[Audio Redneck]

..or what I've been doing this summer.

Its been a busy summer at the Redneck Ranch. Work has had me going 50-60 hrs per week with office moves/remodeling, new phone system, several new employee's, and a new server to install

But home is were the real work has been:

First, I leveled a spot and set up an overgrown kiddy pool (3' deep x 16' across). This I did with my only free weekend in May and several nights afterward. But the kids have enjoyed it and my youngest son is now tan and blonde from all the sunshine. And I enjoy using my "Redneck Hot Tub" one or two nights a week, though I've yet to get the pool care thing mastered.

I also had two kids in Little League this year, so that occupied 3 nights a week in April, May, and June.

We, getting to the title of this thread, I promised my oldest son that if they saved the money for the wood, I'd build them a "tree house". Actually, something more like a fort up in the trees as none of our trees is really strong enough for one. Well, between Grandparents helping and selling over half of the toys they weren't playing with anymore, they managed to do it!

So...."hey Dad, when we gunna build the tree house!?!?" ("we?") So last week I took a day off and a friend went and helped me bring home most of the material:
8 16' 2x8's
2 16' 2x4's
6 10' 4x4's
3 80lb bags of Quik-crete
24 6"x1/2" bolts
1 back-ache

What I've managed so far is a 4'x10' deck next to the tree in the uppermost corner of our yard. It easily supports my 3 kids, the neighbor kid, my cousin’s two boys that are visiting from South Carolina, and all 210 lbs of yours truly. The ladder isn't up yet, but the boy's can get up on it by climbing up the woodpile. (I'll put the ladder up after the rails are finished.) While the deck is only 5.5' above the ground on the low end of the slope, when you are on it, you are actually higher than the top of my roof and have a pretty good sense of being "up in" the tree. The view to the north and west is pretty good and the kids are happy with it. However, my oldest has aspirations of painting it Red, White and Blue. I’m thinking staining it red and leaving it at that.

I'm working on the railings now and am trying to figure out a way to incorporate the 1-2" limbs I've had to trim off of the trees due to bad weather. I plan to add a second deck in the fall (after they sell their 12 Rescue Hero’s with Aircraft Carrier and Robot on eBay.) It’s been fun building for my kids something I always wanted for myself. I’ve spent

I'll try to post a few pictures before the weekend is out showing progress. So are there any other Tree-House-Fi’ers?

 

[go_vtec]

Not yet, but my time will be up soon. My son just turned three which gives me about three years to think about. At least I already got the phone design completed (two cups and a string)

 

[Xanadu777]

Not a treehouse but I built a two story playhouse some years ago. Here it is in build... slides come out both sides of top floor and of course it was rooved and sided. Have fun on your build!

 

[D-EJ915]

My dad said he was gonna build one when I was 4 or 5 (like 12 years ago) but it never happened

...and we have like 10 trees in our backyard with 3 strong oaks or whatever within a 6 foot radius of the middle one.

 

[Audio Redneck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xanadu777 Not a treehouse but I built a two story playhouse some years ago. Here it is in build... slides come out both sides of top floor and of course it was rooved and sided. Have fun on your build!

Whoa!

Now that's a house. I almost don't want to post pics after seeing that!. Well here they are anyway....

I set the first post in the corner next to the tree.

Pictured is my building crew.

Getting and keeping everything square and level on the slop wasn't easy, but in the end my biggest mistake was a post 1inch off. Here is Shy Anne inspecting her new neighbor.

I've still got to finish the rails. Here are the views looking North...

And Northwest overlooking the little cousin, spacous grounds and sub-olympic pool....

I'll post more pics when finished.

{edited for pic hosting purposes}

 

[Wmcmanus]

Why am I not surprised that Larry has built a "woody" house?

 

[marios_mar]

Are you installing a portable headphone system there for relaxation times?

 

[Audio Redneck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by marios_mar Are you installing a portable headphone system there for relaxation times?

Heh, heh, I've been thinking about getting power to it some how. My youngest son is well on his way to becomming a head-fier, I figure it will happen.

 

[Edwood]

Wow, it's almost as big as the houses here in the South Bay of Los Angeles.

-Ed

 

[Audio Redneck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood Wow, it's almost as big as the houses here in the South Bay of Los Angeles. -Ed

I heard that. But just think, in 20 years, you will be able to sell that house for 4-10 times what you paid for it, move to arkansas, buy your dream home and live off the rest for the next 10-15 years.

I've thought about moving to LA, Dallas, or some other major area, were I might make twice as much, but something my dad said to corporate "headhunter" that was pestering him, about the time I was in college, made me say "nah".

 

[Onix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audio Redneck Whoa! Now that's a house. I almost don't want to post pics after seeing that!. Well here they are anyway.... I set the first post in the corner next to the tree. Pictured is my building crew. Getting and keeping everything square and level on the slop wasn't easy, but in the end my biggest mistake was a post 1inch off. Here is Shy Anne inspecting her new neighbor. I've still got to finish the rails. Here are the views looking North... And Northwest overlooking the little cousin, spacous grounds and sub-olympic pool.... I'll post pics again when finished.

Señor Redneck, your pictures are not showing

 

[Audio Redneck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onix Señor Redneck, your pictures are not showing

Is anyone else not seeing them? They are showing up when I look. (They are posted at my old Tripod sight.)

 

[warubozu]

Nope, still can't see them.

 

[Audio Redneck]

Ok, I put them on a different server. "Can you hear me now?"

 

[warubozu]

Wow, that's a cool work in progress. The shots showing the view towards the North and Northwest while on top of the deck really has you way up high. Wish I had a large tree in my yard to build a tree house when I was younger.