Wow I’m tired. I spent the weekend fixing fences mostly. I did a four hour stint of overtime at work yesterday morning. After that I went to Thuy’s (pronounced Twee) rental house to fix the fence in front. The big post holding up the gate with an over head trellis was rotten, I replaced it with new wood, though I cheated a bit by digging out the old post from the concrete and sanding the new post a little with the belt sander. It fit right in the old concrete shell. Getting the overhead trellis back on was a chore, using a 2 x 4 to hold it up and slamming a couple big spike nails on either side. That worked.
I removed all the pickets from the bad 2 x 4 wood section in front, replaced the wood and reinstalled the pickets with new nails. The side fence has a vine with flowers growing over it and rotten 2 x 4s, removed and replaced the lower one, enough for one day.
This morning I slept in and made a beef stew for lunches. I headed back to Thuy’s place with hedge sheers and chopped back the vines to get at the fence. It’s the neighbor’s plant, taking over on this side with an iron trellis bent over and flowing into half the yard. I chopped it back and bent the trellis straight. The stuff filled my truck this evening, a full green bucket of yard waste.
Now that I can see the fence, I had cut the 2 x 4 too short. Thuy showed up, admired the work, we checked out back and discussed the back fence. It will need a post here, I can use the old post from up front trimmed to fit. This other post will need a fence mender metal bracket sledged in and nailed. More fencing design to discuss at work. I head back to Home Depot for a 2 x 4 and some fence post concrete, cheap.
Returning, Thuy is still there. I cut the 2 x 4 to the right length by hand saw and hammer it in, replacing the pickets and one more I had prepared of redwood. It all looks good and will be better painted. I bought a quart of exterior water based paint/primer, the tenant can do that for a discount on rent. Paint is easy, unless you get elaborate. But a fence, Tom Sawyer comes to mind.
Thuy left. I walked around the block to the back with the post hole digger Kenny lent me. After a few shovels full I hit a rock. He also lent me an iron long rod with a digging chisel. I walked around and back with it. This is a good tool, heavy, but BAM, the earth moves loose. I’m wearing my heavy gloves so I’m OK. The two tools work well together and I have a good hole. There are some concrete tiles, I use one to cover the hole. This is a next week task, but it’s ready. I bring the truck around to pick up the tools and a sprig of mint that got knocked loose.
I cut out the sound board and back for the next ukulele today before I headed out. A little something, progress. I also cut a piece of mahogany from the boat stash to give to Wayne for a good guitar neck. I have two of these long, plenty for a few guitars or ukuleles, good to share.
I’m tired, but it was a good weekend, much done.
8shotoflove8 