Only in Texas, Don and Harv doing

[wroughtn_harv]

I'm surprised that you have a problem with gophers since you have fire ants.

We went to Bonham today and made all the brackets we needed to the barn on the fence project.

I'm going to my fastener supplier in the morning. I have some screws that I really like but they're square drive. So I'm going to have him try to match them with the standard five sixteenths head. We'll start framing his barn tomorrow.

Here's a shot of his barn after the slab was poured.

 

[txdon]

The batter boards are up and level to each other.

The building is fairly level front to back. From side to side (North to South) the North side is 10" lower.

The batter boards look like a woodpecker has attacked them but the nails now have their final resting place and the building is square.

Next time I will put the batter boards up first. I will have to re-dig two holes, but the rest look good. I am getting experienced.

This picture shows the location to the cabin. The official Texas TBN tent is serving as an temporary carport.

next on the agenda is to do a little hand digging and to set the first post. It is starting to get exciting! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[txdon]

Bgoodman I'll see if I can find them online, thanks.

Harvey and Bird, in the real sandy areas of the farm the Ant Lions seem to take care of the fire ants. Ant Lions are those Damsel Fly larva that dig an ant cone trap in the sand. However, a lot of areas have both gophers and fire ants. Here is a picture of a gopher in the garden taken about a month ago. I had dug a hole to layer a watermelon mound and the gopher was insistent on filling it up.

 

[txdon]

Here is another angle of the building site showing the slope of the land.

Harvey, it looks like you are about 3 weeks ahead of me on your barn project. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[EddieWalker]

Hi Don,

Looks like your having fun. Just a litte question about your building pad. Are you going to put the posts in first, then level out the pad????

Why????? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[MF1455v]

Harvey, is the barn you're building close to Scott's place? I was out that way last Friday. Had to go to Royce City to get a new string trimmer. I saw Scott's barn prior to the pictures you posted and also saw the fence you just built. It sure looked good from the highway.

James

 

[txdon]

<font color="blue"> "Are you going to put the posts in first, then level out the pad????....Why?????"
</font>

Eddie Thanks, I'm not sure why. I think next time I will level first. I was wondering if it would be a problem. The project is small enough and I figured that I would just bring in some sand and gravel to level the 9'X21' slab. The top foot and a half of the building site is sugar sand and I thought I could build it up at anytime since there is an abundant supply of sand on the property. I really wanted to add the gravel so it would compact good and the slab will not crack. We leveled Scott's barn after the poles were set and there did not seem to be a problem. If this were a larger project I would level the site first.

Ouch! A darn scorpion just stung me. Country living - got to just love it. owwww! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

It's kind of like a wasp sting.

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Ouch! A darn scorpion just stung me. Country living - got to just love it. owwww! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
)</font>

Scorpions, frogs, tree lizards, gophers, TBNers...you sure have some strange friends. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[MF1455v]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I really wanted to add the gravel so it would compact good and the slab will not crack. )</font>

Don, don't you know, there are 2 kinds of concrete in Texas. Concrete that is cracked and concrete thats going to crack. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Of course a good pad will slow down the process a lot.

Looks like your having lots of fun on this project. I'm sure enjoying watching your progress.

James

 

[BB_TX]

<font color="blue"> Ouch! A darn scorpion just stung me. Country living - got to just love it. owwww! </font>
While posting a message on TBN? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Where is your computer anyway?
Had one hiding inside my shirt sleeve one morning at the deer cabin a couple years ago. Didn't take me long to get that shirt off, but he got me 3 times before I could. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif