The house next door...or how to NOT build a house

[Frank S]

My house can handle huge loads without collapsing or leaking...

Fairly low pitched roof for a snow load area such as Tahoe. 4 feet of wet fresh pack snow would be like having 6 inches of water on your roof or about 31lbs per sq. ft figure a 1200 sq foot roof you are talking about an additional 37,200 lbs on the structure of the house, and that is what some builders don't think about they build the roof to take a 100 lbf load but have only 2x4 stud walls and very little wind bracing

[IntheGroove]

That is over 6 feet of snow. The walls are solid cedar, 6.5 inches thick...

[Frank S]

That is over 6 feet of snow. The walls are solid cedar, 6.5 inches thick...

That will work. Hard to beat a solid wall made out of most anything

[Frank S]

While I'm not overly fond of the gasless flux core wire, but just like jdurand said it has its uses the thing you have to remember about it is it welds like a combination of 6011& 6013 once you learn to rock your stinger directing arc while keeping the electrode in the puddle it will yield decently strong welds.
for most of my welding I use flux core but not the gasless type I used a duel shield cored wire with CO2 mostly because much of my welding is on heavier mterials requiring deeper penetration and larger beads.
But I have 1 machine set up with solid wire with 75/25 shielding gas and 1 set up with the gasless wire There are times when the gasless makes more sense than stick welding

[jdurand]

Here's today's pictures. Raining a bit so I won't drone on.

In the first one you can see the house from a bit over a block away, this is quite a ways uphill. You can't see our house but this one pops up.

[IntheGroove]

I still think it's really nice that there will be a engine hoist at the entryway...

[jdurand]

My wife asked who's going to clean all those windows that open onto the flat roof? There's quite a few of them and they're extension ladder distance from the inside floor and there doesn't appear to be a hatch to get onto either of the roof...not to mention the extension ladder to reach said hatch.

[IntheGroove]

Those windows will never be cleaned...

[jdurand]

At our new house they're working on the stair forms. They were expecting to use a standard sharp wedge winder, we said no. We compromised at the newer recommended truncated wedge but that means they needed to redo the forms.

Here's the fierce winter there
Attachment 32458

The snow is already melted and they're working away to keep on schedule.

[jdurand]

Tomorrow should be clear and sunny so I will try to get some good drone shots during the day (they don't work on Sundays). If the weather is calm I'll fly off the patio roof which gives me much more room for maneuvering and might get some close shots of their handiwork.

Today was nice but I wound up working on an exercise machine we have. A steel plate fractured around a motor mount so I contacted the manufacturer yesterday. Since it was only 5 months old they gave a full refund and said keep it.

So, today I wire brushed off the paint and prepared to weld a brace on to restore functionality. What, you thought I was going to salvage the motor? I though of that but don't need the motor plus we like the exercise machine and want it fixed.

Anyway, pulled out the flux core welder and...&^%#$@! The wire feed assembly doesn't feed the wire. On inspection a plastic bit broke. On a web search they only sell the entire assembly (of course) for $90. So, I gathered tools, parts, duct tape, glue, and chewed some gum. It should hold for a while, I'll fix the machine tomorrow and then give the welder to someone as a gift. We'll buy a new one after we move Aliexpress is really handy.