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

[Jim Becker]

I'm glad to understand how those DIY lines work now, and am impressed with the design. Lot of threads to start is another good thing.

Agree...and you can get the nut on by hand quite a ways before you have to move to the wrench. That makes it easier to juggle the line for alignment while starting the nuts...only having two hands is what it is.

[Jim Becker]

Tom, this photo is for you...a closeup of the quick connect connector, as it were. It appears it's a spring loaded plunger setup so they can seal refrigerant in the line sets from the factory and allow an easy install by the DIY-er "out there". The last few turns of the nut push the plunger and open up the line.

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I finished up the other three speaker setups today so I can get them hung this week and check that task off my list. I just have to put crimp connectors on them so I can have an easily removed setup if something needs repaired in the future.

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[Tom M King]

That gives me a lot more confidence in their DIY design.

[Zachary Hoyt]

It looks great in the shop, and it's nice to see the details of how the Mr Cool system works. I'm looking forward (nervously) to putting ours in this week if it gets delivered as planned and the weather is not too cold.

[Jim Becker]

Zachary, the install is really, really easy, honestly. Just be uber-careful when you are manipulating the line set, especially away from the ends that have compensation for bending. Really...that is the singular risky part of the whole install...and I'm paying the price for it. Literally.

Here's a recent video of the Gen 4 install (next size up from mine) by Evan of Country View Acres on the 'Tube. This is the standard install (through the wall).

[glenn bradley]

Mr. Cool was my first choice and they do make a well thought out product. I had distance issues and working through the challenges ended up going with Pioneer. I built the pathway into the walls prior to insulating and putting up wallboard. These little buggers
lineset box.jpg . New Shop (128).jpg
made the exit wound more manageable. I put an outdoor rated service outlet and outdoor rated disconnect right by them but we have mild weather.

[Tom M King]

Here is how the ends of the lines in an ordinary lineset come. Nothing but plain tubes with plastic slip on caps to keep junk out of them until they are used. I think a 25' lineset with 3/4 and 3/8 lines cost me $76 a few months ago. The only thing that included were the two lines and insulation on the 3/4" line. It did include shipping.

[Jim Becker]

Mr. Cool was my first choice and they do make a well thought out product. I had distance issues and working through the challenges ended up going with Pioneer.

MC makes joining kits that permit using another line set to extend to a greater length. SupplyHouse.com carries them.

I have a regular 120v 20a outlet positioned near the condenser/compressor location for maintenance utility. It's one of three outdoor outlets currently and that circuit will also provide power to the 10x16 shed so there is light and an outlet to plug in a charger/maintainer for my ZTR that lives in there. Having an outlet on the back of the building wasn't something I originally thought of, but it became clear that it would be a good idea when I was moving closer to the mini split install. So far, it's just powered my Festool jigsaw to cut the hole for the line set/control wire pathway plus to trim down the hard-line drain so it didn't stick out so far.

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Today, I moved the condenser/compressor over a about foot and a half for a cleaner pathway for the line set when the new, shorter one arrives tomorrow. I also got the speakers hung so I can cross that off my list.

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[Zachary Hoyt]

The speakers and boxes look nice, and the whole space looks huge in that picture. I will be careful bending the lines. The ones in the set I got don't have springy things on the ends for bending.

[Jim Becker]

The wide angle does distort the space...it looks very narrow in that photo to me. In person, it feels really large right now, but there's only a few ladders, etc., in there. Once the tools move in, well...reality will set in. LOL It will still be big, but it might not feel that way so much. It will still be a blessing to get out of the 21xz21 temporary gara-shop and the space is effectively about a third larger than the old shop, not counting the upstairs storage that was in that building.

It occured to me this morning that these speakers started life in a similar sized room, albeit with just an 8' ceiling. I'm hopeful they sound just as good as "back in the day". I may or may not need to add some dampening above them, depending on how the space sounds once all the "stuff" is in there, but that's something for a month or three into the future.

[Leigh Betsch]

Tom, this photo is for you...a closeup of the quick connect connector, as it were. It appears it's a spring loaded plunger setup so they can seal refrigerant in the line sets from the factory and allow an easy install by the DIY-er "out there". The last few turns of the nut push the plunger and open up the line.

IMG_3022.jpg

I finished up the other three speaker setups today so I can get them hung this week and check that task off my list. I just have to put crimp connectors on them so I can have an easily removed setup if something needs repaired in the future.

IMG_3024.jpg

I've been away for a while, so I've missed quite a bit, but is that a stealth gloat of a new MiniMax slider???
I thought you were going to use emt conduit surface mounted for the electrical, but it looks like most of the electrical is in the walls. What changed your mind?

[Jim Becker]

I've been away for a while, so I've missed quite a bit, but is that a stealth gloat of a new MiniMax slider???
I thought you were going to use emt conduit surface mounted for the electrical, but it looks like most of the electrical is in the walls. What changed your mind?

There's a thread about the saw, but yes, it's a new SC3C for the new shop. You may (or may not) remember I sold the S315WS to avoid moving it twice and paying to store it after we did the downsize thing in 2021 and the new machine is the replacement. The short story is...it arrived two months early. But it's no big deal since it would have had to be put in the temporary gara-shop in the same way on the pallet even if it arrived in October as originally anticipated. The new shop will not be ready for awhile yet.

If I had done a building with conventional stick framing, I likely would have done the conduit thing. For the post frame structure I opted for, in some respects, the "conduit" is built in for the horizontal runs without the cost of the conduit. My experience with the previous shop plus the temporary shop also allowed me to refine the electrical plan such that it's unlikely I'll need to add circuits in the future, other than from overhead and I have a massive j-box "up there" to take care of those needs. In fact, until I know exactly where the SC3C will live, I'm not even doing that drop from the ceiling. In a nutshell, there's a single 240v 30 amp circuit available for all major tools that do not need to have a dedicated circuit and it's extensible from the ceiling area. There are twist lock outlets on the walls for that circuit that provide for flexible placement of machinery even if it gets moved around over time. There's even one up on the front wall, even though it's unlikely any machine would ever actually live there. Standardising on the 30 amp twist locks makes moving things around to adapt to a temporary (or longer term) need takes care of everything. No machine I own requires more than 30 amps and I don't anticipate that changing. Well, maybe I'll get a welder someday...'still trying to decide if I want to invest a $100 in wire, etc., to put in a circuit for that before closing things up. I'll make that decision soon since I expect to do the drywall in the recent future.

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I should have the new line set today so I can get that project buttoned up and get the materials and tools no longer needed out there put away in anticipation of said drywall. The singular delay for that will be timing the money. I don't carry balances on my cards so next week for drywall is most likely. It's also weather dependent for picking up the material.

[Leigh Betsch]

I went with in the wall wiring instead of EMT also. I put in lot's of 120 and 240 single phase 20 amp outlets around the perimeter of the shop. And quite a few ceiling drops, both 3 phase and single phase. I also have access above the ceiling to add additional drops if I ever need them. I also like the spray foam insulation. I did the same. Before I put the ceiling in I created two ducts between the rafters to facilitate pulling air from the center of the shop, thru fan powered heppa filters, then exhausted at the sidewalls. This gets dust picked up right above the power tools and heppa filtered air discharged along the sidewalls creating really nice laminar air flow.

[glenn bradley]

Having an outlet on the back of the building wasn't something I originally thought of, but it became clear that it would be a good idea when I was moving closer to the mini split install. So far, it's just powered my Festool jigsaw to cut the hole for the line set/control wire pathway plus to trim down the hard-line drain so it didn't stick out so far.

I have a few things that I added on on-the-fly as their value became more obvious. Instead of just outdoor lighting switches I added a convenience outlet in those positions (great for a corded vac or blower when needed). These things are such that they don't get used all that often but when the need arises . . . I feel like a genius for adding them during the build.

[Jim Becker]

I have a few things that I added on on-the-fly as their value became more obvious. Instead of just outdoor lighting switches I added a convenience outlet in those positions (great for a corded vac or blower when needed). These things are such that they don't get used all that often but when the need arises . . . I feel like a genius for adding them during the build.

I have a dedicated "outside" circuit for the three 120v outlets on the outside of the shop building plus an outlet and lighting in the 10x16 shed nearby that will be hooked up when I have the building more empty and have access to do that work. The air cleaner will also slave off that circuit because it will rarely be used otherwise. This circuit uses a GFCI breaker (as do all 120v circuits other than lighting) for simplicity in install...I hate using the GGCI outlets because of how tight things get in the boxes.
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I spent a little time in the shop today adding a little blocking at the back of the north long wall to provide some additional options for on-wall storage. The box with the line set did not arrive until a few minutes ago, so that task moves to tomorrow.