The latest

Much painting has been done. I'm quite pleased with the metallic colors. It took 2 coats, (over a coat of white primer), the second coat was done with a texture roller. It was like a shag terry cloth and gives a finish that looks like lightly hammered metal. The plastic was done in a steel grey. It's supposed to have a very slight purple tint, but its almost impossible to see:

http://img694.imageshack.us/i/shipphotos023.jpg/

the MDF panels are in a dark turquoise green:

http://img27.imageshack.us/i/shipphotos024.jpg/

Today I stapled black plastic poultry mesh, (chicken wire), to the backs of the truss work pieces, and installed them. I fixed the red rope lights to the undersides of the side shelves and installed them as well. I think I achieved the effect I was looking for with the red light reflecting out from under the shelf:

http://img580.imageshack.us/i/shipphotos020.jpg/

http://img801.imageshack.us/i/shipphotos018.jpg/

It's really exciting to see things coming together. I was planning to paint the shelves, and all the desk tops light grey, but I love the texture of the metallic paint, so I'm thinking now to go with that. Sweety suggested a light bronze-ish color. I think another trip to home depot is in order.

I'm very happy with how things are progressing.

Much done since last post...

As the title says...
The ship and the closet now have an outside wall and doors:

http://img814.imageshack.us/i/shipphotos012.jpg/

The electrician has started the ship part of our big upgrade the house electrical wiring job:

http://img299.imageshack.us/i/shipphotos013.jpg/

The cockpit ceiling is up, (Pic before last piece went in, but it IS done now):

http://img837.imageshack.us/i/shipphotos015.jpg/

But better then all that, My neighbor, across the street has a workshop with a computer controlled milling machine. He volunteered to make some parts for me, the first of which are 2, sort of truss looking, pieces that go under the counter tops on either side of the cockpit. I'll be installing red rope lights behind these, and hoping for a really cool effect.

http://img835.imageshack.us/i/shipphotos006.jpg/

http://img697.imageshack.us/i/shipphotos011.jpg/

High temperatures make it difficult to work outside through much of the day. And since I do all the cutting and otherwise dusty/dirty work out in the driveway, It means I can only work comfortably in the early morning and evening. Still, the work is progressing slowly but steadily, which suits me fine.

After a few days off...

A day at the water park, that was fun. A day at the hospital getting my Sweety's infected toe looked after, that was NOT fun. Another delay with the electrician. He'll be here Thursday, (hopefully). A few other assorted distractions.
But now I'm back at it.
Working inside today, because its like 95 degrees outside.

Back to work!

Had to make a trip to Home Depot for a couple of nice straight 2x4s. In the initial order that was delivered, I included a few more 2x4s then I needed, since I knew a few would be warped. But the last few were just too crooked to suit me. I needed these to frame in the second pocket door.
Today I finished the framing for both walls of the airlock. It's looking good even though its not how I envisioned it. I had planned for both pocket doors to slide into the wall toward the North, (The far wall in the pic), but because of a piece of furnace duct work, I had to reverse the door on the left. The frame wouldn't have cleared the duct. So, both doors slide to the left as you leave the airlock. The important thing is that the 2 doorways are exactly opposite each other.

In the pic you can see the metal storage cabinet that was in the 1st ship's airlock. It's another case of having to build the room around the stuff it will contain. Also There is an absolute rats nest of wire and cables hanging from the ceiling. These are phone wires, cat 5s, and Internet/TV cables. once the construction is almost done, before I start working on the ceiling, I plan to straighten these up.

http://img188.imageshack.us/i/shipphotos005.jpg/

I can't hang the doors until I sheet the walls, and I can't do that until the electrical is done. But, no worries, there are plenty of other things to work on.

Day Off

A personal matter for the electrician will prevent him from starting the work on my house until next Monday. And since I'm pretty stiff and sore from all this manual labor, I'm going to take a day or 2 off.

Good Day

I got a lot done today. On the right side cockpit wall; the 3 pieces of plastic, and the rear wall assembly from the old ship. This was all necessary for the electrician to install the new lighting controls on Wednesday.

http://img805.imageshack.us/i/shipphotos003.jpg/

http://img197.imageshack.us/i/shipphotos001.jpg/

http://img69.imageshack.us/i/shipphotos002.jpg/

Since the new ship is oriented to face east, (the old one faced south), there is an area left open, between the ship and the TV room, where I'm building a storage closet. (My Sweety is thrilled about this) It will be approx 5 by 8 feet. Today I finished framing it. the electrician will be adding a light to this area on Wednesday. This has been a difficult aspect of the project as I'm having to build the closet around all the stuff that currently has no other place to be.

Also today, a trip to Home Depot to purchase paint. Some Ralph Lauren Metalics. I'm looking forward to seeing these colors on the primered plastic.

Didn't get as much done today as I would have liked. Wind and rain in the late afternoon prevented me from cutting and primering the corrugated plastic for the cockpit walls. I did get the MDF for the right side front put up. Also the first pieces of frame for aft wall of the airlock are in place.

Nothing in this basement is SQUARE!
Place was built in the '50s, the floor is not level, it has highs and lows, the ceiling is not parallel to the floor, the walls are not straight or plum. It's a real pita.

The work goes on

I have completed about 90% of the steel frame for the cockpit area, and begun to sheet the walls. I'm using corogated plastic, (The kind they use for light roofing), and 1/4 inch MDF. Attaching it to the frames with sheet metal screws. I've made good progress on the cockpits port side.

http://img514.imageshack.us/i/shipphotos007.jpg/

http://img267.imageshack.us/i/shipphotos014.jpg/

I feel good about the work so far. But I have much to do before the electrician comes to do the wiring on Wednesday.

Spaceship 2

I've been working for a little over a week. I first had to tear out the old Ship. (Good bye WITCHCRAFT. You were a good ship.)
It's been a real mess. I tried to tear out the old ship carefully so as to salvage as much of the materials as possible. I was able to save about 80% of the stuff. The old sheetrock was all trashed, which is OK as I hate working with that stuff anyway. I was able to save most of the old MDF and the steel stud framing. Took about 3 days of work to get the thing destroyed, and most of the junk hauled upstairs and out. Really hot dirty work. Next time I want to build something, I must schedule it for the winter.

New Ship ; New Blog

Ok, so I set up this blog thingy to keep a record of the new ship's construction.