Skyloft: Windows Completed!

The Hinge:

The hinge gave me some sleepness nights. I wanted clean lines through the window detail. Lines that would wrap around the fort. I wanted it to be fully integrated and preferably wood.

Had many sketches as to how it would be accomplished:

Then I mocked one up:

Only to realize there is a flaw in the design. It only opened up 90 degrees. I wanted the window to fully open 180 degrees. So it would sit flush with the wall.

Back to the drawing board. Adding a 45 degree bend to both ends:

It works. It does exactly what I need it to do. Which is to fold the window back 180 degrees. BUT, I don't like it. I don't like the huge protrusion now. It's just an eyesore.

So, guess I'll have to cheat here and use metal hinges. Didn't want to go there, but it's the only way.

O well. This works. And it's cheap.

Skyloft: Window detail

I'll say it again. I love Craiglist! 

A nice guy was giving away some of his old wood. He had a HUGE pile of it on his lawn. Told me to take whatever I want. Really had no idea what I needed until I saw these cedar fence posts. Loved it and grabbed as many as I could. Originally, I thought these rungs could be used to fence in the deck of the sky loft. But a better idea was to use them for window treatment!

Ripped all of the pieces in half on the table saw. That way I get twice as much material to work with! The thinner dimension work better for the scale of my project anyways. So, win-win!

LOVE the smell of freshly cut cedar wood!

Found an old can of stain on my shelf.

Renewed!

Random Act of Kindness

Over the weekend, I was working on my big fort project. Tony, a 70+ year old Italian neighbour that I see walk by all the time comes up to me. He asks me to make him a deck gate for his grandson. He tells me he's starting to walk and is moving about. He needed a gate to prevent his grandson from moving past the property. He's old and can't keep up.

Looking around my garage for spare wood, hoping to score some leftovers to make a gate. No luck. I tell him I would build him one if he can get me some wood. Minutes later, he comes back with a large piece of wood. I quickly recognized it was from the house behind mine that is still under construction. I'm thinking.. good on him.. he's old, he has no problem taking wood from that property. I take it and start on his project.

The wood he gave me was enough for the frame work. But, we still needed the wood to finish it off. A short trip to the hardware store, and he brought me back some nice tongue and groove cedar planks. (love the smell of cedar)

There weren't any blueprints or designs. Only 2 numbers: width and height. Those were the only requirements. Finished off the top of the gate with a simple "half-moon" design. Just used a piece of string to get the nice curve in.

It only took me an hour total to finish this up. Took it back to his house. Cause the thing got pretty heavy. He offered to pay for my services. Cash and some nice wine. Too bad I don't drink. And I'm not taking money from this nice guy.