7.31.2016

This was a rare rainy day and was much cooler, which was a very nice change.  Besides the fact that we want to continue with the brick work, now there is so many other things that Jim wants to do that a rainy day is almost welcome.

Jim's been anxious to get back to stair work so this was a good opportunity.  Here he has almost all of the clip angles welded on...

The new stringers are all finished and you can see the old ones on the floor!  If you remember, Jim is using the old ones on the lower staircase in the metal shop.

The stairwell looks empty now with no lower stairs!

Ta  da!  New stairs all installed!

 

Looks like it will be another rainy day tomorrow so Jim has lots on his to-do list!

 

High 68/Low 63 - on/off rain

 

7.30.2016

Prep work takes longer now that we are finished with long runs in the back and have more complicated issues to address.  So we had already decided that today would just be a one batch day in the afternoon.  Jim spent the morning doing lots of tasks...

He took apart the sawhorse scaffolding from the back and brought it around to the front so that he is able to work higher.

Then he built a scaffolding tower on the other side of the garage door to enable him to work on the brick in this corner as well as the roof eventually.

This back section looks even more amazing with all the scaffolding gone!

Jim is using the hammer drill to install the electric box for the outdoor lighting...

At lunch, we checked the weather forecast.  It called for some showers in the afternoon so we decided not to try and force in a batch of mortar.

We turned our attention to finishing up all of the membrane and brick flashing on the front.

This brick flashing is complicated to put on but we have a good system - Jim gives me the measurements and we have a specific way to cut the pieces so that overlaps perfectly to keep any water out.

All done!

We kept checking the weather and it kept showing the possibility of showers so we definitely scrapped brick work.  Instead, Jim started working on the stairs again.  He got all the end pieces made and welded on.  Then he started welding the clip angles on.  Won't be long before this stair run can be installed - very exciting! 

We have the most interesting frogs on Angel.  I was cleaning up in the back of the building, putting scaffolding pieces away and getting rid of some block we had back there.  This frog definitely looks alien - look at its eyes!  Plus, we definitely have chameleon frogs that blend in with their background!

 

At the end of the day, we still had gotten no raindrops.  But that's okay - we still made lots of progress.  There are so many places that Jim can work now - sometimes it's good to turn attention to something else for awhile!

High 80/Low 61

 

7.29.2016

This was another morning prep day - Jim had lots to do to get ready for the next batch of mortar.  He got the house wrap cut up farther (almost gone!) and the walls cleaned.

Then he did lots of brick cutting.

Next we worked on putting up more membrane on the block - this requires taking the screws out of the dimple board, moving it out and cleaning the existing membrane so that the new membrane will stick.

Then we had to relearn the complicated cuts to put up the brick flashing.

But it all looks good - just a little more to go!

After we got done with the membrane, we took our lunch to go and headed out to Lowe's.  We picked up 4 more bags of mortar (that might be all we need for now!) and a grout bag that Jim will use to put mortar at the top of the stubby brick course.  He already has one but we have to find it - so we bought this one just in case.

Once we got home, it was time to make the mortar!

Bringing the mortar box around to the back of the building.

Jim started back on the stubby course...

WOW!!  The back wall is officially bricked and we're turning the corner!!

We next moved to put another course on the front wall...

Continuing down the wall and up another step.

Jim is barely visible among the scaffolding jointing the front.  This course is as high as we can go in the areas where there will be outdoor lighting - Jim will have to put more boxes in and run wiring.

Jointing the back wall.

It's hard to get pictures of the entire back wall because it backs up into the woods.  We're so happy that this part of the wall is done and came out great!

A view through the trees...

 

High 86/Low 59

 

7.28.2016

Jim decided that he really needed a morning to prep for our brick work today - things are getting somewhat complicated!  So I left to go pick up more brick ties from the concrete company and new brick gloves from Home Depot.

Jim had to do lots of marking and measuring to make sure everything was going to come out the way it was supposed to - we are getting ready to turn the corner in the back.  He has to make sure he knows exactly what he needs to do before the mortar is hardening in the box because then there is no time to waste!

He also had lots of cutting to do...here are some of the stubby bricks for the top course.  You can see the pail of the tiny cut-offs from each of the bricks.

Once the weather gets so hot like this, the forecast always seems to show the possibility of a shower.  We studied the radar maps at lunch and decided we should be good to go.  So after lunch, we got our mortar ready.

Working on the last row of full bricks on this back wall!

These stubby bricks are really difficult to place - there just much room.  Jim has to use his small trowel so just getting mortar up is difficult plus he's working amongst the scaffolding again.

The full bricks are now done on the back wall section and we are turning the corner!

After the back sections were done for now, Jim moved up front to put another course on.

Working along the front...

Up another step!

Jointing the back...

End-of-the-day...this back wall looks amazing!!

Jointing the front...

We heard some rumblings off in the distance but we had no rain - we covered up just in case of anything overnight.

In the back, we stapled the plastic to the wall.

 

Cleaning up...

 

At the end of the day, Jim got more bricks cut.  Then we went out for a rare nachos and beer night - we had house things to discuss and sometimes it's easier to do that on a date night.  Otherwise, by the time we eat dinner and sit down, we're done for the night!  We had light placement to discuss and decided to think about extending the overhang a little bit for esthetic reasons.  And we certainly had to drink a toast to our great progress on the bricks!

High 85/Low 66

 

7.27.2016

More prep work as always to start the day - Jim had to put a whole row of brick ties on the back.

And do more measuring/marking...

Mortar time!

Working along the front...

Up another step!

Working in the back...

And up another step here too!

Then Jim started working on the last course on this corner - of course, not easy since it's tucked underneath the roof.  These are the stubby bricks, as we call them, where Jim cut 5/8" off the top to give him installation room.

Moving around the corner...

Then it was time to joint...

After a late lunch, time to get prepped again for the next batch.  More earthquake ties...

Second batch of mortar is ready...

Doing the last block work!

Up another step in the front...

Next, Jim continued with the top course in the back, using up all the bricks he had cut.  Looks so good - and amazing to think this section is finished!

Jointing the front...

I guess Jim got tired of me taking all the pictures of him, so he turned the camera on me doing mortar duty!  Scooping up mortar...

Carrying it over to where Jim is working...

...and dumping it on his mortar board.

Wow...the back is really getting finished!

Jointing...

Final clean up...

 

It was another hot day with a lot of hard work but lots of good progress!

 

High 87/Low 61