Flooring It!

So with most of the walls, electrical and plumbing done the only thing left was the floor. Judiaann doesn't like cork and I do. She's also a better negotiator than I am as the compromise we came up with was that, since the budget was/is constantly an issue, we could save money by saving the cork that we found upstairs. It's a bit beyond saving but with strategic rug placement our sanding and finishing of the old cork should look okay. 

After that we decided on an engineered maple for the main floor. It was a good choice as it's clean and light and helps to brighten the space and gives a nice counterpoint to the cedar and black beams. We have done so much work to get the whole floor to one level that it's a huge relief to finally be putting the floor down. It's also the chance to build the cabinet bases which finally begins to give an insight to the shape of the kitchen. Small but very functional and extremely open. 

Lastly is the garage. It's not a garage to me but my shop. Obviously, if you've read this far (mom?), you know that I take building and making things rather seriously. It would not do to simply paint the garage floor so I decided on VCT tile so that the shop space was clean, easy to maintain and had the look of a 1950's IBM lab. It's perfect and far beyond a "man cave" in it's scope.  

Also, I've mentioned it before I think, but I'm doing a far better job of updating my build thread on Garage Journal because there I get feedback and pats on the back and that helps me keep going as this drags on and on. I know there are some souls who've found this and for those lost few I'm to keep going here. 

Pulling nails and hand sanding the old cork. 

The cork is still worn but it's been cleaned up considerably. Someday it will be nice to replace but for now it's fine. 

The beginning of the underlayment and the first boards down.

It's amazing the transformation and the lightness it brings. 

Look at how the light behind the fireplace is bouncing into the ceiling - ah, to finally be able to finish and enjoy that over coffee.

Cabinet bases are constructed and bolted to the concrete and shimmed level. 

Here's our first test - alternate as traditional or all the same direction as you don't see. Yup, all the same wins.

It's not quite as flawless as I'd like but only I'll know. The big machines preclude emptying the garage for a clean install so we lift feet as we go. 

When the garage is "done" the benches will be painted red so that the main color chord is white/black/red and of course industrial gray for the machines. 

This is such a nice clean visage of my shop to be. The black base moulding really ties in nicely with the beams. 

Cable Railing Replaces... What Were They Thinking?

I realized recently that I'm coming up on 10 months that I've been doing this. Single handedly restoring a house and learning the process as you go is time consuming and costly. Of course it's a fraction of the cost as if I were to hire out the process but I'm paying in time.

Anyway, this was a thing that I've been wanting to do forever and just never had a house. I love the sleekness of cable rail and I love the marriage of wood and metal. Finally, here was my chance to bring the skills of welding and woodworking together.

This is my "story pole" and jig to drill the holes exactly 3" apart in the posts.

You need to cut the cable with a grinder and use tape to keep it from fraying. 

I used my mill to drill out the rail and spacers and the center drill here made nice countersinks. 

Unlike typical architectural welding which is Mig I use Tig which is finer and more controlled. 

It's a slower process but the results are far nicer and neater. 

Cables cut and ready to be swaged with their threaded ends. 

I went with a clear stain to keep the lightness that is similar to the new cedar in the recess there. Countersinks neaten the look of the holes into the beam. 

The span is 3' between supports which is more than adequate to provent the theoretical 4" sphere from passing through. 

This is what it looked like when we first saw it. You have to see this to appreciate the next shot. 

This is truly a transformation that gives me hope and I keep going.