Laying Block on the new footer

[@genesisdays4431]

i can't believe how relaxing his videos are when you watch 'em, keep making them Steve!

[@VeraTR909]

"Who are you racing?" Your dad is totally right about that. This is such a nice project to follow, keep up the good work :)

[@davegower123]

Wise man that Dad of yours! Great work! Happy Father’s Day to you both! Cheers! 🍻👍🏻😊

[@12345NoNamesLeft]

Usually the weather.

[@gatekeeper84]

This is slowly turning into Steve's cake decorating channel!

[@christoph72761]

The only cakes east of the Mississippi manufactured within 5 thou!

[@dalegriggs5392]

Steve, whatever works for you. The squeeze bag is a good idea as I can’t handle the trowel very well either. I’ve watched my son in law, who does this for a living, and I’m amazed at the speed he lays block or brick. I was laying brick around my fire pit and he was laughing at my slow process and messy mortar mess the whole time. I told him he could at least help without the play by play criticism and he told me with a laugh it was his day off and was enjoying the entertainment! Smart ass!

[@jeff-w]

Awesome job! My dad was a stone mason so I had to chuckle when I saw you icing the blocks but the results speak for themselves!

[@bcbloc02]

Loved the beer can for authenticity. :-) You did a good job getting the two different levels to line up to tie the blocks in. the hardest part is behind you now.

[@SteveSummers]

Had to add the can 😁

[@bradandrews7823]

@@SteveSummers There is still time to include a bottle of good old Kentucky Bourbon. Keep it local, you know...

[@georgedennison3338]

Gotta sign your name somewhere. I picked that one up from finding a name and date from the 1800's, on something we were remodeling/tearing down, (can't recal which), when I was just a kid. Somewhere, on every thing I've built, or been part of building, since, I have signed and dated the structure. Give those future folks something interesting to find. LOL Hey Brian, how far away are you from Steve? You guys should work out a collab on something when he's down being a builder.

[@boblasley5640]

You're just full of wit and wisdom this week, which is perfect for Father's Day weekend as this is just how a dad should be! Glad to see you making good progress.

[@davebroere9078]

Steve, You’re incredible. Nothing you can’d do if you put your mind to it. You’re an inspiration to us all!

[@randallparker8477]

Both hands Thumbs Up and 10 Stars for just sharing with us. Thanks Summers Family!

[@nathanokun8801]

For a single guy who is doing his own work to make sure that it is done RIGHT, you are going quite fast enough to satisfy most people. Slow and steady wins the race, EVERY TIME.

[@Ham68229]

"Peanut", the star of the show!! The wall is coming along quite nicely, great job. Cheers :)

[@Gary.7920]

Nice job Steve! Man, you are one hard worker. It looks great. Keep up the good work Gary, 77-Year-Old Home-Shop-Machinist in the Beautiful Ozark Mountains of North West Arkansas

[@Peter-V_00]

Using the grout bag was brilliant Steve, you sold yourself short a while back on your block skills, looking great !!

[@markman63]

MerlinxPV it’s more like this is how a baker lays blocks

[@Jacob-64]

In awe of you Steve Summers , your work ethic is amazing .Do a days work ,come home ,do more work . You are making an awesome job on that wall ,give yourself a huge pat on the back .

[@mfletch392]

Well done Steve more people should be like you and learn as you go instead of just paying for it.

[@TyphoonVstrom]

Steve, I'm really glad you decided to tackle those blocks yourself. They really are pretty straightforward to lay, as you have found out. Sometimes, we tend to overthink things and the best way forwards is to simply get on with it and find out how it all goes together. It's all about preparation and starting off straight and true.

[@SteveSummers]

Its definitely a doable job if you dont get in a hurry and compound a bunch of errors.

[@rtkville]

It's coming along nicely and looking good. You'll be glad when it's done and proud of you work!

[@molitovv]

Looking amazing Steve, really impressed! ... We normally put caps on vertical rebar, as one slip next to the trench and it can be instant-death, easy mistake to make. We used to use tennis balls with a hole in, but the proper caps are so cheap to buy now. I’m not a comments section safety policeman, but thought I would mention it incase it has slipped your mind. Can’t wait until next week, will be sad when this project ends.

[@1pcfred]

If OSHA comes on a job and you have rebar sticking up like that without caps on it you're done. Getting impaled on rebar usually won't kill you instantly. You don't want to be there when they get you off of the rod though.

[@SteveSummers]

I was definitely cautious. I didn't consider the tennis balls. 👍

[@1pcfred]

@@SteveSummers when guys fall on rebar you can't use a cut off disk or a Sawsall to get them free. The vibration is too painful. You have to lift them up and burn the rod. Have to cut it somehow though. Doctors don't visit job sites. So yeah be careful. It is pretty bad when fire is the best option.

[@jesperdahl1486]

You are a really nice and kind man Steve, every last one of your neighbors for 50 Miles, would have stewed that squirrel, also I did not see that chicken coming up on you. Keep up the amazing work.

[@JACK-ot9kv]

Great job It is the first time I see a mason working like a watchmaker !

[@glenvanbavel8710]

Slow and steady wins the race , it looks awesome. Great job .

[@RonnieLoe6421]

From an Irish man that's a good job Steve .

[@jmwarden1]

It looks like your doing a fine job Steve, keep up the great work and your wall will be done in no time.

[@mattm7535]

When learning a new trade skill, I find I figure it out (mostly) just before the job is done. Good job Steve

[@1pcfred]

That's it. You become an expert right as you finish.

[@CraigLYoung]

Good morning Steve! Your father is a man of wisdom. He would probably tell you to stop pointing out errors that's minor. Anyway that wall looks good.

[@georgeswindoll9138]

It's great to see peanut still close to your family!!!!!

[@musicbro8225]

Good to see you get'n it done yourself, your dad is a wise man.

[@jeffanderson1653]

You approached this job as a machinist. I’m no brick layer, but I would bet you get thumbs up from real brick layers. Very nice work sir.

[@30jamesnelson]

i commend you for all you have been doing to make your shop viable again

[@dragman377]

I knew this video would be hard on my back, so I took a couple of aspirin before I watch it. Good work and your going to have a very strong wall. Thanks for posting.

[@MikeBramm]

Great job. My back would have been killing me half-way through that first course. That bag sure makes it a pretty clean job.

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Blockwork looks spot on to me Steve. The bag, very handy. No mess. Regards from Ireland.

[@jerrycoleman2610]

Steve & Family, Awesome video enjoyed watching you laying block, thanks for sharing your video.!.!.!.

[@TomokosEnterprize]

It wouldn't be Saturday without you bud.I do like your style bud !

[@geoffhalstead1811]

The birds and friendly wild creatures are giving you encouragement 👍 You have another profession waiting in the wings, cake decorating 🤗 Well done so far 👏

[@German_MDS]

Looking good Steve! The view you will have with those windows will be awesome. Glad to see you all are doing ok during this crazy time.

[@karllaun2427]

Looks awesome! Watching you work around that rebar made me wince a little bit. I have similarly shaped stakes in my garden. I was always careful around them, but one day I dropped a chile and quickly bent down to pick it up, driving the stake into my eye socket. Fortunately, i just got a cut and bruise but it could have been worse. Practice golf balls now cover the ends. Have a happy Father’s Day!

[@malliz1]

Nice going steve. You and your family work well together

[@charlescartwright6367]

Aloha, I think you are doing great on your own, with the bosses assistance and help of course. It looks like the saw is holding up good to the rebar contrary to what some were saying. It's not even my wall and I'm getting excited too. Thanks for sharing, I love the balance between work and family in your videos.

[@jimad]

Great progress - most excellent block laying teamwork!

[@fiorevitola880]

Steve: Your going to look back on this and be proud of what you have accomplished years later. Nice work!

[@georgem.323]

Looks pretty awesome to me. I certainly wouldn’t complain. Looks a little better than my first experience.

[@garymucher9590]

Skill sets are learned with repetition. We are only good at things we do daily. But regardless how you go about applying the mortar, it is the end results that only matter. Just be extremely careful of all those exposed rebar sticking out. If you were doing a construction job for anyone else, OSHA would demand you use rebar caps. However, I think you are doing an exceptional job. Anyone that has ever tried laying brick and/or cinder block knows how hard it really is. I would also like to say, install a window facing your house. That makes it easier to see anything that could possibly go on in your new shop. Any surveillance capability is always a good thing. Thumbs Up!

[@frankfreeman1444]

Steve: Hello from Thailand and thanks for the videos! Using a grout bag is smart, but if you put the end grout on the stationary block as well as the horizontal, there would be no moving of a block that has mortar, so less chance of the mortar dropping off. I heard Cloe in the background but never saw her. Greetings to you and your family and critters. I look forward to every post.😊 Frank

[@dannywilsher4165]

I said the same thing and now I see you beat me to this comment..... Thanks Frank!!!!!

[@georgedennison3338]

@Frank Freeman Good suggestion. I got wrapped up warning him about the hand truck and forgot to mention it, myself. That's not a traditional Thai name you're sportin'. You an ex-pat, or just working over there? What's living in the Thai like?

[@frankfreeman1444]

Sir: I am a retired Arizona boy, now living in Thailand and married to a wonderful Thai woman. Would love to tell you about Thailand, but it is hard to do on my Kindle. If you want to email me at [e-mail] (No, not that kind of lawyer!) I would be happy to chat about it. Frank

[@stevenking6400]

Your dad is wise man. As is mine i learned all of my engineering skills from him and its thanks to him i am the man i am today.

[@SteveSummers]

Yeah, I wish everyone had a good dad and mom to learn from. Some are not so lucky.👍

[@glennstasse5698]

I’m officially impressed! For a guy who doesn’t do block work for a living that looks great!

[@mumblbeebee6546]

"Block, block block, around the clock...." - this is when all the prep work on the foundations pays off - it looks good Steve!

[@jerrellkull5347]

Great job Steve, keep it up and you'll have it done soon. Take care!

[@geoffkeeler5106]

Excellent work as usual Steve, thanks for the video!

[@William_Hada]

Awesome job laying the block ! I love way that grout bag works, quick and neat. Brought back fond memories of Mom decorating cakes.

[@erneststorch9844]

Your job reminded of when I mixed moter by hand in a box for a professional mason . He was laying brick for a chimney. One of the hardest jobs I ever did. He could use it up faster than I could mix it and get it over to where he was working. He sure could do an impressive job and in a short period of time. Fortunately for me it was for only one day.

[@janderson8401]

Reminds me of the story of the Irish immigrant writing back home to his brother. ‘I’ve got a great job here in New York. All I have to do is carry the bricks up to the eighth floor, mix the mortar and carry it up to the eighth floor, and the mason does all the work.’ When I worked as a laborer for a mason I had the advantage of having a wise old laborer on the crew who told me, “If Nick is laying the block too fast for you to keep up, just throw a handful of pebbles in the cement. That’ll slow him right down.

[@donfillenworth1721]

It’s exciting to see the block work starting! First time I have seen a grout bag used when setting block. Looks great! Thanks for sharing.

[@powlie25]

Been great watching you upgrade this building, when its finished I think it will be awesome, I think you should move the workshop over to that side, it will be a nicer place to work not only for the light but the view too, just wish I had a place like yours, great watching you and my support from over here in Australia. Cheers bud

[@htral]

And his wife was filling the bag for him - he found a keeper!

[@MaturePatriot]

Yes he did!

[@garywills5682]

Steve why would anybody critique your block work. Your doing it to get the job done , doing the best you can. Ive built houses n block buildings. With all your squaring up trying for dead nuts accuracy the foundation is what sets the stage for good strong straight walls. You keep using the string n level itll stay straight . Plumb bob down will help the higher you get now.

[@JJ-jv1gu]

Steve GOOD WORK.. do the whole wall if u want, and grout it as you go.. that big footer is not going to shift

[@douglaspierce316]

the older i got the smarter my dad was. i still hear him tell me to empty my hands when I was working trying to hold to many tools

[@jamesoates1334]

Like you, I am not a professional builder. I would look at what you have done there and be proud of it. By the way, I love the tame squirrel.

[@afriedli]

Looks like your rebuilt workshop is going to be safe against earthquakes and hurricanes!

[@jbrunsonjr]

Looks great! Hard work and determination is paying off!

[@bigal2298]

When I was a young boy I was watching an old guy lay block at own house and he said he needed his block stretcher but he left it at home. As I got older and doing block work myself there were times I wish I had one too, LOL . Looks like your doing a good job. Great videos stay safe Thanks

[@williamsmith306]

Some good teamwork there with your wife while laying the block. Sometimes it can be difficult for me to be as patient when working with my wife as I am with others. Possibly due to familiarity replacing some other social courtesy we learned for when working with others. Knowing that about myself, I try hard to be extra patient, she deserves the effort. Also thank goodness for 2x speed edits for the repudiative tasks. ; )

[@Hoaxer51]

William Smith, that’s some good advice, it’s hard to practice, but something to work on!

[@Chris-bg8mk]

Hey Steve! I spent a few summers doing earthquake retrofit work, crawling around under houses out here in NorCal with a Bosch Bulldog. It was old and crusty but drilled a million holes. Loaned it to my buddy Bill and he drilled a million more. Didn't have the flashlight or red dot though! We were required to blow the holes clean, then brush them with a bottle brush, then blow them clean again to get proper adhesion with the epoxy. The inspector was always threatening to do a pull test on a bolt but never did. Hot, dusty work!

[@johnsullivan7633]

I really liked the grout bag. It seemed to make the mortar joint easy to regulate and make laying the block quick to get the right height. Nice work Steve.

[@1pcfred]

Steve is making great progress but a real brickie is pretty fast with a trowel.

[@georgedennison3338]

@John Sullivan I first used a 'frosting bag' 20-30 years on a tile job. It made grouting so much easier, I've never done it other way, since. I learned to mix my grout just a little bit wetter, 5%, and don't do all that clean up like you have to do when you rubber squeegee the grout on, and make a huge mess. After the first time using it, I went back to my mason supply and bought the guy lunch who recommended the bag. For the benefiit, and the money I made over the years, I should have bought him a car! LOL If your boss, (the wife), ever makes you do a tile job, get a bag, and those little rubber + shaped spacers. It'll turn out like a pro did it.

[@SteveSummers]

@@1pcfred Yeah, A trowel used by a pro is definitely faster IMO. It takes lots of practice to not make a mess and to get the mortar somewhat even. If I had 3x more block to lay I would have tried to use it. By the time I got decent with one I would be done with what little I have to do.

[@1pcfred]

@@SteveSummers I was a union laborer in the New York metro area so I've worked with a few masons that knew what they were doing. After you shake mud onto a block you have to wipe it. You slide the trowel at an angle on the mud bead to bond it to the block. Then it sticks. You butter the block. More lime makes mud stick better too. Bag mixes can be cheap on the lime.

[@johnsullivan7633]

George Dennison Thanks for the tip George. I will try it.

[@PL-VA]

"I played with blocks almost all day as a kid, and this is no different" - LMAO

[@fowletm1992]

Lego blocks hurt the bottom of your foot These ones hurt the top

[@hilltopmachineworks2131]

Yeah that was funny.

[@brosselot1]

Looks great. Using a grout bag is a good idea. I've never seen that before. It does take some practice to get the mud to practice stick to the block and be the correct amount. Awesome job.

[@jimhunt5259]

No hurry, get it right the first time. great series keep up the good work.

[@jimmymckay73]

That is turning out amazing. But I didn't expect anything less from you, good sir .

[@kenny5174]

Doing a good job eating that Elephant. Good progress. I agree with Dad, "who are you racing?"

[@1pcfred]

Racing expectations. I'm sure no one will be happier than Steve when he's done with this project. There's some things in life that look a lot better in the rear view mirror.

[@stephenmurray2335]

Looking really good Steve. Have you considered forming a covered balcony over the creek, by extending floor beams out accessed from the sliding patio doors? It would be an amazing feature for the workshop videos and a great place to wind down with a beer.

[@tedmattingly7564]

Steve, I can't wait for you to get back to machining content, but I still enjoy watching you repair your barn. You definitely needed to tackle that job for sure. Keep doing a great job and stay safe. Cheers

[@ianide2480]

Everyone has their kryptonite when it comes to sounds. Many people can't stand the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard, which doesn't even bother me a little bit. The sound of cardboard or styrofoam sliding on dirty concrete is mine... Holy crap it just about disables all thought/reason and movement when I hear it and my body goes into full cringe mode. For the first time ever, I had to mute your video for a minute there heh In a previous life I had been in nearly every aspect of construction for 30(ish) years, so I've been watching with some interest. You've taken to the process quite well, as I assumed you would. You've gotten a nice start there bud, I look forward to this being completed. It's called a 2x4 hook btw =)

[@davidaarons2488]

Hey Steve, looks great. Your moving along rather well considering you work all week. Your are going to be fine. Dave

[@danmooney6881]

Man, that's a lot of work but it's really going to open up you shop space! By the time you get finished, you'll have arms like Arnold Schwarzenegger!

[@angelarichards1911]

Block work is great Steve love the piping bag idea and the piping bag auto filler was very quiet bless her heart. Hiya Cloe .

[@markgrevatt4867]

Your doing a great job steve. I was just thinking how nice a window would be on that side of the wall. Best to the family.

[@daver681]

Steve, I would be proud of myself if I were you, for a first time builder all of it looks great, and with the view you have there I would definitely put those windows in, loved seeing Peanut as usual, keep up the good work, you are doing great.

[@AWDJRforYouTube]

Steve takeyor bucket of water with the wisk brush wet the ends of the block before putting on the mortar it will not slip off the block so easy. Nice job going great!✔

[@chrispy3866]

Looks soo great steve. Can’t say enough about it. Hey, please for you and your family’s safety, please hit up a building supply store and get some vertical rebar safety caps. They are less than $.50 a piece. That uncovered vertical rebar really scares me for you all!!!

[@shadowdog500]

My in-laws used a series of sliding glass doors for a wall of windows to enclose their back porch and it worked great. The doors are insulated, and when you open them up in the summer you get a ton of air flow.

[@elliottsmith9241]

Love your work , stay safe best wishes from the uk

[@donaldshulman6771]

Steve - You continue to amaze me. The blocks look great - level, neat and ready for the next row. You could this for a living !!!!

[@garylewellen5254]

Fantastic work, it takes as long as it takes. Stay safe from the UK

[@dankenney7827]

Steve, You do all right! You've taken on more than most people would. Keep it up, but just in case...don't quit your day job! Dan

[@nascar20970]

Great job, the hardest part is always when new perfect work meets old out of wack work.

[@Uncleroger1225]

Good Saturday Mornin Steve and Family! You are truly amazing with the care you devote to every aspect of this project. You are meticulous even laying block! And, on top of all this, you record and share your journey with us! Thank youall so much, truly an inspiration in craftsmanship, whatever the medium, wood, metal, block. Your message to us, take your time, do it right.Great job! Thanks!

[@michelgrenier1878]

Steve it looks like you will have up to 3 rows of blocks above the frost line ,perhaps fill the 3 bottom rows with cement ,parge coat the underground portion and tar it +install good drainage pipe , Check with your engineer to prevent future problems

[@garywalters4286]

You are doing a great job,keep it up and soon you'll be done and you can throw a shop party.

[@sheph7ceo799]

Well done! I recommend Andersen awning windows, cost a bit more but you will NEVER regret it. I also think you should consider sky lights.

[@brucewilliams6292]

Your wife is excellent, making sure you have what you need when you need it. That is a true partner. The block looks great.

[@RobCarstuff9112]

I could watch these every Saturday for a long time to come. Please do it yourself.

[@jackpatteeuw9244]

Grout bag looks like the way to go for non-professionals !

[@1986yamahafazer69]

Excellent job! I am a Journeyman Bricklayer, and I can’t weld worth a shit! You did great! 👍🏻

[@johnseymour5223]

Looks awesome!... go with the sliding doors as windows , and use gas shocks (like the ones to hold trunk lids open) to keep them open ..if you place the them (gas shocks) in the right location they will "cam over" and hold the windows tightly closed.

[@russellstarr9111]

Great progress, Steve. I'd still be working on the first course, old age and all.

[@CraigsWorkshop]

You're going amazingly well Steve. Bet you can't wait to get the building sealed up and ready to work in. Getting to the stage of being able to paint walls, install workbenches and so on will be a big relief. Good luck with the rest of it. Looking forward to seeing more progress. Cheers, Craig

[@SteveSummers]

Thanks Craig, your channel is looking good. Anyone who reads this needs to click on Crargs icon and check out his channel 👍. Quality content.

[@CraigsWorkshop]

@@SteveSummers Thanks Steve - very kind of you to point people at my channel. Good luck with the rest of that blockwork!

[@jonathanhanmer1760]

Really like dads statement. Life long advice.

[@sharkrivermachine]

Great progress, you are going to have one nice shop when it is completed.

[@peterwill3699]

HI Steve, yes I couldn't figure out your step form either,as to how it would not hydrolic through to the lower form.That grouted bag is really a good idea for people who don't lay block.It saves on waste of morter.Lets see a close up of yours hands after this job.Your doing grate.

[@DK-vx1zc]

looking great! You are a man of many talents..