The Bed Project

I'm building the bed frame for the main bedroom, and we want storage underneath, so I had to think about drawers and all that. Also, we're coming to the end of our nice long redwood lumber, so I decided to take on the challenge of only using scrap pieces (and some plywood) for the whole thing.

First, I went scrounging through our piles and came up with a batch of ends and bits:

After planing and cutting to size, I started putting them together, leaving holes for the future drawers (I'll build those later). In this photo, you can see I've used plywood as structural support between the drawers. These pieces hold up the platform piece as well.

We had planned to have electricity coming out the ends, so those had to be figured in as well. (Melissa had long ago figured out the wiring needs)

Here's an early shot of how the bed is actually made two platforms - one that the drawers will sit on, and one that the mattress will sit on.

Electricity for the other side... and notice that I had to build the sides different from one another because the wall curve isn't 'square' with the room.

I wasn't sure what to do with the end, since the drawers couldn't go all the way (because of the needed corner support) but we decided that a bookcase would be nice, and I think it turned out well. The two long horizontal pieces are the longest redwood boards in the bed. the floor of the shelf is a think scrap supported from underneath.

Then it was time to scrounge for the 'headboard' pieces. Here they are, laying out to dry, as they were out in the rain, some of them even buried in duff and dirt.

Once planed up and cut, I had to figure out how to fit the wood to the wall. Notice I decided to go grain-edge to the wall, the only way to use scraps instead of a couple of good pieces.

Here they are cut to fit the wall curve, with the future light switch junction box:

and then the linseed oil goes on!

First coat, done!

Some Cabinet updates

A bit of progress on the cabinets. Here's between the stove and sink:

and the ones under the cold box, in the northwest corner of the kitchen:

Bread and Bridget

we baked bread in the earth oven - two small loaves went in together and stuck - and we just left them that way and started slicing off pieces of one. Now it looks like a head. Bread head.

Bridget came to visit and wouldn't stop playing the ring on a string game:

Until the wine and pizzas came out, then all was well!

Visitors Do Work!

Sky and Laura came to visit, to check out our whole project in person, as they are hoping to be on a similar *journey* some day.

They were truly eager to experience a bit first(muddy)hand, so we did a batch of scratch/discovery plaster near the west door - on the north buttress. We spent most of the day on tours and talking, but they clearly knew about hard work and wanted to help.

Good times.

Lime Plaster!

We've gotten going on the plastering of the bathroom with lime plaster. Some parts of it seem easier, some more difficult. These walls will get painted with the lime wash as well, to turn it white.

and, just for a change, it hailed at lunch today.

Back at work!

I got the lower part of the kitchen sink support in place, with some good grooves on the posts for a tight fit. Also, since the propane line is going to go under there, I decided to throw down a big old HDPE pipe for the gas line to run in. In the ridiculous possibility of an earthquake somehow making the cabinets jump around so much that they land on the pipe, the HDPE will protect it from getting cut by any vertical plywood.

Meanwhile, Melissa got to work on the garden, with some transplants and some watering. The leafy stuff is coming in strong - lettuce, mizuna, arugula, radishes...

and I had another little DIY victory: I figured out why the generator wasn't putting out any power - well, actually, why it was only putting out 2 volts - it was the 'brushes' in the alternator... apparently they wear down over time. Here's a photo of me putting in a new one.