This job started off being a small job. "There appears
to be some dry rot in out hot tub enclosure. Would you check it out, please?” I
pulled one plank off, then another, then some plywood: the wood just
disintegrated under my tools. Pretty soon it was a big pile. I had the
challenge of keeping enough structure intact to keep the tub from falling or
moving. On the other hand, It was a challenge of removing the wood with nails firmly embedded in old wood, on deck rafters 40 feet up on the air, because of the steep terrain, and barely 6 inches of room to muscle a crow bar.
There was rot everywhere.
I couldn't remove all the rotted wood at once. Pieces interlocked. Each side had to be done separately
Not only did we remove almost every piece of wood, we had to remember how to put it back together.
Notice how we blocked up the hot tub as we worked on the supports.
The stairs on the stair surrounds had to be replaced. We also saturated the joists with epoxy to slow down any remaing dry rot.
Notice how we covered the internal structure with waterproofing material to prevent rot.
The wall was very rotted. The studs had to be replaced or sistered.
Notice the accurate cutouts for the water spigot and the vents.
The corner post had to be replaced. A major job.
Woodworking News: Last year was quiet. I built a bookcase for a friend out of solid Bubinga, a strongly figured wood from West Africa that comes from sustainable forests. I also built two desks for a client in the Los Angeles area out of Plybo, made of laminated bamboo. Then there was a boat job. I'm working on a sculpture of the Tree of Life: a female figure coming out of the ground like a tree, with arm-like branches upraised holding a canopy of branches and leaves.
I've taken up with a woman in the Los Angeles area. You could say it's serious except that it is so much fun. I've never enjoyed another woman's company as much as I do Dana (pronounced "Donna"). David, my youngest son, and I are going to go to India for a hip replacement for him. He was born without hip sockets. The doctors got one in when he was young, but not the other. He's in constant pain. The doctor in India is reputed to be one of the best in the world, so that's where we are going at the end of May. I'm running a fund raiser for him. Check it out at GiveForward.com
