8/24/19
(Above: The concrete countertop, cleaned and awaiting sealant.)
Building Summary: Today I started off by cleaning the de-framed concrete countertop – a process consisting of using my hands / steel wool / my shirt to take off all remnants of silicone caulk on the front portion of the slab. This was ensued by my collecting all the non-concrete related tools out to Jacobhouse, planning the closing-in of the soffit, gluing a Sure-vent / cleanout cap to the end of the sewer line (in-house), and fastening the exhaust hoses a little more permanently to the ceiling via plastic strapping*.
Later on, after a Farmers Market visit and lunch, I researched concrete sealers for the countertops I’ve made thus far. Most of them were either complicated applications (with no reapplications required) or simple applications (with many reapplications required). There were a couple that fell between, and those are the ones I bookmarked to research later on.
(6:54 PM Update): Did more research this afternoon and found a really good concrete countertop sealant that is somewhat simple to apply and decent priced for the price per sq. foot ($0.81 per sq ft for minimum coverage). Ordered it.
TIL: Today, I recalled that Padre said that the hammer-drill setting was excellent for putting in self-tapping screws, so I tried it out for the first time. It made for a much rougher drill experience but a much smoother self-tapper process (irony). I only had to pre-drill the first hole which was in a very hard to reach area. In the other, much more exposed region, I was able to simply switch to hammer-drill, and the screw sunk in within moments. I had never used the setting before because when I tried, it made a terrible grinding sound. It turned out that the sound is simply an internal mechanism vibrating the drill head to facilitate ‘hammer’ action.
Commentary: It’s been a busy day today with much rushing and very little time for quiet contemplation and observation. Fortunately, after this entry is complete, I get to go out to the kitchen and enjoy some slicing and dicing of vegetables for delicious home-made salsa.
I should note, that despite my initial tone of this commentary, there was a moment that stood out amongst all the others** today. It occurred this afternoon. My time at the farm had been marred by intense heat and smells and a mind that was more than slightly weary (I blame the power going out last night and disrupting my nightly rituals of reading and piano-playing). However, when I stepped into the barn and approached the smooth and glossy countertop, it was as if all tiredness lifted. I don’t know what it was about seeing that solid hunk of stone, and I’m not going to overanalyze it here lest that magic be dispelled, but the sight of that concrete form reinvigorated me.
Final Note: Tomorrow I plan on beginning the process of framing in / finishing the soffit at the front of Jacobhouse. I must also do the same right around the door, but I’m not certain what I’m going to do there just yet.
*Irrigation hose fastened to the ceiling via self-tapping screws.
**That’s not to say there were no other appreciation worthy events today. Lunch was tremendous – as can be seen by the Twitter Post to the right.