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This is a 2 lb. closed-cell insulation with an R value of 6 per inch. We are achieving R20 on these old exterior walls of true 4x material. The closed-cell spray foam was chosen for it’s structural quality on this project which is predominantly without sheathing. For 175 years this section of the house has never been insulated. The siding was nailed directly to the studs, some of which are still hand-hewn chestnut post and beam. The siding I removed had square-cut nails securing it.

The homeowner tells me his walls are actually warm on the inside of his house this evening. It’s October 21st, 2008 and it’s partly cloudy with a chance of sprinkles. Brisk with lows in the lower 40s. BTW: The spray-foam is watertight, so my liability stress factor has just gone way down. Glad this phase is a success.

Fix #1:
As the bearing started to fail from the extreme force it suffers from the steep angle of the first step up along the slide, I removed and replaced the bearing to no avail. Next, I removed the slide and put it on my grinder, easing the slope of the first step. I figured if it weren’t so steep it would roll better. That didn’t work.

Perfect fix:
I cut a piece of steel and screwed it onto the slide, modifying the slope into a perfectly smooth incline. This took five minutes to do and my saw is back to it’s super-smooth action!

BTW: This fix results in the blade guard resting in a “slightly” opened position (see photo) which is infinitely safer than removing or pinning back the guard. I was taught safety first and never pin back my blade guards, not even on a wormdrive while cutting rafter tails.
I am very pleased with the results of this fix. In fact, it is such an improvement I would purchase this Bosch saw new and apply this patch before I would buy a ‘yellow’ brand saw any day.

I chose the Makita LS1013FL 15 Amp 10-Inch Dual Bevel Compound Sliding Miter Saw with Laser and Fluorescent Light despite several ‘issues’ I have with the saw. The first thing that does not appeal to me is the location of the miter gauge arrow. It’s on the far right, at the fence. Beside having to twist around to that side of the machine to see what angle you are selecting, you cannot see the setting while material is against the fence. WTF? The rest of the Makita’s details seem beautiful. This will be my first saw with a flex work-light and a laser. I can’t count the jobs I’ve clamped a halogen above my saw station to get in a few more cuts end of the day.
It’s much smoother and with a more powerful cut than the DEWALT DW716 I had. My new Makita is mounted on a Rigid Mobile Miter Saw Stand, which is damn heavy but very helpful.

I picked up the Makita LS1013FL for $399 at Home Depot due to a mismarked label.

For supplies I purchased some 7/16″ rope and 1″x3″ oak boards. Including (2) tie-off anchors and some carabiner clips to secure the ladder at the ground, Also some eye-bolts that will pass through the deck framing of the treehouse platform to hang the ladder from.

I changed router bits to a round-over and passed all four edges along the fence.

With the edges smoothed I cut the boards to length.

I used a drill press to make 1/2″ holes in the end of each ladder rung. (The 7/16″ rope wouldn’t fit through a 7/16″ hole)

Leaving a few feet of rope at the ‘bottom’, I tied a knot in each rope and slid a board on. Before repeating I measured up and marked each rope with a sharpie before tying the next knot.

Wait ’til you see where this is going to hang.

This past weekend, I built myself a secure box to protect a new Logitech AudioStation and my iPod Touch while on the jobsite, complete with power outlets, extended cord and metal speaker grilles.

A 4×6 served the final blow to a cheap RCA radio with an AUX input I used before so I set out to find a replacement, this time with a dock. At the beginning of the summer I purchased the least expensive unit I could find at Circuit City, the GPX BI108B Radio Docking System, as a “disposable” jobsite radio.

The GPX BI108B Radio Docking System is an FM radio with an iPod dock and a special spot for the new iPod shuffle. I used this GPX unit on my jobsite for about three months with my iPod Touch but most of the movable parts have broken off. Sensing imminent destruction of my iPod Touch I bought an iPod shuffle and clipped it on. It’s a great combo but the volume is seriously lacking, especially over the din of construction. Unplugged, the radio burned through a set of batteries in a day, the sound is distorted over volume 6 and though it’s form factor is a plus, it just isn’t cutting it on the job.

I found a rebate deal for the Logitech AudioStation Speaker System, bringing the MSRP $149 radio to $29.99. Now, this is a much louder, much more substantial radio system for the iPod. I built the box from maple and 1/2″ plywood to encase the Logitech system. My new jobsite radio case has a heavy-duty 8′ power cord, two outlets on the exterior and is wired inside with antennas and an A/C outlet for the radio. I used lexan for the ‘window’ and aluminum grilles to protect the speakers. I’ll wrap them with material to keep out dust when I find some.

I used a drawer lock to latch the lid, sprayed the interior and exterior black, stained the lid, applied my stencil and plugged it in.

I built these cabinets out of birch plywood with a poplar face-frame and piano hinges. All the doors are simple slabs of plywood with no edge treatment. The idea was to get this wall of storage cabinets finished!
After adding an edge to the countertop and a few interior shelves to increase capacity this baby will be ready for paint.

I’d be glad to have a source for rustic boards instead of the Home Depot fare. I’d be happy to have a budget for board and batten or cedar shakes instead of plywood and asphalt. We’ll just have to see what this week brings.

Although I’ve drawn up some plans, I’m taking each step of this job one at a time. So much so that I won’t know the size or shape of the platform until I’m done framing it tomorrow. I’ll try to make some nice knee braces and carefully attach this structure soundly and with minimal invasion of this cool old pine tree.

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Challenges always accompany even the most simple and satisfying jobs. Temperatures have been in the 90’s with a blazing sunshine. I’m just about as tan as I’ll get. So dark that in comparison my feet look like snow. That reminds me to mention that I love working in Merrell Chameleon II Gore-Tex® XCR® shoes. These are some heavy duty kicks and I’ve worn them all 4 seasons for years now. It’s dang hot out there but it really makes me feel alive and I reasoned never to complain about the heat. Some challenges aren’t as annoying as others.

My second challenge is one of mental adaptation.

It’s COD for the dumpster. I get a call, the dumpster is delivered but there is no check there. Five minutes away I meet the driver, who I tell; The check is under the dumpster, on top of a bundle of balusters.
I laid 1/2″ plywood on the driveway to protect it. In the middle of the sheets I dropped a bundle of balusters and left the check in a ziplock on top. The driver just backed in, saw the sheets and dropped it.
He squished my balusters~!

Building a deck is the kind of job I love. I’m completely solo on this project so seeing the progress at the end of each day is very satisfying. I enjoy being outside, working with my hands and the materials and overcoming simple challenges, like dealing with unexpected rot!

Here are a few pictures from day one:

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I’ll give you a hint. I’m using the Nexus 21 L-27 in this project!

I was looking for another on Amazon and found 106 reviews resulting in a 4.5 star rating for the Werner 22-Foot Type 1A 300-Pound Duty Rating Telescoping Multiladder.

I have used almost every combination these ladders offer. This week I am building a deck on uneven ground and just about anywhere I drop this ladder it’s stable. Having a heavier duty product and two sides to stand on makes it a better work platform than any of my other ladders.

The Wing Little Giant Ladder System 22- Foot 300-Pound Work Platform also gets a 4.5 star rating but from 40 reviews. The Little Giant has wheels and is a 30% more expensive than the Werner.

Of course I like my lighter ladders for most situations but my Gorilla Ladder is without a doubt one important tool on my jobsite.