Finally time to pull the trigger . . . starting on the New (much anticipated) SHOP - Build

[1 Wild R/T]

Two things I’d do over, REMOVE all trees 75ft from my building, all the dead limbs fall on the roof, one went thru and had to patch. Have a good water supply for sink and toilet. I guess a third, concrete pad around front of building out 30ft

Lay conduit under the slab for power & ethernet cable... Yes you can just use the wireless router from your house, but all to often the connection in the shop is poor... Ethernet cable is cheap & adding a second wireless router inside the shop saves aggravation later..

 

[SassyPants]

What the heck happened to lumber prices? Some blame supply chain hiccups but it seems that would have reared it's effects last summer, not just recently.

Kern, perhaps this story will help a bit. Once upon a time, I managed a procurement department. We bought a lot of Bread Bags. There was an explosion in a plant that made plastic nuggets that ended up being bread bags. There are only a few bread bag makers that could handle our volume. THE NEXT day after the explosion, a supplier came in and said, "We are taking the price of Bread Bags Higher Starting TODAY". Of course I said, Why Today?? His response was to explain by using a bit of a riddle. "Brian, Why do male dogs lick their testicles?" I shrugged, thinking about the hit to our bottom line with the price increase. He answered without even smiling, just a stare, "Because he Can!!"

Well, at that moment, He Could. However, as that supplier learned later, there were more options than he thought. That said, his story has stuck with me for many years.

I think Lumber is at that stage, IMO, they raise the prices, "Because they can". And, it feels good to them,,,,, for awhile. I like the questions about can a block building work vs lumber. Now were are talking.

I love the shop idea and look forward to seeing even more progress. You are Strong Like Bull to be digging that foundation by hand. WOW!!

Best to you all, B.

 

[blue69runner]

Like the building lay out. Yes prices are sky high. Even metal has spiked in price. Their are building packages sitting a round the country for sale. Most of them just bolt together. Yes run conduit under the slab for your electrical as much as you can. It is cost effective. When I was an electrician supper. Put all I could in the slab. I agree with a toilet and sink. I put a shower in mine. Don't have to go in the house and here the wife holler about the grease and stuff in the tub. LOL. So keep at it and hope prices come down soon. I need to work on my shop and replace some of the outer skin on mine. But T 111 is out of this world.

 

[conv67bdere]

More work this week, along with having to cut the grass too - yeah, that is already a weekly thing for me already . . .

If this isn't the craziest thing . . . this stoopid root has been right in the middle of my trench for the last 20' . . . like it "knew" . . .

And the next 10' consisted of this mess . . .

Making more progress . . . trying to get this thing dug out . . . until I run of of daylight or energy . . .
which ever comes first . . .

Stack of roots that I had to contend with . . .

both 50' sides are completed, which means only (1) 12' side remains, and since both sides are done,
that means only 10' of digging left . . .

And my delivery of 1400' of #3 rebar was delivered yesterday and moved to the backyard . . . UGH !

Ran out of daylight today . . . but my back is feeling it . . . Yeah, Advil here I come . . .

 

[kiwigtx]

You are a Machine Larry.....keep it up...that is a great looking project.

 

[conv67bdere]

You are a Machine Larry.....keep it up...that is a great looking project.

BSH . . . what can I say . . . wait, that's how I build stuff . . .

 

[Coronet_Arch]

Dig a drain trench so water does not accumlate in the trench when it rains. Nothing worst then mucking the mud out of the trench with the rebar in place.

 

[Ceedawg]

Dig a drain trench so water does not accumlate in the trench when it rains. Nothing worst then mucking the mud out of the trench with the rebar in place.

Speaking of rebar, couldn’t you use reinforced concrete instead, what is the soil, will it support the load of the building? Will slab tie into that footer? Or will it be all one piece?

 

[conv67bdere]

Guess it was a good week, as the digging is pretty much done . . . unless I have to do some adjustments . . .

Next - build a rebar bender and get some rebar ready for footers . . .

Here's the progress . . . had fun in this corner with all the roots from the tree . . .

But . . . it's done now, time for rebar . . .

That's a sight for sore eyes . . . and backs . . . and arms . . . and legs . . . ( ugh ) . . .

Nice to see some progress on getting this thing going . . . (maybe) considering lumber prices . . .

 

[conv67bdere]

Speaking of rebar, couldn’t you use reinforced concrete instead, what is the soil, will it support the load of the building? Will slab tie into that footer? Or will it be all one piece?

That's exactly why I go by BSH . . . the rebar will make it that much better . . . working on the details of tying it all together . . .

 

[conv67bdere]

Now to keep this project moving along . . . time for some rebar . . .

To make the rebar forms in the trenches, going to need some of "these" to hold the bars in squares . . .

To make them, the following tool was fabricated . . . version 1.0 worked "okay", made a few adjustments, and 2.0 worked a bit better

Cut the rebar to 30" lengths, and then bent on 6" increments . . . the first bend . . .

Shift it 6", and the second bend . . . ( trying to keep it in alignment )

shift it again 6" more, and the 3rd bend . . .

Took all the ones I've made thus far and welded them up . . . tomorrow will be building rebar cages day . . .

 

[Richard Cranium]

Here's the design that was done on SketchUP . . . kinda . . .

View attachment 1096393

Copycat.

 

[kiwigtx]

Here's the progress . . . had fun in this corner with all the roots from the tree . . .

I used my Makita 18 Volt sabre (reciprocating) saw with a long demolition blade to tackle the tree roots.
The saw makes reasonably quick work of roots.....and it is easier (avoiding apostrophe) to use than swinging the pick-slasher.

(Stock photo grab)

 

[747mopar]

Now to keep this project moving along . . . time for some rebar . . .

To make the rebar forms in the trenches, going to need some of "these" to hold the bars in squares . . .

View attachment 1098906

To make them, the following tool was fabricated . . . version 1.0 worked "okay", made a few adjustments, and 2.0 worked a bit better

View attachment 1098907

Cut the rebar to 30" lengths, and then bent on 6" increments . . . the first bend . . .

View attachment 1098908

Shift it 6", and the second bend . . . ( trying to keep it in alignment )

View attachment 1098909

shift it again 6" more, and the 3rd bend . . .

View attachment 1098910

Took all the ones I've made thus far and welded them up . . . tomorrow will be building rebar cages day . . .

View attachment 1098911

You sure don't ever do anything the easy way lol.

Maybe I missed it but how did you determine the footer width?

 

[conv67bdere]

You sure don't ever do anything the easy way lol.

Maybe I missed it but how did you determine the footer width?

Just trying to get the thing done . . . I found it on a website, I'll try and dig it back up and post it . . .

 

[conv67bdere]

The weekend was pretty productive, but I had hoped to get all of the cages done and start working on building forms around the slab . . .

But here's the progress . . .

Started at one of the corners because I figured that would add strength in the corners . . .

Then worked the other corner and down the other side . . .

Then I needed it set up to get a better idea of the lengths . . .

Not so bad . . . moving along pretty well with the pieces that I made . . .

Someone mentioned that I was lucky and didn't have to remove any trees . . . this BIG Cedar is going to have to go . . .

Got this far and then ran out of the supports that I built . . . so I had to make more . . . more later . . .

A couple of years ago I made this planter box, for blueberry bushed . . . and the cap blocks were cut bricks.
Cut them on my wet saw, and it left the middle piece leftover - had them sitting on the property . . .
Guess what . . .

they are the perfect thing for spacing my cage up off the ground . . . the website said at least 3", this is 3 1/4"
they actually sell these things . . .

These are call wired dobies . . . concrete with wire imbedded keeps them spaced off the ground . . .
My brick pieces, all leftovers, will work just as good ( better - they were free )

Now for the more later . . . had to make up another batch of frames (again) to hold the rebar like these:

SO worked on the Sunday morning . . . and I've got to say now, I'm GLAD that I'm using #3 rebar (that's 3/8") as the making of the 16 that I did, kicked my behind, if I had used #4 ( 1/2" ) I can only imagine how I'd be feeling now. It's like "isometrics" where you push on something and it doesn't move . . . that about describes it . . . that's the reason that I didn't complete the cages . . .

so . . . tomorrow is another day . . .

 

[conv67bdere]

Got home from work today and made some more progress . . .

Got both of the 50' sections all done, just need to finish up the final 12' section . . .

wasn't too sure how these would show up in the pictures . . . on the camera they could barely be seen . . .
They don't look too bad here . . .

The other side, with my "inspector" keeping an eye on my work . . .

Just about done . . . Hey Devin @747mopar - does the radio look familiar - it's getting more use ! ! !

See the bag in the top right . . .

Asked for some wire ties for the rebar . . . the guy said . . . well . . .

My response - "let me guess, they come is a package of 1000 . . . "

He said - "No, 5,000 . . . "

. . . but it was only $70 . . . so now I don't have to worry about being short and I've had some ruh-rohs . . .

Today I forgot to put the one strand outside to catch the top connection . . . had to cut it out . . . some of the are slipping on me, so I'm usually putting 2 on each tie . . . just getting the thing done . . .

 

[5.7 hemi]

I’m no foundation expert, so forgive my question if it seems stupid.

Doesn’t that rebar cage go into the ground?

 

[1 Wild R/T]

I’m no foundation expert, so forgive my question if it seems stupid.

Doesn’t that rebar cage go into the ground?

It will...

 

[5.7 hemi]

Gotcha. Thanks!