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14 April, 2012

One After the Next Step

Here's a couple of shots of the latest in our project. We're ready to start constructing some - five to be exact, concrete raised planter boxes to go under the shade house. It'll still provide enough room for Dianna to be able to have plants in pots, etc.

We started off with the shade cloth I had left over from the pool awning project. There was enough to cover half the length of the shade house (12-feet long by 14-feet wide). It was a bit awkward hanging the stuff at first.
Hanging Shade Cloth
 It actually went quite quickly. I had to make a trip to Lano's Supply to get about 14-feet more shade cloth to cover the other half of the shade house.
Little by Little
 Now, it's beginning to look like what I had imagined.
Taking on the Desired Shape
 I used a heavy monofilament line to tie the shade cloth into place - looping it around the curved bar every couple inches or so. To anchor the line to the bar, I used an arbor knot. You can see an animated example of how to tie that at Animated Knots by Grog (http://www.animatedknots.com/arbor/index.php?Categ=fishing&LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com). A pretty cool site that shows you how to tie various knots in an easy to understand animation for each knot.

Here's a shot of the monofilament I used, along with the curved needle I was going to use, which didn't work out. I tried using an awl to expand the eye of the needle in order to thread the needle with the monofilament. It turned out it was too brittle to do that and simply shattered as soon as I stuck the awl in the eye. I didn't need the needle in the end as it was easy to just thread the line directly through the shade cloth.

 And here's some views of the completed shade cloth hanging. I also used cable ties to secure the shade cloth. Hopefully, the mono and the cable ties will last a while before having to be replaced. We'll see.
Long View of the Shade House
A Different Perspective
From Underneath
Back The Other Way
From the Edge
And From Below
Here's a diagram I put together showing the concept for the planter tables. We thought about using hard woods here to make raised beds but cost and longevity are two major factors. We're going to build five tables under the shade house, still providing plenty of space to have room for other containers and taller plants.
Planter Table Diagram

8 comments:

Lion Lady said...

You are one crafty son-of-a gun....your mind is always working for a solution to a need and you do it so affortable. Congrats

Just one question(or two)...how easy will it be to dismantel the netting when a high wind or hurricane is announced? As fast as the covering to the pool? Boy, you've got one heck of a checklist to do before any Emerg. (it never leave us does it)

Love the garden area and your BBQ site. (I'm so jealous of the "Rider Castle")

Keep up the good work !!

Dave Rider said...

Hi LL,

Thanks for the nice comment. I think it'll come down easily, I just need my handy wire cutters. Of course putting it back up takes some time. It took Carlos and me about 2 hours to get the fabric set up right.

Good to hear from you.

Cheers,
Dave

JRinSC said...

Hi Dave,

In your last pic of the screening their is a stone column that has a pipe running through the top at an angle. Guess I missed the article where you mentioned this but the curious know no bounds...so... what might it be?

The project, as usual, looks very professional and well done... even by standards north of Mx.

Julian

Dave Rider said...

Hi Julian,

I mentioned the columns in a comment, and then promptly forgot to post the photos of the columns. I'll get those up in the morning. Thanks for the reminder and the nice comment too.

Cheers,
Dave

vansmith47 said...

Hi! Like your blog. We are house sitting out on Cerros Peninsula until October and still learning all the "good" spots. We found "D's" yesterday and Nancy bought A-1 and seafood cocktail sauce!

You had a photo of a pizza from a wood fired oven - is that in Corozal? So far, our fine dining out has been limited to Patty's Bistro.

Thanks! Van & Nancy Smith

(first post did not seem to go. hopefully, this is not a duplicate)

Dave Rider said...

Hi Van & Nancy,

Thanks for the nice comment. I too shop at D's, but only for the stuff I want that I absolutely can't find anywhere else - it's just too expensive.

Yes the pizza and wood fired oven is from Corozal. It's from Corozo Blues (Restaurant, Bar and Day Resort - as their sign says), which is right on the corner of the Northern Highway as you're coming into Corozal - right beside Tony's. It's a one-story, stone-faced building. Beer's expensive, but the pizza isn't and it's easily the best pizza anywhere around. Enjoy.

We like Patty's too. Ivan's a great host.

Cheers,
Dave

David said...

I've always admired your production of detailed plans before you start a project. Nicely done and leading to efficient project completion, between pool breaks, that is.

Next thing you know you'll be drawing up plans for a family addition!

Have any concerns placing heavy, immovable objects on top of your septic drainage field?

See ya soon,
David

Dave Rider said...

Hi David,

Well, of course, one has to take pool breaks into account. That goes along with ensuring an adequate supply of properly chilled Belikins too.

Re: the 'family addition', as long as it's just cats, we'll be in fine shape.

I thought about the weight issue and the drain field. The field is way over-sized for our house, as it originally was going to serve both houses, so I decided it shouldn't impact the field too much. Also, the gravel bed under the pipes is about a foot thick, with about six inches of gravel on top. It's also had about four years now to stabilize so I don't think there'll be much shifting, if any (I hope). Even if it does, there's still more than enough drain field to handle the requirements.

Cheers,
Dave