What'd you get & give for Christmas/Hanukkah/Festivus/Late December
12-27-2011, 10:47 PM
#47
Boost Pope
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,027
Total Cats: 6,592
Made pretty good progress today. The framework for the clubhouse section is complete and the second-story floor is in. The A-frame and swing post are done, but I haven't mounted them yet- I'm awaiting my sister's approval on final positioning of the whole assembly before I lock it all down. Should get that tomorrow.
The way it goes together is pretty clever; the end-walls of the clubhouse are framed as complete sub-assemblies, so I was able to build those in the shade on the patio and then take them out into the yard and join them together. The roof gets framed up as another sub-assembly, so I'll be able to assemble that in relative comfort as well. Right now it just looks like a newly-framed house. By tomorrow it should have some substance to it.
I need to get schooled up on the protection of wood in an outdoor environment. It claims to be treated and has a 10 year structural warranty, but this thing is made in Canada, and with all due respect, the good people of Mount Forest, Ontario have absolutely no idea of the sort of beating that wood takes outdoors here in southern Florida. Ideally, I want something that's easily applied with a sprayer (such as a Wagner airless gun) and yet does not leave a slippery surface.
I thought you were a baller Joe, what happened? Why cheap out???
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12-28-2011, 01:09 AM
#48
Senior Member
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Falls Church, VA
Posts: 1,361
Total Cats: 17
I gave the wife the Shun Classic 3-pc set (8" chef's, 6" utility, 3.5" paring) and a gift card for a spa day at the Ritz Carlton.
I got a new pair of cashmere lined leather gloves and a nice Capitals hat, just little things I had been wanting. I didn't ask for anything big since I bought myself a Millermatic 211 and associated paraphernalia a couple of months ago.
Most of the gifts from relatives were for our daughter. We got her a Radio Flyer red wagon (the newer plastic version with seats & straps/buckles since she's not quite ready for the plain flatbed metal version), a potty, some toys & books, other people got her clothes & toys, a few bucks for the college fund, etc. To my pleasant surprise, it looks like we succeeded in keeping the knick-knacky crap to a minimum.
I got a new pair of cashmere lined leather gloves and a nice Capitals hat, just little things I had been wanting. I didn't ask for anything big since I bought myself a Millermatic 211 and associated paraphernalia a couple of months ago.
Most of the gifts from relatives were for our daughter. We got her a Radio Flyer red wagon (the newer plastic version with seats & straps/buckles since she's not quite ready for the plain flatbed metal version), a potty, some toys & books, other people got her clothes & toys, a few bucks for the college fund, etc. To my pleasant surprise, it looks like we succeeded in keeping the knick-knacky crap to a minimum.
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12-28-2011, 09:04 AM
#49
Elite Member
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Outside Portland Maine
Posts: 2,023
Total Cats: 19
Notable items
Gave: Flannel sheets for dad, earrings and a hair dryer for mom, show tickets for the girlfriend.
Got: Ski rack for the Outback, door speakers for the miata, 10pc set of calphalon pots and pans, and a light-up alarm clock so I won't hate waking up in the dark anymore.
Gave: Flannel sheets for dad, earrings and a hair dryer for mom, show tickets for the girlfriend.
Got: Ski rack for the Outback, door speakers for the miata, 10pc set of calphalon pots and pans, and a light-up alarm clock so I won't hate waking up in the dark anymore.
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12-28-2011, 03:17 PM
#52
My son got a TRAXXAS slash from my parents...so I had no choice but to go out and get one to race him with. I also got a set of specialty beer glasses. To top it off, I think am about to order myself some 11.75" brakes from trackspeed as a little present for myself.
Last edited by rlogan; 12-28-2011 at 04:36 PM.
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12-28-2011, 04:30 PM
#53
Elite Member
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 2,799
Total Cats: 179
Gave: Necklace (wife), bottle of Fernet Branca and book about bitters (dad), Target gift card (Mom), hand-dipped candles and candle holders (sister), Lego/Eyewitness Books/Working Guitar T-shirt (nephew).
Got: Breville BJE510XL juicer, Elijah Craig 18-yr single barrel bourbon, Kobalt vise-grips, Christmas CD, book about Heidelberg Catechism, Atari Classic system with 60 preloaded games, some cologne, v-neck sweater, subscription to Wired, set of 4 glasses for liqueurs...
Got: Breville BJE510XL juicer, Elijah Craig 18-yr single barrel bourbon, Kobalt vise-grips, Christmas CD, book about Heidelberg Catechism, Atari Classic system with 60 preloaded games, some cologne, v-neck sweater, subscription to Wired, set of 4 glasses for liqueurs...
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01-01-2012, 07:14 PM
#54
Boost Pope
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,027
Total Cats: 6,592
It is finally completed!
It has been christened Del Boca Vista, phase 3.
Initial thoughts:
The floor of the clubhouse seems a tad creaky when I'm up in it crawling around, but is proving adequate. The swing section is much more stable than I'd anticipated. The directions instruct you to drive some 12" long stakes into the ground to anchor it, but as the soil here is loose and sandy, I went an extra step and dug out some holes around the stakes and poured concrete into them. Total of two 50lb bags of ready-mix for the four stakes that anchor the swing section and the one below the slide. With that done, the swing section is rock-solid. In the picture, my mom and my niece are on the tandem-swing together, and that sucker wasn't moving at all. Very happy with the way everything turned out. Even with the insanely long build time, I'd strongly recommend this unit.
It has been christened Del Boca Vista, phase 3.
Initial thoughts:
The floor of the clubhouse seems a tad creaky when I'm up in it crawling around, but is proving adequate. The swing section is much more stable than I'd anticipated. The directions instruct you to drive some 12" long stakes into the ground to anchor it, but as the soil here is loose and sandy, I went an extra step and dug out some holes around the stakes and poured concrete into them. Total of two 50lb bags of ready-mix for the four stakes that anchor the swing section and the one below the slide. With that done, the swing section is rock-solid. In the picture, my mom and my niece are on the tandem-swing together, and that sucker wasn't moving at all. Very happy with the way everything turned out. Even with the insanely long build time, I'd strongly recommend this unit.
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