I recently borrowed a 10' trailer from a friend, hooked it to my pick up and headed down highway 96 to Owego for a load of lumber. After a short jog east on 17, I took Day Hollow Road a few minutes north to Robinsons mill. It is here that i had the pleasure of buying 600 sq ' of V groove t-n-g pine boards -8s and 10s mostly, as well as a hefty pile of air dried 1x1o hemlock siding from a busy little country mill about 35 or 40 minutes south of Ithaca.
Delos Robinson, the mills' owner/operator knows his stuff and he's very easy to deal with. He is more than happy to cut anything you want, anyway you want it. He claims he can fill any order in about a week. I find it takes at least two, but he gets it done and done well, and it's worth it. True, I could have stayed in town and ordered my pine paneling from Wickes or one of the big box stores, but at Robinson's Mill I get real wood grown 'round here, cut by real guys who live around here. I get it at a fair price and I get to buy it from a hell of a nice guy who knows more about wood than I ever will.
But be prepared, the mill yard is a bit of a mess. Among other interesting things, there are dozens of randomly sized piles of lumber stacked absolutely everywhere (rush orders that folks have yet to pick up). But it all has a kind of functional beauty if not quirky order. It's the kind of place where if you have to wait 10-15 minutes to get helped, (you just might) you're grateful! In fact you might just savor the experience, because if you happen to like wood, and find large greasy machines interesting as I do, you couldn't do better if you were at a museum- Truly, you'd need a couple hours just to take it all in.
No offense, but the place doesn't show any signs of a woman's touch, and there's something comforting about that. I was there on a rainy day during lunch, the guys were in the office eating their lunches anywhere they could find a spot. - As I went over my order with Delos, the burly guy next to me ate his 6"frozen pizza, fresh from the microwave, with a plastic fork right off the box it came in. Together amidst the piles of papers and equipment catalogues, 6 or 7 half filled invoice books, empty mountain dew containers, etc. I stood there coolly and kept myself from blurting out...Hey guys, pretty nice beams overhead...what are they 8x14s... or perhaps...what about all that cool stuff out in the shop, is it okay if i go out and look at it...?
The place has absolutely nothing in common with the corporate Lowe's lumberyard experience- although I like that okay some days too- and because of that, it is a truly a refreshing experience and a nice place to buy lumber. And it's all local.
This past winter I framed part of house with lumber that had Slovakia stamped on it. Yes Slovakia as in Czechoslovakia. I like Slovakia I was fortunate to spend some time there when it was still part of Czechoslovakia, but I have to admit I didn't feel great using lumber that had to come that far to go into the Energy Star Eco friendly house house I was building. Not when I could have had it cut by Delos.
It often requires a bit more effort to buy local materials, but I have found that in many ways it is worth it. And by doing so you're not only doing your part to "be green" for the planet sake, you're helping to keep alive a piece of the past, a piece of the past that you get to go and visit from time to time. And if your lucky, when your there you'll have to wait to get help loading up your order and you'll have a chance to snoop around a bit and step out of our modern big box chain store world where Sting is playing on the Muzak as folks load Slovakian 2x4's in to their Japanese SUVs. Take the drive to Owego. See Delos. It's not that far and it's worth it.
rob
July 23, 2008
July 20, 2008
too hot to build
Like other outdoor work, Major league baseball, or farming for example, construction is a weather dependant endeavor.
And you'd think that all things being equal, summer would be the best time to build things, just as it seems like the best time to grow things, or play catch. Most would agree that whether your setting trusses 20' off the ground, or plowing a field for corn, it's pretty nice to work when it's 68 degrees and there are puffy white clouds drifting across a sharp blue sky.
Unfortunately in Ithaca, it's not 65 degrees very often, especially in the summer. In fact, it tends to go pretty quickly to 80 or 85, even in late May or early June, and there are frequent days when it pushes 90 or more. Keep in mind that as a carpenter you're often working without shade, and with east coast humidity doing it's part, by mid afternoon you're not making sense to your co-workers because you're working with a fever.
That's why when folks ask me if framing through winter (as I did the last two winters) "isn't it just awful...you know being out there in all that cold, wind and snow?" I reply, "actually no, in fact I prefer working in the cold of an Ithaca winter to slogging around through the dog days of summer.
I was considering this question another humid 92 degree afternoon as I stumbled around the work site in a weather induced fever, lifting material, climbing ladders creating my own heat wave, and I found myself longing for the kinder, biting cold of winter.
During early winter when high temps might reach only into the low 30s, being out in it seems pretty okay, a bit unpleasant at first, especially if there's a wind, but okay. Hey, you're not going to get frost bite, and you can always add another layer. Anyway, you gradually acclimate. As the winter progresses and temps continue to drop, you just go with it, commenting about how cold it is to the person on the other end of the 2 by 12, checking the radar for possible snow squalls before heading to work, and agreeing on a low temp cut off point (LTCOP) with your work mates for the following morning. That is, the forcasted high temperature at which you'll all just stay home. In early winter its 32 degrees, then a week later its 28. By January you're okay with working outdoors all day at 25 degrees, but you pick up a box of those magical hand warmers on the way to work just to be safe. As long as you keep moving your okay, so you take a short lunch break to avoid getting too cold while sitting. Gradually as the winter reaches its depths, you find you can tolerate 19 or 20 degrees with out much complaint and are willing to continue working with temps as low as 15 degrees, if there's not much wind.
None the less, winter does bring forth some days that are just too cold or too snowy to build, and on those days you're glad to stay home with your family and make soup or something. What I decided the other day is that we need the same allowance for the summer. Frankly, there are days each summer when it is just too damn hot to be out. Days where it takes a couple hours after getting home just to get your body temp back to normal and your brain restarted. Days when it would have been better to have gone to the lake with the kids. How does the saying go something about...mad dogs and English men?
July 19, 2008
do it from a ladder
So, why a blog about building, and why now?
Well, mainly because my significant other Amanda, (bless her heart) has been bugging to create one for me for several months now, and I finally gave in.
So then, what to write about? I mean it's work, it's construction, its hammers-
(nail guns actually) and nails. It's wood and glass...it can't be so interesting or entertaining- can it?
Amanda, has not one but 2 blogs going, and she writes some on them everyday, she seems to get a lot out of the process and her readers do as well. I really enjoy reading them. So, i guess there's the sharing or community factor, and i suppose building homes and such for families might have it's interesting points, especially if you are in the business or thinking of building one yourself. And, I often have a story two to share at the end of the day (sometimes i don't). Oh yes, then there are the clients...goods stories there. I may have to change some names to protect the....guilty. Then, if you add discussions on building materials and techniques, tools, tricks, injuries, and what's for lunch... hey, this just might get interesting.
Alright Amanda, set me up with one blog and I'll see what i can do with it.
But don't you think it would be more interesting if i did it from a ladder?
By the way, you can check out Amanda's personal blog, its called tamarack 's trails, she also writes a step mom blog, but you'll have to email her to get the keys to that one.
rob
Well, mainly because my significant other Amanda, (bless her heart) has been bugging to create one for me for several months now, and I finally gave in.
So then, what to write about? I mean it's work, it's construction, its hammers-
(nail guns actually) and nails. It's wood and glass...it can't be so interesting or entertaining- can it?
Amanda, has not one but 2 blogs going, and she writes some on them everyday, she seems to get a lot out of the process and her readers do as well. I really enjoy reading them. So, i guess there's the sharing or community factor, and i suppose building homes and such for families might have it's interesting points, especially if you are in the business or thinking of building one yourself. And, I often have a story two to share at the end of the day (sometimes i don't). Oh yes, then there are the clients...goods stories there. I may have to change some names to protect the....guilty. Then, if you add discussions on building materials and techniques, tools, tricks, injuries, and what's for lunch... hey, this just might get interesting.
Alright Amanda, set me up with one blog and I'll see what i can do with it.
But don't you think it would be more interesting if i did it from a ladder?
By the way, you can check out Amanda's personal blog, its called tamarack 's trails, she also writes a step mom blog, but you'll have to email her to get the keys to that one.
rob
Contact us!
Rob Champion- (607)-279-3368 hockey4rob@yahoo.com
Kerrie Gordon- (607)-342-6095 kerriegordon@verizon.net
Amanda Jaros- (for blogsite talk) tamarack99@gmail.com
Individuals we work with...
Balance Studio: Brent Katzmann & Diana Katzmann, 1335 Mecklenberg Rd, 607-277-0242, brent@balance-studio.net, diana@balance-studio.net
Mike Carpenter: 607-280-0180, sevenfolks@aol.com
Rod Lambert: 607 275 3362, Rod@ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us
Mike Carpenter: 607-280-0180, sevenfolks@aol.com
Rod Lambert: 607 275 3362, Rod@ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us
July 17, 2008
a new slice
Rob loves Pizza. All Pizza. Check back here for regular updates on his most recent best slice.
Laura and Steve's White Hawk house
In winter 2007-2008, Creative Constructions framed one of the first houses to go up at White Hawk Ecovillage.
The back of the house with many windows faces the sunny south to optimize solar energy.
SIP's were used in the construction of this house.
Rob and his tools.
Inside walls go up.
The Woinoski's recently wrote this.......Just had to mention how much we LOVE our home! Almost everyone we know has already turned their heat
on, but we (even through the COLD last night) haven't had to! This morning when
we woke up it was 28 outside and 62 in here! It's amazing how well the house
retains the heat it gains during the day! Yesterday we actually had to open the
windows to cool it down b/c it got over 70! Very exciting :)
We are going to see how long we can comfortably go without heat. For us this means we will wear sweaters and pants and socks and if we're still cold, then it's not comfortable and the heat comes on.
Also, we should mention that we got our first electric bill - they estimated our use for Sept (no real meter reading) at THREE TIMES what they actually found we used when they came out to read the meter! 3x!!! Our average usage is 7kwh per day, and we haven't been trying to conserve - but we might soon and see what happens :)
So, just wanted to put this out there. We LOVE how energy efficient this house is, it's saving us money - big time!!! Many thanks to Rod for designing such a great home, to Rob, Rod, and Kerrie for assuring tight construction, to Beauty for the vision of White Hawk, and everyone else for helping make this happen!
July 16, 2008
Chuck and Andra Benson's House
At Chuck and Andra Benson's house in Lansing, NY, Creative Constructions worked with Brent and Diana Katzman of Balance Studio to do much of the finish work on the Benson's new house.
"They are delightful to work with, great personalities and highly skilled—perfect combination." -Andra Benson
Reclaimed barn wood turned bedroom sliding door.
Loft interior.
The garage Rob and Rod built- mid framing.
Andra working with the team.
Kerrie's tile work.
Dan Evett's House
Throughout the winter of 2006/2007 Creative Constructions built Dan Evett's new SING log home in Danby, NY.
Nice view from the first floor.
Rob working on the SING logs.
Second floor.
Rob and Mary putting in the windows.
Almost done.
Kerrie working on the bathroom.
The finished house from the back.
hot pizza on a cold day
A decent measuring tape and a good circular saw are essential tools for any carpenter, but sometimes Pizza is the builder's best friend. I can say this from experience. It was t
wo winters ago that the 20 minute drive to and from the house we were building happened to pass by an establishment that offered up fresh hot slices to hungry passersby.
I was a hungry passer by on many occasion, and not just in the afternoon either, a morning stop could never be ruled out. Breakfast pizza you ask...Yes indeed, it looked kinda gross, but it was in fact a tasty meal -complete with eggs, bacon, and cheese...came with a cupa coffee too, organic & free trade no less.
I could have benefited from a frequent flier punch card, as I soon discovered that 2 slices were better than one. Those hot fresh pizzas not only lifted my mornings during that long winter but they got me through some difficult late afternoons as well, when blood sugar was bottoming out, and fingers numb from the cold cried out for something warm to hold.
Working outdoors in sub freezing weather builds an appetite unlike any other. The kind of appetite that is not easily tamed with salad and the like. Oh no, you need something quite a bit heartier, something hot and tasty, perferably triangularly shaped, and packed with oozing cheese and yummy goodness.... Well, I think you know what I mean.
P.S. don't worry I am now on a diet of moderation, but I still love to get a good slice here and there... like the one you get at...
rob
wo winters ago that the 20 minute drive to and from the house we were building happened to pass by an establishment that offered up fresh hot slices to hungry passersby.I was a hungry passer by on many occasion, and not just in the afternoon either, a morning stop could never be ruled out. Breakfast pizza you ask...Yes indeed, it looked kinda gross, but it was in fact a tasty meal -complete with eggs, bacon, and cheese...came with a cupa coffee too, organic & free trade no less.
I could have benefited from a frequent flier punch card, as I soon discovered that 2 slices were better than one. Those hot fresh pizzas not only lifted my mornings during that long winter but they got me through some difficult late afternoons as well, when blood sugar was bottoming out, and fingers numb from the cold cried out for something warm to hold.
Working outdoors in sub freezing weather builds an appetite unlike any other. The kind of appetite that is not easily tamed with salad and the like. Oh no, you need something quite a bit heartier, something hot and tasty, perferably triangularly shaped, and packed with oozing cheese and yummy goodness.... Well, I think you know what I mean.
P.S. don't worry I am now on a diet of moderation, but I still love to get a good slice here and there... like the one you get at...
rob
Ray and Eva Ackerman's deck
In Spring of 2008, Rob built this deck for Ray and Eva Ackerman on the east side of Ithaca.
Ray and Eva say "If you want the job done right on time and within cost there is no friendlier contractor to work with. I give Rob and Kerrie two thumbs up and five golden stars."
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K's garden fence
In spring of 2008, Rob turned this fence...
into this garden fence, for K, a neighbor on the west hill in Ithaca.
About Amanda
Amanda is Rob's partner and a stay at home mama and stepmama. Besides helping out with the construction business as of late by getting some of Rob and Kerrie's good ideas into motion, she has a good eye for detail and tries to keep Rob organized. (not an easy thing to do!) She created this blog and got Rob writing. Working with Rob in the recent building of an addition on their house, a cabin out back, and various garden projects around the property, she has learned a few things about building. Once the job raising the kids is done, maybe she'll become a builder too!
You can check out more about Amanda at http://www.tamarack99.blogspot.com/.
You can check out more about Amanda at http://www.tamarack99.blogspot.com/.
About Rob
Prior to coming to Ithaca almost 8 years ago, Rob worked on many off the grid homes in Northern California. In Ithaca he was one of the leaders in construction at EcoVillage at Ithaca, in the Second Neighborhood Group. Since then he built the small footprint house that he and Amanda live in now, and has moved on to numerous other building projects, including building at White Hawk Ecovillage in Danby, NY.
Rob loves being a father and playing with his kids, watching the weather, gardening, and being outside as much as possible.
Rob's philosophy on building?
Rob loves being a father and playing with his kids, watching the weather, gardening, and being outside as much as possible.
Rob's philosophy on building?
“I take my inspiration from nature looking for ways to bring its’
beauty and essence indoors. In my opinion there is no reason why a living space
can’t be inspiring and comfortable, and at the same time efficient, affordable
and gentle on the environment. That’s what I strive for!”
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