Timber Frame Completed

This week was quite a week. On Monday I called the boss of D@?!# the electrical inspector and complained about D@?!#'s demeanor and his combative nature. The boss tried to explain the situation and mentioned that there was some miscommunication. I complained that D@?!# had problems with owner-builders and he was cherry-picking items to fail me, like finding new items that needed to be fixed on each visit. The red tag could have shut us down, but it did not happened this week. And the inspection that was scheduled on Thursday never happened. I think my electrical-inspector troubles have ended.

The timber frame was completed this week and it is above all expectations. The frame itself was completed on Tuesday and the roof was installed on Thursday. All of the planks that I milled and the nephews planed and Susan sprayed with Symphony were put up with tar paper stapled on top. The effect was beautiful. The Symphony is a water based product that is supposed to protect the wood from yellowing. The frame itself will yellow, but the planks should not.

As this project comes together, I get more excited about the potential. The views are spectacular and the building is timeless.

On Wednesday the Cattleman's Trust folks came by. Chris West introduced me to the new gal that we will work with for the last three easements and I gave her a tour of the ranch. The presented us with a great big surprise when they announced that the past owner's son approved a grant to the Cattleman's to pay the transaction costs for our easement.

I discussed with Joe Bonn, the builder of the frame about using his workers to help with the infill framing. This, he said, will work great for him as they are between projects and a project to keep his workers busy was timely. This really takes a load off my back. This was a huge job that would have taken me forever. Tis way, I can concentrate on the siding and the interior flooring.

It rained on Friday and not much on the frame got done. I planned on setting up the deck beams, but the rain prevented me from getting exact measurements. I did, however, try out my new mortiser machine. It works great and will save me hours of time with my timber-framing. We have company this weekend, but I should be relieved from entertaining them as the Menks are here with their friends. I will continue to work on the frame.

Below I share some pictures of the work this week

Electrical Inspector displays Peter Principle

Got a surprise electrical inspection on Friday. Good old D@?!# shows up when I was told we were not to receive an inspection until next Thursday! When I talked to the head inspector last week, we agreed that the fix I had on the Lake Cabin temp power was ok until the next inspection. When D@?!# showed up he said that he expected the fixes to be done and that I "LIED" to Rod the boss and to him as to what was to be done.

Only when frustration turned into anger did he back off. I told him that I thought that he was against me from the start because I was doing my only work. He was taken back by my aggression and he responded that he works with homeowners all the time and is only concerned with safety. I reminded him about his continual comment about how an electrician would not have made my mistakes and would have supplies on his truck to fix errors. I responded by stating that if a responsible electrician had given me a bid, I would not be doing the work.

I said to him that he should be trying to help me rather than trying to bust me. I think this hit home because from there on he was more helpful.

He red flagged the meter and gave me the impression that he would not have Mt Parks pull it until he came back to inspect at some future date.

It is obvious to me that he is milking the thing. This is the second inspection and he is finding new things that he wants me to fix. I feel that if he did not mention an error the first time, it is unfair for him to use a new visit to extend the permit with new finds

I look forward to seeing him again as I feel he has purposefully left items unnoted so he can catch me with another fix next time. One item is the lack of a finish plate on a 50 amp receptacle in the old shop. I was stunned that he did not mention it in the first inspection. After the second I decided to head him off by purchasing the plate when I went to Walden to get supplies to fix the Lake Cabin panel.

We shall see!

Timber Frame Erection Starts!!!

The timber frame started to go up yesterday with the floor joists being constructed.

Luckily, the electrical fiasco came to an end when I talked to the boss of the inspector that gave me such a problem last week. I told him that I had fixed the deficiencies that were notated by the inspector and was wondering whether he would be up this Thursday or not for a final inspection. He said that since I was the only inspection up here in North Park, that they would not be up this week and that since that was the case, he would pass the inspection on a temp basis until they came up here. He called Mt Parks Electric and released the job so the meter could be installed. Joe Lance of Mt Parks came over about 2PM and installed the meter (3333) and we were in like flint!

The first day the crew installed the rim joists, the floor joists and the OSB flooring.

Day two was the raising of the bents. Because some of the wood twisted and shrank the center bent was a challenge, but it all got done and by the end of the day two of the bents were done and the ridge beam set. Since Joe works 4 10's they went home to return on Monday to finish the frame.

Below are some pictures of the progress. If you want to see all of the pictures take a look at:

http://gallery.me.com/nshoffner#100207

Electrical Inspector from Hell

Got the bad news on Thursday that I did not pass the electrical inspection on the cabin. There were three items that he did not like. First the ground wire was not connected to the main panel at the meter. This was because the power company did not want it connected while they erected the mast to the transformer. The second was the temp panel did not have weather protected connectors to the receptacle box. The third was that the main conductor was not protected from the ground to the panel.

I asked if he would wait for me to get the tools (1/4 miles away) and fix the items and he gave me a lecture on how I should have used an electrician who would have had the supplies and tools there at the site and that he had a three hour drive ahead of him to get home. I did not say what I wanted to at the time that trying to get an electrician to come to a remote location in a rural area is impossible! I had one come to the site and look at the job. After waiting for 3 weeks for a response, I gave up and decided to do it myself.

The repairs took 25 minutes to do and now I have to wait for another week to get electricity. In the mean time I will have to rent a generator to do the erection of the frame this week.