My First “Special Occasion” Bowl...

[BarrelProof]

As many of you have read, a recent health situation has drastically limited my bowl smoking frequency. Not the end of the world, just turns out nicotine is a known cause of flare-ups and I definitely don’t want to deal with that shit anymore. As such, I’ve decided to sell off most of my cellar and keep a handful of finer blends to enjoy on special occasions.

I believe the first of which is rapidly approaching.

I’ve been working my ass off lately building a 12’x16’ shed. I know, I know, it’s a shed... I get it. But I’ve been doing this job 100% solo and, even though it’s a shed, it’s a bit more than a typical garden shed.

I’m hoping to have it dried in and shingled by Sunday and if I do, I’m gonna sneak out there in the evening, light up the propane heater, and have myself a bowl along with a few bourbons.

It’s been a great experience and one of the things I’m the proudest about is that the entire project has been designed, drawn, hand-calculated, and hand-built by me. Not even so much help as having someone help me carry lumber.

I know you can find online calculators and plans and all that stuff, but I wanted to design this entire project and put it all out on paper so I’d be 100% familiar with the engineering. That way, if anything went sideways, I’d be well-equipped to troubleshoot and get her sorted.

I’m the most proud of the gambrel roof that has hand-calculated angles and lengths and went together like a puzzle on the first try.

Here are some photos:

 

[Chasing Embers]

That looks amazing!

My buddy Bruce Weaver had an aortic aneurysm several years ago and was an avid smoker. Afterwards, he would only fire up a pipe when he was satisfied with a pipe he carved as a celebratory treat. Glad you're finding a way to cope!

 

[BarrelProof]

Kinda tough because I just got into it at the beginning of the year. Good, I suppose, in that it’s not like you where I’m having to severely limit a lifelong love affair. But, bad in that I’m not positive I’ll ever get to know what I don’t know.

Either way, I know each bowl will be super enjoyable. Also it’ll give me the opportunity to plan each one out and make sure everything is just right. And, by just right, I mean @alaskanpiper will be cued up on location with some fine cuisine.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I mean @alaskanpiper will be cued up on location with some fine cuisine.

A pipe after a caribou dinner sounds heavenly.?

 

[BarrelProof]

A pipe after a caribou dinner sounds heavenly.?

I shot two caribou bulls this year as well as a moose, so there’s no shortage of meat.

Wasn’t planning on it, but ended up sending one of the caribou to the taxidermist.

The backpack that’s in this picture inside his antlers is a full-size frame pack. It’s probably 26” from the tip of the yoke to the base of the waistbelt. The waistbelt on it is 24” wide from inside edge to inside edge.

100% velvet from end to end. I couldn’t justify not sending this guy in to be immortalized, so he’ll be on the wall in a year, or so.

 

[BarrelProof]

Today I try to hang the doors. Got them built and set in place yesterday and called it quits when the fog rolled in and the temps started dropping. I’m fine working in cold temperatures, but when you put fog in the air with them, regardless of if it spits snow, or not, it gets cut through a man cold.

At any rate, here are the doors. Adding another piece of trim at the bottom once they’re hung, but that bit of siding down there extends below floor level and since a little flexing is nice when trying to get them installed, I’m not gonna tie in that trim just yet...

(Yes, I know, I still need to slap that last piece of siding on. That sucks to do solo and the wind hasn’t been helping matters. Should have it up today.)

 

[BROBS]

That’s a tall roof you putting a lift in there?

 

[kcghost]

Man, that's quite a building you are putting up. Very impressive.

 

[BarrelProof]

That’s a tall roof you putting a lift in there?

Nope. Well, yes/no. No if you actually meant lift. Yes if you meant loft.

There’s a second floor up there that’ll have a trap door and receding ladder/stairs so we can store a ton of stuff up there but then close it off and not lose a bunch of space from the stairs.

The original plan was to build an 8’x12’ storage shed for crap that’s currently in the garage. It slowly morphed into a 12’x16’ gambrel roof building with a second floor so we can store as much of it as possible on the second floor, leaving the first floor for a heated workshop/fur handling shed. Planning to put a wood stove in the back corner. That’s why I have the entire thing lined with reflectix and will be installing some solar furnaces once it’s done.

That should open up the garage quite a bit for another workbench/shop type of area, but perhaps one with less blood/fat/meat scraps and flying sawdust. Also gives us the option of storing some stuff in a climate controlled environment in the garage vs. come what may in the shed.

 

[BROBS]

Nope. Well, yes/no. No if you actually meant lift. Yes if you meant loft.

There’s a second floor up there that’ll have a trap door and receding ladder/stairs so we can store a ton of stuff up there but then close it off and not lose a bunch of space from the stairs.

The original plan was to build an 8’x12’ storage shed for crap that’s currently in the garage. It slowly morphed into a 12’x16’ gambrel roof building with a second floor so we can store as much of it as possible on the second floor, leaving the first floor for a heated workshop/fur handling shed. Planning to put a wood stove in the back corner. That’s why I have the entire thing lined with reflectix and will be installing some solar furnaces once it’s done.

That should open up the garage quite a bit for another workbench/shop type of area, but perhaps one with less blood/fat/meat scraps and flying sawdust. Also gives us the option of storing some stuff in a climate controlled environment in the garage vs. come what may in the shed.

I gotcha. I thought maybe you’d have overhead lifts for snowmobiles/4 wheelers as I wasn’t sure your use of the building. Good idea with the area up top. We’ve got that in our new place above the garage and it helps to hold a lot of the junk that otherwise sits out in the open.

 

[BarrelProof]

I gotcha. I thought maybe you’d have overhead lifts for snowmobiles/4 wheelers as I wasn’t sure your use of the building. Good idea with the area up top. We’ve got that in our new place above the garage and it helps to hold a lot of the junk that otherwise sits out in the open.

I gotcha. Just storage and general debauchery.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Very sorry to hear of your illness, I hope you're still able to live a long, fulfilling life. Nice shed, gambrel roof is a PITA but looks nice. Make sure to add some adhesive at the corners of the shingles on the side slopes and six nail instead of 4.

When you're ready to sell some of your stay, drop me a line. I could be interested.

 

[BarrelProof]

Didn’t get as much done today because I was waiting on the fog to clear. Weatherman said it’d clear by 1:00 and if never did.

Ended up messing with getting the doors hung until about supper time. I guess it’s important to remember that any progress is progress...

Looks a little off kilter in the photo but I don’t have my lock bolts installed, yet, so it’s bowed open just a little in the middle at the seam.

 

[musicman]

Your “shed” looks amazing. Really more like a small barn. Great work!

The real question is: Have you settled on a blend for your celebratory smoke?

 

[BarrelProof]

Your “shed” looks amazing. Really more like a small barn. Great work!

The real question is: Have you settled on a blend for your celebratory smoke?

Not yet. Probably take out some Plum Pudding SR or HH ODF. Those two are still my favorites and it’s been a while.

 

[musicman]

Not yet. Probably take out some Plum Pudding SR or HH ODF. Those two are still my favorites and it’s been a while.

Both great smokes! Hard to go wrong. Did you make that Caribou Pho yet?

 

[hawky454]

Very nice work! The gratification of finishing a project like that is more rewarding than any bowl of tobacco, although it’s also nice to have the ability for a celebratory smoke from time to time.

Good on you man, and I wish you good health, pardner.

 

[BarrelProof]

Both great smokes! Hard to go wrong. Did you make that Caribou Pho yet?

I did not. Gonna be up at the crack tomorrow to get the broth going. Also letting the appropriate cuts of meat/bone thaw, still.

Definitely pumped about it, though.

 

[Tennessee Dave]

That looks amazing!

My buddy Bruce Weaver had an aortic aneurysm several years ago and was an avid smoker. Afterwards, he would only fire up a pipe when he was satisfied with a pipe he carved as a celebratory treat. Glad you're finding a way to cope!

Golly ...Bruce Weaver was a fine man. I commissioned a pipe from him that remains one of my favorites. He was such a joy to deal with and IMHO owned the blast. I misss him.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Golly ...Bruce Weaver was a fine man. I commissioned a pipe from him that remains one of my favorites. He was such a joy to deal with and IMHO owned the blast. I misss him.

Same, we were good friends for a long time.