Thread: Japanese House

I purchased sows from a place where they were kept in an air-cond atmosphere. After they got here, they developped an allergy to mosquito bites, real ugly. Today, we painted them with old motor oil!

These younger ones, pietain breed, came from Mae Jo University, in the open air, so they were not affected at all.

Sorry, I meant the cement pipes in the Japanese house, the columns, I will paint them, not the wood ones at the corners of the small one.

Originally Posted by Old Monkey

Originally Posted by hillbilly

Yes a backhanded compliment. This morning my wife wakes up and the first thing she started talking about is "why didn't I plan more like Old Monkey".

Well, you can tell her thanks, but I must tell you that I do not plan so much, I improvise a lot! Besides some drawings I made for the floor plan, and some I made to explain an idea here and there, it's pretty much a day to day thing.
There is never a blueprint type of plan like a real architect would do, and that the actual builders have to follow within one milimetre. This is very good for those who want to use them, in fact, I suppose they are indispensable in most circumstances. But, my way of doing leaves more freedom for creativity, while all the time respecting basic principles of structure, sometimes overbuilding. It helps to having done it before. I have an idea of the dimensions, I walk the place, I adapt to what's already there, like the trees for example, and I don't mind if the kids' swimming area is a foot too large or a foot too small.
Now, I have a lot of convincing to do for my foreman to make the shojis the way I want them, one hour this afternoon. He's never made anything with wood so small! It will not be solid, he will loose his name! More than five months that I tell him, that I show him pictures, 1/4"X3/8"... Japanese have been doing it for hundreds of years! I will not pay him if I don't see one before I go away, complete with glass, shoji squares and rice paper!
Today, he had almost completed the first door when I came back. "What is that?" "A door..." The squares were 1 1/8"X1 1/4"...
With my relative as interpreter, we arrived at a compromise. I went to Chiang Dao, 30 km, to get a good 60 teeth 8" sawblade and we will work together after he has ripped a few lenght of 1/4"X3/8".
See, not such an asshole, hillbilly, not so much planning...

OM, I like your style. Many on this site feel you must have detailed plans and go by them exactly. That is OK if you have no desire to change things. Personally, I like the plan as you go logic which does allow you a lot of artistic flexability. When I used to build custom motorcycles, the bike never ended up as originally planned since new ideas entered my head and the details were always changing. The original idea remained, but it was the finish work that deviated and the final product was much better. This is also how I plan to build my place in Udon. I have an overall plan, but no detailed drawings since I have already began to change things. Like you, I think this gives one the opportunity to change on the fly to make the final product better. You have done a great job on your place.

The small emplyees' house is getting a sidewalk and a protection against erosion.


Even the toilet got a ceiling, and rendered walls.

It's after 5:00 on Sunday, time to relax before going home.

A very important day, today. The boss has accepted to try my way. He consented to try small sticks (1/4"X3/8") rather than one inch (2,5 cm), because I insisted a lot and even threathened to stop paying!
He does not read plans. This is something very weird, in Thailand, most people I've dealt with cannot read plans, I doubt that they can read a roadmap.

With handtools, mounted on wood boards, with nailed wood guides, he manages to do a quality work almost as precise as with a very high priced combine machine, worth thousands of Euros.
We worked together closely, the squares look OK, and tomorrow, he will punch holes to fit them inside the frame.

The regeneration zone is getting ready for the waterproofing, tomorrow.
The sand makes sure that no pointed object could pierce the plastic.

The tall wall is ready for tiling, rendered.


The corner will have a skimmer. Forms are there for the corner.

The first shojis, so that I can see them before I go away.

Sand is placed to avoid accident to the plastic.

Then a layer of geotextile will add extra protection.
Then the plastic, 1,5 mil, is layed on top,

And another layer of geotextile is added, this time to protect the plastic against being pierced from rocks, on top.
We rolled the whole sandwich until the bridge is built.

Then, forms and steel are part of concrete bases poured on top of the waterproof sandwich.

These cement pipes will be held at level, then filled with cement.

The small house's surroundings now.

Rendering and straightening of the stairs on the way!
Bridge on foreground.

Bridge support forms and reinforcement

Delivery of the last bags of a special sand, in fact small rocks, beige colour, for the finition of the edge of the whole complex, pool and filter. 160 metre 2.

We're at the finition stage! One of the steps, poured last year by another team, was not the same dimensions as the others. I mentioned it. Mypalai.

This week, after seeding corn, we're transplanting papaya tree plants.

Every place is rendered.

The sidewalks all around, the stairs, all surfaces outside of the water will be finished with a beige color sand and oxyde colored cement.

The bridge supports, and the elevated landing, its mere size some kind of surprise for me. I was not really ready for the difference of levels between the two sides.

Detail, just added.

I insisted I wanted to see a completed shoji, window and door before I left. Here it is :

I have one more day before leaving till November. This is the fullest banana cluster I've ever seen. The pineapple, just ripe on the plant, is so sweet, that my mouth waters just looking at it. The one on the right I'll carry in my luggage to France, share it with friends when it rippens.

Have a good trip and thanks for sharing your build. Great stuff.

The bridge is going very fast. These people know what they're doing! My way, I would have used a completly different method, with new materials, complexe forms, lots of planning, pre-cast concrete...

They first finished the landing, with steps on both sides, built with blocks and almost filled with land, then steel, then cement.

Then, a simple PVC pipe will be used to get a curve, it's a round bridge!