Author Archives: matthannan

It’s all over but the shouting

I think, and I could very well be wrong, but I think I am done with the main structure for the fort.

The painter showed up bright and early this morning. She was sober this time, which was a plus. She stained the gangplank, then knocked out the unpainted half of the front wall, then got started on the light blue of the inside.… Read the rest

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Gangway for The Mighty Roof!

Or something like that. The hardware for the gangplank came in. As I was heading into The Big Orange Store, I spied that someone posted to Amazon that they used 2x10s for their ramps. Sold.

I managed to hit joist while trying to secure the gangplank to the deck.… Read the rest

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When Life Closes a Window…

You should cut out a doorway…and put trim around the window.

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Full Frontal

Both panels are up on the fort! We are about to get socked by a big lightning and thunder storm, so I did did not want to rush cutting out the door.

Figured I would have just enough time to get the second panel up, and I was right.… Read the rest

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Fronting

While the rest of America tears itself apart, I was in the backyard tonight annoying my neighbors. Half of the front wall is up! It has a window!

Somehow, my 90″ wall, sandwiched between 1.5″ sides, is only measuring 95″, not the 96″ it should be, so the plywood for the door side of the wall is going to need to not only be cut to 72″ high, but also have that 1″ trimmed off the side.… Read the rest

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A Roof For A Fort

Saturday’s work on the fort was mainly spent gathering supplies at Big Orange. It was insane.

All of the lumber carts were either in use, piled with unprocessed returns, or being used as display! I had to ghost a SeaBee in the parking lot in order to get one.… Read the rest

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Breaking the fourth wall

Got a late start today due to rain in the AM and a mixed forecast for the afternoon. I spied the temp and dew points starting to move away from each other, so I went out and got to work.

Front wall framed and mounted!… Read the rest

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Three walls makes a fort

Or something like that. Three walls up, mainly square, and carriage bolted to the deck. I have the framing plan for the front wall and went to the Home Despot today for materials.

I did not get the two sheets of plywood, as I was not feeling the lashing of said plywood to the roof of Jenny’s Outback.… Read the rest

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Mary Buckley Proves Tom Hunter is a Relative

This is a recreation of an email that I sent to my father and sister a few nights ago. A few years back, I was caught up in the fever of being Irish-American. I found an unsung hero of the 1916 Easter Rising had really caught my attention, so I wrote a Wikipedia article about him.… Read the rest

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Fort follow up

Take a guess what I did this weekend?

Yup. More fort building. Was aiming for 3 walls completed, if not mounted, by quitting time Sunday, but I only got 2.75 done.

I am out of Titebond III and 2.5″ screws and couldn’t see masking up to go to Big Orange for these meager supplies when I am going to need oh so much more next weekend.… Read the rest

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