Property Fence

	This is the property that is envisioned to become a new church in Săcele. While the plans for the church building are still fermenting, our work for the time we were there was to build a new fence along the back of the property. Steel framework, set in concrete, was waiting for us when we arrived - so the real heavy work was already completed.
	The steel 10cm x 10cm posts were set in a reinforced concrete base and had horizontal rectangular steel tubing welded between.
	The welds were raw, so we wire-brushed the welds clean and double primed them before painting.
	There is a people gate, and a vehicle gate in the fence.
	Alys priming the welds prior to paint.
	Here is the vehicle gate.
	The fence is to be a "staggered picket" design. The boards are 2cm x 12cm pine - nice and "true". We stained (twice) all the boards prior to attaching them to the fence.
	Ralph and Lejos playing in the stain (adding tint - the initial color was way too light, so some darker pigment was ordered and hand mixed in.
	The staining crew - Ralph, Lejos, and Chris.
	At work staining on a make-shift "table".
	Lejos and Chris trying to stay out of each others way.....
	...and not succeeding.
	One coat of stain.
	Around 230 boards were needed for this portion of the fence.
	Boards drying after one coat of stain.
	Chris placing more boards up to dry.
	Otto stepping in to supervise.
	Two full days were spent staining all the boards.
	Second coat drying.
	Lejos kept his car covered while we were staining around it!
	The fence frame was painted a dark green - the color "melted" in with the trees and background and looked quite nice.
	Part way through painting the first coat of paint on the fence frame.
	First coat done.
	A second coat of green paint was put down.
	Fully painted fence frame waiting for boards.
	This area to the right of the fence, removing the tree, and purchasing the adjacent lot over the old fence in this picture, is one of the preferred locations for a "three-seasons pavilion" that would serve as a meeting place for a new church.
	This tree would have to go. The house on the right is Otto and Elizabeth's.
	Looking across the fence between the two properties. Work is under way to acquire this adjacent lot.
	Starting the assembly of the fence boards.
	First fence section done.
	Chris is pre-drilling with a countersink to allow the screws to seat below the surface of the wood without splitting it. Self tapping wood-to-steel screws were used.
	Alys sorting and placing fence boards.
	Even though the screws were self drilling and tapping, it was easier to use a drill bit to punch the initial hole in the steel. Having three drills available was very handy - countersink, drill, screw.
	With the fence frame and boards uniform it was easiest to have Chris pre-drill the countersink while the boards were still flat.
	One day we had help from "Jessica" (not her real name) next door.
	Jessica is a woman of about 45 with Downs Syndrome. Her father is nearing his end and has asked Otto and Elizabeth to assume guardianship of Jessica. He will donate the land on the adjacent lot to the church.
	"Jessica" and Chris.
	About half of the fence done.
	Out of order, but this shows all the "stationary" portions of the fence completed.
	All but the gates done.
	Just the gates to go (and some trim).
	People gate complete.
	Working on the vehicle gate.
	We ran out of cut and stained wood - hence, the partially completed gate. We made changes to the inter-board spacing which threw off our initial board count. We had a lot of spare uncut and unstained boards left, so no worries.
	Almost done, but Alys wanted some "trim" boards placed around the gate frame so one won't be staring at the steel frame.
	Trim boards (ripped to fit) cut, stained, and attached on gate.
	Done.
	Ben (Otto and Elizabeth's son - home from college) helped do some staining one afternoon.
	Done.
	We finished up on the last day of our trip.