Popular Post yoeddynz Posted March 23, 2014 Popular Post Posted March 23, 2014 EDIT; Thanks photobucket for fucking over another thread. As some of you will know we recently bought a 12 acre bush block. For the last 2 months we have been heading out there most weekends and clearing the gorse and blackberry that has been left to grow on what was once a nice grassy clear area. We were very busy in fact.. until Hannah broke her ankle. Back on track now. Our plans for later this year are to build a large workshop. We are staying in Nelson working for now as I don't want to commute 2 hours a day right now. So weekends it is for now until we move inflate tyres and move house later this year as soon as the barn/shed is up. Every friday night we pack the van up with tools and head out. then unload tools, make bed, setup camp. This was fun at first and now its not. Especially inflating the bloody matress. For a while we have been thinking a little cabin. But where? Plus Tasman district council are often anal about buildings. Caravans are ugly and dont fit in well with what I think is healthy space. All plastic etc. So we want to build something a bit more natural to fit in with the surroundings. The fella we bought the land off had 5 old caravans on it. They were buggered- well and truely. So he removed them along with loads of other 'junk' a bloke accumulates over 20 years when he owns land. But I asked him to leave one chassis behind as I had plans.... The original caravans in natural habitat... He not only left one but spent some time knocking it down to a basic platform. Sweet. Yesterday morning Hannah set to it with a hammer and smashed the old ply apart and removed it all. I had got some more wheels from wreckers as the old ones were too skinny and the tyres were badly flat spotted. We fitted them and by lunchtime we rolled it out and drove it to work in Nelson. Another perfect hot sunny afternoon and over about 4 hours cobbled together a basic frame using 35 x35 x 2.5 rhs. Light and strong (20kg per 8 meter length). We now have a sweet base to build on. I then towed it to our campsite where over the weeknights we can build our new cabin. Not totally set on style or cladding. Its being built to a budget (because I am a Davidson) but it will be a keeper so possibly the front will be clad in cedar or macrocarpa. It measures 4.8 x 2.4m. Handy size so we we can use full sheets of ply. It will have a elevated bed with sofa underneath. A large s/s sink and drainer, wood stove with wetback, outside bath/shower, solar power to charge up a 12volt lighting setup. All easy and fairly cheap stuff. I love checking out all the cabins on tiny house swoon.com or cabin porn.com. So many cool sweet pads. To say I am excited about building this is an understatement! 18 Quote
yoeddynz Posted March 23, 2014 Author Posted March 23, 2014 Here's a photo of the area we have just cleared. Previously it was that overgrown spot with three caravans parked on it, seen in the photo previous. 5 Quote
HighLUX Posted March 24, 2014 Posted March 24, 2014 Such envy of bush block Alex, living the dream pretty much. I hope future purchases include a small bulldozer for track cutting 1 Quote
CaMpylobacter Posted March 24, 2014 Posted March 24, 2014 so lush. will be keeping a close eye on this thread! Quote
yoeddynz Posted March 24, 2014 Author Posted March 24, 2014 I have actually been looking at bulldozers. If only to own one. Luckily not too much earth moving is needed but would be so choice. Sadly we do have a budget to stick to and I have to be careful with choice of spending. So with this in mind today I bought an '80s radio controlled car on ebay in the states.... Hannah not too impressed but wait till she drives it I reckon. Latest on mobile sauna is that we drove out to block again today, via Daves ( Avengertiger) to pick up a load of roofing iron we left at his. We stacked the iron on the land and went through one of the piles of timber we scored from the previous land owner. Selected bits out and chainsawed them to fit in the van. Most of it was framework from some old barn. I think its douglas fir. For any resident wood experts it has quite defined 'ridges/grain?' when cut through and quite a strong smell.. not of pine exactly but close. Certainly not macro or cedar. Once back in nelson with a heavy as slow old hiace we trundled about places trying to find a source of Keruing plywood like on our truck. Might clad some of it in cedar instead so getting some prices. Tonight Hannah started painting the frame in killrust while I took out nails and sorted through the timber. And got bit heaps by mosquitos..... fuckers. 2 Quote
anglia4 Posted March 24, 2014 Posted March 24, 2014 I'm pretty excited to see where this goes. You guys are masters of attention to detail for zero dollars. It's awesome Quote
flyingbrick Posted March 24, 2014 Posted March 24, 2014 agree with that guy. I can't wait to see how this evolves. 1 Quote
CaMpylobacter Posted March 24, 2014 Posted March 24, 2014 I would like to drink a cup of tea in this cabin asap Quote
yoeddynz Posted March 24, 2014 Author Posted March 24, 2014 Cheers Jeff. Cam- you are always welcome over anytime. I totally never got the chance to try out your cosseting ride on our driveway. You will have to come back with your citroen. Quote
Corbie Posted March 24, 2014 Posted March 24, 2014 I hope this is going to match, and be towed by the house truck. 2 Quote
CaMpylobacter Posted March 24, 2014 Posted March 24, 2014 Definitely will be back in the area as soon as I can/in summer time in particular if possible. such a lovely part of the country! Quote
yetchh Posted March 24, 2014 Posted March 24, 2014 I think its douglas fir. For any resident wood experts it has quite defined 'ridges/grain?' when cut through and quite a strong smell.. not of pine exactly but close. Certainly not macro or cedar. Should smell kind of soapy when you cut it.. Quote
yoeddynz Posted March 24, 2014 Author Posted March 24, 2014 Soap? What is soap? That shower stuff. I bathe in ep90... But no..not soapy. I take photo. 1 Quote
Stu Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 I am excited by this and inspired to build something on our new 1 acre block of awesome (has a house but meh). Hows the Maine Coon by the way. Quote
yoeddynz Posted March 25, 2014 Author Posted March 25, 2014 Morris and molly are fine. I keep trying to work out a way to sneak them away from under my parents noses. No luck so far. So when we move to the land for good we are going to get a mainecoon kitten 2 Quote
flyingbrick Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 forgot to mention. 12 acres! what a rich fullah! 1 Quote
Ned Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 I really feel this deserves an actual build thread and separate discussion thread (like a lot of other other projects) excited to see what you guys get up to with this Quote
yoeddynz Posted March 26, 2014 Author Posted March 26, 2014 forgot to mention. 12 acres! what a rich fullah! Came with two british seagull outboards, one '50s Gravely mower, one old vickers engine, a big steel bench on wheels, two garden shears and one large G clamp. Pretty much all one needs in life 1 Quote
yoeddynz Posted March 26, 2014 Author Posted March 26, 2014 Cheers Ned. Hopefully though it wont be too long a thread! We want to finish it soon and get it out there so to quit van life. So on Tuesday night we made heaps and heaps of noise. We dug out the old Ryobi bench saw from my brothers cellar and cut all the Douglas fir down to 40mm thick sections fro frame work. Ended up with plenty so thats cool. It lovely timber too- on the outside of many it would appear rotten but cut that off and it was solid. We are now shopping about trying to sort out what timber or ply to put down for the floor. Stuffs expensive! Rimu has shot up in price compared to a few years ago even though there should be more about with all the old houses in chch being dismantled? May well put down ply for now and when some cheap rimu boards come up locally when can overlay it. Will use Keruing (orangutan blood board) marine ply like we used on the truck. Works out with frieght to nelson the same as normal treated ply but looks heaps nicer. Oils up well and lasts. So a mini housetruck it may well be but we are happy with that. Will keep looking. If anyone in Nelson has some Rimu floorboards or wants to make some money and nick their parents floorboards then we can do a deal..... Quote
BLIZZO Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 very nice, im enjoying this thread. If the mystery timber smells quite sweet, almost like some sort of candy then it will be douglas, there is a fair bit around your region so it wouldnt be surprising. Quote
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