Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Jan 07, 2000 10:58am | #24

   *
   For those of you who were in on the recent discussion of fences, I finally got around to the photos. Hope you approve, Bill Swales

1. 
   Guest_ | Dec 13, 1999 09:44am | #1

   *And another view through the pergola.

1. 
   Guest_ | Dec 13, 1999 09:56am | #2

   *Wow! That's beautiful Bill. What kind of man/hours we talkin' there? Are those Outwater columns, or what? That's impressive.

1. 
   Guest_ | Dec 13, 1999 11:49am | #3

   *I'm not coming here anymore..hope you're happy now that you've mad me depressed!!

1. 
   Guest_ | Dec 13, 1999 11:53am | #4

   *Jim, The fence is 280 lf., took 4 men 3 months to build. Each column post has a 30 square x 4ft. deep concrete pad. The original grade sloped, so a retaining wall was poured between posts and grade lifted 3 1/2 ft. at the high point. The pergola columns are Frypon, 10ft. cut down to 8 1/2 ft. Dim. 20ft. x 42 ft. x 10 ft. high. 3 men, 2 months. All beams and solid stock is clear western red cedar. The dentil blocks were hand carved to match a similar detail on the house. The whole elect. is on X10 system and has stereo,cable , outdoor shower, misting system, 2 telephone lines, and water. Gas and water is roughed in at one end for a future outdoor kitchen. Total cost was $62000. for pergola, $60000. for fence. All surfaces have no less than 4 coats of paint.

2. 
   Guest_ | Dec 13, 1999 06:44pm | #5

   *Bill, are those fans below the pergola ?What part of the country is that ?Very tastefully done, a few cocktail partys there and your name will be all over town. Did they let you put a little bronze plaque on one of the columns?Great job.!

3. 
   Guest_ | Dec 14, 1999 01:15am | #6

   *Bill, now thats a fence.Very nicely done,you should be proud.Vince

4. 
   Guest_ | Dec 14, 1999 06:22am | #7

   *Yes there are 3 fans operated by remote control. The location is Bala Cynwyd, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia. As for a party, the owner spent an additional $100,000. on landscaping with mature plants/trees to create a instant done look to have a black tie garden party for 200 people last summer. But thats another story. Bill Swales

5. 
   Guest_ | Dec 14, 1999 07:16am | #8

   *Wow, what an opportunity. When you mentioned high end, your weren't bullshitting. Tell me more.

6. 
   Mad_Dog | Dec 14, 1999 08:09am | #9

   *Outstanding, Bill. Wish I hadn't seen it right now; tomorrow I get to go put white paint on ranch casing. Ohboy!

7. 
   Guest_ | Dec 14, 1999 10:53am | #10

   *Absolutely gorgeous and first class, Bill. There are actually people on this forum who not only talk the talk but walk the walk, too. This could be a regular feature - SHOW AND TELL. How about it? We have a fence, a pergola and a super groined ceiling from a previous post (My T&G ceiling doesn't count).Comments? Ralph

8. 
   Guest_ | Dec 14, 1999 05:13pm | #11

   *I just want to know where I can get pockets like that? mine just jingle when I walk.

9. 
   Guest_ | Dec 14, 1999 06:41pm | #12

   *I noticed the fans right away. I was assuming your location to be somewhere down south,and I would never have guessed Philly.how are the fans protected from the weather? I assume those are fans that are made specifically for that type of installation. I have never seen a fan outside like that. Is that common in other parts of the country?On the fence sections,.... what material is used on the large flat area of the panels?Congrats,Stephen

10. 
    Guest_ | Dec 15, 1999 08:04am | #13

    *Stephen, The fans are exterior grade(read expensive) with a sealed electrical juction box. They are removed every fall and reinstalled in the spring. The flat sections of the fence are exterior grade plywood in a double sandwich of 3/4 material. Everything is glued with poly glue or epoxy. The top and bottom of each panel is capped with a 2x8 with a dado down the middle and screwed with recessed stainless steel screws and plugged with wood plugs set in epoxy.

11. 
    Guest_ | Dec 15, 1999 08:12am | #14

    *Ralph, I think it's a great idea. Not all of us get the opportunity to be featured in magazines so this would be a good way to show off our work. I'm told all the time I do great work, but I feel it's what I do all the time, so I don't feel it has great meaning. But when I'm told by my peers it gives me alot of pride because I know that I'm being judged by those who know the difference. I would love to see others work. Bill Swales

12. 
    Guest_ | Dec 15, 1999 05:06pm | #15

    *I wish I was rich.

13. 
    Guest_ | Dec 15, 1999 08:18pm | #16

    *Over at Knots they have a section called "The Gallery" for photos of work. Some very nice stuff there (not much of it as nice as JonC's rocking chair though).

14. 
    Guest_ | Dec 16, 1999 06:32am | #17

    *The footings for both the pergola and the fence were serious overkill at the clients request. Because of the overall size and weight of the upper structure, the client insisted on ALOT of concrete. The footings could hold up his house.

15. 
    Guest_ | Dec 16, 1999 08:12pm | #18

    *Lovely, Bill. "Everysing chust so', like the German cabinetmakers say. Your design?

16. 
    Guest_ | Dec 16, 1999 11:34pm | #19

    *Hey Ryan...Edit that post...Give William his due!!!Absolutely Fantastic work William! Tell me....what made you go with plywood rather than crezone? And did you use compression hardware for the pergola? I wish you many more sucessful projects like that! You certainly deserve it! Kudo's for the details I noticed....the aluminum capping, and the footings interconnected! You are one smart cookie William!L

17. 
    Guest_ | Dec 17, 1999 08:18am | #20

    *The design of the pergola is a copy of the entry of the house. The upper beams are a joint idea between the owner and myself. All details were made to identically match details that are 95 yrs. old.

18. 
    Guest_ | Dec 17, 1999 08:25am | #21

    *Correction on the capping of the top of the main beam, it's solid copper. The decision to use high grade ply was the owners, he wanted a very smooth finish for applying paint.Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond, the comments and congrats from other professionals like yourselves means alot to me. Bill Swales

19. 
    Guest_ | Dec 17, 1999 09:27am | #22

    *William: I'm just curious, why the perimeter footings for the pergola? I would have thought that pier footings would have been sufficient under each column. There, that's alittle better.

20. 
    Guest_ | Dec 17, 1999 09:50am | #23

    *What you are actually looking at is a retaining wall that is between all the footings. The purpose was to help hold the fill from sliding and shifting as the grade was lifted over 3ft. at one corner so as to make grade level. The whole slate patio has a 5% drop in grade to the fence for runoff. Drain lines buried under the slate go thru the retaining wall as the wall depth is 4ft below grade. This whole area started out with a slope that had a 5ft drop in 100ft. The entire area was lifted to level the grade and the lawn area was excavated 3 1/2ft. to create a sunken lawn that is 4 steps off one end of the pergola. None of this is in the picture but it helps to explain the scope of the work.

21. 
    Guest_ | Jan 07, 2000 10:58am | #25

    *Well here's another one. Just discovered this thread. Beautiful work. .. I noticed the copper cap.-pm