Tuesday 20th of December 2016
Hung around - waiting for the grab truck to " fit the job in " - no show today - they will do it tomorrow !!
Doctors for medication + dog walking + domestic jobs - easy day.
Must make a long screed / tamping board with raised handles.
I have just remembered that I have an big aluminium skate board platform - might be perfect to make a Bull Float out of - must collect it from my scrap pile in Sheffield.
Mike.
Wednesday 21 December 2016
Monday 19 December 2016
Christmas Preparation
Sunday 18th & Monday 19th of December 2016
Sunday - a day off - in Derby shopping with Jackie and enjoying Christmas preparations - very nice.
Evening - meal at Emily's steak house (poor) - shame about that - we rarely have a night out like that.
Monday - slow start ! - topped off the hardcore from the pile and contacted the grab truck company to move the pile to the lake - soon.
The hardcore that I just added needs tamping down - must bring the tamper from Jonathan's.
A chat with Neil next door - he recommends that I don't need reinforcing - it will be fine without it - Great !
Ordered more Visqueen - polythene barrier for under the concrete - cut that to size when it comes and we are ready.
Will contact the pumping company - get them to visit site soon.
I have started looking at timber prices and getting quotes.
Mike.
Sunday - a day off - in Derby shopping with Jackie and enjoying Christmas preparations - very nice.
Evening - meal at Emily's steak house (poor) - shame about that - we rarely have a night out like that.
Monday - slow start ! - topped off the hardcore from the pile and contacted the grab truck company to move the pile to the lake - soon.
The hardcore that I just added needs tamping down - must bring the tamper from Jonathan's.
A chat with Neil next door - he recommends that I don't need reinforcing - it will be fine without it - Great !
Ordered more Visqueen - polythene barrier for under the concrete - cut that to size when it comes and we are ready.
Will contact the pumping company - get them to visit site soon.
I have started looking at timber prices and getting quotes.
Mike.
Saturday 17 December 2016
A Sort Of Rest Day
Saturday 17th of December 2016
A dry and bright day - so sort out all the stuff from Sheffield.
Jackie helped to -
Trailer of cut, wet, wood emptied into the new steel firewood rack - all stacked neatly for air drying.
Three bags of dry firewood - one to the summer house - one to the feature rack - one to steel rack - no more bags in Sheffield now - just some old spindle patterns to cut up next trip.
Trailer washed with hot soapy water to shift some of the spilled oil from the engine job - looking better.
My poor little car hand washed - looking better !
My car loaded with the materials and tools for the dinghy repair.
The spare gas cooker ( for Jonathans ) moved from the summer house to the clean trailer for storage.
Summer house hoovered and tidy.
Good to have things organised - so - a restful afternoon and an evening with Alan and Marlene - lovely!
Christmas shopping ( I must buy my gifts ) tomorrow - plus - a special meal out in town for the two of us to start Christmas off properly.
Mike.
A dry and bright day - so sort out all the stuff from Sheffield.
Jackie helped to -
Trailer of cut, wet, wood emptied into the new steel firewood rack - all stacked neatly for air drying.
Three bags of dry firewood - one to the summer house - one to the feature rack - one to steel rack - no more bags in Sheffield now - just some old spindle patterns to cut up next trip.
Trailer washed with hot soapy water to shift some of the spilled oil from the engine job - looking better.
My poor little car hand washed - looking better !
My car loaded with the materials and tools for the dinghy repair.
The spare gas cooker ( for Jonathans ) moved from the summer house to the clean trailer for storage.
Summer house hoovered and tidy.
Good to have things organised - so - a restful afternoon and an evening with Alan and Marlene - lovely!
Christmas shopping ( I must buy my gifts ) tomorrow - plus - a special meal out in town for the two of us to start Christmas off properly.
Mike.
Thursday 15 December 2016
Base Shuttering
Week - 13th to 16th December 2016
Tuesday - rained - I visited Derby Timber supplies and bought the 19mm shuttering ply for the former - a good price at £ 22.50 including them cutting it into 5 inch by 8 foot strips.
I like the company - but they are a bit limited by what they stock and they could not quote for the sizes I need for the big build - never mind.
Wednesday - lovely warm sunny day - I joined all the boards end to end - made up enough for the whole perimeter from my stock and set one end.
I set the boards by driving the 16mm by 2 foot steel rods into the ground every 2 feet on the outside of the board and fixing the boards by 2 plastic wrap around pipe clips and 7/8 inch raised head screws - solid.
Thursday - I set the rest of the shutter - Jackie helped me to take the levels and - we are short of hardcore in various places around the edge - good job I still have a huge pile - lol.
I also cut timbers and braced the boards to the gravel boards on two sides and the path edge on another - just leaves the front - but that edge has extra steel rods - I might not brace that edge.
It all looks very solid - checked for square - not bad - the levels are within 5 mm all round - the dumpy level has been fantastic - I couldn't have done it without it.
Friday - up to Sheffield - cutting firewood - moving the last of my stuff out of unit 5 - then go and see my son Jonathan.
This weekend - I plan to fill in the hardcore - tamp it down - then the remainder of the pile can go to the lake on Monday.
I also plan to strip paint from the dinghy hull and sheath the whole underwater part in fibre glass - the materials should arrive on Friday.
Another productive week.
Mike.
Tuesday - rained - I visited Derby Timber supplies and bought the 19mm shuttering ply for the former - a good price at £ 22.50 including them cutting it into 5 inch by 8 foot strips.
I like the company - but they are a bit limited by what they stock and they could not quote for the sizes I need for the big build - never mind.
Wednesday - lovely warm sunny day - I joined all the boards end to end - made up enough for the whole perimeter from my stock and set one end.
I set the boards by driving the 16mm by 2 foot steel rods into the ground every 2 feet on the outside of the board and fixing the boards by 2 plastic wrap around pipe clips and 7/8 inch raised head screws - solid.
Thursday - I set the rest of the shutter - Jackie helped me to take the levels and - we are short of hardcore in various places around the edge - good job I still have a huge pile - lol.
I also cut timbers and braced the boards to the gravel boards on two sides and the path edge on another - just leaves the front - but that edge has extra steel rods - I might not brace that edge.
It all looks very solid - checked for square - not bad - the levels are within 5 mm all round - the dumpy level has been fantastic - I couldn't have done it without it.
Friday - up to Sheffield - cutting firewood - moving the last of my stuff out of unit 5 - then go and see my son Jonathan.
This weekend - I plan to fill in the hardcore - tamp it down - then the remainder of the pile can go to the lake on Monday.
I also plan to strip paint from the dinghy hull and sheath the whole underwater part in fibre glass - the materials should arrive on Friday.
Another productive week.
Mike.
Monday 12 December 2016
Sort Out Day
Monday 12th of December 2016
An overcast / drizzly sort of day - a bit miserable - time for getting sorted.
The area at the side of the house was untidy - mainly because I stored my dinghy project there plus logs waiting to be cut to usable firewood - so TODAY'S THE DAY!!
The dinghy is to be the new maintenance boat at Scott's lake - after the it's bottom has been repaired.
I managed to move it onto trestles on the drive so that I could clean up the side of the house - Jackie had a fit !! - IT CAN'T STAY THERE !!
So - PLAN B !!
Scott helped to move a steel storage rack into position where the dinghy had been - to store firewood for drying - overflow from our nice feature rack for dry wood near the conservatory.
Jackie stacked six big bags of dry timber offcuts, onto the feature rack, that I had brought down from Sheffield last week - that's my poor little car empty for two minutes ! !
Jackie helped me to stack all the nicely cut firewood from the trailer onto the rack - great.
The remaining big logs were then loaded to the trailer - to go up to Sheffield for cutting tomorrow.
The area around the rack was swept clean - oddments of timber were stacked on the new rack and a tarpaulin roof fashioned to keep it all dry - lovely!
I then made a transport frame and strapped it securely to my poor little car roof rack !
Jack and I then lifted the Dinghy onto it and I strapped it on - ( heavy for me !! )
We delivered it to Scott's - Jack and Scott carried it through the car port and on to the patio behind the garage - ideal - we can sort out the fibre glass work in the dry - under the car port - perfect.
Scott gets a nice stable work boat - I get to sail it occasionally - good arrangement !
So - all sorted - the area at the side of the house now very tidy - plenty of firewood drying - loads of space for more if we come across any.
I looked at the clock - it was 4 pm !! - We had been working out in the drizzle all day !!
I was worn out - time for a sit down with G & T for Jackie and a glass of red wine for me - a useful day.
Note - It must seem like a massive effort goes into producing firewood for our lounge stove but when it is lit - the thermostat for the central heating feels the heat and shuts the boiler down - our gas bill is really low right now - it might just be the reason - plus - we love it !!
Mike
An overcast / drizzly sort of day - a bit miserable - time for getting sorted.
The area at the side of the house was untidy - mainly because I stored my dinghy project there plus logs waiting to be cut to usable firewood - so TODAY'S THE DAY!!
The dinghy is to be the new maintenance boat at Scott's lake - after the it's bottom has been repaired.
I managed to move it onto trestles on the drive so that I could clean up the side of the house - Jackie had a fit !! - IT CAN'T STAY THERE !!
So - PLAN B !!
Scott helped to move a steel storage rack into position where the dinghy had been - to store firewood for drying - overflow from our nice feature rack for dry wood near the conservatory.
Jackie stacked six big bags of dry timber offcuts, onto the feature rack, that I had brought down from Sheffield last week - that's my poor little car empty for two minutes ! !
Jackie helped me to stack all the nicely cut firewood from the trailer onto the rack - great.
The remaining big logs were then loaded to the trailer - to go up to Sheffield for cutting tomorrow.
The area around the rack was swept clean - oddments of timber were stacked on the new rack and a tarpaulin roof fashioned to keep it all dry - lovely!
I then made a transport frame and strapped it securely to my poor little car roof rack !
Jack and I then lifted the Dinghy onto it and I strapped it on - ( heavy for me !! )
We delivered it to Scott's - Jack and Scott carried it through the car port and on to the patio behind the garage - ideal - we can sort out the fibre glass work in the dry - under the car port - perfect.
Scott gets a nice stable work boat - I get to sail it occasionally - good arrangement !
So - all sorted - the area at the side of the house now very tidy - plenty of firewood drying - loads of space for more if we come across any.
I looked at the clock - it was 4 pm !! - We had been working out in the drizzle all day !!
I was worn out - time for a sit down with G & T for Jackie and a glass of red wine for me - a useful day.
Note - It must seem like a massive effort goes into producing firewood for our lounge stove but when it is lit - the thermostat for the central heating feels the heat and shuts the boiler down - our gas bill is really low right now - it might just be the reason - plus - we love it !!
Mike
Butlins Weekend
Friday 9th to Sunday 11th of December 2016
A restful weekend of sorts at Butlins Skegness for a 60's music weekend.
Booked months ago via Jackies sister Zoie - but we almost cancelled due to Jackie having a bad cold / cough.
We arrived @ 2pm Friday - checked into our lovely Silver standard room and met up with the rest of our party - Zoie & Tez - Mick & Pat - Mick & Janet.
A buffet get together in Zoie's apartment then into one of the massive venues for music from various tribute bands.
All too much for Jackie - too many people - ( packed - 1000's ) - too loud - ears ringing - we left early.
Jackie stayed in bed all day Saturday and we left for home on Sunday.
Never mind - it was very cheap - the rest of our party enjoyed it - I got a good rest.
Back to work at home on Monday - but light rain all day !
Mike.
A restful weekend of sorts at Butlins Skegness for a 60's music weekend.
Booked months ago via Jackies sister Zoie - but we almost cancelled due to Jackie having a bad cold / cough.
We arrived @ 2pm Friday - checked into our lovely Silver standard room and met up with the rest of our party - Zoie & Tez - Mick & Pat - Mick & Janet.
A buffet get together in Zoie's apartment then into one of the massive venues for music from various tribute bands.
All too much for Jackie - too many people - ( packed - 1000's ) - too loud - ears ringing - we left early.
Jackie stayed in bed all day Saturday and we left for home on Sunday.
Never mind - it was very cheap - the rest of our party enjoyed it - I got a good rest.
Back to work at home on Monday - but light rain all day !
Mike.
Thursday 8 December 2016
No Progress
Wednesday 7th of December 2016
No progress on site since the last post but busy - busy - just the same.
Tuesday
Jackie has a bad cold and needed TLC - no problem.
The compactor was collected promptly - no problem.
A tip run to dump the double glazed units - done - very helpful tip guys !
A new front tyre for my poor little car - wearing very uneven - must get it checked.
Loaded the trailer with logs to be cut on the big band saw in Sheffield.
Loaded all scrap steel for a scrap yard run - including unwanted engine block and parts.
Wednesday
On a MISSION !!!
Up at 4.30 - on the road 5.15 !
At the unit in Sheffield before 6.30.
Unloaded logs.
Loaded scrap steel from container to trailer now full !
Emptied the first wood rack in the container - sorted the wood.
Re-organised the back of the container and stacked things tighter + neater.
Dismantled the rack an stashed the parts.
Re-stacked the wood on the second rack to the roof !
Stacked the 2 inch Elm boards for easy access.
A quarter of the container now empty - fantastic.
Ran to the scrap yard and unloaded - £26 - not bad.
Cut the logs to firewood size chunks - trailer now full.
Loaded 7 bags of dry firewood from my unit 5 stock into my poor little car.
Moved lots of my stored stuff from unit 5 into the container with help from the lads - great help !
Ran to MAES in Rotherham - dropped off the starter motors an alternator from the scrap engine for testing / quote for servicing - great.
Drove home to derby - big day !!
I feel better now that most of my stuff is out of unit 5 - just small stuff left - must get some tote bins from Scott's storage loft.
Rain all day Thursday - good to have multiple jobs completed in the dry - perfect.
Mike.
No progress on site since the last post but busy - busy - just the same.
Tuesday
Jackie has a bad cold and needed TLC - no problem.
The compactor was collected promptly - no problem.
A tip run to dump the double glazed units - done - very helpful tip guys !
A new front tyre for my poor little car - wearing very uneven - must get it checked.
Loaded the trailer with logs to be cut on the big band saw in Sheffield.
Loaded all scrap steel for a scrap yard run - including unwanted engine block and parts.
Wednesday
On a MISSION !!!
Up at 4.30 - on the road 5.15 !
At the unit in Sheffield before 6.30.
Unloaded logs.
Loaded scrap steel from container to trailer now full !
Emptied the first wood rack in the container - sorted the wood.
Re-organised the back of the container and stacked things tighter + neater.
Dismantled the rack an stashed the parts.
Re-stacked the wood on the second rack to the roof !
Stacked the 2 inch Elm boards for easy access.
A quarter of the container now empty - fantastic.
Ran to the scrap yard and unloaded - £26 - not bad.
Cut the logs to firewood size chunks - trailer now full.
Loaded 7 bags of dry firewood from my unit 5 stock into my poor little car.
Moved lots of my stored stuff from unit 5 into the container with help from the lads - great help !
Ran to MAES in Rotherham - dropped off the starter motors an alternator from the scrap engine for testing / quote for servicing - great.
Drove home to derby - big day !!
I feel better now that most of my stuff is out of unit 5 - just small stuff left - must get some tote bins from Scott's storage loft.
Rain all day Thursday - good to have multiple jobs completed in the dry - perfect.
Mike.
Tuesday 6 December 2016
Tidy Up
Monday 5th of December 2016
Very frosty start but sunny periods today
A morning in the office - off hired the compactor for collection Tuesday.
Contacted Bosworth Grab hire - £100 cash to move the remaining hardcore to the lake - not too bad.
Contacted Cempump - £288 to pump 4 cubic metres of concrete up to 30 metres - additional cost for longer distance - must measure up !!
Looked and looked on line for reinforcement mesh - found prices all over the place - emailed 3 companies for a delivered price - no replies !!
Ainscough Metals in Lancashire - £20 for A142 @ 4.8 x 2.4 - very cheap but no reply to my email ?
I will ring them.
I think it would be pushing my poor little car too much to collect 4 sheets - 16 feet by 8 feet !!
I brought round another 4 barrow loads in the afternoon filling in low spots and sludgy paths - I might delay moving the left over hardcore until I have set the former and filled in around the edges - I can compact that with my heavy tarmac tamper.
I ran the compactor round and round the site - all nice and solid - great !!
I measured the pump pipe run at 50 metres - I will ring Cempump for an updated price.
I measured for the electrical supply cable and conduit run 50 metres again.
There won't be much progress this week - I will post at the weekend.
Mike
Very frosty start but sunny periods today
A morning in the office - off hired the compactor for collection Tuesday.
Contacted Bosworth Grab hire - £100 cash to move the remaining hardcore to the lake - not too bad.
Contacted Cempump - £288 to pump 4 cubic metres of concrete up to 30 metres - additional cost for longer distance - must measure up !!
Looked and looked on line for reinforcement mesh - found prices all over the place - emailed 3 companies for a delivered price - no replies !!
Ainscough Metals in Lancashire - £20 for A142 @ 4.8 x 2.4 - very cheap but no reply to my email ?
I will ring them.
I think it would be pushing my poor little car too much to collect 4 sheets - 16 feet by 8 feet !!
I brought round another 4 barrow loads in the afternoon filling in low spots and sludgy paths - I might delay moving the left over hardcore until I have set the former and filled in around the edges - I can compact that with my heavy tarmac tamper.
I ran the compactor round and round the site - all nice and solid - great !!
I measured the pump pipe run at 50 metres - I will ring Cempump for an updated price.
I measured for the electrical supply cable and conduit run 50 metres again.
There won't be much progress this week - I will post at the weekend.
Mike
Monday 5 December 2016
End Of Phase Two
Sunday 4th of December 2016
A bright and sunny day but cold.
I steadily brought round about 15 barrow loads of hardcore today - filling in the low spots and compacting as I went - mid afternoon it turned very cold but I was finished - it looks really good !
I still have about 4 or 5 tonnes of hardcore left but Scott is keen to have it at the lake - I will contact the grab truck company on Monday and get a price for moving it.
The next phase is to go to Sheffield - to re-organise my container - move my stuff from unit 5 into it and liberate 3 sheets of 20mm shuttering ply.
I can cut it to five inch strips in Sheffield to make it easy to carry on the roof of my poor little car.
When I have the ply on site in Derby - I can set the former and line it with Visqueen.
I asked Neil, next door, about reinforcement ( a professional ) - I need A142 mesh - the sheets overlapped 400mm.
The stock size sheets come in 4.8 x 2.4 metres which are ideal - I need 4 sheets but I am struggling to find a local supplier with reasonable delivery charge - I'll keep trying.
Steady progress ! - Mike.
A bright and sunny day but cold.
I steadily brought round about 15 barrow loads of hardcore today - filling in the low spots and compacting as I went - mid afternoon it turned very cold but I was finished - it looks really good !
I still have about 4 or 5 tonnes of hardcore left but Scott is keen to have it at the lake - I will contact the grab truck company on Monday and get a price for moving it.
The next phase is to go to Sheffield - to re-organise my container - move my stuff from unit 5 into it and liberate 3 sheets of 20mm shuttering ply.
I can cut it to five inch strips in Sheffield to make it easy to carry on the roof of my poor little car.
When I have the ply on site in Derby - I can set the former and line it with Visqueen.
I asked Neil, next door, about reinforcement ( a professional ) - I need A142 mesh - the sheets overlapped 400mm.
The stock size sheets come in 4.8 x 2.4 metres which are ideal - I need 4 sheets but I am struggling to find a local supplier with reasonable delivery charge - I'll keep trying.
Steady progress ! - Mike.
Sunday 4 December 2016
No progress.
Saturday 3rd of December 2016.
No progress today - all day helping Jackie to put up Christmas decorations.
Mike.
No progress today - all day helping Jackie to put up Christmas decorations.
Mike.
Saturday 3 December 2016
Day Off
Friday 2nd of December 2016
No progress on site today - a day of catching up with domestic jobs and fitting the new double glazed units.
Mike.
No progress on site today - a day of catching up with domestic jobs and fitting the new double glazed units.
Mike.
Thursday 1 December 2016
Alan Helping Today
Thursday 1st of December 2016
We were both up early today - Jackie was having Maddie all day today - plus taking Charlie to school - so - UP AND AT EM !!
I managed about 10 barrow loads before Alan came round to help set out the levels in the centre of the site.
Alan suggested that we knock in small pegs and level the tops so that I can see at a glance where the hardcore is low - Great idea.
We soon had a dozen pegs in and leveled - great.
I carried on barrowing the hardcore - raking it level - then I started up the compactor !
In two minutes I had lost sight of the tiny bit of pegs sticking up and had run over three of them - pushing them into the ground - What a Dope !
I managed to re set them and found, in the shed, some sand castle flags - you never know when you might need them - lol.
I can see the pegs easily now - with each one having a flag on it.
An early finish today - I was ready anyway - Penny to walk and double glazed units to collect.
Mike.
We were both up early today - Jackie was having Maddie all day today - plus taking Charlie to school - so - UP AND AT EM !!
I managed about 10 barrow loads before Alan came round to help set out the levels in the centre of the site.
Alan suggested that we knock in small pegs and level the tops so that I can see at a glance where the hardcore is low - Great idea.
We soon had a dozen pegs in and leveled - great.
I carried on barrowing the hardcore - raking it level - then I started up the compactor !
In two minutes I had lost sight of the tiny bit of pegs sticking up and had run over three of them - pushing them into the ground - What a Dope !
I managed to re set them and found, in the shed, some sand castle flags - you never know when you might need them - lol.
I can see the pegs easily now - with each one having a flag on it.
An early finish today - I was ready anyway - Penny to walk and double glazed units to collect.
Mike.
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