October 16 - Another Productive Weekend

Friday Night Under the Lights -

Perhaps it happened on Thursday, I am not certain. By Friday evening when I arrived on site, the sanctuary lights were hung and illuminated. Well, partially illuminated. There is only one bulb in each fixture so there is much room for improvement. When we feel the need to pay for more electricity there will be more light. I say, let there be light.

 Even with low budget illumination, however, the sanctuary looks good when it is lit up. The trimmers were working in the dark before. Now they will find out how much rework is required.

The 'EXIT' sign is lit up on the egress window in the sanctuary. The window is hanging on the very solid firewall and there is no ladder nearby so its value as an egress window is questionable. Nevertheless, the window looks good when back-lit and trimmed with an red exit sign.

Friday evening also found Laif gluing up narrow boards to make a wide board. Laif's dad, Ben, was helping on this task but disappeared before I got the camera ready. The board will be stained and varnished before being used to trim around the organ speakers in the front of the sanctuary.












Saturday, Another Big, Busy Day -

Saturday was a pleasant autumn day, very conducive to outside work. Brent took advantage to help out the gophers and dug a lengthy trench. He did an excellent job of following on the orange line, which unfortunately was marking a buried electrical line. Just kidding.  It is the really-o, truly-o guide line for his trench.

Brent is an engineer and is very good with mechanical equipment so I was a bit surprised to see that he was unsatisfied with the quality of work done by the trencher and felt it necessary to add his artistic touch with a large crowbar.

Further investigation revealed the problem. The trencher does satisfactory work with sod and dirt but is inadequate as a rock cutter. Brent figured this out and used the bar to remove the rock after having the machine chew on it some.






The purpose of this excavating is to run a line from the propane tank to the building so we will not be without fuel to fire the boilers and the furnaces. Despite rocks, boards and a balky trencher, Brent prevailed and accomplished his mission.

 The planters also were able to accomplish their mission. Brian and his team of advisers planted a few maple trees near the road.

Jodie and Sarah head up the landscape crew. Here they are shown planting the visual screen hedge required by the city so our collection of vans and assorted vehicles will be less visible from the road.

In addition to the remote work, plants of various types were dug in next to the building. Janet and daughter Jenna toil in the soil to complete this task.

 A picture of the in-process landscape work. By the end of the day it was reported that all the plants on hand were securely interred in mother earth. Another job can be checked off the list.




















Inside Work -

The sound of saws, drills, hammers and other tools echoed all around the building on Saturday. Back in the boiler room, Mark demonstrated his skill with size large pipe wrenches.

There are pipes running in parallel. Another pipe runs at right angles to the parallel bunch. Mark, I don't want to question your ability, but do you have any idea what all those pipes are for?

 Sure, he says. Just make it look like the pretty picture on the wall. I accept that answer. Over the course of this project I have seen many pictures on the walls that have turned out to be good things. I am certain that all the water will get where it needs to go. And if appropriate, it will be hot when it gets there.

The painters do not make a lot of noise. Matt runs a very quiet roller, even when applying sealskin. He told me that's what is going on the doors.

Pete is quietly masking off the trim so he can paint the walls.

Luke's saw is noisy but it only works on the occasions that he is not measuring, testing the fit, measuring again, make a little noise with the saw, fit again, and etc. At an earlier time of his life, Luke earned a living doing trim work but has since gone to school to be a pharmacist. So now trimming is not work so it must be fun.





Loren was celebrating. Only two more pieces of tile and the men's restroom is finished.

The specs call for a miter joint for this corner so off to the saw to cut a miter.

It seems Loren celebrated a bit too soon. When Loren was not looking, Sam found the family restroom that needs tile. So Loren is back to setting tile. While Sam and Loren set tile, Nate is busy on the other side of the room making a hole in the wall.

I asked what the flat area atop the risers in the front of the church is called. Bob assured me that it is the chancel, so now I too am learned. Eric and Paul work at building the stair treads and risers that adorn the chancel. Eric's son Vaughn, is on the right side of the photo.

Supervisors -

Naturally, every job requires oversight and supervision.
Loren's nephews keep a close eye on uncle to make sure he makes the correct cut.

Luke's sons help him build the trim frame just so.

Even the boss needs a little coaching now and then. Willie gives Sam a tip or two on eating lunch.

Vaughn celebrates Eric's progress on the chancel steps with the traditional sawdust toss.

October 9 - The Chronicler Catches Up

Trimming the Humboldt Window -

Ben has been working diligently to trim the heritage window now installed on the back wall of the sanctuary. Since the window frame has an arched top, the trim must follow the same curve. So the first trick is to find a tree that followed the same course when it grew. One was found.

Then the cooperative tree slab is cut with a saber saw following a more precise line.

Once cut, a little sanding takes down the rough surface. Ben periodically ascends the scissor lift to try the pieces in place, just to make sure they will do the job.




















Dave applies the decorator-selected
paint color to the box around the window.

As of my last visit, the trim boards had not been varnished. I will have to update the progress on my coming visits. I am getting anxious to see the finished product.






Completing the Pews - 
Assembled pews take up a lot of room. Spraying varnish requires a lot of open space. The building is only so big. The net result is that the pews need to be jockeyed around to complete the job.

Kevin and Matt cover the already finished pews that must share space in the spray booth.

Brian Strand, a newcomer to our congregation, jumps right into the building project. Here Brian works with Sam touching up bare spots with color crayon. 

I recall my mother scolding me when I used crayon on furniture as a child. I guess the rules change for adults. They are not displaying their artistic talents as I was inclined to do. They are eliminating blemishes so that makes it copacetic.

To free up space in the spray booth, the already sprayed pews have to be moved before the last coat of varnish is dry to the touch. Drawing on technique developed by the sedan chair carriers, Dave, Matt, Phil and Kevin carefully maneuver a still wet pew out of the sanctuary and into the dining room where it can dry undisturbed.

The entourage exits the spray booth. This may be good practice for a new career either serving the emperor or the funeral director.

The last two pews, touched up and sprayed. Another big step towards a completed church.








Trimming Windows -
Bob gives machinist-trained Bill a pointer or two on installing the window trim.

Despite the wood not being as accommodating as tool steel, Bill perseveres and successfully completes the job.

Greg Koivisto, a really-o, truly-o window trimmer from the neighboring Cokato congregation lends a helping hand. We are thankful for the many neighbors that have given of their time and talent on our behalf.



















Is the Outside Painting All Done? -
Peter painter daubs color on the doorway trim. I am not certain, but this task may complete the outside painting.

  At least, I think Peter hopes so. The weather is turning a bit chilly these days.





















Just Plane Ed -
Ed and his son Justin team up to use the planer to make riser pieces from unused pew parts. It seems to require running the boards through the planer a few times to take off the thick part of the piece and to adjust the board to the final thickness.

Their diligence paid off as you can see the size large pile of sawdust accumulated by the end of the evening.



















Darkness Falls -

With the fading of the daylight comes the rising of the harvest moon. 

October 2 - Meetings, Grading and Pews

Another Status Meeting in the Church -
A week ago Sunday the second status update meeting was held at the church. While there were some assembled pews, they were all in the sanctuary, and not in the dining hall where the meeting convened. So, everyone that wanted to sit had to bring their own chair. In the picture, Bob is standing but not because he failed to bring a chair. He wanted attention so he stood up in the front to give his status update.

After Sam reported on the finances discussion ensued about whether or not to increase our self imposed debt ceiling. While the church could be 'completed' without the increase, some desired items like an epoxy sealed kitchen floor would have to be deferred. The congregation agreed to up the debt limit. Sam stated that the bank is fine with the new debt ceiling. Sam also said the projection stand in the picture is only temporary.

With the current projected spending, we will still not have a completed kitchen so the eagle-eyed shoppers are still on the lookout for deals on appliances and other kitchen stuff. One additional thought about finishing the kitchen - if anyone visiting our new church would like hot coffee after the service, they might consider using the 'DONATE' button at the top of this page to help us acquire a coffee urn. Your contribution is greatly appreciated!.

Janelle gave an update from the design committee. Now that some of the trim is in place it is easier to visualize the implications of the design works. No one registered complaints about the work of the committee or its decisions and no one campaigned to join the committee, so it looks like the congregation approves of their efforts.






The Media Committee - 
Work at the church makes finding a time for a committee meeting scarce. Adrian, Eric, Joe and Loren sandwiched in a meeting while working on Wednesday evening.













The Outside Gets Prettier by the Day (and Night) -

Now that the sidewalks are in, the lawn can be completed. Jackson, Loren, Charles and Bob use shovels and rakes to smooth the dirt preparatory to applying the sod blanket.

Loren and Suzanne do the fine tuning with the rakes under Grant's watchful eye.
















Just when they think they have shoveled and raked enough, Farmer Paul shows up with another size large bucket of dirt. Paul has an endless supply of dirt and seems to enjoy positioning it for the manual excavators to have their turn with it.

Next to the building, Ed compacts 

the soil and lays in the paving blocks.

Working on after the sun sets, Merja and Janet adjust the sod so it meets the new sidewalk making the yard look real pretty.















Another Busy Saturday - 

Staining the pews before assembly means that any dings that come during assembly must be touched up before the varnish goes on. Tom and Sam are diligently using markers and crayons to cover bare spots. Nina is dusting the surfaces prior to varnishing.

With the prep work done, Matt and Kevin wheel the pew into the sanctuary turned spray booth.

Then hoist it onto the official pew stands.

When in proper position, Matt turns on the spray gun and attacks.

Matt worked in batches of three. One coat applied to all surfaces of all three pews, wait twenty minutes or so and do it again with a second coat. Five gallon buckets made the other pairs of official pew stands.

 I asked Sam about the material. "Conversion varnish", he replied. "Because it is for church pews?" I queried.

No, that is the really-o, truly-o name of the product. It contains catalysts that help it dry quickly. Able to be re-coated after about twenty minutes and then moved after another twenty or so minutes.

While the varnish does dry fast, this fly was able to test the adhesive characteristics before it dried. The fly stuck around.















This is the first one done, finished on Friday night. I tried it out and found it to be completely satisfactory.

Sloping the Yard - 
The bosses are pretty fussy. Bob says that the yard needs to slope away from the building so that water will drain away from, not towards the building. This makes sense to me. The gap in the sidewalk is where the water is expected to drain. The gap will be covered with a metal grate so old chroniclers and wheeled vehicle users do not trip or stall on the busy sidewalk.

Since dropping the drain canal is impractical, dirt needs to be added to make the slope happen. Bob checks the level at the drain and determines how much dirt is needed  to to attain the proper slope.

 Farmer Paul conveys the dirt and the slope generating team takes it from there. Bob double checks. "Good - it's all downhill from here."