DANGER! Hard Head Area (More of Cousins Construction Crew)

The cousins had a few final things to do on the first set of stairs before they started on the second set.

This time, they worked like they'd been doing it for years and knew exactly what each step would entail.   The measurements weren't exactly identical to the first set, but close enough that they didn't have to have any  design conferences or write any change orders.

Breaks, though, yes.   This time they worked in the sun with the temperature around 80 degrees.   As any Alaskan will tell you, 80 degrees in Alaska feels a lot warmer than other places.

The reason is that the low attitude of the sun means that it shines on more of your body, thus increasing your perception of heat.

By the end of the day, the second set of stairs to the deck was almost complete.

And, then.    The biggest challenge.

These stairs had been here since 1979 and were in need of replacement.

And the trailer held the lumber to do it.  

First though, demolition.

Removing rotted treads and lower landing.

Bob is ripping off the old treads.   It was a difficult job.  He said he thought they were nailed with ring shank nails.  

They worked all day on this demo, but at least they were working in the shade.

Design conference.

Demolition completed, it was time to lay out the three stringers.

While Bob did the stringers, Bud constructed a fantastic lower landing.

(to be continued)

Have No Fear: The Cousins are Here.

 

 

The cousins were up bright and early the next day and eager to get started on the first set of stairs for my deck.   The evening before they’d demolished the stairs that had collapsed, so the building site was clear.

 

 

Some measuring, some figuring, some contemplating, some discussion and soon Bob was laying out and cutting the first stringer.

In this photo, Bob has cut most of the treads and Bud (with his back to the camera) is approving the job.

Moving one stringer into position for the final measuring.

Bob cuts the stringer to length while Bud attached the L brackets that will hold the treads.

 

Time flew by and a lot of progress was made.   In the meanwhile, I had to make a quick trip into Seward, 72 miles round trip, to get different screws because the ones we bought in Anchorage at the lumber yard needed a screwdriver bit that no one had.

 

Pretty soon, both stringers were ready and I found out how they planned to attached the bottom treads to the stringers.   I could not understand how they could get several screws into the underside of the treads when those treads were only a few inches off the ground.

 

They showed me how.  Moving two stringers with three fastened treads into place was a heavy, back-breaking job.

 Next time I checked on them, they were busy attaching all the treads and inserting long screws into the treads through the stringers.

 

Then, it was time for a test.

 

Voila!   One set of stairs in one day, plus demolition.

 

They were on a roll.

 

 

 

Cousins Construction Recap

I know, I know,   It’s been a long, long time but I have been very busy and, unlike my younger cousins, I cannot work 10 and 12-hour days.

 

That was Gatorade they were drinking.

You’ve probably forgotten, but my cousins came from Wyoming and Montana to replace three sets of exterior stairs.    If you haven’t forgotten, then you’re probably wondering if they managed to accomplish that or if I have to use a ladder to get onto my decks.

They started with this one that collapsed from rotting wood and heavy snow load.

This one would be next.  Rotten treads and cracked stringers.

 

Have no fear; the cousins are here.   

 

Bud is five months younger than me and I’m 82.   His brother Bob is five years  younger.   Just a whippersnapper so he got to handle the enormous circular saw that my neighbor brought over for the project.   Besides that, he’s a journeyman carpenter.   His second career.

 

Bud is a jack of all trades and master of several.   Until he retired and sold his business, he dealt primarily in heating and cooling and sheet metal.   He’s remodeled his own place and worked on others.   Right now he has a huge garage/shop project going as well as helping his daughter add-on and remodel her new house.

 

Anyway, back to the stair story.

 

The first item on the list of lumber I bought should tell you everything, but I’ll tell you anyway because that’s what I do—I tell stories.

 

First item:   12 ea. 4x12x12.   

 

In lumber-ese, that means I bought 12 pieces of lumber and they were 4 inches by 12 inches by 12 feet.  That’s all the material it took to replace the two sets of rotten stairs to my decks.   

 

Oh, and a bunch of “L” brackets and a bushel of screws.

The green marked lumber is for my two sets od deck stairs.

The red treated lumber is for exterior stairs to the second floor of another building on my property where my friend Julie lives.

 

We no sooner arrived at my place after I picked them up at the airport in Anchorage than Bob wandered outside without saying anything.   Bud and I were talking and noticed that Bob was missing.

 

Right then we heard a crash and found Bob well into demolishing the first set of stairs.  The heavy snow load this past winter caused the rotting stringers to break lengthwise and down went most of the steps.

 

Bud got into the act and soon the area was littered with rotting wood.

 

 

And that was that for the first night.   A couple hours and the site was ready for the next step.

Update. Proof of Life Post

 Unbelievably, The Cousins finished three sets of exterior stairs in only 5-1/2 days.  That left three days for us to play tourist!

They returned home Monday and now I am ready to put the first coat of stain on my deck stairs.  They are sanded, swept, and masked and I'm stalling around writing this.

Julie got right to staining her new stairs and they look fab.

Photos and words when I have some time.  Lots of chores to catch up on first.

In the words of you-know-who, I'll be back!

CAUTION! MEN AT WORK

COUSINS CONSTRUCTION CREW

DAYS ONE AND TWO

   

 The old codgers are dragging this morning.   They, my cousins Bud and Bob, are here at my house building three sets of exterior stairs and they are stiff and sore from handling 4x12x12 foot lumber.

 

With the lumber well-advanced in the aging process, this set couldn't handle the deep snow load this past winter.

Even though still standing, the other set of stairs was in worse condition, they guys said.

Bud, left, and Bob carry a 4x12x10' stringer.

    Bud, from Wyoming, is 82, five months younger than me, and Bob, from Montana, is five years younger.

 

    I picked them up at the airport in Anchorage Friday noonish, took them right to the lumber store where we bought a bunch of fasteners for the project.   My neighbor Bruce Jaffa had already picked up my lumber order the week before and the trailer was parked in my yard, close to where the two stair sets are located.

All the lumber we need, I hope.

 

    I bought them lunch and we drove to Moose Pass.   Darned if they didn’t get started almost right away and worked several hours that first evening, well past their Mountain time zone bedtime.   Demo of one collapsed set took less than a half hour, and then they started laying out the stringers—4x12x10 foot each.

Demo complete and stringers laid out.

 

    Even with a delay caused by no one having a peculiar bit for the several dozens of weird 8” screws we bought, and a rain delay as a thunderstorm passed over, the first set of stairs was almost complete and useable by quitting time, which was very late.   They even got stringers laid out for the second set while I drove to Seward and got different screws that took a normal drill bit pattern.  They are doingthe finishing touches this morning.

Bob uses a monster saw on the timbers.

Corporate meeting to discuss design and the lack of union wages.

SO that's how they get screws into the underside of the bottom two treads.

 

Getting things into position.

The first trial.

Almost complete.

    But, as I said, Cousins Construction Crew is dragging today.    At breakfast we talked about how difficult it was for employers to find employees  these days and even more how rare it was to get kids to show up and on time.

 

    Then these two old men didn’t even get started today until 8:30!    Meanwhile, I need a nap.