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Small Cabin Forum / Member's Projects and Photos / Finally got started...
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Borrego
Member
# Posted: 7 Nov 2010 01:27pm
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Here are some pics of my start on my pole house in the desert. It was about the hardest 3 days of work I've ever put in (and that's sayin' something)
Laying Out
Laying Out
Grading
Grading
Setting First Pole
Setting First Pole
Bracing
Bracing


Borrego
Member
# Posted: 7 Nov 2010 01:38pm
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And some more.... It was solid rocks and sand, tough digging even with a backhoe... 95 degrees..... lots of beer after work for sure!
2nd Pole, taking about an hour each.
2nd Pole, taking about an hour each.
3rd Pole!
3rd Pole!
Sunrise!
Sunrise!
6 Poles in, more to come next weekend, gotta find some more poles :-)
6 Poles in, more to come next weekend, gotta find some more poles :-)


hattie
Member
# Posted: 7 Nov 2010 03:14pm
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WOW, that sunrise photo is beautiful!!!

nathanprincipe
Member
# Posted: 7 Nov 2010 07:10pm
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Off to a good start! do you have any plans your working from?

Borrego
Member
# Posted: 7 Nov 2010 10:05pm
Reply 


Yes, I picked up some ideas from an ebook online. I revised them to fit my site and needs. I have a full set of plans as I would in building a new house.
front view
front view
I started with this and revised
I started with this and revised


Borrego
Member
# Posted: 4 Dec 2010 10:01pm
Reply 


Next Steps:
Girders, Joists, Floor Insulation and Plywood
Putting down the bottom boards
Putting down the bottom boards
Insulation
Insulation
3/4" Ply Floor
3/4" Ply Floor
Coyote wanders up and lays in our driveway...
Coyote wanders up and lays in our driveway...


lawnjoky
# Posted: 13 Dec 2010 10:25pm
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Gotta watch those coyotes, they will poop in the driveway before you know it.

cabingal3
Member
# Posted: 17 Dec 2010 02:29am
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this is awsome.look at the sunrise!! thats something i always love and am interested in is the desert.
cool house plans.Borrego-u are going to town on this and will be n your cabin before long.cannt wait to see the finished product.
how much land do u own out there?was it costly?
how long have u had this property and how long do u think it wil take u to get this cool cabin up?the way u are working so hard on it.u will be in the place before the new year.

Borrego
Member
# Posted: 27 Feb 2011 01:15pm - Edited by: Borrego
Reply 


Well, it took me forever to find the last two poles, but finally got them in and got the bottom ledgers all in and bolted.

Next weekend I will finish the floor and install the upper ledgers....
hopefully...
All 8 poles in place
All 8 poles in place
nailing in the ply for insulation
nailing in the ply for insulation
the crew discussing our neighbor's 3 wheel bike
the crew discussing our neighbor's 3 wheel bike


Borrego
Member
# Posted: 13 Mar 2011 05:06pm - Edited by: Borrego
Reply 


And the rafters go in...
Roof sheathing next week!
024__Copy_4.jpg
024__Copy_4.jpg
025__Copy_4.jpg
025__Copy_4.jpg


cabingal3
Member
# Posted: 13 Mar 2011 06:58pm
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i love this.sort of the idea gar and i want to do.very good job.thanks for sharing

SmlTxCabin
Member
# Posted: 13 Mar 2011 07:36pm
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This looks like it is going to be really neat. Can't wait to see more.

Borrego
Member
# Posted: 13 Mar 2011 10:45pm
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I won't say it's easy, it has been way harder than building normal houses (which I do for a living :-) but it is way cool and will be a real unique home for the rest of our lives, and to pass on to our kids....
I will keep y'all posted !!

Gary O
Member
# Posted: 13 Mar 2011 10:51pm
Reply 


That's the beauty of this forum.
Borrego, watching your progress is fascinating.
Please keep your camera in a special place each trip.
Thank you so much for sharing.

Borrego
Member
# Posted: 19 Mar 2011 07:33pm
Reply 


Rafters finished, facshia on, ply goin' on roof
027.jpg
027.jpg


larryh
Member
# Posted: 22 Mar 2011 08:46am
Reply 


Why is it your finding it way harder than building a normal type home? I have that Pole building book your photos are from and find it very interesting. I have built the wood shed from the book which I use every winter. Is it the large poles that are the biggest problem? I have often wondered how they would react in clay soil which is what we have around the midwest where I am? I wonder if the same type construction using the concrete piers with bolted on supports for the flooring and then standard wall construction wouldn't be easier? It wouldn't probably be as strong in extreme winds perhaps, but seems like it might be simpler to construct?

honusbam
Member
# Posted: 26 Mar 2011 11:35pm
Reply 


Quoting: Borrego

the crew discussing our neighbor's 3 wheel bike


Wow. Looking at that picture makes me jealous. I can't even get to my property and you guys are running around in shorts and sweating! If I sweat outside right now that is a precursor to hypothermia. LUCKY!

Borrego
Member
# Posted: 11 Apr 2011 10:26pm
Reply 


Quoting: larryh
Why is it your finding it way harder than building a normal type home?


well, because the round shape and tapered shaft screw with the layout. Of course, I think that's mainly because the ground out there is all rock. So when you dig the holes, they do not end up where you started :-(.
But it's all ending up ok...

Borrego
Member
# Posted: 11 Apr 2011 10:27pm
Reply 


Quoting: honusbam
Wow. Looking at that picture makes me jealous. I can't even get to my property and you guys are running around in shorts and sweating! If I sweat outside right now that is a precursor to hypothermia. LUCKY!


Yeah, but last week it was 100 degrees in the shade and I was up on the roof!

Borrego
Member
# Posted: 11 Apr 2011 10:29pm
Reply 


Here are some new pics from the framing startup...
20110410_154728_.jpg
20110410_154728_.jpg
20110410_154759_.jpg
20110410_154759_.jpg
20110410_154811_.jpg
20110410_154811_.jpg


smitty
Member
# Posted: 18 Apr 2011 07:28am
Reply 


Are you planning on cutting the poles or leaving them tall?
Looks like if you are cutting them off, you just cut along the last rafter with a chain saw right?

smitty
Member
# Posted: 18 Apr 2011 07:29am
Reply 


Never mind I just saw where they were cut off. Ignore that last comment.

cabingal3
Member
# Posted: 18 Apr 2011 12:08pm
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Borrego
this is a dog gone good house.its grand.just keep on keeping on.it looks good.thanks for sharing all this with us.its great.

Borrego
Member
# Posted: 18 Apr 2011 09:12pm
Reply 


Quoting: smitty
Are you planning on cutting the poles or leaving them tall?
Looks like if you are cutting them off, you just cut along the last rafter with a chain saw right?


I left the front left one tall just for fun. And yep, I just cut em along the rafters with a chainsaw!
Thanks for all the nice comments, Cabingal

Borrego
Member
# Posted: 8 May 2011 10:32pm - Edited by: Borrego
Reply 


Got the roofing done and Tyvek started, put in most of the doors and windows. getting hot out there now, over 100 and probably much more up on that white roof !! I've got a couple more weekends to go before it gets too hot to work at all. I'm hoping to get the wrap done, windows in and siding on by then. Anyone wanna help, come on out :-)

Pictures to follow....

Borrego
Member
# Posted: 17 May 2011 10:40pm
Reply 


Here are the pics finally. heading out this weekend to put up the siding!
May_2011_001.jpg
May_2011_001.jpg
May_2011_003.jpg
May_2011_003.jpg
May_2011_006.jpg
May_2011_006.jpg
May_2011_011.jpg
May_2011_011.jpg


neb
Member
# Posted: 17 May 2011 10:53pm
Reply 


Looks good and I wish I was that far along. Nice.

Borrego
Member
# Posted: 17 May 2011 10:58pm
Reply 


You will be! I've found that perseverance is the key! Just never stop believing in your dream.....

shotgun
Member
# Posted: 12 Jun 2011 09:18pm
Reply 


Looks like a great cabin Borrego!!
Wish I could come out and give you a hand, but im up to my ears in work now. LOL
Where is your cabin located? Will it be hard to get water there in the desert?What did u use on roof ?shingles , steel?Will it be hard to keep cool , doesnt look like much shade there LOL. Looks like a great place for solar power . Much wind there?
Hope im not asking to many ?s
I hope it turns out to b everything you want . Keep on buildin!!
Very Nice...

Borrego
Member
# Posted: 13 Jun 2011 07:52pm
Reply 


Thanks, Shotgun! Answers:
I'm in the huge State Park http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anza-Borrego_Desert_State_Park
there happen to be a few small enclaves within the park of private property, our little group of homesteads is one of the older ones. Here is a map below, my place would be towards the bottom (south)
There is a well providing water from an underground aquifer about 600 ft down.
The roof is rolled roofing, that's all that people use (except steel, but it's pricey) After applying elastomeric paint for a few years, it apparently becomes bulletproof
It is great for about 8 months, right now it is almost unbearable and I have to go out for at least one more trip. It's not just the heat, well over 100, but the dryness of about 3% RH just kills ya, you literally cannot drink enough!
And yes, this will be totally solar powered, I've got enough sun for all of ya!
Never too many questions, this is all fun stuff!
map_of_anzaborrego.jpg
map_of_anzaborrego.jpg
20110521_.jpg
20110521_.jpg
20110521_5.jpg
20110521_5.jpg
20110521_134507_.jpg
20110521_134507_.jpg


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