7/29-31/03 I went up to the property for 3 days: Tuesday through Thursday.

I arrived at 1:00 and found one frog in the padlock can on the gate. It was 88 degrees when I arrived but by the time I got out to work, it was an uncomfortable 94. I brought a couple pieces of 1/4" hardboard with me for shimming under the bottoms of the windows. Since the windows are made a half-inch smaller than the rough opening in each direction, the instructions recommend a 1/4" shim on the bottom to center the window vertically in the hole. It is also required that this shim be the full size of the bottom surface of the window. The bottom surface is 2 inches wide, so I ripped the hardboard into 2-inch strips which made enough for all the windows.

Then I tried my hand at installing the small windows in the bedroom, bathroom, and utility rooms. I was able to reach them from the outside by standing on the cliff without any scaffolding or planks. I was encouraged that I was able to easily install the windows with no problem. When I installed the hardboard shims, I countersunk slightly oversized holes to make sure that the drywall screw heads wouldn't stick up above the surface of the shim. I caulked two beads under each shim and screwed the shim down before installing a window.

On Wednesday it was another hot day. I had given quite a bit of thought to how I was going to handle the windows that were too big for me to lift. I decided that the way to do it was to use a 1/4" rope sling around the two sides and the bottom of the window just outside of the nailing flange. Those surfaces are perpendicular to the pane so the rope wouldn't tend to slide off. The problem was to keep the window from tipping out of the sling, since the center of gravity would be out of the plane of the sling toward the inside of the building. I needed some kind of clip that would hold the ropes to the flange at the top corners of the window.

On the drive up, and while I was in the trailer, I thought of several alternatives for clips, but while I was having breakfast, an idea came to me that seemed to be the best one I had thought of. After breakfast, I went to work to make them. I took a 10" piece of 1/2" metal electrical conduit and cut half of one end away for about 2 inches. Then I flattened the other half with a hammer and the vise. That left an 8 inch tube with a 2 inch flat projection continuing out on one end. I made two of these and threaded the sling through each one.

I rigged up a test rigging inside the building to see if this would work to lift the windows. I rigged a pulley and a rope high overhead with one end of the rope fastened to the hook of a come-along which in turn was fastened to a column. The other end of the rope had a pulley attached to it and it hung down directly over the window. I ran the sling through this pulley and wrapped it around the window. The pulley would allow me to adjust the window for level without having to worry about centering it in the sling. The sling was a few feet longer than the perimeter of the window, so when the slack was taken up, the sling formed an inverted "V" between the pulley and the top of the window. I had one clip on each leg of the "V" with the flat part aiming down. Then, with the sling snug against the flange at the top corners, I could slide the clips down so the flat parts went on the other side of the flange and held the flange and the rope snugly together.

Then I slowly lifted the window off the floor, click by click, and with each click, I inspected the clips. As the sling tightened and stretched a little, I had to slide each clip down again. But when the entire weight of the window was supported by the rigging, I could see that it was held securely and I could use this rigging for the real thing.

I started with the living room window on the southeast wall. First, I caulked, countersunk, and screwed down the hardboard shim. Next, I rigged the pulley with the big rope to the top of a 16 foot 2x4 and then leaned this 2x4 against the wall directly over the window opening. I chained the come-along to the bottom of the 2x4. The rope and sling hung down about 6 inches out from the center of the window hole.

While I was rigging this up, a chipmunk stopped by for some peanuts, and then Bert, Ernie, and a smaller dog I didn't know came by for a visit. They hung around on the porch with me for most of the time I was setting up the rigging.

Then I brought the window out and leaned it against the wall directly below the hole. I rigged the sling to it just as I had in the test. Using the come-along, I lifted the window up so it was directly in front of the hole. I tested the fit by placing the window in the hole. To keep it in, I put a screw-eye in the log wall directly above the center of the window, and another one directly below the window. I fastened a 1/4" rope to the top screw-eye and ran it over the window and through the lower screw-eye. By pulling on the free end of the rope, it drew the window into the hole and held it there. By tying a tautline hitch in the rope, it could be snugged up to hold so I could remove the sling and install the window.

After this test, I took the window back out of the hole and left it hanging from the rigging while I applied the caulk to the opening. Then I put the window back in the hole, secured it with the rope through the screw-eyes, centered and aligned the window, and screwed it into place.

I was very pleased that I had a method of handling and installing the windows by myself that I feel is easy, safe, and works. As if to help me celebrate, the flock of Jays came around and got a peanut treat. The youngsters still haven't caught on to how to do it, but at least they got up to my hand. Instead of taking a peanut, though, they would peck at my finger and then panic and fly away. They'll get the hang of it sooner or later.

I took some pictures of the newly installed living room window and then had lunch. By that time, it was 92 degrees and pretty uncomfortable.

After lunch, I installed the big bedroom window using the same rigging and the same technique. It worked just as well and I became convinced that I could use the same technique for the rest of the big windows. I just have to decide whether to use come-alongs or an electric winch to do the lifting on the biggest and highest front windows.

Before I quit for the day, I had time to set up the scaffold outside for installing the dining room and kitchen windows. I had to drill another scaffold bolt hole because one that I drilled the week before had gone into a big bump on the log on the outside that would interfere with the scaffold. I hadn't noticed this last week.

The kitchen and dining room windows are small enough so that I can lift them by myself without having to use my sling rigging. I did a dry test of the kitchen window and it didn't fit quite right. I strung tight diagonal strings over the hole and discovered that one of the upright 2x10s of the rough frame was 5/8" out of plumb. Something got twisted pretty severely on that wall that I didn't notice. Fortunately, the horizontal 2x10s were perfectly level, the other upright was perfectly plumb, and the opening was nice and square. I quit for the day not knowing exactly what I was going to do about this problem.

On Thursday morning, I decided to true up the outside of the rough opening with a Skilsaw and a chisel. I cut a tapered piece off the upright and the top 2x10 which made the window fit perfectly. I installed the kitchen window and the jays came around again for more peanuts. Then I discovered that the dining room window opening was also not plumb on one side just like the kitchen window. It wasn't as bad though. The kitchen window was off by 5/8" in only 30 inches. The dining room window was off by 3/8" in 36 inches.

Rather than cut away the 2x10s, I decided to shim them out instead. I cut two tapered shims from 1x2s and caulked and screwed them on to true up the frame. Then I installed the dining room window. I had the foresight to place a ladder up near the end of the scaffold so I could get back down. Until the window was installed, I was getting on and off the scaffold by going through the dining room window opening.

I left the scaffold up because I still have to put some kind of trim around the windows. I haven't quite decided what to use. People typically use a 1x4, or so. Bill suggested that I rip some 3 or 4 inch logs in half and use them for a more rustic effect. I went around and measured the gap between the window and the wall logs on the windows I had installed so far and found that the minimum gap was an inch and 3/4. If I used a wider board, I would have to cut away some of the logs that stuck out past the rough window opening. That would be extra work I don't want to do. Plus, I like the look of the thinner trim. After thinking about it I have decided to use 1x2s. If I snug them up against the window, that will leave about a 1/4" reveal on the 2x10 behind it. I think that will look pretty good plus it will be the easiest way to trim that I can think of. I'll stain the 1x2s before I screw them on and instead of mitering them, I'll have the top one hang out a little past the vertical ones like Bill had suggested to me earlier.

Getting those seven windows installed this week made me feel pretty good. It gave me the confidence that I can install all the windows by myself. I won't turn down Dave's or Bill's offers to help if they can find the time and still want to, but I have decided not to hire anyone to help me. I left for home at 2:00.