100 Yr. Old Log W.W. Shop Restoration Project

[Josh Bendel]

I may have jumped in over my head but I'm going to try it anyway. My wife and I bought a farm with 90 acres about 6 years ago. There is an old house, a summerkitchen (current work shop), barn and a tobacco shed (now it just dries lumber that I’ve had milled:D . Well getting back on track, last year we build a new house on the property, so now the question comes up what to do with the old house tear down, burn, or sell it:confused: ? After doing some research I found that the house was the homestead of the ridge, and after breaking through a few walls I found that main part of the house is all oak had hewn logs, in perfect condition:cool: . I know this because a had a person from the local preservation society (Norskedalen Nature Center) come and take a look the house, removing some siding and dry wall to check it out. Now knowing all this I can’t see it being burned or torn down, but only restored back to the log cabin walls and turned into a WW shop!!! Has anyone ever tackled a project like this? I couldn’t even think of having a better looking work shop than that. So lets have some in put.

I will try and get some pictures up of the current house and of the logs, just to satisfy the picture police.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Josh,

WOW!! Sounds like you have a REAL jem on your hands! I have never done anything like your project, but I would definately be tackling it if I were you. A log shop would be ideal! If you ever run out of timber, you could always scavange from the walls! LOL

Anyway, good luck and keep us updated with pics! ;)

[Frank Pellow]

This sounds like a really interesting project. :)

One thing I am wondering about is how much space you have and how that space will be divided up. If there are several small rooms it could be a bit akward to arrange things. How much headroom will there be?

[Tyler Howell]

Wow Josh, This sounds like an official visit from the picture police is in order. When's a good time:D :rolleyes: .

With any old stucture you know you have your hands full. Looking forward to your developement process.

[Dave Right]

What a nice find!
That would be rewarding to keep the house. Might not be necessarily cost effective to restore it but would be a great project to turn it into a shop.
I agree, you would have to take a look as how it is divided up into rooms and may have to take out a non load bearing wall or two. You will be glad you restored it when all done!
Good Luck

[Josh Bendel]

This sounds like a really interesting project. :)

One thing I am wondering about is how much space you have and how that space will be divided up. If there are several small rooms it could be a bit akward to arrange things. How much headroom will there be?
That is also a concern I have is with the headspace, the current ceiling is 8' high, not ideal but I think I can make it work. I think the room size will work out just fine, in the total outside dimensions are approx. 30' x 20' with the main room 29' x 17' with two other room divided off the main room. The smaller of the two rooms I’m planning to put finishing supplies; the medium sized room is going to be my finishing/drafting room. The large room is going to be my sawdust making room. Then in the ½ basement I’m putting my dust collector and air compressor.

[Carl Eyman]

My ex-boss (now deceased) had the same experience in Nashota WI. He found the house had been built by one of the earliest settlers in the region. He restored/remodled it into a very charming place.

[David Dixson]

With your dust collector and air compressor in the basement being muffled and not taking up floor space and with your finishing area and chemical storage being in other rooms. I think you probably will have plenty of room.

I think with judicious application of storage space, forethought about the typical shop issues, cabinetry and mobile bases, you should be just fine.

Have you thought about the interior walls? I would think tongue in groove knotty pine would really do the interior space justice and keep with the theme of the place.

Dave

[Dave Richards]

I think Tyler and I are going to have to arrange a road trip together to Wisconsin. :D

[Frank Pellow]

...
the total outside dimensions are approx. 30' x 20' with the main room 29' x 17' with two other room divided off the main room.
...

Something is not right here. :confused: According to the above, there is almost no space left over after you have taken away the mainroom.

[Ray Bersch]

Josh, here is something outside the box to consider (unfortunately, I am known for outside the box thinking) if your building is historical you can get tax credits for its renovation (up to 20% of renovation cost, including labor) - a complex process, but nothing that can't be achieved. I believe the building must be income producing for a tax credit so instead of a shop, you can make it a rental home - the combination of the tax credits and extra income will be more than enough to build that wonder shop you have always dreamed of - or make it an office - are you self employed? Or, if the local hysterical society is interested, get it appraised as a historical building and donate it to them, great tax credit for that one. I can't recite chapter and verse on the tax code, I know only enough to get bright ideas and stay out of trouble - but web research should shed some light on the topics.

Or, renovate it and make it a great shop to enjoy for yourself.
Ray

[John Bailey]

Josh,

I had a similar experience here in MI about 20 yrs. ago. I bought a few acres with an old house on it. The cemetary across the field had gravestones with people who were born in the 1700's, so I knew it was an old homestead. As it turned out, my yard originally had the first log cabin in the county. When it burned down, the main part of my house was built. That part of the house was over 150 yrs. old. I remodeld it and found most of the "studs" were Walnut. They were all hand hewn to 4" thick, but some were 8" wide with the bark still on. I finished remodeling, eventually moving and selling the place. I can tell you there will probably be no straight lines in your place and certainly nothing of standard measurement. A woodshop would be a great idea and I hope you can follow through.

John

[Josh Bendel]

Something is not right here. :confused: According to the above, there is almost no space left over after you have taken away the mainroom.


Ooooops, you are correct. The inside dims should be 29' x 14' sorry about that.:o

[David Klug]

Josh does that ever bring back memories. About 25 yrs. ago we decided to do some remodeling in the home we lived in. There was a family room that had been added on next to the kitchen and a archway between the two. We decided to open it up and just have a counter there instead of the wall. Like you I pulled off the sheetrock and lo and behold I headed for heart attack hotel. The exterior wall was logs!!! The exterior of the house had been covered with aluminum sideing so there was no hint that the house was actually a log cabin. I didn't know what to do. I just wanted to turn back the clock and say lets just leave it the way it is. What we did was get a chainsaw and cut out the wall and finish it up. That was my first remodel project. What an education!!!!

DK

[Frank Pellow]

Ooooops, you are correct. The inside dims should be 29' x 14' sorry about that.:o
That might seem like a lot of space to you Josh, but it very easy to fill it up quickly. My new shop is slightly bigger ,and I have found it necessary to all my woodworking machines on mobile bases.

[Josh Bendel]

That might seem like a lot of space to you Josh, but it very easy to fill it up quickly. My new shop is slightly bigger ,and I have found it necessary to all my woodworking machines on mobile bases.
That’s fine, but my current my shop is 16' x 16' summer kitchen, that I converted to a shop. So I defiantly know all about space saving techniques. So this new space is a lot bigger to me. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to tear down the new construction part that is was added on in front of the house which is another 16' x 14'. Initially I was going to tear that part of the house down, but now I may leave it and vertical side it with some oak I'll get cut off of my property. I don't know there’s just something that feels right making chips surrounded by hand hewn logs that are a century old, built by old world craftsman that have withstood the test of time.:cool:

[Rick Thom]

Josh, that sounds like a pretty interesting project with lots of possibilities.
Wondering about the condition of floors??? and the supporting structure. Having lived in old houses most of my life, I have come to understand that they didn't build them to carry some of the types of loads that heavy cast iron power tools and benchs impose. My floor joists are 12" logs but some pretty long spans and spacing between. Wise to get structural assessment to avoid possible problems.

[Scott Lemmers]

Josh,

I can't believe there are two of us out there willing to take on projects like this!!
I recently purchased a farm house built in 1865.
Although the house has been gone through, the barns are in poor repair. One barn is made from hand hewn beams (two story) and is still quite solid but neads a major face lift. The second barn was a mix of beams and natural timber. The second barn may need to come down. I plan to re-hab the first barn to house my wood shop, lumber and a finish spray room.
Let me know how your project is going.
Best of luck!!

[Corey Hallagan]

Josh, that would be totally sweet. I can see the photo now, you standing next to your log workshop, a sign hanging that says New Wisconsin Workshop. Oh yeah, don't forget to wear a flannel shirt and grow a beard!!

Corey