I hear you BossHawg! I just got my jib crane moved into the shop, and shop now has 200 amps of electrical going into a single phase panel, and a 100 amp breaker hanging a phase converter next to it. I need to get the 3 phase panel on the wall and run a line from the phase converter to panel. Then panel breakers to outlets and/or machines. I need to have the jib post cut down 6" and it will be 4" below the sectional door when it is rolled up, which is 11'6", and the beam is 10" wide, 16' long. In the process of getting a quote for that, the post was cut once already. The jib crane can only hold 500 lbs, but will swing past the middle of the door. I'm pretty excited to finally make progress. There is currenty a 120v GFI outlet for inspection, and an outdoor romax is run to septic pump and connected. I have a liquid pump to pump to the top leach field. My contractor is going to help me wire a few more outlets for 240 1 phase and 3 phase, possibly a couple more 120v outlets. I filled 18 slots in the panel with single pole 20 amp breakers. I need to make sure I can plug my welders into a 50amp single phase welding outlet, also. Most of my machines are 3 phase, but not all. Here's a video that is currently uploading. EDIT: PS - I got a fricking operating toilet in my shop...nothing else in the bathroom, no walls, but so be it. I'm so happy I could $#!T...
I'm often driven by cost. I was hoping it was 10'x12', but it turned out to be 12'x16'. After I get it cut down, it will be perfect. Cutting 6" should get us 4" of clearance.
Unfortunately, I am having to halt my project as of last night. You're probably in better shape than I am, financially. I have power to the shop, toilet is operating, stubbed in for shower pan and sink in shop, and as of a couple days ago, septic sump pump is operational. I told my contractor I have to put everything on hold, so the jib crane post will be left uncut at this point and I'll leave the post in the corner and setup my gantry crane. I think I can haul my flatbed up the driveway and pull it in the shop, then use the gantry to remove stuff. I have a couple things that need a trailer, but will worry about those later. I may end up cutting and welding the jib crane post myself. I would rather have a professional welder do it, though... That said, I rolled all of my 401k into an IRA when Biden was taking office and the stock market was starting to plummet, I decided I wanted a shop rather than watch my retirement go down the toilet. Well, I have the shop and damn near broke, so I guess it's true..."be careful what you wish for!" I'm still pretty thrilled. I hope I don't lose my current home, it has a LOT of equity...but if I do that is gonna be one bad @$$ home when I get done. AFAICT, no limit on how much I invest in the home, my assessed value is set at $120/sq.ft., less than my current home by about 50% (most is the land, home is only 1800 sq.ft.).
I hear ya man. I am out of money until I sell the house. I have been trying to get it ready for the spring buying frenzy, or at least I am hoping for one.
Well, I'm trying like #E!! not to sell my house. If I was to sell it, that would solve my financial problems. But I'm not sure that would be good for my wife just yet. I need to prove to her that it's worth living at. I can't really do that until I can get the home dried in and have at least the master bedroom/bath completed. My plan tries to keep my wife. That may take me a year to get to that point. We were just at Kaiser today, she thought she was having an ulcer...and scheduled to visit her mother on Wed., our daughter bought her a ticket to go together. We were both saying that one thing the lake doesn't have is a hospital for us if we stay near Kaiser, the closest is about 35 minutes away over a steep grade. Our current home is about 10 minutes from the newest Kaiser in the Bay Area, AFAIK. There's a lot of things I like about your project, we build our own bed, or in my case the log shell is white pine, so I call it my coffin. EDIT: As you might imagine, a lift is not on the near term list...but it's still in mind...fear not, I will get that SOB if it's the last thing I do! LOL
So, this post is about as redneck as you can get. Remember, in the previous post where I talked about building Plasticland (TM) ? Well, I did it this weekend. This will be my humble abode for the next 6 months. It’s basically my travel trailer wrapped in plastic and ropes. The reason is to let us heat and cool 150 sf vs 6,000 sf. The summer is coming soon and it will be 107 soon. I will use the plastic at a later date to put under my rock beds to keep the Bermuda out, so it’s not a total waste. It’s redneck ingenuity at its best…
I just had my black plastic tarp blow off the foundation for my wigwam... We have some big storms blowing through California. Boss Hawg, does that keep it warm inside? That wigwam comment hurt...
It's not bad. It was about 45 the other day and I had 2 small electric heaters from Wally World in there, like the little counter top space heaters, and it stayed about 65 or so. I'm sure if it were 6* it might be worse. The thing I worry about is when we start cooking etc. is it going to sweat? When we did this at deer camp, it was always with a wood burning stove in the middle of the room. That pretty much sucked any humidity out of the room.
Suppose you could run a dehumidifier, if you closed off the openings. Kill 2 birds w/one stone. Marcus...
It's been a tad higher than that during the day recently and it's freezing...this is the coldest year I can remember, ever, in CA. It was down to 30 degrees several nights last week. That would be perfect for me. I have a small heater in my office and have it set to 70, and it's under the desk. I can only leave it on for 5 minutes as it gets hot. 5 minutes every couple hours aren't bad. But my shop doesn't have any insulation...hopefully it warms up soon. My wife is kinda funny, she will wait and wait before she turns the heat on, but once she turns it on in the house, it's going to 75-80 degrees...Too hot for me...
Haven’t been able to do much this week. It’s been cold and crappy. I did manage to get the majority of the stuff moved down there before it turned off cold. Been working on the current house, trying to get it ready to sell in about 2 weeks. I did finish hanging the plywood in the mechanical room. I needed to do this to ensure that I had a place to hang everything. I needed to paint it so I can start hanging the instant hot water and the water filtration stuff. I had to unhook all the plumber’s temporary loops so I could cut the holes for access. I did order my gate openers today. My wife got tired of being the “gate opener”.
Not a lot going on worth posting about. A lot of insignificant stuff yall would be bored with. We have had a crazy few days here. 80 mph winds, the dust bowl speed shop is living up to its name. The brown in the radar is dirt. You get the picture…
So, a super minor update. I am about 3 weeks from closing on my current house. If all goes well, I will be living full time in the Black Plastic Wigwam (TM) . I figured I should make it look more like a home, rather than a construction site, so I succumbed to my other vice, gardening.
Brother you have been working your arse off but it appears it's paying off,even if you are shacking up in a plastic fantastic igloo. I had totally missed the entire thread but I just finished reading from the start it is very impressive my friend, I'll be following the rest of the build. HRP
Hey, I have a wigwam also! Not TM though...LOL Unfortunately, there is no wigwam yet, only a shop that is dried in with a lot to do...I just got a 2nd notice from an attorney representing the water district, threatening to sue me. I told him to go ahead. You'll finish off some living space before long, get busy! (same for me)
So, it’s a done deal. The house I was living in for the last 21 years sold. We closed Friday. This will give me the funds to finally finish. The bad thing is I am living in the Black Plastic Wigwam (TM) full time. I had been in the middle of retrofitting a toilet and black water tank into the Avalair, when Kim’s folks passed away and then my Uncle. It went on hold. Well, this forced me to finish. I spent this weekend installing the toilet and running pex water lines to the water valve. You guys have no idea how much crap we own. That’s not bragging….Its stressful. I made a door for the wigwam out of a chain link gate kit and some top rail. I went to harbor freight and bought a canvas painters drop cloth to cover it with. This will help keep the heat or ac inside. I’ll try and post some pics later.
It’s going to be just like the end of Braveheart, after all the pain, suffering, and sacrifice you’ll be able to finally scream “FREEDOM!!!”
Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare......
When they framed out the shop, for whatever reason the walls didn't line up with the trusses, so I have to build filler panels to mimic trusses for the sheet metal to attach to. The lower walls are 2x6. Otherwise it would need to step in 4 inches, which would look dorky and create a lot of unnecessary work, so I started fabbing up a spacer truss of sorts. Notice there are no ladders! I bought scaffolding after my fall.
So last night Mama Root and I started the sheeting process. It’s getting there. I’ll have to make more truss fillers before I can do anything else.
The Jalopy Journal
