# The Chronicles of Woodworking in a Can



## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*The Chronicles of Woodworking in a Can*

Well first I must thank Todd A. Clipper for the new title. After reading his comments I just could not resist using the suggested title for my blog. Along with the new title I will do my best to try to do things like record temperature differences between the outside air and that inside the can.

As I said in an email to Todd, I think I may call it "the Can", now. I think it is funny and it fits. At least till I buy the planned second can, then I do not know what I will call it. But for now the can is fine.

I will address the issue that some have mentioned of mounting things on the walls as I have a couple of ideas, that I would like to try and as I do them, I will share them with you here. It may surprise some of you to know that the lights are actually held up by gluing 1 X 3 stock to the ceiling with construction adhesive. Then I screwed the light fixtures to the wood once the adhesive had set. I gave it 24 hours. If I remember I use that Locktite Grapit all purpose construction adhesive. I will verify that and post it when I do.

I was also asked about wood storage. Currently what wood I do have is stored in my mother-in-laws barn till I build something suitable. I am hoping to get the go ahead to demolish an old barn up the road and use that lumber to build a suitable storage area off the one side of the can. (Damn, I just laugh every time, I type or say "the can".)

So, from now on, this blog will be "The Chronicles of Woodworking in a Can". I will include information and updates about my changes to the can. With that I will also tell you about what it is like to work in the can and how I solve any problems that come up. Along the way. Feel free to offer advice or ask any questions you may have.

I will leave it at that for now.

Best wishes from the man in the can.

*Update 01/09/09*
Life in the can continues. I have been busy doing work to the bench and some other things. I will be posting an update in the next few days and hopefully will change some of the pictures on the workshop page to show the work done to date. I will include some working condition information then too. 
That is all from the man in the can for now. Let the sawdust fly!

Craig McKerlie

*Update01/10/2009:*
OK! First thing first. If you looked my workshop page then you have seen the new pictures. I will take some more later to show even more of what I am describing below.

What have I done?

Well I replaced the counter top with 16 feet of 3/4 MDF and added a tool caddy cabinet to the end nearest the doors. Yes this did cut into the overall access of the the doors. But with both doors open I still have a 7 foot opening to get materials in and out of the shop. I kept the depth of the bench top and the caddy cabinet to about 24 inches.

I have made the shelves or caddy platforms for the power tools that I plan to interchange in the bench. But I have yet to actually attach the tools to the platforms yet.

For those who may not see what all I am talking about in the pictures. The base units are base cabinets that I got from a kitchen remodel that was being done up the road. After leveling them, I installed 3/4" MDF on top of the cabinets. Before securing anything, I made some decisions about how much work surface I wanted, and where I wanted to place my air compressor. I also had to look at some other storage issues and formulated a plan for the use of tool caddies including using them to interchange certain tools in the bench top. ( I have yet to finalize this, but will photograph and describe it at a later date.)

After installing the MDF and using biscuit, joining the two 8 foot lengths together. I attached them to the base cabinets. I then using 2 X 4's that were recycled from the kitchen remodel mentioned before, I was able to construct the tool caddy cabinet. The beginnings of which you can see in the pictures on the workshop page. I covered the sides of the cabinet with 1/8 inch plywood. For no other reason then to clean up the look a little better.

I then took a peg board starter kit from Bulldog Hardware ($25.88 at Wal-Mart) and installed it on the left side of cabinet. You can see it in the pictures. What I got was 4 plastic peg board panels and about 30 or so peg board hooks. Each panel was 12" X 24" which of course when put together gave me a panel 24" X 48". I turned the panel on its side to fit on the side of my tool caddy cabinet. I really wanted to use real peg board or even some of the slat wall stuff. But two things worked against me. One being the local Lowe's only stocks 2 feet X 4 feet sheets at $7.52 a sheet, Home Depot is quite a distance away and they were out of peg board. The second thing was HAVE YOU SEEN THE PRICE of the slat wall stuff?!

Temperature information. Today it was about 50 degrees outside. I worked inside all day comfortably, with an inside temperature of about 55 degrees. These are not accurate measurements. I know the outside temperature by using accuweather.com, and based on the feeling, I have estimated the inside temp. When I can I will do more to give measured results.

Well I have stop here for now, my dog needs to go out.

That is all for now from the man in the can…..


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## Sawdust2 (Mar 18, 2007)

cmckerliesr said:


> *The Chronicles of Woodworking in a Can*
> 
> Well first I must thank Todd A. Clipper for the new title. After reading his comments I just could not resist using the suggested title for my blog. Along with the new title I will do my best to try to do things like record temperature differences between the outside air and that inside the can.
> 
> ...


Ahhh. Now I understand.

When my uncle sold his house and moved to a retirement community he and my cousin got one of those "cans" and made it into their shop.

Unfortunately, I did not get to see it when I was last up there (Maryland).

Lee


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

cmckerliesr said:


> *The Chronicles of Woodworking in a Can*
> 
> Well first I must thank Todd A. Clipper for the new title. After reading his comments I just could not resist using the suggested title for my blog. Along with the new title I will do my best to try to do things like record temperature differences between the outside air and that inside the can.
> 
> ...


I LOVE IT!

It certainly is catchy and radiates a good sense of humor!

"Where's Craig?" 
"Oh, he's out woodworking in the can." 
????


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*The Chronicles of Woodworking in a Can (continues 2/27/2009)*

Hi All!
Well I know it has been some time since I last wrote about what is was like working inside the can. The temperature, space, so forth. So, I thought I should quit making excuses and sit down to give you all some more information.

First, let me tell you that I have been doing a lot of work inside the can. I installed some recycled kitchen cabinets and set some 3/4 inch MDF on top of them, making an L-shaped work bench or surface that is 18 feet long and the L at the end measures 4 feet if I remember correctly. I'll have to check it again and get back to you on the exact measurements.

Not long ago, I attempted to install some upper cabinets for some added storage of course. I say attempted, cause it did not go well. I had some Grab-It construction adhesive and put it on some of the metal ribs to affix some 2 X 4's to the walls. Then I was going to screw the cabinets to the 2 X 4's. In my mind and in theory this was a good idea. It still is really a good idea, but let me explain what went wrong.

On the tube of the adhesive it says that it should not be used below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. It turns out, that is not only for the ambient temperature but that of the material you bonding as well. What happened was, the night before it had been in the 20's. That day it had warmed up to about the mid 50's. I did not think to check to temperature of the can. After all, I was comfortable not to hot or cold and it had been above 50 for a couple of hours. Before anyone asks, no the can is not in the shade it gets direct sunlight over 80% of the day. In any case, I had already placed layout lines on the inside of the can where I wanted to glue the 2 X 4's to the wall. I was confident, since this is how I had attached two pretty heavy fluorescent light fixtures to the ceiling, each holds 4 bulbs. I put the adhesive on the wall, pushed the 2 X 4's onto the adhesive a let it set. I was busy doing other things, when I heard a loud crash. I looked, and the 2 X 4's had fallen. After a few choice cuss words (yes, i picked them very carefully. After all I learned them from my father), I tried to find out what went wrong. It was not hard to figure out, once I actually touched the metal. While the ceiling was heating up nicely, the walls were not. It was real easy to tell that the walls were not above 50 degrees. So for now, I have put this off till warmer weather comes around.

In the mean time I had built a tool caddy unit on the end of the bench and I am real glad of that. It has been a real help. Although I do have some more work to do on it and the actual caddies themselves.

I've been fortunate. I mean I would not put this out in the middle of the desert and attempt to work in or around it. That is unless I put an air conditioner and or heat inside. I have great air flow, and while it can get quite hot and cold around here. I am able to regulate the temperature inside to my liking just my opening or closing the doors and by how I dress. I have not had to put on real heavy clothing or any that restricted my movements or cause some sort of snag hazard during the cold times. The most I have had on, was a t-shirt, an insulated flannel shirt, jeans, and of course boots. That was when it was in the 30's or so, we had a little snow on the ground. Anyone who lives around Raleigh or points south knows when I mean, it was earlier this year.

I can hardly wait to get another can, so that I can join the two together to make a real workshop with some space in it. Don't get me wrong. I like my single can. I like the space I do have. But you always want more, and a little more space would be appreciated.

I will continue to update you all on woodworking in a can. But I think it time to list a few things to consider and ensure you do before you or anyone else runs off to buy their own can. Do I recommend it? Heck, yeah, the cost per square foot is CHEAP. I spent $1800 and that included delivery. You figure it out. 
*
Things to consider and more:*
1. Ensure you have prepared a level landing pad for the can.
2. If you do not have room of a container truck to drive up in the area where the can will be placed;then, get estimates for a crane to lift it off and place it on the landing pad.
3. Pay attention to the climate and how the sun will hit the can throughout the day.
(*My theory is:* If the roof and at least one wall will be warmed by the sun throughout the day, then it will get really warm inside. I base this on the fact that my can is oriented east to west. But due to terrain, the sun can not heat the doors, only the roof all day, and the rear wall in the afternoon till sundown. I am sure that if I had orientated the can differently allowing a side wall and the roof to heat up in the morning hours, and to roof and other wall to be heated in the afternoon hours things would be different.)
4. If necessary install heat and or air into the can.
5. If you can use heavy duty Grab-It Construction adhesive to first mount supports to the walls or ceiling allow it to dry for 12 hours, then attach cabinets or lights to those supports. ( I just do not see any good of drilling holes all over the can.)
6. Put some real thought into painting your can, well at least cover up the ugly. They are the ugliest looking things, until you cover it up.
7. Like any shop or building plan your electrical, dust collection, and any other things you want or need to install.
8. Get 2 good hefty pad locks. Each door has handles that can be and in opinion should be locked. OK, have at least 1 lock. Sometimes I do a little over kill.

While I have most of this list done, I am working on some things. Money you know. Like currently, I do not have the shop wired. I am hanging an extension cord inside the shop with multiple outlets. I run another extension cord from the house and plug it into the cord in the shop. I hope to fix this soon.

Well I have written enough for now. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them.

Warmest Regards to All!


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *The Chronicles of Woodworking in a Can (continues 2/27/2009)*
> 
> Hi All!
> Well I know it has been some time since I last wrote about what is was like working inside the can. The temperature, space, so forth. So, I thought I should quit making excuses and sit down to give you all some more information.
> ...


Other than the construction adhesive problem, sounds like things are really going well. I must admit, when you first started talking about using the container, I had some doubts. Glad you proved me wrong.

Keep us posted!!!

Lew


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

cmckerliesr said:


> *The Chronicles of Woodworking in a Can (continues 2/27/2009)*
> 
> Hi All!
> Well I know it has been some time since I last wrote about what is was like working inside the can. The temperature, space, so forth. So, I thought I should quit making excuses and sit down to give you all some more information.
> ...


I had wondered how things were going with woodworking in the can. I snickered pretty good when I saw the post tonight, I just love the title.

I will continue to be following your adventures of woodworking in a can.


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## Julian (Sep 30, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *The Chronicles of Woodworking in a Can (continues 2/27/2009)*
> 
> Hi All!
> Well I know it has been some time since I last wrote about what is was like working inside the can. The temperature, space, so forth. So, I thought I should quit making excuses and sit down to give you all some more information.
> ...


Sounds interesting. You should try using subfloor glue(construction adhesive, not the liquid nails crap) instead of grab it. It will glue anything together permanently.


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## willmego (Mar 27, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *The Chronicles of Woodworking in a Can (continues 2/27/2009)*
> 
> Hi All!
> Well I know it has been some time since I last wrote about what is was like working inside the can. The temperature, space, so forth. So, I thought I should quit making excuses and sit down to give you all some more information.
> ...


Looking forward to future parts!


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*Can Wood Glue Freeze?*

As I am sure you can tell from the title of this blog entry. I have a reason for the question.

No I am not asking if it can, cause I have proof that wood glue can indeed freeze. So why do I bring this up. One to be honest I am a little bored today and just wanted to share a little about something that happened inside the can recently.

I know I have said a lot about how I am able to work comfortably inside the can without heat or air. But I have not talked about what happens when I first open the doors in the morning or some of what I have experienced after a very cold night. Some of it may be common sense considering it is a large metal box, but as I said, I am bored. Who knows I may actually be giving some information that some one may not of considered or thought of. Yeah! Right, like I'm the genius that is going to impart some bit of wisdom or learning to some one. LOL! May be this bit of self indulgence will inspire me to build that rocket ship to fly to the moon that I have been putting of for years. (OK, enough sarcasm). More, big words, I better watch out.

Sorry I went off subject for a moment listening to those voices in my head that started this whole thing.

Honestly I did not give it much thought, that is, the fact that wood glue can freeze. When I decided to work inside the can. Being originally from sunny southern California, I just never gave it much thought. But I had a rude awakening the last day or so. The overnight temperatures had dropped to the high teens, you know 18 - 19 degrees without wind chill or as they call it now days this was not the real feel, but the actual temperature. Damn! I'm just full of wise crap today….

Since I have been working in the can, I have noticed that if the overnight temperatures get low enough it is really noticeable when you first open the doors. Also, I noticed that the temperature warms up nicely if you leave one door open and ambient air from outside comes in. (More big words…sorry I will try to keep it to a minimum). I never really gave it much thought. Especially because I thought that if any one else decided to work in a can as well, they would figure some of these things out for themselves too. I mean you have to understand that there is a little trial and error that has to go on for you to determine how to keep it to your liking with the can. Also, it is dependent on your local climate conditions. So I really never considered going into much about what it was like to go into the can first thing in the morning. Now, lets see if I can bring this all back around to the original thought.

When I first started working in the can, I paid attention to what it was like inside. If it was hot, warm, or cold when I first opened the doors and I tried to be observant as to what was happening to everything inside the can. There was not much to observe at first, because I moved my tools in first and started laying out what was to come next. I did not store much of anything else in there at the time, no wood, no glue, or stain or anything else. But I did notice that if the overnight temperatures got below 30 degrees, it was real chilly inside when I first opened the doors. Sorry, I never carry a thermometer in my pocket so I can not give exact details other than it was chilly in there. I would leave one door open and the outside air along with sunlight would warm it up to my liking fairly quickly. I can not say that it took much longer on a cloudy day, but there was difference. Of course, I could change the temperature or let it warm up faster inside by opening both doors on these days.

Back to the glue…..I'm trying guys, I just keep thinking of things that might be relevant as well and to cover all the bases.

So, I opened the doors yesterday. It was real chilly inside. I was preparing to glue up some boards. I had everything ready, I got my glue bottle, turned it over to squeeze out some glue. Nothing came out. Back to those cuss words. I guess I got stuck on stupid. Turned it over again and that is when I finally noticed, that the glue was not flowing, moving, or coming out of the bottle. So I tried shaking the bottle, working it around in my hands, taking the cap off and trying to stir it up a little. Which is when I found out the glue was frozen. I will not say solid, but frozen to the point that I was not going to be doing any gluing. Luckily I remembered another bottle of glue I had stored in the house. So I retrieved it, and was able to continue with my work. When I was done, I got to thinking. Yes, the most dangerous thing any one man can do, think, or wonder why something happened.

During the course of the day, I had managed to defrost or thaw the first bottle of glue. For what ever reason, I started to wonder if I had left the glue inside a cabinet, out on the bench or if I had some how left it against one of the walls or sides of the can. OK, I admit it I do not always put the glue away or even in the same spot all the time. Before this, I have never thought of keeping track of such a thing. After all I do have some usual habits that have always meant that I pretty much knew where the glue was when I needed it. So. This all brought me to question, does it really matter where I store the glue in the can? Will it freeze inside a cabinet or just left out in the open, or does it only happen if the bottle is in close contact (big word) or proximately (thank god for spell check) to the wall.

Answer: NO. I found that if the overnight temperature drops below about 30 degrees it does not matter where the glue is stored it will freeze. Or at least become unusable until it warms up or thaws out. I did manage to use one trick that at least on one occasion prevented this from happening. Those of you that have a pump house should know this.

We get our water from a well. To help prevent the water from freezing, a simple light bulb is put into the pump house, that and a little insulation has meant that our water supply has never frozen. I had an ah ha moment. Yes it was painful, I was dazed for a few moments, and my wife had to check to see if I was still alive after words, but this is what happened.

I have 2 identical cabinets that are installed against the wall. I installed a light socket in both cabinets. In one, I also glued some insulation to the inside back of the cabinet. In both cabinets I put in 60 watt bulbs and each cabinet also held identical glue bottles. The next day, I checked on my little experiment. The glue in both bottles was still usable, but the one in the insulated cabinet was much more fluid then the glue from the uninsulated cabinet.

I know that I could solve all this by doing one thing. Gluing insulation onto the walls, and then putting up dry wall or some other covering. But for one, I am going to attach another can to this one and I do not want to go through tearing out all of that from the wall that will be taken down. Plus, I also like the fact that I am going through some of the extremes. I like sharing the stories, and the information. I could of easily had some one come in, set the can down, insulated it, installed climate control and possibly more. But doing it this way. I learn what happens too. Plus, what of the guy who can not afford to go all out. If I had just jumped into all of that and then some one who is just getting by, says wow, I am going to do this based on what I have read from this blog. He gets the basic can and then finds out it was not as good as it seemed in the blog. One he may hunt me down, and that would not be pretty.

What I am getting at, is it is easy if you have the means to do so to set up a can and never experience what I have. But, if you do not have the money or the resources are just not available for what ever reason. Then you are going to experience and have to experiment with the same things I am. Heck, I am still running an extension cord to the can for power every day.

Well, I am no longer bored and I hope that I have made you laugh or even imparted some bit of information or wisdom to you. After all that is the my goal here. I can not take myself nor any one else to seriously. I refuse to do so. Every time I start a project, I set out to do my best and create something I can be proud of. At the same time, when I run into things that I might of had a little trouble doing I ask questions even if I have figured out how to do it. Because I want to know how other may handle it or just because some one else may be struggling with the same situation but at scared to look stupid. Like my post in the forum about cutting a notch into a dowel. I had already figured it out, but I was so happy with the response I got. I even kept some of the responses because I want to try their way out when I make another tracking stick.

But that is off subject.

Glue does freeze, you can prevent it, it gets cold inside the can, and so far there has been no affect on the wood I do store in there. Also, no animals, small children, or any thing else was harmed in the quest for knowledge. I look forward to continuing this blog and I am working on not being so long winded.

Warmest Regards!

Until I have more to write about. Keep playing in the sawdust.


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## kiwi1969 (Dec 22, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Can Wood Glue Freeze?*
> 
> As I am sure you can tell from the title of this blog entry. I have a reason for the question.
> 
> ...


Been there done that. Night shift in New Zealand, dead of winter. Our Taylor clamp was in it,s own room with a gas heater to keep things at a constant temp, but our assemblers had to be sent home as all their glue was freezing up as it sat on their benches and any joint they glued failed, not to mention the wind chill factor comeing of the sawblades and the nailguns blocking up with ice. *Oh how I love living in the tropics!*


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## Steelmum (Jul 21, 2007)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Can Wood Glue Freeze?*
> 
> As I am sure you can tell from the title of this blog entry. I have a reason for the question.
> 
> ...


I did hear somewhere that if you put your glue in a cooler it will insulate it enough to keep from freezing. Not sure, haven't tried it, but sounds possible.


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Can Wood Glue Freeze?*
> 
> As I am sure you can tell from the title of this blog entry. I have a reason for the question.
> 
> ...


Craig,

According to the Titebond site, Their yellow wood glue should not be stored where it can freeze. Don't know what the exact effects are, however.

Lew


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Can Wood Glue Freeze?*
> 
> As I am sure you can tell from the title of this blog entry. I have a reason for the question.
> 
> ...


I at first did not intentionally set out to make it freeze. In fact until it happened I did not know that glue would freeze.
I am not sure of the effects either, as it just so happens I was using the Titebond yellow wood glue when this happened. But so far so good, I have not experienced anything negative yet. But I am sure if I did let it freeze repeatedly there probably would be problems.
I should of mentioned that I have stored the glue safely now and that it no longer freezes.
Thanks for you input Lew!
It is always a pleasure.

Craig


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## RichClark (Jan 3, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Can Wood Glue Freeze?*
> 
> As I am sure you can tell from the title of this blog entry. I have a reason for the question.
> 
> ...


I imagine the components of the glue will freeze at different stages and your glue will separate into its components, Nice science project (Ill save that for my daughter) but is a liquid and you have to expect it to freeze. (unless its absolute vodka!) Id chalk it up to not to be repeated and wouldn't trust a joint with it.


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## rtb (Mar 26, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Can Wood Glue Freeze?*
> 
> As I am sure you can tell from the title of this blog entry. I have a reason for the question.
> 
> ...


Somehow I don't think it gets cold enought in NC for this to be much of a prob. I have used thawed tightbond II many times without any sign of glue failure. recently I have had to compleat some projects during the +T part of the day (14-15 F ) and have used G. glue, almost impossible to spread or get out of the bottle at those temps. A few seconds witgh heat gun and it could have been mid summer. I usually leave the clamps on over night but have had no failures with method. I also found that heating the inital sqeeze out after clamping and wiping with a damp shop rag definatatly reduces the amount of cleanup later.


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## 8iowa (Feb 7, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Can Wood Glue Freeze?*
> 
> As I am sure you can tell from the title of this blog entry. I have a reason for the question.
> 
> ...


Winters in the Upper Peninsula are pretty brutal, in addition to 200+ inches of snow, below freezing temperatures can last continuously for periods of six to eight weeks.

In the late Fall, when I close up my 'Workshop in the Woods", I have to gather up all items that would freeze and take them down into the basement of our house. I don't think it freezes down there, but just to be safe, everything containing H2O is placed in large metal tubs on the floor with blakets placed over. When we open up again in the Spring there are always a few "surprises", fortunately not too major so far.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Can Wood Glue Freeze?*
> 
> As I am sure you can tell from the title of this blog entry. I have a reason for the question.
> 
> ...


great blog.
Favourite line? "Warmest Regards"


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*It has been a long time.....climate inside the can*

Well it has been way to long since I last wrote or posted anything on my blog and I apologize for that. The main reason for the long period between blog posts is that as some of you know, I was out of work for over a year. I had to make the tough decision to severely limit my woodworking since I could not afford the power bill. In case you did not know, woodworking is not my occupation. Writing crap that no one reads is. Yes, the next time you actually take the time to read the directions that come with that new tool, computer, or piece of software. I may have written it. Just remember, the guy who wrote it, is probably illiterate and does not know as much as you do. So just through those damn instructions away as soon as possible! LOL!

But, that is not what this blog series is about. It is about working inside a "*CAN*" or more correctly, working inside one of those really big shipping containers. After about a year of actual work time in there, I think I am qualified to give you the honest truth about working in the CAN. (Sorry that still makes me laugh). If you do not understand why I find CAN so funny, then look back at the first posts in this series. In any case, I am going to talk a little about the ups and downs of the climate in the can, then in a post to come soon, I will tell you about some of the obstacles involved with storage and such. The CAN is not entirely friendly!

Well, since my last post the weather has gone through a lot of changes and even though I was not able to work in there as often as I would like. I did log some time in there, in the heat of day, in the late afternoon, and so on. Now remember I have no air conditioning and most of the time, not even a fan in there with me.

There were some good days and there were some (what the hell am I doing in here!) days. Living in North Carolina, you get to experience everything from damn its cold, to it is so damn hot I refuse to move. With the heat throw in a lot of humidity at times. As you may have guessed I am leading up to the fact that while you can get quite a few working days in the can without problem. It really is best to put in some sort of climate control. A fan for hot days, a heater for cold days, and be sure to add some ventilation holes.

Since it is basically just a big metal box, there are a lot of factors as far as comfort. I at least did a little planing before just dropping it in place. I put it in a spot where at least most of the day it is covered in shade, I also paid attention to how wind would enter and or leave the can. I am real glad I did too. Based on all this I can make some very educated assumptions.

First if you put one of these up in direct sunlight, and do nothing to reflect at least some of that heat. You will die of heat stroke long before you finish you first project. Well if you wait till around midnight, you might have chance to finish that first project before dying as you crawl toward the door.

Second, this is more of a fact then an assumption. If it is 5 to 10 degrees below zero. Close the doors and turn on a space heater, that coupled with an insulated flannel shirt. You will be comfortable. But if you leave the doors open, well…....they may find you frozen in place.

The upside is that if you do pass while working in your own can. At least they will say, "well he went doing what he loves". LOL!!!!

The bottom line with a few vent holes drilled near the roof at the back of the can, and with at least a fan or medium sized space heater. You can work relatively comfortably in the can. The very best days are when the weather changes from winter to spring and from summer to fall. Summer can be out right hell, if you do not take some sort of measure to keep the air moving in there. Winter, in my opinion was more bearable even in the most extreme conditions. I do not stand still a lot, so the space heater, and flannel shirt made it just right.

Eventually I hope to install a small window type AC unit at the back of the can, and am not sure if I will go any further with the heat other than a space heater that I will put on a shelf. But all that may change as well, once I get the second container (oh, I'm sorry "can") and join them together.

While I have experienced the extremes. It is a very cheap way to get a durable workshop. While the single can, is a little rough at times. If you are on a tight budget like me, you will not be disappointed. But if you have the money, buy two, weld them together and then add climate control, lighting, etc., just as you would to any shop.

I hope that this has at least answered any questions you may have about what the climate is like in the can. If not, then drop me a note and ask me anything. In my next posts, I will cover the general work space and then I will move on to other issues like storage. The storage issue I am still dealing with, so that may take a while, as I plan to put up some photos to show what I am talking about. I will say this, that hanging or mounting certain things to walls takes some forethought.

My goal was to cover the basics of climate, but if you would like more details about things like covering the top with dirt, or any other questions, please leave me a note. May be my reply will be in the form of another post, or I will reply directly.

That's it for now from inside the can!

Best Wishes!!!!!!


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *It has been a long time.....climate inside the can*
> 
> Well it has been way to long since I last wrote or posted anything on my blog and I apologize for that. The main reason for the long period between blog posts is that as some of you know, I was out of work for over a year. I had to make the tough decision to severely limit my woodworking since I could not afford the power bill. In case you did not know, woodworking is not my occupation. Writing crap that no one reads is. Yes, the next time you actually take the time to read the directions that come with that new tool, computer, or piece of software. I may have written it. Just remember, the guy who wrote it, is probably illiterate and does not know as much as you do. So just through those damn instructions away as soon as possible! LOL!
> 
> ...


Thanks for the update! I was wondering how life in the "can" was going!

Lew


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## NBeener (Sep 16, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *It has been a long time.....climate inside the can*
> 
> Well it has been way to long since I last wrote or posted anything on my blog and I apologize for that. The main reason for the long period between blog posts is that as some of you know, I was out of work for over a year. I had to make the tough decision to severely limit my woodworking since I could not afford the power bill. In case you did not know, woodworking is not my occupation. Writing crap that no one reads is. Yes, the next time you actually take the time to read the directions that come with that new tool, computer, or piece of software. I may have written it. Just remember, the guy who wrote it, is probably illiterate and does not know as much as you do. So just through those damn instructions away as soon as possible! LOL!
> 
> ...


Pics????

Be proud of your can, Man. Show it off in pics!!


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *It has been a long time.....climate inside the can*
> 
> Well it has been way to long since I last wrote or posted anything on my blog and I apologize for that. The main reason for the long period between blog posts is that as some of you know, I was out of work for over a year. I had to make the tough decision to severely limit my woodworking since I could not afford the power bill. In case you did not know, woodworking is not my occupation. Writing crap that no one reads is. Yes, the next time you actually take the time to read the directions that come with that new tool, computer, or piece of software. I may have written it. Just remember, the guy who wrote it, is probably illiterate and does not know as much as you do. So just through those damn instructions away as soon as possible! LOL!
> 
> ...


If you put two together you'll have lots more room and you can blog about life in a can can. )


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## nmkidd (Sep 18, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *It has been a long time.....climate inside the can*
> 
> Well it has been way to long since I last wrote or posted anything on my blog and I apologize for that. The main reason for the long period between blog posts is that as some of you know, I was out of work for over a year. I had to make the tough decision to severely limit my woodworking since I could not afford the power bill. In case you did not know, woodworking is not my occupation. Writing crap that no one reads is. Yes, the next time you actually take the time to read the directions that come with that new tool, computer, or piece of software. I may have written it. Just remember, the guy who wrote it, is probably illiterate and does not know as much as you do. So just through those damn instructions away as soon as possible! LOL!
> 
> ...


or….if you put two together you'll have a can twice the size to do your business!


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

cmckerliesr said:


> *It has been a long time.....climate inside the can*
> 
> Well it has been way to long since I last wrote or posted anything on my blog and I apologize for that. The main reason for the long period between blog posts is that as some of you know, I was out of work for over a year. I had to make the tough decision to severely limit my woodworking since I could not afford the power bill. In case you did not know, woodworking is not my occupation. Writing crap that no one reads is. Yes, the next time you actually take the time to read the directions that come with that new tool, computer, or piece of software. I may have written it. Just remember, the guy who wrote it, is probably illiterate and does not know as much as you do. So just through those damn instructions away as soon as possible! LOL!
> 
> ...


I was just wondering about you the other day!


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *It has been a long time.....climate inside the can*
> 
> Well it has been way to long since I last wrote or posted anything on my blog and I apologize for that. The main reason for the long period between blog posts is that as some of you know, I was out of work for over a year. I had to make the tough decision to severely limit my woodworking since I could not afford the power bill. In case you did not know, woodworking is not my occupation. Writing crap that no one reads is. Yes, the next time you actually take the time to read the directions that come with that new tool, computer, or piece of software. I may have written it. Just remember, the guy who wrote it, is probably illiterate and does not know as much as you do. So just through those damn instructions away as soon as possible! LOL!
> 
> ...


Thanks for the comments guys. I will be posting pictures of the can, hopefully soon. BTW….I am looking forward to one day working in the can can.


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*Still Trying*

Yes, I am still in the can and still trying to work things out. Storage, electrical and such.

I have wanted to update the blog, but have not had a lot to say at the moment. Mainly because I wanted to have a solution to some of my issues rather than just telling you I am still working at it.

But all I really have right now is that I am still working at it. So let me tell you a little about what has failed thus far in relation to trying to hang some upper cabinets or storage.

I first tried to use construction glue to attach straps to the walls and then the plan was to attach the cabinets to those straps. Well, as I said, that was the plan. The plan quickly fell apart. I tried several different construction adhesives, too many to list. All said they would bond wood to metal. I can not really explain what possessed me to try this approach. That's it! I was possessed! Seriously it was just me trying to avoid drilling holes into the walls, then having ensure that no water would leak into the shop. As the glue seems to have issues with the changing temperatures of the metal. Which I find strange considering, this is how I hung some pretty hefty florescent lights from the ceiling with no problems.

I am quickly coming to the realization that drilling holes into the walls to secure suitable mounts may be my only real solution.

Although, I have thought of simply gluing some sheet rock to the walls; then, putting anchors into the sheet rock and hanging the cabinets from there. But I really do not have good feelings about that either.

The more I think about it, the more I think I should just get some self tapping screws and coat the threads in silicone before using thing them to mount a strap to the wall and then hang the upper cabinets from there. I will tell you that this pretty much is the plan for running the conduit for the electrical, using self tapping screws to secure the conduit clamps to the walls.

Well that will have to be it for now.

I do promise to post some pictures soon.

Warmest Regards from inside the CAN.


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Still Trying*
> 
> Yes, I am still in the can and still trying to work things out. Storage, electrical and such.
> 
> ...


panel adhesive should work with self tapping sheet metal screws if its not freezing


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## fredf (Mar 29, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Still Trying*
> 
> Yes, I am still in the can and still trying to work things out. Storage, electrical and such.
> 
> ...


How about the screws and washers made for metal roofing,. washer has neoprene bonded to it. screw from the outside into a 2×4 on the inside. if you do this on the roof ( I am assuming that it is corrugated) you might want to put blocking so you aren't putting the screws in a valley.

Another thought that might help would be to put a wooden roof with shingles etc on top of the container, could put insulation in the attic. and ventilate, should help both the heat and the cold a bit. Run the ceiling joists on top of container, overhanging the sides by a foot or so, screw from inside, that way you don't need to worry about holes in ceiling and even the sides would be sheltered a bit by the overhang if you are planning to be able to move the container, might want to go with a nearly flat roof though, check to see what your maximum height would need to be limited to


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Still Trying*
> 
> Yes, I am still in the can and still trying to work things out. Storage, electrical and such.
> 
> ...


I was thinking Lag bolts from the outside, with LOTS of clear silicone…


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## NBeener (Sep 16, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Still Trying*
> 
> Yes, I am still in the can and still trying to work things out. Storage, electrical and such.
> 
> ...


Any way to glue 1" furring strips (floor to ceiling) to the can, and then tack on OSB or sheetrock??

Having put together more than one yard shed in my day, I also know that you can flash over the screw holes and stay water tight until The Big One hits


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Still Trying*
> 
> Yes, I am still in the can and still trying to work things out. Storage, electrical and such.
> 
> ...


I wanted to get back here and first thank everyone for their suggestions.

I am thinking of using both Neil, Fred, or roman's suggestions together. I am first going to glue some 1" furring strips to the wall then use either screws and washers made for metal roofing or the self sheet metal screws from the outside to anchor the furring strips. Then, tack on OSB.

Either way, they were all great ideas and I thank all of you for posting them. As soon as I am able I will post a new blog entry telling what I did and how it came out and I also promise to post pictures.


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## dlmckirdy (Oct 27, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Still Trying*
> 
> Yes, I am still in the can and still trying to work things out. Storage, electrical and such.
> 
> ...


It sounds like you might want to add some spray-in or styrofoam insulation behind the OSB panels. This would be an ideal time to get some insulation on those walls. The screws fredf mentioned are also self drilling/tapping.

This is a great blog, and a novel idea for a shop.


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*Adding Upper Storage Cabinets or Walls*

OK!
After my last blog entry, I had a lot of good input on what to do to possibly add some sort of wall covering and to be able to hang upper cabinets. I had made a few comments later on saying what I may try.

What is going on now, is first of course I can not hold anything to the inside of the can, while I drive a screw from the out side. So, I have not got this done yet.

So I will just tell you what will happen, once I get my son or someone to come help me out. I am going to split a couple of 2×4s in half at a 45 degree angle. One half will be secured to the wall using some new 1 inch long specialty self tapping screws and the other half of course will be secured to the back of the upper cabinets to be used.

I will note the exact screws when I go back out and find out what they are. All I know is that they are a new self tapping screw intended to secure metal roofing to wood and are supposed to form a water tight seal.

I am not going to use any construction adhesive, because this is only temporary till I am able to get some plywood or some thing else to attach to the wall and add some insulation behind that. But I do plan on using the split 2×4s to hang the upper cabinets regardless. Only because it is scrap that I have around. I know there is a name for this sort of mounting, but for the life of me I can not remember it right now.

I want to also thank everyone who left me their comments and ideas that last time around. I know I keep promising but soon I will post some pics. Usually what happens is that I get so wrapped up in the project I forget to photograph anything.

*Just a note:*I finally looked it up and yes the method I am going to use to hang the upper cabinets on the wall is called a French Cleat. Thanks DEZ. For the life of me when I was first writing this blog entry I just could not remember that. If all goes well, I will add pictures and an update by Sunday 1/10/10.


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Adding Upper Storage Cabinets or Walls*
> 
> OK!
> After my last blog entry, I had a lot of good input on what to do to possibly add some sort of wall covering and to be able to hang upper cabinets. I had made a few comments later on saying what I may try.
> ...


Sounds like a plan!! Keep us up-to-date on the progress!

Lew


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## Dez (Mar 28, 2007)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Adding Upper Storage Cabinets or Walls*
> 
> OK!
> After my last blog entry, I had a lot of good input on what to do to possibly add some sort of wall covering and to be able to hang upper cabinets. I had made a few comments later on saying what I may try.
> ...


Sounds like you are making progress even though it might not be a lot of progress.
Most people I know would call it a "French Cleat" 
Good luck, keep up the efforts. They will pay off eventually, and of course scattered about incrementally!


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*Finally Hung 2 Upper Cabinets*

Hey All!
First. It is cold as hell out there! Yes, it is 30 degrees out side and this is when I decide to enlist my youngest son Michael to help me finally help me hang two small upper cabinets for storage. Since we were able to do most of the work from inside the can, it was not too bad for a while.

What I did.
I decided to to use 2X4s as french cleats, cutting them approximately in half. OK, I committed a sin, I did not do much measuring I just kind of eyeballed it as to cutting the 2X4s in half. Why I felt I needed a picture of this, I do not know, but that is what the following picture is. I put a smaller scrap piece on the saw for setup.


A second full 2X4 of the same length was attached to the bottom of the cabinet to of course keep the top and bottom evenly spaced off the wall. Yes, I know it is a little blurry and out of focus, but damn! You try using your cell phone to take pictures when it is 30 degrees out side.



Of course the top board on the back of the cabinet is the top half of the french cleat.

We attached the two 2X4s to the back of the two cabinets. Then, I simply held the cabinet against the wall and just told my son when it was at the height I wanted it. At which time I had him draw a line under the cabinet to mark the location of the bottom. With the cabinet on the bench, we held the second half of the french cleat in place and measured from the bottom of the cabinet to the middle of the bottom cleat. In other words, the top and bottom of the cleats had a small area (about 3/4 inch wide) that was the mounting surface. I guess I should of taken a picture of that to explain it better.

Then we measured from the bottom line on the wall to the same distance we had measured on the cabinet. Using a level as a straight edge, we put a level line on the wall of the can.


The 2X4s were cut to a length that spanned two of the raised wall areas. Then we simply drilled through the wall in the approximate center of each raised area of the wall.

Since my son is younger, it was easier to put him on the roof to hang over and run the screws through the holes we drilled as I held the bottom half of the french cleat to the wall inside the can.


As you can see in the picture the screws formed a nice seal against the outside of the can once they were snugged up.


Once all was said and done, this is what at least one of the cabinets looked like once hung.


Mind you, these were recycled small upper cabinets and I wish I had some bigger ones, but this all served me well and proved that I at least now had a proven method to secure or mount things to the walls if needed.

Next will be mounting some cleats to the walls to use for mounting other things to the walls.

BTW….I know I was planing on putting up plywood or something else in order to put insulation in. But it came down to a money thing and just needing some extra storage now, not later. It is all an ever changing project and this has now shown that I can effectively attach wood to the walls of the can.

If you have any questions or comments. As usual they are always welcome and I will answer any questions as soon as possible.


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Finally Hung 2 Upper Cabinets*
> 
> Hey All!
> First. It is cold as hell out there! Yes, it is 30 degrees out side and this is when I decide to enlist my youngest son Michael to help me finally help me hang two small upper cabinets for storage. Since we were able to do most of the work from inside the can, it was not too bad for a while.
> ...


I looks like you have found the solution to fastening things to the walls. Now there is no limit to the shop upgrades and storage!!

Lew


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## ahock (Apr 19, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Finally Hung 2 Upper Cabinets*
> 
> Hey All!
> First. It is cold as hell out there! Yes, it is 30 degrees out side and this is when I decide to enlist my youngest son Michael to help me finally help me hang two small upper cabinets for storage. Since we were able to do most of the work from inside the can, it was not too bad for a while.
> ...


If you lessen the angle on your cleats you'll gain square inchage to fasten to the wall/cabinet. You really only need about a 7 degree angle to hold things to the wall when they have some weight on them. Now don't try and hang a workbench from the wall with that, but for most things like cabinets. Keep it going!


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*Still Working in the can*

Hi All!
Well as I am sure you can tell, I do not spend a lot of time at the computer. Hence why my blog entries are so few and far between.

As you all know by now, I volunteer on a search and rescue team and recently went to Haiti along with my wife who is also a team member. I did it before, but I want to thank all of you again for your posts about that trip. Things are pretty much back to normal and I am still working in and on the can.

There are a lot of improvements that I still need to make to the can such as running an actual electric service to it. The problem is that I am just too damn impatient. I waited a long time to get a workshop with some kind of room to it and now I would rather work in it then work on it. Literally right now I am running a long drop cord from an outlet on the house to the can and then using other cords getting power where I need it. YES! It can be a pain in the ass. It is my goal this year to actually have an electrical service connected to the can. Then I won't be just the man in the can, I will be the man in the wired can. LOL….OK, that was stretching it a bit. But it was funny as hell in my head.

To show just how committed I am to just working in the can, I just bought a DeWalt 788 Scroll Saw and stand, instead of investing in the electrical. I guess my priorities are a little messed up. But hey! If it bothers any of you too much that I do not have an electrical service connected to the can. I will gladly let you come over and do it for me. LOL.

I'll be honest, there are times that the constant plugging and unplugging of cords really pisses me off. But I usually get over it in a hurry as long as things go right. So as you can tell I have not really done any upgrades or modifications to the can in some time. OH, wait. I did drill some ventilation holes at the back of the can as close as possible to the roof. Wow major renovation! It wasn't much, but I got a wild hair one day and thought the air needed to flow better in the can. So I drilled some quarter inch holes through the back of the can. It did make some difference.

As with everything, it takes money. I am just getting back on my feet after being out of work for a year. Speaking of money. Anyone know of anyone looking for a spindle shaper? I inherited a spindle shaper from my father after he passed away. Not sure why, since I have no use for it. Plus my current electrical system can not handle the current draw. But, it is about 40 years old with a rebuilt motor that probably has all of about 28 hours of so of use on it. My father also had at least a dozen specially made knives for it which I also got. I am thinking of trying to donate it to the local high school. But whom ever gets it will have to pick it up, since I have no way to haul it any where. Plus that sucker is heavy as hell.

Alright, well I have rambled on enough for now and I wanted to let you all know I am alive, the can is still intact, and I am still making sawdust.

OH a couple of quick things. 
As you all know too, I do not get around to posting a lot of projects on here. I have mentioned a few like the two part hiking or walking stick. I have ran into some real problems getting that to be functional. But I may post the progress and issues I have been having making this. Also, I am working on a scroll saw project (hence the reason for buying the DeWalt) for a friends birth announcement.

So look out for it soon. The more I think about it, the more I think the two part stick will make some interesting material. So, I will post all the information and what pictures I can about it soon. Hint, the problem is not so much making it, as much as it making it to where it can withstand a certain use. But I promise, I will post all of it including the kind of sloppy jig I made to drill holes into the blanks on the lathe. The blanks are too big to fit in my drill press.

Enough of all that. I have said too much. Take Care and Warmest Regards!

Keep making sawdust, maybe one day it will become a tree again.


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Still Working in the can*
> 
> Hi All!
> Well as I am sure you can tell, I do not spend a lot of time at the computer. Hence why my blog entries are so few and far between.
> ...


There you are! I was just wondering about you the other day as it got warm here. Wondered how things were in the Can?

I will have to drop back to read the post, I have to get out to a meeting.

Good to see you back.


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Still Working in the can*
> 
> Hi All!
> Well as I am sure you can tell, I do not spend a lot of time at the computer. Hence why my blog entries are so few and far between.
> ...


Craig,
You will have to posts some pictures of the upgraded "can". Would love to see how things are developing.

Lew


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*I have just been busy*

Well I often feel guilty about not getting back to write more about working in the can. But the truth is I have a busy life and sometimes, I just let it slip by because there is just not enough time in the day.

I spent the last two weeks battling a virus on the home computer, which was not detected by my McAfee software even though I pay them a yearly subscription fee to protect 3 computers on my network. I won't go into details, but after 6 scans by Malwarebytes, and several Microsoft deliverables from Microsoft Live, and one that lasted 33 hours using Viprerescue (recommended by Microsoft) I am finally virus and malware free.

But I also have so much more I need to do to the can. Like add electrical outlets and a breaker box. Then I get caught up in the fact that I could really use a bandsaw (which I am saving for and should have in the next month or so). Yeah I know, my priorities are just all screwed up. But some times I just more caught up in actually doing projects rather than improving the can. If were not so damn impatient I would of done the improvements first.

I have made the decision that after I get my band saw that I must focus on doing the improvements. One thing that holds me back a little is that I do not have a truck or anything I can haul full sheets of plywood in. So, I put things off because I hate going through the expense and hassle of renting a truck just to get certain supplies. See, before I put in outlets and the breaker box, I want to put OSB sheathing on the walls. Which also means I have to take down the current small upper cabinets that I installed not long ago. This will give me a way to reattach the upper cabinets and I plan on running conduit for the outlets on top of the OSB.

Then I also have the question of insulation. By attaching the OSB to the metal wall, there are pockets every two to three inches where I could put insulation. Part me argues that those pockets would be OK, and another says well it would be best to fill those pockets with foam or some sort of insulation. I'm sooooo confused and torn. LOL!

I know that I keep promising pictures of what it is like currently. But right now, it is quite the mess in there. I am not always the most organized when I work. Some times I get so caught up in what I am doing I just do not put things away when I am done with them. I know! Bad woodworker! Bad! I hang my head in shame now for a brief moment.

I desperately need to get things together, especially the electrical. So any advice or scolding you would like to give, then please do so. I think I can take it!

I desperately need to sell my spindle shaper to make room for the band saw. Not sure I told you all before, that I inherited this old spindle shaper with quite a few custom blade sets from my father. Why, I am not sure. Since I have no use for. May be he was just pissed at me and said to himself. I know how to mess with the boy, I will give him something to take up room in his shop and that he will never use. I would not put it past my father to have done this. But, I am hopeful that the wood shop teacher at the local high school will take this off my hands. Hell, the thing draws so much current, I can not even run it for longer then about 30 seconds before it trips the breaker. Part of me wishes I could just sell it on e-bay or something, but I have no way to get it shipped.

Well enough of my sob story…..

I am working on a birth announcement plate/plaque for a friend right now and I will post pictures of it once it is done in my projects. I am having to make my own scroll saw pattern and since the computer was down with the virus thing for a couple of weeks. I was unable to create the pattern till yesterday.

This will be an 11.5 inch plate with the baby's name on the top, date of birth on the bottom, and a stork with baby bundle in the center. I must acknowledge Steve Good of Scrollsaw Workshop for his contribution of the stork and bundle. I love his daily patterns and his blog and also thank him for turning me on to Mike's Workshop ( http://www.mikesworkshop.com ) and Fly Dutchmen blades.

I think I have said enough for now.

Take care and keep making sawdust.


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *I have just been busy*
> 
> Well I often feel guilty about not getting back to write more about working in the can. But the truth is I have a busy life and sometimes, I just let it slip by because there is just not enough time in the day.
> 
> ...


Craig,

Hang in there. It sounds like you have a plan that will work!!

Maybe some expandable foam insulation would be the answer to the pockets behind the OSB, although I'm not sure about the costs of that stuff.

Looking forward to seeing the finished plate.

Lew


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## lumberdog (Jun 15, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *I have just been busy*
> 
> Well I often feel guilty about not getting back to write more about working in the can. But the truth is I have a busy life and sometimes, I just let it slip by because there is just not enough time in the day.
> 
> ...


I read some where the other day that Mcafee aledgedly sent out a bad file with an update to their anti virus program, may that is what hit your computer


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*New Bandsaw and Other stuff*

First I guess I should cover a little of the the other stuff.
So far this year the weather has made it hard to work in the can. Mostly as the weather got warmer, it was harder to spend any real quality time in the can. I am not sure if it was a difference in humidity or what. But it was just a lot hotter inside the can this year then it has since I have started working in it. The last month of so has been hard with lots of electrical storms in the area I am just not comfortable working inside a large metal box with lost of lighting around. A new fan has helped though on the hot days. But I know to truly make the can a real shop, I am going to have to install plywood on the walls putting insulation between the two. Plus I am going to have to do something soon. Even if it means asking a friend to borrow their truck to get the plywood. I have a plan for installing the plywood, even if I have to do it with no help.

The short description of that plan is to clamp a block of wood to a spot on the edge of the bench. Temporarily screw or attach another block to the plywood. Then placing the plywood against the wall I would wedge a 2 by 4 between the two blocks, holding the plywood to the wall. Oh, I forgot that I will also be applying construction adhesive on the walls of the can first. Then, I will use the same screws that I used to attach the french cleats to the wall to secure the plywood to the walls. I realize this may not give enough information for some to understand what it is I plan to do. But when I do get started I will document the process and post it all here.

The new bandsaw!!!!
I finally got a bandsaw. A Grizzly 14 inch Ultimate Bandsaw and I installed the extension block as well.










You can see it above after I finally got it all set up. It took a total of 3 hours start to finish to assemble the bandsaw, mobile stand, and install the extension block. I was so lucky that I had very little adjustments to make for the blade, fence, and table.

I unpacked everything and set it where I intended to be setup permanently as shown the this picture.









I should say too that I was really pleased with the box and packaging of the bandsaw. 
*Bandsaw:*








*Bandsaw Fence:*









Then came the mobile base. I too was initially impressed with the packaging. I first looked at the instructions and thought "these will make it easy. Although I was first impressed by the instructions that came with the m, mobile base. I quickly became frustrated by them. Being a technical writer, when you see certain details of what you will need and other information you start to think these are going to be good. For instance the instructions first gave me the sizes of wrenches and other tool information I would need. Which turned out to be a little lacking. It was true that I needed the tools listed, but I also needed others that were not listed.








But it should be noted that this did not greatly hinder me in assembling the base. In any case I will save the real details of assembly and such for a tool review of the mobile base and bandsaw.

Just understand for now, that from start to finish it took about 3 hours to unpack and completely install or assemble, the bandsaw, mobile base, and extension block.

I will say that I was able to do some test cuts and to make some initial cuts on a future project and that everything went well.

OH! I must give a big shout out to Grizzly's customer service. They are GREAT. I had a issue which was no fault of theirs, which they caught and quickly fixed for me. I was greatly impressed with their help online and via the phone. I have never owned a Grizzly product, but thus far, they are quickly gaining my confidence and loyalty.

Well, the battery on my laptop is about to die and I need to get this posted. So I will stop here.

Keep making sawdust!

Warmest Regards from the man in the can.


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## mattg (May 6, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *New Bandsaw and Other stuff*
> 
> First I guess I should cover a little of the the other stuff.
> So far this year the weather has made it hard to work in the can. Mostly as the weather got warmer, it was harder to spend any real quality time in the can. I am not sure if it was a difference in humidity or what. But it was just a lot hotter inside the can this year then it has since I have started working in it. The last month of so has been hard with lots of electrical storms in the area I am just not comfortable working inside a large metal box with lost of lighting around. A new fan has helped though on the hot days. But I know to truly make the can a real shop, I am going to have to install plywood on the walls putting insulation between the two. Plus I am going to have to do something soon. Even if it means asking a friend to borrow their truck to get the plywood. I have a plan for installing the plywood, even if I have to do it with no help.
> ...


I have that same saw!! You're gonna love it!! Congrats!!


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

cmckerliesr said:


> *New Bandsaw and Other stuff*
> 
> First I guess I should cover a little of the the other stuff.
> So far this year the weather has made it hard to work in the can. Mostly as the weather got warmer, it was harder to spend any real quality time in the can. I am not sure if it was a difference in humidity or what. But it was just a lot hotter inside the can this year then it has since I have started working in it. The last month of so has been hard with lots of electrical storms in the area I am just not comfortable working inside a large metal box with lost of lighting around. A new fan has helped though on the hot days. But I know to truly make the can a real shop, I am going to have to install plywood on the walls putting insulation between the two. Plus I am going to have to do something soon. Even if it means asking a friend to borrow their truck to get the plywood. I have a plan for installing the plywood, even if I have to do it with no help.
> ...


It makes me smile every time I see a post from the "man in the can."

Congrats on the new bandsaw


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## jasony (Dec 21, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *New Bandsaw and Other stuff*
> 
> First I guess I should cover a little of the the other stuff.
> So far this year the weather has made it hard to work in the can. Mostly as the weather got warmer, it was harder to spend any real quality time in the can. I am not sure if it was a difference in humidity or what. But it was just a lot hotter inside the can this year then it has since I have started working in it. The last month of so has been hard with lots of electrical storms in the area I am just not comfortable working inside a large metal box with lost of lighting around. A new fan has helped though on the hot days. But I know to truly make the can a real shop, I am going to have to install plywood on the walls putting insulation between the two. Plus I am going to have to do something soon. Even if it means asking a friend to borrow their truck to get the plywood. I have a plan for installing the plywood, even if I have to do it with no help.
> ...


Been very happy with my Grizzly purchases. Good price point, good quality tools.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *New Bandsaw and Other stuff*
> 
> First I guess I should cover a little of the the other stuff.
> So far this year the weather has made it hard to work in the can. Mostly as the weather got warmer, it was harder to spend any real quality time in the can. I am not sure if it was a difference in humidity or what. But it was just a lot hotter inside the can this year then it has since I have started working in it. The last month of so has been hard with lots of electrical storms in the area I am just not comfortable working inside a large metal box with lost of lighting around. A new fan has helped though on the hot days. But I know to truly make the can a real shop, I am going to have to install plywood on the walls putting insulation between the two. Plus I am going to have to do something soon. Even if it means asking a friend to borrow their truck to get the plywood. I have a plan for installing the plywood, even if I have to do it with no help.
> ...


Happy sawing to you until we meet again.
Maybe you want to cut some windows in that puppy


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *New Bandsaw and Other stuff*
> 
> First I guess I should cover a little of the the other stuff.
> So far this year the weather has made it hard to work in the can. Mostly as the weather got warmer, it was harder to spend any real quality time in the can. I am not sure if it was a difference in humidity or what. But it was just a lot hotter inside the can this year then it has since I have started working in it. The last month of so has been hard with lots of electrical storms in the area I am just not comfortable working inside a large metal box with lost of lighting around. A new fan has helped though on the hot days. But I know to truly make the can a real shop, I am going to have to install plywood on the walls putting insulation between the two. Plus I am going to have to do something soon. Even if it means asking a friend to borrow their truck to get the plywood. I have a plan for installing the plywood, even if I have to do it with no help.
> ...


Sweeeetttt!

Lew


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## Grumpy (Nov 9, 2007)

cmckerliesr said:


> *New Bandsaw and Other stuff*
> 
> First I guess I should cover a little of the the other stuff.
> So far this year the weather has made it hard to work in the can. Mostly as the weather got warmer, it was harder to spend any real quality time in the can. I am not sure if it was a difference in humidity or what. But it was just a lot hotter inside the can this year then it has since I have started working in it. The last month of so has been hard with lots of electrical storms in the area I am just not comfortable working inside a large metal box with lost of lighting around. A new fan has helped though on the hot days. But I know to truly make the can a real shop, I am going to have to install plywood on the walls putting insulation between the two. Plus I am going to have to do something soon. Even if it means asking a friend to borrow their truck to get the plywood. I have a plan for installing the plywood, even if I have to do it with no help.
> ...


Well done Craig. You won't regret it.


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*Making Progress*

Well I am making progress in general.
I finally got a truck. Well what I call a truck. Not some over glorified car with a truck box on the back. I stand up and cheer every time the Toyota commercial comes on and he says he does not care if his truck is scratched, he is not going to baby it, etc.

With all that in mind, here are pics of my $900 find. 








That of course is the interior which needs work. Of course the next few are of the outside.




































Here is the stuff that I feel is important about the truck.
1990 Chevy K1500, 350 V-8, with a 5-speed manual overdrive transmission, with a 6 foot bed. I wanted a 8 foot bed, but hey. The rest of the truck is exactly what I have been looking for so long.

This is a work truck.

The down side…..it needs work to the interior, I am putting in some kind of spray on bedliner, the transmission is a little out of sync on first and second gear.

The upside! It WAS CHEAP and did I mention a BLAST to drive. No leaks, crap for paint, and an interior which it does not matter what happens to it. It has 16 inch American Racing off road rims and tires. I was lucky and it is a BLAST to DRIVE.

In any case, now I can get the wood and insulation for the walls of the can. Yeah!!!!!!! Plus I will finally get to make the improvements to the can that you all have listened to me complain about or mention in this blog. So I will leave this alone for now.

Some of you may look at this and think what a bunch of crap and this dude has spent way to much time in the can and has finally lost his mind. That may be so, but I am happy and the can will be seeing some real improvements shortly.

So from the man is the can. Have a GREAT day and what ever you do, don't get in my way!


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Making Progress*
> 
> Well I am making progress in general.
> I finally got a truck. Well what I call a truck. Not some over glorified car with a truck box on the back. I stand up and cheer every time the Toyota commercial comes on and he says he does not care if his truck is scratched, he is not going to baby it, etc.
> ...


A REAL truck!! One that will take you to the lumber yard and back and haul a full sheet of plywood!

Mine's a 86 Dodge Ram- my wife hates it but Quigley (the basset hound) and I love it!

Lew


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## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Making Progress*
> 
> Well I am making progress in general.
> I finally got a truck. Well what I call a truck. Not some over glorified car with a truck box on the back. I stand up and cheer every time the Toyota commercial comes on and he says he does not care if his truck is scratched, he is not going to baby it, etc.
> ...


the interior looks too luxurious for that truck!


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## PG_Zac (Feb 14, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Making Progress*
> 
> Well I am making progress in general.
> I finally got a truck. Well what I call a truck. Not some over glorified car with a truck box on the back. I stand up and cheer every time the Toyota commercial comes on and he says he does not care if his truck is scratched, he is not going to baby it, etc.
> ...


Craig - I can identify with your work truck. My wife's truck is a 1981 Ford F150 long wheel base 5 litre straight 6. The interior needs work, the exterior needs work, but the motor and suspension are TOUGH and still very much in good condition.

So what if the outside is a bit battered? It is a WORKING machine.

And yes it's a BLAST to DRIVE as well.

Enjoy.


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## woodspark (May 8, 2010)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Making Progress*
> 
> Well I am making progress in general.
> I finally got a truck. Well what I call a truck. Not some over glorified car with a truck box on the back. I stand up and cheer every time the Toyota commercial comes on and he says he does not care if his truck is scratched, he is not going to baby it, etc.
> ...


Craig, I think it is a GREAT truck! And I think the price is a steal. My truck is a '86 Ford V6 4×4 and it looks a LOT worse than yours. From the outside. The motor is good and my truck WORKS!

I'm jealous of PG_Zac's truck too!

Enjoy and don't fuss with the aesthetics too much!


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## Blondewood (Mar 30, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Making Progress*
> 
> Well I am making progress in general.
> I finally got a truck. Well what I call a truck. Not some over glorified car with a truck box on the back. I stand up and cheer every time the Toyota commercial comes on and he says he does not care if his truck is scratched, he is not going to baby it, etc.
> ...


That's a great truck! My first truck was an ancient Chevy S-10. I loved it, it was all beat up and I used it for camping and hauling a ton of stuff. Drove friends and myself to work in snow storms. Unfortunately it only lasted a couple of years and was replaced with a Toyota 4WD. I was all excited to have 4WD to deal with the snow, but once I got it, it didn't snow for several years. lol Murphy at work.


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Making Progress*
> 
> Well I am making progress in general.
> I finally got a truck. Well what I call a truck. Not some over glorified car with a truck box on the back. I stand up and cheer every time the Toyota commercial comes on and he says he does not care if his truck is scratched, he is not going to baby it, etc.
> ...


Well first thanks for all the comments. I did not realize that there were others out there who just like and want a workhorse and not something that is to pretty to put anything into.

Ever since I got it I have had this uncontrollable urge to stand next to it, pound my chest and grunt like Tim the Tool Man Taylor. LMAO!!!!

I need help from you guys though. It is raining today. Is it wrong of me to ask my wife to hold an umbrella over it? She seems to think that this is too much to ask and I do not know why. After a few carefully chosen words, she then said "and you bought this truck to do what? Oh, yeah. Haul wood, trash, etc. and you expect me to go out there and hold an umbrella over it!". To which I replied "Yes".

So come on guys I need back up here! I need comments to show her that I am not alone nor am I crazy for asking her to do this. (OH! this ought to be good!). After all is said and done I will let you know what it is like to sleep in the can. Since if I keep pushing this, that is where I may wind up. LMAO!!!!!!!

OH! Div, there are no worries about me getting involved in cosmetic work on this truck. I am going to fix the broken parts (probably with duct tape, LOL), spray primer on it (rust protection), and spray or roll on Al's Liner or Herculiner (again rust protection), and that is about as far it is going to go. Well I have to put new seat belts in, repair the seat, and repair those things it needs to get through inspection (it is short list of repairs). It is a little rougher then it looks in the pictures.


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## woodspark (May 8, 2010)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Making Progress*
> 
> Well I am making progress in general.
> I finally got a truck. Well what I call a truck. Not some over glorified car with a truck box on the back. I stand up and cheer every time the Toyota commercial comes on and he says he does not care if his truck is scratched, he is not going to baby it, etc.
> ...


What's with the umbrella thing? That is how we wash trucks my friend, let the rain do it!


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*It's been a while*

Hey All!
Yes, it has been a while since my last blog about working in the can. This one, I hope will be short as there is not a lot that has changed in the can. I have told you all about the tools I have bought and my plans to insulate the can in the hopes of maintaining a bearable work environment.

I can tell you that there has been some really HOT days this summer, which literally drove me out of the can. No wind, high humidity on some days, and temps hovering around 100 degree's pretty much did me in this year.

I still have my plan for insulating the can, it has just been one of those years where everything else got in the way. Cars needed repair, I bought the truck, had to help my son's out of some trouble, etc. With it getting closer to Christmas I am not sure where or how this will affect my plans.

In any case, if I have not made it clear before this is what I plan to do:

Purchase several rolls of fiberglass insulation and glue it to the walls and ceiling, in between the ribs (not sure if I am going to cover the raised ribs or not inside).

Purchase several sheets of OSB and attach that to the walls using the same screws that I originally used to attach the upper cabinets to the walls. OH yeah, take down the upper cabinets and lights first.

Then reattach the lights and cabinets to the walls and ceiling.

After all that, I can finally get to work on installing an electrical service for the can. No, there is not one currently installed. I have an outdoor outlet off the service for the house, I keep an extension cord plugged into it and use this to power the lights and any tools I use. Yes, it is a pain in the ASS.

To be honest though, I am not sure if I will run conduit and put in the basic wiring for outlets first, or install the service first. If I can get everyone to start paying their own bills again, then it will not be an issue, I can do both.

Well, I think that is enough from the man in the can for now.

I promise to write more soon, and to actually have some progress to report on getting the can insulated and its own power.

You all be careful and keep making saw dust!


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *It's been a while*
> 
> Hey All!
> Yes, it has been a while since my last blog about working in the can. This one, I hope will be short as there is not a lot that has changed in the can. I have told you all about the tools I have bought and my plans to insulate the can in the hopes of maintaining a bearable work environment.
> ...


Sound like it's coming along. How have the screws been holding up under the weight of the cabinets and plywood?


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## NBeener (Sep 16, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *It's been a while*
> 
> Hey All!
> Yes, it has been a while since my last blog about working in the can. This one, I hope will be short as there is not a lot that has changed in the can. I have told you all about the tools I have bought and my plans to insulate the can in the hopes of maintaining a bearable work environment.
> ...


Cool. Sorry your money has been otherwise spoken for, leaving the can upgrades on the back burner.

I think most of us understand that.

Once you get it insulated, what's your thought on actual "climate control." Swamp cooler is out, because of humidity.

Once you get the amps flowing out there, can you shoehorn in a highly-efficient, if low-ish BTU window a/c unit, for example ?


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *It's been a while*
> 
> Hey All!
> Yes, it has been a while since my last blog about working in the can. This one, I hope will be short as there is not a lot that has changed in the can. I have told you all about the tools I have bought and my plans to insulate the can in the hopes of maintaining a bearable work environment.
> ...


Hey lew and NBeener thanks for stopping by.
Lew, so far the screws have been holding up quite well. I have done what I can best term as small scale experiments before totally committing to a particular method but so far there have been no differences in the results. What I have to do, is drill pilot holes through the outside of the can. Then run the screws from the outside into the wood. My two experiments have been on whether or not to first put up furring strips to mount the plywood to, or just mount the plywood directly to the can wall. I had considered the furring strips to give a little extra space for insulation but I am not convinced this is actually going to make a difference. I hope that all makes sense…..

NBeener, I have been giving a lot of thought to climate control. As you stated ia swamp cooler is not going to be an option. As far as the hot months, yes I have already marked off a location on the back to wall to cut out, and install a window a/c unit. At least that is the plan. For winter, at least for now, I am only considering a large space heater. Of course this is all dependent on what I am able to accomplish with my insulation and plywood. I know by reading a lot on the use of these cans as recycled housing that it is possible to insulate them and live comfortably in one. However, my budget says that I have to kind of stick to the low road. Either way, I am completely confident that my current plan will result in a comfortable work shop.

Thanks again to the both of you, and I hope to making progress and more blog entries soon.

Warmest Regards!


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *It's been a while*
> 
> Hey All!
> Yes, it has been a while since my last blog about working in the can. This one, I hope will be short as there is not a lot that has changed in the can. I have told you all about the tools I have bought and my plans to insulate the can in the hopes of maintaining a bearable work environment.
> ...


I was starting to wonder what happened to you. Glad to see you making progress… I know the feeling. I am not sure how I am getting as much done as I am myself… It feels like I never have time enough when I am feeling well enough to get things done… But somehow, the myriad of projects is getting closer to completed. Not to brag, but more to encourage you… Just keep plugging away and you will get there!


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*Wouldn't you know it!*

Well wouldn't you know it! Here I finally start insulating the can, and snow breaks out!








Yes, that right! I finally got around to installing insulation in the can and low and behold snow breaks out!









Maybe it's a sign. A guy who works in a can is not meant to add some comforts. May be the can is meant to be cold in the winter and hot in the summer.

Well! I am sorry but I don't care! It is my damn can, and I will insulate regardless of anyone or anything thinks!

Was that enough ranting for everyone? If not, I got more. All you have to do is ask.

Onto the more serious stuff…..I bought a roll of R13 insulation to see how it would stick if I used some spray adhesive. I now know the answer to that question. Pretty damn good. Originally I was going to cut the insulation in half width wise to fit between the ribs. But it quickly became very obvious that doing so would be time consuming and not the best use of material.

So as you can see from the picture above, I opted to just unroll it and glue it to the wall. Again this was done with 3M spray adhesive. I sprayed the back of the insulation and down the ribs that protruded (ouch big word) into the can. I opted not to dry to drive it into the open spaces. Since I have decided not to pull the cabinets and bench from the wall (at least for now), I only need 10 more rolls to cover the ceiling, and the remainder of the exposed wall space. Although I will be extending the insulation down about 2 inches behind the bench.

After I complete the insulation, I will install 3/4 OSB on the walls and ceiling. I have already marked the locations in which I will be drilling holes from the outside to secure the OSB in the same fashion as I did the bottom half of the french cleats for the upper cabinets I installed before. That is I will drill holes every so often into the metal ribs of the can and run metal roofing screws through those holes and into the OSB. The screws will seal themselves so no worries about water, but I will probably put a spot of silicone over them anyway.

Which brings me to those cabinets and the lights. I will be removing them to install the insulation and OSB. I will then re-hang the cabinets but not on french cleats. Instead I will be mounting them directly to the OSB when all is done. I will also remove the current cleats that the lights are mounted to and instead later, mount directly on to the OSB.

Forgive me as I ramble back and forth a little. I am just writing this as it all comes to me. Hopefully when I done, I will of answered all the questions that everyone may have…..continuing on….

I do not plan to install OSB all the way to the floor on the one wall that is void of anything other then insulation and is the wall shown in the picture. Why? Well to me, I do not have reason to. Once I get beyond half way down the wall I am not mounting anything to it and eventually I will be adding a second can to this one. This being the wall that would be cut into to join the two cans I do not want to put up too much stuff that I will just tear off later. But if I find that it is going to take too long to get another can and join them, then I will rethink this.

While I am doing this I plan on at least starting the conduit run for the electrical. I am coming in just at the end of the bench and am putting in 3 outlet boxes on that side. From one box I will run the conduit up across the ceiling and to the opposite side. I will then install another 3 or 4 outlets on that wall. The 3 or 4 on the opposite wall will support the table saw, band saw, scroll saw, and lathe. Of course all the hand tools and bench top tools are supported by the 3 outlets on the wall with the bench. I may need to add a fourth outlet for the miter saw on the far end of the bench, but I will decide that once I get started.

Cost for insulating:
Well the 10 rolls of R13 will cost me a little over $130, not bad I guess. I have not calculated the cost of the OSB yet.

Well I guess that is all for now…I promise to post more soon and to add some projects. I have been busy, but usually I do not think of taking pictures or documenting the projects here until it is too late. But I will try to get better at that. Because I really love seeing the work that all you guys do.

Warmest Regards!

Will someone, let me out of this damn can?! I updated my blog like I promised….unlock the damn door!

Take care and keep making sawdust!


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Wouldn't you know it!*
> 
> Well wouldn't you know it! Here I finally start insulating the can, and snow breaks out!
> 
> ...


I am sitting in my office, with the heat on, but my office is soooo close to the main doors that I constantly get a rush of cold air when the doors open.. And I bet your toes are getting a LOT colder than mine in that metal can…

For a LOT of reasons you will be glad you insulated, and covered the walls and ceiling. Temp is one of them, but noise is another I can imagine that running a saw in that thing has got to be painful, even with hearing protection.


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Wouldn't you know it!*
> 
> Well wouldn't you know it! Here I finally start insulating the can, and snow breaks out!
> 
> ...


My problem has been with the cold in general. The floor which is already wood is not cold at all. But boy let a breeze come in the can the wrong way and you know about it.

The noise is not that bad most of the time. Running the table saw is when sound becomes a problem. Good hearing protection is really necessary when using the table saw for sure.


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## mattg (May 6, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Wouldn't you know it!*
> 
> Well wouldn't you know it! Here I finally start insulating the can, and snow breaks out!
> 
> ...


When it gets too cold for me to go in my can, I just stay inside and play one of my two Jackson SL2H's through my Bugera 333XL!! All is good, whether you're sawing lumber or building up the calouses on your fingers!! ROCK ON!!!


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Wouldn't you know it!*
> 
> Well wouldn't you know it! Here I finally start insulating the can, and snow breaks out!
> 
> ...


Well, at least you will be able to determine how well the insulation works ;^)

Maybe the insulation will help dampen some of the noise.

Lew


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*I Made a Hole!*

So I have been planning where or how the electrical will be coming into the shop or can. In case you are wondering the can is made of 22 mm steel. I was not sure if my punch set was going to be able to pull the hole because it said it could be used up to 10 gauge steel.
So here is what I used to pull the hole, of course I drilled a pilot hole first.








Yes it is a cheap piece of crap. But I do not pull a lot of holes in metal and it served the purpose. I have owned this thing for about 8 years, and I think this is only the second time I have used it. In any case, I first pulled a half inch hole then a 1 inch hole.
I have yet to put conduit through it. But here is the hole from inside and outside the can.


















I used a pry bar to distort the top of the hole for now so that if it rains, the water will not just run in the hole.

I also meant to take a picture of the walls as I have added more insulation to the inside and it is making a difference. Today was quite warm and it was not quite as hot inside the can. I have covered 90% of the wall that the bench is against. But have stopped short of the top because I have noticed there is some sort of vent holes near the corner of the can. (I will photograph them soon to show you). And have decided not to cover them with insulation. When I put up the OSB, on the walls I will probably cover them. This will at least let a little air circulate behind the wood as I am not working to make it air tight inside. I have planned to leave gaps in certain places to help air flow. There is a patch in the ceiling of the can, which I plan to cut out in order to install a vent. Possibly a 12 inch wind turbine. Because of the ribs in the metal, I am planning on pushing the vent up from inside the can and attach it to the ceiling inside. Not sure how, just yet.

Either way, I have to get about 5 or 6 more rolls of insulation to cover the walls and ceiling. OH! I have been using spray adhesive to attach the insulation to the wall. So far it has been sticking very well. Then again I only need it to stay up long enough so that I can attach OSB to the walls.

So, the upper cabinets that I had hung before are now down on the floor. Yes! In the way! I keep trying to convince my oldest son to buy me two more cans to attach to the original one. But so far, he continues to act as though he does not hear me. lol!

I am still looking for an old window mounted air conditioning unit so that I can cut a hole in one of the walls and install it to keep it cool inside. But part of that will depend on just what the insulation does. It really does not matter to me if it is a little warm inside. I just do not want it to be as hot as it has been where I can barely stand to be in there. I have found out that before I started putting in the insulation. It really depends on wind, and humidity as to how hot it gets in the can. It can be 80 or 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside and be comfortable inside. If the humidity is low and there is slight breeze. Even at 100, it is not bad. But let the humidity climb above 40% and little to no breeze and it can get very very uncomfortable in the can.

So, now that I have gone way off the subject let me get back to the electrical and the hole.
Soon I will be installing a temporary outdoor outlet box in the hole with a weather proof male connector in the hole. More for the purposes of sealing up the hole then anything else. I will also be routing this blue plastic conduit along the wall once the OSB is up. I do not remember who makes it or what it is called. But because the blue plastic conduit has some easy snap together connectors and is cheaper then the other stuff I have priced this is what I will install.

Oh! You guys may be glad to know that I also plan on going to Big Lots to buy a cheap digital camera to keep in the shop so that I have no more excuses about not including pictures when it is necessary. I stress cheap ($60), because there is no way in hell I have bringing my Canon Digital SLR into the shop.

OK, well I think I have said enough for now and possibly I may have even confused things a little.

Keep Making saw dust and thanks for visiting with the man in the can.


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *I Made a Hole!*
> 
> So I have been planning where or how the electrical will be coming into the shop or can. In case you are wondering the can is made of 22 mm steel. I was not sure if my punch set was going to be able to pull the hole because it said it could be used up to 10 gauge steel.
> So here is what I used to pull the hole, of course I drilled a pilot hole first.
> ...


Thanks for the update, Craig!

Looks like a pretty hefty set of punches.

We have a thing here- on the internet- called "Freecycle". Folks post stuff they want to give away. If you have this in your area, you might find an air conditioner.

Lew


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *I Made a Hole!*
> 
> So I have been planning where or how the electrical will be coming into the shop or can. In case you are wondering the can is made of 22 mm steel. I was not sure if my punch set was going to be able to pull the hole because it said it could be used up to 10 gauge steel.
> So here is what I used to pull the hole, of course I drilled a pilot hole first.
> ...


thank´s for the update 
22mm I thought they were made in thinner steal from what have seen in the green ingineurs serie
where they builded a cheap compartment for students as a invastigation of how cheap they cuold build
and they used three containers and cut out some of the sides with a grinder 
and it looks like they were only a few mm thich

so what the H…. has this been used for ?

take care
Dennis


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *I Made a Hole!*
> 
> So I have been planning where or how the electrical will be coming into the shop or can. In case you are wondering the can is made of 22 mm steel. I was not sure if my punch set was going to be able to pull the hole because it said it could be used up to 10 gauge steel.
> So here is what I used to pull the hole, of course I drilled a pilot hole first.
> ...


Of all the shops here, I must admit yours is the most unique… I am fascinated by this idea. Especially living in a hurricane zone. A shipping container workshop like this would stand a much better chance of surviving the high winds of a hurricane…


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*Pictures and stuff*

Well I finally got some pictures from inside the can. Being the cheapskate that I am, found a factory refurbished digital camera to take my pictures. Rather then getting the camera I previously told you about at Big Lots. Hey! I save $10 even with shipping from tigerdirect.com.

So, without dragging this on forever, here are the latest photos from outside and inside the can.









As you can see this is the outside, which is soon to be painted a lighter or reflective color to help reflect radiant heat.









This is the vent I told you about before from the outside.









This is the same vent but from the inside.









Informational label on the door of the can.









This is one half of the doors open, exposing some of the current mess.









Welcome to the mess.









This is one sheet of OSB. It is not attached to the wall yet. I will have to attach some 2X3's to the walls as studs to attach the OSB.









This is the same wall, but showing the insulation on the other half of the wall and where soon another sheet of OSB will be attached.









I am sure you can tell what this is.









This is just my truck. I love my truck. That is my dog Diablo looking at me like I am nuts in the background on the left.

OH! I almost forgot. The next picture is of the patch that I have told you about before in the ceiling, where I may install the vent.









So. I hope this provides a better picture (pun intended) of my can (workshop). I really need to get the OSB up because I need the cabinets back up and I have some other things I need to hang up to get them out of the way.

Take care!
That is all for now from the man in the can!


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## FatherHooligan (Mar 27, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Pictures and stuff*
> 
> Well I finally got some pictures from inside the can. Being the cheapskate that I am, found a factory refurbished digital camera to take my pictures. Rather then getting the camera I previously told you about at Big Lots. Hey! I save $10 even with shipping from tigerdirect.com.
> 
> ...


Great to see pictures of your shop, I have been wondering what it looked like!


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Pictures and stuff*
> 
> Well I finally got some pictures from inside the can. Being the cheapskate that I am, found a factory refurbished digital camera to take my pictures. Rather then getting the camera I previously told you about at Big Lots. Hey! I save $10 even with shipping from tigerdirect.com.
> 
> ...


I was wondering when we were going to get another installment of "WoodWorking in a Can."

But that mess makes my eyes burn…ahhh! My eyes! MY EYES!


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## NormG (Mar 5, 2010)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Pictures and stuff*
> 
> Well I finally got some pictures from inside the can. Being the cheapskate that I am, found a factory refurbished digital camera to take my pictures. Rather then getting the camera I previously told you about at Big Lots. Hey! I save $10 even with shipping from tigerdirect.com.
> 
> ...


I know someone who did the same thing. His brother is a truck driver and brought him 2 of these cans. Put them side by side, cut out one wall of each and then welded then together.

He is a potter and this was worked out great for him. Wonderful use for these. I understand they have made housing out of them also.


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## mattg (May 6, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Pictures and stuff*
> 
> Well I finally got some pictures from inside the can. Being the cheapskate that I am, found a factory refurbished digital camera to take my pictures. Rather then getting the camera I previously told you about at Big Lots. Hey! I save $10 even with shipping from tigerdirect.com.
> 
> ...


Ha ha, woodworking in a can!! But it is a nice woodworking can!!


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Pictures and stuff*
> 
> Well I finally got some pictures from inside the can. Being the cheapskate that I am, found a factory refurbished digital camera to take my pictures. Rather then getting the camera I previously told you about at Big Lots. Hey! I save $10 even with shipping from tigerdirect.com.
> 
> ...


I like it!

Is Yang Ming Chinese for "workshop"? ;^)

Lew


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## Grumpy (Nov 9, 2007)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Pictures and stuff*
> 
> Well I finally got some pictures from inside the can. Being the cheapskate that I am, found a factory refurbished digital camera to take my pictures. Rather then getting the camera I previously told you about at Big Lots. Hey! I save $10 even with shipping from tigerdirect.com.
> 
> ...


Great idea for a workshop. Looks like you have it 'ship shape', sorry about the pun. LOL.


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*More Progress on the Insullation and walls*










Well there it is, the first wall covered.
Two sheets of OSB attached to 2X3's that were cut in half length wise. The 2 X 3's were 8 feet long, and I cut them in half, then every 3rd position that was indented I drilled 3 holes through the wall. I then had my son hold a 2X3 centered over the holes and I went outside to drive 1 inch metal roofing screws through the holes and into the 2X3's. I drilled holes that were slightly smaller then the screws so they would bite on the metal of the can too. These made some real rock solid studs…..

Yeah I know I am going against most building standards and even how most people will tell you to put stud walls inside a can.

OK, let's be honest. If you read anything about making a can into a house or any structure other then it being just a can. The basically tell you to put in a vapor barrier, then build a standard stud all against the side and put just about any type of insulation in between the studs. Sorry, but I do not agree. First I have had no condensation inside the can, even where I have put insulation. Plus attaching the 2×3's directly to the wall of the can are very sturdy. While I can not make the studs 16 inch on center or any thing like that. I do have an intelligence level above plant life that tells me that I do not have to as long as I mark where the centers are. I chose to install the studs every three positions because it is as close as I can come to 16 inch on center.

What I mean by every three positions is: I first locate the rib that protrudes outward and closest to the corner. I then drill several holes down the center of the rib. The 2X3 is attached to the wall using 1 inch metal roofing screws. I then count three outward protruding ribs and in the third one and install the next 2X3.

OH I should back up and talk a little about installing the insulation. Before I had decided to install the 2X3's the way I did above. I simply sprayed adhesive to the inward ribs. I unrolled the insulation and cut it to length so that I could put it on the walls horizontally.

Then before I installed the 2X3's I cut openings in the insulation where the 2X3's were to be installed. Yes I know this is a little backward.

But I originally did not intend to install studs. MY original plan was to install the insulation, then press the OSB against the wall and insulation far enough to be able to run the screws from the outside into the OSB. I quickly found out that this was not possible since I could not press the OSB against the wall enough for the screws to grab the OSB. So, that is when I decided to install the 2X3 studs. Hopefully I explained all of that well enough so you do not think I am a complete idiot by not creating or installing studs first.

Just remember the studs only became part of this after my original plan fell apart and the insulation was already up. For those who are saying the studs should of been part of the plan all along. All I say is that I was trying to do this as cheap as possible, and installing a standard stud wall would of taken away some valuable space in the can. Then, once I found out that my original plan was not going to work. The 2X3 stud installation I describe above allowed me to attach the OSB while taking up the possible space.

Well that is it for now from the man in the can.


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *More Progress on the Insullation and walls*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks like a good plan to me, Craig!

I had a contractor tell me, not long ago, about a change in the way they now finish off basements. It applies here because they were concerned about condensation, too. He said they used to frame up a stud wall and set it with a space between it and the concrete basement wall. Insulate, drywall then finish. What they discovered was that the air space between the stud wall and the concrete/block wall was encouraging condensation and mold. Now they put everything tight against the concrete/block wall. They even use spray on insulation between the studs. He said the idea was to eliminate the air space as much as possible. Seems like that's exactly what you did!

Lew


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## mattg (May 6, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *More Progress on the Insullation and walls*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Very nice!!!


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## dlmckirdy (Oct 27, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *More Progress on the Insullation and walls*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Those cans are plenty sturdy, and need no studs (which are structural members), nor any other bracing (they are even made to stack about seven high! Technically, what you are making, and all that are needed, are furring strips, which are commonly used as spacers against existing walls for installing many types of panelling. By "roofing screws", I assume you are refering to the screws with the rubber gasketed washers. These would be plenty effective in this installation.

Those OSB panels should do away with all the problems you have had in the past about adhering things to the walls, and the insullation is a must in any steel can.

Good luck with tour shop build. I am glad to see you back out there.


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## Grumpy (Nov 9, 2007)

cmckerliesr said:


> *More Progress on the Insullation and walls*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's some job Craig


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*Some progress*

Yes I am still alive and working in the can.
I know it has been a while since my last post, but I busy make some pens and I had to do a little work on my truck. 
Either way, here is a couple of pictures of what I have gotten done in the can.









Here is another view









And this is from the rear of the can looking toward the door.









As you can see I installed a gladiator organizational wall unit. I do not have any of the hangers that go in it yet, but I soon will.

You can also see that I still have a lot to do inside the can. But also I did a little research on how they were using cans for homes. Which of course I was most interested in insulation and how to regulate the heat inside the can. First I can tell you there are about as many schools of thought on how to properly insulate one of these as there are ways to do so. Suffice it to say you can get lost in all the mumbo jumbo out there or information. But one thing was clear. To properly regulate the temperature inside you also have to take into consideration deflecting heat on the outside. 
There are many different ways to do this. One is to paint the the outside a bright color, others include putting a roof over the top of the can, or other wise cover the outside of the can. I am trying to decide just what to do. Of course the like everything I have done to the can. I am looking for the a cost effective way of deflecting the heat from the outside, before I do anything further inside.

Well I know this is a little short. But for now there is not much more to tell you.

So from the man in the can. Keep making sawdust!


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *Some progress*
> 
> Yes I am still alive and working in the can.
> I know it has been a while since my last post, but I busy make some pens and I had to do a little work on my truck.
> ...


Looks good with those fancy wall cabinets!!

Lew


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*A roof!*

As you may know if you have been following this blog I have been struggling with the heat this year in the can. For some reason this year heat has just been a real problem. In the past, it was not that bad and with both doors open I did not always need a fan to work comfortably. This year though it seems that it has not been as windy as usual and the can has been been getting quite hot even with both doors open and a fan running. Some days lately it has been so bad I have resorted to working in the can after dark.

You have also read about insulation and some of my wondering thoughts about what I am doing. Along with that I have made mention of things I have found while doing research on how to best insulate, heat and cool the can. In that research there was talk too about radiant heating of the can. Basically this all comes down to taking steps to reflect enough of the radiant heat away from the surface of the can without taking away so much that come winter you are working in a refrigerator.

So! I will be installing a roof on top of the can soon. Nothing fancy, I am going to be attaching 2 X 4's or 2 X 6's to the top of the can. Then I will lay some pressure treated plywood on top of the 2 by's and then attach metal roofing material over the plywood. I am planning a slight pitch to one side to aid in water run off. I am also planning a slight overhang one the sun side to at least cast some shade on the can. I have not made a definite decision about which 2 by's I will be using. One because while I want air to pass under the roof, I do not want to create a cavity that will let high winds topple the can (in the case of a tornado). Maybe I am over thinking this but I have seen the documentaries on how the wind gets under a roof and rips it open. For the most part due to terrain around my place, the wind only comes in from two directions. And while the wind would not be hitting either side of the can straight on I am just concerned as to how a high wind will effect this roof.

By the way…as I stated last time the interior insulation is on hold. Because I need to take care of this excessive radiant heat. A few days ago, while in the can I placed a hand on one of the insulated walls. While it was quite a bit cooler then the bare metal wall. You could feel the heat on the wood.

Either way. I will be sure to keep you all informed on how it goes. Due to my budget this too will be a project done in stages. Plus I have to locate the metal roofing material.

Regards from the man in the can!


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *A roof!*
> 
> As you may know if you have been following this blog I have been struggling with the heat this year in the can. For some reason this year heat has just been a real problem. In the past, it was not that bad and with both doors open I did not always need a fan to work comfortably. This year though it seems that it has not been as windy as usual and the can has been been getting quite hot even with both doors open and a fan running. Some days lately it has been so bad I have resorted to working in the can after dark.
> 
> ...


Craig,

In the south, they use "hurricane fasteners" to assist in attaching the roof to a structure. Maybe something like that would provide strength and a method of connecting your roof.

Lew


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## Gregn (Mar 26, 2010)

cmckerliesr said:


> *A roof!*
> 
> As you may know if you have been following this blog I have been struggling with the heat this year in the can. For some reason this year heat has just been a real problem. In the past, it was not that bad and with both doors open I did not always need a fan to work comfortably. This year though it seems that it has not been as windy as usual and the can has been been getting quite hot even with both doors open and a fan running. Some days lately it has been so bad I have resorted to working in the can after dark.
> 
> ...


May I make a suggestion, I understand budget restraints dictate how things sometimes gets done. If your considering using 2×6's you might want to consider insulating between the 2x's with a couple pieces of foam board, creating a baffle effect. The layers would deal with the extreme temps and help keep it comfortable inside till you got it all insulated inside. Just a thought!


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

cmckerliesr said:


> *A roof!*
> 
> As you may know if you have been following this blog I have been struggling with the heat this year in the can. For some reason this year heat has just been a real problem. In the past, it was not that bad and with both doors open I did not always need a fan to work comfortably. This year though it seems that it has not been as windy as usual and the can has been been getting quite hot even with both doors open and a fan running. Some days lately it has been so bad I have resorted to working in the can after dark.
> 
> ...


^ I love your can! I also love Greg's idea. Those boards go up quickly and you could add additional sheathing later. I used panels in my attic and rolls in my walls. The panels were much easier to deal with!


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *A roof!*
> 
> As you may know if you have been following this blog I have been struggling with the heat this year in the can. For some reason this year heat has just been a real problem. In the past, it was not that bad and with both doors open I did not always need a fan to work comfortably. This year though it seems that it has not been as windy as usual and the can has been been getting quite hot even with both doors open and a fan running. Some days lately it has been so bad I have resorted to working in the can after dark.
> 
> ...


i insulated and metal roofed a double wide recently
over those asphalt shingles

drip all around
and some 1 1/2" foil backed Styrofoam 4×8 sheeting
with plastic capped nails (2 1/2")
membrane - the metal guys have one for this (or 30 weight felt paper)
some nails to hold the sheets
but more in the membrane which is marked for this
then the metal roofing with longer screws they have for this with rubber washers

from the central heater running 8 times (for an hour each time) in 24 hours
it went to 2 times in 24 and that just briefly

he will never need to get on his roof again
all cutouts were caulked with silicone


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *A roof!*
> 
> As you may know if you have been following this blog I have been struggling with the heat this year in the can. For some reason this year heat has just been a real problem. In the past, it was not that bad and with both doors open I did not always need a fan to work comfortably. This year though it seems that it has not been as windy as usual and the can has been been getting quite hot even with both doors open and a fan running. Some days lately it has been so bad I have resorted to working in the can after dark.
> 
> ...


hey guys!
First Greg…I always welcome comments and suggestions. There is nothing like getting good information from other people.
Today I was on my way to a near by town and saw something that my dad had used before to insulate a small area. It is an insulated panel. 
So, I am going to go back to where I saw these panels to see if they will sell them. In case you do not know what they are. Each side of the panel is a painted steel panel with 3 to 6 inches of foam sandwiched between. If I can get two or three of these panels at a reasonable cost, then all my problems may be solved quickly.

Patron, I liked what you had to say about re-roofing the double wide I would love to see the result. PM me if you have some pictures and I will send you my email address. I have a double wide too and am very interested in knowing cost and so forth too to see if I can do this too.

Regards!


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

cmckerliesr said:


> *A roof!*
> 
> As you may know if you have been following this blog I have been struggling with the heat this year in the can. For some reason this year heat has just been a real problem. In the past, it was not that bad and with both doors open I did not always need a fan to work comfortably. This year though it seems that it has not been as windy as usual and the can has been been getting quite hot even with both doors open and a fan running. Some days lately it has been so bad I have resorted to working in the can after dark.
> 
> ...


metal roofs condense underneath
why the membrane

i don't have pics. sorry

i did make one mis-write to the above

insulation 
membrane
(fold over insulation
at edge of roof)
then drip cap
(so water doesn't get to insulation 
and old roof edge)
metal roof

and the idea of 'hurricane clips'
on the rafters in the room is good
i use then on every roof i make


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## cmckerliesr (Dec 19, 2008)

*It Moved!*

Hi!
I know I kind of just stopped blogging about the can and posting projects. But sometimes life gets in the way.
But since so much has happened, I thought I would take just a couple of moments to write a very short update to this blog.
The can has been moved. Yes! I thought it was destend to stay where it was, get a partner, and live out it's days where I first planted it.
Without going into to details that no one really cares about I found myself having to search out a new location to live and keep the can. Lucky for me, it only took a month to find a new place that would allow me to bring the can with me. I spent days, disassembling tools, stacking them up against the back of the can, and using the internal tie down locations to secure everything in place. OH! I also screwed all the cabinet doors and drawers shut. After getting all that done, I had the task of finding someone to actually move it to the new location. Which thank god was only 10 miles away. 
But it took a lot of phone calls and internet searches to find someone to actually move it. I wound up with two companies willing to move it. But after talking price and how they intended to move the can, I settled on one and paid $500 to the driver once is was moved. There were hickups, in scheduling problems, truck problems, and they only accepted cash or cashiers check. I elected to pay cash. It was not the best of experiences, but they did get it done and they made the bad things right. So I am not going to complain about what went wrong.
When it was finally delivered, I was about to die of a heart attack because even though I was confident in my knot tying abilitity. All I could think of, was I missed something and now my band saw is busted up, or some other disaster. But after opening the door and then my eyes, I was pleasantly surprised to find everything was just where I left it. That is, until one of the light fixtures dropped from the cieling. LOL!!!! Yes, the one thing that went horribly wrong was the flourescent light fixter became lose and fell from the cieling after opening the door. Thank god, I did not just walk straight in.
BTW….if I still have the pictures of everything tied down inside the can I will upload them soon.
So, any way. The can is not in its new home, not quite level yet and soon, I hope to post some new projects.
Take Care!
The Man in the Can!


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

cmckerliesr said:


> *It Moved!*
> 
> Hi!
> I know I kind of just stopped blogging about the can and posting projects. But sometimes life gets in the way.
> ...


Good to hear from you again, Craig. Looking forward to the pix!


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