The Corner Post Footings are Ready

The Corner Post Footings are Ready
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Working with the tractor and moving LOTS of rocks gave me this nice flat

courtyard. The pavers are there and ready to be laid. The cornerpost and

the bunker side of the gate will be next.

Tractor work

Not buying a tractor is one of the best moves I have made. For two hundred bucks I was able to rent a back-hoe (as opposed to just a 6th street one) and move all the dirt and rocks that I could stand. The West side was leveled and a large hole filled where the sewer exited the slab. The courtyard was dressed and leveled and all of the concrete blocks that came out of the door and windows were moved in preparation for stacking up and making one side of the courtyard.

Roadhouse

Roadhouse
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Ready to start

Ready to start
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Easter

Time for this months assault on the mountain. I have reserved a tractor/backhoe and now the fun will begin. First I will use the bucket to mow the weeds and pick up the rocks that are everywhere. There is a large hole on the West side where the sewer comes out of the bunker and I will level this side before moving on to the digging.
Footings are next, both for the courtyard wall and the false front that will be the West wall. Should take most of the day Saturday and even part of Sunday if I find rocks. All the rolling stock gets relocated and the place will begin to look like mountain top villa, which it is, and the outdoor structures will start up.
Barbara is assigned the job of painting the spiral stairs. I think she plans to sit in a bucker of paint and slide down the handrail. Anyhow that will make it look great.
This trip Pepi will go with us. G'maw dosen't let her go normally so we are taking them both. I'll have plenty of pictures to post after this trip.

Stair

Stair
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Now it really looks good.

Texas Flag

Texas Flag
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

This picture was taken toward the stair entrance. The metal is covering the frame for the tile roof and dresses up the view. The flagpole is on the top of the tunnel that runs from the bunker to the clif and the picture below was taken with my back to the pole.

Stairs

Stairs
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

The stairs are up. The wall had to be cut to clear two stair treads but it looks really good. The concrete pad that the stairs set on forms the first step and it fits. All in all when I finish at the top landing it will the first step in the courtyard design. The top of the tunnel forms a sidewalk that runs 20' to the rock wall on top of the clif and the flagpole sits at the end.

Welcome

Welcome
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

This is the completed bunker from the front.

KIVA

KIVA
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

While this is not my handiwork it is a good idea of what I will do in

the corner of the courtyard.

Courtyard wall

Courtyard wall
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Line drawing example: This will be the NW wall of the courtyard. The right side is made from the blocks that were cut out for the windows. These blocks will form a "L" shaped corner and a gate will run to the bunker. The gate in the picture will be mostly for looks but it will provide access to the flag pole which will be behind the Kiva and outside the wall. On the left will stand a wall that will be fourteen ft tall and look just like the front of a spanish villa. This wall will provide shelter from the wind and when the addition is started will be incorporated into the construction.

The Big 65

Birthday, today. This is the biggie, that's what "they" say but somehow I don't feel any change at all.
Work on the bunker is all but finished. It will be nice to just enjoy it for a few trips. I know, I know, just being here will cause both of us to work on something. Now that the heat is all ducted in it's looking like summer and I will have to hook up the AC. The carpet is down and the floor really looks good. I think I'll start planning the courtyard.

Valentines Day

Happy Valentine Day. This blog is the best place for that wish. Valentine is the only other town in Jeff Davis county. Each year the post office gets inundated with cards to stamp and send all over the world. Neat post mark, eh. As for Barb and I, we are as much in love as ever and we are way ahead of the day because we have a "date" each Wed for lunch. And this bunker has been an on going work of love too. One of these days we will be able to spend more time here and that will be a great day.

Texas Roadhouse

May have to change the name of the bunker. These neons came from a B-B-Q joint that was undergoing transformation to a Madam Mam's. If there is Anything that is as good as Texas B-B-Q it's Viet/Thai from the madam. I think I'll place the neon pieces where you can see them from the highway. It'll be too far away to read them but it will make everyone wonder.

neon

neon
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

pix

pix
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

pix

pix
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

pix

pix
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Bunker pictures

Bunker pictures
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Bunker pictures

Bunker pictures
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

The rest of the courtyard

After the kiva is completed (at least the structure) the rest of the courtyard will be enclosed with a knee fence and gates at the front. The gates will be swung from the bunker NE corner and a wall made from the concrete which was cut from the door and windows. This wall will be a rubble style with the North face appearing to be crumbling down to the knee wall. The knee wall will be of various heights (as rubble) and in the center topped with an arch then continued to the kiva. Drawing below shows the general concept.
The construction of the wall will be metal frame covered with EPS and drivit. This wall will be anchored with concrete each four feet. There will be no attempt to make it water tight other than sloping the earth away from it on both sides.

Fence rendering

Fence rendering
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

After the Kiva is finished work on the fence will commence.

A really new year

I was chided by Van about not keeping up this blog. A picture may be worth a thousand words but lately that's all I have posted.
I'll try to do better this year.
First of all the Bunker is Done. Lots of little things to do but if I didn't hit another lick it would be liveable. The next phase is to make the courtyard a showplace. The first project, outside of the spiral stairs, will be to build a "kiva". That's the beehive style fireplace you see in all the fancy places in Santa Fe. I will start with a fireplace insert and make a chimney (chimley, for some of you) out of square sewer tile. The whole thing will be on a raised platform in the NW corner of the courtyard. The raised platform will be the sit-on hearth and become part of another porch when that phase is started. Then I will begin with sand bags full of dirt alternated with barbed wire, (bob wire to some) to keep them from sliping, arranged in a circle that gets smaller and smaller as it reaches the chimney. Once formed the shape can be tweaked with a large hammer and a 4X4 then covered with stucco. The opening will be glass block arranged in an arch and set so as to catch and reflect the fire.

Bed room

Bed room
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Bunker Sweet Bunker

Final
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Visitor on the mountain

Visitor
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Front porch 11/05

Front porch 11/05
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

New faucet

New faucet
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

TABLE

TABLE
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Finishing touches

Finishing touches
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Move in

This weekend was the final assualt. All of the stuff in the trailer has been moved in and the tools put into the trailer. The porch made the move quite easy. The level of the floor of the trailer matched the porch perfectly. Give me a four wheeler and enought time and I can move the world. There are a few things that need to be finished (installing the HVAC) but we can relax on the next trip. The only problem had to do with the height of the trailer door as meausred by my head, Ouch.

Bedtable

Bedtable
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Ready for rockin' and martini sippin'

Ready for rockin' and martini sippin'
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Porch

The porch serves more than one purpose. First, what a great place to rock and sip a Mexican Martini. Next it will allow me to back up the trailer to unload the furiture and not have to fight the rocks and uneven ground. Last, as is a mans' perogative, I'll have a place to relieve myself and not have to worry about splashback.

Fleshing out the inside

On the way to the bunker Friday we passed a stand selling rough Mexican style furniture and "old Hawkeye" spotted a bed table on sale. We turned around and went back and found that indeed they were on sale, $83.00 each. Looked good too. Here is a picture in its' natural habitat.

It's getting closer

Below you will notice the address post. Looks like an old airplane wing (ahh.. the mystery) and looks really neat if I do say so myself. I tells the neighborhood that we are very close to finished. A couple more walls to paint and a porch to build and the furniture is in a trailer out behind the bunker ready to put in.
Barbara painted the front door RED, looks good though and is another of the hints that we are about finished. We will have to plan a house warming. Want to come?

Red Front Door

Red Front Door
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Address

Address
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

TILE

TILE
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Finished

The tile is grouted and the wall is tiled. The cabinets have yet to be painted but that will occur when the rest of the painting is done in the living room. The ceiling will go in at the same time and perhaps the carpet too. Whew, that will be a busy weekend.

Stairs

The mysterious pole on the side of the bunker began to reveal its' function this trip. The steps that have been laying off in the weeds were carried to the roof and lowered down the pole and now await the platform landing to the roof and careful spacing down the pole. Perhaps not the next trip, but soon.

Stairs to Nowhere

Stairs to Nowhere
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

More finishing touches

We went out to the bunker this weekend. It was one of those "tidy up" type trips that have to happen now and then. We have begun buying furniture and we are up to our ears with stuff here in Austin.
I have three trailers and all of them are at the bunker. We decided that we would bring one home and load it with couches and chairs and stuff. First we had to transfer tools and materials to the other trailer and then load up trash and anything that could come back to Austin. That done we did a few things like putting the steps on the spiral stairs and grouting the kitchen counter top. I also tiled the walls in the kitchen.
We brought the trailer home and I spent all day monday taking trash around to all my favorite dumpsters. I'll start loading tomorrow and be ready for the return trip in a week or so. Once there we can leave it in the trailer for a while untill we need it.

Kitchen Tile

Kitchen Tile
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Ready for the details

Heading to the bunker this weekend to take care of the loose ends that are hanging all over the place. I am going to do the counter top in a varigated slate and hope to have enough left to make the back splash too. The sink and stove top are going in at the same time and with any luck at all I'll be able to mount the microwave in the corner between the upper cabinets. Pictures later.

Raw kitchen pictures

KITCHEN

The cabinets are leveled and hung. The counter top base is ready. All that remains is to put on the counter top and put the finish on the cabinets. The next trip should take care of the kitchen. Two things I am working out are the floor (I need to bridge the uneven surface around the trap door) and the ceiling around the skylight. No problem. I plan to make a mat of plywood and carpet to hide the floor and a drop ceiling like in the bedroom. The wall behind the table will be dressed with beadboard and hanging-stuff. The wall over the counter will be a grey/blue tile.

Kit-bed-living room

Memorial Day Weekend

Thank you, all the veterans that have given their lives so I could sit on the bunker porch and enjoy this late spring day. Thanks too, for those that are serving around the world, standing on that wall so we may be spared the savage real world.

Things are coming together at the bunker. We painted the bedroom and installed the ceiling. The room has lights up behind the ceiling and gives an indirect light that is quite pleasing. We also put down the carpet so this room is finished. The little 'fridge and all the kitchen stuff is still in the room but it won't be long.

Finishing Touches

Window Return

Finishing touches

The windows were a problem. The walls are so thick that I had to make window sills and returns 10" wide. Because the texture of the walls is thick and uneven each cut was custom and sometimes three or four fits. They look great though with the stars.

Last week of April

This trip was one of putting together all of the little things we have been overlooking for so long. The flowers were Barbs' idea. They do dress up the place (even if the flowers are plastic, for now) don't you think. The stripped pole at the back of picture has the whole town guessing. We saw one of the neighbors slowly drive by and have a closer look. I'll tell them someday that it's the center of the sprial stairs that go up to the roof/sundeck. Just a few more things to finish on the inside and we will start furnishing.

Making a home

Kitchen

Porch Light

A week at the bunker

We spent a whole week working on the finishing touches. Well we did run up to Alamogordo to see the kids Tuesday, but we did a lot of work too. Take a look at that picture below. It is all the same color and the tile roof really shows up well. The pole standing on the concrete pad is the basis of the spiral stairs that will go up to the roof/sun deck.
We also hung the cabinets in the kitchen and built a pantry to contain the water heater. Above you will see the way the entry was finished and the porch light installed. We also built a wall of cabinets in the bath room. The best part was a hot shower each day when the work was done.

Painting is Done!

Easter update

Went to the bunker this week end and observed our own Easter services. Barbara fell out the door of the parts trailer. She said it didn't hurt "that bad". I wasn't there to see it, good thing too, I was drilling the holes in the slab for the water heater. She staggered into the bunker cussing , and spitting, covered with dirt and weeds looking like a 50's movie swamp monster. I could tell that I had to tread lightly. The only thing really hurt was her pride and she got over that pretty quick. The good news is that the water heater works great and even without the solar panels it heats very fast and should be super efficient.
All of the electrical is done and works like it should. We even have a porch light to welcome us home after an evening out. Next trip will be a whole week and should just about button everything up. If the wind cooperates the paint will go on outside, the cabinets will be anchored and the counter top will be formed (trying concrete) and the inside paint will start. Getting close.

Finished Project

Well not really. I have had some help from photoshop but this is how it will look when I AM finished. We call the addition the taco bell tower. It will be a big room with 6 foot windows on three sides and the kitchen across the other side. I will form a large patio in front of the bunker and have spiral stairs to the roof for a sun deck. For now we will settle for having the bunker finished and liveable.

Back in country

Ojinaga turned out to be an interesting trip. No chairs or tables but we did have the steak. The town of Presidio is very small and not very prosperous. From the hiway you could see a pawl of dust rising over both towns. Ojinaga was twice as large and, it too, was not very properous. As border towns go it was about average.
I was over the border before I knew it and with a truck full of tools I was not very comfortable. I wasn't too woried about theft and such but how I would explain all of the stuff coming back to the US. Needn't have worried, I could have been your usual terrorist and not have raised an eybrow.
Nice diversion though and the trip was worth it. Stopped at the Hotel Piassno in Marfa for that margarita on the way back. Got back to the bunker about sundown and had a relaxing evening.

Trip to Ojinaga

Things are staring to come together. Some additional electrical this weekend and the water heater will go in. If we have enough time Sat we plan to drive down to a little border town called Ojinaga across the Rio Grande from Presidio, Texas. We want to furnish the bunker in rough, primitive Spanish style.You have seen all the trucks headed North with furniture to sell at roadside stands with "that" look. Anyhow we shall see and in the meantime have a big margarita and a steak. If we find the stuff we're looking for we will go back another time with a trailer and bring a load back.

House cleaning

Went back this weekend and ran the service wire from the main breaker to the breaker box inside. That done, I re-connected the few circuts I had inside and we have electricity. The new trailer has built in shelves and bins. We spent all day sunday taking stuff from the bunker to the trailer. When we finished we had a clean living room and a bedroom. Now the cabinets and a litte more wiring and viola.

New Trailer

Made a quick trip (800 miles RT) to the panhandle to save 3K on a trailer. The trip went well and next weekend we will go out to the bunker and begin to remove supplies and tools and store them in the trailer. We are getting ready to make it a home.
I will finish the electrical while we are there and install the air handler for heat, I'll do the AC next summer if we need it. We have discovered that heat or cold really doesn't matter that much because of the concrete walls. What concerns me is moisture. The AC will handle that in the summer but what am I going to do in the winter. There are plans for a whole house vent but without heat exchangers I will lose a lot of heat with the moisture.

WATER HEATER

The water heater has arrived. It is backward in operation but will fill the bill. It is a 40 gal. tank that has a coil of corrigated and finned copper inside. The water in the outer tank is to be heated with a 5500 watt element or outside source (solar panels) and the heat is transfered to the coil which takes cold supply water and gives hot water at the faucet. Hooking the system to the solar panels will be straight forward and will be a unpressurized system (a small 12V pump will run from a photovoltaic panel) and at night the system will shut down to keep the water from cooling. On cloudy days or for a lot of hot water the electric element will take over.

Re-think the plan.

The work of the past two years has been heavy so I think it's time to re-assess the plan. The original time line included an addition to the west side of the bunker this spring and completion in the summer or 2006. So far there hasen't been time to really enjoy it.
The bunker itself now has water, sewer and electricity so I think it's time to make it a home and finish all of the little things that need to be done. I bought a nearly new refrigerator this week and some oak chairs and I need to finish the kitchen cabinets so for the next few trips we can work on finishing up.

Winter Morning Fog

Yippie!!! LET THERE BE LIGHT

Got a call today from the electric company. The box that I installed met their stringent codes and a meter would be installed as soon as I provided them with the providers work order. Never mind that the installer wouldn't be there without some sort of instruction from the provider. I have a feeling that we may go around and around like that tiger from long ago that turned into butter. (you have to be 60+ to know that one)
Later in the day I got a call that the meter was installed and all was well but that I should still try and get the paper work right.
BUT I HAVE ELECTRICITY!!!

Problem in Paradise

I've been operating everything at the bunker with a curious bunch of extention cords and jumpers from the temporary power pole. I spent a lot of time and put up a very expensive service drop called an all-in-one made by Square-D. I would run a jumper from the temporary to the drop and have almost all I needed for working in the bunker. When I finally called the electric service provider to move the meter and get rid of the temp they responded the same day. Then the problems began. The installer hadn't seen that type of breaker box (remember this is a Square D) and wouldn't swap the service. After checking with his boss it seems that the problem was not with the box itself but the meter socket. I needed "other than a ring type receptical", no problem, but then he called out a specific brand. This is a well known brand but in the city they haven't used this brand (no known reason) for years and I had to check with all of the suppliers to finaly find one. The one I found required me to size up the service and install a new breaker box. I moved the box into the bunker (the old/new one was outside) and this required me to drill a 4" hole through 24' of concrete. After drilling several hours in the cold I had the pleasure of trying to bend 3/0 wire to make two 90 degree turns. I gave up after I hit myself in the face with the free end. Next trip.
I still have to get the power company to put in the meter.

Service Box

Facade

This is a church in New Mexico and it looks so good I may copy part of it for the addition. The false buttreses on either side of the door are a little much but the outline is what looks good me. The color is pretty good too.

A new year

2005 starts with a wimper. The weather is so nice it makes my tacklebox quiver. The bunker is coming together nicely. Next trip the electrical service entrance will go in and the kitchen will be closer to finished. The rest of the electrial will fall into place and we will start on the addition this spring. There is a large rockingchair in the garage in Austin and soon it will be on the porch and ready for my wide butt to position itself and start rocking. I only hope Barbara can time the hand-off of the martini glass to the speed of the rocking.

Christmas in Ft Davis

Christmas in Ft Davis
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

This picture was taken from the driveway, about 10 feet down the hill. The driveway continues down to the road about 40 feet lower and 200 feet away. The rocks are part of a wall that runs West and hides the tunnel from the bunker. The trailers are up behind the bunker and the crain is out front ready to work.

Sagebrush Santa

Made from tumblweeds and cotton.
This is one of the old store fronts in "downtown" Ft Davis.

Paint test

DSCF0001.JPG copy
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Compare this with the artists remdering below. The color will be that between the window and door. The band around the bottom will be tinted more red.

ft davis art

ft davis art
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

A visiting artist painted this and has it in a gallery in Austin. Looks a lot like the bunker but I'm sure its not. Still neat though. I will wait til we move in and hang the original on the wall

Working Inside

Drove out Thanksgiving night to wire the bedroom and mount the service panel. Many tight fits and small problems but we got it done and headed back Sat. night to beat the traffic. The service panel was made for underground service and I had to modify it slightly to accept overhead feed. The panel box only cost 23.00 on e-bay (thirty one to ship) but it is an all in one and worth much more. The next trip we will complete the wiring and all that will be left is installing the kitchen cabinets.

Bunker Roof

The roof was built up by adding concrete blocks at the corners and metal trusses for spanish tile mansard. The steel ladder leaning against the back wall is the ladder from the hatch.

The bedroom

Bringing Home the Silver Twinkie

Because of the cold weather and snow we took a quick trip Sat to pick up the Airstream. It's been sitting there two years so I had to do a little maintenance to get it off the hill. The batteries were up because of the solar panels and I found THE problem with the air bags (the vent line was plugged by some sort of varmit). I did discover a flat tire and that is a job. It did have to be a rear inner. That fixed we watched the Longhorns beat O State in a very exciting game and spent another night in the bunker.
The trip back to Austin was uneventful. A lot of deer hunters on the road but the Moho ran well untill about 50 mles out. Plugged fuel filter I guess. It ran worse and worse the rest of the trip and backing it into the back yard was tricky because it was running so bad. Now I have to fix it before I can use it.

First nighter

Spent the first night in the bunker. Very quet.
The weather changed quickly this weekend. No snow that we know of but the temp dropped to 28 with a high in the 30's. All that concrete is like a big heatsink and the inside stays pretty constant. We didn't winterize the airstream though so that may be a problem. I think I'll go get it Saturday. All of the electrical will go in Thanksgiving and the plumbing is finished so it will be liveable. The addition will be started in the spring.