|
|
   
Location: Parts Unknown | After many starts and stalls, the shop project got rolling with an ad on Craigslist offering all the plants from my gardens to clear the grounds. Step two has been to remove about a foot of topsoil from the front 25 feet of the lot and run it through a 1/2" sifter. The front entry (the wife would like to park her car in the garage portion) will be to the right side and the driveway slab is being bedded with all the rock from the sifting operation. It has taken two weeks to do this by hand. With the slab in place, the garage in the rear of the photo will be moved forward and placed there for the winter. With the garage out of the way, the water and sewer lines can be dug in from where this shot was taken to about 40' beyond the back of where the garage sits. THEN the real work of foundations and walls can begin !
Snow will be the deciding factor on how far I get this season. If walls and a roof can be in before the snow flies, then work can proceed over the winter. If not, then I'll just wait it out until spring.
Hoping for no snow until January ! 
 (Shop 25 Oct 08.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
 Shop 25 Oct 08.jpg (204KB - 391 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | Brent,
That's a lot of sifting just to get some gravel!!
Hate to tell you, but we've already had snow here at about the 3800 foot level. In fact if I don't get into my mountain sites this week for fall maintenance, I may not get in till Spring.
I have not been able to tear away here. Not even had a hunt yet. I have a feeling business is going to just about die and I've got to get these projects done. A bird in the hand you know.
How are you going to mave that old garage? A house mover or are you a really strong guy??
Mike |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | "How are you going to mave that old garage? A house mover or are you a really strong guy??"
*******************************************
Jack it up, put rails under it and stick pipe between the two. Just roll it up the lot ! It might take a truck to pull it up the slight incline, but no big shakes.
Yes, the gravel deal is a lot of work. The bottom line is the cost of removing this dirt off site and then buying new fills - gravel, sand, topsoils later ! No one ever accused me of having more brains than brawn. 
Where are you doing work at 3800 ft. ?
We hit snow both coming and going to get the DeSoto clip from John down at Big M a couple weeks back. It is actually warmer now than it was then. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | This whole shop idea was borne out several years ago and has slowly refined itself along the way. One of the base ideas involved zoning restrictions and property line setbacks.
A trip to the City Planning Dept. got me a wad of information, including the news that zoning rules that I based the shop on have changed since I started planning and they no longer allow a number of things I wanted .... like plumbing, and the size of the building must be reduced by almost half ! ... and no second story, ... or no walls over 14' high to allow for a second story later .... I was thrilled.
Second order of business was determining actual property lines. Three different references show me with three different lot frontages. Driving stakes and pulling tapes, nothing added up. with one set of numbers I own about 4' of the neighbors house, with another it was 9' ! In keeping with the "3" theme, it took three trips downtown to finally get someone who could give me real numbers (that added up) to determine a corner pin. This all took a week and hardly a spade was turned on the dirtwork as it is getting dark so early.
The third and final person I spoke with seems a real professional - real go-to attitude - and I am hopeful some "discussion" can be had about all the rule changes and assignment of terms like "primary residence" and "accessory residence" so we can proceed with the plans without too much hoop jumping.
Back to the rock pile, ... |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | With a shift to rainy weather and daylight savings time, the chances to work on the project have been greatly reduced. I decided to put up a light pole out front so that work could continue after dark. I seem to have caught the attention of nosey neighbor, as the City sent two emmisaries from different departments to make sure "everything was OK". The electrical inspector wants a ground rod at the pole and the engineering guy wants cones around the sand pile in the parking strip. Jumping ahead, I bought a Mig welder and set up tonight to to some work on the project right now, but will ultimately serve to work on the cars once the shop is done. Hired a contractor to do the trenching. Should start that next week. Things keep creeping along.  |
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 7807
Location: Williams California | Concerned neighbors are a good thing, but nosy neighbors that call in to the city before speaking to you, are ungood.
Hope the project moves along as planned, with few delays. ---John |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | The nosey neighbor has had the Authorities out to visit or on the phone now five times. First it was electrical, then engineering, then engineering two more times, and then the power company. She's a busy little charmer and I am enjoying putting out all her fires.
The good part of this is I have a good rapport with the inspectors and they are seeing little Miss Busybody for what she is.
On the progress side of things, the first 60 feet of water, sewer, and gas lines went in. Because of the lot shape and size, I went about half way back and stopped, so I could shift all the "stuff" to the now-finished side and then proceed with the digging. All the topsoil is now placed in the dug out garden area and the rock is being loaded onto a dump trailer for use as rip-rap along a friend's river road. All this happened none too soon, as the snow began falling before I got it all done, and some of the finish work may have to wait until spring. I had hoped to flatten out all the dirt piles and sort the rock/bedding/topsoil before the ground froze. I may get a break in the weather, but the plan is to just button it up and be ready for action when spring comes. Next winter I will be welding DeSoto parts in the comfort of a heated shop. |
|
| |
|
Location: The Mile High City | Doc, it strikes me that the new building needs a proper name! FDR had the Hermitage, Regan had Camp Davis, Rhett and Scarlett had Terra, the Ewings had Southfork. Might I suggest "Hernando's Hideaway" you can put a little sign out that says "the Doctor is IN"? |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | How about South Park ? Fairplay ? Alma ? Hay Ranch ? Michigan Spur ? Jefferson ? Kenosha ?
I need to post some photos of recent progress. Hired a kid to finish out the dirt sifting and loading out of about 30 cu. yds. of rocks. The weather warmed up and he's really tearing into the dirt piles. It is supposed to be in single digit temps by the weekend, so he's going at it hard. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Couple pix of the work. We bottoned things up just minutes before the snow began to fall. It is now under 4 feet of white !
 (17 Nov 08.jpg)
 (12 Dec 08.jpg)
 (wagon big snow 2.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
17 Nov 08.jpg (197KB - 370 downloads)
12 Dec 08.jpg (158KB - 387 downloads)
wagon big snow 2.jpg (127KB - 348 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown |
Knock on wood, .... it appears our eight foot allotment of snow all came in December and we are on the smooth descent towards spring. Still have four feet of glacier-like snowbergs covering the front half of the property. Yesterday the sun came out and I spent the day shoveling snow onto the pavement and any place bare to melt it off quicker. Today it began to rain and I did it all over again. With any luck I can get this place unburied early and have concrete in before summer, leaving all summer to get the structure up. Fingers crossed ! |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | Doc, The snow can't last forever, and so much for "Global Warming" bulls**t.
Spring is coming, and with it the disappearance of snow. We've had enough of it this year, for sure. Time for rain and sun.
Mike |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2244
Location: Yorba Linda, Ca | How bout "Desoto Depot" 
Gary |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown |
Hey, .... I like that ! Just paint up a depot sign for the gable end where they typically went with the name "DeSoto" and mileage markers to the next major stops along the line, .... oh yeah, and the altitude. Great call, Gary ! |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | <p>Desoto Despot? </p><p>Doc's Forward Look Station? </p><p>Northwest Desoto Suites, we'll leave the light on for you? </p><p>Doc's Spokanium Horse Powered Farm? </p><p>Doc's Rock City? (I've dug in the ground over there, Doc, and I find more rock than a gravel pit usually). </p><p>The Desoto Barn? </p><p>Second Chance Saloon? </p><p>Doc's Dream Castle? </p><p>I give up for now. </p><p>Mike</p>
Edited by 61plymy 2009-02-24 12:07 PM
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2100
Location: Idaho - where men are men and spuds are spuds | Or The Doctor's ER. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | $#@! it !!! Got another half foot of snow today. 
Had it almost all melted off on Sunday. 
Supposed to be back up into the 50's by this weekend.
Will it ever end ? |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Well, the great mountains of snow melted away and I have been trying to do everything I can while the weather remains wet and snowy to ready the project for full steam ahead when it finally gets nice. Been finalizing drawings, clearing out junk, and doing more site prep. The excavator told me to locate the far ends of the existing water and sewer lines before we did the back half of the property. I finally got into the ground looking for the sewer that the city maps say is 2.8 feet down and 4 feet off the back corner of the house. A patio slab sits over that particular spot now, so I burrowed along the edge and hit a rock .... a BIG rock! Digging perpendicular to the direction of the sewer, I thought I'd encounter either the pipe or the edge of the rock. I found neither ! This rock is no less than eight feet across and appears to go on and on. This was a little disheartening.
I called my brother, who is a witcher and asked him to come work some hocus-pocus and find the lines. It snowed again last night, but by afternoon the 3 inches or so had melted off and his little copper rods dialed us right in. Don't ask me how that works, but I am happy to not need to dig another 8 foot trench that I don't have to !
The sheds and garage are almost empty and once the precip stops, both will be moved to teh front of the property to complete the groundwork and the foundation work can begin ! Last week the news officially declared this the snowiest winter since records began being kept in 1887. I am SO ready for summer ! |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | On June 16, the old garage was jacked up, loaded on a trailer, and sent away.
Next comes sewer and water lines. Once these are in, I cut the trenches for foundation footings and the building begins.
 (garage raising 16 June 09.jpg)
 (garage loading 16 June 09.jpg)
 (garage pulling out 16 June 09.jpg)
 (garage sidewalk 16 June 09.jpg)
 (garage going 16 June 09.jpg)
 (garage gone 16 june 09.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
garage raising 16 June 09.jpg (193KB - 315 downloads)
garage loading 16 June 09.jpg (199KB - 353 downloads)
garage pulling out 16 June 09.jpg (196KB - 328 downloads)
garage sidewalk 16 June 09.jpg (209KB - 371 downloads)
garage going 16 June 09.jpg (192KB - 342 downloads)
garage gone 16 june 09.jpg (194KB - 366 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | 29 June 09 - Got about 100 feet of sewer in. Those 10' trenches are a b*tch !
 (29 June 09 1.jpg)
 (29 June 09 2.jpg)
 (29 June 09 3.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
29 June 09 1.jpg (204KB - 341 downloads)
29 June 09 2.jpg (194KB - 298 downloads)
29 June 09 3.jpg (199KB - 355 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | That 09.jpg pic looks like a redneck camper going down the road. LMAO (or LAMO as Larry puts it).
Mike |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | It took half the summer to get the water and sewer in. Every complication from boring through 40 feet of solid basalt to running that same trench between two buildings only 30 inches apart. Pretty tough to fit a trackhoe through a mail slot. All hand cut and removed with wheelbarrows. It was ugly. Mr. Obvious refilled the trenches with sand to avoid this problem should the need arise in my lifetime.
This weekend my hired pit man and I cut 260 feet of trench for the foundation footings. Been about 15 years since I operated a trackhoe and getting the coordination back took some doing.
Photo 1 shows the sweet and easy back wall. Straight shot, all one level, no obstructions. The rest was not so easy. Even a smaller machine like this requires room to move. Not a lot of that on this "shoehorn" job.
Photo 2 shows the trick of bridging the trench to cut the last bit from both directions when you cannot simply run your end out.
I'll set batter boards next to locate the exact footprint of the building. Some fine tuning and hand cutting to make any last minute adjustments to the trenches and I'll start forming and setting steel for the footings.
Finally, we're BUILDING something !!!! 
 (23 Aug 09 cutting footers 1.jpg)
 (23 Aug 09 cutting footers 2.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
23 Aug 09 cutting footers 1.jpg (209KB - 351 downloads)
23 Aug 09 cutting footers 2.jpg (198KB - 353 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Falling back a month or so, ... the back part of the property sits on a shelf of solid rock. A major bummer of a discovery. The last 40 feet of digging for both the sewer and water involved cutting a trench through the rock. What should have taken a day took a month. Naturally, you don't want your water line in the same trench as your sewer, so TWO trenches had to be dug no less than ten feet apart ! $#@! Two trenches, 40 feet long, 24" wide, ... five feet deep. Rock from about two feet down. You can feel the pain.
To make matters even more fun, the water line went between the two buildings, so it could not be reached with a backhoe, etc. and had to be hand cut. All material had to then be hand carried out from between said buildings and wheeled away.
I filled all these trenches with clean sand. We won't be playing this game again.
If there is a bright side to any of this, I truly ache for the poor buggers that had to do this without jackhammers and power equipment in 1930. From here on out, the house should be debris free .... no rust, chunks, nasties in the water. Get a look at the condition of the pipe I removed from under the house. The big scale broke away with a little poke and created fountains wherever I crossed paths with it. For a week I had to backfeed the house with a garden hose from a yard hydrant !
 (14 July 09 courtyard sewer.jpg)
 (04 Aug 09 water trench 1.jpg)
 (04 Aug 09 water pipe old 1.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
14 July 09 courtyard sewer.jpg (220KB - 365 downloads)
04 Aug 09 water trench 1.jpg (191KB - 364 downloads)
04 Aug 09 water pipe old 1.jpg (214KB - 343 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2612
Location: Parts Unknown | I gotta say, I'm a little glad your runnin into problems - It's nice to see someone else suffer for a change (I thought I was the only one with bad luck!) It will all be worth it in the end - from my couch things seem to be goin fine And I recognize the sunflowers growin, but whats that big blue thing growin out of the ground !?!? |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | B/G 61 - 2009-08-30 2:54 PM
I gotta say, I'm a little glad your runnin into problems - It's nice to see someone else suffer for a change (I thought I was the only one with bad luck! ) It will all be worth it in the end - from my couch things seem to be goin fine And I recognize the sunflowers growin, but whats that big blue thing growin out of the ground !?!? :laugh:
***************************
Say, you got any room on that couch .. slide over !
.... I thought I was the only one with "The King of Pain" playing in my head.
Those blue things seem to pop up wherever I go. Different colors too ! My neighbors are THRILLED I am building this shop so all my "treasures" can go inside ! |
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 7807
Location: Williams California | Slow, but steady.
At least you are making forward progress, Brent. Hopefully things will go more smoothly from here on out.
---John
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Minor setback this week. Started dropping footing forms in the hole and discovered my east trench was too tight against the property setback, so I had my hired guy cut it back 6" or so. Looked good when I got home. Spent the evening resetting grade with the laser and should be back setting forms tomorrow. I pick up all the pre-bent rebar tomorrow and will have the straight stock delivered as the forms take shape - no sense in tripping over more stuff under foot.
I'm really feeling the pinch. Snow is coming. Gotta get out of the dirt ! |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 452
Location: Southern California | Looking good Doc! |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Gary,
I am building this place with extra space for you to park YOUR car here ! |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | All forms in place. Pulled steel over the weekend and got it all tied off. Called for an inspection this AM and got signed off. Now to align the concrete, pumper truck, and hired help to get this poured. Met with a couple wall setters today. After looking around, my rental cost for wall forms was about $1500 for a week (I set and tear down). I could build my own cheaper, but the time factor with winter coming is weighing on me. I suspect I can get it hired done, using their forms for close to that. Should know this week. Should have the footers poured by Friday.
After putting out fires with the City parking folks (called in by nosey neighbor) a few weeks ago, I got all my rigs tagged again today, This, after being told I had until snow removal was necessary.
So far, nosey neighbor has called City Engineering, Electrical, Parking, The Power Co., AND the air pollution control authority (in case I might make some dust !) for a total of at least 10 visits so far. Upon my attorney's advice, I am keeping a detailed log of the calls and complaints. It will make for an interesting side issue as things move along. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Steel pulled and tied.
Mud tomorrow at 1300 hrs.
 (15 Sept 09 east trench.jpg)
 (15 Sept 09 west trench.jpg)
 (15 Sept 09 west step down 1.jpg)
 (15 Sept 09 south trench.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
15 Sept 09 east trench.jpg (222KB - 313 downloads)
15 Sept 09 west trench.jpg (221KB - 334 downloads)
15 Sept 09 west step down 1.jpg (222KB - 331 downloads)
15 Sept 09 south trench.jpg (222KB - 325 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Looking over this thread, it is hard to believe how much work has gone into this project over the last year. In the time since my last post so much has changed. I formed and poured the front 2/3's of the foundation walls and today, after stripping them, began backfilling and grading for interior slab work. I still hope to have walls and a roof over at least the back half by the time the snows come. Finally starting to show some results. That dirt work will kill you.
 (09 Oct 17 stripping forms 3.jpg)
 (09 Oct 17 stripping forms 2.jpg)
 (09 Oct 17 stripping forms 1.jpg)
 (09 Oct 18 backfilling.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
09 Oct 17 stripping forms 3.jpg (190KB - 307 downloads)
09 Oct 17 stripping forms 2.jpg (186KB - 318 downloads)
09 Oct 17 stripping forms 1.jpg (178KB - 465 downloads)
09 Oct 18 backfilling.jpg (203KB - 347 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
Location: .Norfolk..Mafia.. ,England UK | Thanks for the Update PIC,s Doc... Finally i can see where this Project is Going.. Sure hope everything speeds along for you now, So you can get the Cars Housed before Winter..
You going to build a Couch out of that Rear End you Dug up... LOL |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown |
No couch. That hulk represents all the little compound curves I need to cut-n-paste together to finish my DeSoto. I had nowhere to put it with all those dirt piles, so what better way to advertise myself as white trailer trash stock that setting that POS way up there on top of one of the dirt piles for all the world to see and enjoy ?
By next summer it will enjoy a spot indoors next to the DeSoto, up on stands where I can extract the pieces to fabricate the DeSoto back to rock solid status.
|
|
| |
|
Account deactivated by owner's request
Location: On this barrel | Wouldn't it have been easier to move to a house that already had a shop built next to it? I would show off the rear end by putting it where the neighbor could clearly see it every time they looked out their window!  |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I really like the neighborhood, and the wife and I DID do some shopping around with a realtor friend for about two years before deciding just to build where we are.
Nosey neighbor will drown in her own feces. Trust me.
Just a matter of time .....
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1060
Location: Building incorrect cars since 2000!! | Hey Doc you should consider building your shop out of Structual Insulated Panels (SIPS) I have used them on lots of projects and the insulating factor is beyond any standard fiberglass. I have a 40'x40' x13' and I heated it for $300.00 last winter. I leave the thermostate set at 55 and turn it up a little when I am working . Just a thought. Propane was $1.95 a gallon then
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown |
Tell more about these SIPS.
The design I have in mind is to reproduce a very authentic 1880's railroad depot look, as I also have a thing for Victorian architecture. This will incorporate a lot of finely detailed woodwork and vintage hardware I have been saving for years. I suspect your product will not lend itself well to an old look (?).
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1060
Location: Building incorrect cars since 2000!! | The SIPS are used for the walls you can apply whatever siding treatment inside and out. I use the brand R-Control I believe the web site is www.rcontrol.com
You can use them for the roof as well depending on your design, |
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 8947
Location: WHEELING,WV.>>>HOME OF WWVA | aahhhhhhhhhhhhh, i see you used one of them yankee twisters to tie the steel . back in the mid 50's my dad brought home one of the wire twisters and pre looped wire . he said it was for people that couldn't tie the regular way , with a set of kleins . if you were super good , one could tie with a set of dikes(the tool kind) . poured foundations are a great way to go--------------------------------------------------later |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Your Dad had a Yankee twister in the 50's ??? !
Wow ! I never even heard of one until about 15 years ago, .... even after working in the concrete/steel (carpenter's union) for a number of years. I used an off-set spinner, and a lot of old dogs ribbed me for it. They could do it off a reel with pliers as fast as I could do it with my spinner ! I bet it took years of doing it to get that good. I still have my spinner, but decided to buy one of these Yankee jobs for this project.
Concrete has gotten stupid expensive. When I did my first job it came in at $45 a yard. I am paying $112 for the same mix today ! 
Still, a well done pour is really nice.
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Poured the final 8.25 yds. of mud tonight to finish the foundation walls. With the job market being somewhat in the tank for construction work, I have rifled through a few guys over the course of this project to land on a couple good hands that get with the program and are pretty fun to work with. We made short work of this pour, getting all the mud in the forms in 50 minutes and spending about an hour before and after getting ready and cleaning up. Tomorrow afternoon we'll begin stripping the forms and backfilling. It sure will be nice to have a flat area again after so long with nothing but deep trenches and mountains of dirt.
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 967
Location: Pittsburgh, PA | Doc, is that a '59 Seville rear clip sitting there? If you're going to use it as fill or something, I could really use the lower quarters for patch panels... Plz let me know if you want to get rid of it. =) |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown |
Hahahaha !
My neighbors probably think I'm gonna use it as a flower pot. One even came by just to see all the goings-on and upon getting close to it, asked quite innocently "Why do you keep this *thing* around?" I showed him photographs of my car. All was understood.
Honestly, that Fireflite clip is the squashed one that Big M got in Fresno a few years back. I went down to California last September and hauled it back to use for just what you are looking to do .... fab those little compound curves into repair panels for my own DeSoto.
I will not use it all, and will contact you when done. Maybe there will be bits still useful to you ?
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Getting caught up on my photo editing.
Following are a few pix of the final pour. I called for the last truck of the day and got a 1600 hr. delivery. We worked until after dark (which is pretty early this time of year). That was Wednesday. The next few days we stripped and stacked forms and I rounded up lumber, etc. for the walls. Today we stood the first walls. Did it in sections .... those 16 foot tall 2x6 walls are a bear to lift even in 16 foot long sections ! By the time the sun was getting low, the entire east wall was up and about 2/3's of the north wall too.
At this rate, dare I say I might be sticking rafters in a week ???
Very happy to finally be getting out of the dirt.
 (09 Oct 28 final pour 1.jpg)
 (09 Oct 28 final pour 2.jpg)
 (09 Oct 28 final pour 3.jpg)
 (09 Nov 01 standing walls 1.jpg)
 (09 Nov 01 standing walls 2.jpg)
 (09 Nov 01 standing walls 3.jpg)
 (09 Nov 01 standing walls 4.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
09 Oct 28 final pour 1.jpg (184KB - 333 downloads)
09 Oct 28 final pour 2.jpg (171KB - 471 downloads)
09 Oct 28 final pour 3.jpg (170KB - 469 downloads)
09 Nov 01 standing walls 1.jpg (215KB - 331 downloads)
09 Nov 01 standing walls 2.jpg (196KB - 369 downloads)
09 Nov 01 standing walls 3.jpg (181KB - 396 downloads)
09 Nov 01 standing walls 4.jpg (175KB - 418 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: The Mile High City | Whoa! She be big! All that without a building permit? Doc, you are the MAN! Go get em! |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2100
Location: Idaho - where men are men and spuds are spuds | This could'a been Doc last winter.
 (Spokanistan.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
Spokanistan.jpg (102KB - 326 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | "Whoa! She be big! All that without a building permit? Doc, you are the MAN! Go get em!"
******************************
No building permit ? What gave you that idea ? No such luck. I have pulled several permits, from electrical to framing to gas, not to mention the simple building permit (to the tune of some $1200!) Building dimensions are 75x30, with a second story over 40x30. You are looking at the "shop" part. This will have 16' walls with stick framed roof, making for open space for hanging all my sheetmetal from the rafters and still be able to operate the lift without obstruction. The front area will be more of a garage, with 9' ceilings on both floors. Makes for a very tall building.
|
|
| |
|
Location: The Mile High City | Don't tell 'em anything they don't need to know Doc. There was actually a guy in our neighborhood that tried to gut his whole house and remodel the interior with no permits. He was digging a ditch around the foundation of the house to cure a water problem and he bumped into the house with the ditch digger and the front of the house nearly fell off! The place is now covered with stop work orders and has been sitting like that for a couple of years. He chained the front of the house on so it wouldn't fall off.
He is now teaching a class on how to devalue your property in any type of market. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | Hell, he could have devalued it without doing all that work himself. The US gov't is doing a fine job of it and you don't have to lift a finger!! And now the world is out of gold, so staunching the flow is gonna be that much tougher.
Doc, I sympathize on lifting those walls. A guy could use a crane sometimes. I have toyed with the idea of using a light duty tower section for making a lifting crane for that job.
Looks like yer moving along well though.
Mike |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Yesterday we got about 3" of snow. It was wet and came down all day. Work was miserable. Did some sheeting of the walls and framed in the hole for the evacuation fans for the paint booth. Had a funeral today, so nothing got done except a lot of the snow melted off. Will get some pix when the sun comes up.
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Progress is rapid, although limited to the time I can spend pounding nails. I go to work in the dark and it is usually dark when I get home. Most work is now done with big construction lights.
These pix were taken a couple days ago as I began to sheet the walls. I was held up by engineering of the garage door headers and delivery of same, so I turned my attention to sheeting the walls. We have been getting some pretty windy days and the sheeting greatly strengthens the walls for sheer factor and eliminates the need for all that angle and side bracing you can see in the photos. I can legally work (making "construction noise") until 2100 hrs., so I can get in about 4-6 hours of work AFTER my real job. Today I picked up 10 more sheets of 1/2" CDX and a 12' Glu-Lam for the south wall garage door after work. After unloading these, I forked through a dirt pile in front of the south wall and pitched all the rock much larger than a hen's egg in the truck and moved the dirt to level the ground outside the east wall of the foundation, added several other accumulated rockpiles on site and hauled them off.
This is the sort of "backstepping" I have to do to keep moving forward .... doesn't look like much is getting done, but since it is just me doing the work, I have to do all this side job stuff too ! Then I get a good night and a lot of wood gets put in place and it really looks like progress is being made. Since these pix were taken, all walls are sheeted to 8' with the exception of the door headers that will go in over the next few days, weather permitting.
 (09 Nov 17 walls 3.jpg)
 (09 Nov 17 walls 4.jpg)
 (09 Nov 17 walls 5.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
09 Nov 17 walls 3.jpg (171KB - 398 downloads)
09 Nov 17 walls 4.jpg (189KB - 302 downloads)
09 Nov 17 walls 5.jpg (194KB - 330 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | Doc, you're not 'sposed to pound nails anymore. You go to Home Depot and buy a quality nailer!! NOW!!
You are too old to be slingin' a hammer when compressed air (something all old car guys need) can drive a nail in one trigger pull.
Get into the modern world and hammer with air. It's WAY FASTER!!!!!
Mike
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | You don't really think I'm hand-bangin' this job, do you ?
Home Depot ? Not for air tools. Better price, service, and quality at any number of specialty shops. Inland Fasteners is a good one in Spokane.
Now, if someone would just come up with an air shovel.
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1060
Location: Building incorrect cars since 2000!! | They have one its called a Skidsteer |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 194
Location: Utah | Looking good. I admire that you can do all of this work yourself.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 4533
Location: Ripon, WI | I would have put free rock on craigslist and watched it disappear... You would have never had to lift a shovel.. just smile and wave.... |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | That's a good idea, Mike.
I have used the "C-list" for a number of things with good results. My brother wanted the rock to line the bottom of "Dogcatraz" .... his new "supermax" dog kennel for his errant hound that defied even his previous gnarly pen before he poured concrete. No joke, ... this thing looks on par with anything we have out at the prison, with tipped-in barbed wire and all !!!!
To explain, he has Catahoulas ..... one in particular. These are an amazing breed and one of the attributes (like climbing trees) is also a detriment in that the big young one can also make short work of even a six foot Cyclone fence and can dig tunnels to China while "Mom and Pop" are at work, leaving el Doggoroonie to wander far and wide in search of whatever that hound nose might pick up the scent on. This has led said hounds to the highway, some distance away, to bad results.
Otherwise, yer dam straight, let someone else move that $#@! rock !!!!
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Raised the second garage door header into place last night. The forecast called for snow, so I wanted to get them in before the pockets were iced up. The smaller opening has a 12' header that weighed in at 450 lbs. The second one is 20' and weighed in at 800 ! Getting those up in the air like that by myself was a real workout !
The snow they called for was here by sun-up ... all wet and nasty. Looks like it won't last though. Thought I'd get a quick pic on before getting out there to build in the over-frame.
 (09 Nov 22 garage door headers in.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
09 Nov 22 garage door headers in.jpg (172KB - 404 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Things are buttoning up nicely, as the weather has remained unseasonably warm and dry. South wall (shown) and east and west walls are sheeted as far as can be done before the roof is rolled. I will next build temporary doors to enclose the structure and then build a long-term temporary lean-to type roof inside the "cube" to hedge my bets that the snow is going to get me yet. This way I can have my junk out of expensive storage units and still keep on working at my pleasure to get the high roof on as weather permits.
 (09 Nov 29 sheeting walls 2.jpg)
 (09 Nov 29 sheeting walls 1.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
09 Nov 29 sheeting walls 2.jpg (162KB - 295 downloads)
09 Nov 29 sheeting walls 1.jpg (154KB - 343 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
Location: .Norfolk..Mafia.. ,England UK | Looking GREAT Doc...
Are you putting the Desoto Conv in there for the Winter ,, If so are you having the Floor Poured first... Congrats on finally see;ing all the hard work put in Rising from the Ground... |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | No floor this year. I am scratching my head hard to think of ways to minimize the air moisture in the area I will keep it. I suppose it doesn't really matter. The next step is to fab in the last of the bodywork and then yank the body off the frame and have it blasted again in preparation for paint. Right now, it is time to just get everything tidily in one spot and hunker down for the winter. I will be building doors for the place tonight. Gotta keep the neighborhood critters out of there on top of rain and snow concerns.
|
|
| |
|
Location: The Mile High City | Once you have a floor in that baby, you will have to have a shop warming party! We can all come by and give the place that "lived-in" look ... you know, beer bottles everywhere and girlie calendars! Doc, does the shop have a flat roof? |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Roof will be stick-framed gable end type. Prolly 8 / 12 pitch ..... haven't decided yet. Maybe flatten it out to 6 / 12 for maintenance ease ? The front half may go 12 / 12, so what's the point ? My temporary interior roofed area comes next, just to get dried-in for winter. I'll make the roof decisions over the next couple weeks. Gonna study some books on Victorian railroad depots to see what I like best.
Beer bottles and girlie calenders ? Bring 'em on !
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Over the last week I boarded over holes and built doors so that the interior is now critterproof. I strung some lighting, as this cube creates a pretty dark shadow ! ... as always, using old time hardware materials. I framed in the transom windows over the "escape" door and fished a pair of them out of storage and got them temporarily placed. Using old materials can be a real pain in the axx .... for reasons never to be understood today, these windows are 19 and 1/4 inches tall ! Makes for some very non-standard calculations and I have to be very aware of all elements to make sure they fit and everything else works. I sheeted a third course across the north wall, bringing all walls to at least 12' of shear. One more course to go. Start framing the temporary interior roof today. Sun is shining. It was 13 degrees when I got up this morning.
 (09 Dec 03 transoms set.jpg)
 (09 Dec 03 east interior.jpg)
 (09 Dec 03 north interior.jpg)
 (09 Dec 03 west exterior.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
09 Dec 03 transoms set.jpg (192KB - 288 downloads)
09 Dec 03 east interior.jpg (161KB - 291 downloads)
09 Dec 03 north interior.jpg (175KB - 413 downloads)
09 Dec 03 west exterior.jpg (178KB - 370 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Got my last course of sheeting on the north wall Saturday afternoon. It was cold as a witch's t-t, but nothing like what came by evening when the winds picked up to hurricane speed and the wind chill made even being outside sting the skin like being pelted with sand. Sunday was no better, but tonight it was still, although the temps are now below zero, so I got out there and set my ledgers and beam pockets for the temporary interior roof. I will have to get about half of it built and move the DeSoto in before walling in the other end.
|
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 8947
Location: WHEELING,WV.>>>HOME OF WWVA | MAN , that's a lot of building to be stick framing the rafters and joists . not even in my younger days ! you know God gave us trusses ?------------------------------------------------------------------later |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | 60 dart - 2009-12-08 1:14 PM MAN , that's a lot of building to be stick framing the rafters and joists . not even in my younger days ! you know God gave us trusses ?------------------------------------------------------------------later I agree with you, Chuck. Trusses dropped on top for you are the way to go definitely. a little crossbracing and some plywood and you are ready to roll felt. Looks great Doc. Bet it will be too small inside of 1 year. Mine is. Mike |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | The open rafters will be for hanging all the sheetmetal from that is now costing me $325 a month to store !
Trusses are nice, but add up to massive amounts of wasted space. It is really tough to squeeze a hood or floorpan into the chords of a truss. All my sheetmetal has cable loops I carefully made for them attached so that they can all neatly hang from a ceiling. It was quite a sight to see them all hanging in neat rows at my old place.
Without a "ranch" to keep it all on, no space is ever big enough for the clown that sees "everything" as something to be saved !
I will have to exercise great restraint to stay focused and not drag home any more "projects" !  |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | Doc, I'm pretty sure you can have your cake and eat it too on the truss/storage issue. You just need to talk with your supplier and let him know what you want. They can design for a lot of things.
Mike |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Given the zero-degree temps bringing progress to a pace of cold molasses and trying to sock things in for the winter, I am considering a change of carrying the ridge beam down at about 12' and building a wall on top of it to carry the ridge. This would allow me to rim and hang a second floor on one half of the shop area and tie the front of the building to the existing house without any real modification. The second floor can be added at any time and there would still be plenty of clearance on the other half for the lift.
In the meantime, I got about 1/3 of the temp roof framed last night. I need to fall back and do some line bracing before I sheet it, or I may "lock" the exterior walls into the wrong place - bowed, out of plumb - when I nail off the sheets. Tonight I had to go back to the station house to retrieve my celfone, so not much got done. Off-loaded some 1910 vintage windows from the truck and did a little wiring. |
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 8947
Location: WHEELING,WV.>>>HOME OF WWVA | i once gave a guy an eight x thirty room or attic with 8 ft. ceilings through the middle of his rafters in a new house , 12 on 12 or 45* rafters , by the stick , but materials about ate him up . a roof system can fail in a heart beat . you want to be careful what you build !----------------------------------------------------------later |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I hear you about building things right. No one likes a disaster !
Right now, lumber is the lowest cost it has been in many years. I am real pleased with how much I can drag home for the money. What kicked my ever-lovin' ass was the $#! concrete ! $112 a yard !!!!! The pump truck was $759 for a two hour stint on the footings ! Those guys stepped all over the forms and knocked them out of level / alignment. I did the walls in two pours to get around what would have been at least double that charge.
The "Great Rock Hunt" doing the sewer and water were my other GROSSLY underestimated / anticipated problems / expenses. I had enough money at the start to take the entire building to a weathered-in shell. As it is, only half the building is up and I still lack a roof. Half my budget was poured down the drain on that fiasco, not to mention what should have taken a week took almost two months !
Ah well, ..... it is a cash deal. I work a few side jobs and we keep on going. When it is done, it is paid for and done how I want it. Afterall, I plan on dying here. |
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 7807
Location: Williams California | That concrete cost has gotten expensive, it's over $100/yard here as well. I just got done pouring the last slab in the barn a couple weeks ago.
---John |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | My last concrete job was running $75 bux a cube. Before that, $54 rings a bell. The City also requires 8" thick stem walls, so you can do the math at 33/44/46 high walls x 262 feet .... it cost a $#@! fortune !
What sunk me was the time delays. The heavy rock encountered took the schedule and tossed it in the trash can. Of course, the added time ran costs up exponentially. The lot being the shape it is, did not allow mixer truck access to the back, so the line pump seemed a good solution. I could have hired 200 Nubian slaves to carry the mud to the back in reed baskets for less that the line pumper charged me, and NOT have had all the forms trashed in the process ! The property did not change shape between the footing pour and the wall pours, so the same problem was faced there too. Not willing to hand over another wad of dough to those boneheads again, I poured the front half of the walls and backfilled, so that the mixer truck could then drive IN to the building area and reach the back. Of course, this doubled the amount of time of doing it all in one pour, but what are you going to do ? The Nubian Slave Local 351 had hired out all their workers !
Ah well, ..... I framed in the last of the temporary roof last night and will line brace the exterior walls before sheeting today. It should have rolled roofing on it before tonight. The DeSoto comes home in the next few days Not exactly how I envisioned it happening when this all started, but we adapt and overcome ! ooh-rah ! |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Got some pix of the temporary roof skeleton, and another taken with the sheeting rolled by the light of the construction lanterns. No roofing rolled today, so that will be tomorrow. Once the DeSoto is placed inside, I will wall it in for the winter.
 (09 Dec 12 temp roof 1.jpg)
 (09 Dec 12 temp roof 3.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
09 Dec 12 temp roof 1.jpg (172KB - 354 downloads)
09 Dec 12 temp roof 3.jpg (167KB - 443 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Not really "shop" related, other than this has always been the target .... getting the DeSoto home (and finishing it). Well, there is still so much to be done, but today I brought the DeSoto home. It was 16 above freezing when I stepped out the door to go. Got a few shots to document the moment. With tow truck to pull and safety car following, we pulled it about a mile and a half home and stuffed it into its winter "bunker". It still rolled like a dream and the P-brake worked like a charm to check speed along the way. A traffic cop passed us at one point, but just gave that "WTF?" look like everyone else and kept on going.
 (09 12 27 1of7.jpg)
 (09 12 27 2of7.jpg)
 (09 12 27 3of7.jpg)
 (09 12 27 4of7.jpg)
 (09 12 27 5of7.jpg)
 (09 12 27 6of7.jpg)
 (09 12 27 7of7.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
09 12 27 1of7.jpg (182KB - 304 downloads)
09 12 27 2of7.jpg (151KB - 285 downloads)
09 12 27 3of7.jpg (147KB - 268 downloads)
09 12 27 4of7.jpg (179KB - 356 downloads)
09 12 27 5of7.jpg (226KB - 299 downloads)
09 12 27 6of7.jpg (196KB - 268 downloads)
09 12 27 7of7.jpg (150KB - 310 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | After a few months off for a mild winter ..... more wet and wind than snow and shovels this year .... I began
doing some manual dirt work to raise the eastside grade about ten inches by digging out an area about 10' x
14' down about 3' feet and running it through a screen to remove all but the smallest pebbles. The raised area
prevents runoff from the property to the east and will ultimately have a concrete curb and walkway along that
side of the building. I will put a large conduit under this walkway to run utilities in when I get to that stage. The
area I dug out was between the building and the street where a lot of rocky soil that was supposed to be inside
the shop and under a slab ended up in front of the building when the City made me move the building back ten
feet.
Having been laid off in January, spending big money on the project is not happening, and work like this will get
some things done while I wait to be called back. I am hauling in some nice dirt on days when the truck is empty
to fill the big hole to make a nice garden area in front of the shop. The shed that has moved from one side of the
lot to the other (and back about 3 times) finally got loaded on a trailer and taken to a friend's place last Saturday.
This really helped clean up the look out front. Hauled a load of rock from the screening process today and have
about three more loads to go till it is all off site.
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Dropped a bennie and bought 80' of four inch PVC sewer pipe to use as conduit. Laying out a
crowned ditch along the eastside of the building to drain water toward the open ends, I got all
eighty feet in the ground, sanded in, and regraded over the weekend. This will house any front-
to-back passage of underground utilities like sprinklers when the time comes for that. Next step
is a curb right along the east property line and then pour the walkway between the curb and the
building. I took photos of the *exciting* ditch work, but zapped them into etherspace when I tried
to edit them for posting !
Will I ever get to actually work on my car ? ...... some day !
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Had 13 yds. of good garden soil delivered and filled the giant hole out front where I mined out the fill for the east
side grade raising and planted it in with all the sunflowers that are coming up. Gotta keep this mess of a worksite
somewhat "prettied up" for the DLI and neighbors.
Ordered the 37' ridge beam to begin work again on the roof. $1700 for that puppy ! 8.75" x 30.0", this thing will
weigh in at a staggering amount and require a crane to install. One supplier wanted that amount BEFORE tax and
no boom truck to set it. It pays to call around .... same beam, about $65 cheaper WITH tax, AND they have a boom
truck !
In the meantime, bought another fiver of stain to neutralize the appearance of the building from the street. The
underlying color will act as a backer for the natural cedar siding where it might crack when I get to that. For now,
it takes a raw plywood "box" and makes it a whole lot less visually "loud". It took 2 hours to color the front. Nice
to be moving forward again.
Edited by Doctor DeSoto 2010-04-24 6:03 PM
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2612
Location: Parts Unknown | Doc - You COULD get your car running, complete AND NOT restored - get the sheet metal work done
and drive it like it is !!!! THINK of the looks you would get ! You would have THE ONLY vert that WASN'T
restored (and on the road)- so few of these are around, NONE are driving and NOT completely "done" . . .
Like the progress on the "shop" - Keep up the good work
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | While I plan to take the body back off the frame once the sheetmetal work is done in order to
do the frame and chassis, I am angling to restore it to a level like that of a well kept used car.
Enough of it is pieced together from better condition parts (like a front seat from a red and white
car that needs upholstery) that I really need to get it all whipped into one matching "set". I have
a real grievance with the guys that drove these as "beaters" back in the day that I don't want to
drive a mismatched pile of parts. Still, I hear you about most of these being over-restored museum
pieces. I plan to drive mine, so even if I really did it to ridiculous standards, it will be a little ratty
around the edges soon enough.
With the roof on and a concrete floor down, the only thing I will lack will be a lift to begin working on
the car again in the winters. I will continue work on the building in the summers. All part of "The Plan".
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | A milestone day. The roof ridge beam was delivered. After cutting both ends to square and getting the length right, it was up
and over the 16" walls and dropped intp the waiting pockets. The boomer was super accomodating and got lunch paid for on
account of his great help and attitude. He told me the beam weighed somewhere between 4-5 thousand pounds ... far more
than what the salesdude said. Anyway, it had to be boomed off the trailer as deep as he could reach from the street. I then
got the cuts made while he dropped his trailer and got the truck deep into the narrow driveway, where he picked it up again
to be set. The walls had to be flexed to get it past the top plate and then sucked back in with a winch. All-in-all, a super clean
install. I still can't get over how huge this thing is !!!
Next, I'll start joisting for the 2nd floor and then build the wall that will support the roof ridge. From there, joist the roof,
sheet, and Voila ! .... a roof !
Edited by Doctor DeSoto 2010-05-15 1:50 AM
 (10 May 14 setting glulam.jpg)
 (10 May 14 jeff turner glulam.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
10 May 14 setting glulam.jpg (190KB - 266 downloads)
10 May 14 jeff turner glulam.jpg (166KB - 311 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 7807
Location: Williams California | darn...
That's one heavy duty glue-lam beam. Guess you need it being in the snow country.
---John |
|
| |
|
Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 13049
Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | The walls will implode before that beam gives up. That's some serious piece of wood. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | wizard - 2010-05-16 9:04 AM
That's some serious piece of wood.
*************************************
Yeah, .... all the girls say that.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | Where's a pic of the beam in place in the pockets?
You are doggin' it doc.
That is one hell of a main beam. Even if we'd had a beam raising party, there ain't enough beer in Spokane to fuel lifting that sucker into place.
When I did my shop, because it also is 16' at the sides, I broke down and rented scissor-type manlift. It made it easy to lay in all the ceiling insulation and the wall insulation without a lot of ladder work, and on one wall between the shop and my business office, it had to be 5/8 sheet rock floor to ceiling. So the manlift made that job pretty easy too. Ever tried to pick up a 8-foot x 5/8 sheet of sheet rock?? Now try a 12-foot sheet. Manlift be the king. I also got all my T-8 lighting fixtures hung and the wiring strung w/ the manlift. Worth every single penny of rent.
Mike |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | A couple weeks ago I replaced the rear frame horns on my truck after getting them bent when a dipweed rear-ended me.
I then got the bumper al pounded back into form. The objective being that I could once again tow my trailer. Hauling 16'
material in a 7' bed bent the bed last year. I got it all straightened out and thought with the straight frame, I could haul with
it again, as I had yet to license the trailer and repair a broken tail light lens. On the first trip today, I discovered that the little
truck is good for 10 ten-foot 2x6 and 6 sixteen-foot 2x12. This was going to make for a lot of trips, so I rushed back home to
get my trailer registration and got over to the agency with 10 minutes to spare. A little clear packing tape to fix the lens, and
I was in business ! Got the entire load on the trailer with no effort at all and got it unloaded and covered. I'll do some
layout tonight and start rolling joists in the morning.
|
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 452
Location: Southern California | Doc, although I haven't spoken to anyone else about this, the First Meeting of the 58 Desoto Ragtop Club MUST be at your place. Tell us when your ready.
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown |
I don't think I could take that many 58 DeSoto convertibles at my place ! My brain would burst !
OK, I got all my layout done for rolling the second floor tonight. My hired help and I will likely get that done tomorrow.
It will take 16 sheets of decking to finish @ 26 clams per, or about $450 with tax. I am whooped for dough with the beam
and joists, so it may take a few weeks ? The roof is next, with a ridge wall standing on top of the beam being first. The
roof will take a while, probably involving about $2500 in materials. Then comes the concrete floor. With that, I can put
in my wood stove and work over the winter on the car. A lift would be nice, but I can work off jack stands like the old days
for now. That means I *could* be ready by this fall ?
I'd really like my car to be back together for this "convention", but maybe that can be at the SECOND meeting ?
|
|
| |
|
Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
Location: .Norfolk..Mafia.. ,England UK | Take your Camera outside to the Shop with you DOC.. I really Enjoy Progress on your Shop.. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Rolling 2x12 joists for the 2nd floor above the work area. This will ultimately serve as a hallway and storage between the front part of the building (not yet built) and the old house behind to make it all one building (per City requirements). The joisting will only be on one half of the building, leaving the other half open for the car lift/s.
 (10 May 16 rolling joists 1.jpg)
 (10 May 16 rolling joists 2.jpg)
 (10 May 16 rolling joists 3.jpg)
 (10 May 16 rolling joists 4.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
10 May 16 rolling joists 1.jpg (192KB - 275 downloads)
10 May 16 rolling joists 2.jpg (159KB - 260 downloads)
10 May 16 rolling joists 3.jpg (175KB - 388 downloads)
10 May 16 rolling joists 4.jpg (195KB - 292 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 13049
Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | Aaah Doc - now I got it - you're building an air raid shelter!! |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Continued placing hangers on the joist ends and sistering "post" studs underneath those that were balloon framed. Got all done but
came up 2 studs short. Will pick those up tomorrow on my way home from work. Because the glu-lam is pre-stressed (arched),
I am holding off on fully nailing off the hangers to the joists to allow the down flex from the roof weight, and will come back after that
done to nail them off completely.
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Picked up a load of T&G plywood last night and began setting the second floor deck. Should have that done
today and begin building the ridge wall on top of the beam. From there, special length rafters will be ordered
and the roof is beginning to take form ! Photos to follow.
|
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 7807
Location: Williams California | Looking good, Brent!
Glad to see you're back on the construction.
---John |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Thanks, John. Mebbe someday I'll have a big barn like yours ?
So here's pix:
First one is in the morning and shows the two sheets I got down the night before. The beam is still clearly visible
but will soon disappear into the floor. The temporary shed roof to keep the snow off the DeSoto over the winter is
quickly beginning to look like a concrete slab below. I will get the entire new roof assembly in and dried-in before
breaking the temp roof down this winter.
Second photo: The sun is going down in the west and casting long shadows. It is still above 90 degrees and I have
spotted the ridge wall framing material on the new deck for tomorrow. The ridge wall will be 12.5 feet tall to support
a 6/12 pitch roof.
 (shop deck 1.JPG)
 (shop deck 2.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
shop deck 1.JPG (201KB - 285 downloads)
shop deck 2.JPG (129KB - 263 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I began layout and stick framing of the ridge wall last night and this morning took the first photo of
it as it was dark when I knocked off. This shot is taken from the same corner of the lot that many of
the earlier shots are taken from. I amaze myself at how much this place has changed !
2nd shot was in failing light as the stick framing of the ridge wall continues toward the north end of
the building. The top plate lies cut and laid out across the saw and was installed before it was too dark
to see my marks.
 (10 July 26 ridge wall 1.jpg)
 (10 July 26 ridge wall 2.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
10 July 26 ridge wall 1.jpg (161KB - 262 downloads)
10 July 26 ridge wall 2.jpg (150KB - 245 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | Holy crapolla, Doc!
I guess you need a 6/12 over there. 4/12 is all we need here and that would be plenty high.....
I think you are trying to gain as much altitude as you can to stake out view rights in your neighborhood. A shop indeed.........
Looking good, but a hell of a job for a guy by himself.
Mike |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | The rear "shop" portion of the building will be 6/12. The front will be 12/12 to keep with the
1880's depot look. This won't just be a restoration shop, but a "museum" for all my other old
junk interests as well.
At 30 x 70 with a 2nd floor over 3/4 of it, it will be fair sized for a schmuck like me.
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Finished the ridge wall tonight and top plated it. Was going to plumb brace it for sheeting, but
opted instead to put up another old streetlight on the corner of the building and get it off the hood
of the DeSoto. Got one photo before the camera told me I was out of battery. It is on the charger
now. I'll post a pic when it is charged.
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Ridge wall completed and ready for bracing.
 (10 July 27 ridge wall done.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 July 27 ridge wall done.JPG (165KB - 269 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | With the 2nd floor decked, it is pretty darned dark down at ground level ! The 1899 vintage transom windows
I salvaged from the Consolidated Creamery were framed in and stuck in the holes last year, but left sheeted over.
Decided it was time to open up the exterior and let what little light those dirty panes would allow in.
Spent the rest of the evening staging materials up onto the new deck to line and brace the ridge wall, scaffold the
ridge for setting rafters, and maybe get the ridge wall sheeted (?) before rolling the rafters.
 (10 July 29 transom exterior.JPG)
 (10 July 29 transom interior.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 July 29 transom exterior.JPG (127KB - 249 downloads)
10 July 29 transom interior.JPG (59KB - 249 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | Man, Doc; time for some lighting. Beginning to look dungeonesque there. Not sure I'd want to meet an old DeSoto in the dark there. Scary!!
Mike |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Gotta final on my framing inspection before I start electrical. I do have power in there, tied into the old garage feed.
But inspectors have a way of finding all sorts of things for a guy to do and right now I just want a weathered-in box with
a roof over my head !!!!! Gotta stay focused !
|
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 452
Location: Southern California | Looking real nice! I think a nice neon sign hanging over the opening would be real sweet. Nothing big, just a nice glow. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | How about a neon clock from a DeSoto dealership that reads "Sound horn for service" ?
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Pulling both a DAY and SWING shift, I wrapped up today's progress with just 5 minutes to spare (cannot be
banging nails after 2200, per city noise ordinance) with the completion of the scaffold walk I'll need to set the
rafters at the ridge. Taking the time to do this right really saves a bundle of headaches over the next few steps
of the job.
Earlier in the day I had to fall back and do some wiring repair on my trailer before using it to go pick up a load
of rafters and plywood, and of course, stack it all nearby for use as I need it.
Tomorrow I will line and brace the ridge wall, sheet the east side of it (leave the west side open for interior wiring
later), and set the actual ridge before mocking up a template rafter to cut all the others by. If luck is with me, I
might actually roll some rafters tomorrow !
 (10 July 30 scaffold.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 July 30 scaffold.JPG (148KB - 253 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | I see the vertical bracing, Doc, but I see darn little in the way of lateral bracing. Don't use any lateral force while laying your rafters, else you may go skiing.
Lotta work, Doc. Good on you for keeping up the pace.
Mike |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | I see the vertical bracing, Doc, but I see darn little in the way of lateral bracing. Don't use any lateral force while laying your rafters, else you may go skiing.
Lotta work, Doc. Good on you for keeping up the pace.
Mike |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Got lateral braces going both ways in the center. All the planks are pinned. I don't want to go crashing
to the floor, but then again, I don't want to be ducking around excessive bracing either.
The monster ridge beam was overrated for even a snow load of 8', but being "Mr. Overthetop", I am
sheeting both sides of the 12' ridge wall with 1/2" CDX. The engineer said that this would double my load
bearing potential if nailed on a 6/8 schedule.
Only got one pic today, before I sheeted the east side of the wall. It shows the wall lined and braced.
By day's end I had the sheeting almost done. I will do the west side after I have pulled electrical through
that wall. This way I preserve as much pre-stress deflection as possible BEFORE the roof framing and
roofing weight is added.
 (10 July 31 ridge lined and braced.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 July 31 ridge lined and braced.JPG (212KB - 271 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
Location: .Norfolk..Mafia.. ,England UK | Progress Looking Good DOC... Cant wait to see " The Shop " finished so we can see the Restore on The Desoto ..
Keep the Updates and PICs coming... |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | Just don't want you falling on your ass that high up doc. Still, lot of "extra" work and material.
Mike |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Long day with a lot of prep and little physical change to show for it. But I bridged a major
milestone in setting the first rafter !
The day started out with finishing up the plywood "shear" sheeting that makes the wall into
a super stiff support for the structure, both in roof load and lateral strength.
The second photo shows the actual "ridge" being placed on top of the wall. Rafter layout and
assembly is all done down on the floor and taken up in 12' sections.
Third photo shows the east side of the wall with the sheeting. One panel was made removable
for access to this side. Otherwise it would require going OVER 16' walls to get in there ! I am
standing on the temporary roof that will be removed once the high roof is finished. This area is
where I will place the lifts and hence the high ceiling.
The last shot shows the first rafter in place. These are 20' long and are a bugger to handle. As
it is, I cannot fish them up through the hole in the floor because of the length, and so they have to
come up OVER the wall ! And handling them from the deck up onto the scaffolding is no
better. They will readily slide at the 6/12 pitch and are eager to get away from me !
The first rafter requires much fuss and fitment to make into a pattern from which I cut the rest.
So this is actually the 2nd one cut, but the first one to be placed.The original pattern sits off to the
side and will be the last to be installed.
I may not be fast, but I sure am slow !
 (10 Aug 01 sheeted ridge.JPG)
 (10 Aug 01 actual ridge.JPG)
 (10 Aug 01 plywood.JPG)
 (10 Aug 01 first rafter.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 Aug 01 sheeted ridge.JPG (184KB - 254 downloads)
10 Aug 01 actual ridge.JPG (172KB - 326 downloads)
10 Aug 01 plywood.JPG (122KB - 333 downloads)
10 Aug 01 first rafter.JPG (123KB - 281 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Account deactivated by owner's request
Location: On this barrel | dude - this thang is going to be 87000 feet tall?
Edited by 56royaldodge 2010-08-02 4:28 PM
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | It will home to the Spokane Squawk professional corndog-eating team, monster truck shows,
and an upcoming Beatles reunion tour.
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Called Widdo Bwudder to have him help shove the rafters up at me on the second floor. Once stacked,
I lined and braced the outer wall, pulled layout, and cut a few bird's mouths. Will get a bunch cut before
placing them all at once.
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Been a little crazy around here and I have some catching up to do !
First photo shows the first 5-6 rafters in place. The shape of the building is looking less like a cube.
Second shot shows a close up of the rafter tail / bird's mouth as it rests on the top plate. The string line
as there to make sure my bracing holds the walls nice and straight so the rafters nail off in the right place.
The bracing will stay in place until the roof is sheeted, at which point the plywood will hold things where they
belong.
Third shot is the same as the first, but looking out.
 (10 Aug 03 rafters 1.JPG)
 (10 Aug 04 rafters 2.JPG)
 (10 Aug 04 rafters 3.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 Aug 03 rafters 1.JPG (102KB - 278 downloads)
10 Aug 04 rafters 2.JPG (128KB - 262 downloads)
10 Aug 04 rafters 3.JPG (146KB - 277 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Some more shots of the rafter process. Some have asked how I know what I am doing, etc., so
I thought I'd do a little tutorial.
First shot shows the rather tight quarters of my "rafter workshop". All those uncut 2 x 12' s stacked
there came up through that little green square cut in the wall. That was my "solution" to taking them
up over the top, ... which really sucked. My pattern rafter I use to mark the new ones with sits on the
wall brackets up and out of the way.
Second pic shows a fresh rafter crowned and place up on the rollers with the pattern overlayed for marking
the top bird's mouth cut.
Third shows the same for the bottom cut.
With pattern back up on its shelf, the 4th shot shows the cuts are made and the next rafter is ready to
wind through the tangle of braces and place.
Fifth shot shows the new rafter staged on the exterior wall and the upper scaffolding. I will now go up top
and lift it into place and nail it off.
Last shot shows the new rafter all shot off and the process is ready to begin all over again !
 (10 Aug 05 rafters 4.JPG)
 (10 Aug 05 rafters 5.JPG)
 (10 Aug 05 rafters 6.JPG)
 (10 Aug 05 rafters 7.JPG)
 (10 Aug 05 rafters 8.JPG)
 (10 Aug 05 rafters 9.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 Aug 05 rafters 4.JPG (171KB - 334 downloads)
10 Aug 05 rafters 5.JPG (144KB - 266 downloads)
10 Aug 05 rafters 6.JPG (125KB - 268 downloads)
10 Aug 05 rafters 7.JPG (189KB - 282 downloads)
10 Aug 05 rafters 8.JPG (154KB - 269 downloads)
10 Aug 05 rafters 9.JPG (153KB - 292 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Finished rolling the west side rafters tonight. Couple night shots using the lights showing the 15 x 35 foot
room all framed in.
 (10 Aug 06 rafters 10.JPG)
 (10 Aug 06 rafters 11.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 Aug 06 rafters 10.JPG (162KB - 279 downloads)
10 Aug 06 rafters 11.JPG (145KB - 305 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Account Inactive by Request
Posts: 1601
| Doc, you sure you're not building an "arc" to save old cars when the coming armeggedon occurs? I detect some nautical features. |
|
| |
|
Account deactivated by owner's request
Location: On this barrel | Are you on the fifth story now? |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Made my weekly $500 "deposit" at the lumber yard and brought home another trailer load
of 2 x 12 and some 2 x 8 for roller blocks. I will use 2 x 6 on the square for bird blocking on
the tails. I'll post some pix later. Gotta go get this unloaded and staged up top.
As for nautical motif, not sure how a cube looks nautical ????
5 floors high ? It is intentionally tall. I can max out at 35' at the peak. I plan to do just that !
Remember, when this is all done, it will look like a Victorian-era railroad depot, so tall and skinny
is part of the design. The rear shop area I am building now will house car lifts that require 14'
clear to work with cars like ours. We don't want to be mashing a raised hood through the ceiling !
The front part of the building (not even started yet) have garage space at ground level (10' ceilings)
with living quarters above (also 10 walls, but with open rafter roof construction. So that part will be
at least 10 feet taller than what you see here.
Edited by Doctor DeSoto 2010-08-07 4:46 PM
|
|
| |
|
Account deactivated by owner's request
Location: On this barrel | no wonder your neighbors are pissed |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Nah, .... my ONE neighbor was a royal bitch before I ever bought the property .... I used to live the next house over.
It was because of her sweet charm that all steps were taken to make sure she had good reason to be such a "darling".
Things were off to a good start when the day after erecting the light pole seen in these pix that I had complaints filed with
both the City Engineering AND Electrical Dept's. Now keep in mind, not a spade had been turned for the new building ...
I just wanted a nice old incandescent street light out there by the street so I could sift the bark and topsoil out of the
future concrete areas when I got home. Not some blindingly obnoxious sodium or mercury vapor job. I have since had
38 visits from 7 different agencies relating to her phone calls.
Take a stab at what she does for a "job" ?
She's a "community organizer" ! Yeah .....
|
|
| |
|
Account deactivated by owner's request
Location: On this barrel | Dude. more power to you. Its looking nice. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Just one pic of today's "action". Showing the lumber load spotted in front of the building. I got
called away and got home in time to change my plan of attack after sizing up the "battlefield".
Since the east side rafters are all hung over the rather flimsy temporary roof that I would prefer
spending as little time working on as possible, I decided to continue cutting my rafters on the west
side where I have already set up shop and thread then through the bracing to set them individually
off ladders placed on the sloping roof. Kind of a pain, but likely less than building a whole new set
of scaffolding. This decided, I got layout down on the outer wall, staged all the ladders and tools
and pinned the "pattern" rafter in place so I can mark it in the morning when the light is better.
Edited by Doctor DeSoto 2010-08-08 1:45 AM
 (10 Aug 07 e rafter pkg.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 Aug 07 e rafter pkg.JPG (212KB - 233 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 8947
Location: WHEELING,WV.>>>HOME OF WWVA | gutsy guy putting up all of one side of rafters . what's the idea behind the large outside fishmouth---------------------------------------------------------------------later
 (images-union logo.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
images-union logo.jpg (5KB - 287 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I was concerned with that, but changed my mind after placing a few and feeling the lack of tension. Had the pitch
been steeper, it might have been an issue. With the amount of bracing in both directions I feel it is more than enough
to hold it.
I presume what we call a "birdsmouth" is what you are calling a "fishmouth" ..... and I may not be understanding
your question exactly, so if I miss the mark, tell me ...... the seat depth for the top plate interlock was set to give
maximum surface bearing. It also worked out with the top for an decent depth of cut at the ridge. The continued vertical
run goes "north" to meet the 5.5" tail smoothly planing with the outer wall framing plane. It will be roller blocked between
and then sheeted per code to tie the wall stud framing with the top plate and roof structure. Not sure if you do that back
there, but we have "seismic requirements" for earthquakes. The codes are REALLY stringent on the coast where I was
trained (Seattle - Local 161), but I do it here just for overkill and to keep my inspectors overly happy.
|
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 8947
Location: WHEELING,WV.>>>HOME OF WWVA | for what it takes a , few rafters on the other side by quitin time may save you from a gust of wind over night and thousands of dollars . one of the very first things i was taught about framing from the president of the washington county builders association , of washington pa.was to Never trust a brace and second was to never ever step on one and most of all never trust the wind . it takes very little to move a braced , covered wall of any material . just think it takes minimal wind to move a sail boat . -------------------later |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Good point, for sure. With all 4 walls sheeted and the strings left in place to keep an eye on things, I decided
the hopping back and forth from side to side wasn't worth the trouble. I set the first bunch on the other side today.
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1049
Location: Auckland, New Zealand. | 60 dart - 2010-08-09 4:30 AM
gutsy guy putting up all of one side of rafters . what's the idea behind the large outside fishmouth---------------------------------------------------------------------later
It's been awesome watching this project over the last few months. A good break on the site from automotive discussion to this construction. (Almost "construction porn") I am envious of the amount of room that you are going to have in the end. But I too was wondering why you had such a big check-out on the overhanging rafters. Why remove all that timber, why not just remove what is needed to fit square on the top plate and then let the rafter carry on the same size as it was?
Glenn.
 (1.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
1.jpg (128KB - 271 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1060
Location: Building incorrect cars since 2000!! | Doctor DeSoto - 2010-08-07 4:39 PM
Made my weekly $500 "deposit" at the lumber yard and brought home another trailer load
of 2 x 12 and some 2 x 8 for roller blocks. I will use 2 x 6 on the square for bird blocking on
the tails. I'll post some pix later. Gotta go get this unloaded and staged up top.
As for nautical motif, not sure how a cube looks nautical ????
5 floors high ? It is intentionally tall. I can max out at 35' at the peak. I plan to do just that !
Remember, when this is all done, it will look like a Victorian-era railroad depot, so tall and skinny
is part of the design. The rear shop area I am building now will house car lifts that require 14'
clear to work with cars like ours. We don't want to be mashing a raised hood through the ceiling !
The front part of the building (not even started yet ) have garage space at ground level (10' ceilings )
with living quarters above (also 10 walls, but with open rafter roof construction. So that part will be
at least 10 feet taller than what you see here.
My lift works in 12' ceiling, it has a bar across the so it won't lift higher than that and I find it to be a wise practice to close all hoods and trunks before proceeding to lift |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | The rafter tail dimension is a matter of proportions, I guess. I am trying to recall ever having left a tail
larger than the 2 x 6 size and nothing comes to mind, even in truss or soffited (sic?) work. In the late 80's
and early 90's I spent a BIG chunk of my work days cutting stick roofs on the "McMansions" around Seattle.
Still, I cannot recall ever leaving huge, deep rafter tails. I supposed they would also be real bird nesting
magnets too ?
I thought I might be pushing it too fat with the 2 x 6, but since I will be underlaying the overhangs with a
decorative tongue and groove, the appearance will be minimized to 2 x 4.
Here are a couple pix of the other side starting to come together. What appears to be a "floor" is the temporary
roof I built to get me through last winter. It will be removed and this ceiling will be wide open for the car lifts.
Edited by Doctor DeSoto 2010-08-09 10:00 AM
 (10 Aug 08 e rafter 1.JPG)
 (10 Aug 08 e rafter 2.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 Aug 08 e rafter 1.JPG (131KB - 259 downloads)
10 Aug 08 e rafter 2.JPG (67KB - 258 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | 60 Plymouth - 2010-08-10 4:21 AM
My lift works in 12' ceiling, it has a bar across the so it won't lift higher than that and I find it to be a wise practice to close all hoods and trunks before proceeding to lift :laugh:
**********************************************
Having never had the luxury of a lift before, I asked around at a lot of shops and with lift vendors. They all said that
the lifts could work in a 12' clearance area, but that 14' was considered "worry free" for leaving hoods open.
Since I plan to hang all my sheetmetal from the rafters for easy organization .... I just love seeing rows of hoods and fenders
hanging from the ceiling, ... that with a base wall height of 16' and a rake to 24' at the peak, that this would give amble room
to operate. Externally, it leaves 4 to 8 feet of sided wall between the front and rear roof lines, which is more aesthetically
pleasing than a large or small jump, AND is easier on snow removal and building maintenance. I have to be thinking about
being to old to be playing Karl Wallenda in the not too distant future !
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1060
Location: Building incorrect cars since 2000!! | Well just remember when you get old its gonna be a bitch getting the hood down from 16'
Did you figure the extra live load on the rafters? You start hanging all kinds of sheet metal up there and it can add up.
Just a thought. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | 60 Plymouth - 2010-08-10 12:53 PM
Well just remember when you get old its gonna be a bitch getting the hood down from 16'
Did you figure the extra live load on the rafters? You start hanging all kinds of sheet metal up there and it can add up.
Just a thought.
*********************************************************
The lifts I have looked at have a lowering feature as well.
Did you see the beam I ran down the center ???? I am forgetting actual numbers, but with open framing, snow load,
AND live load figured in, my "little" pre-stressed beam cost a sweet $1700 ! to be "safe". |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1060
Location: Building incorrect cars since 2000!! | Doctor DeSoto - 2010-08-09 8:04 PM
60 Plymouth - 2010-08-10 12:53 PM
Well just remember when you get old its gonna be a bitch getting the hood down from 16'
Did you figure the extra live load on the rafters? You start hanging all kinds of sheet metal up there and it can add up.
Just a thought.
*********************************************************
The lifts I have looked at have a lowering feature as well.
Did you see the beam I ran down the center ???? I am forgetting actual numbers, but with open framing, snow load,
AND live load figured in, my "little" pre-stressed beam cost a sweet $1700 ! to be "safe". :wince:
Uh I ment the body parts you are gonna hang on the ceiling....and the live load I would be worried about is not the beam but those 2x12 spf (looks like) you are using for rafters. They will have the load on them first... |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | The engineers tell me I am OK. We are only talking about 1-2 thousand pounds spread over a BIG area. Just a few inches of
wet snow weighs more than that !
It will only be light stuff hung above. I will build more heavy shelves for the iron to go down on the slab.
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Had a bunch of distractions, but the cutting and setting of the rafters plods onward. Been getting 4-6
put up each evening. I took this shot before the light was totally gone. There are three rafters set behind
the camera and I got another one in the empty hanger seen in the photo before calling it a day.
 (10 Aug 11 rafters.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 Aug 11 rafters.JPG (103KB - 253 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Got all but the last two rafters in tonight. Would have finished the job, but rejected two of the
boards for knots with eminating cracks. I guess I get to return those two and go get a couple more.
There is always tomorrow, right ?
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | I'm still stuck on those rafter tails, doc. Somewhere you mentioned 2x6 bird blocking. I don't see how a 2x6 is gonna fill the gap between your plate and the bottom of the roof sheeting. I know I'm dumb, but I was pretty sure I wasn't stupid too. Seems to me your bird blocking would have to be the same dimensions of your rafter, depth-wise.
Or are you putting something above a bird block made of 2x6 material to fill the gap?
After looking at all your rafter cutting, I'm thinking how smart I was to build a Websteel building that used steel trusses to span the entire floor area and just screwing in purlins that don't need cutting. However, that said, my building has no overhang either, which I feel is a better architectural look. Party on Doc!! Looking good so far, and I'm sure you have it figured out, regardless of our cluelessness.
Mike
Mike |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Mikey ~
Keep in mind, this will ultimately be my house AND shop and is designed to be functional AND display
all my eccentric interests for Victorian architecture, Frankenstein electrical doo-dads, railroad junk, etc.
.... so there is a not-so-obvious method to the madness.
Imagine the depot awning I will hang around the entire building at 10'. This will DRASTICALLY alter the
appearance from the giant box it is now. It will have the heavy depot type stick brackets and overhang
5 feet. The upper roofline overhang is only three feet.
as for bird blocking, the 2 x 6 vented bird blocks will be set on square to the roof pitch. I will use a custom
sized solid block running plumb with the vertical part of the tail cut to act as a roller block, and also as "beef"
behind the wall sheeting that will continue northbound until in runs into the bird block. This gives me the best
option for "stout", and provides a nice surface for the finish siding to butt in to, giving a nice, clean look.
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Picked up the two new rafters after work and finished the job up tonight. Tomorrow I will check
the line and bracing, begin blocking, followed by trimming tails and prep for sheeting. Oh yeah,
got to build my end walls !
 (10 Aug 13 rafters done.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 Aug 13 rafters done.JPG (122KB - 261 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1060
Location: Building incorrect cars since 2000!! | So whats with the center wall not being in the center and all the crazy notching going on with the first rafters at the peak??
Are you letting the hippies come over and help and bong time |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | The off-center ridge wall gives me a shear panel of 35' x 12' that ties off TO the big glu-lam,
which GREATLY strengthened the deflection factor for load. It was my idea for overkill. The
beam was rated high enough without, but with our occasional years of 10' snows and whatever
I might hang off the rafters, I just went ahead and added the sheeting. The second side will
get it once the electrics are in the wall, but I wanted at least the one side shot off to hold the
pre-stressed arc before I really hung some weight on it. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Got the west side all squared up and beautiful and then made roller blocks and bird blocks and installed them.
First photo shows the rafters all in place. It was too dark last night to get a good shot.
The blocking photos should explain the lower tail cut questions better than I could with words. The "bird block"
has three 2" holes drilled with a screen backing to keep insects and birds from getting into the rafter bays to nest.
The solid "roller" block is 2" short of the top of the 2 x 12 to keep the rafters from rolling and still allowing air
movement above the R-30 (code required) insulation.
The solid blocks also sit plumb and flush with the vertical cut on the rafter tail cut and the top plate. In the photo
from below, you can see where the sheeting stops about 6" short of the top. Strips of sheeting will now be cut and
placed to bridge from the existing sheeting and across these blocks, making for a seismically strong shear value to
the entire wall panel.
The screened bird blocks are spaced out off the roller blocks with a 1" gap. With the 1/2" wall sheeting and fancy
cornice trim that will eventually be there, this will provide a real clean line to dead end into.
 (10 Aug 14 rafters done 2.JPG)
 (10 Aug 14 birdblocks 1.JPG)
 (10 Aug 14 birdblocks 2.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 Aug 14 rafters done 2.JPG (163KB - 290 downloads)
10 Aug 14 birdblocks 1.JPG (145KB - 260 downloads)
10 Aug 14 birdblocks 2.JPG (119KB - 262 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Playing catch up .... been a little crazy around here ..... first photo shows the east side all racked and braced
.... (this side was not very straight OR cooperative) and about half the wall is blocked.
Second photo shows the gable walls being framed up. This is a temporary wall that will come down when I extend
it another eight feet to accommodate a full second floor on the front half of the building. But for now, I am sticking
this in the get the roof on and the building buttoned up for winter. The other end will get a similar treatment than will
be permanent.
 (10 Aug 15 east birdblocks.JPG)
 (10 Aug 18 gable studs.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 Aug 15 east birdblocks.JPG (212KB - 268 downloads)
10 Aug 18 gable studs.JPG (129KB - 251 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 7807
Location: Williams California | That is going to make you one h3ll of a nice shop!!
Thanks for posting the progress pics.
---John |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Work has been sporadic due to some heavy paperwork for an upcoming assignment.
This photo shows the same shot as the last but in the better light of the morning. Going
back the the beginning of this thread, it is hard to believe how this place looks now.
 (10 Aug 19 south gable.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 Aug 19 south gable.JPG (217KB - 230 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Got quite a bit done today. This high scaffold and ladder work is painstaking and slow. First two shots show
the south gable coming together. I worked well after dark (getting dark earlier every night) and got the east
half of the north wall studded in.
 (10 Aug 22 south gable 1.JPG)
 (10 Aug 22 south gable 2.JPG)
 (10 Aug 22 north gable.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 Aug 22 south gable 1.JPG (138KB - 320 downloads)
10 Aug 22 south gable 2.JPG (141KB - 263 downloads)
10 Aug 22 north gable.JPG (125KB - 312 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Account deactivated by owner's request
Location: On this barrel | I think the local lumber company owes you lunch. |
|
| |
|
Board Moderator
Posts: 3186
Location: The not-so-great, dirty-white North ( Michigan) | Or at least a Christmas card....... |
|
| |
|
Account Inactive by Request
Posts: 1601
| I still think you are building an ark? |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I guess I need to start gathering things in pairs ...
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Again with the 8,000 distractions ! Finally got the north gable wall studded in. Thought I'd whip out cutting
the rafter tails, but we got a 40 mph windstorm going and twice had my big ladders crashed to the ground, so
things went much slower, as I could not leave them up without me being on them .... so every time I got down,
I had to take the ladder down too, Every time I needed up, get the $#@! ladder back up !
I asked the DLI to get a shot of me cutting the tails. She is showing off her photography skills by leaving the lense
partially closed in one shot, and then getting one of my posterior - as if anyone needs to see THAT !
 (10 Aug 26 north gable.JPG)
 (10 Aug 26 cutting tails 1.JPG)
 (10 Aug 26 cutting tails 2.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 Aug 26 north gable.JPG (141KB - 325 downloads)
10 Aug 26 cutting tails 1.JPG (68KB - 335 downloads)
10 Aug 26 cutting tails 2.JPG (87KB - 289 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Account deactivated by owner's request
Location: On this barrel | Looks like someone put a rock through the window |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | That's how the glass was when I pulled the windows from the old building. I keep sheets of salvaged old glass for
use in restoration. For now I just want the holes filled, the windows off the floor, and a what little light those dirty
panes let through. When redone, they will likely get colored glass.
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Got the rafter tails cut on the east side after having to shave a number of upward-curled ends that complicated a
normally straight-forward job. Took the rest of the day off and built some rock wall out front to neaten-up the garden
edges and make the DLI happy.
Tomorrow I will pick up ten sheets of 1/2" CDX and set the first courses of roof sheeting so I can build platforms on
them to set the rest of the material that will be delivered via crane to the rooftop. This correctly suggests (for those
reading between the lines) that the first courses will have to be manually humped up there via ladders.
After that, it is just roofing and gutters and I am INDOORS for the winter !
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1060
Location: Building incorrect cars since 2000!! | Nothing like humping sheeting up a ladder...
Are those rafters on 2' centers?
Just from experience I would use OSB under the roof it won't buckel up like that ole plywood can. even with all kinds of nails in it.
Other wise happy packin. I am sure you could find someone hanging out at the Homedepot to pack that for ya |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | No OSB for me. No likey OSB. No likey humping sheets either !
Found an ingenious way to get around bringing all that sheeting up .... I just flipped the building upside down !
Here we see the first course on and finally creating something of a finished profile for the building.
 (flipped.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
flipped.JPG (140KB - 325 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | With the first course of roof sheeting on, I got two sheets on for the next course (to build a platform on
for the rest to be boomed on to) and then got started on the other side. It got dark before I got beyond
snapping lines, so tomorrow ....
 (10 Aug 29 roof sheeting .JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 Aug 29 roof sheeting .JPG (141KB - 318 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | Ooooooooooooohhh! This is where you find out exactly how square you came out. Looks good so far on this side. You going to use steel roofing or composition, Doc?
Mike |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2612
Location: Parts Unknown | 60 Plymouth - 2010-08-29 4:49 PM
Just from experience I would use OSB under the roof it won't buckel up like that ole plywood can. even with all kinds of nails in it.
OSB is a better way to go (my opinion) - its 2010; OSB has grown up - You still swingin a hammer or what ?
(they have nail guns now too ya know )
It's your building so do what you want - it's not like yer paintin a DeSoto conv purple or nothin . . .
BTW - That is SOME building -  I think we all will be jealous of it once you are done
|
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 8947
Location: WHEELING,WV.>>>HOME OF WWVA | Ooooooooooooohhh! This is where you find out exactly how square you came out
this is why we x brace the rafters to !------------------------------------------------------------------------------------later |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I am going to used rolled for temporary. It looks like I am on the short list for deployment and will be
gone for a year. Gotta just button it up for the duration.
|
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 452
Location: Southern California | Deployment to....? |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Gidman - 2010-09-01 11:45 AM
Deployment to....?
***********************
FOB Afghanistan.
Had the roof sheeting delivered and before I got back from work to start slamming it down, it began
to rain ! Took the night off.
Just as well. My brother had an emergency water heater replacement problem and I went out there
instead.
Edited by Doctor DeSoto 2010-09-01 10:40 AM
|
|
| |
|
Account Inactive by Request
Posts: 1601
| FOB Afghanistan? What part of your building project is over there? Seriously, are you in a reserve group that got called up? That's not exactly a vacation spot! |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I will work as a Security Escort, making sure people are who they say they are and getting them where
they need to go without getting dead. Vacation ? .... it will be a kitty litter box paradise !
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Back to the shop ....
Getting hard to show progress without a helicopter !
Had the bulk of the sheeting delivered to the rooftop. My usual supplier does not have boom trucks. The price difference
was 12 dollars for 50 sheets to the rooftop vs. me humping them up there manually. I opted for the 12 buck expenditure !
Second photo shows the east side done before I broke down the platform I used to stack the plywood on. I got the west side
done, but for two cut sheets at the top corner. Simply ran out of daylight. It is too dark to see what you are cutting at 2000 hrs
now.
I will pick up roofing tomorrow and hopefully have it on by the end of the day (?) After that it is on to sheet the gable ends
and under the eaves, hang some gutters, secure the doors, and the game is over. What a haul !
 (10 Aug 31 rooftop delivery.JPG)
 (10 Sept 02 e roof.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 Aug 31 rooftop delivery.JPG (151KB - 315 downloads)
10 Sept 02 e roof.JPG (161KB - 277 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | 61plymy - 2010-08-31 10:53 AM
Ooooooooooooohhh! This is where you find out exactly how square you came out. Looks good so far on this side.
Mike
************************************************************
Using lasers to square the four corners before any of the roof went up, and doing the same to really get the ridge wall
just right, it was just a matter of string lines down the three walls and gable ends to keep an eye on things.
Final answer ? Both sides had a final top rip of 46 and 1/4 and the gables were flawless square ! The anal retentive
carpenter strikes again !
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1060
Location: Building incorrect cars since 2000!! | Doctor DeSoto - 2010-08-30 7:49 PM
I am going to used rolled for temporary. It looks like I am on the short list for deployment and will be
gone for a year. Gotta just button it up for the duration.
Doc go get a product called Titanium it is a underlayment instead of felt. If you put it on correct it will last a long time. Good stuff and better than using rolled roofing as a temp covering.This stuff will be shingle ready when you get back..
I dont know why you don't just shingle it now. that roof should only take two days to do. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | The roof has 5 foot overhang gable ends that would take a month to build. I have less than 5 days to
wrap this up and outfit for shipping out. No time and I don't want to feather in a roof later. I'll just wrap
it for now and finish it up when I get back. At least it won't be snowing INSIDE this year !!!!
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | Anal Retentive Carpenter!!!! I love that, Doc.
Sorry you gotta bug out for a while. Not fun, I know.
You take it easy over there, stay in contact, and keep your head down. Put your optics down onto the gun and get rid of that old fashioned carry handle. It makes you too good a target with your head so high trying to sight.
And above all else, remember that all of us back in the US aren't a**holes that hate what you are doing for us and yours. We got your back, man. So you come back.
Mike |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I will feel relatively at ease knowing the building is weathertight and secure. My job is my job, ... you train for
emergent situations and keep your antennas up. We work 12 hour shifts, seven days a week. There won't be
much time to ponder our navels. For me, time passes quickly when I am really busy. My days at DOC went like
that, .... it seemed the shift was over before I really got going. I hope this will be the same and I am home before
I know it. I'll be finding out soon enough !
I sheeted the last bits of the roof today, did a little outfitting for deployment, picked up the roofing on my way back
and met with the attorney about updating my will. Packed 15 $#@! rolls of roofing up the ladder and staged it on the
roof. My hired guy says he'll be ready to go at 0800 to get it rolled with me. The first course is something of a bugger
for one guy. Gotta be off the roof and on the road for Sand Point by 1230 to meet with my 82 year old buddy about
some of his survivorship concerns.
These days are getting pretty heavy with too much to do.
|
|
| |
|
Account deactivated by owner's request
Location: On this barrel | So you are building your shop in AFF ganny stein? - random stuipdio post. Keep up the good work and be safe. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 452
Location: Southern California | Be safe over there Doc! Post some photos if you can! |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | My buddy John has done 7 tours and loves it. I would prefer to come home intact ... But it somehow sounds contrived
to get into the "be safe" thing. The recruiting paperwork says right up front "Expect daily small arms and rocket fire". Safety
comes with good luck and a heads up regimen based on good training. The odds are I'll do just fine and may have a fine
adventure of it. I will miss my wife terribly.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | Long remote tours are no fun. Strange as it may sound, I'd rather do my time in a hot zone than a boring twiddle your thumbs zone, Doc. As you say, when you are engaged to the max, time flies by. When I'm away from wifey I like time to fly.
You no doubt WILL have a couple of "fine adventures", but those just let you know that life is for real and is in need of being charished.
Mike |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I don't seem to be having the best of luck with the project lately. Three hours after the roof sheeting was delivered it began to
rain for the first time in a month. I no sooner get the roofing on the west side and the winds pick up and tear it up pretty good.
Got the roofing repaired and did the other side, made some wind resistance modifications. My planned roof cap doesn't cover, so
on to Plan B. At least it is largely dried-in and ready for bad weather.
Being Labor Day, the DLI insists this is THE shopping day for sale prices on my outfit gear, so that is the primary objective for today.
With the roof on and a 15x36 room vacant above the shop, the next step is to get the last junk out of my storage unit and into the new
space. This will save $168 a month.
|
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 7807
Location: Williams California | 61plymy - 2010-09-03 5:44 PM
Anal Retentive Carpenter!!!! I love that, Doc.
Sorry you gotta bug out for a while. Not fun, I know.
You take it easy over there, stay in contact, and keep your head down. Put your optics down onto the gun and get rid of that old fashioned carry handle. It makes you too good a target with your head so high trying to sight.
And above all else, remember that all of us back in the US aren't a**holes that hate what you are doing for us and yours. We got your back, man. So you come back.
Mike
Amen to that!!
---John |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 755
Location: Big M Automotive's Yard | Take Care! M'Lisa |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | With a wink and a nod over mention of being deployed, a local metal bender whipped up some special ridge
cap on the muy-pronto program today and I got it on to finish the roof .... but not before it rained !
The normal supplier said they could have it in a couple weeks which just wasn't going to work.
So, tonight I picked up a truckload of parts and after knocking down all the bracing and pulling nails, passing
it all down to the ground and stacking it, cleaning up the scraps and six 5-gallon buckets of sawdust, we handed
up the truckload of junk and the game is officially on to move into the new place. Tomorrow I will order up gutters
and continue the move-in process.
Not much to take pictures of !
|
|
| |
|
Board Moderator
Posts: 3186
Location: The not-so-great, dirty-white North ( Michigan) | Doctor DeSoto - 2010-09-08 2:32 AM
Not much to take pictures of !
How about a picture of the wet "Dr. DeSoto"? That ought to be good for a laugh! |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I wouldn't want to scare the children !
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | Hell, it's Spokane for cripes sake. What, 5, 10 drops of rain maybe? It's not the rainy season there yet.
A wet baseball cap brim. Oh my!!!
Mike |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I HATE MOVING !!!!
8,374 trips back and forth to the storage place. But I am seeing the benefit of building a stadium for a shop ....
... the building swallowed up all the junk and it still looks empty !
Gonna hang some sheetmetal off the rafters tomorrow and should be moved out completely by Saturday.
That will give me 2 days with the Dear One before saying "adios!". /
|
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 8947
Location: WHEELING,WV.>>>HOME OF WWVA | i've been going through deployments for almost 21 yrs. with my son . each time i knew he was leaving it tore my heart out . it got to be he just wouldn't tell me till he got back . it was a lot of long periods of not knowing for sure . now , on 2 dec 2010 he will be retiring and back home . i lost a lot of yrs. with out him and now god has given him grace and the fortunes of rejoining his familly . this christmas will be just like his first one . he has spent over half his life helping to protect us all and for that i owe him mine . doc , god speed and remember i will also owe you mine !----------------------------------------------------------------------------later |
|
| |
|
Account deactivated by owner's request
Location: On this barrel | Doctor DeSoto - 2010-09-10 12:20 AM
Gonna hang some sheetmetal off the rafters tomorrow and should be moved out completely by Saturday.
That will give me 2 days with the Dear One before saying "adios!". /
Don't forget the final set of photos |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Thanks Chuck. And thank you to your son. It is an honor to serve.
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | This will likely be the last photo of the project before I go.
South end gable all buttoned up. The roofing is done, the gutters are on. I will stain the raw wood and plumb in the
downspouts before I go.
 (10 Sept 11 south gable finished.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
10 Sept 11 south gable finished.JPG (241KB - 277 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 755
Location: Big M Automotive's Yard | Nice shop. Do you need any bats for your building? We have extras. Its great cleaning guano off everything!
All kidding aside, be careful out there. This site and region wouldn't be the same without you! M'Lisa, John and our fourlegged children. |
|
| |
|
Board Moderator
Posts: 3186
Location: The not-so-great, dirty-white North ( Michigan) | deloverly - 2010-09-12 10:30 PM
Nice shop. Do you need any bats for your building? We have extras. Its great cleaning guano off everything!
All kidding aside, be careful out there. This site and region wouldn't be the same without you! M'Lisa, John and our fourlegged children.
M'Lisa....That was FUNNY!!!!
Brent...you take care, and if you find a way, post occasionally to us from Afghanistan. Comparisons between Spokanistan and Afghanistan would be nice. Washington State is so "progressive", the smells might be similar! |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Thanks for the good wishes.
I will try to stay in touch when time and internet access allows. My assignment won't be revealed
unit we have "boots on the ground". Some bases have no electricity, let alone internet access !
Just a follow-up .....
I flew out of Spokanistan on an 0500 redeye for Fort Worth for predeployment training. I worked
on the shop till 2330 of the night before tying in the internal gutter drains and a few other loose ends
before coming in the house to do a final checklist packing job and hitting the hay at 0230. The alarm
went off an hour later and I was up and on my way. My first night in camp I ate something bad and
got another single hour of sleep before roll call. This was ungood and I was dogging it going through
classes and inspections for the next 16 hours. Got 5 hours of sleep last night, but busted my hump to
finish some assignments and tonight I am free ! This means I have a little time to hook up my internet
and get back in touch.
So, in the end, I got the gables sheeted and stained, the vent screens in place, the gutters all dialed in
so the place is largely a big brick fortress of weathertight protection for the cars. My brother came by
and helped move a bunch of stuff around, so the entire front yard area is all cleaned up and looking all
purty for the neighbors while I am gone. No lumber stacks, no fenders or scattered buckets of materials.
just a clean building and a clean yard.
Not sure when my group ships out, but I'll update when time allows.
Out, for now ! |
|
| |
|
Account deactivated by owner's request
Location: On this barrel | Doctor DeSoto - 2010-09-12 11:25 AM
This will likely be the last photo of the project before I go.
South end gable all buttoned up. The roofing is done, the gutters are on. I will stain the raw wood and plumb in the
downspouts before I go.
Is this shop next to a sunflower farm? |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | The sunflowers were an outgrowth of a trip I took across Kansas years ago. The ditches and
fields were full of the things just growing wild. I have found it a lot easier to plant in wildflowers
in an area for "good looks" than any other option. Weeding is minimal and they just keep going
all summer long. The sunflowers are exceptional for this. After a few seasons, the hybrid seed
originals genetically mutate back to the wilder - small, multiple flower heads - look, rather than
the single, big flower, and will bloom repeatedly from June to Sept. |
|
| |
|
Account deactivated by owner's request
Location: On this barrel | Hey Doc I had to go back to 2011 to find this! It's now 2014. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 692
Location: Los Angeles, California | This was a fun article to read |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3155
Location: NY & VT | Ya it's always fun to see someone ELSE workin' their butt off! My days of doing construction are over, below is me building our VT cottage in '07, a sight you'll never see again.
Gonna be a nice building, Doc, going up was smart.
Edited by firedome 2014-02-01 1:59 PM
 (IMAGE003.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
IMAGE003.JPG (54KB - 198 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Splain your logic on the pier pads vs. perimeter foundation and height off ground ....
Something like you have there would be a serious attraction to every mouse, rat, skunk and
raccoon within 100 miles in my area. They'd tear up the floor insulation, and with no way of a
real-size human squeezing under there .... then what ?
I am not a north New Englander, so profess no clue about building practices there. Teach me
something.
BTW, ... looks very solidly built.
|
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 8947
Location: WHEELING,WV.>>>HOME OF WWVA | a lot of seasonal cottages are built on piers or posts of some sort , really nothing new or untried . way less expense-------------------------------------------------------later |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Yeah, sure .... and maybe the idea is SUMMER cottage, where cold winters and insulated floors
are not an issue. That's why I asked. Just cuz something doesn't make sense to my area, doesn't
mean it isn't the norm somewhere else ! Vermont is well known as a summer cabin getaway desti-
nation.
Reminds me of a job I got 25 years ago .... raise 3 historic homes off the ground and put foundations
under them. 1 and 2 were a b!tch, as this kind of work is, but number 3 was ON the dirt and rotted.
We had to mole-tunnel under the house in three places to set our lift beams. Two teams of three guys ...
one to mole-dig, the other to drag the tailings out and dump them. Being the kind of guy I am, I let
my guys pick which of the three tunnels they wanted and I took the unwanted job. The south tunnel
had some air between the building and the dirt and was the easiest. The center one seemed the next
best pick. I got stuck with the most digging and was fighting a hard, dusty material the whole way.
I had two young guys teasing me (they had the middle tunnel) who were kicking my ass. For some
reason, their earth was damp and easily dug, even though they were only 15' way from my tunnel.
This took about 3 days, and on the last day, as they were still giving me a rash about being so slow,
the source of their moisture made itself clear, as they uncovered the broken sewer line that was soaking
their area.
Needless to say, their last 20 feet was no fun at all and they got real quiet about me being so slow.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3155
Location: NY & VT | The soil conditions there made it the best choice. It's heavy clay with about 2 ft of sand on top, it was once lake bed and ground water is very high every Spring, sometimes up to surface in wet years. The old timers knew what they were doing, all the old camps built in this seasonal lake community were on piers or blocks, but some just cinderblock on small stone or 2 x 2 footers too low to the ground and have had to be raised and reinforced, but none on foundations. Ours had been unoccupied for 10 yers, roof leaked, wrecked/rotted the floor and joists, so I opted to start over, tore it down over 1 summer with son's help. Being lake prop the trend has been for some wealthy new owners to rip them down and build fancy places on full poured crawl-space foundations, and all of them have to pump water out every spring, some have had sill rot, some major mold/dampness problems. I looked around, saw these problems, and opted to go the old way, but with 12" sonotubes 60" down to frostline on 'bigfoot" footers. Left lots of clearance height for good ventilation. Even I at 6"1 240# can get under most of it. One recent builder got smart and opted to do piers, but he didn't get it up high enough, however PT frame may save him... mine is double frame: 3 parallel connected tripled 2 x 12 beams in PT on the piers, and another doubled 2 x 12 on top of that for floor joists/deck. Bldg is 2 x 6 on 16" center, conv 2 x 10 rafters, the front half being open to ceiling, the back 1/2 is a BR loft. There's now post and beam spruce all wood pegged timbers in the open part which is both decorative and structural (done not by me but by a friend who's a timber-framer, amazing talented guy). The outside is Hardie panel, fiber cement, as is trim, and the roof is galv. Fabral commercial type standing seam metal roof with no exposed fasteners. Andersen windows. Eventualy inside walls will be rough sawn barn siding board. Inside's about 70% done, no finished floors except bathroom, no insulation except kit/bath + MBR. No wall finish except those 3 rooms. All plumbing gravity drains to be emptied each fall. No problems in 6 years, even the outside sand-washing-off shower (knock on wood!) All in all the place should outlast me... but well maybe that's not too hard at my age! Will get new outside pics when I get up in March. View from 200' away from back door:, this is why we go. Champlain is 110 miles x 12 miles, and fishing is amazing.
Edited by firedome 2014-02-02 11:57 AM
 (IMAGE002VT.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
IMAGE002VT.JPG (49KB - 216 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3155
Location: NY & VT | Standing in VT, looking at NY, 12 mi West:
sorry really didn't mean to usurp the thread, will stop now!
 (IMAGE005VT.JPG)
Attachments
----------------
IMAGE005VT.JPG (50KB - 199 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Didn't I "hear" you say you plan to move up there full time at some point ? What is the plan of attack
for floor insulation if you winter over ? Or did I get that all wrong ???
Sounds like you have found your own little piece of heaven. So few really understand that concept.
You are a lucky man. I guess I need to come visit when in New England.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3155
Location: NY & VT | Would enjoy having you anytime. Mom's family's been in VT since 1760s, 2 towns and a river are named for the Wait family. Growing up in MD and NC always wanted to move there but waited until age 50, should have done it at 20. After 8 yrs there we moved here for wife's professional opportunity, started the camp, but realized right off we missed it a lot, and most important son/wife/grandson there. So planned move back in 18-24 months, must wait for Medicare before wife can retire. Isn't very feasible to convert to winter specs as it was designed strictly as a camp The big thing would be conforming to current septic regs, meaning $20k sand mound, winterized water, insulation, &c. prob $50-60k. I need more space around me, it's a 0.4 acre lot, last house there was 5 ac. So we hope to sell out here, get 15-50 acres in the VT woods where we can have sugarbush, woodlot, privacy, build (timber-framer friend, I'd do finish work, no more framing!) a new but small 1000 ft2 super-efficient old looking house, heated garage of course! and full a basement for woodworking. That's the plan, but you know how plans go. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I'll be in touch when the car is ready to roll .....
-4 degrees this AM when I got up. Too F#@ING cold to do anything in the shop but grab tools and go to work !
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3155
Location: NY & VT | Same cold here, 5 degrees high tomorrow they say. What's work these days? Awful cold to be doing construction.
Edited by firedome 2014-02-10 2:13 PM
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I am hanging drywall and mud/taping. Nice and cozy indoor work.
|
|
| |
|
Account deactivated by owner's request
Location: On this barrel | To avoid causing anymore fights on this forum, I'm just going to post on Doc Desoto's threads for now on. He makes me feel warm and fuzzy. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Getting warm-n-fuzzy with the dudes doubles a fella's chance of getting a date for the prom !
|
|
| |
|
Account deactivated by owner's request
Location: On this barrel | So what exactly is going to happen in this ""shop"" of yours?
Does it involve animals?
Edited by 56royaldodge 2014-02-28 5:13 PM
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Nothing short of pure evil.
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I took the day off to clean up the shop. A winter of zero temps, snow, and uninviting weather
has created piles of stuff just tossed inside the doors. In putting the first few things away, I
realized the roof had been leaking, looked up and saw a whole bunch of daylight. Our recent
windstorm tore a 9' x 26' chunk off the roof. Looks like my day of clean up will be spent on the
roof unfukking that mess.
|
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 7807
Location: Williams California | Sorry to hear that, Brent. Wind sure can be destructive.
---John |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | It took me the better part of the day, and laid waste to my plans to straighten up the shop ...
... a project I was working on when the extreme cold drove me out. I did get back inside and
raise 3 shelves where I keep my building tools before I called it quits. I will devote today to
rearranging stuff and labeling.
A big aggravation is having to buy new stuff because I can't lay hands on the one/s I already
own that hide somewhere in the "dark abyss". The rush job to get my storage units emptied
into this place before I deployed and the subsequent sending of stuff home has made for a very
disorganized mess. Shelf arrangement and labeling will help me get my head straight ... I hope.
Yeah, few things tear stuff up like the wind. At least here at my elevation and on a hill with
good drainage. Flooding is not an issue like it could be for some. My fix is temporary, and I will
need to redo that entire side of the building when the weather is nice and hot. Roof and tar work
doesn't set well when done in the cold.
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Installed a civilized door where the temporary plywood door had been. No more squeezing around a
useless door stored inside. More room inside, AND a nice functioning door tied in with the alarm system.
Now, to build some steps ...
 (mandoor.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
mandoor.jpg (43KB - 201 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: North Australia | Man, you sure do things different over there. Love the wiring job!
Steve. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 452
Location: Southern California | Looks good Doc! watching the shop take form over the years has been pleasurable. $50 fine isn't so bad depending on what the violation may be... |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | Doctor DeSoto - 2014-03-08 1:36 PM I took the day off to clean up the shop. A winter of zero temps, snow, and uninviting weather has created piles of stuff just tossed inside the doors. In putting the first few things away, I realized the roof had been leaking, looked up and saw a whole bunch of daylight. Our recent windstorm tore a 9' x 26' chunk off the roof. Looks like my day of clean up will be spent on the roof unfukking that mess. Leaking? LEAKING?? I thought you said it never rained over there and was sunny near 80 everyday? You said I should leave the rain on the West side and head for Spokanistan, and now I hear it actually rains AND the wind blows too? Next your going to say there is dust and dirt blowing in the wind too and that it's cold or something. I think you have attempted to dupe me into making the same dastardly mistake you made when YOU left the West side. You are just trying to trick others into joining you in your misery. Well, mister, I have seen through your evil ways by way of your own post and your own words. Leave the West side indeed. You; you; YOU SUCKY TRICKSTER! Have a nice day, Brent. Mike |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I have never said that I am not evil or dastxrdly. I WOULD dupe you into leaving the swamps
under the false pretenses that this place is a mini Costa Rica. Tomorrow is forecast to be 73 and
sunny. You be the judge.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | I judge nothing and no one. I once judged it was a good idea to chase my youth and restore a 61 Plymouth and look where that lead me? Straight to the Sewey Hole on the FLN here where guys name their cars Old Brown and write in brown script as they relate turd stomping episodes.
You keep that sunny near 73 crap, Doc. Maybe if you have any time left over after patching your wind worn, rain soaked, leaky roof and jump on those cars you keep staring at instead of working on, you can put a heater in that shop so you can work year-round and stop whining about how cold it is over there.
Mine's a ceiling hung Natural Gas heater converted to Propane. I bought it from a guy who had stripped it on a job at Fort Lewis or something off of Craigs list. Checked the model before I bought it and made sure a conversion kit was still available, then made a cheap water tube to properly calibrate the pressure adjustment and voila! Heat any stinkin' time I want it.
Seems like a guy smart enough to get out of the swamps would have done something like that without havin' to be reminded.
As always, you know I am tugging your tail not jumping in your s**t, right 
Mike |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Have a pissed-off Gunny rock you back on your heels just once and you get your head squared
away about what is worth getting your knickers in a knot about and what is just for fun.
I like your idea but with 26' ceilings, I might as well have none and try to heat the world when it's
20º out. I didn't even have a roof framed when the recruiter gave me marching orders. I had to
request 2 extra weeks to button it up and toss all my sh!t inside ! I will follow your advice and net-
work some razoo heater once I get it insulated. We won't be playing this freeze-out game again.
When in doubt, do what the Swedes do .... have a serious shop to work in all winter ! Thanks
Arne for that little "gem" of wisdom. It was a real paradigm turner.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | Brent,
Look up Big Ass Fan.
Seriously, a little air movement and some heat goes a long way towards squelching the whining I can hear all the way to Snohomish from Spokanistan.
Hang a heater, install a "Big Ass Fan", and quitcherbitchin. You can buy me a beer later for my excellent advice.
As for handling pissed off Gunny's........... maybe a six pack and a ticket to the local brothel. I could never understand a friggin word they said when I was in and they were pissed, so I just let 'er roll, kept my mouth shut, and hoped they were'nt asking me a question. Worked for eight years.
Mike |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | As part of my effort to clear the shop of eleventy thousand cans of paints, stains, lubricants,
and chemicals, I built a securable wall cabinet over the last few days and proceeded to empty
boxes and counterspace filled with all that junk. A muy happy moment, indeed ! To think that
8 months ago the DeSoto was BURIED in tools, equipment, supplies, parts, and erstwhile "junk".
Now, all that remains around it are a few scattered items that need similar "homes". By the
time the weather gets really nice, I should be ready to roll on the old girl.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1906
Location: Ontario, Canada | And you led me to believe that you were already experiencing nice weather!!??
Greg |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 594
Location: Melbourne, Australia | Be careful when you type in "Big Ass Fan"....... :laugh: |
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 8443
Location: Perth Australia | "I like big buts, I cannot lie"
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | 57plybel - 2014-04-16 11:04 PM Be careful when you type in "Big Ass Fan"....... :laugh: For those that are typeing-challenged, here is the link: http://www.bigassfans.com/ They also have big ass lights too :laugh: Mike |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 41
Location: Seaside OR | So you are a fan of big asses? |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | This thread derailed straight into Suckville !
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Back on track ....
After working for a year to set aside funds to push this forward, I began work on the front half of
the building, abandoned when I deployed.
A computer meltdown and the time spent ON the project (rather than posting regular updates) has
made for a large gap and many photos to post to bring this up-to-date.
First thing to do was grade the interior slab area from the compacted gravel mess I made from driving/
parking on it for years. Started out doing it by hand, but this proved an endless task and I brought in
a Bobcat to tear of the really hard stuff. THEN I located the sewer lines, dug the trenches, laid the pipe
in and connected with the main line. Backfilled and compacted and then did a final grade-out to bring
the whole place within a 1/4" of level. Did the driveway at a slope at the same time, but was unable to
get concrete poured this season. I was more focused on getting the building up.
Looks like I need to do a little photo editing before I can post them .... more to follow.
Edited by Doctor DeSoto 2014-12-03 4:01 PM
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 782
Location: Edmonton, Alberta | Hey Doc..... I had no idea you were working on this. I just stumbled upon this thread. Good on ya and cut yerself another piece of raisin pie! (your lines) That's an amazing shop that your building and I like what you've done with it. I wish I had a place like that to work in. Keep going.... you'll love it when it's done. I enjoyed reading your posts and seeing all you've done.
Gord
Edited by sconut1 2014-12-04 12:52 AM
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | OK, got some photo issues dealt with ....
First shot shows the rough grading being done ....
Second is when I pulled the 56 Dodge out of the old part of the building after I did my finish grading ....
Third is new concrete poured !!!
And last is the first floor exterior walls going up !!!
 (grading.jpg)
 (shop grading 56 Dodge.jpg)
 (shop new slab.jpg)
 (shop standing main floor walls.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
grading.jpg (63KB - 178 downloads)
shop grading 56 Dodge.jpg (54KB - 159 downloads)
shop new slab.jpg (76KB - 164 downloads)
shop standing main floor walls.jpg (64KB - 154 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 8443
Location: Perth Australia | So your extending the workshop even more?
I wish I had as much space as your old one
I would kill for room for a hoist
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | The ultimate design would hold nine cars, tightly packed, or less, if I want all the doors to
open, etc. It is not that I am expanding the project .... the foundation was poured for this
all along. I just had to stop at the center wall when I got my deployment orders.
The NE quadrant of the building has 26' clearance. I will put at least one lift in this area, and
later build a 2nd floor in over it for a parts storage area when I can see exactly how much room
I need for a DeSoto on a lift. The rest has 10'+ clearance, as will the second floor.
Here are a few more shots of the main floor walls going up. The building will incorporate dozens
of Victorian era doors and windows I have hoarded for years (more space cleared inside the building !)
and what I don't have, I will make.
 (shop main floor walls entry.jpg)
 (shop main floor entry glass.jpg)
 (shop main floor office.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
shop main floor walls entry.jpg (50KB - 178 downloads)
shop main floor entry glass.jpg (56KB - 158 downloads)
shop main floor office.jpg (59KB - 159 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3155
Location: NY & VT | That's gonna be one nice building... like the idea of incorporating old elements. I'd love to have space for 9 cars + lift, as it is I can barely do 3.
Great work. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Old cars are just one thread of my interest in old stuff. An old car parked in a garage with vinyl
siding is just plain out of context ! The car is supposed to be PART of a larger "picture", and the
building is every bit as important as the car, the yard, the lights, windows, doors, and wiring ! Out
of context, it is all just a jumble of disconnected elements.
Just as I have been collecting old car parts for decades, I have been collecting all this other stuff
too ! The idea finally coming to fruition in this property with a place to "plug in" all these elements
into a cohesive design of a place that looks like a well cared for 1910 property as it might have looked
in 1960. Basically, I am reinventing my Grandfather's garage (on steroids) with all that old stuff wrapped
up into a design that functions with all my interests.
I plan to retire here, and I want an "island" of everything cool, in working order, and all within easy
reach, where I can do my thing and require no major outside support or new major projects.
Here are a few more progress photos ....
These were taken in late August. The first and second show the stairs completed to the first landing.
I was working well after darkness to beat the cold and snow.
The second two show distant views from the street to give a better idea of the overall project.
 (shop 1st stair set.jpg)
 (shop shop stair set.jpg)
 (shop SW corner Aug 14.jpg)
 (shop SE corner Aug 14.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
shop 1st stair set.jpg (53KB - 173 downloads)
shop shop stair set.jpg (35KB - 178 downloads)
shop SW corner Aug 14.jpg (67KB - 181 downloads)
shop SE corner Aug 14.jpg (65KB - 148 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 7807
Location: Williams California | You'll have a very nice place to work on and store your cars once you are done!!!
---John |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | A few more as I bring this up-to-date ....
The big forward beam allowed me 26' of clear span from the old part of the building to the
office in the front part of the building. Weighing in at 844lbs., it was a real challenge to get
into place !
The next two show the beam in place and the floor joists being rolled. The first one shows
the framing of the top stair set being boxed out, and the last one shows the stairs installed.
From here, I built a complicated cantilever off the SW corner that will support the turret, and
then rolled the deck and covered it all up with a giant hay tarp for the winter. I am cleaning
up now and getting organized. Next will be to sheet the walls and install doors and heat.
 (shop center beam.jpg)
 (shop top stair box out.jpg)
 (shop top stair set built.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
shop center beam.jpg (58KB - 155 downloads)
shop top stair box out.jpg (61KB - 175 downloads)
shop top stair set built.jpg (65KB - 155 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3155
Location: NY & VT | Really coming together now!
Hey is that "radial wave" street light in the sunflower garden out front yours or the town's? Been looking for one of those for years. Used to be common when I was a kid, usually found with a 300W clear incandescent bulb in them. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | The light and pole line is all mine. The City inspector guy about had a cow when he saw it,
citing "illegal" this and that, deathtrap, etc., etc.. I just laughed at him and suggested the City
better change all its streetlight wiring up and down Grand Ave., as it is exactly the same, except
on a higher amperage circuit. He calmed down and said he wanted to see the fixture grounded
and that was that.
As a collector of early electrical "Frankenstein" gear, I made sure everything was GROSSLY over-
rated. He was actually impressed and has come back a couple times to look at the stuff I have in
the shop. Where else do you go to see 1890's switch gear and gauges ?
I have a friend in Boston that might be able to set you up with an old fixture.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1906
Location: Ontario, Canada | It looks fantastic! Do you have a sketch floor plan of the whole building? Difficult to put the complete puzzle together.
Greg |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Outside of a 5' wide stairway as seen, there is a 11'x17' office/restroom bit out of the SW
corner. Otherwise, the entire 30'x70' floor is wide open for cars. The second floor is still a
"mystery", but will be as open framed as possible for maximum flexibility. The NE 15'x35'
has been left open to the rafters to accommodate a lift or two. I will frame a raised level deck
in that area for storage.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1906
Location: Ontario, Canada | OK, thanks. I'm waiting to see how you will frame the "roof" over the angled entrance SW corner.
Greg |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Imagine an 1880's Queen Anne railroad depot with a corner turret that buries in the
belt line roof, with a double gabled front facade. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1906
Location: Ontario, Canada | Ah--ha, YES, beautiful work!
Greg |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3155
Location: NY & VT | Cool light for sure, there was one in front of my Grandma's house back in the '40s/50s.
Brent if your friend in Boston could put me in touch with one, I'd be most interested in it.
I too love anything old & electric, old signaling equipment, vacuum tube and Bell System stuff, 1900s to 50s, you name it.
Thanks.
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I will get you a POC for the light. I have collected early telelphone and electric stuff since
I was a little kid. Insulators, line hardware, switches, lineman's tools, fixtures, gauges. My
shop will look like Frankenstein's laboratory when it is is finished.
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3155
Location: NY & VT | It's all sort of back again with the young folk in the form of Steam Punk, interesting Back to the Future trend, maybe a reaction to too much technology.
Particularly love big tube amplifiers with large coke bottle transmitting tubes etc., have an RCA monitor amp out of a '40s recording studio.
For old lamps we put away a stash of big 300 and 200 W clear incandescent bulbs for when they get thin on the ground.
Would love a old pole type '20s/30s traffic signal but they're out of my price range now, should have picked one up 30 yrs ago.
Let me know what you find out - thanks!! |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I have always been into a thing people are now calling "steam punk", but on a full 12"-to-the-foot
scale. Did model railroad stuff as a kid, but that quickly fell off the radar in favor of playing with the
real stuff. I was blessed to have always had an environment nearby that was a well preserved scene
a la Norman Rockwell to cause my discretionary senses to compare and contrast against. I always
referred to it as "life size Rube Goldberg" stuff. Whether it is the exposed cleat type wiring on the
front porch to the iron gate to the old truck the weathered barn.
I am currently working out the science for building an air system on my truck to run a steam whistle.
I am rebuilding a 1910 vintage riveted boiler to use as an air tank and going over different options for
the actual air pump. One avenue being explored is a "windmill" placed above the cab with a 4-6 inch
blade spread (again, utilizing an ancient blade set), coupled to a gear reduction set stolen out of a die
grinder, that will generate compression at any forward speed of the vehicle over 4mph. The objective
is a high volume, low pressure system similar to that run on an old locomotive. Fun stuff.
 (26 field.jpg)
 (GN palisades mansfield branch.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
26 field.jpg (53KB - 309 downloads)
GN palisades mansfield branch.jpg (78KB - 301 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3155
Location: NY & VT | Great pics! ... living in the Northeast one advantage is living in the oldest part of the country, old bldgs and infrastructure everywhere. You can see in the pics Sgt Joe posted, almost all of them in New England and NY, where every town large or small has at it's core buildings that are 150 to 100 yrs old. Old infrastructure beside old RR stations and ag bldgs in most towns, the whole length of the RR line that parallels I-88, the old Delaware and Hudson line, are the old wood crossbar power line supports in various states, most still having much of their old blue-green glass insulators. Thousands of them just sitting there on the rotting supports. Lots of old steel girder or older stone bridges, field stone walls, 150 yr old barns, Indian path roads. A Doc friend of ours in St Johnsbury VT has over a mile of RR track on his farm, a 0-4-0 steam switcher and 8-9 cars, plus a building full of old semaphores, signals, signs, and ass't railroadania. Another friend, retired machinist, is into steam, has his boiler license and rebuilt a '30s steam-shovel, along with a '32 V-12 Cadillac sedan (long sold). Has a CNC in his garage, my go-to guy for auto part reproduction, does a lot of stuff for Packard folks. Old stuff is fun stuff!
Mentioned I've been looking for a '30s/40s vintage 4 way traffic signal for a long time... coincidentally I just got lucky and just found one that I can make into a pole signal, they are nutty $$$ to buy as pole type, but this kind came both ways and it was originally drab green so I can repaint it to original color add pole and base,and end up with what I want without spending 5 grand: Crouse-Hinds DT-1 4-way with original"smiley" lenses, originally came as a hung or pole mount, will post pic, next post:
Whistle on the truck - fun project! |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3155
Location: NY & VT | "Art Deco" Crouse Hinds DT-1 (came drab green but has been repainted yellow, most towns did that for visibility reasons):
 (s-l140.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
s-l140.jpg (5KB - 319 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Been a while since an update ...
Finally got the walls completely sheeted and doors built and hung. I am "kitty free" !
.... (no more neighborhood kitties can get in to walk all over the cars, piss on stuff, etc.
I swear, it only happens IF you care .... park an old beater in the open and nothing happens.
Park a nice car and every POS animal for miles feels the need to try and destroy it. What's
up with that ???
Tonight I dug through my junk pile and put together enough insulators to run wire to
the front for lighting. Pulled a bunch of still-in-the-box shop fixtures out of the upstairs
storage. Maybe get that operational tomorrow ?
I had to replace the alternator in my work truck today (removed from the underside)
and it was such a pleasure to be able to use my floor jack and creeper. Just add lights
and heat and I will create the illusion of having a real shop !
|
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 5006
| Cats are truly a**holes. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | I have three cats of my own. I will never find them on cars, or pissing on them. I do see one
of the males spraying the bushes around the property, but not the #@! cars ! Other cats from
around the neighborhood seem to subscribe to a different ideal.
What is it with these mysterious creatures that make delicious sand-covered treats for dogs ?
My dog on the other hand, insists on wallowing through EVERY POSSIBLE bit of mud, muck, and
otherwise before coming in the house. I have tested this many times ..... if there was a fresh,
grassy strip running in direct parallel between points A and B, she will slop out the mud strip
EVERY #@! TIME and leave that pretty grass unfettered.
No amount of coaching has instilled a sense of change on this subject for her. At 14, she'll soon
be "one" with the mud. I suppose a cosmic end to a lifelong desire to be in the mud.
|
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 452
Location: Southern California | Doc, you're a true artist and a fine writer. Have you ever read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"? I think you would enjoy it!
My Beast is sitting in the driveway with a busted power steering hose. Will replace as soon as I can find a new one. Found a big pool of fluid under the car a while ago. Checked the resevoir and it's empty. What the heck?
Have a good day!
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Pirsig is "core values". Add in The Old Patagonian Express and you have my baseline.
I am overdue for a reread on both.
Writing and communication/s have always been a passion. Nothing like a good storyteller
to pull one into another space.
As for The Beast, we have a place here in town that makes those hoses to spec. I would
think L.A. would certainly have something to offer (?). If it's on the return side, it is not under
pressure and does not require the high pressure hose and fittings. If you cannot find an
adequate supplier, let me know.
|
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 8443
Location: Perth Australia | Gidman
Any hydraulic hose maker can re make your hose
The return hose has no pressure and is relatively cheap, the high pressure hose will cost a bit though
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3155
Location: NY & VT | Glad the shop is coming along, a spacious heated shop would be Nirvana for any gear head, a lift, icing on the cake. Even as I'm less able to work on things, a shop to just hang out in with cars is Priority 1 soon as we move back to VT. I like the vintage stuff you're doing, great inspiration.
Also a Pirsig fan, read back in the '70s when I was riding a Trident as much as driving my car, something which quickly came to an end when kiddies came along. His later work "Lila" is also interesting.
If you haven't read Saul Bellow, "Herzog" is a must starter. He and Updike are probably my favorite 20th cent writers.
Edited by firedome 2015-01-26 10:44 AM
|
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Last night I strung wire and moved the old street light from the front of the older part
of the building to make three running down the side. Tonight I assembled and hung five
very uncool, but bright "shop lights" down the main parking area and put up insulators
to string wire on tomorrow. Lit up a couple on temporary feeds. 2 seemed "adequate".
Five should be quite bright and good for underhood work.
|
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 452
Location: Southern California | Just to let you know I finally replaced that power steering hose. Found a used one that fit, dug in to the beast and replaced it! Thanks. |
|
| |
|
Location: Parts Unknown | Been moving my work area to the front of the shop to clear the floor for
new concrete in the back this summer.
Reconditioned the radiator for my 26 truck and got it painted.
 (shop setting cabinets.jpg)
 (TT radiator paint.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
shop setting cabinets.jpg (39KB - 323 downloads)
TT radiator paint.jpg (51KB - 279 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert 5K+
Posts: 7807
Location: Williams California | Lookin' Good, Doc!! |
|
| |