The land we just obtained is heavily forested and needs to be thinned for fire suppresion… so it might be possible to sell some of the timber and use the proceeds to pay ftoward the new shop…Again we have to wait for the snow to depart before we can go in and inventory the trees..

Checking on the costs for the in floor radiant heat system and the concrete for the slab it appears I am looking at around 4K$. of course then I have to add in the cost of the rebar and other connected costs. I will continue to check other companies and see what I can find.
The dream contiinues….

It was suggested by a friend as a way to save money and time was to get the foundation in and ready to go…. then have an ole fashioned barn raising. Whereas gathering together family and friends we could have the structure roughed in a very short time. All I would have to do would be to provide the beer(for after) and a big BBQ for the energy. Sounds like a great way to spend time with family/friends and get the shop built a lot less expensive…Hmmmm perhaps I should start stocking the coolers and the freezers now…...

I called and talked to a local radiant heat/concrete specialist yesterday about the new shop project and asked for his input. He was very encouraging to work with and is putting together a spec sheet and prices of his recommendations. Now lets hope that it fits in with the budget.

After years of standing on a cold concrete floor or putting down mats or floor panels I begin to read about and hear of folks who had used radiant heat in garages and shops, not to mention their homes and absolutely loved it. It makes sense if I provide a heat source to a large concrete slab, it would create a very warm safe environment to work in. The positive results I read about convinced me that it was the way to go. During the installation you prepare the packed gravel surface and then lay down a special type of green board to direct the heat upward instead into the ground. Then of course you lay the normal rebar and stuff for a concrete floor, along with the radiant heat tubes.

I like the suggestions to also lay dust collection and wiring pipes in the floor before you pour the concrete. This is a great way to get power to the tablesaw and any other equipment, which will be in the center of the area and reduce trip hazards at the same time. My one thought about the dust collection is what happens if you plug it up. That could be fun to clear it out….

My plan is to use some sort of external heat source..ie…wood fired water boiler system with propane or electric backup. Living in the woods here provides easy access to lots of firewood, if you want to spend the energy to harvest it. A US forest service permit is available for $5 a cord, which if you have priced firewood lately is a great deal. Of course it means you have to go into the woods and cut and haul it back home and sweat a bit. Actually it is hard to beat a nice cool morning and heading to the woods for a load of firewood. Good exercise, fresh air, wildlife sightings, and quiet time. (until you fire up the chainsaw).

With the snow still piled way to high, I will have lots of time to plan and re-plan…..draw and re-draw….think and re-think…... these shop plans before I actually am able to start building, being as how it could be the 4th of July before the snow is completely gone.(SIGH!) So, I will have lots of time to incorporate lots of other folks ideas into the process. To adjust, discuss and ponder about all the different options….

To be a part of a community like this is awesome and I want to use it as much a resource as I possibility can. Now if I could just find a big pot of gold when I get to walk the land this would be a much easier process. Money…can’t live with it….can’t live with out it….good thing is can’t take it with you so might as well enjoy it while you can. Throughout all this it is great to have a wife who supports these dreams and helps to look for options for obtaining the dream!!

To be continued……..

My goal would be to at least have the foundation poured and the outside structure closed in before next winter begins. Any offers of assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Currently I am working out of a small shop in the back of our garage, which has now spread into one of the car stalls in the front. In building this shop I will be able to actually put my vehicles in out of the weather in the garage. Not to mention being able to spread my equipment out a bit in the new shop and have dedicated areas for the different steps in the process of custom woodworking.

Here is a photo of a before the action starts and then I will follow the progress of the land prep and construction with additional photos and entries.

The trees in the front will remain to provide privacy from the road. I will cut a drive in where it best fits and have it circle around and exit through my current driveway to the house. This is to allow ease for getting trucks and trailers in and out easily.
Some of my initial thoughts are to make the shop footprint of somewhere in the neighborhood of 30×40 feet, 10 foot walls, overhang on each side for storage and multiple access points. With a 12/4 pitch there will also be space available for storage above. I would like to install radiant heat within the concrete slab which will be heated by some sort of external heat source. Any thoughts or suggestions here?
For now i must get back into the shop and make some money to afford this dream. Any thoughts or suggestions are welcomed as I go through this process. I feel blessed to be a part of this great group and know I can only learn from all the experience here.

To be continued….....

I hope no one is offended by this post, but being a Vet myself and remembering what it was like to be far away from home…

This seems like a very good thing, no matter how you feel about the war.

You can write your own message, or use one of theirs.

Very easy. Lots of choices.

Xerox is sponsoring “Thank You” Cards to our troups abroad. The cards were designed by school children around the US.

Go to “www.LetsSayThanks.com”: and you can pick out a thank you card that Xerox will print and send to a service person in Iraq. You can’t pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services.

Whether you are for or against the war, our soldiers need to know that we remember them …

Pass it on.

Thanks and Happy Veterans Day to all the Vets out there.

It was exciting as the sawmill made it slices and I pulled them from the track. Suppose some folks would think it was strange that two grown men got so excited over an old root, but they were very nice and we didn’t know what we were going to get. As you can see I have the roots stickered and painted the ends to allow them to cure. Kind of funny how things happen, but I had just read the posts on LJ about how to handle green lumber and then I had some. And who says things don’t happen just because they are suppose to. As the lumber dries I will post more photos. The initial look tells me there is a lot of history in these roots and the grain pattern is awesome.
I only had room to carry the three roots I got, so I went back to get more and they were gone. I will definitely be on the lookout for more of these laying around and happily “take them off of their hands”.