The Workshop: "one stack of cabins, coming up" (2)

A week ago I picked a good day to work outside the shop door. With hammer in hand and a cool breeze at my back I removed old metal hardware and dozens of nails from two rotting fence posts (but western cedar nonetheless). The table saw made quick work of the 4 by 4 posts, and logs (for birdhouse bodies) and slats (for roofs) were soon neatly piled upon an old garden bench.

["Shorter logs were assembled; roofs were fashioned from slats"]

Then, longer logs were cut into short pieces and nailed together to form walls of cabins. Two triangles were next nailed atop the walls, and atop the triangles were nailed roof slats. Chimneys, roof trim and perches appeared after that. And finally, today, I attended to special benches upon which a wee birdhouse would be attached. Shortly thereafter I stacked 'em up for a photo.

["Cutting the Vs into bench supports takes but a minute "]

["Benches were soon ready to attach to the cabin"]

["Four singles soon became a completed stack of cabins"]

Old scraggy lumber is worth saving 90 - 95% of the time, in my opinion. And when you can cut up western cedar and enjoy a cool breeze at the same time, work feels like child's play and pays one back in spades.

 Photos by GH

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Please click here to read one stack of cabins, coming up (1)