Featured Post

October 2 - Meetings, Grading and Pews

Image
Another Status Meeting in the Church - A week ago Sunday the second status update meeting was held at the church. While there were some assembled pews, they were all in the sanctuary, and not in the dining hall where the meeting convened. So, everyone that wanted to sit had to bring their own chair. In the picture, Bob is standing but not because he failed to bring a chair. He wanted attention so he stood up in the front to give his status update. After Sam reported on the finances discussion ensued about whether or not to increase our self imposed debt ceiling. While the church could be 'completed' without the increase, some desired items like an epoxy sealed kitchen floor would have to be deferred. The congregation agreed to up the debt limit. Sam stated that the bank is fine with the new debt ceiling. Sam also said the projection stand in the picture is only temporary. With the current projected spending, we will still not have a completed kitchen so the eagle-eyed shoppers ...
Post a Comment

September 16 - Final Grading

Heavy Equipment Returns -
Size large gear returned to the site today to do the final grading on the parking lot, preparatory to asphalt installation. Machines ranging in size from a road grader and a large compacting roller to hand shovels with intermediate stops at a skid loader and hand operated vibrating compactor, were all on hand to smooth out the surface. Rumor has it that the parking lot will be paved next Tuesday.

Pew Refinishing Continues -
Ed and family are becoming quite proficient at removing old varnish. But, alas the end of this phase of the job is nearing an end. If my reckoning is correct, by the end of the day no more pieces remain to be stripped of varnish.
 When I departed the scene, sanding was still continuing. It is possible that all the sanding was finished today. Aare and Ami kept the sanders busy throughout the day, stopping only occasionally to empty the accumulated dust.


















Inside the building, away from the dust, Phil and Aaron added color to the wood, so recently divested of its old covering. With the old finish removed and the new one coming on, it cannot be long until they are reassembled, can it?














Trimming Windows - 
A new worker was on hand today. A Finnish, finishing carpenter and employee of Niemela construction, came to install window trim. Being originally from Finland he goes by the very Finnish sounding name 'Artu'. His tool box, however, offers a different spelling of the name, R2. No matter, the spelling, the trim work was excellent.
The side and bottom pieces are joined using pocket screws. R2 is drilling holes using the machine especially built for this use. 
The result of his efforts.

This piece is then attached to the two vertical casing pieces with screws.
 Bob and R2 assemble frames.
Two hands and one foot are required to position the frame on the window.

A granite window sill is dropped in before the frame is installed.

Sam shows off the result of all this effort. I asked if the window was now complete. Not quite. Trim pieces like Sam is holding will be added to cover the light lumber showing in the picture.

In the end, a beautiful window.

Bob trimmed and then shimmed the bottom piece of the frame. When I inquired why, he quickly responded "Juice and coffee." Being in the dining area, any liquid spill will not be left under the wood to soak in. With a small air gap the liquid will be allowed to evaporate without damaging the wood. Clever fellows, those carpenters.













A New Thing Out Back -
It seems that some concrete culvert pipe was available from a place a mile or so down the road. Available for free. There is something about FREE that makes it highly desirable. Well, it showed up out behind the church.
It seems a congregation member had seen such an arrangement on a playground and passed on the idea to the landscape folks.

Sam uses the mobile forklift to jockey the first section into place.

With Daniel on the front end loader and Sam in the forklift, these two machines nimbly cajoled the second section into place.
A little more maneuvering and a three section play tunnel appears.
Naturally, to be a really-o, truly-o tunnel it has to be covered with dirt. Daniel and the loader accomplish this under the watchful eye of a potential tunnel customer.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

February 17 - Pouring the Floor, Part 2

Image
Pouring it On Sweatshirts and jackets came off as the morning wore on, the temperature rose, and that heavy concrete hose was dragged all over the church.  When I returned to the church at about 11:30 that morning, I saw the last of the concrete truck parade.  One truck was emptying its load, another was cleaning up, and a third was pulling away to return to home base. Inside was a surprise -- the floor was almost finished!  The last of the narthex, office, coat room, and mechanical room was being poured.  Here you can see the power screeding machine in action again.  The reference laser it uses can be seen in the distance, fastened high on the door jamb leading to the sanctuary, visible just above Brian's head. By now, everyone seemed to know exactly what to do and when to do it. The pump outside is controlled remotely by Jeff Wikman, via the yellow control box he's holding.  While Mark directs the hose, Jeff monitors the progress, ready to stop the pump i...
Read more

October 2 - Meetings, Grading and Pews

Image
Another Status Meeting in the Church - A week ago Sunday the second status update meeting was held at the church. While there were some assembled pews, they were all in the sanctuary, and not in the dining hall where the meeting convened. So, everyone that wanted to sit had to bring their own chair. In the picture, Bob is standing but not because he failed to bring a chair. He wanted attention so he stood up in the front to give his status update. After Sam reported on the finances discussion ensued about whether or not to increase our self imposed debt ceiling. While the church could be 'completed' without the increase, some desired items like an epoxy sealed kitchen floor would have to be deferred. The congregation agreed to up the debt limit. Sam stated that the bank is fine with the new debt ceiling. Sam also said the projection stand in the picture is only temporary. With the current projected spending, we will still not have a completed kitchen so the eagle-eyed shoppers ...
Read more

September 25 - Last Saturday: A Really Big Day

Image
Concrete Pour -  Another concrete pour, this time the sidewalks across the front and the walk under the portico. Two truckloads of mud got all the sidewalk done and half of the dumpster pad beyond the back edge of the parking lot. Sonny Johnson, Phil Johnson and Charlie Halonen from the Minneapolis congregation as well as Dale Muhonen from Rockford volunteered to help with the job. Once again, a helping hand from the neighboring congregations is greatly appreciated. It is always fascinating to watch this work - when the truck is spilling its contents, many hands and feet are required to coax the heavy goo into its desired location. Phil is shown pushing the goo around while Sonny and Dale operate the screed. After the concrete is leveled out, the bull float is used to smooth the surface. The float may reveal a spot lacking just a little material so the master adds a shovelful here and there to make sure the surface is just right. After the mix has a chance to set up a bit, the red ...
Read more