Category Archives: Building projects

Rondavel extension Part 2: The foundation trenches

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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

Edmore getting that earth out

and then signing off for the day

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

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

 

after burning - well nearly after

after burning – well nearly after

 

Somethings still alight in there

Somethings still alight in there

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

It slowly goes down

It slowly goes down in size

 

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

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

 

smaller now!

smaller now!

 

Temporary retaining wall

Temporary retaining wall

 

The men who bring the sand and gravel take a look

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

 

If this tree was to fall down...

If this tree was to fall down…

 

 

Mr Garikai does the job first

Mr Garikai does the job first

 

and shows us how its done

and shows us how its done

 

He's getting good at this

He’s getting good at this

 

The site is ready

The site is ready

 

Measuring for the footings

Measuring for the footings

Tadpole Part 6: The Stairs

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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

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

Mr Willard planing

 

Is this really going to work?

Is this really going to work?

 

The Nyakameme brothers do their thing

The Nyakameme brothers do their thing

 

and they make it work!

and they make it work!

 

Mr Willard chiseling

Mr Willard chiseling

 

 

the helical stairs take shape

The helical stairs take shape

 

Bannisters go on

Bannisters go on

 

Edmore at work

Edmore at work

 

Bannisters at dusk

Bannisters at dusk

 

 

Tadpole Part 5: Planks and Paint

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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

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

Final floor boards

Looking back toward stairs

Looking back toward stairs

Mr Farai enjoys plastering in Rhinoset

Mr Farai enjoys plastering in Rhinoset

 

Rhinoset drying

Rhinoset drying!

Looking better already

Looking better already

 

Mr Rafael - chief painter

Mr Rafael – chief painter

 

Luke finishing off upstairs

Luke finishing off upstairs

Tadpole Part 4: The Roof Goes On

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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

Tadpole dormer window

 

Constructing the dormer

Constructing the dormer

 

Edmore scales the highest peak

Edmore scales the highest peak while installing Alububble

 

Now Sir Edmore

Now Sir Edmore

 

Covering the dome with Alububble

Lamek helping to cover the dome with Alububble

Lamek on the dome

Lamek on the dome

 

Edmore bringing up the roofing sheets

Edmore bringing up the roofing sheets

Careful handling required

Careful handling required

 

So that it eventually looks like this…….

The Tadpole Building

The Tadpole Building

 

 

Rondavel extension: Part 1

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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

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

Mr Ramius bringing more firewood

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

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

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

Mr Didmus and Snoopy at the fire

 
 
Attack the rock

Attack the rock

Mr Willard attacks

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

Mr Willard has success

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

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

Mr Tongai in action

Mr Tongai in action

Mr Tongai

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…
Mr Willard & Mr Tongai

Mr Willard & Mr Tongai

 

 

Mr Willard

Mr Willard

Moon shot from the southern hemisphere

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Dramatic pictures are emerging of a new space mission apparently targeted at the moon. At the secret high-altitude launch site our cameras have exclusive access to the new rocket system as it is being developed.

The lunch site has been chosen so that the rocket is carefully aimed at the moon from lift off onwards.
Aiming at the moon

Aiming at the moon

Here we see the all important nose cone developing against a backdrop of distant peaks and troughs
Nose cone

Nose cone

As engineering continues to work on last minute adjustments to the crew capsule …
Engineering in the Main Cabin

Engineering in the Main Cabin

… the crew takes a moment to relax on the newly built launch tower during the rigorous training and selection procedures Happy crew on the launch tower

Happy crew on the launch tower

We are told that moon juice will be collected via this retractable arm – now being re-programmed for low gravity cheese. The amount of R.AN.DEE (Ranting All Night & Day Endlessly) that has gone into this new exploration system is sure to excite fellow space-fans – it is clearly in-excess of anything seen before in such a mission.
Retractable arm

Retractable arm

The crew decide they want to see where they are going so aerodynamic potholes are added to the cabin
Portholes to aid navigation in space

Portholes to aid navigation in space

An early morning test firing of the rockets leaves no doubt as to the tremendous cheese-melting thrust the newly developed power system will generate
Cheese melting thrust

Cheese melting thrust

Now all we need to know is whose shirts they will wear….