I'm back to painting the front porch. This is at least the fourth time it's been painted in the 32 years I've been here. Contracted it out twice. Doesn't matter ... paint is crap anymore. Cracks up and peels in five years. Lucky if you get that.

And so, I'm having to belt sand it all smooth - feather in the coats. Get off the loose stuff. Blend. Then paint.

Yes - I'm wearing a good respirator.

I'm nearly finished sanding the deck. About three long days. Heaven only knows how many sanding belts. Starting with 40 grit to cut the potato chip curls. They're like carbide, once they loosen and curl up.

Didn't want anybody to think I was having fun. I'm still alive. Far down the list now. Trying to find the off ramp. With a house like this ... you could go one forever. I'm just hitting the high spots. Right ... there's a joke in there somewhere ....

Gary

I know your not having fun if your sanding off Paint!! I helped my uncle one time during a summer I needed money, ain't nothing fun about preping correctly to re-Paint! Hope you can move to something easier and more gratifying in your to do list.

Hi Robert.
I've moved on, yes. Put some paint down.



And over the weekend, I installed the chimney caps.



Scaffolded for that ...



And you remember that huge hole in the wall I had to cut for access to the turret to do the roof? It's all healed, and I gained a reading lamp when I had to restore the wiring that needed to be cut for access.

This has been a really lovely little diversion. Gives you such a warm feeling to do things for yourself! Hahaha.

Gary



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2012 02:03PM by barnespneumatic.

Warm feeling indeed, like working up a sweat?

Still, it's better than the "warm feeling" you get when you discover all the shortcuts and rip-offs that the lowest-bid contracter would have done.

Hi Sean,

Lowest bid, highest bid .... I can't get any bids at all! hahah. Guess my money is no good around here. ;?)

So; I've figured a way for the old guy to approach the jobs safely, and in segments.

Much of it is done now.

I'm told you guys like seeing the methods I find to do things. As I've been forced onto these projects, this is the best I can do for now.



When I did this renovation many years ago, I textured the plaster on one room. Of course, you can't repair that. Duh. So, I've had to scrape the topography, and replaster smooth after the repairs.



All through these projects, I've taken the time to stay safe. Had to replaster the ceiling over the staircase. A bit-o-scaffold gives me a solid reach.

Stick with me. In winding down these required projects I've not felt good enough to do for years. Whatever the reason, I've had a season of improvement, just when I desperately needed it. Can you imagine finding a contractor to come do this stuff.

Hope it continues. I get epidural injections again Tuesday. Again, hopefully, the Doc won't ask if I've been belt sanding a 350 square foot porch deck.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2012 04:35PM by barnespneumatic.

What a change of pace, hope you are well,

Thanks Don,
I'm doing OK, thanks. All this us a change of pace, but none if it is precise work. Just burns up a ton of hours doing a repetitive process until it's done. It will be good to get back to something that uses more developed skills.
Gary