Workshop part 2

Today i am posting from our local library in Bombala, free limited internet. It is only open 3 days a week and i usually miss the times as they are all random, its crazy.

 That's small town life for ya.

Here is what we were up to last week when the sun was shining unlike the last few days where we have had snow, sleet, fog, wind, a little sun and buckets of rain.

Part 2 of the workshop

This is another branch from the tree in the front paddock.

First Andrew has to cut off all of the side branches before he can cut the log from the trunk of the tree.

The above cut is the limb Andrew and Joshua milled last time.

This little guy was hanging out on the other side of the tree and stayed there all afternoon, i think his mum must have left him behind.

The final end cut before chain sawing the log from the tree. 

There are no pictures of us moving the log as it was just the two of us this time.

Before cutting the log from the tree we put smaller limbs under it so we could roll it with the log dogs to where we wanted it.

Having is sit on the limbs makes it easier and you can cut more from the log.

We had people popping in and out most of the day so the mill wasn't set up till the afternoon.

Andrew milled the top so we had a flat surface, then we covered it for the night and went back up to the cabin.

We started early the next morning and here are the first bearers for the work shop. 

There was a bit of rot at one end but these can easily be trimmed up when we use them.

Next came the joists and as you can see the log is getting pretty small.

This is all that is left, the last joist came away before Andrew could finish the cut.

The mill was packed up and all the timber stacked and all before lunch.

We got 9 Bearers, and 9 Joists plus numerous off cuts.

It may not look like a lot but its enough to build our shed.

And as you can see from above the stack of framing Andrew and Joshua cut last time.

After lunch we put in 4 more stumps these are put in at 1500mm apart from centre to centre.

Closer than normal because it will be full of tools.

We will be adding another 4 stumps as we are going to have a veranda on it.

As you can see from the picture the stumps are getting shorter at the front, it is following the slop.

By the time we do the last 4 stumps the ramp to it will be pretty low.

Happy Adventures Nicole, Andrew & Sally Girl


Linked here
From the Farm hop #26
Our simple Homestead hop #18
Sundays Down Under hop #16
a-little-r-r-wednesdays- hop #121

Plough

The reason we went to Melbourne was to pick up a plough. Don't get too excited its not for a tractor, they are way out of our price range.

This little beauty attaches to the back of the buggy and at $380 we could not pass it up.

It came in its own crate so some assembly is required.

The good thing with the crate is we can reuse the ply for something else.

It is a spring tine plough and pretty well made.

It only took Andrew 1/2 and hour to put it all together.

As it was late in the afternoon it stayed in the paddock till the morning.

It has 7 tines and you can raise or lower to suit the depth you want to plough.

Sally Girl is always supervising.

Put the Buggy into low range and away Andrew went.

The turning circle on the buggy is not as tight as a tractor so there was lots of going over bits to get to the next section.

One of the reasons for getting the plough was so we could dig up all the serrated tussock, it is a noxious weed down here and as land owners we are expected to keep it under control.

There are a couple of ways of doing this, poison, fire or plough. 

Poison was not an option for us and fire can be very dangerous so ploughing is our solution well mostly any way as i spend a great deal of most days digging them out with a shovel.

Andrew spent one morning and the next afternoon and ploughed about an acre or so.

He really likes doing it and i think if we had a tractor he would plough up any bit of land he could.

Ah boys and their toys. 

I think i we will plant Lucerne down the bottom and corn in the middle and oats up the top, i haven;t fully decided yet so we will see how we go.

I have not planted on such a big scale before but i think it will be fun.

We don't have a seeder so i will hand broadcast the seed and rake over.

Fingers crossed the birds, kangaroos and wombats don't eat everything.

Linked here
our-simple-homestead-blog-hop-17/
Natasha in OZ

Happy Adventures Nicole, Andrew & Sally Girl

Trip to Melbourne

We took a trip down to Melbourne to pick up a plough and here are some of the sights we saw on our 4 day adventure.

Flooded Cause Way on our way out

Fishing Boats at Lakes Entrance

Lakes Entrance 

Emergency Helicopter on its way

Port Melbourne

Spirit of Tassie Ferry

Andrew Gold Hunting in the Golden Triangle Victoria

Sunrise on 90 Mile Beach at Seaspray

West Gate Bridge

Bendigo Gold World where Andrew purchased a Gold Miners Right.

Golden Beach

Now i know why there are so many Victorians in NSW

Always on the hunt

The Swing Bridge

Cows on their way to the milking shed

Tram, the only one we saw

Ghost Town of Talbot, not really a ghost town 

Happy Adventures Nicole, Andrew & Sally Girl

New Steps

On our last trip to Sydney we brought back a set of steps and today is the day they will be installed.

There was timber and a large rock step and we added the iron, but it was time to go as it is a good place for a snake to hang out and im not a fan of snakes as most of you know, and spring is here and so is the warn weather.

Away went the rock and the iron, with a few Red Backs on the underside.

Next the old timber was prised up.

All raked up and ready.

First Andrew add a piece of timber under the edge of the floor.

Using a Bit and Brace, drilled holes in the floor and screwed it together.

Added a second piece of timber in front. The timber is Yellow Box that Andrew milled.

Again drilled and using hex screws to attach.

Next drilled holes in the top to hold the stairs in place, sorry didn't take a picture of that bit.

Levelled the dirt and attached the stairs, added a couple of paver's at the bottom.

We may add some gravel as its a bit muddy.

Happy Adventures Nicole, Andrew & Sally Girl

Linked here

natasha in oz sunday linky

Work Shop part 1

Putting in the stumps

We have decided that we dont want to use concrete at all so all of our buildings will have timber tree stumps. 

We purchased a petrol post hole digger and i have to say it is worth every penny.

I could not imagine digging all the holes by hand and not just for the buildings, we have miles and miles of fencing to put up as well.

We are cutting all out timber over sized so we cant be tripped up by the council if they come snooping around.

When the stumps are level we packed them with dirt and gravel. Tamp down around the stump until it is tightly packed. Then move on to the next one.

Because this will be a work shop it will have lots of very heavy tools and such, we wanted to make sure it could withstand the weight.

The stumps are 1500 apart from centre to centre, there are 12 stumps all up.

To get the level we used a string line, the side rails from the mill and a level.

It has worked pretty well and if any are a little low we can always pack them up when we put the bearer's on the stumps.

I think that i am enjoying working on the building more than Andrew is. I would be at it every day if i could, but we are working at Andrew's pace, cause he dose most of the heavy lifting so to speak.

Next up we will need to mill the bearers and then the joists.

I am having heaps of fun and i cant wait till the work shop is finished. 

Happy Adventures Nicole, Andrew & Sally Girl