The Method of Construction for the
Swangkee Woodshed 

The above Photo shows the
Concrete Foundation/Floor for the Swangkee Woodshed.

The Reinforcement Bars are located one foot apart on center in both directions. Half of the Floor was filled with Rhyolite Rocks, which is nearly as Hard as Granite; and the other half was solid Concrete without Rhyolite [pronouced RII-oo-liit –– double letters are LONG Sounds]. The Part with the Rocks developed slight Cracks, after all of the Weight was added to the Top; and therefore, it was not a Good Idea to include the "Space-saving Money-saving" large Rocks, even though this Floor rests upon Conglomerate Rock, which is what I call a Poor Man’s Bedrock. Notice the Concrete Form at the left, which is set up for the First Concrete Pillar, which held the Excess Concrete after the Floor was poured, which we completed by Hand.

This Photo shows 9 of the Finished Concrete Pillars, with 6 of them resting on Concrete Tables or Shelves, which are used for Stacking Firewood. Notice Electrical PVC Conduit protruding up from the Pillars, in order to provide Electrical Outlets within each Cubical: because, in an Emergency, these Cubicles can be used for Screened-in “Bedrooms” for Beggars, who would be much Happier in this Situation, than they would be trying to Sleep in a Culvert, or under a Bridge on a Freeway: because they would at least have something Good to Eat from a Swangkee Garden, after getting a Good Night's Sleep.

This Photo shows the Ramps that we had to Build in order to set up the Forms for the Uppermost Shelves. It Required all Day, just to get the Ramps set up; and then it Required half of a Day in order to get the Metal Concrete Forms set up; and another Cool Morning in order to get the Concrete made and poured into those Forms. Remember that most of this Building was made during the Heat of the Summer, and was well Watered each Day, in order to Harden the Concrete, and to Cool it off: because too much Heat will Ruin Concrete.

This Photo shows the Pulley and Tripod that we used in order to Hoist up Buckets of Concrete, which was dumped out Inside of the Concrete Forms. Notice that Rebar (Reinforcement Bars) was used throughout the Building, in order to Tie it all Together.

This Photo shows Mauricio and Juvenal Garcia –– my Right Hand Men –– Working on the Form that holds up the Floor of the Guard House, which is above the Carport. This Job Required 5 of us 2 Days to complete, just to get ready for the Concrete, which Required another whole Day of Steady Work with about 500 Buckets full of Concrete, being Mixed by Hand with a small Concrete Mixer, in order to pour this one Slab, which is held up by Heavy Oak Timbers that rest on Metal Clamps (painted Red), which are Bolted Together across the Upper Ends of the Concrete Pillars.

This Photo shows the Floor of the Guard House after it is Finished.  Notice the large Rectangular Concrete Block in the Center of the Top of the Middle Pillars.  That Block is 8 feet long, 2 feet high, and 2 feet thick. It is what I call the Balancing Rock that Secures the entire Building, just in case there is an Earthquake: because its Weight Wants to FALL INWARD toward the Center of the Building. Likewise, the Twin Block that is on the other Side of this Building also Wants to FALL INWARD: because it is set Inward on the Inside of the Pillars that Support it. You could call it Drag Weight, or a “Dead Man” in the Air. Moreover, you can See that we used Heavy 1/4-inch-thick Steel Forms for making the Pillars, which is a Dangerous Job: because one of those Sheets of Steel can Crush a Foot, if it should Fall on it, or even Kill someone who is Under it, if it should Fall from such a Distance. Therefore, if you are going to Do any such Dangerous Thing, make Sure that you Know what you are Doing, and Keep all Creatures AWAY from Under it, until it is Bolted into its Place.

This Photo shows most of the Completed Pillars. The Floor for the Guard House is made in 3 Parts, with the larger Part being in the Middle. No Cracks have appeared so far in that Floor. Each Part was poured and Cured with Water for 2 Months before the Forms were moved. Notice that the little White House is dwarfed by this Concrete “Monolith Dizzyland Monstrosity,” as someone called it. Notice the Beautiful Sky, which makes such Work very Pleasant, when Compared with the Work that other People do in Noisy Factories, Dusty Fields, and Stinking Slaughterhouses. No one was Injured during this entire Project, nor with any other Swangkee Project up to this Date –– not even a Smashed Toe: because we are not Rushed by Capitalism! And neither should any one else be Rushed by Capitalism: because "Accidents" are just one of the many Disadvantages for that System of a very BAD Economy. See: A List of the EVILS of CAPITALISM –– Volumes 1 & 2!

This Photo shows that the Pillars are now ready for the Concrete Roof.  However, in order to get the Pillars exactly Level, we added on the Short Pillars that you can see at the Top, which are now covered with Black Metal Forms. Each Short Pillar was filled with just Enough Concrete in order to make all of them Level with each other. We used a Transit in order to make a Mark on each Pillar, and then we used a Special Jig in order to Measure the amount of Concrete within each Short Pillar Form. Now it is Ready for the Concrete Roof.

This Photo shows Kevin, who is from Mississippi, who is Eager to get the Forms set up for Pouring the Concrete Roof. First, however, a Month before Kevin and his Crew arrived, we poured a Concrete Slab that is 30 feet wide and 32 feet long: so that Kevin and Crew could set up the Forms on Top of that Slab for pouring the Roof.

Click Here to go to the Part 3 of the Woodshed.

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