New Shop Status

[fjimp]

I am attaching a couple of pictures of the foundation being poured. The huge pump they used to reach over the house is truly fascinating to watch. We are moving along close to schedule. The first pour was mid week and the second (the foundation) finally happened today. Currently the schedule has the forms being removed Monday, back filling mountains of dirt on Tuesday as well as forms for the floor and sidewalk/steps outside the shop Wednesday and framing to begin Friday. Of course we all know this is Colorado and the weather can change without notice.

[JPG]

I am attaching a couple of pictures of the foundation being poured. The huge pump they used to reach over the house is truly fascinating to watch. We are moving along close to schedule. The first pour was mid week and the second (the foundation) finally happened today. Currently the schedule has the forms being removed Monday, back filling mountains of dirt on Tuesday as well as forms for the floor and sidewalk/steps outside the shop Wednesday and framing to begin Friday. Of course we all know this is Colorado and the weather can change without notice.

Nothing like getting cozy with the neighbors(fence)!

I presume a gravel lined crawl space?

[fjimp]

No crawl space. This building is located at the bottom of a hill and moisture would almost certainly create issues. The fence is actually 10 feet from the building. With mountains of dirt everywhere it is difficult for this fellow who can't climb the hills to get a decent picture. By Wednesday that should change. Fjimp

[fjimp]

the shop is now above ground. The walls are up and the trusses are expected on Monday. Progress has been slow and interrupted often. Last week began another blessed interruption. I will never forget as long as I live. On Monday our son called from Oklahoma. He had a tough weekend and came to the realization that he desired to move home and be closer to family. He flew home Thursday for the best Thanksgiving you can imagine. He is back in Oklahoma now preparing for his move. His employer has decided he can perform his duties from Denver so will still have his great job. My bride and I leave mid week week for Oklahoma in order to help with the packing and bring back the first load. We will travel east again during Christmas for the final move. Yes I am anxious to get into my new shop. Which is now scheduled for completion by New Years. Yes it is true I can't wait to install my Power Pro headstock which is languishing in the crate that arrived nearly a month ago. I just can't bring myself to install it prior to moving the 520 up the stairs to the new shop. Yeah truth is I can't lift what I have much less the new headstock. Truly all of that can wait. Just think by New Years if the good lord is willing I will be in my new shop and my treasured son will be at my side. I doubt I will post much this month so may I wish each of my good friends here a very happy holiday season. Fjimp:D:)

[8iowa]

You're doing great Jim. Thanks for keeping us posted.

[fjimp]

You're doing great Jim. Thanks for keeping us posted.

Thanks for the heater tip. We found one and it will be installed in two weeks. Jim

[ray1942]

Congratulations on the new man cave. Excitedly waiting for more pics.

ray1942

[navycop]

After months of planning, design and a couple of weeks working through the permit process, Ground was broken yesterday for my dream workshop.

Jim I too am looking to build a shop. I am planning on a 24 x 20 or 24 x 16 foot shop. I am going to close off 4' of the 24' for the DC and air compressor. I was wondering what software (if any) you used. Is there one with the SS tools on it? I am trying to find a template for the mark 5 and the dc3300. Also bench top accessories.

[fjimp]

Mike,

You are going to force me to admit we went the expensive way of designing my new shop. Our daughter has been adopted by old friends who helped her care for and even financially before we moved back to Denver. The friend is an architect who like most of us had fallen on hard times. We elected to pay him the going rate to design the shop. In the first draft we had intended to add 400 square feet of living space as well. The costs were beyond our means and would have priced our little house way beyond the area. As to a template for Shopsmith equipment on that part I took the old fashioned cheap guys way. I use an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of graph paper and drew a scale drawing of the 25 X 19.6 foot addition. Then took a yellow sticky note pad and measured each piece of equipment to scale and cut out pieces of yellow paper to represent the footprint of each item to be placed in the shop. I have been moving those tools around on the paper for weeks. Guess what I will rearrange several times before it all settles in.

As to cutting out as much space as you are thinking for dust collection and all. I admire the thought if I had tried that I wouldn't have enough space to work. So I have decided to use those items and allow them to take up smaller spaces in the shop. I am sorry I am not more help.

About pictures. I am taking more today and likely another one Tuesday. Sorry they won't be posted for awhile. Between work and travel my time is non existent. Jim

[robinson46176]

I have been moving those tools around on the paper for weeks. Guess what I will rearrange several times before it all settles in.
Jim

I have changed my mind so many time on my shop that it is mind boggling...
I have flip-flopped on absolutely everything including which buildings to use let alone where to position equipment. Part of my problem is that I have too many options now. In the past I just did the best I could with what ever space I could ferret out, usually much less space than I needed or if a lot of space the building was so rough that it had a ton of work-a-rounds. I never had the luxury of so many choices... I'll post my current flip-flop on another thread rather than hijack this one. I just want to say that I am sticking by my original decision to have "virtually everything in the shop" (except me) on wheels. That has remained a constant in my planning. Just as sure as you carefully plan a layout down to a very specific level something amazing and cheap will fall into your lap and wipe out all of your planning...
Have fun.