7.31.2022

Jim bought this tube bender kit when he was rebuilding the box truck.  He doesn't envision using it again so he's had it advertised on eBay and it finally sold.  He spent some time this morning getting it all ready to be shipped to its new owner.  

Jim and I also took a few minutes to sort through some of our donation box.  We loaded up my car for a trip to the Salvation Army store tomorrow and I sent an email for a donation appointment to take these miscellaneous parts and pieces to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Jim got the rest of the air conditioning hoses and the connections wrapped in insulation this morning...

In the afternoon, we headed outside.  Jim had to take apart these old sawhorses he made ages ago - they have certainly served us well but you can see they aren't usable any longer.

On the lean to, putting up the top J-channel for the siding...

Attaching the bottom flashing...

Top and bottom pieces all fastened in place...

Measuring the length of siding he'll need...

Using the metal shears to cut the first piece to length...

Putting the first piece up...

Continuing to put up the siding...

End-of-the-day picture...

But not the end of the work day for Jim!  He loaded up all the old wood from the sawhorses and some of the blocking pieces he used for the scaffolding into the bucket of the Bobcat to take down to the trash.  Once that was done, he loaded up the scaffolding pieces and took them back up to the shed.

High 81.8/Low 57.4 - beautiful!

7.30.2022

Doing the detail work to finish off the air conditioning system, putting the channel cover on.  Amazing to think Jim was able to get all the plumbing, electric and condensation lines in this one channel!

Time to take the scaffolding down...

Then Jim was able to cut the grass back here - everything looks so good!

Switching gears back to the lean to.  Jim had picked up more wood the other evening at Home Depot so he made the rest of the blocking and got that installed...

Attaching the sheathing...

Putting on the underlayment...

End-of-the-day picture - roofing is all done except the shingles!

Time to get ready for church!  

High 78.1/Low 60.7 - gorgeous!

7.29.2022

Jim was back outside working on the AC again - he got the condensation tubing in the channel.  Once the lines are finished inside, the condensation will just drain into our rocks next to the house.   

Jim started working on splicing the electric wires to make them long enough to reach the compressor...

Nothing like trying to splice all these wires up in the air on scaffolding...

Splicing is done and both lines are connected to the compressor...

Buttoning it up!

Jim also got the electric wires all neatened up inside as well...

Another big test - Jim powered up the AC in our bedroom and it worked perfectly!  It's supposed to get hot again next week so we should be ready for it!  Jim has worked so very hard on this and encountered so many obstacles - he's my hero!

High 82.2/Low 65.6 - beautiful!

7.28.2022

Mom and I headed out this morning to do some more returns as well as some grocery errands.  When we got home, Jim had a big surprise for us - he got the AC working in Mom's room!  This is a really cool unit with a remote that looks like it can do all kinds of things.  But what a HUGE relief that all Jim's hard work paid off and it is functioning perfectly!  Now because nothing in this installation system has been easy, the electric wiring that came with the units is too short to completely go to the compressor.  Jim has it temporarily fixed right now and ordered more wire.  He'll have to splice the wires together in order to finalize it.  But it works!

In the afternoon, Jim headed back outside to start working on the final sheathing course.  

He had to make and install blocking at the very top in order to be able the fasten the sheathing, best seen from below...

We had a pop-up shower come through right after Jim got cleaned up.  He took the trash down on his way to Home Depot to pick up some more wood for the blocking.

A big shocker - Jim got his roofing material quote back today.  The price of the composite shingles is over 2-1/2 times what we paid for them when we bought them for the house!  The quote for the shingles for this small area was crazy!  Jim also had them quote the price for standing seam metal, which was our other option.  It was only a few hundred dollars cheaper.  Good thing we built when we did but it doesn't bode well for building in the future with those prices!

High 86.5/Low 62

7.27.2022

 Jim was busy in the shop this morning, still doing some clean up and packaging of returns to come from all the AC work.  The next step in the air conditioning is the condensation tubing - Jim started working on that...

After lunch, Jim headed out to reconnect with his roofing connection - he's been working up what he needs for the lean to roof.  The slope isn't quite enough to use the same composite shingles as on the house and pole barn, although Jim could make it work.  They are going to price out both the composite shingles as well as standing seam metal roofing.  That's what we would use for the outdoor wood burning furnace pavilion roof for safety.  Jim also needs a couple more pieces of steel siding for the lean to.  It's going to be scary to get these quotes because the price of steel has gone crazy lately (as has so much).

Once he got home, he did some grass cutting to end out the work day.

High 78.8/Low 53.9 - beautiful!

7.26.2022

Jim did more pressure testing this morning on the AC system....both lines still hold their pressure well.

The new pump was delivered today as well so Jim did some tests with it and the gauges...

Time to try to vacuum the line...both lines vacuumed way below spec and held it the required amount - yay!

You are supposed to vacuum it below 500 microns - this line registered 191.

With the lines passing the vacuum test, the next step is to let the coolant go from the compressor through the line!  Both lines now have coolant in them so huge steps today!  

High 73.6/Low 56.9 - a gorgeous day, especially after the heat!

7.25.2022

 

Wow - guess there's a lot to celebrate today!  Did you choose any of these ways?  I'm thinking wine and chocolate - pretty close!

Jim worked in the shop this morning, continuing to clean up the air conditioning lines inside, getting them wrapped and attached to the ceiling with brackets...

All done!

When we went to Lowe's last night, Jim bought some small PVC pipe to use for the condensation lines.  He was hoping he would be able to get them out the same hole as all the other lines - he put this stub from the outside to test it out and it worked!

It rained lightly on and off in the morning so Jim planned on an inside day.  But he still worked on the pole barn lean to.  Using the scraps from the sheathing, he cut the top course for the roof.  He didn't have long enough pieces to go across more than one joist so it will be a bit more work to fasten in place, but it saves us from buying another piece of sheathing.  With the price of building supplies continuing to be so crazy, it sure helps to save where you can.

To end off his day before hitting the treadmill, Jim did some trimming outside.  

High 80.9/Low 61.5

7.24.2022

It was a wildlife nursery on the property this morning - during breakfast, we saw the baby turkeys again (teenagers now?).  Then as Jim was heading down to the shop, we saw a fawn with its mother.  This is the first fawn we've seen - and after we took these pictures, we saw 2 more fawns but couldn't get a clear photo.  It was adorable to see 3 fawns jumping and prancing around their mom!

So cute...

Jim also hung a new sign I bought in the bathroom...perfect!

Jim worked more in the shop the rest of the morning and then we all headed outside in the afternoon.  Using the Bobcat to bring up the next piece of sheathing...

Putting it in place...

The next piece...

And the last piece on this row...

Marking locations for fasteners...

Using the nail gun to fasten the sheathing...

Time for the underlayment!

Finishing up the first row...

Second row done...

After Jim got everything cleaned up, we all headed into Lowe's.  Jim needed to pick up some pipe that he hopes to use for the condensation tubing for the AC.

High 86.5/Low 67.5