So we got the majority of the windows hung this weekend. Also finished up a lot of the little things that need to be done before sheeting. The little things are driving me crazy, the progress is not very visual so it seems like you get nothing done at the end of the day.

With the windows in I can go back to focusing on the awnings. Hopefully a weekend or 2 on the front awning and one or 2 on the rear awning.

I cannot wait to get the walls and roof on this thing, it's killing me.






One other complaint, and I don't think it is Mueller's fault directly, I think all the metal building material suppliers are the same. None of the "shapes" are very precise. "angle iron" is not 90 degrees. the legs on "C" purlin don't make the full 90 degree bend. So far the sloppy bends haven't affected anything, but this week end the did. I had to weld a piece of angle around 3/4 of the building. Some short sheets will eventually attach to this angle. Because the angle isn't bent to 90 degrees, the leg is sticking out away from the building. Becasue sheets will have to attach to it, this will need to be fixed. So at some point I need to go around and try to bend the leg back to straight up and down.

Pic for clarification.

I missed my update from last weekend. Got the front awnings to 90%. I'm tempted to say there is only about 1/2 day left on them, but one of the pieces still to go is the hip in the roof. That may take awhile to figure out trial-and-error route.

The full perimeter of the front awnings is on. Makes it feel much different in person because you can really feel the true size of the end product.









The only things left on the front is the hip and then fill in the rafters of the "carport" area. Rafters should be quick work.


The best development from last weekend was the welding situation. I don't have a ton of experience with stick, all I do is MIG and TIG. So I have been fighting my stick welder the entire time. Part of it is me, part of it is the welder and/or generator. But I borrowed a 110V MIG to try Flux-Core. I was skeptical of the flux core, I've done a lot of MIG but none with flux core. This stuff is AWESOME!!!

I started with a .030 1LB test roll. I was impressed enough with it to go ahead with a 10LB roll of .035. My .035 weld look almost as good as solid core .035 welds. Super impressed with the flux-core ability to shield even in the 20ish mph windy we had. Before this weekend I thought flux-core was just for the tiny hobbiest who didn't want to drop the coin on a good MIG machine. Now I fully understand that there is a time and place for flux-core.

Spillers - I just sent the reply.

During the week a buddy and I made it out after work and got the 4 columns for the big awning up.





Then this weekend Mrs. Gringo and I set the rafter beams and one line of roof purlin.







Yes, the columns still need to be cut off flush with the top of the rafters, ran out of daylight.

We had some unfavorable weather Saturday, so the big awning was the only major progress. We did manage to finish the hip roof framing and flash 2 windows, began trimming those 2 windows but that is when the rain started.



EDIT: picture of the hip framing



A little note on the progress of this thing. It is taking WAY longer than it should as far as a calendar is concerned. We put all the red iron up in 3 days with myself and 3 other guys. Since then it has been only Mrs. Gringo and myself (except 2 separate evenings when I had a friend come help). We are only working on it during the weekends and after 5pm when possible. So actual number of working days is somewhere around 20 days. On top of that, EVERY day we have to pull out some combination of the generator, welder, air compressor, plasma cutter, ladders, hand tools, etc. When you consider the time it takes to "set up" and "clean up" each day plus the rain days and other obligation days we probably have 10-13 days of work in it after the red iron went up.

I say this encase someone is thinking about doing something similar and wants to do some work themselves. Not as discouragement, but as encouragement. If you can work on it for longer than 2 days at a time you will save so much time on the "set up" and "clean up" each work session. Having power on site would speed up some more over generators.

The timeline is starting to annoy me, I'm ready to start the interior. But I have been dealing with it because I know our actual work days is not unreasonable, especially since this is our first time doing a metal building. The other factor (and probably the main factor) that keeps me upbeat on the progress/work is that I have thoroughly enjoyed doing this with Mrs. Gringo as my only help. Talk about good bonding time - no TV, computers, or phones in the way, just beautiful Texas and a common goal to work towards. Plus there isn't much better than watching your wife operate a 20,000 LB skytrack, setting a couple thousand pound wide flange beam inches away from you and not having any concern because she has learned all the hand signals good enough that I don't even need to look at her, just hold one hand in the air giving signals while eyes and other hand guide the beam where you need it.

So the reason for no updates is I told myself I wasn't going to update again until sheets are on.......they're still not on.....

BUT, there has been progress and there is a reasonable explanation for the sheeting delay.

We had back-to-back weekends out of town, so 2 weeks with no progress. The good thing from those 2 weekends is it made us realize we need to hire out the sheeting just to get it done. The guy going to sheet it should start after Memorial Day.

The rest of the framing is finished up, ready for sheets.

Large awning roof purlins


Carport roof purlin


Also to be ready for sheets, the remaining windows needed to be installed.

Quad before mulling


Mull strip


Mulled and ready to go in


Quad installed


Shop windows mulled together


shop windows installed


Front door also got installed (much heavier than I remember it being, was a PAIN)


Septic was also started and completed


Tank installed


Leech Field


The septic guy also dug 600' of trench for electrical and water while he was on site. He installed PVC water line from the meter to the house and installed a few hose bibs. So now we have running water on the slab, which is very nice. I installed electrical conduit in the same trench while it was open and will pull wire next week.

Wire and conduit

Never thought I'd see the day....

Sheeting was finished up on Thursday.

Front is missing its 2 rake trim and corner trim pieces, hints the light visible from the inside. But other than that, all done.







Now need to get floor stain and spray foam lined up so I can start framing.

Started framing up a temporary room that we plan to move into within a month or 2 so we can list our current house for sale.

Space before


all the material to frame up the walls and ceiling. Kinda sad our new, temporary, house fits in such a small space.



First walls going together



All the walls up. 10'x16' ! I started calling it our Studio Apartment


But after this picture, with it's odd perspective, The Doghouse is it's new name (thanks pops). Looks short but it does have 9' ceilings, so it's a pretty fancy Doghouse.

This week after work/this weekend the goal is to square the walls up, add rafters, decking, drywall, and a door.

Inside will be a bed, refrigerator, small counter space for food prep, improvised closet, window A/C unit, and as much storage as possible.

We will also be framing in the shop bathroom so we have running water, a shower, and a throne.

One the horizon:

• frame up bathroom
• stone wainscot around building
• finish up trim on front of building