Day 18

I covered the overhang with aluminum flashing, so the bees will not be able to bore into the wood.  I also installed a vent to allow the roof to breathe. 

Day 17

Finally, a door. 

Day 16

It is much more difficult to work by myself.  Everything takes at least twice as long to accomplish.  I had to replace the vinyl window fins with homemade aluminum ones due to cracks.  I finished covering the plywood with tar paper, painted and cut the 5/8" T-111 siding, put the windows in, and started installing the siding.  Also, I got a bee suit and went to war with the carpenter bees boring holes in the cabin.  Aaron 1, bees 0.

Day 15

Tar paper and shingles.  We worked into the night, it was another long day.  The worst part was getting off the roof.  It was pitch black and we had to dangle our legs off the side of the roof and find the ladder with our feet.  It was NOT fun, but we survived.  This was Max's last night in NC.  We did it, we accomplished what we set out to do.  Now it's up to me to finish it.

Day 14

Day 13

We were happy to see our time and effort securing the tarp was worth the while.  Dry as a bone.  Rain was in the forecast so we set up the saw indoors and cut wood for the attic frame, rafter nogins, and rafter supports.  Since we had never built a roof, it was an interesting endeavor trying to design it.  We used our common sense and came up with what we felt was the most structurally sound with the time and materials we had.  We barely snagged the 2x4x16 ceiling joists.  There were mudslides locally, and the lumber yard had a serious problem with standing water so they closed early.  We had called and spoken with the owner's son about getting some lumber, and he said it might work if we came into town, but that he couldn't guarantee it.  So, we took a gamble because time was short before Max had to leave, and we needed to keep moving along.  Our goal is to get shingles on before he leaves.  By some miracle, we saw a truck with a guy outside the yard, and it happened to be the owner's son.  We got the lumber, and the rest is history.

Day 12

We were initially going to build a gable roof, but after some thought and discussion we decided to build a lean to with crow's feet securing the rafters in place.  After some research and due to the ergonomics we decided on 3/12 pitch.  The 2x6x20s used were interesting to haul in my truck, but we made it work.  It literally sounded like a pipe organ driving down the road with the wood sailing high in the wind.  It was a long arduous day.  Not only the heavy lifting, but the measuring and cutting of the crow's feet  and studs, and then preparing for the rain.  It was a 15 hour barn burner.  I will remember fondly driving home around midnight with nothing open except a nefarious walmart.  We were starving.  There was a monstrous foot and a half chicken bacon ranch submarine sandwich, staring at us, for a criminal 4.99.   After buying a jar of jalapenos and a bottle of ranch dressing, we snarled down on one of the dirtiest and delicious subs we've ever experienced.