My man cave build - UK edition

[Mike Andrew]

Captain;
I always say that it's not a project without a little blood😁
Sucks but good reason for some sympathy and a couple day of rest and reflection on this fantastic journey.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Captain Ahab Jr

I mend well, so plenty more updates with progress will follow this one

You do many things well.

I have done enough scar-worthy episodes on the farm to make Frankenstein blush.

I drove myself to the hospital after a very interesting chainsaw/knee intercept many years ago. I was so pissed at myself I didn't even tell my wife, just got in the truck and drove with a towel wrapped around the knee.

Coin toss which lineage, Scottish or Spanish, was driving

Best to you.

[911 Rod]

That sucks.
Health first.

[RWebb]

sorry to hear that - but glad it wasn't worse

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Thanks for the comments and well wishes, very much appreciated, and now back to our schedule program with another progress update....

After a undisturbed night of rest/mending recovering from my self harm distraction I spent a day on light duties without any power tools moving bucket after bucket of stone picked out of the heap from my driveway lowering excavations.

Needed it to to fill up the ramp into the man cave, slope is a gentle 1 in 12, should be ok for clearance of any car on the right side of a slammed ride height. Will cap it with 2-3" of concrete and then cover it with reclaimed Yorkstone flagstones. The graveled driveway will sweep up to make it all flush.



I've tried to future proof by running service/utility conduits underneath. Large holes are for hot/cold water to the shed, medium sized hole is for a compressor airline to the man cave, small holes are for heating oil and armored electricity cable to the shed.



As usual Mrs Ahab has done an amazing job on the stone plinth for my air compressor shed. Just need to run some service conduits through and then I can fill with left over rubble and cap in concrete before I can start building the oak framed shed. Really looking forward to doing this mini-project!



Also nearly finished off making the the front door porch step work with the lowered driveway. Cut back the flagstones to fit a chamfered cut stone lintel and also cut back a couple of concrete blocks that were exposed so they could be capped in stone. The right hand unfinished side was where my 9" angle grinder turned on me and attacked my leg



As Mrs Ahab stone work is nearly done around the edge of the drive way she's itching to get started on her next project, building a stone wood fired pizza oven in the far corner of the garden

While I regain my dangerous power toll confidence I'll carry on with more driveway lowering, oh joy, I can't wait.

[daepp]

Glad to hear you're on the mend.

And I loved the update - it's so good I scroll with trepidation, worrying the update will end too soon...

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Thanks David,

No update this weekend as we're having weeks and weeks worth of rain, just another typical English autumn weekend

Never fear there will be many, many more updates as all updates are in real time

[javadog]

Well, to tide things over, you could show us pictures of your favorite pub. Really, pictures of anything are interesting to this lot.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Javadog, picture challenge accepted......

Favourite pub is the Falkland Arms a 16th century pub that internally probably hasn't changed much over the centuries

https://www.falklandarms.co.uk/

It's a genuine ye olde countryside pub in a nearby and very picturesque village of Great Tew

[Sooner or later]

Nice

[astrochex]

Glad to hear you’re on the mend Captain. Is the front porch original? Lovely aged wood there.

That pub looks to be an amazing place. It oozes character and charm.

[tcar]

Named after Maggie's Great War?

Is Your Tankard hanging there?

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Originally Posted by astrochex

Glad to hear you’re on the mend Captain. Is the front porch original? Lovely aged wood there.

That pub looks to be an amazing place. It oozes character and charm.

That's why I like the pub, it's all real, no fakery going on with the decor

Also anyone could be in there from extremely wealthy city folk down for a weekend of shooting peasants, I mean pheasants or a local thatch roof craftsman having a quick refreshment on his way home.

The porch along with the rear extension we built only 15yrs ago, porch was made from reclaimed oak beams, anywhere from 50 to 300 yrs old

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Originally Posted by tcar

Named after Maggie's Great War?

Is Your Tankard hanging there?

Not sure really, it been a pub for a few hundred years so has probably had a few names

A bit more info., well worth visiting if anyone travels abroad now in this new COVID world

Curiouser and Curiouser: Great Tew and the Falkland Arms

[Skytrooper]

I love the pubs ! Great work Cap't ! The work you are doing is extraordinary !

[A930Rocket]

Fantastic as usual, Captain.

The son of my wife's friend just lost his eye to no wearing eye protection while doing a wood working project. Got to be careful out there!

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

Sorry to hear about the leg.
I think pictures help keep all of us safer as they remind us of just how dangerous some of the power tools are.

Every time I see a guy on a TV show drilling a hole or using a grinder without the proper eye protection it scares me. Too many kids watching think they can do it too.

And yes, I've had to have eye surgery because a shard of rebar got into my eye once while drilling concrete. And I was even wearing a full face shield at the time too.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Thanks for the concern gents, I'm all mended and hope everyone is keeping safe in these strange COVID times!

Another job started at the end of the summer which was pushed to the front of the list as it was deemed a 'safe' job for me

Colour choice is all Mrs Ahab's doing, it's a custom mix sage green shade. Lots of sample pots, a full window check and an unimpressed dog later we have our colour



Think it really compliments the honey coloured stone quite well and a welcome alternative to the old gloss white we had which seems to be the default choice for many houses in our village.

Colour in the shade at the rear



Colour in the sun at the front



One window left to do, the colder/wet autumn weather means the clock is ticking so need to get it done!

Still have the front and rear roof fasica/soffit boards to do as well as replacing the guttering which should be end of 'old house' maintenance jobs for this year

Pleased to report man cave work has recommenced so next update will be all about the new build

[tcar]

You need to spray some "Moss to Go" spray on your new roof.

[RWebb]

I like the new color

nice dog too

[Mike Andrew]

What are the Falkland's ceiling heights? Adequate for 6 feet or taller? It looks like a great place to knock back a few.

Was in Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem in Nottingham years ago and the ceiling was LOW.