5.7.2019 - Microwave and cabinet installed!

Well...today was the day to bring up the finished microwave cabinet and install it in the kitchen!

Thanks to Jim's ledger boards, it was very controllable for us to set it in place...

Looks amazing!

Making sure everything is straight and level (of course, it was!)

 Since the cabinet was in place, the next step was to bring in the microwave and set it up on the bracket.  Jim got it screwed into place but then decided that it was 1/32" off center.

So we took the microwave down and he moved the bracket over 1/32"!

Microwave back up - Jim is much happier now!

Microwave is now functional!  Jim will have to do the exhaust vent work but that will require a trip to Home Depot.  It looks SO beautiful - I love it!

Jim continued his work on the window frame pieces, doing all the sanding...

He decided to try a different technique and stain the pieces before putting the frame together...

Staining...

 All the window frame pieces are now stained...

The UPS man brought some replacement parts Jim had ordered - you can see this chip guard on his planer was broken so he's replacing it with a new one...

I'm getting ready to head out to Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs for an author talk - this town has so many of these opportunities so I decided to take advantage.

High 60/Low 40 - drizzly in afternoon

5.6.2019

Jim put the face frame on the microwave cabinet this morning!  This has been a very different process since we are painting the cabinets than what Jim has always done in the past with stained wood cabinets.  So definitely a learning experience but it looks beautiful!

Before lunch, Jim did a bit more work on the chipper, cleaning out the filter below...

It was a beautiful day, so after lunch Jim got the chipper hooked onto the Bobcat and we took it out to see how it would work.

It worked wonderfully!  We were so happy - replacing the fuel pump and filter and giving everything a good cleaning did the trick.  We started on the big pile of branches left over from the tree cutting we had done.

Making great progress - Jim repositioned to get the last bit.

Check out how crazy this branch grew!

Some of the branches needed a bit of trimming because the branches had forks in them...

Once that area was done, Jim moved the chipper up to where he cut down the trees in the back of the house.

Lots to clean up in this area...

Then we moved the chipper to the other huge pile of branches from both big trees...

I even got to take a turn - kind of scary so I think I'll stick to dragging out the branches and let Jim do the chipping!

We got a good start on this section...

After cleaning up and putting the chipper away, Jim moved stumps into the woods - this area is just about all cleaned up and really looks nice...

High 70/Low 49

5.5.2019

It was back in the wood shop today - now that he had the milling all done on the window frame pieces, he was able to start squaring it up and putting the frame together.  

He predrills the holes and gets the corners all perfectly aligned and then connected.  Then he rounds all the edges over.

He then takes the frames apart, marks all the corners so that everything lines up when he puts it back together, and starts making all the 2-step holes for fastening to the window.  This is the bigger first hole...

And the smaller next hole...

Since each hole has to be drilled twice, that's a lot of holes and a lot of drilling - but all done now!

Planing more wood for door pieces...

He got another section glued to make door rails...

We had hoped to get outside today to see if the chipper would work, but it was a misty, drizzly afternoon so that will have to wait for another day.

High 60/Low 48

5.4.2019

Jim moved the microwave cabinet over to the workbench and just set the face frame next to it - looks SO pretty!  Can't wait until it's hanging in the kitchen!

He continued gluing up door parts...

And then did the millwork on the window frame pieces for the two casement windows...

He continued working on the chipper today.  He power washed parts and pieces before putting it back together and he replaced the gas line.  Right before he was stopping to get cleaned up for church, he got it running - yay!  However, it's not chipping yet so it may not have any power but that's a good start.

 

High 62/Low 47

5.3.2019 - Painting first cabinet!

I had a doctor appointment this morning (otherwise there would be a ton more pictures!) - while I was gone, Jim painted the microwave cabinet!  He first got his work space all set up - he covered the workbench and uses painting blocks to elevate the face frame.

He set the cabinet up on the sawhorses and taped plastic on the front to protect the inside...

Of course, it was a learning experience with the new gun.  It's cool how it works - the paint goes in a bag and the gun pumps the paint up, collapsing the bag as it sprays.

Face frame all painted - gorgeous!

As is the main cabinet.  I tiptoed in to see them so I wouldn't kick up any dust until they settled.  Jim is going to give them a couple of days to harden before he even thinks about putting them together.  

In the afternoon, Jim headed into the Drywall Center to talk to his rep about ordering some steel for some more shelving.  He also stopped at our insurance agent.  Both of these trips took awhile because it's like Cheers when Jim walks in!  He spent close to an hour at each place mostly talking - but it's definitely time well spent - these people are very good to us.  In fact, the insurance agent told Jim that he had been saving this special State Farm toolbox cooler for Jim because he was the perfect person for it!  

Once Jim got home, the UPS guy had delivered his parts for the chipper so he started working on that.  In order to get to the fuel pump, he had to really tear things apart.  Here the new pump is installed...

High 59/Low 50

5.2.2019

Jim continued working in the wood shop today...the microwave and face frame are all ready for their final coat of paint!

Then he planed some wood to use for the remaining casement windows in the house...

The pieces are all cut to size and thickness and ready for the millwork!

Jim also did a ton of cleanup work - everything from consolidating more used oil to take for recycling, to cutting up one of the old pallets to put in the trash, to taking a trip to the recycling center to get rid of metal and cardboard.  He also got plumbing and conduit pieces organized and stored in the pole barn attic.

He knocked off a little early and we went into Home Depot.  We bought cabinet paint - we decided to go with the semigloss - and picked up more wood glue.

We topped off the night with a pizza from Pope's Pizza and ice cream from Ben & Jerry's!

High56/Low 46

5.1.2019

It's way more fun to celebrate May Day when your name is May!  Definitely cause for celebration.

It didn't quite feel like May weather here - we were in the 40s all day.  Back in Ohio, they were in the 80s - no thanks!  Jim and I love this very gradual move into warmer weather.

But it was a mostly inside day for Jim.  He put the first coat of primer on the front face frame of the cabinet...

He also continued getting wood ready for the door.  The piece on the left will be one of the rails for the door - it's out of the glued pieces he did to give the rails more stability.

Continuing on with his equipment maintenance, he took apart the planer today to sharpen the blades.  This takes a lot of time - he probably spent close to 3 hours on this project.

The bottom blade is new - the other two are the old ones.  If you could see them close up, you would know they needed replaced.

He also spent time in the pole barn, getting oil ready to take in for recycling.  He had some old diesel oil that he had to filter so it was quite the messy operation.

At the end of the day, he spent more time cleaning up the turn-around area, moving probably half of the stumps.  It is really looking nice and clean.

High 46/Low 45