Rondavel extension Part 2: The foundation trenches

April 1, 2015 by easternhighlander

After burning some of the granite rock out of the way we start digging. How hard can it be after all?

Mr Tongai & Mr Didymus in the easy trench

Mr Didymus & Mr Tongai in the easy trench

Edmore getting that earth out

and then signing off for the day

Well up here what you see on top is not what is lurking underneath – more rocks.

OK more burning was to come. The rocks are all under ground too!

after burning – well nearly after

Somethings still alight in there

And it is a building site with a pretty good view too.

It slowly goes down in size

We have to dig round out to burn it. Lots of digging

smaller now!

Temporary retaining wall

The men who bring the sand and gravel take a look at progress

If this tree was to fall down…

Mr Garikai does the job first

and shows us how its done

He’s getting good at this

The site is ready

Measuring for the footings

Tadpole Part 6: The Stairs

April 1, 2015 by easternhighlander

Well the stairs were a bit of a mission in of themselves. To start with they had to follow the curve of the rondavel, plus I had the fine idea to make them wider at the bottom than the top. So what yours truly didn’t realise is that making a single laminated plank a) angle up, then b) curve while angled, and yes c) follow a decreasing arc not a constant curve (the stairs being wider at the bottom) is not straightforward! So the carpenters had to do their best job yet.

Mr Willard infront of the eventual stairs

Below you can see the laminated plank that was contorted into part of a decreasing 3D spiral

Mr Willard planing

Is this really going to work?

The Nyakameme brothers do their thing

and they make it work!

Mr Willard chiseling

The helical stairs take shape

Bannisters go on

Edmore at work

Bannisters at dusk

Tadpole Part 5: Planks and Paint

April 1, 2015 by easternhighlander

Next the pine floors go down, the windows, doors, and passages are framed in seligna (i.e. eucalyptus or ‘gum trees’). Interior brick walls are plastered with Rhinoset and some interior paint colors tried out.

Mr Willard making shelving

You folks in Visp, Switzerland, will know where the idea for the floor to ceiling windows (well almost if you are kid height) came from!

Final floor boards

Looking back toward stairs

Mr Farai enjoys plastering in Rhinoset

Rhinoset drying!

Looking better already

Mr Rafael – chief painter

Luke finishing off upstairs

Tadpole Part 4: The Roof Goes On

March 27, 2015 by easternhighlander

In August 2014 we were high enough to start the roofing activities, build scaffolding, and invent new roofing – cromadek industrial roofing sheet steel cut into a fish scale pattern.

Tadpole dormer window

Constructing the dormer

Edmore scales the highest peak while installing Alububble

Now Sir Edmore

Lamek helping to cover the dome with Alububble

Lamek on the dome

Edmore bringing up the roofing sheets

Careful handling required

So that it eventually looks like this…….

The Tadpole Building

Rondavel extension: Part 1

October 19, 2014 by easternhighlander

Our next new building project has started at Hornbydale. I won’t give the game away yet but will make posts under rondavel extension.

Mr Willard collecting firewood

Digging the foundation trenches has mainly been about burning our way through a large number of boulders over the last two months. Here’s how it works…

First, collect a vast amount of firewood (eg saw up a full size pine tree).

Mr Ramius bringing more firewood

Second, make a bonfire around and over the offending boulder.

Mr Didmus at bonfire

The blaze must be large enough (ie hot enough) to burn red hot for 8-12 hours so it’s generally an overnight process before the rock is hot enough.

Mr Didmus tends the fire

Through this time the granite will start mildly exploding and cracks will develop to various depths – some surface flakes and some deep bisecting cracks if we are very lucky!

Mr Didmus and Snoopy at the fire

Attack the rock

Mr Willard at work with the mattock

Then with a combination of brute force and a very strong crow bar start opening the cracks.

Mr Willard has success

The whole process can take numerous ‘burns’ for rocks embedded in the earth.

The audience: Albert, Didmus, Ramius, Snoopy, Megan

Mr Tongai in action

Mr Tongai

The really good side to all this is that we will use the new rock pieces as building material, instead of buying bricks. More on that once we start building…