You can build this vacation cottage yourself.
It is a full scale, small, but efficient house that can become a year 'round retreat complete in every detail.
Because of the unique design by the architect Egils Hermanovski, you can build most of it in your own home workshop in your spare time.
Most of it is panelized and utilizes standard materials, and requires the use of only simple tools.
On the following pages and in the following issues we take you every step of the way to your vacation cottage, from choosing the proper site to applying the final trim.

In recognition of the growing trend for second homes, or vacation cottages, we have designed this one specifically with the family handyman in mind.
It is a big project, not to be taken lightly.
But each step has been broken down into easy stages, utilizing standard materials and simple tools, well within the capabilities of the handyman.

The theory

The idea behind our design is modular units, or panelization.
Everything possible has been scaled to standard sizes and measurements of materials.
Wall panels and structural timbers are standard as are windows and doors, making for a minimum of cutting.
We have developed an ingenious method of interlocking these so that you can make the major part of your house in your own workshop, panel by panel, according to plan.
Thus, when you have prepared your foundation and laid the floor, these can be trucked to the site and erected with a small crew of friends in a weekend.
The roof timbers are precut and the panels standard so that the house can be completely enclosed in a matter of three or four days.
Then you can do the finishing touches at your leisure.

A warning

Due to the fact that building codes and regulations vary so much throughout the country, the first thing to do is to find out what, if any, they are.
Close to a large city they might even specify the size of the nails used;
in a remote section there might be no restrictions at all.
This can usually be found out at the nearest town hall.
At the same time check the electrical, plumbing, and sanitary requirements, as well as possible zoning regulations.
Whether electricity and public water and sewers are available or not, check the local customs in the use of bottled or L-P gas (we give you alternatives later on).
Be sure that this information is reasonably official and not just an unfounded opinion.
If there are any major restrictions, they usually can be obtained in printed form.
Where a building permit is required, find out what you must present when applying for one.
In many cases, you must file a complete set of plans with the local building inspector.
These will be available at cost from our Plans Department.

The site

Some general things to look for in a site, if you haven't already bought one, are accessibility, water drainage, and orientation.
How are the roads, and how will they stand up?
Is there evidence of wash-outs on the property;
swampy areas or intermittent springs?
A visit in the early spring after a thaw will be very informative.
Note where the sun rises and sets, and ask which direction the prevailing winds and storms come from.
Will the view be something you can live with?
Don't worry too much about rocky or sloping terrain;
we will take up alternative foundations later on.

The materials

With this first issue we give you a list of the materials needed to build the basic (AjA version) and the expandable (AjB version).
This will be for the shell of the house only (roof, walls, and floor), and does not include the carport or balcony.
This will permit you to get a rough estimate of how much the materials for the shell will cost.
Bear in mind that this does not include interior panels for partitions, fancy flooring, appliances and fixtures, electrical wiring, and plumbing, all of which will be taken up in detail in later issues.

The wall panels are constructed of a framework of standard Af and Af of a good grade, free from structural faults.
They should be as straight as possible, as this will effect their ability to mesh properly when the walls are erected.
The outside surface of the solid units shall be of an exterior grade of panel board such as plywood, plastic coated panel board, high density particle board, asbestos-cement board, or any other product locally obtainable upon recommendation of your building supply dealer.
The inner panels do not have to be weatherproof, and the choice will depend on the quality of finish desired.
All panel board comes in standard Af foot size.
It is recommended that panels be both glued as well as nailed to the frame.
The fixed window panels with louvers should have a good grade of 1/8-inch double-strength glass set in a mastic glazing compound.
The louvers are constructed as shown in the detail, with a drop door for ventilation.
There are standard sliding glass windows in wood or aluminum frames for those panels requiring them.
The door panels are designed to accommodate standard doors which should be of exterior grade.
The filler panels for the gable ends are cut from full Af sheets as shown, leaving no wastage.
The battens covering the joints are of Af stock and are applied after the walls are erected.
All nails should be rustproof, and aluminum is highly recommended.
Note: If 1/2-inch panel board is used inside and out, or 5/8-inch one side and 3/8-inch the other, and 1/8-inch glass is used, stock lumber in Af, Af, and Af can be used in making the glass panels.
Other thicknesses may necessitate ripping a special size lumber for the glass trim.
In any case, there is no special milling or rabbeting required for the panels.

With modern techniques of woodworking and the multitude of cutting tools, fixtures, and attachments available, the drill press has become a basic home workshop tool.
The drill press consists of a vertical shaft (spindle) which is tapered or threaded on one end to hold a drill chuck, a tubular housing (quill) in which the spindle is mounted, a head in which the quill is mounted, a feed lever which moves the quill up or down, a power source, and a movable table upon which the work is placed.
There is often a means of locking the quill and, on larger presses, the table can be tilted.

The size of the press is usually expressed in terms of chuck capacity (the maximum diameter tool shank it will hold) or distance between the spindle center and the column.
A press with an 11 inch capacity lets you drill to the center of a 22 inch board or circle.

A new radial drill press with a 16 inch capacity has a tilting head that allows drilling to be done at any angle.
The head is mounted on a horizontal arm that swivels on the supporting column to position the drill bit instead of the work.

Set-up and maintenance

The drill press should be leveled and, depending on whether it is a bench or floor model, bolted securely to a sturdy bench or stand or screwed to the floor with lag or expansion screws.
This will reduce vibration and increase accuracy.

A coat of paste wax or a rubdown with a piece of wax paper will protect the polished surface of the table;
wiping with a slightly oiled cloth will discourage rusting of the column and quill.
Presses not fitted with sealed spindle bearings will need a drop of oil now and then in the lubrication holes in the quill.
The rest of the press should be kept clean by dusting with a clean rag or brush.

Be careful to keep the drive belt free of oil and grease.
Belt tension is adjusted by manipulation of two locking bolts and a movable motor mount.
Keep the belt just tight enough so the pulleys won't slip when pulled by hand;
excess tension will only cause undue wear on the motor and spindle bearings.
Most drill presses have a quill return spring that raises the spindle automatically when the feed lever is released and holds the quill in the raised position.
The return spring tension may be adjusted to suit individual requirements by gripping the spring housing with a pair of pliers (to prevent the spring from unwinding when it is released), loosening the lock nut or screw, and rotating the housing until the desired tension is achieved.
Turning the housing clockwise will reduce tension, counter-clockwise will increase it.

Don't lose the chuck key

.

Some manufacturers have had the foresight to provide a socket for the chuck key;
otherwise, you'll have to spend a few minutes to either attach a suitable spring clip somewhere on the press head or fit the key to a length of light chain and fasten to the bottom of the motor mount so that the key is out of the way when not in use.

Feeds and speeds

Drill speeds are important if you want a good job.
Each cutting tool will operate best at a given speed, depending on the material worked.
On most drill presses, it is impossible to get the exact speed, but you can come close by adjusting the drive belt on the step-cone pulleys.
You will find a chart giving the various speed ratios available with your particular drill press somewhere in the instruction booklet that came with the tool.
See the table on page 34 for exact recommended speeds.
Generally, the larger the tool and the harder the material, the slower the speed.

Feed pressure is also of major importance.
Too much pressure will force the tool beyond its cutting capacity and result in rough cuts and jammed or broken tools.
Too light a feed, particularly with metal or other hard material, causes overheating of the tool and burning of the cutting edge.
The best results will be obtained by matching the correct speed with a steady feed pressure that lets the tool cut easily at an even rate.

Common drilling tools

There are numerous types and styles of tools to drill holes.
The most common are the twist drill, the solid center shaft with interchangeable cutting blades, the double spur bit, and the power wood bit.
All will do a good job if sharp, but the twist drills don't cut quite as smoothly as the others, since they do not have the outlining spurs that sever the fibers before actual boring starts.

The adjustable fly cutter is very useful for cutting large diameter holes and can be used to cut exact-size discs by reversing the cutter blade.
Since fly cutters are one sided and not balanced, they should be used at the slowest speed available, and fed very slowly to avoid binding.
Fly cutters can fool you into putting your hand too close to the tool, so if you want to avoid nicked fingers, keep your hands well out of the way.

Simple hole drilling operations

When drilling all the way through a workpiece, always place a piece of scrap wood underneath.
This will not only protect the work table, but also assure a clean breakthrough.
Another method of assuring a clean hole is to first drill a small pilot hole all the way through, then drill half way with the dimensional bit, turn the piece over, and finish from the other side.
In soft woods with pronounced grain, there is sometimes a tendency for the hole to wander, due to the varying hardness of the wood.
In this case, drilling a small pilot hole or clamping the work will do much to improve accuracy.

When a hole is to be bored to a predetermined depth, mark the depth on the side of the stock, then run the bit down so that it is even with the mark.
The depth gauge rod can now be set, and any number of holes bored to exact and identical depth.