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Post by OnlyMark on Mar 26, 2014 8:08:27 GMT 2
Nominative determinism is still alive and well with a name like Fern! I've sent her some links from the site she can browse through whilst in boring meetings. It is a very comprehensive and useful site and it didn't take me long to find some things we can plant for when we are living in the house that need little upkeep. We've got plenty of land that forms the hill behind us but it only has a thin layer of soil and is quite rocky. It seems there are things that will also grow there and I'll look into this further.
sophie, with my limited communication skills I mentioned last year to the builders that we have a problem with the squirrels and I said I was going to lie in wait and shoot them. They tutted alot and indicated that if I did the police would handcuff me and take me away.
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Post by OnlyMark on Mar 26, 2014 8:27:03 GMT 2
On a lighter note, you forgot the towers at each angle of the "courtyard" - as well as the guard's hanging walkway on top of the wall ;D I forgot to comment on this. You are right Annie in that there is a similarity to a secure prison exercise yard. Unfortunate but we are aware of it. The wife of my brother wondered why we didn't put openings/windows in the front wall. We may do at some time but what we wanted was a peaceful, quiet place that was sheltered during sunny days that weren't hot. An area to relax in that wasn't open to those passing on the track across the front that gave a feeling of being separate from the world and away from any distractions. Our own little 'chill out zone' as it were. There are views from the courtyard to the front which now cannot be seen but it was no loss to us as the views are far better from one floor up around the pool area which will have a couple of terraces/patios to use, one over the battery shed/house, one over the pool pump and equipment house and one over what will be my workshop. Any of these have good views so we are not at a loss.
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Post by Gobsie on Apr 6, 2014 20:27:06 GMT 2
Nice to see the progress Mark, well done!
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Post by OnlyMark on Apr 25, 2014 22:11:43 GMT 2
Hi Miss Pearl. Nice to see you. I just wonder what the cake did so that you had to applaud it. Update – I’ve been in Spain again for a couple of weeks but with the family being here we’ve been busy ‘doing stuff’ that’s not connected with the house. One day we went for a 30km walk along the Via Verde – this is a disused railway track of which there are many in the country and one of those converted to a long distance walking/cycling path. Suffice to say we were all knackered at the end with very sore feet. Anyway, as soon as the lad arrived and Mrs M and the girls went back to Jordan I got the builders back in to do a couple of jobs before we tackle a few major outside things in the summer. All I wanted them to do for a few days is tidy up and re-cover the end façade facing the yet to be finished pool. It needs to be done anyway before the pool so as it is being done it doesn’t pollute the water. Two old hands turned up, Javier and Jose and set about putting up the scaffolding with another worker whose name didn’t begin with the letter J so I’ve promptly forgotten it –
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Post by OnlyMark on Apr 25, 2014 22:12:19 GMT 2
They soon had most of the old render knocked off – Then came the thorny problem of the chimney. Here the two J’s are looking in to it –
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Post by OnlyMark on Apr 25, 2014 22:13:09 GMT 2
And yes, that’s where it’s all gone – So, the solution is to cut it off shorter and for a very good reason anyway – we are going to have a wood fire installed and it needs a bit of fiddling with the chimney tube to bend round a couple of the new windows we’ve had put in. The tube can only be diverted a maximum of 20 degrees, so to make it fit it has to start bending a little lower. All will be revealed I hope at a later date. So this is what it looks like for now – The grills have now been taken off and I’ve painted them with Hammerite (a bloody good metal paint) and after removing all the old render a scree of cement is thrown on to begin to level out the surface in preparation for the smooth outside white render. Just vaguely to the bottom left you can see the box in the wall which is where the main water supply comes in. This is how it looked like as I left for the weekend this morning (had a run across country to Benidorm with the lad to eat some fish and chips) –
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Post by OnlyMark on Apr 25, 2014 22:14:03 GMT 2
Next question – what do you do with a niche that’s crying out for something to be done with it, it is in a downstairs guest room, had grotty wallpaper that is falling off (Mrs M, bless her little cotton socks, gave me five minutes to put it up as a practice for the main event elsewhere saying it’s ok if it is crap as we’ll cover it up anyway). Actually the plan was to build niches in every room to have built in closets. We have the niches, we just don’t yet have the closets. This is the first one of many I will do and I’ve been instructed that the theme for it is ‘agricultural, rustic’. Well, she asked for it, so she got it and I thought I’d have a go at it. First thing, get a bit of a frame thing going. You can see to the left the temporary plastic wardrobe we slipped in there as we did have guests staying a couple of times anyway – Make a floor for it –
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Post by OnlyMark on Apr 25, 2014 22:15:00 GMT 2
Put in a top shelf – I had to use one of the outhouses/sheds, the one eventually that will have all the pool pump and stuff in, as a workshop. Hopefully in the summer a proper one for me will be built at the other side of the pool and at the side of it. But for now I run a power cable from the battery room and make do. Note the great big sod off bench I built last year and is of the same wood. So, build a couple of main doors. It was at this point that I decided to run a small drill bit most of the way through the nail on the index finger of my left hand. All I can say is Ibuprofen is my friend now –
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Post by OnlyMark on Apr 25, 2014 22:19:15 GMT 2
Then build the two top small ones and fit them all. The problem is with being out in the countryside that you are at the mercy of the DIY shop as to what hinges and metalwork they have in stock at the time. When I want four of something they usually only have three. Thus, though the hinges are symmetrical, they are not all the same. It looks fine enough to me though – Then, errrr……. I ran out of wood. I need to get more for the shelves inside plus the partition between the left and right halves so you can hang shirts, trousers, coats etc on one side. More another time as things get done, like having to cement down more of the roof tiles at the rear of the house. The specifications for them are that you cement down every fifth one. This was done well enough by the original British builder who did the main structural work. But they did move a bit and the local builder we now employ says that with his local knowledge of the weather blah blah blah we should have every one cemented down. So we will anyway to be sure.
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Post by Baz Faz on Apr 25, 2014 23:05:35 GMT 2
It's exciting to see you project coming along. You must be pleased.
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Post by OnlyMark on Apr 26, 2014 2:17:04 GMT 2
Certainly pleased if somewhat poorer but only in pocket and not experience or satisfaction.
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Post by auntieannie on Apr 26, 2014 14:30:09 GMT 2
And Mrs M's verdict was?
oh, and ouchie re the drill bit in the nail. make sure it doesn't get infected, Mark.
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Post by OnlyMark on Apr 26, 2014 14:50:42 GMT 2
Mrs M has been sent photos but has not yet answered. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.
The nail, or what is left of it, is progressing healthily at the moment, thanks.
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Post by Gobsie on Apr 27, 2014 10:37:54 GMT 2
Wow Mark, can I borrow you for a few months please.
That birthday cake was baked by a colleague and had my name on it, haven't had my name on a birthday cake since I was 5 .... was very exciting for someone who really doesn't like her birthday much!
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Post by OnlyMark on Apr 27, 2014 11:25:17 GMT 2
Update - Mrs M replies in her email, "Wardrobe looks marvelous on the photo." I think this means she reserves judgment until seen in real life.
She goes on to say, "We anyway will have to stain the door, right? But it looks already very medieval which is perfect for this room. The second most rustic should be in our son's room (only with no medieval touch :-)" As usual, my instructions are somewhat vague.
blackpearl, birthdays begin to fade in significance once passed the thirtieth. I'm sure you'll find this when you get there.
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Post by OnlyMark on May 3, 2014 22:50:36 GMT 2
So, on my way back to Amman via Barcelona. The side of the house is now finished apart from a bit needs doing to the red bits on the corners. It looks like this now - The chimney is connected to this fire inside - The wardrobe has had the inside done - It has been stained - I slipped a couple of shelves in another niche put there specifically for them - Finished off by building another door for a different wardrobe, this one of different wood and the bracing will be on the inside of the door rather than on show outside - That'll do me for now and I'll see what I can get up to in the summer.
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Post by Baz Faz on May 3, 2014 23:09:53 GMT 2
The wood burner looks good. Is it solid cast iron?
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Post by OnlyMark on May 3, 2014 23:45:34 GMT 2
It is, yes. Long and hard we looked at them to see what was best for us. Eventually spotted one at a firm about half an hour drive away. It weighs a ton. It took me and three workers to lift it in.
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Post by missalaska on May 8, 2014 21:26:41 GMT 2
Mark, it is coming along fabulously. Didn't you have some cavey cellar thing there?
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Post by Big Iain on May 8, 2014 22:10:01 GMT 2
Hi Mark. Nice to see things moving along. I love those cast iron wood burners, they are pretty efficient too.
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Post by OnlyMark on May 8, 2014 22:35:37 GMT 2
Iain, I'm just doing some research into what is the best chain saw. We have plenty of wood on our hill and I can see me having to collect it and cut it. We can buy locally but if we can save money, we will. I've already built a saw horse in preparation. Perhaps Baz can give me some tips.
MissA, somewhere in this thread, can't be bothered to look back I think I mentioned in passing that it collapsed, or at least the entrance has. It was an underground water channel probably dating from the time of the Moors (if not Roman) that cut from near our house to the rear beneath the hill. The opening was near a well and formed a cave of a bout three or four metres in diameter. Over one bad winter a few years ago the cave collapsed blocking off the entrance. The channel is still there but I can't now get to it. I can show you where it is when you visit - and you can bring Iain to do the muscle work of chopping the wood, Baz in an advisory capacity both there and in the kitchen. Plus I'm sure there are many skills from potters that can be brought when visiting. Autumn 2015 or Spring 2016 would be ideal for the housewarming pissup if everything keeps on the track it's going at the moment.
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Post by Baz Faz on May 8, 2014 23:22:52 GMT 2
I can offer no advice about chain saws. I had one when I lived in England because we had a lot of trees on our acre of land but I never felt safe using it. When Mrs Faz and I were in the Herault I used a bow saw. Mrs Faz thought this was too much work and got an electric chain saw (surprisingly efficient). She used that though for sawing logs not bringing trees down. Here in the Lot we buy oak in 33 cm lengths and I split them with a pneumatic splitter. We have given the electric chain saw to a neighbour.
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Post by sophie on May 9, 2014 1:33:39 GMT 2
As far as chain saws of, we have had one or more for years (you know, life out in the colonies and forests and all that!!) and I would recommend husquavarna ..Swedish brand. But apparently there are many counterfeit ones out there, so take care and only buy from an accredited dealer. I recently read that over 4000 counterfeit ones were destroyed by authorities in Europe last year. Some of the fake ones had serious chain issues. It's not only counterfeit purses one needs to be aware of!!
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Post by sophie on May 9, 2014 2:37:55 GMT 2
And Stihl is another excellent name.. I think our current two are this company's...
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Post by Big Iain on May 9, 2014 7:41:07 GMT 2
I'd definitely say husquavarna or stihl. There are many dodgy makes out there with less powerful engines which end up being a false economy and very slow cutting.. I can vouch for Stihl personally. I've got a 14 incher! It's great for wood up to around 8 inch diameter and im sure it can do much bigger too.I think their 14 inch goes for around £250 -£300 at the moment. Spares etc are rarely needed but well supported by retail outlets. McCulloch used to have a great reputation but they don't supply Europe these days. Take whatever they sell from the two brands above at the local BigMat/BandQ/Señor Brico etc.
Definitely take a course on safe use if you can and don't eff about without safety gear! You can get safety clothing which snags the mechanism and pulls a clutch mechanism on.
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Post by OnlyMark on May 9, 2014 8:27:40 GMT 2
Right-o then. I do have a small Black and Decker electric chain saw that I've used for a lot of the small stuff close to house and it does make short work of it. I need though one I can take up the hill and from what you've said and what I've seen and what I know is locally available I think the Stihl is the one - but looking through the website of the big DIY chain, Leroy Merlin, I come across quite a few Mcculloch ones. Even a 14 incher for 139 euro! - www.leroymerlin.es/fp/16562672/motosierra-de-gasolina-mcculloch-cs330I think I need to go this summer and see what there is. Oak availability is minimal if at all round our way, it's either olive, sometimes a bit of pine, or nothing. I'll work on it.
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Post by Big Iain on May 10, 2014 1:32:43 GMT 2
I'd spend extra on the Stihl personally. Easy starting and robust.
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Post by Big Iain on May 10, 2014 9:30:37 GMT 2
Just noticed that I said 8" diameter up above when I actually meant 8" across. I think the rule-of-thumb for saws is 2/3 of the bar length for suggested max cut.
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Post by OnlyMark on May 10, 2014 11:07:44 GMT 2
Thanks Iain. I'll check this all out when I go back in the summer.
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Post by happytraveller on May 11, 2014 8:32:36 GMT 2
This house is going to be awesome!
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