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It's all about Clean Water.  Post your pictures of our events, water conservation, floods, pollution.  Share your memories about the Swatara....  Our projects and areas of interest include the Bordner Cabin, Eagle Scout Projects, PA Conservation Corps, Swatara State Park, Swatara River, Swatara Sojourn, Swatara Water Trail, Tenaska, Swatara Watershed Park, and Water Companies. 

Bordner Cabin Roof Repair 8/12 & 13/2006; 9AM-4PM

So that we know how many people to expect, please rsvp by email.

Swatara Township is to be commended for their 2.6 miles of Old State Road upkeep north of the Appalachian Trail Bridge.  It looked like a grader just went through to take off the center hump.  You will only need to go another one-tenth mile to reach the cabin lane on the right, but watch out for potholes on this final stretch.  Parking at the AT Bridge and carpooling to the site is a good idea.  Bring your signed release form—MANDATORY--found at Adopt a Cabin .  FYI:  Cell phone reception is five-bars at the cabin. 

ELK donated shingles but at Lowes, we purchased supplies and roofing materials. 

For general preparation, the north side needs the shingles removed. 

The south side is just a few pieces of tarpaper, and to smooth it out, will need sheeting prior to shingles.   

SCWA will arrange for a dumpster, both extension and step ladders, special nail-removing shovels, line and chalk, slap staple guns, brooms, circular saw, double headed nails, extension cord, and a generator.  **Does anyone have a generator we can use to power the circular saw and the special shovels, or other items like ladders, or should we rent what I don’t have?

If anyone wants to volunteer to bring sandwiches and beverages (no alcohol of course) to the workers, that would be great.  Otherwise, we’ll send someone for sandwiches at lunch.

This is my experience with roofing.  If you have other recommendations, please advise.

Bordner Cabin Roofing Instructions for August 11 & 12, 2006:

1. Inside, a team can start removing rotted tongue and groove from the ceiling and replace it with new wood.  Likewise, the floor needs about three new pieces of wood.  Please note that the original tongue and groove was one foot in width, but we can only purchase 6” wide boards.  It looks like this same method of repair was made in the corner already.
2. Outside, to catch debris like nails and tarpaper, a team can cut a sheet of plywood into four 1’ x 8’ strips, and nail perpendicular/vertical to the edge of the south side of the roof.
3. With special nail-removing shovels, start removing tarpaper and nails.
4. As the debris rolls against the guard, other people can shovel up the debris, carry it across the roof, and drop it into a waiting dumpster, truck, or trailer.
5. To “level” out the roof and give it more strength, 4’ x 8’ Sheathing gets nailed down horizontally on the entire south side with 8 penny nails approximately every 12 inches—leaving an opening at the peak for heat to escape.  (Does OSB require more or less nails?)
6. Next, the drip edge is installed.
7. Then, allowing a ½”overhang on all sides, staple the tarpaper in place, from the lower edge to the peak.  After installation, trim the tarpaper to the drip edge.
8. Follow with a row of shingles on the bottom edge, nailed straightedge toward the bottom.  The shingles should extend ¼” beyond the drip edge.
9. Overlapping edges (1/3 offset), the next layer goes directly over top of the first row, only tabs toward the bottom.
10. From there, chalk lines are snapped, and the bottom edge of each row of shingles lays against the “cut out” section of the previous shingle.
11. When the south side is completed, the shingles, tarpaper, and nails on the north side must be removed.  It does not appear that the north side will need sheathing.
12. Steps 6 through 10 are repeated on the north side.
13. Once the shingles reach the top on both sides, a ridge vent spans the open peak.

If we need fascia underneath the drip edge, this would be step 5. 

Jo Ellen