Finally started my new shop last Friday!

[SSSRodeo]

OK, you've all been folowing the buildup of this shop. I'm Happy to report they handed me the keys to it today Feb 16th 2005. Actually, I still have to put the big garage doors on next week, when they get here, but the erection crew is finished with their part. Now my work is just starting. Making it my shop. Lot to do. I'll keep ya'll up dated as changes are made. I have updated pictures in my Albumn below.
Thanks for playing along!
The beginning of the story is below, Should you want to review!




We Finally got the foundation poured Friday 12/31/2004. What a mess. I had to keep an eye on the truck drivers the whole time. Every one of those jerks wanted to drive out across the yard. The first one made rutts up to 14 inches deep getting turned around. One asshat cement truck driver (load # 7) turned around in the F*king front yard. Good thing my wife wasn't home. She'd have shot his ass. I didn't have my back turned for more that 30 seconds and he's tearing up the front grass. This is all farm land out here and soft as hell! But, we've got 72 yards of concrete in the foundation. Good timing!
Was beginning to think it wouldn't get done. It rained Sunday night and the price of concrete went up almost $5.00 a yard Saturday the 1st of the year. Good thing I made friends with the owner of the Concrete Company last Fall. He honored his Fall price. Even when we had to order an extra 12 yards to finish. The concrete trucks were so damn heavy, I had to call a halt to it after the first load and order a pumper truck. #1 load tore up the back yard so bad. Luckly the Pumper was only 20 minutes down the road and arrived before the second load got here. I made them all, (all but that 1st one & #7), turn around in the street and back down the driveway.
The building is being delivered the 10th of this month. Had to fight with the Building Manufacturer when they called to say that the delivery date they originally set up would not be good, as they would be closed that week. I called B.S.. "You should have know that before you set the Delivery Date in the first place, I've got a crew already scheduled to be here that week of the 10th to unload the thing and start putting it up as soon as it gets here". Had a hell of a time finding a date the Erection Crew could work me in on. Due to other larger projects they've already scheduled in January, Febuary & March. If I had to reschedule the erection crew, I may not be able to get them to unload the building until late spring. Maybe Summer before they could stand it up.

I've got pictures loaded on a Web Hosting site, http://www.photogra.com/index.cfm/a:948949
Finallly got them tagged Public Viewing Enabled!

Guess you can tell I had to drink a few beers after that day! And I don't even drink. But since I bought some for the finishers for afterwards, they were there. So we had plenty. But DAMN what a day. It's raining like a SOB here now. So, we got it poured just in the nick of time. Got a good 48 hours of drying time before the rain came. I'm looked at the puddles lastnight for low spots and it looks pretty good. Only one low spot, about 3 feet in diameter in the center, with about 1/8th inch of water standing. And the forms are still up. Guess I'll take them down tonight, so the guys won't get stuck trying to drive around the foundation. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if they try and drive back there after all this rain. There's no way I'll pay for a wrecker to pull their asses out if they do.

Woa! Guess I type too much.
SSSRodeo

[fj40guy]

Curtis,

How big is that slab? 50' x 60'??? Hard to tell from the photos.

Looks good. Sounds like you got a great price on the concrete!

Oh, you should see MY yard after ripping out all the Cedar Trees, concrete trucks, pool going in... I think my neighbors hate me at the moment... but at least I got positive feedback about the fence (wrought iron style) at least they know we are making progress.

Trucks stuck in the Mud... that is what a FJ40 is good for (fellow with the Ford 550 4x4 still couldn't believe I pulled him out of the yard!)

Tom

[SSSRodeo]

Yea, the wife went shopping all last week while they were framing up the forms and royaly screwing up the yard. I kept telling her it was going to get a lot worse before it got better. I was right!
Oh yea, I knew I was leaving out something.
The Slab is 60'W X 50'D. The building will be 16' high at the eaves. I need 3- 20 x 50 bays for now. It's laid out so it can be stretched out another 50' later if I find I need it. The shallowest part of the concrete floor is 7 1/2 " with a pair of 2'X2' pear hole pits in the rear of the middle bay for a large 2 post lift. It'll have a 10' X 20' parts and material storage loft over the front half of the left bay. Kinda like what Camo did with his. Eventually hoping to install an overhead crane over the Center and Left two bays. That ,or a nice size swing crane off the loft. I picked up a small propane powered fork lift for a song last summer for those out of reach lifts.
Oh,and the head is plummed in the front laft corner.


I hope you guys don't think I'm braggin too much. I'm just real excited to be able to get this built. It's been a loooooooong time saving and dreaming of this day. Retirement is 18 months away and counting.

SSSRodeo

[ColeTrickle]

Thats nice!

I'm no where near retirement but have been thinking of building a metal building like that with a efficency apartment. Got the land just need to find a design I like. 60'X40' was my thinking with an upstairs apartment on one side of 40'X30'. Only thing is it seems that all that open space above the other 40'X30' would be unuseable. Was thinking of 22' peaks and a eave height of 16'.

Any opinions?

Again, nice shop. I can only dream at the moment.

[fj40guy]

Cole... keep dreaming.

There are quite a few hangers with built in living area's. I have 14' side walls, and for an office "upstairs" I should have gone with 16' side walls, but will stick with "storage" being up there (area is 10' x 30').

Search around here for ideas: Airport Homes mainly check Texas.

There was a "air strip home" for sale in the Pan Handle (Texas). 60 acre's, 1400 sq ft home, 2000' strip, 1500 sq ft hanger/shop. $60,000 Middle of no where, but with a small plane and stocking up on supplies... my idea of heaven.

Tom

[Gummi Bear]

Originally Posted by ColeTrickle

Thats nice!

I'm no where near retirement but have been thinking of building a metal building like that with a efficency apartment. Got the land just need to find a design I like. 60'X40' was my thinking with an upstairs apartment on one side of 40'X30'. Only thing is it seems that all that open space above the other 40'X30' would be unuseable. Was thinking of 22' peaks and a eave height of 16'.

Any opinions?

Again, nice shop. I can only dream at the moment.

My folks did just what you're describing. 40x60 shop, and in one end is a 20x40 living area. Basically an efficiency apartment. The area above it is for storage. They kept the apartment on the ground floor for whomever may be coming to visit (old folks and stairs don't mix). This leaves a nice 40x40 workspace. They have a 12' eave height, Dad didn't want it too tall, the weather can get pretty rough out there (near Eastland), and he didn't want any more exposure than necessary.

[SSSRodeo]

I got a call today from my Erection Company. Bob tells me I should have my building completely framed up byTuesday of next week. Their going to take right off the truck Monday morning and start standing it up right then. I may have to wait untl next week for them to skin it though. Right now that's fine with me. It will give me a bigger picture of where I'm going to put all my junk. The weather has put him behind on several of his bigger jobs and sinces my little puney 60' x 50' x 16' building is really just small potatoes, I get to wait a little longer!
After all we are in Texas.

It's forcast to rain Wednesday anyway!!!!!

SSSRodeo

[SSSRodeo]

Building arrived this morning.
Unloaded and inventoried by 11:00am
Supposed to have the red iron up by tomorrow.
Foreman tells me he'll be done by noon tomorrow.
Will come back next week after the weather clears out to dry it in.

http://www.photogra.com/index.cfm?p=...kw=&pg=Yes&d=1

Getting there!
Why does time stand still when youre waiting for something good to get going?

SSSRodeo

[ColeTrickle]

Lookin' good

[DanB]

lucky bastard.. i can still keep dreaming

nice shop!!

[SSSRodeo]

Well it's noon on the second day of the building erection and the crew had to pull off and go finish another bigger job. They've got about another 1/2 day of work to get the red iron up. Not sure if they'll try and finish tomorrow before the rain gets here or wait till next week when they come back to dry it in. Not worried, I have plenty of yard work to do in the mean time. I told the their boss/owner that I could wait a little while for them to finish. He's so overbooked from weather delays and a good friend, so I won't push it. The price is right!
At least the corners are up and tied in. The doors aren't framed yet, but they did lay up the roof rafters, so they can scoot them in place in no time. Glad I'm not out there doing it. The wind is blowing like a Mo Fo.
I added two more pictures to the albumn with todays progress if you want to see. The link is in my last post above.
BTY, I figured out that after I get the inside loft built I'll have enough material left to build a 10' x 4' chassis welding table. Will even have enough after that to build a 4"x4"x4' grinder stand. Don't really need another stand, unless I add an aluminum polisher.

Gotta get back to work.

SSSRodeo

[fj40guy]

Looking good.

I had planned on running electrical from the power pole to the shop this week. Electric folks came out to look... uh, the pole is 76' from the building. Turns out the MAXIMUM for an overhead line in '75. Yep, need another $735 installed.

Before any ask "why not trench it" -- Possible, but solid rock. Rocksaw to dump a electrical line down 12" is about $10/ft.

Tom

[Sound_Man]

atleast you get a skytrack to play with for a few days

[SSSRodeo]

Originally Posted by fj40guy

Looking good.

I had planned on running electrical from the power pole to the shop this week. Electric folks came out to look... uh, the pole is 76' from the building. Turns out the MAXIMUM for an overhead line in '75. Yep, need another $735 installed.

Before any ask "why not trench it" -- Possible, but solid rock. Rocksaw to dump a electrical line down 12" is about $10/ft.

Tom

12"???? You have got to be kidding me. Hell just put up a 24" eye bolt. If they are measuring from point of attachment to point of attachment it'd work!!! That is assinine. Back when I was doing that for the Electric Co. I would have hooked you up if you were under 100". The service rolls come in 100'+ rolls anyway. Would just mean that much less to have to unload in scraps. Sorry you got an asshole planner.(You do know those guys are NOT engineers, Don't you?) I'd call his supervisor. Bet he gets overridden on that one. They pull everthing from a spec book.
Or just tell them you'll reinforce the attachment and they can pull the pole over a foot. Those power poles can lean as much as 2 feet at the top before they are even noticable. How big a service are they talking about putting up? #2 trplx aeriel is good for 200 amps. The damn drip loops can be as long as 6 feet.

I'll be using 1/0 urd wire on mine. Scraps I'll get from the bin. I'd use 4/0 but my meter base lugs are only big enough for 1/0. That'll take care of anything I want to run in my shop. Unfortunitly, were single phase for about 3/4 mile, so there's no way I'm going to pay for another phase to be pulled in.

There is no way in hell I'd let them treat me that way over a damn foot.

SSSRodeo

[SSSRodeo]

Originally Posted by Sound_Man

atleast you get a skytrack to play with for a few days

Huh? I didn't even sit in the thing. Did look at the controls though. It has 4 wheel steering. Flip a switch and it will crab. Now that was cool to watch.
It's gone now. Or I'd be out there playing with it now.

SSSRodeo

[fj40guy]

Originally Posted by SSSRodeo

12"???? You have got to be kidding me. Hell just put up a 24" eye bolt. If they are measuring from point of attachment to point of attachment it'd work!!! That is assinine.

Update on this. The "hook up fee" for the 200Amp meter includes up to three poles being set. $600 fee (someone else said $735). This will allow the pole to building to have just 10' overhead (12' off the ground).

So looks like one pole, please.

Tom

[hotwheelsYJ]

Originally Posted by fj40guy

the pole is 76' from the building.
Before any ask "why not trench it" -- Possible, but solid rock. Rocksaw to dump a electrical line down 12" is about $10/ft.

Originally Posted by fj40guy

Update on this. The "hook up fee" for the 200Amp meter includes up to three poles being set. $600 fee (someone else said $735). This will allow the pole to building to have just 10' overhead (12' off the ground).

Spend the extra $100 to have it trenched, I didn't and now everytime we come through w/ a big trailer we can't.
Also, if you ever wanted to add a side shed to the building the damn line will hang in the way

[SHERPA]

Tom,

can't you rent a rock-saw trencher someplace local and DIY-? I remember the local yards in Austin had those to rent-......

--Sherpa

[Hanr3]

I love it when a plan comes together. keep us posted. Right now I would be happy having all the tools I want, let a lone a place to play with them.

[camo]

looks great !!

oh and by the way...hiring a work crew is cheating actually mine was fun for about a week and then I was dreaming about a hiring help...

is this a hobby shop or your biz ?

[camo]

who did you get your building from and how much was it ?

[SSSRodeo]

Originally Posted by camo

looks great !!

oh and by the way...hiring a work crew is cheating actually mine was fun for about a week and then I was dreaming about a hiring help...

is this a hobby shop or your biz ?

who did you get your building from and how much was it ?

Thanks Camo,
I had originally planned to build it myself, but the thought of spending 2 years of my spare time didn't appeal to me. My schedule is so hectic now, it might never get done if it was just me doing it. Luckily my wife is from an affluent family and insisted I just go ahead and hire it out. This way I can have it before summer. Her side of the family think working with your hands is nuts. Father in law says, "There are people out there who enjoy working with their hands, Who am I to prevent them from enjoying their life." Course they didn't contribute a dime to this project. This one my wife and I saved for up for the entire seven years we've been married.

For now it's a hobby shop. I'll be 55 in 18 months and would like to take an early retirement and work from home full time. I already home office so the dicipline is there already. I figure it'll take that long to get the buisness going.
I told the wife that once I get enough income coming in from this place she can retire for teaching school. She's all for that. Already have a several machine tools and will add a CNC plasma machine before Summer.

I bought the building from United Structures of America, a Houston Tx. Company last Fall. Nailed down the price before steel prices went through the roof. Would you believe $16,695.00 before sales tax? Looking at the invoice now. I understand the same building now from them would most likely cost $25K.

The crew should start back and finish it early next week, so I should be busy the next weekend wiring it out. The roll up doors, I get to hang. Saves me a few bucks that way and gives me something to do on the structure.

Getting anxious!!!

SSSRodeo

[SSSRodeo]

Well the Crew is finally back on my buildiing. I was awaken early this morning by the sound of steel being drug around.
I can't tell you how hard it's been staying off the job and keeping my hands in my pockets.
Everyday, I come home and just want to jump out there and put something up.
Bob tells me this crew will stay until it's done. We're going to have good weather until Sunday.So I've got my fingers crossed.
I will say that this is a different crew and they seem to be a lot faster than the first group.
Will start posting up progress pictures after my camera battery recharges.

Later,
SSSRodeo

[fj40guy]

Curtis,

If you need to do something... come on down, I've got lots of work to do!

Actually haven't done much the last week. Too darn cold to prep the floor as it should be atleast 70F to paint it.

Irony... with my lights, the best way to mount is solid to the rafters. All I need is a metal shim with a 5 degree shim (1 in 12) to keep it level. If I had power and the mill running, that would be a piece of cake to make. Hmm.

Tom

[SSSRodeo]

Originally Posted by fj40guy

Curtis,

If you need to do something... come on down, I've got lots of work to do!

Actually haven't done much the last week. Too darn cold to prep the floor as it should be atleast 70F to paint it.

Irony... with my lights, the best way to mount is solid to the rafters. All I need is a metal shim with a 5 degree shim (1 in 12) to keep it level. If I had power and the mill running, that would be a piece of cake to make. Hmm.

Tom

I'v plenty to do Tom just keeping the mud out off of everything.
Oh and just so ya'll know Tom and I talked today on the phone about his light mounting. No shims needed my way. Just need a BFH. I just hope those lights don't buzz real bad. Other wise my way will drive ya nuts....

Here's some updated pictures of todays progress, hopefully this link will keep ya'll from having to scroll through from the beginning.

http://www.photogra.com/index.cfm?p=...kw=&pg=Yes&d=1



Tommorrow, it gets skinned. I promised NOT to help.


SSSRodeo