Off-Topic

MagicJ · Dec 2, 2011

As some of you know, I was meant to build the kids a playhouse during my recent holidays. Due to a number of reasons this didn't happen, but it does need to be done over the next few weeks.

I thought I would keep a photo record of the build, and what better place to keep it than on The Reefuge.

This is where the playhouse is to be built

Swing moved and corners marked out. I am not sure how many people are aware of the difficulty in trying to get something like this completely square - I got very good at it after about the fifth time when my wife couldn't decide where it should go :mad:

I got two of the holes dug before the rain started. Next day I managed to get some of the poles housed out ready for the beams. First do the cuts

And then clean up

Rotate 90 degrees and repeat

And then do the other 8 :eek.

Hopefully, the weather will be OK this weekend and I can make some good progress.

Cheers

Grug · Dec 2, 2011

This is the kind of work that made me buy my tank off the shelf rather than making a stand and tank myself.. :confused: the glass was less of an issue than the stand.. i havnt done any wood working since year 9.. (1995...) it scared the hell outa me.. :)

MTG · Dec 2, 2011

looks like fun shane bring on the journal!

firebird · Dec 3, 2011

Your kids are going to be very happy with their playhouse. They are also lucky to grow up in the area where you are living. I grew up in an area like that -there were very few houses and lots of untamed land. Lots of wildlife including a resident cobra on our land -we tended to avoid each other by mutual consent. Looking at the pics of where you live brings back many happy memories for me.

MagicJ · Dec 3, 2011

firebird said:
Your kids are going to be very happy with their playhouse. They are also lucky to grow up in the area where you are living. I grew up in an area like that -there were very few houses and lots of untamed land. Lots of wildlife including a resident cobra on our land -we tended to avoid each other by mutual consent. Looking at the pics of where you live brings back many happy memories for me.

Vicki rang me yesterday complaining that there was a baby bandicoot in the family room !! The kids see a kangaroo on TV and it's nothing special as they see them around our place all the time. That's one of the reasons why we moved back here from Melbourne.

MagicJ · Dec 3, 2011

Weather was not the best today - showers on and off for most of the day. Managed to get two poles concreted in the ground

Also got two more holes dug (in clay :mad:) and the housings done on a few more poles. Hopefully, weather permitting, I will get two more poles in the ground tomorrow and can then start on the floor.

MagicJ · Dec 4, 2011

Battled the elements all day today - rained all morning and then numerous showers in the afternoon. Managed to get two poles in the ground :)

Synodontis · Dec 5, 2011

Bit of a construction site happening there mate, Umm, I don't see the work site cordoned off from the general public or any workplace signage? Look's like it will be a decent size erection, can we see your permit please? :D

Looking good mate, almost make's you want to be a kid again. :D

MagicJ · Dec 5, 2011

Geez, lucky you don't know where I live ;)

Happy know

Synodontis · Dec 5, 2011

Oh mate, that's one for you :D Well done hahaha

rosechaser · Dec 5, 2011

I'm going to try to outdo you here Shane...I put a pond, a fire pit and small BMX track in the back yard (and live in the city) and the kids love it!

The three year old said on Saturday..."Dad, can you take the training wheels off so the jumps are better?" yay!

Next project (cause we don't have the same amount of room) is to "plant" a telegraph pole and build a tree house!! ..great being a dad

MagicJ · Dec 5, 2011

Sven, I can understand the pond and the BMX track, but where does the fire pit fit into the kids play area?? :)

Like your thinking with the tree house - you will probably need the pole a fair way in the ground ??

Synodontis · Dec 5, 2011

Fire pit & kid's playground?? :confused:

MagicJ · Dec 5, 2011

BTW, this playhouse is going to be built more like a house!!. Don't tell anyone, but my long term plan is to use this for a fish room when the kids have grown up. I would love to have the time and space to try to breed some marine fish/inverts.

Grug · Dec 7, 2011

i like my warning signs better. :)

Synodontis · Dec 8, 2011

Any updates for how the build is going MagicJ?

MagicJ · Dec 8, 2011

Had a bloody cold all week so haven't felt like doing much after work - weather forecast looks OK for the weekend so I should have an update then.

Off topic, but I had some new corals sent down from Sydney yesterday - they didn't arrive :mad:. Checked out the on-line tracking and it looks like the packaging might have be damaged - hopefully we can sort it out tomorrow and something will still be alive.

Synodontis · Dec 8, 2011

Oh NO!
what happens there? Can this sort of livestock be insured?
Hope you can save some of the order mate.

MagicJ · Dec 8, 2011

Synodontis said:
Oh NO!
what happens there? Can this sort of livestock be insured?
Hope you can save some of the order mate.

We will have to wait until tomorrow. I have had 3 previous orders from this guy arrive safely but at the end of the day, the risk rests with me. I was getting a nice purple/green hammer and a couple of SPS frags - I was also going to buy a clam but he had sold it before I finalised my order. It would have been a real bummer of there was a clam in the package.

This type of stuff should not be sent in the overnight delivery bags so no possibility of insuring it - we are only talking about $120 so no major problem, just sad to see some corals die.

At this stage, cross fingers and hope it can be sorted out.

Synodontis · Dec 8, 2011

Well good luck with it mate,
Now go take some Codral night/day tablets, hop off to bed & cuddle up with the good women lol. Gotta get better to finish construction for the kid's! :p