1/7/2019:
Today at Jacobhouse, I started off by bringing all the wood I had cut yesterday back outside along with all the tools I would need for putting it together as a wall frame: measure tape, square, pencil, saw, drill, screws, and clamps.
As was the case with the east wall’s frame, the first four boards belonging to this wall were the most difficult to put together on account of their being slightly warped. I learned from last time, however, and cut some blocking to 6 ¾” (the length between the outermost edge of the wall and the outer edge of the vertical 2×4 for the pocket door rough opening). I placed the blocking at the top and bottom corner of the frame to square it up with screws and then put in those screws. It worked well.
This was followed by my tacking in the top and bottom 74″ 2x4s for the pocket door’s rough opening, so I could see where the next vertical 2×4 would go. I butted that vertical 2×4 (left side of rough opening) against the top and bottom RO boards, made sure it was square with the overall frame, and then fastened it in place at both ends. I next squared and tacked the bottom and top boards for the RO in place with another couple screws and then commenced with finding out where the final vertical 2×4 would go.
To do this and square up the final side while I was at it, I cut a couple more pieces of blocking to 14.5″, clamped them to the top and bottom of the frame, and screwed them into place. These, I used to butt the remaining vertical 2×4 against.
The fun part came next (not sarcastic in the slightest). I cleared away some of the building materials from the back door of Jacobhouse, opened the doors from the outside, and then I fetched Padre and Wag. We three carried the assembled frame around back, and there lifted it inside. From there, Padre and I moved the frame to its place in front of the bathroom. It slipped right onto the 2x4s attached to the floor without a problem, and when we had it set in place, the bottom of the rough opening met exactly with the top of the bathroom’s 2×8 base frame. Success.
Tomorrow begins the process of shimming, leveling, and attaching the frame to the bit that is already in place (and to the roof and ‘floorboards’ of Jacobhouse).
Additional note: The weather today, though cold and slightly damp to start off, warmed up to a point where I was able to take off all of my jackets and my outer-layer pants. To put it concisely, on January 7, 2019, I was working outside dressed in a t-shirt and shorts.