Shop Build...should be a fun journey...

[glenn bradley]

It indeed is what it is. Despite having much longer to adjust my plan than anyone has a right to (thank you COVID) I still made a couple of tweaks almost immediately. I had misjudged a lighting requirement for an operator position near a corner. I added a couple of lights to the ceiling pattern and all is well. I also added another couple of rows to my cleat / peg wall as I ended up keeping more jigs than originally planned. A delay on some remodeling work in the house means I have a boatload of lumber and supplies stored where my spray booth is supposed to be. A shop is never really done though . . . is it?

[Brian Tymchak]

Ah, the very first "change of plan" has arrived. I'm abandoning the mobile clamp rack. Why? The idea is sound, but the addition of a slab flattening/tracksawing/big-assembly "thing" (thread coming), despite being knock down is making me uncomfortable relative to the floor space taken by the big, heavy mobile rack. It is what it is.

Instead of one big rack, maybe a couple smaller racks that fit into smaller niches around the shop will work?

[Jim Becker]

Hah, glad you finally met that "I need more space" moment in that huge shop! lol

It's more of an "efficient use" situation, honestly. I don't regret building the thing and it utilized material on-hand...which will get reused again for something else soon. Sometimes you just see things differently when something new comes along. The big (modular) table setup will provide a lot more utility than the clamp cart will and freeing up the footprint of the clamp rack will permit the big table to be in play more often without getting in the way of other things. It's big...57"x115" which is what is required for the 4'x8' flattening setup that I chose. That will be clearer once I do that thread.

[Jim Becker]

Instead of one big rack, maybe a couple smaller racks that fit into smaller niches around the shop will work?

Hah! If there were only smaller niches around the shop. All the smaller clamps will be near the bench and the larger ones will be back on the wall like they were in the old shop. No big deal.

[Jim Becker]

This past weekend, I took a couple hours and got the groundwork done for finally putting in the walkway to the shop from the rear patio. The Big Orange Power Tool was "very helpful" with this as you can imagine. Some adjustments will be required as I build the forms, but that's "easy work". I'm hoping that I can get this done in the next week or so, depending on weather and availability of some muscle. It's just over a cu yd of concrete...too small for practical delivery and too big for hand mixing...but our friends at Harbor Freight conveniently had the larger mixer on sale last week, so one came home with me. It will be an easy re-sale afterward, too, and even if it wasn't, it was less expensive than what a rental would have cost and has no time limits.

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[Jim Becker]

I'm fully prepped for the walkway...that was the "easy" part. As you might notice, I managed to find a way to use the CNC machine to support this endeavor, so I'm going to consider it an "honorary woodworking project". LOL

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[glenn bradley]

Nice touch and good way to integrate the CNC into the job ;-)

[George Yetka]

https://mudmixer.com/

You should see if anyone rents these by you. All you do is pour bags in it and screed what comes out. Or so it seems

[Jim Becker]

https://mudmixer.com/

You should see if anyone rents these by you. All you do is pour bags in it and screed what comes out. Or so it seems

I already bought a mixer...for a lot less that renting something would have cost around here and with no time limitations. $219 vs $90 a day! I've seen FB ads for that thang, however. Very interesting for sure!

[Michael Burnside]

As you might notice, I managed to find a way to use the CNC machine to support this endeavor, so I'm going to consider it an "honorary woodworking project". LOL

That's funny, well done!

[Jim Becker]

The not so funny part...

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[Bruce Page]

Jim, invest in a back support lifting belt if you haven’t already done so.

[Keith Outten]

You might consider getting some turf tires for your big orange power tool if you plan to use it very often in your yard. I had two sets of tires and rims for my BOPT and kept the turf tires on most of the time.

[Jim Becker]

Jim, invest in a back support lifting belt if you haven’t already done so.

Have owned one for many years...

You might consider getting some turf tires for your big orange power tool if you plan to use it very often in your yard. I had two sets of tires and rims for my BOPT and kept the turf tires on most of the time.

Other than this shop build, the 20+ year old machine isn't going to get a whole lot of use here and I cannot justify the cost for swapping the tires or getting an additional set. I have a whole half acre and that includes the buildings. The only reason I'm keeping it is because there is sometimes the need for lifting and occasionally I move the utility trailer with it rather than driving my Ascent through the backyard and it's costing me almost nothing other than fuel and an occasional hydraulic hose replacement. I pull smaller things around with the ZTR and a small trailer when something can fit in that, or with a hand-pulled trailer. But I do appreciate the suggestion because it would make a lot of sense if I were using the machine a lot on our particularly soggy (after rain) property.

[Patty Hann]

Jim, how deep did you lay the rock/gravel (as in how many cu ft. was needed?)
And did you already have gravel "lying around" , or did you have to have it delivered?