What to do with the second floor?

[Duncan Horner]

kids storage

I hope you remember to feed them up there, they stop growing if you forget to keep putting food in.

[Dave Houseal]

my shop is 90 sq feet so I think you should let me bring my tools and stationary equipment to work up there. I'm pretty quiet and promise not to bother you to much. Think about it.

PS

HA! My buddy had about the same idea....he's not a woodworker though he just wanted big screen, futon and beer storage! LOL

I've thought a lot about the weight issue. It seems to be built pretty sturdy, but I do want to take a closer look at what kind of weight it can actually support. The joists are 2x8, which I figure is a good sign. Its basically an A frame type of truss structure. What I don't like is the joists are two pieces and are scabbed together with those metal truss plates. I figure that's my week point, although I know those things are a lot stronger than they look.

I have a friend who is very knowledgeable in this area that's going to look at it for me. It wouldn't be too hard to put a header across that seem if I need to.

A lift would be cool, and I definitely need to add some kind of slick just because type of thing at some point! A lift, a secret passage, something! LOL

For dust collection is it really a huge deal having it on the second floor? I figured so many people seem to run their ducting overhead that it probably not a huge problem.

[Ben Franz]

A 2x8 floor joist system won't support much weight over any large span. If the joists are spliced with truss plates, they are really just functioning as collar ties and can only handle minimal storage loads - not safe for occupant load IMO. The truss plates are strong under tension loads but don't resist bending loads.

[Eric DeSilva]

I seem to recall pictures of someone else's workshop, however, where they had an I-Beam mounted in the center of the roofline that could be extended out a large window with barn doors on the second floor. That way, things could then be hauled up from outside and rolled down the I-Beam. That would be pretty handy either way you go...

Ha ha!

Its Alan Schaffter's--reposted just recently in another thread:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showpost...35&postcount=7