| Blog series by Calgirl | updated 710 days ago | 18 parts | 8071 reads | 161 comments total |
Part 1: First Things First
All my adult life I have wanted a dedicated workshop, and finally it is about to come true! Tomorrow the owner of a tree service company will come by to plan for the four trees that have to be removed in order to place the foundation of my new shop. Don’t worry about those four trees…....soon they will become projects and turnings! I don’t know much about trees, but one is a pine about 8 stories high, one is a dead walnut, and the two others are some species unknown to me...
Part 2: More on Preliminary Thinking about the Shop
Thanks all, for your comments and ideas. I’ve been thinking about this shop for sooooo long and changed my mind so many times, but soon, as the building progresses, my options will be severely limited. Actually, after holding many ideas in my head, I happened upon Grizzly’s web site, where they have a shop building program. It is somewhat limited, but was very helpful to me. I tried to use Sketch-Up, but the learning curve was too long for me, as I just had to get things down ...
Part 3: Those Trees Don't Want To Go
Well, the trees still stand due to rain. Monday we cancelled the removal. Tuesday we cancelled the removal. Thursday is the next date the “Tree People” could commit to, so we will see. I can tell you that on Tuesday night at 8 P.M. it is raining hard and soon I will have to look for those big ship anchors to weight my house down! The water table is two shovels deep in these parts so “ponds” well up easily. In fact, there is a formal Florida Retention Pond behind my property. I guess the w...
Part 4: The Rain Stopped...Now I have Tadpoles !
Well, it rained intermittantly for 5 days and today was the first “dry” day. My contractor could not submit the plans to the city for the permit because of something about a boat and a guy named Columbus. The “Tree People” have been itchin’ to make some logs for my turning and wood stock, but alas, some tadpoles(?) are swimming in the “pond” which has taken over where my shop footing will be and the “Tree People can’t do their thing in h...
Part 5: Do tadpoles jump? ~ And, I GOT GOOD NEWS TODAY, I THINK.
Whatever is in the “pond” where my shop will soon be jumps. They are tiny things so I can’t describe them but they jumped out of the way as I paddled thru on my tractor lawn mower. At times I needed fins and I almost got stuck several times in the mud. But, be it known that I was successful in cutting the water off at grass height, and we are good to go for the tree trimming tomorrow. The “Tree People” are going to bring something to lay down over some of the...
Part 6: Good to Go
Well, the stumps are ground and we’re ready to start bringing in the fill and preparing the foundation this week. We have the permit and zoning approval. The cement sub came out and placed flags for the extension off of the driveway, and also to demark where the foundation of the shop will sit. My contractor says that it will take 4 trucks of fill for the driveway extension and the shop foundation. They are going to have to approach the shop on the grass beside the driveway and will...
Part 7: There is Certainly No Drought Here!
You would think that the trades would take Sunday off especially since it continues to rain intermittantly, but the electrician just left after installing the outlets that will be in the middle of the slab. The form (cement people) fellows were here yesterday afternoon placing rebar in the foundation and doing a little more compacting. I think they are going to try to pour cement tomorrow, however, the plastic barrier has not been placed and a part of the form where they drove their mini-tr...
Part 8: Rest Stop !
Wow, I’m bushed. Everything is as cleaned up as it is going to be, Someone on the cement crew liked candy bars because there are at least 6 wrappers scattered about, but my back is too sore to pick them up tonight. The lumber will be delivered tomorrow. My contractor wanted to give the cement (especially the driveway) another day to cure, so the framing won’t start until Friday. I’m supposed to figure out where to put the porta-pottie and the dumpster…......heck, h...
Part 9: ProjectCalc Plus
This may be old news to most of you, but I purchased a woodworking calculator that is amazing, at least to me. I am one of those mathmatically challenged woodworkers, and this calculator does everything but build the project. I calculates board feet, meters from feet & inches, how much paint to buy, how many rolls of wallpaper you need, how many boards and posts you need for a fence, etc., etc. Now I will have no more excuses for that cut that is too short! I have used it already to ...
Part 10: He says I can start moving in.....
The Gen’l Contractor says that I can start moving in, even tho we have not had the final inspection. He had to have the plans redrawn because I moved the doors and windows. Then he has to have the plans stamped by the city before he can call for the “dry-in” and the final inspection. The target date is Wednesday but he is concerned that the holiday week will cause delays. So, I can start moving in, I just can’t place any insulation or wallboard yet. But, I can sta...
Part 11: AND THERE WAS LIGHT
Well, I have three flood lights (but no bulbs yet) and one two-tube flourescent. Finally I have electricity! I have found that if I start working out there at about 10 in the morning, by 2 in the afternoon, I have to take a break to rest my back. Then after supper, I’m ready to get back to work. So far I have made a “scooter” to help me get all the heavy stuff out there. I’m going to tackle the drill press and maybe the lathe tonight.How glorious it will be to see...
Part 12: Dec 3 is THE day
Hopefully all the building etc. will be over today as the inspectors are coming to do the final inspection. I have a “temp” metal garage door where my sliding door should be to pass the inspection. Nothing much has changed as I haven’t been able to do anything that involves covering the interior walls until the final inspection, so I have been contenting myself with moving machinery in and building an assembly table. I set up my new Bosch SCMS and it is wonderful! It is ...
Part 13: Something Happened Today
Something happened, but I don’t know what! I missed the construction guy who was waiting for the inspector. But, the good news is that there is some trim up around the windows and doors that was not there this morning….I think that bodes good news…....at least I hope so. I emailed the General Contractor to find out the status. There is still some painted trim on the floor of the shop, so there is more work to be done. I do know that today’s inspector had to come b...
Part 14: Building Inspectors Must Be Unhappy People!
I haven’t updated the progress on the workshop because I didn’t want to share my pain, but as there is finally some small light at the end of the tunnel, I can finally tell what has been going on. The inspection process has been the most frustrating aspect of the entire project. Each inspector arrives and finds one thing they don’t like and then leaves with instructions to fix it. So, the electrician comes all 26 miles from town and puts in GFI outlets for each circuit. Then tw...
Part 15: Ongoing Saga
Well, we’re at the “Final Inspection” tomorrow. We’ve had two inspections since I last had a blog entry and of course, they found two more small things for the carpenters to do.We did get final approval on the electrical. The city has given us a final on the plans. Now, we just need the final on the carpentry. The GC is very upset, however, I have resolved myself to endless inspections and endless interruptions, so I am no longer anxious about the matter. I guess I have partially given ...
Part 16: Well, Another Problem (?) is Found !
Surprise! Surprise! The inspector found another problem that he just happened to miss on his previous 5 visits! This time, the step into the building is too high. So the contractor has to come back out and throw some dirt under the entry door. I called the city to complain about this redundant, stupid, wasteful process but of course after sitting on hold for about 20 minutes, the phone was answered by someone’s recorder. I did leave a message, but have little faith that it will he...
Part 17: WE PASSED FINAL INSPECTION !!
Thanks all for the crossed eyes, toes, and fingers…....we finally did it ! All I have now is the temporary garage door removal, the infamous toilet at the end of my driveway, and maybe some sodding of the damaged lawn.
Part 18: In Case Your Wondering......
I’ve been hanging insulation and putting up OSB behind where the Cyclone will hang. We haven’t put the cone up yet because it would make it difficult to finish the wall behind. So tomorrow we’ll finish the cyclone and I’ll show pics…Mike and I decided we would brag on our professional job and offer to install anyone’s for the price of a plane ticket and a thousand dollars, plus a liberal expense account !! It has been a bear because of the way we hung it...
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