Here I am

Building my shop

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In case one thinks a Thermoking unit is simple.....

This will kill some self quarantine time...good stuff..

Well I got my 11x28 fully concrete and insulated/drywall. Serving as rebuild/custom building only area for those critical things that can't afford to get dirty like engines, turbos, transmission's, pumps and what not. But I need a space for vehicles, fab work and what not so now on to the 28x23 section. Then got my 130 foot ditch dug for 240v 200 amp. Hard work building a shop from ground up at my age of 28 with three kids and one income but I'm getting there!

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I'm a 1st generation immigrant, adapted in Germany by a US Air Force TSgt and his wife in 1958. I attended American schools and in 1976, became a U.S. Citizen just before graduating high school, and joining the U.S. Air Force for 30 years.

Life in America is what you make it... I couldn't be happier or better off.

Cheers, Ron
 
I'm a 1st generation immigrant, adapted in Germany by a US Air Force TSgt and his wife in 1958. I attended American schools and in 1976, became a U.S. Citizen just before graduating high school, and joining the U.S. Air Force for 30 years.

From one veteran to another thank you for serving and love stories like yours but you got me beat by 25 years i only did 5 in the Navy

Life in America is what you make it... I couldn't be happier or better off.

Cheers, Ron
 
I do have a question. I'm not a builder and go off asking people at hardware stores and YouTube. The one part I'm nervous about is doors. I was thinking on the sliding barn style that goes to side. But then I see alot of Homebrew shops on a budget do double barn doors that open outwards. Any one has experience with either?
 
IMO Sliding door(s) will give you an easier to build and also stronger door that can open wider and last longer then a hinged barn door. They will NOT necessarily provide quite as good a wind seal as a properly built and hung hinged door, but will be easier to open and close in high winds.
Of course they do so at cost of the hardware, but IMO it is a worthwhile investment.
 
Wind sealing is not a big deal. Being in Seattle area I'm more concern about rain. By time summer comes I'll have funds to finish walls and would love doors by end of summer. Insulation (mainly for sound barrier). So for sliding styles I see two major ones. Style A are little rollers in a C channel. Then I see the rod style where it's a closed hing sliding on a rod. The rod style seemed cheaper or more DIY but I can see wear and tear and mother nature making it a bear down the road. Perhaps proper grease twice a week could help that.
 
I went with a roll up door. I also built 12 ft high walls/ceiling to accommodate a lift if I ever choose to get one. Mine is 24X30. Within a week of building I wished I had made it 30X30. Once the workbench was built two cars are a tight fit.
 
Shops looks nice gents! What ever I do I'm ready for walls and doors now. On top of being a mechanic I know body and paint so I'm really eager to re spray my new to me 03 Laramie for that fresh look and re spray my trailers and start pumping out some work
 
I should have gone roll up but I have a standard style insulated door. It's only an issue when I have the door open and am working on top of a trailer, so not often.

The door company talked be out of roll up for cost (claimed 4x the cost) and wind due to the size of my door, 12x14.

I'm mostly happy with the door I have except when it's raining and the wind it out of the north. It will allow a little water by due to the size of it. You can see a little recent rain at the bottom right. I have made a few tweaks since this photo and it's really a non-issue now.

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With high bays you can go with a high lift track so the door runs up the wall, and closer to the ceiling.
 
With high bays you can go with a high lift track so the door runs up the wall, and closer to the ceiling.

I certainly have the clearance, but the door is already at 15'. It's very rare for me to have an issue.

Hindsight would be this door with a track all the way to just below my 18' trusses.
 
Friends,

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Here's another pic of a friend changing out one of my failed exhaust fans while I was down with my ankle last summer. He's 6ft 4 in tall.... I have to ratchet strap the step ladder to the scaffolding in order to perform annual maintenance to them.

Cheers, Ron
 
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