Last Fall (2012) while driving thru the back roads of north Georgia, we came across a very cool “cracker shack”.   Michael decided to create his own version of a “Cracker Shack”.  A one of a kind, like no other.

The term “cracker” was a slang term used for the original cattle drivers in Florida and Georgia, as they used their bull whips which cracked when they snapped the whips at the herds as they drove them to market.  The shacks – well that is self explanatory.

So in March, 2013 Michael started gathering all the materials to create his cracker shack and make it as authentic and time period as possible.  The following picture gallery displays the project from start to finish.

The property was covered in palmetto bushes and other Florida vegetation.  Michael cleared the area for the Cracker Shack to be built and also created a path leading up to the house.

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Next the foundation was constructed.  Michael has a friend who owns an old saw mill.  The eight (8) main posts used to frame the shack were built from old bridge timbers originally 16″ x 16″ and cut down to 8″ x 8″.   Each post was 12 feet long and are buried 3 feet deep.  All of the wood is dimensional rough cut lumber.

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Then the search began for an aged tin for the roof with character in mind.

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The windows were a birthday present to Michael from me which we found at an Antique Store in Estero.  The windows were salvaged from an old farm house in the Georgia Mountains.  The single hung windows were modified to sliding and framed in to place.  The door was found in a buddy’s old barn in the rafters covered in rat droppings.

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The siding was hand cut and is the old traditional board and batten made from Florida yellow pine.  The boards are 1″ x 12″ each and the batten is 1″ x 4″.   Each piece was drilled and screwed, there are no nails in the Cracker Shack.

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The final touch was the railings on the porch – Georgia Mountain Laurel brought home from our last trip to our cabin in Morganton, GA.    JJ loves the final picture taken with the reflection of the shack in the lake – beautiful.

Creation Begins…

Michael came up with the idea to create a water wheel to oxygenate the lake and eventually create a power source.

Before the creation of the water wheel Michael spent a number of weeks creating the foundation to support the water wheel.  First he drained the lake by 5 or 6 feet.  Then he started the process of building a concrete footer, retaining wall with 2 very large concrete planters and a flume for the water run off.  Once the concrete blocks and flume were in place, then the exterior walls were faced with warm colored brick pavers to blend in with the environment.

Then the construction of the wheel began.  His water wheel started with a large steel spool used for telephone lines.  With the circular shape of the steel spool he cut, bent and welded 60 + pieces of steel to make the fins on the water wheel.  Once the fins were in place the sides of metal were welded adding all the bars of metal to balance the final wheel.

Next Michael moved the completed water wheel into place, setting it perfectly balanced onto the framework and bolting it to the concrete foundation.  The water pipes were reconstructed to flow the water coming from the well.

Everything is looking so nice – EXCEPT the pipes.  So starts the next project the Cracker Shack to hide the pipes.

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“JJ” bought this beauty a “1931 Ford Model A” for $100.0 and placed it in the front yard with full intentions of making a weather vane out of it.  Here it has sat, sort of withering away for the last 20 years.  The transmission is still good and parts of the body are still intact, however the tires are shot but that’s what gives it that allure.

For years “JJ” has talked about making the Model A move – not back and forth like you might think, but actually spin around when the winds pick up.  Remember this is an original Model A and while some of the parts have fallen off, the weight of the vehicle is 2,265 lbs.

Besides being an artist, welder, mechanic, retired fireman he is also a genius – just so you know.  His mind is like no other and he can think up some crazy stuff to make.

This project wasn’t on his A list of projects to complete until a special little love blossom wanted to plant roses in the back of it.

The first and second photo is the before flight pictures of the car sitting in the front yard.  Morphing of the car began by moving it to the welding area.  “JJ” welded old pieces of rusty steel to the sides, the rear  he created frames to hold the roses and side boards giving it the look of an old Model A Roadster with a rumble seat.  As “JJ” calls it, “sexing it up”.

Then came the hard part figuring out how to make the car spin with a touch of the breeze.  So “JJ” and his good friend Ron cut the axle  out of a 1965 two ton Chevrolet dump truck, one that had been sitting in the back yard.  A man needs to keep his stock of parts handy.

Next came the digging of a hole big enough to bury the axle minus one set of tires, cement poured to keep the axle in place and bingo – smooth movement.  The car is completed and mounted on to a custom built bracket set on the axle.

The remaining pictures show the car as a moving weather vane, with wings for flying and a garden in the back holding five containers of roses and wild flowers.

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