Refinishing a log cabin with the help of my 3 Festool sanders

[Frank Pellow]

I am back in Toronto after spending most of the summer either in Newfoundland or at Pellow's Camp in Northern Ontario. But, I can look forward to one more stay at Pellow's Camp in early autumn.

I am approaching the task of sanding then restaining the main cabin at camp as a 4 year project. Last year I did the north wall, this year it was the west wall's turn.

Here, the sanding task is underway:

Frank sanding the west wall of the cabin -small.JPG

Here, part of the first coat of stain has been applied:

Staining underway on the west wall -small.JPG

Here, the job is finished:

The cabin after staining the west wall -3 -small.JPG

Here, the cabin is shown in perspective from the lake:

The cabin after staining the west wall -1.JPG

[Tim Morton]

just watching you on that ladder makes me nervous....glad to see that canada has universal healthcare!!!

[Tyler Howell]

just watching you on that ladder makes me nervous....glad to see that canada has universal healthcare!!!

Yeah Tim, I tried to get his attention when he was building his shop.
A least those cute grand kids will have a great inheritance.
Nice job Frank.
It's good you protect the earth by collecting all the finish dust.

[Jerry Olexa]

Beautiful setting on the lake. Nice work and looks good but be careful on that precarious ladder!!

[Marty Walsh]

Frank,

You never cease to amaze me! Great job on the cabin.

Hopefully you took that last picture while sitting comfortably in a boat...a drink in hand, and a fishing rod nearby with some tasty bait in the water...

Keep up the great work!

- Marty -

[Kevin Blunt]

Nice work Frank. It's always great to stand back after the job is done and see how it looks. When it turns out well that is.

[Frank Pellow]

Tyler, Jerry, Marty, and Kevin, thanks for the compliments.

Tim, Tyler, and Jerry, now that you point it out, I see that my perch on the stepladder is somewhat precarious. In fact, now the picture kind of scares me. I will take more care in the future.

[Art Mulder]

Frank, I admit, that the perch looks a bit precarious. But really, we can't tell from the photo how sturdily the ladder is situated. I've had a ladder that wobbled with me on the 2nd or 3rd step, since it wasn't solidly place, and I've had others where I had them rock solid and I could stand way up and feel secure. Hopefully yours was solid.

And admit it, fellow SMC folks, how many of us at one time or another have done like Frank and stood on the "Not A Step" step of the stepladder.

Gorgeous scenery, Frank, but I looked up your address, and I have to wonder just how chilly the water in that lake is!

[Frank Pellow]

Frank, I admit, that the perch looks a bit precarious. But really, we can't tell from the photo how sturdily the ladder is situated. I've had a ladder that wobbled with me on the 2nd or 3rd step, since it wasn't solidly place, and I've had others where I had them rock solid and I could stand way up and feel secure. Hopefully yours was solid.
!

Yes Art, it was solid.

And admit it, fellow SMC folks, how many of us at one time or another have done like Frank and stood on the "Not A Step" step of the stepladder.

Hey, I admit that I have at times stood on the "Not A Step" step, but in the photo we are talking about, I am standing on a "Real Step" step.

Gorgeous scenery, Frank, but I looked up your address, and I have to wonder just how chilly the water in that lake is!

Thanks Art. The answer to your question about temperature is that last Friday I measuered the temperature of the lake and it was warmer than you might think, that is 21 degrees Celcius (I think that's a little over 70 degrees Farenheit).

[Art Mulder]

Hey, I admit that I have at times stood on the "Not A Step" step, but in the photo we are talking about, I am standing on a "Real Step" step.

I'm pretty sure that my step ladder has a label of some kind on the 2nd step from the top -- the one that you were standing on -- advising the user to NOT stand on it.

[Frank Pellow]

I'm pretty sure that my step ladder has a label of some kind on the 2nd step from the top -- the one that you were standing on -- advising the user to NOT stand on it.

I have two step ladders, one aluminum one fibberglass, and they both have that warning on the top "step", but not on the step that is second from the top.

[Rich Konopka]

I have two step ladders, one aluminum one fibberglass, and they both have that warning on the top "step", but not on the step that is second from the top.

Frank,

In looking at the photo it is amazing you did not get hurt. I had two incidents yesterday with ladders. The first was when I was carrying some tools down from a roofing job I was helping my BIL with. The third from the last bottom rung gave away. Completely snapped off. The second time I was on the 6 foot step ladder on level ground and I leaned a little bit to much and it started to tip. Thank god I was only on the 4th step. After having two stikes on the ladders I pretty much gave up for the day. The whole point to the story is that you don't have to be on or near the top of the ladder for an accident to happen. I am glad to hear that the project ended successfully without an incident.

Cheers

[Jerry Olexa]

In our last home, I was trying to quickly clean my back gutters before leaving for the cabin. I took a chance and fell,just missing the bay window and fracturing my wrist in 6 places. Required surgery and having steel pin in my wrist for 6 weeks. MD said my wrist was like shrapnel inside but he patched it together. As Norm says, let's talk about shop safety and be careful...

[Steve Clardy]

Nice job Frank the walls look great.

Who is the Guy with the bird legs?

Hehe. Frank. You haven't answered Bart yet

[Art Mulder]

I have two step ladders, one aluminum one fibberglass, and they both have that warning on the top "step", but not on the step that is second from the top.

Frank, this is hardly important, but I had to check, as you had me doubting myself...

Here is a photo of the top of my basic 6' aluminum stepladder. I'd say it must be 12 years old, so there is nothing recent about these warnings. I circled the three warnings that are at the top. Two of them are the "Not a Step" warnings that are stamped right into the metal. The third is on the same step you were standing on, and for my ladder is a sticker.

Curious as to why it is a sticker. Now, I bought this back when I lived in Edmonton. Perhaps there are different regulations in different provinces?


As to using that step? I think it must be one of those things like how we always need "just a bit" more room in the trunk to fit something in our car, or "just a bit" more reach with the extension cord. With the ladder wne need to reach "just a bit" higher than the ladder really wants us to reach.

best,
...art