Bob's caboose build

[bobhenry]

Well the trailer is home in the drive and final demolition is underway hope to be starting back up with the shell the 1st week in June.



Was wandering Saturday and tripped over a nice little microwave for $8.00




just a couple days earlier I had scored big at Goodwill for $4.19 and got a nice little toaster oven.



I love bargains

[bobhenry]

Friday's are just lucky for me.

I have been passing a nice small plot with a nice barn and out building on it. Having traveled this road for 13 years to and from work I knew a derelict house was razed on that sight about 2 years ago. ( which means well and septic of some type ).

WELL ! As I said Fridays are lucky, on the way home I saw a fellow mowing and stopped to ask about the property. Turns out I knew the owners son and it was the grandson mowing. He felt Grandpa would be interested in a short term 1 - 2 year lease as he has a lot of goodies and farm equipment in the barns with no one within eyeballin' distance and felt having someone around would be a plus for security. I asked him to put in a good word for me and I would talk with grandpa the first of June about the details.

Things just keep fallin' in place for me

[S. Heisley]

...Sounds pretty good1 Those two ovens look like they are new, too!

[bobhenry]

Fed up with the rude and demeaning calls from Huntington Bank about being 7 days late with the house payment. I told their little gal rep to "Just come get the damn thing"

Still seathing about the (insert derogatory "C" word) 's attitude I was barely settled down when the phone rang again. Bracing for more bad news, I was plesantly surprised it was the Indiana Dept. of transportation. The gal on the other end was somewhat excited and intriged by my reason to inquire about small abandoned lots near a recently rerouted section of a state highway. There are several parcels available. There is one in particular I am interested in it was the old roadbed and they repaved over it and made it into a 40 foot in diameter cul de sac.

WOW a paved lawn

[Lancie49]

That sounds like an interesting acquisition Bob.
How does it all work over there for that sort of dealing ?

[bobhenry]

I am sure it varies state to state over here but I was told the parcel selected has to first be offered to the adjoining property owners at a apraised value. If they decline I would be able to purchase it for the same value. I am guessing my secret will be getting interested in enough properties to have them low ball an apraisal or two so I can slide in cheap.

There are 3 small lots that donated their back yards to the state for the right or way and the homes were purchased by the state and removed. The paved driveways still remain as should the well and septic system making it a great possible site for a tiny house.

[Lancie49]

Sounds like a bit of a challenge for you, and you don't seem to baulk at those.

Good luck to ya mate.

[bobhenry]

Thanks for the kind words.

There is more than luck at work here, there has to be some kind of divine intervention as things just seem to be falling into place for this left turn in my life. So many good folks have simply donated great little items that will become important parts of the build. I have stumbled over a tiny fridge $40 a tiny freezer $30 solid wood doors for 8 bucks a piece. free entry doors and free patio doors and on and on so it is more than luck that has propelled me in this direction it is a new road in life that I seem to have been pointed towards. It is the downsizing that will be the largest hurdle for me. Its' not the household items or furniture clothes ect. It's downsizing my tools and building junk that is the tear in my eye. In times leaner and tougher I have always held onto my tools and knew if need be I could make a living if I had them and my talents. Now having to let go of them is looming closer and closer.

OH well anyone up for one hell of a yard sale.

[IndyTom]

Just make sure you let us know about that yard sale at least a couple of days ahead of time Bob. I will be first in line. At least that way you will know that your stuff is on its way to a good home.

Tom

[Wanna Be]

YUP What he said



Good luck with your new adventure !!!
Sorry it had to come to this for you, It WILL get better, Just takes time.

Wanna Be,




Lynn

[bobhenry]

Today on the drive to work I was designing more tiny house features in my head. This mornings topic was refrigeration. Since my mini fridge and my mini freezer are not beer belly friendly I thought about stacking them in a small closet type enclosure with a deep pan drawer underneath them. Since they require extra room to allow them to release the heat they produce stuffing them in a tiny enclosure is not a great idea However.......

What if I allowed outside air in thru a floor grate and vented the cavity outward at the ceiling. The heated air would naturally convect up and out allowing for much greater effeciency.
If I were to build the enclosure so as to gasket around the units with something like closed cell foam pipe wrap, even in the winter, the equipment would be cooled without compromising the thermal envelope of the tiny home. My thoughts are by placing the freezer on the bottom the heat generated would rise and somewhat heat the air that will still be plenty cool the aid the fridge and even on a 14 degree below zero winter day the cold air would be warmed enough to allow the fridge to operate normally.

Have I missed anything ?

[bobhenry]

June is here and Saturday will be the big day. By the end of the work day the demolition should be complete and the start of the new floor and walls will be well underway.

Went to my moms on Memorial day weekend for a late mothers day celebration and to catch up on her semi annual honey do list. She had 30 or so little headache projects from cabinet doors and drawers that wouldn't shut correctly to flipping mattresses and restringing broken wind chimes to name a few. During the visit I took this thread (printed out) and showed her the drawings and ideas I had for the tiny house. I was a bit shocked when she not only agreed with the idea but even offered to finance the land. I was braced for her telling me I was crazy or why it wouldn't work and she hit me broadside with this. I was speachless. I Have learned that the little 1/4 acre lot the state is holding is appraised at $4000.00. Although it is a great price I have begged for mercy and will see if it gets me anywhere.

So the next journey begins. I will dust off the camera and let you all peek over my shoulder to see where this is going.

[bobhenry]

The Monday update......

Finally was able to get the fiberglass tub / lavatory combo freed from the floor and safely removed.

The monster propane electric fridge was walked to the edge and while attempting to set it off the frame I attempted to bear hug it and set it down on the ground.....

~~~~WRONG ~~~

It was way to heavy and rode my leg down to the ground and mashed my foot. So a little neosporin and we are good to go again. Thank God I had on heavy jeans and boots rather than shorts and sneakers.

So, in disgust ,I sought out pain medication in 12 oz. portions and called it a day.

Sunday AM I was back at it ! With the deck now clear of appliances and plumbing fixtures I took my circular saw and cut the rotted 3/4 floor into squares and pried it up a section at a time. A couple minor puncture wounds to my hands from nasty old rusty nails and I went looking for some hydrogen peroxide and the neosporen again

I had the first 6 feet removed and now the back 5 feet clear I carefully stepped up and started on the center section between the wheel wells. About 30 minutes into the floor removal I stepped back and ran a nail thru my foot I pulled the board ,nail and all ,off of my foot and now completely pissed , I ripped with a vengance. About a half hour later I ,once again , doctored my latest wound. I am 3 under floor joist and 6 square feet of floor from being down to the frame. The mess is swept up and what wasn't burned in a bonfire last night is waiting at the curb for my trash guy. While I didn't get as far as I had hoped. It did give me time to think and rather than getting excited and just tossing down a new floor. I think I will slow down a bit and work a bit more thoughtfully on the tankage and under floor plumbing before simply tossing down new lumber for the floor. Well guess I will stop of at the drug store for a few first aid supplies and hit it for an hour or so after work today.

[Verna]

Tetanus shot, Bob???? It sure won't do you any good to fix up your new home if you get sick.....

[Shadow Catcher]

2nd Verna and if you have had one a while back get the booster. Remember to work smarter not harder.