Working on a big canvas: 40 acres on Lookout Mountain, Alabama.


Purchase and Location

I bought this property in 2005 and named it Richmond Woods for my father who taught me about nature and respect for the wild. It's located in Alabama near the Alabama/Georgia state line. The small nearby village of Mentone, AL has been a mountain retreat for 150 years for people escaping the summer heat of Birmingham and Atlanta. My companion, Carolyn, has helped me every step of the way.

A Cottage in the Woods
When you were little, did someone read fairy tales to you? Invariably, there was mention of a cottage in the woods. Our plan is to build such a place: handmade, no architect plans, buying local materials or using salvaged materials. The purpose of this blog is to document our progress.

Friday, October 10, 2014

Everything but the Kitchen Sink - Faucet that is

Finally, I am done with the plumbing under the cabin (except for insulating the hot water pipe). Next is purchasing and installing a faucet.

Then all I have to do is get some water in that storage tank!

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Water Heater for the kitchen

Well, I don't have running water in the kitchen yet but I do have a water heater for when I do.





Next step is to connect the cold water line to the cold side of the sink and the inlet to the water heater. Also there will be a water filter and a shutoff valve in the supply line. Before freezing weather arrives, I will insulate the exposed pipes. Finally, I will tap into the gas line that goes to the range to power the heater.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Pre-Labor Day Labors

Fun's over! Back to work, June and July


Jun 28-29


Rented the trencher and jack hammer again and dug the trench for the well line. Hit a big patch of unbreakable rock 15 feet from the well head so there is a 3 foot stretch is only about 12" below the surface. The good thing is that this line will be drained most of the time.


Jul 12-13


Finished gluing together lengths of 1" pipe and laid it all in the trench. Started covering some of the trench near the cabin. Carolyn began to prime windows for the shop.


Jul 26-27


Dug out the hole for the valve box. Laid the 2" supply and drain lines.


Aug 16-17


Carolyn primed more shop windows while I connected the 2" line to the tank.


Aug 23-24


Made up all the connections in the valve box. Ran the well line up to the tank. It does not connect to the tank because the water requires treatment before going into the tank (see the discussion under Hot Showers On-Demand).

Also, I installed a yard hydrant on the well line equidistant between the cabin and the shop to provide for:


  • Diverting well flush water to the garden
  • High-pressure fire hose
  • Draining the line
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