First of the Formworks

Next make dams out of scrap wood (forms) where you don't want the floor to be.

It's Shedtastic

May I present Shed 2?
Chiefly used for materials storage although S decided it made a lovely summer house and sat in it for a while this pm. Strange behaviour.
It's a preformed "tin" affair and an excellent demonstration of strength through shapes. The sheet metal is not much thicker than kitchen foil but formed into box sections and ribs it's very sturdy.
There's hardly any frame at all. This shed will be on the move eventually to replace Shed 3. Which is coming done once Shed 4 is completed.
Shed 3's roof can be seen peeking out above the back of Shed 2. Behind that is the big shed, Shed Zero, which S calls our house.

Under that is Shed 1 or "The Cellar".
Further details of Shed 4 construction and a map of Shedland Theme Park will follow.

Groundwork Day

I'm guessing this means little to anyone else but this post records the completion of the digging bit of the shed groundwork. As I predicted the day happened again and again until today.

HOO - FUCKING - RAY!

The shed base is 3.56x2.5x0.15

I've shifted 1.34 cu.m of topsoil.

Which sounds very little but is close to 2 tonnes.

Shifting also means extracting and grading the stones/rubble in it 'coz thats going back in.

Then getting rid of the soil.

• The nice fruit tree man up the road.
• Mark's mam.
• The domestic dump.
• Sneaking it into the wheelie bins.

The bleeding great escape.

I'm off for a big drink.

Groundwork Day

This day keeps happening again and again.

Sheds are important and I don't have sufficient.

Little by little the digging out for the one at the end of the garden proceeds.

My little efforts reflect the big boys and their shed building.

A new Lidl/Aldi/Netto retail park something or other is being built close by.

They do the same things - but more and a lot quicker.

Set up datum lines, dig, grade, truck unwanted stuff off site and make sure the local roads don't get muddy.

I do it about 1/2 hour at a time coz any sustained labour will hurt.

They do it with big machines - I use a spade, a riddle and a bucket.

As this is a diary (can't see much other use for it) here's the latest lawn tending. 

3kg of ground limestone added as general conditioning.

pH looked a bit acid with a cheapo test kit.

My past as a chemist questions the result (the result was acid but the sampling/method/etc v suspect).

But if this city wasn't here, this would be moorland and that tends to acid.

I'm preferring "sour" to acid - maybe I should just taste it.

It's also sticky when digging it - another good indicator of sourness.

All this "evidence" points to low pH.

3kg is a middling dose.

I marked off 1m strips and scattered evenly.

Light raking to work it in a bit.

The weather forecast said winter showers late pm.

That would have been good but it didn't happen.

In theory this should be done in winter and the cold works it in.

But anytime is better than waiting.

Friday - lists contd

Projects

The shed

Now I know that I’ve just lost half the population, sorry ladies but this is now a manly blog. Since moving house 2 years ago my shed count has expanded from a sort of workshop area in the back room - half a shed. Now I, and that’s definitely I not we, have

Cellar workshop 3/4 shed

Outside toilet without toilet 3/4 shed

Garden tool store type thingy 1/2 shed

Now to maintain this growth and hence my manliness I’m extrapolating to my future requirements.

Most of the garden will be turned into shed space in the next 10 years or I will become a lady.

Stage 1

3 x 4 m terraced garden at the end of the lawn. All plant life has been eradicated and 1/3 of the concrete base has been dug out. Lack of light and difficulties in disposing of the topsoil have delayed further work. I can't take bags of the stuff to the dump it site without prior arrangement coz the camper is over 1.9m. It's democracy gone mad I say!

2 footings to dig for brick pillars which will support an I beam etc for the roof and lifting gear. That's enough detail for now but designs will follow for any engineers to comment on.

I hoping to complete this year and the all sorts of stuff now proscribed will be possible.

Strangely any activities involving lots of energy are frowned upon in the house. Smelting, welding, forging and burning, the normal stuff you get up to are verboten on the strange assumption that I may burn down the house. Things poisonous, corrosive, flammable and explosive aren't to be played with in the tiny enclosed space under the front room. Weird or what.

This new facility is sufficiently remote to enable proper danger to take place. Engorgement is happening as I write, my masculinity will be expanded.

The provision of a space alone has enabled some fun already. I'm building a waste oil burner and now have somewhere to test fire it without destroying the vegetation. The refractory formula is finalised, the outer casing built, air blower ready to go and several gallons of oil collected. Soon I’ll be able to hold my head up at the abymc forums as a junior smelter.

Cranes

couldn't resist these beauties

This I guess is the enormous concrete structure that will support the big tower of Sheffield

Here's a moody looking pair