Shop Talk

Yea the additional hole in the wall worked well all day yesterday. I think its a keeper. I worked on putting up the remaining wood that I had bought a couple days ago. Neighbor said wood prices are back down at the big box stores. That's a good thing! I probably need another batch of 2 x 4's for additional framing in the bathroom area.  Also a little more work above the center of the small overhead door for the hardware to mount. 

Trying to decide if the area under the stairs can be utilized to hold more junk, I mean stuff! Access could be from the bathroom or from the Z1 area where the big sink might go?

Nic is scheduled to start wiring today. I am going to put in four sofit lights in each eave. These will light the door ways and provide some decorative lighting to match the HOA requirements too!

Weather is cool and drizzly today. Hope things are good in Orange land!

Regards,

 Chris

that's a neat picture of the buildings you have to be HAPPY....

hmm.

cupola... gotta get a cupola and a Mapleleaf weathervane on 'our' new garage...

oh yeah SOLID blocking supports for the handrails up to my loft, seeing how the elevator's not installed , yet.....

Jay

NICE, 'stairway to heaven'....

I know the elevator will be on next year's list , hehehe

I'm stuck playing 'real Life tetris' in my garage as I can't get a contractor to even come out/price the 2nd floor addition, sigh.... winter's going to be very long and boring....

please keep posting pix...

Jealous Jay

hmm.. did I mention I wanted an ELEVATOR to MY loft ?????

guess you lost that memo !!

hehehe

BTW it's cheaper to buy a complete LED shoplight than an electronic ballast for 2 T8s....

yeesh.

Jay

Building a good set of steps can be a challenge for sure. I guess I have built a half a dozen in a life time, which is not many compared to lots of real carpenters!  I am going to have another look at the width dimension and try to compensate if I can. I thought I had it measured several times but really was relying on the truss being straight and the wall I built being plumb. So things are starting to get "fixed" into position, and the changes will have to be adjustments at the top of the opening. Which actually should be easier, if that is where I find the issue. Yes would like to have these just a little closer. Actual stair tread width will be 36-1/2 inches. Would have liked to have 4 foot wide stairs but did not plan well enough.

On the rise/run dimensions. I try to be close to the magic number of the rise plus the run equals 17 inches. Just a old rule of thumb. So I have 7.7 rise plus 9 run = 16.7 or almost 17. :) Should be a comfortable set of steps. The 12 inch tread, well we will see how that feels too. I always go cheap and use 2 x 10's. 

Today is the last day of PA archery season. I may get out this P.M.. Rhett and I scampered out back on the neighbors property last night, but it was way to windy for any deer to move.

The sunset was worth the walk! Nice to see these little men get excited about being in the woodlot.

Back on the shop. I really have enjoyed the space to do a project like these stairs! Nice smooth floor and room to spin these 18 foot 2 x 12 stringers in the room too. Which happened several times.

I have walls to finish adding the girts and the 9x8 OH door to frame out yet. That and the stairs should keep me out of trouble for several hours! The stairs were a request of the electrician too. That will allow us to get up into the high bay area easier for wiring in lights and things. May make provisions for a couple ceiling fans too?

This walk door between Z1 and Z2 still has me guessing. Not sure that most of my travels wont be across the end of the wall close tot he bath room? I will be going to check on things in the bath/ utility room a lot! and my walk door is on the other end of that wall? Humm?

Regards,

 Chris

 The stairs have had me in a head lock for days. A carpenter I am not! They would not have fooled around with this stuff like I have. So far the stairs are coming out OK. I did find that the top is 1/2 inch wider than the bottom. That should make it even more fun!

The stringers for the steps are in place.

May get some steps and risers in place tomorrow. Would like to hunt a couple hours also.

Picked up another small load of lumber. Seems to be going somewhere in there!

Stringers were in and out of position several times, noodling things out.

Some cuts

Used some additional layout and simple guide pieces clamped down to do the final outside stringers. I did not like doing them by hand, I am not that steady!

I attempeted to add some 1 x 10 to the outside stringers so that a finished wall could meet with this board. Will see how that works out?

I had forgot how much work is in building stairs! 

Not sure why these pictures are yellow must be that light at night?

Regards,

 Chris

 Those were not very good pictures! The lighting was not good. This is kind of like fishing: throw out some bait (pictures) Set back and wait for the bobber to wiggle a little. Maybe a big fish takes it deep maybe some little ones just nibble on the worm and tease you. 

Still fishin' ! I need to get off the couch and do something! Burning daylight! Now where is that new lure??

Hoping to get info on insulation final estimate, started on electrical, interior walls framed, and cost estimate on boiler system, yet this week. 

Before we know it it will be syrup season (mid Jan to mid April) and everything goes on hold for 8-12 weeks!

Did have something unusual to report on the leaf guard system. We had slushy wet snow the other day, some of the water from the slush melting on the roof and gutter ran over top of the leaf guard and down the outside of the gutters. I had not seen that coming. Probably wont happen often? But I didnt like water dripping down my neck on the eave sides of the building! Humm?

I feel a nibble!

Thanks for checking in on the old man with the orange tractors!

(still need to get that propane fork lift running too!)

Stairs today, and getting more lumber. 2x4's. I feel like a kid building a tree house! Juts keep throwing sticks up!

Regards,

 Chris

 That sounds like a good system.

I had a chance to stop and clean up in the shop just a little. Put some lumber and items up in the "never to come down" loft area!  Moved some things around.

The in floor heat is sounding real good when its 35 in the shop! Called local company to get a quote on a boilier and plumbing system.

Trying to lay out the cuts for the stairs. Have to stop and take some time on this.

The risers and treads waiting:

Regards,

 Chris

 Thanks for the comments. I have not finished much drywall. So would have things to learn there for sure.

The spray foam Is double the cost. But I do understand that when done properly you have a ultra tight leak free building too. 

Worked on framing for interior walls today. lots of little moves to have nailers in joint/ corner areas. Not sure if I am making any progress!

Regards,

 Chris

The PO put drywall in my garage and them taped and mudded it all.  All the mud over the screws and the tape has been coming down for a couple years now.  The garage has no heat so it should never been done. 

When I did the basement where I lived at one time, I set the drywall on pieces of 1 x 4 on the floor.  Then I got the larger trim to cover it up!  I took the 1 x 4's out and used them on the next sheet.

When I drywalled I always used water and a rag to wet sand the finished project.  You need to get the mud just wet enough to move.   It turned out great and I didn't have drywall dust everywhere form traditional sanding.

I used drywall on my shop.  It's fairly cheap and easy to install and it doesn't burn or catch fire like wood.  You can paint it any color you want.  My shop is white as it makes it brighter at night.

I keep going  back to your first post around April 9th, talking about maybe building a shop, what great progress in the last 8 months!