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Working On The Tree House
by James Glaser October 20, 2010 
After putting in a hard day of moving tools and supplies from storage to my new studio, I decided to spend a few hours working on my tree house. That might have been one of those slips, because I should have said the Grandchildren's tree house. Any way, working on the tree house isn't really work, but rather a fun project. The tree house platform and the stairway up to it are both done, but when you get up there you realize how high up you are, and a deck rail around everything would make it more relaxing up there. I am using 4x4s, and I cut out a 10 inch lap joint on each one so that I can set them on the deck and have a 2x4 piece come down the side that I can bolt to the rim joist. So that is what I was doing tonight. I got 14 posts cut to length and cut that notch out of each, and then took my pattern over to the tree house and figured out where I will drill for the two bolts. Then I'll take each post and screw it into position with a couple of deck screws, so I can get them plumb. Then I'll drill through the holes I predrilled on through the rim joist. In each corner of the deck there is a 6x6 holding it up from the ground. So I'll hold each rail post 6 inches from the corner so I can just be drilling through that joist. When the rail is done, I'll install a 6x6 in each corner, and they will be a bit higher with some sort of fancy saw cut on the top. Maybe I could put a solar light on each 6x6. This weekend I'll put up some photos with a couple of posts bolted in place so you can see what I am doing. The tree house for me is like what other guys do for a hobby. I have friends who rebuild old cars; some build themselves a boat or canoe. It's just a fun project that has no deadline on it, and if you want, you can go crazy with making everything extra nice. I envision that some time in the future, a guest or two will be able to sleep in the tree house. I know it will be a great place to sit and watch wildlife. The other day I saw a deer over by there and have seen wild turkeys, wild boars, and many, many birds. I can see Wanda and myself sitting up there reading or playing cards. We might just change the location of the Church of the Front Porch, to the Church in the Trees for Sunday Bible reading. I know I have lots of projects going, but that is the way I have been my whole life. The garden looks just great. and this week we will start getting our salad greens from there. I spent a bit of time on the potting shed today, and I believe that will be finished before Christmas. It is close. Life is good, and we should all appreciate what God has given us, and thank him every chance we get. Post Script: A guy could go crazy if he wrote about politics all the time. |
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