Ranch Cabin Build

[wlee15]

It has been a while since I have updated the progress of the cabin. Since last I posted many things have happened personally, so not a whole lot has been done. Many little items have been added, and the cabin has been made more and more like a home. With my son playing college football in South Dakota that took away a lot of my weekends, until he broke his collar bone in a game in Nebraska. (pic1) He had to have surgery (pic2) and is all back together again. He is the QB for the team and this was his throwing shoulder, so he has many hours of rehab to look forward to.

One of the items I wanted to take care of was screen doors. At first I bought some CHEAP wood ones from Lowes. I figured that i could sure them up with some angle brackets in the corners to make them stronger and last longer. I installed them (pics 3-4) but I was not happy. After a month of using them they became weak and I had to adjust them. So I decided what I should have done in the first place was go with metal security doors. They were only about $100 more each but they look better and are very strong. I was able to add locks (deadbolt and knobs) and had them all keyed the same. So I only have one key for all 8 locks on my doors. (pics 5-6)

I didn't have a chance to hunt much at all this season, but the first time I did I was able to get my first Axis deer. It was a small buck, but I needed the meat. I also am getting the hide tanned so I can make some pillows for the ranch, and maybe a purse for the wife. (pic 7)

Since I added the water well I had a sink that I had on the porch that was gravity fed. It did deliver water but I didn't like the pressure. I decided I need to but a pump on it. I got a free kitchen cabinet lower, and a piece of free concrete slab I had at the house to make a area to dry dishes. I installed an RV pump in the bottom of the cabinet, using PEX I plumbed it to the sink and to a faucet on the side of the cabinet. It turned out nice and delivers great water pressure now. Not sure if I am gonna statin the concrete slab or just leave it natural concrete. (pics 8-10)

I am in the process of getting the entire property fenced off. right now all but 600 foot is done. my neighbor and I also got the roads on the property grinded, so it is a smooth ride now. When I get it finished I will post pictures of the fencing and roads.

[bobc]

Dang man. Sorry to hear about your son - glad he is on the mend. Thanks for the updates. I followed this build from the beginning. Well done sir.

[wlee15]

Last weekend I started working on a new garage building for the Can Am and Grizzley 4 wheeler.

I have been using the structure that is to become the "Saloon" for storing my side by side and 4 wheeler. I have always intended to make a "garage" that would be in the eventual parking area. My thought is something just big enough for the off-road vehicles and tools, gas cans, ladders, generator etc. To the side (outside the Garage) I want to create a outdoor sink and animal skinning area.

Andy and I set out to build a 15'X15' garage. I thought I had plenty of steel on hand. The first plan was to make it all out of free galvanized 1.5" 11ga angle Iron. The weekend before I welded up 2 side panels out of the angle to prepare for this past weekend build; with the hopes we could get it all finished up in 1 weekend. Like must of my plans the first pass failed.... when we tried to erect it the panels broke apart because of the spans I was attempting to prefab. ( I think they would have held up fine if I had skinned the sides with the R panel before lifting them but that would have been too heavy for 2 people to control) So that experiment took up most of our Friday afternoon.. looking at my stock of steel I knew I didn't have enough square tubing in my yard to get it completed. So I called my neighbor to see if he had anything next door. Luckily he had just enough to save my butt. After borrowing some of his square tubing and using the angle iron as cross supports we were able to get the framing complete between Saturday and Sunday AM.

The Garage is going to be skinned with new R-Panel that we scored at a great price. totaling (15) 9' 10" panels and (8) 10' 11" panels (these were cuts that someone ordered but did not buy from the steel yard) I paid only $250.00 for it. I think it is going to look great, but it's only enough to do the 3 sides and the roof. I think for now I may leave it open in the front, but may enclose it with doors made with 5 V panels I have already which I got for free. On Sunday AM we started to skin the unit but at around 11AM the wind became too much to work against so we only got 1 side completed.

I hope to get out next weekend to complete skinning the garage and start using it. Once this is done I can start working on the floor, deck and front facade on the Saloon.

Here is how it stand right now:

[wlee15]

I went out Friday afternoon by myself, hoping to get as much done on the garage as possible. Saturday called for wind gusts up to 35 MPH, so I was trying to get as much done as I could before the high winds began. I arrived on Friday at around 3PM. After unloading the car and making a few business calls I started work on the garage project around 4. Everything went really well and the skinning of the garage was going SO smooth, I just kept thinking "ok what is going to go wrong, it can't go this easy" In two short hours I was able to get the back wall, the remaining side wall and 1 of the roof panels in place. I couldn't believe how well it went considering. (pic1)

Saturday morning the winds were calm. I began working on the roof at 7AM, no breakfast just a coffee to fuel me. Within a few hours I had the roof completely done. The winds finally started to kick up but the tough part was done. Now I focused on getting the trim work done, I installed the trim on the roofline, and the back posts as well. I think it turned out really good especially for the price I paid for materials. (Pic 2) After that I just kept going... I needed to install solar LED lights inside so there will always be light when inside. I used solar LED rope lights for this as they are auto ON and will last all night. I installed 2 rope lights, instead of tie wrapping them so they are just a single line like I did on the cabin; I decided to just wrap the rope rope lights around the roof rafters. This will produce a more dense light over the vehicles. It was now 2PM, and I was exhausted and in severe dehydration mode. I was so focused I forgot to eat and drink anything, in a low humidity and 85 degree heat I felt like crap (dry heaving even) I knew I was in danger so decided enough work for the day, went inside the cabin and drank 6 bottles of water one after another. I tried to lay down and sleep but the cramps were so bad that I couldn't. A neighbor stopped by around 4 and gave me a power aid, within an hour I felt better. That evening I got a look at the lighting I installed in the garage (pic 3)

Picture 4 shows the garage on Sunday with the Can Am and Grizzly parked inside. My plans are to eventually put doors on the garage and put in a sink with an attached covered skinning area to the right (you can see the sink and base in pic 2 )

On Sunday I added two 100Gallon water troughs to my hunting area. I have had a water trough for the animals up by my cabin, but the Axis deer never come up the hill. I put one trough inside the feed pen and one outside as well. I think this will help keep the axis deer coming, especially since we haven't had much rain lately. On a side not I am seeing axis really often now. I think having the alfalfa there year round is finally paying off. (pics 4&5)

[TxHamJello]

Quite a place! You must be proud of the work you did. Great job!

[DuramaxDude]

Lookin gooooooooood!!!!

[duckcommander89]

following

[wlee15]

Since the last time I posted I have made some updates and began working on the Saloon.

I added a new rain shower head to the bathroom. I wanted to keep the original hand held shower head as well so I plumbed from the water heater with PEX using cutoff valves for easy operation. It turned out really nice and gives great coverage when showering. (pic 1)

The Saloon structure was being used as my garage for a few years until I got the real garage completed a month or so ago. Since I have a place for the Can-Am and Grizzly 4 wheeler I could now install the floor. We started with 20ft 1/4" 4"x4" angle Iron pieces (that I got FREE) as the base supports. After leveling those we used 1.5"x1.5" 14g square tubing for the cross member 24" on center. The total area of the Saloon will be 20'x16' with a 20'X4' deck. (Pics 2-5)

The plan is to use what we call Valero panels as underlayment before the plywood decking as a critter barrier. (These we got for free; they are aluminum panels clad with a plastic printed coating. They are what the top of the gas station pumps are clad with; when circle K bought the store they removed the old "Valero" brand panels. We took all the panels from 1 store and have them stored at the ranch)

After finishing the floor joists for the Saloon we needed to add a new upright support to the East deck. The roof on this side would move a bit in HIGH winds because the span was a little too long. We added a 11g 2x2 support to the side and painted it. (pic6)

Finally we finished painting the East side roof joists (pics 7)

[wlee15]

Mountain Lion!!!!!!!

Yesterday Morning (June 1 2022) I work up and checked my Cell cameras. I have 2 cameras at my feed station; one pointed to a water trough and cotton seed feeder outside my feed pen, and one in the feed pen pointed to the corn feeder, alfalfa feeder and another water trough.

To my surprise there was a Mountain Lion in the pictures!

The first picture he is hiding in the brush on the back side of the cotton seed water trough. he ran off 5 deer but one stayed behind looking at him... (pic1)

After the deer left he visited the water trough and got a drink (pic 2)

Then he went around and got in the feed pen where two porcupine were eating. you can see him stalking one of the porcupines. (pic 3)

I assume he got him because the next picture was taken outside the pen a while later, he came pack to the water trough. (pic 4)

I believe he did get a meal because today June 2, there are quite a few turkey vultures at and around my feeder.

I called the sighting in to the TPWD county biologist, surprisingly he told me that the porcupine is about 70% of the mountain lions diet in Texas.

[OldRiverRat]

that will perk you up knowing he or she is there when walking to your blind before daylight or leaving after dark.

[bobc]

Holy smokes man! That is really cool. No mistaking that one for sure.

[wlee15]

that will perk you up knowing he or she is there when walking to your blind before daylight or leaving after dark.

No doubt! Funny thing is that I think I spooked him one time before.

About 4-5 months ago I was there by myself. I woke up sometime around 3 AM, needing to use the restroom. I went outside and started doing my business of the front porch. I heard a loud roar about 20 yards in front of me. Needless to say it literally scared the **** out of me! I stood there a bit listening, nothing no sounds at all. Brought up my flashlight and nothing was there.

I assumed it was a bobcat or lion because if it was a hog I would have heard him running away with all the rocks being kicked around. The sound came from the area I used to feed the foxes and raccoons leftover food all the time. That night I had thrown aways several pieces of leftover pork ribs.

In my mind I knew they could be here but never would I have thought I would get such good pictures of one.

He was at my feeder area for 2 hours hunting.

[OldRiverRat]

No doubt! Funny thing is that I think I spooked him one time before.

About 4-5 months ago I was there by myself. I woke up sometime around 3 AM, needing to use the restroom. I went outside and started doing my business of the front porch. I heard a loud roar about 20 yards in front of me. Needless to say it literally scared the **** out of me! I stood there a bit listening, nothing no sounds at all. Brought up my flashlight and nothing was there.

I assumed it was a bobcat or lion because if it was a hog I would have heard him running away with all the rocks being kicked around. The sound came from the area I used to feed the foxes and raccoons leftover food all the time. That night I had thrown aways several pieces of leftover pork ribs.

In my mind I knew they could be here but never would I have thought I would get such good pictures of one.

He was at my feeder area for 2 hours hunting.

sneaky buggers!

[wlee15]

It has been a while since I last made an update. Besides doing many little projects around the cabin I finally began doing some work on the soon to be Saloon.

In mid November I installed the front deck to the Saloon. Much like how I did the cabin itself the front deck was installed before anything else so I would have a level platform to build off of.

Now that the front deck is in I can begin construction of the front wall and then the interior flooring. Pics 1-3 are the deck, pick 4 is what I want the structure to look like when completed.

[GWilly]

That saloon will be a cool place to hang out. Excited to see it develop.