Harry the boot (BEL)

Timothy Norton wrote:Harry, you seem pretty handy with all the work you have already accomplished at Wheaton Labs! I can't wait to see all the projects you get into.

Thanks for keeping up with my posts and the compliment above! I am here to learn, but I am interested in continuing to exercise and improve the skills I have developed through both my career and projects at home. I hope you continue to enjoy my posts -- more to come (even today!! see below!!).

Timothy Norton wrote: If you think of it, is there anything you Boots could use that supporters could send in? The Boot Love thread just appeared in my recent threads list and got me wondering.

I appreciate you bringing this up to me. I will ping the group here for thoughts, but I will also make some considerations being "new" here. I will gathering some feedback tomorrow and get a post together for the Boot Love thread.

BEL Post #8

Hello Permies! I hope your Monday was as productive as ours here at WL. Today we started our meeting this morning by reinforcing our priorities for efforts here at WL -- at the top of the list was Allerton Abbey. Given this priority, Esteban and I were tasked with identifying an adequate slab for the fix of the Abbey floor. To remind everyone, the earthen floor to the right of the front door as you enter the "bedroom" space had cracked and fallen in just above a deadman that has experienced settling since the time the floor was finished. The solution, instead of just filling in the space with cob and refinishing the floor, was to fill the space with a plank of wood that would allow for continued observation of any further settling in the future and also provide a beautiful aesthetic. After considering larger slabs in the scrap pile, we decided to use a hickory slab that is part of several previously donated by a visiting Permie, because the slab was thick enough, flat enough, and big enough for our needs. In order to process this slab to our final required size, we had to first mark and cut a straight edge (as both sides were a live edge, this cut is one of the trickiest - it also happens to be when you have the heaviest slab). After making this first cut, we then cut the slab down to the appropriate length on the miter saw, followed by removing the other live edge, keeping the width still wider than what we needed (this is intentional, so that once planed and sanded, we could pick how to trim to size with the best looking final plank). Next, we planed the plank to the required thickness (this was done first one one side, then to the other, working it to the final thickness incrementally so that we could get the flattest final shape). In order to expose all of the grains below the "patina" that was on the surface of the wood, we also used a orbital sander to clean the surface up. I then cut the plank to final dimensions, making Stephen some veneer strips as I cut down the width. After a layer of linseed oil, that closed out my morning.

In the afternoon, we collected tool and went up to the Labs. Esteban and I went to the Abbey for the floor repair. Esteban worked on removing some more cob on the floor to facilitate the fix, and I used a contour gauge on the logs on each end so that I could scribe the profile, cut with a jigsaw, and then hand rasp a draft and the final adjustments for a tight fit. Another layer of linseed oil, and the plank looks beautiful in place. Next, we will be working to "fasten" the plank in place (without fasteners) and will need to finish the repair by reconstituting and reapplying the cob on the floor. More to come, but huge progress today!

A few other things this afternoon included: removing the sharp edge on the new front door jamb at the Abbey, and then applying linseed oil; planting hot pepper seeds in the WOFATI greenhouse and watering them; Completing more work laying down cover crop seeds on the Abbey hugels; Propagating dock seeds around the Abbey; Maybe some more clothes repairs tonight .

While the weather was wild today -- clouds, snow, then flurries in sunshine, then just sunshine, we completed quite a bit as a team today. I look forward to what else we can accomplish throughout the week.

Harry Malecki wrote:Propagating dock seeds around the Abbey

Only on permies would you be able to write this and everyone know what you might be doing it for! I must admit it wouldn't be something I'd propagate round here as it isn't useful enough and is a bit of a pain to get rid of, but as a soil improver/dynamic accumulator it's almost as good as comfrey and rather easier to get rid of (apart from the soil seed burden).

Nancy Reading wrote:

Harry Malecki wrote:Propagating dock seeds around the Abbey

Only on permies would you be able to write this and everyone know what you might be doing it for! I must admit it wouldn't be something I'd propagate round here as it isn't useful enough and is a bit of a pain to get rid of, but as a soil improver/dynamic accumulator it's almost as good as comfrey and rather easier to get rid of (apart from the soil seed burden).

Hi Nancy! Funny enough, this wasn't the first time I have propagated dock directly from the dried plant. My wife, Alex, has collected it before around our current home in Colorado and propagated it along the bluff behind our house. It was to build soil as you describe above. We use dock and comfrey as well around our home in Colorado.

BEL Post #9

Taco Tuesday ended with great food made with Boot teamwork and started with more progress up at the Abbey.

As we navigated the strange weather here in western Montana (it went from dark and snowy, to sunny, to sunny and snowy a few times throughout the day), Esteban and I started the day up at Allerton Abbey to continue working on the floor fix. After feeding the cats (we are all pretty sure that Cheyenne had her kittens and that they are in one of the cat boxes in front of the Abbey), we came up with a plan for how to "fasten" the wood plank into position. Our constraints were: 1) ensure that the plank was secured and to prevent any motion/wobbling that could cause the cob butted up to it to crack in the future, 2) hide the fastening method to maintain the integrity of the beautiful plank surface we ended up with after yesterday's work. The approach we came up with was to pin the plank to the logs at each end by putting holes through the plank and into the log from the side of the plank (see the first picture below). In order to do this, we had to remove some of the earthen floor cob to accommodate the use of the tools to drill the holes. After removing the cob flooring, boring holes through the plank and into the log, we then cut dowels to length, tapered the ends to ease installation, and then tapped them into place with a mallet. The plank was shimmed to level before the dowels were installed, the end result was a pinned/fastened down plank that is firmly in place . Now all that is left is the cob work.

Next, Stephen had Esteban and I work on "Powerline"  signs to clearly mark the path of the underground powerline from the pole by the Solarium to the Workshop/Classroom. I did some simple sectioning of my sign to keep my letters a consistent size and then after routing the letters, I had a little more room, so I added lightning bolts for character . Next, we used torches to burn our signs. This chars the surface of the sign. We then sanded away the charring across the original wood surface to result in high contrast lettering that is easy to read. We then were tasked to place our signs at either end of the underground powerline using rock jacks. This was the first time I built a rock jack, but after watching Esteban complete his first, I got the idea and cut my logs, marked and notched them, nailed together the joints and then applied the rocks to the "seat". Not bad for a first rock jack (looking forward to building larger versions for the fences)! Lastly, while Esteban and I worked on the signs, Stephen had been clearing the path up Complexity Trail that was blocked by downed junk pole fencing. After finishing the sign installs, Esteban and I joined Stephen and helped to clear the last part of the trail. Complexity Trail is "open" again!! This felt even more like a win amongst us Boots, because it reopened the trail to Stephen who has been sleeping in his tent and typically uses the trail to get to and from his tent each day. So glad to be able to work as a team to make this happen -- next step will be rebuild/repairing.