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24K views 105 replies 52 participants last post by  robscastle 
#1 ·
The floor is down

Well I decided to bite the bullet and help out the local economy a little. Currently my shop is 24' x 38' with 8' ceilings. But my work space seams to keep getting smaller and smaller with every piece of equipment that I aquire. So my actual building or assembly area has become quite small. With the ways things have been going lately I've struggled with the decision of build or not to build, I just hope I've made the right decision.

I'm adding a 20' x 40' addition to my current building. This will almost double what I have right now. The biggest portion of the new space will be an assembly area. Some of the equipment will make its way over to the new area. The current shop area will be used as a milling area and lumber storage. I'm thinking about puting in a small office area in the new side possibly. The addition will also have 10' ceilings for a little more working height. I decided not to give up any space for a bathroom, I figure its not that far to the house or out the back door.

The floor was poured today and forms set for some sidewalks and a small pad outside the overhead door, those will see concrete tomorrow. It looks plenty big enough right now, just hope it stays that way.

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Now I just need my stimulus check,,,,,,,,,,,,(yea I know bad joke).
 
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#3 ·
I think you might be arousing some envy ;-) It will be fun to watch the progress.

Your weather must be pretty nice. It's a little too cold (with too much snow on the ground) to pour concrete here.
 
#11 ·
Walls are up!

All the concrete work is done, Sidewalks and a small slab was poured on Thursday. Friday all the walls were framed up and sheeted. On Monday the truss's are suppose to arrive. Should have a roof this next week and siding at least started.

Won't be long and my part of the project will begin. I'll need to get a meter and 200 amp panel installed and then I can started on the inside.

Click on the pictures to see a full view.
Thanks for looking!

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#12 ·
Les:

I built my "Workshop in the Woods" in '07 so I can appreciate your excitement. I'll suggest painting the interior white and using the new electronic type ballast fixtures with "daylight" bulbs to obtain the highest color rendering index. Add several windows if you can. good light makes a world of difference.

Are you going to use a conventional overhead garage door?
 
#24 ·
Roofed and Sided

The roof and siding is all on now. Soffits are done and the facer boards have all been wrapped with metal. Still don't have an overhead door yet though, it won't be in until next week some time.

I'm working on getting a price to run the new service to the building and set a meter and put in a 200 amp panel. I'm planning on running a lead to the exsisting panel in the old part of the shop from the new one. Then I can disconnect the power from the house completely.

Soon I'll be able to start doing all the things on the inside that I'm planning on doing. Like completing the wiring, insalating and I'm thinking about putting a small office area in the corner, about an 8' by 10' or so. Then at some point I'll be taking out a portion of the wall between the two buildings to make the process complete. With the new addition I'll have about 1760 sq. ft. of shop area to work with, yes I'll be glad when its all done!

Here's a few pictures of where its at right now. You can click on the pictures to enlarge them.
Thanks for looking!

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#44 ·
Still waiting on electricity!

Everyone keeps asking about the shop, "Is it done yet?" Nope, I wish! I've been waiting on the power company to make up there mind. Now they have finally decided to put a pedastal in the back yard to run the shop off of. Problem is the electric here is buried and it will not stop raining! I was hoping to have it in by Memorial weekend but if the rain doesn't stop that won't happen. I can't really do anything out there until I get the city to sign off on the building and get them out of my hair (if ya know what I mean). So for right now I have this big new building that I can't really use for anything. Well I do have a chair out in the middle of it that I go sit in some times! ;o)

Soon I hope!
 
#57 ·
Almost there!

Its been along haul,,,,,,,,,,but its finally taking shape!

The outside of the building was completed 3/5/09. It took from that date until the middle of May for the power company to decide what they wanted to do to get the power to the building. They finally decided to put in a pedastal in the back yard to run the power from. (at a cost of $1350.00). I had a seperate meter put in the shop so I could cut it loose from the house. I got a final on the buiding and the electrical on 6/19/09. Then was my turn to go to work.

I worked every evening after work as well as every weekend (still doing so). Got all the wiring finished (about 1000 feet or so). Put up up a couple of walls for an office in one corner. The wife helped me get it all insulated. Then I put 7/16 osb on all the walls and ceilings. Got it asll painted two coats. Hung 12- 8' Four bulb t8 light fixtures. Last but not least I decided to put in laminate flooring. One, to make it warmer in the winter and two, to make it a little eaiser on the feet and legs than walking on concrete all the time. I'm really glad I went ahead and put in the flooring, It makes a world of difference.

I still have alot of things to finish up yet. Office is still bare walls inside. Still have a little triming here and there to do. For the last four weeks or so I've been moving machinery into the new side. Sorting through lots of stuff, Finding lots of stuff that I forgot I even had. Moving things around, trying to find the perfect place for things. Its going to and ongoing process till spring I'm thinking. Still have a big mess to clean up in the old side of the shop. I'll finally have room to build some lumber racks and get lumber storage under control.

This first picture is the way it things looked inside the first of March.

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And here it is now!

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As you can see I've been somewhat busy. It has taken a while doing it all by my self, but I have enjoyed every minute of it.

You will all be invited to the open shop when its done!
 
#87 ·
Not done, but using it!

Everyone keeps asking about the shop, so here how things stand today. Its not done--done but its being used. I've been using it for a while now. But just when I think the new side is about where I'm going to leave I seem to come with changes I want to make. I still plan on making some wall cabinets and benches to go on the south wall in the new side. I've added a few things since it was built so I had to find a place for those. I do things as I have time. A couple of weeks ago I got tired of all the clamps being everywhere. So I had a few 2×4's left from the framing and spent a day designing and building a quick clamp rack that holds all of the clamps I currently have at home. It holds all 250 or so and still has room for a few more, plus room for another partition in the center for more haging clamps if need be. I've gotten so used to having my lift table at work (yea you guessed it) that I bought another for the home shop. It has a smaller foot print but will still lift 2000 pounds. And finally a couple of weeks ago or so I bought a pellet stove, so I had to find a place for it and get it installed and running. Still need to sheet rock the the little office and get it done. I keep working at it when I have time and feel like it.

We are really busy at work right now. I've been working a few extra hours a week to try and speed some things there. We currently have the biggest job we have ever had and it has its share of headaches believe me. And were trying to squese in a few smaller projects to at the same time. My time in my shop is limited to the weekends, during the week I just don't feel like it most evenings.

Yesterday, Saturday, I had three guys over from the local woodworkers guild that I belong to. I volunteered to build a book cabinet for the guilds library. I'm a little late on getting that done, so going to try and get it finished as soon as possible.

Here's a few pictures from today! Sorry I didn't take the time to re-size the pictures so if click on them you can see the whole photo.

shop

clamp rack 1

clamp rack 2

multi station

chop saw

lathe wall

lift table 1

lift table 2

south wall

And here is a few from the old side, still need to finish clearing this side out and getting it organized. I put the pellet stove on this side.

old side shop 1

old side shop 2

pellet stove

As always thanks for looking and have fun woodworking!!
 
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