Chainsaws and shelters

This morning I tried my hand at chainsaw carving. I figured I'd start with something that was fairly easy and that wouldn't waste any wood, so I opted to carve the next fire tiki pole. I figured that if it turned out really bad the evidence would be burned and nobody would have to look at it.

Well, the first side was really rough. I had a heck of a time trying to make eyes that were round instead of square. That and learning how to hold the saw and make cuts at all different angles was pretty tough.

The second side turned out a bit better I think. I'll have lots of time to practice as the weeks roll on here... I am pretty sore from just the short time I was carving. It takes a lot of muscle to hold the saw and keep the fine control as you make your cuts.

With the big storms on the way we turned our attention to the shelter. AJ had buried a 6+ foot diameter tank under ground and made an entrance and door for it. It just needed to have the door trimmed a bit and some benches added inside to make it more comfortable.

It took us about an hour or so to fix the door and make some benches inside. Right about the time we were finishing up a big wind gust toppled the BBQ and table at the back of the house. I felt better knowing that I have a safe place to escape to if I am feeling nervous about the storms.

It sounds like we'll be turning our attention to making a cement dome structure as soon as the weather cooperates. AJ has already done a lot of work on one and hopefully with my help we'll get it finished in the very near future. More on that later...