framing!

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I kept not getting round to taking pictures while I was framing out the walls, partly because I was busy framing out the walls & partly because, well, framing is framing, it isn’t HARD, there are a zillion places online where you can read about how to do it …

But then I thought, y’all aren’t here to see just anyone do the things, you’re here to see ME do the things.

Also, cat pictures.

Anyway the top pic is where I was before I finally started taking pics. Three walls done, one left.

The first vital part is knowing what I’m doing before I start, by which I mean designing the wall. I’ve been using Inkscape for this part; I more-or-less know what I’m doing in my head, but drawing it out in Inkscape makes it easier to follow. This wall isn’t very complicated, with no doors & just one window.

A line drawing of the proposed framing for the side wall -- mostly simple uprights, with space for a window in the center.

It’s a combination of 2x4s & 2x2s. It’s damned difficult to find decent 2x2s these days, alas, so I’ve been digging the best 2x4s out of the pile & ripping them down to 2x2s. It’s easiest with a table saw, but a good circular saw with a good blade makes it doable.

A 2x4 board, partway through being cut in half the long way. A circular saw sits in the middle of the board, & nehind it a wedge of wood holds the two already-cut parts separate.

The wedge holds the two halves apart & makes it much easier to cut. I’m not using the cutting guide because it doesn’t have to be dead straight, just more-or-less in half. Cut & cut & cut & poof, 2x2s!

Which then need to be cut down to the right length. The uprights need to be 55 inches long.

Closeup of a pair of 2x2s, various measuring instruments, & a green pen.

Put that together with a couple of 36″ long pieces to form the window frame … here it is, measured & laid out.

A bunch of 2x2 boards laid out to form a window frame.

With extra measuring to make sure everything is at right angles, which isn’t something one can just assume, as witness a couple other parts of the build. Let’s just say it’s a good thing I’m building my own windows, because the sizes are … nonstandard.

A closeup of two 2x2 boards butted together at right angles, with a ruler in place to mark the right spot.

Drill a couple pilot holes, put in a couple screws, & poof, it’s a chunk of framed wall.

Same picture as two above, except now all the framing pieces are screwed together.

I kinda wish I’d had someone else around to video me trying to hold this in place, in the wind, while getting the clamps on, with only two hands instead of, like, six, except that I’m really glad I didn’t, because I’m pretty sure I looked like a dork & I KNOW I hit myself on the head with it at LEAST twice.

The framed wall in question, now behind held upright in its destined spot on the side of the tinker's wagon with a pair of clamps.

Pilot holes & screws …

A cordless drill & screwdriver sitting on the side of the tinker's wagon, near a partly-driven-in screw.

Once I had the bottom bit fastened down I had to get the top of the wall attached to the rest of the top of the wall, which was another exercise in clamps, although a much less dangerous one. I only hit my head once, & it was a much smaller piece of 2×2.

A pair of horizontal 2x2s, end to end, with another piece of 2x2 clamped below to brace them.

Et voila, an entirely framed out tinker’s wagon!

Same as the top picture of the tinker's wagon, except from more in front, & also, with all four walls framed out.

Next up, housewrap & turning the wall skeletons into actually walls!

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