Since finding more Quaint furniture, I've been spending time watching upholstery videos and came across a real gem. Buckminster Upholstery. I had no idea just how much craftsmanship went into their work. If you live in Kansas, it looks like he has classes
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZPmM8kQ43b21kSjifg0aQA

http://www.buckminsterupholstery.com/

Found this beautiful Stickley chair for 15 bucks. Just needs a new leather seat and some fill for cushion. Anyone know of a good leather supplier for this kind of work?

Cut about 40 hip slates. All bevelled and ready for installation. Installing hip slates is my least favorite thing to do, when it comes to roofing.

I'll be doing my hip slates soon and found this great video that explains how to do it properly.

Thanks goes to Slate Roof Contractors Association of North America.

I really like that star ridge, but I'm uncertain what you do with the ends. Just cap it I guess?

Nice that I can use my scaffold for other projects unrelated to my house. Works perfect for bike repair. Heck I can work on 4 bikes at the same time!

Also, one pic of my progress. Very grateful for cloudy days. It gets plenty hot up there.

 Trying to decide if I should get a copper roof vent or a powered or a powered attic ventilator. 


I'm leaning towards just having the copper roof vent and leaving it at that, since there is a debate as to the effectiveness of a powered attic ventilator.

I thought it would be great to install a whole house fan in my attic (once it's finished) and having it vent through the copper vent, but I'm guessing it wont be enough to vent through even with my circular vents at the eves.

Slating the left side and I've decided to use stainless steel screws to mount the snow guards.

I really like the star bit heads over phillips.

I've started making slate bird houses as well as copper jewelry.

This birdhouse will be going up for auction tomorrow to benefit a local school sports program.

Just some pics of the front of the drip edge that was completed last week.

Boy, my chimney sure looks a whole lot better from the ground. Looks like I'll be hiring a brick mason when I get to the back (and final) side of the house.

Well I took pics with my phone while making my drip edge, but they appear to be gone, so here are some pics of my 8' copper sheets installed and downspout installed. We've had some storms since installing and it's working great.

Rebuilt my soffit on the left side and installing crown molding.

Since I'm working by myself, I created these crown holder thingies to keep it in place.

The crown molding can be quite long, and can be hard to handle when working alone.

Going to be installing my copper today. I'd like to get it on before winter comes.

Still a w.i.p but getting there. It was my original intention to put 3/4" wood for the roof and then slate on top, but I think I'm just going to do slate instead, and forgo the wood.

 I also decided not to put a perch. I read that predators like to use it, and just stick there head into the birdhouse. Of course, this bird would have to have a pretty long neck for this birdhouse.

I really don't know much about birds, so if anyone has any comments or suggestions please let me know.

I've seen some beautiful thatched roofs before, but I never heard of thatched finials.

The Dodson Brothers create some impressive works of art.

It's a bit too hot for me to work outside, so I've decided to start a project I've been meaning to do for a while. Birdhouses made of slate and some copper. I'll post some pix after I compete this one. I imagine they'll be a bit on the heavy side....lol.

I follow Fine Homebuilding on Facebook, and occasionally come across some good information.

Yesterday, they had a post about Flared Cedar Shingles, which will really come in handy when I redo the shingles on the top half of my house.

I really love the look.

After having this oak frame in my shed for some 15 years, I finally printed something for it and got the glass for it. I think it turned out pretty nice.

 It was printed on an Epson P9000 using Epson Cold Press Natural paper.

The image was downloaded for free using the New York Public Library Digital Collection.

Rounding the corner. The slate on this side was in bad shape due to the sun exposure. The pine decking is hard as a rock, and it looks like I'll be using stainless steel nails instead of the usual copper.

In case you haven't seen this yet..... Free images of turn of the century posters (and more)! If you find one you like, you can download a tif version and see how large you can print it.

Hello! I've still been working on this never ending project.....just took a bit of a break. Here's a gif of before (as it is now) and after (with use of photoshop) I hope to get someone to do the framing for the roof and entry for me. Can't wait for that to be done, so I have a nicer looking house!



via GIPHY

Change your anode!

Later today I'll be changing out the anode in my water heater and thought...hmmm I wonder how many people do this sort of thing?

 It's a good thing to do every few years, especially if you have a finished basement as I do. Also water heaters are pretty expensive, and this will keep it lasting longer. The hardest part is getting that anode out, but if you have the right tools, and a cheater bar, it shouldn't be that hard to do.

I ordered my anode through Amazon and it was about $50 bucks. There are cheaper one's made of aluminum.

 Once you replace it, write on the water heater with marker the date it should be replaced.

 The video from This old house explains it very well. That cut-out is pretty gross though.