components to receive the roof. Part of wall-preparation is securing it against weather (and insects), so we added an aluminum wrapping called trim coil to the bottom of the walls. See photos and captions below, with related updates.

PS: If I use terms wrongly here, chalk it up to my construction naivete!

Jeff used an old tractor that belonged to his grandpa to level the sand around the east and south walls in preparation for the two-sided covered patio. We then used the transit to check its level of level-ness. (He-he.)
I’m still somewhat clumsy at the transit, a surveying instrument used to measure horizontal and vertical angles. Jeff says this one is at least 50 years old. Like many items we’re using on this project, it belonged to his forebears. I like that we’re using old tools and machines.
Jeff holds up a “story pole” — basically, a yardstick — while I eyeball it through the transit to make sure the sand under the future patio is perfectly level.
Adding trim coil to the bottom of the walls helps protect against moisture and insects. This thin aluminum with a special coating isn’t heavy but is awkward to maneuver.
Another decision was the color of trim coil to buy. This wood-grain bronze cost more than boring gray or white but was worth it to me–even though only 6 inches will be visible.
Jeff made trenches around the walls in order to insert the trim coil, and we worked together to fill them in again.
Since this is mostly a two-person project, I help out where I can. I admit I get grouchy when it gets hot or buggy, and take frequent breaks
This is one place I take breaks. I moved my tent onto the septic field yesterday, wondering if anyone else uses a septic field that way. (You can’t put anything on top of it. Other than a tent.)
Meanwhile, I continue to expand the view around the emerging house by removing small trees (at least 20 so far) and cutting low-hanging limbs of large trees. I’ve been reluctant to cut many trees but now can visualize the need. I hauled this load to the big burn pile near Jeff’s camp, a half-mile away. I grunted a lot while trying to throw these limbs up onto the tall pile instead of alongside it, as encouraged by Jeff. (A tall pile will burn better than a wide one, I suppose. It’ll be burned in the winter while snow is on the ground.)
Thinning the woods and cutting the low limbs opens up the water view.
When I grow bored with construction tasks or sore from tree-trimming, I move to other pursuits such as trying to propagate the local lupin. Gorgeously purple a few weeks ago, they are now brown and ready for pod-plucking.
I picked a basket-ful of pods and let them dry out a bit more….
…then cracked open the pods to pull out the little seeds.
It’s painstaking to collect seeds this way, so I’m also leaving some pods on their stalks, in a paper bag, in hopes they’ll open on their own and the seeds will fall to the bottom of the bag. I’m chuckling to remember my time-consuming attempt to harvest and plant cedar seeds. The harvesting went well, but the planting yielded zilch. Hoping this experiment will go better!

4 thoughts on “On the Level (or Plumb)”

  1. Great update Mary. I really enjoy learning of all the steps in your construction. Congratulations on you and Jeff accomplishing those many tasks.

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