Cutting frame to split plywood evenly long wise.

It is really happening!  I know there were some doubters out there wondering if I could build cabinets, myself included, but the wife has says I am not allowed to buy any brownies.  NO BAKED goods are allowed in the home until I get the oven up and going then she says she will cook it for me.  Another incentive to get the oven up and going.  A friend, Robert,  came over yesterday and we started in on the cabinets.  The funny part was it took half the time to just set up for the cabinets.  First, we had to empty the dining room of all tools and left over tiles from the counter/backsplash job.  It took us two hours just to move all the tools out, empty the sideboard and move the sideboard out of its old home.  We had baking pans laying all over the kitchen from the sideboard.  I had the dining room stacked with all the knickknacks from the kitchen. 
Next on the building schedule was a cutting frame.  I needed to be able to tear a 3/4 inch Oak plywood sheet in half lengthwise and have it be perfectly straight.  Luckily, I had purchased a passel of 2×4 to construct a new irrigation pump support.  We drug those into the yard and started constructing our cutting frame.  The full sheet of plywood lays down lengthwise and the bottom board holds it level.  Then we clamp a 2×4 1.5 inches below where the cut should be and I installed a brand new 60 tooth blade in my Skilsaw and run it along the 2×4.  A perfect straight smooth cut was done.  We did clamp the upper portion of the plywood to the frame before I did the horizontal cut so it would not drop down and pinch the blade.  This worked great, we took them to the side and stacked them on my arbor.  I put a tape measure to the first one and started to swear, it was 24.5 inches wide.  I instantly panicked thinking I had shorted the other side and just ruined a $90 board.  Nope, the plywood is 48.5 inches wide.  We trimmed one of the boards every time.  We cut five sheets in half and then got ready to assemble the center, oven holding cabinet.

 

Dining room, the table is now clear.

Oven shelves in progress.

I cut some more 1×3 supports for the shelves and installed the first one when I remembered I needed to cut out a toe spot at the bottom of the cabinets. I did a true mirror image for the other side.  This part I remembered without a mistake.  Rob and I then drug one side inside the house and attempted to stand it up.  Nope, I forgot to trim it down to 79 inches it was still 96.5 inches tall.  We went back outside and cut it the right length and then unscrewed the support and reinstalled it on the new and correct side.  It was dinner time, so we fed Robert, leg of lamb with cous cous and fried brussel sprouts.  Some fresh bread from Safeway finished it off.  We had to eat in the living room because the dining room was crowded.  After dinner Sarah and Robert held the sides while I assembled the shelves.  The plan was to make three separate cabinets not attach them to the wall and not put backs on them.  Annmarie pointed out that the cabinet is very wobbly.  After much consideration and discussion it was decided I would make one cabinet and once I got in all the outside walls the cabinet would be pinned between the walls.  They would hold it up.  I will put a solid sheet of plywood across the top and I will but a solid kickboard across the bottom tying it all together.  I was going to put doors across the top that swung up but Annmarie thought they would be too tall for her to put back down.  So, the plan is for me to build the cabinets, face them off, stain them and install the oven.  Once they are all in place I am going to see about purchasing premade doors.  This would save a ton of time and allow me to finish the project in a timely fashion. 

I spent today cleaning up the dining room table and breeze porch.  We can now sit down at the dining room table!  Its amazing!  My plan is to work the sanding of the dining room table in so when I go to stain the cabinets I can stain the table at the same time.  I figure if I am going to stink up the house I might as well get all the stink going at once.  Things are starting to come together.  I want to get the cabinet/oven project done so I can get outside and start building fence and working on the irrigation pump. 

The age old question about which is better Nutella or peanut butter?  Is still not answered. I put four mouse traps in the chicken coop feed area, two with Nutella and two with peanut butter. Two traps were sprung and two mice died valiantly for this scientific study, one was Nutella and one was peanut butter!  No scientific conclusion could be drawn and I am hoping my subject pool has been eliminated!  This may have to become an ongoing study. [nutella-1; peanut butter-1]

The alpaca are getting very used to us. I fed yesterday then just stood next to the feeder in the middle talking to myself. Whenever I try and tame down an animal I always talk a lot. It helps. They learn to recognize your voice and realize good things come from that fabulous person. Everyone crowded around me to eat some hay. I have no idea why they want the hay there is plenty of pasture. There is one white alpaca that is worse for the wear. He has two bloody ears and is covered in grass vomit/spit. I would feel sorry for him but he initiates most of the fighting. 

We are almost out of hay.  I fed the last large bale to the cows two days ago. When the cows get that all cleaned up I will move them down to the schoolhouse pasture. We need another two months before we turn the heifers loose with the bull and main cow herd. They are back on heat, the bull has pushed my metal poles over almost 18 inches.  I had to go straighten them yesterday.  I will try and get two wooden posts in this weekend. 

My big plan for the week is to get the oven custom cabinet built and the oven wired in and operational!  That will make me popular around the house again. I wanted to bake some potatoes yesterday and had to zap them in the microwave, it is not the same. 

I had another hen die!  I have no clue as to why this is happening. I am going to have to get baby chicks. I am thinking another dozen. I will swing by the farm supply store tomorrow. 



Peanut butter or Nutella?

I drove to Hermiston today to figure out how to fix the control panel.  There are no stores locally that carry these kinds of parts.  I took pictures of the control panel yesterday.  I went to the first irrigation pump store and stuck out.  No electrical parts are sold.  So instead I bought a 3 inch 90 degree elbow and three 3 inch end plugs.  They were on the list.  I was sent across the street to another store that does electric work on panels.  At that store I gave my story again and showed my pictures of the circa 1956 control panel.  He finally said I needed more help and gave me the name of a business in Umatilla that makes pump control panels, Selectric.  I had Google maps take me there and there was a warehouse but no sign for Selectric.  I drove around and could not find it so I just went up and walked in.  There was no one at the desk, just a bell.  I rang the bell and two guys came out.  I started my spiel for the third time and this time answers started flowing.  Of course the first thing they wanted to do was sell me a new panel.  I don’t want this, as I will have to jump through tons of paperwork and permits.  They were willing to sell me all the internal parts for a brand new control panel in an old box.  I would have purchased everything immediately, but I failed to take a picture of the motor.  I needed the motor statistics so I could get the right parts.  They gave me their phone number on a sticky and told me to just call in the specifications and they would work a quote up for me.  This was great news.  They kept asking about whether the motor was a three phase.  I thought it was but when I took voltage measurements I had 0 V, 110 V and 208 V on the three wires coming in.  This continued to bug me on the way home.  I should have more voltage. 

Irrigation motor stats.

Irrigation pump stats

I went out to the pump for pictures and a transcription opportunity.  The motor was three phase.  Two years ago I got the pump to work, and it just kept bugging me that I could not even get a buzz out of it this time.  A buzz would have made me happy.  I started looking harder, and then I looked up, way up into the sky!  One wire of the three had been shot in half.  I need to get an electrician and boom truck out to the farm to get the line repaired.  Hopefully, they can repair it and not make me replace the whole thing. Once the overhead line is repaired I will go back to worrying about the control panel. 

I picked up the rest of the lumber for the kitchen cabinets today.  Sarah had to help me unload 3/4 inch oak full size 4×8 feet sheets of plywood.  She was not impressed and still sore from her drill weekend.  There was much cajoling on my part.  It was still easier with her than doing it by myself. 

I have a mouse out in the chicken coop.  It chewed into two of my bags.  Instead of trapping a cat in the back for a week I am going to try some mouse traps.  The question is will they like peanut butter of nutella better?

My current project.

Pump control panel issues.

Rain let it rain!  We need some moisture, so our irrigation project has moved up the priority list.  I went out today to get the pump working.  The cover is ancient and rusted but I knew the bugs where getting inside the panel.  I had no idea how many different types of insects, flying and crawling kinds were living inside.  I did wonder if there was any live power inside.  I couldn’t see anything so I broke off a dead thistle stem and used it to clean out the panel.  I spent over 30 minutes just scraping hornets nests, spider webs and mud wasp nests out.  I did use an electrical tester and found no power.  Being a wise grasshopper I did not believe it.  I kept my leather gloves on and used a wooden handle wire brush.  When the wire brush started sparking I was not surprised.  The power was right at its entry point.  There is a large mechanical breaker hidden in the back of the upper fuse assembly that is operated by the outside handle.  There is a small switch on the right outside of the box that is broken and will not turn.  It is the run switch and will need to be replaced.  The bottom solenoid assembly needs to be replaced also.  I plugged the holes and bent the upper panel to prevent the bugs from crawling past. I had to put in a new wire clamp pass through on the bottom of the panel.
 

Clean control panel.

Painted and labeled box.

 I opened up the pressure switch near the pump and had to dig out more bugs so the contacts would be able to close. I could not get the pump to work.  I could not get the lower solenoid to operate at all.  The dirt needs to be dug out from the channel as an added bonus.  I used a wire brush on the outside of the entire panel and painted it with some dove gray vehicle primer.  It was very windy but I was quite surprised at how good the spray nozzle on the can worked.  It gave a narrow wide spray of paint.  As someone who painted an entire car with can paint I can attest to how much better the modern nozzles are twenty years later. 

I counted irrigation pipe hand lines.  I think we have enough.  I just need a 90 degree connector and three 3 inch plugs. 

My little sister, Chris,  came out to visit.  She wanted to pet an alpaca.  I had caught one the other day for Lori, my other sister, and she had spread the word about how soft they were.  I fed early so we could touch them.  I snagged the little black one and held on by just grabbing its hair on the back.  Chris got to pet it and then she wanted to pet a white colored one.  So I wandered around and leaped toward a brown one.  I grabbed its back hair near the neck and it started to fight me more than the first one. So I decided that my manly 165 pounds would subdue this creature.  I threw my leg over its back and straddled this small weak creature.  My toes were barely touching the ground then it started running and bucking! I just held on.  I made it about 12 feet before getting thrown off.  I landed on my hands and toes.  Chris was laughing after she asked me if I was okay.  She had her back to me and turned around in time to see me riding said mild mannered creature and subsequently getting bucked off.  Note to self, do not straddle alpacas.