Below 265 SQ/FT 3x Motorbike Cabin/Workshop - UK

[CaptainCaveman]

Did half the rafters this afternoon, nice and sunny it was too:

Hopefully I'll get the other side done over the next couple of evenings.

Also realised that instead of making a separate structure for a woodstore on the left side I can simply keep the overhang long,
the handy side of always buying too long, offcuts for noggins or firewood and you can change your mind(!)

 

[Bronson]

Subscribed. Bike Guy here, I am watching with interest.
My first shop was a 10x14 chicken coop, rented, no electricity, with a dirt floor.
Things have improved, somewhat, since then.
Please send Me some of that rain, and keep posting up!

 

[CaptainCaveman]

Subscribed. Bike Guy here, I am watching with interest.

Please send Me some of that rain, and keep posting up!

My dad's in Texas at the moment, he mentioned it was rather hot and dry (!)
We're about to get a lot of rain which is why the build has picked up a little momentum.

Anyway, managed a little bit after work today:

Got quite efficient after yesterday so this side took little more than an hour,
just got to work out the front and back boards, got to make something like firrings to support the ends of the t&g roof and then I can sheet.

On reflection I could have moved the back crossbeam further forward and made.life a little easier but it just means some more cutting this way.

 

[CaptainCaveman]

I'm still beavering away at this with hope to get it mostly dry before winter.

Managed the last of the rafter work at the weekend:

Got the tops of timber covered up with some bitumen paint on Monday,
Did half the plastic sheeting tonight, should manage the other half tomorrow:

I'll get some ply on it at the weekend and some more bitumen paint,
the gutters wil go on too (to stop it all running into the neighbours gardens),
Although I have nowhere to drain them into other than a random point in the garden...

 

[CaptainCaveman]

Got the felt underlay on today after boarding last week:

This is the worlds longest shed build..

Got this week off work, priority is shed, then getting her kitchen built

The felt underlay is interesting stuff, it's polyester easy seal.
Essentially you paint on a sealer onto the board and layout the underlay which is.pretty much like self adhesive bitumous lino type stuff.

Went on within a couple of hours, not cheap though. At least the roof is waterproof now, just got to wait for some more half decent weather and I can lay the capsheet, then that's the roof sorted hopefully for the next 20 years

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Thats starting to look good.

Is it all made from C16 timber?

 

[CaptainCaveman]

All the roofing is graded kiln dried, but the 4x4 (that will be on display) is in redwood.

There is still plenty more work to go into the supporting structure, framing out the side walls, more supports across the front.

Should be solid as a rock.

 

[CaptainCaveman]

Progress has been non-existent, weather has been **** and I needed to figure out how to get more light in, until I knew how I was going to insert a window I couldn't make the side walls.

Well, I finally figured it out and built the first side wall:

Window plan is glass blocks! Thick, solid, insulating and cheap!
(I appreciate they're an 80's fashion faux-pas, but I think they'll look quite good.)

The alternatives were plexi glass or double glazing but they were all over priced and offered further security (too easy to put through) and thermal (too thin for plexi) concerns.

Next step will be glass blocks and getting round to the front supports and door frames.
Still got to decide on and buy doors, crikey they're expensive!

 

[Gentleman Adventurer]

Like the Glass block Idea!

One Question, how are you sealing the roof to the back wall?

 

[CaptainCaveman]

Like the Glass block Idea!

One Question, how are you sealing the roof to the back wall?

Yeah the glass blocks were a lucky lightbulb moment and tick all the required boxes.


As for the roof:
That's (one reason) why the shed is shorter than the wall (otherwise it would've been a nightmare!),

The roofing was edged up under the capping blues,
I then smothered it in roofing adhesive and bitumen paint.

Crude I know, but I didn't want to crack off the blues to stitch it into the mortar line.

We'll see how well it holds through winter, but so far so good.
Once I know it's good I'll backfill the void with expanding foam.

 

[CaptainCaveman]

I'm sick of trying to find doors, I'd be spending around £300 on a set of thin internal doors,
that I'd still need to give a good paint and cutting down to fit, so;

Designed as quickest and cheapest way to make, so its all studding timber screwed together via frame on the back,
It's a bit quick and nasty, but I don't have the time to **** around with tenon cutting and chisels.

Maybe I'll make some nicer ones in a few years, although I think the current look has a certain medieval charm:

Ta-door!

Three more to go.

Top 4 gaps will host 10mm clear acrylic,
Bottom long gaps will be tongue and groove cladding, reinforced with some steel tie-straps,
as otherwise; they're a little too appealing to kick and crawl through,
I want them to make some noise, and I keep a chainsaw in the house for just such an occassion*.

This door is 76mm thick and heavy!
(3 inch in old money)


*no really, I do.[/quote]

 

[CaptainCaveman]

4 manhours to cut the wood and assemble versus 4 hours I've already spent looking for and not finding ready-made.
So although it doesn't appear easy from the offset, it is actually quicker and cheaper in the long run, bit only because I over-complicate things with very specific requirements.

Today's progress:

New central dwarf wall built (spot the 'deliberate' mistake, bah) and all the 4x4 uprights cut and in.
The first door fits so it's game on to.do the rest tomorrow, along with a tongue and groove covered frame for the side that's still open.

Hopefully I will also get time to mortor in the glass block rows and maybe hang a couple of doors if I can find some suitably robust hinges locally.
I've got to clear out most of my stuff from the warehouse this weekend, tick tick tick![/quote][/quote]

----

More wall, building a frame, cladding and trimming is much easier, also means I can fit and remove as necessary for painting etc:

Finally mortored a row of glass blocks either side, nice secure and insulating windows:

Sloooowly getting there:

(organised chaos, honest)

 

[CaptainCaveman]

Big ******* locks turned up this morning, keyed alike to save faff

(not my shoes)

Got most of the cladding done to the infill panels, just need to do the short top pieces.
Thesholds are also in and bitumen painted to stop water tracking in.

(**** picture, but you get the idea)

Finally gave up with the rain, the current view from my kitchen:

My yard is a builders tip, meh.

.

 

[Jamie.91]

Looks really good mate, looks like it will have a nice warm feel to it when it's done

 

[CaptainCaveman]

Glad I opted for door windows, needs the light:

Starting to.look the part now:

The hanging will be a bit of a dogs dinner, but it's something I can potentially re-do when they one off for paint.

 

[Gringo_ringo]

Looking good chap

 

[CaptainCaveman]

Looks really good mate, looks like it will have a nice warm feel to it when it's done

Thanks, that's the beauty of using timber, I'm really looking forward to getting the inside insulated and clad, but now that it's usable that'll probably be a while away yet.

Looking good chap

Cheers,
There is light at the end of the tunnel...

.

 

[Grimly]

Nice going. Not too sure about the external hinges, though.

 

[captain14]

You will appreciate the natural light through the windows as you work out there

 

[CaptainCaveman]

Nice going. Not too sure about the external hinges, though.

If your thinking of security;
Coach bolts,
problem solved.

They should also prevent sagging and generally strengthen the door unit.
I have reversed the mounting points so that the mounts are hidden also.

Unless you don't like the aesthetics, in which case nothings painted the finished colour yet anyway,
But I've always liked external hinges anyway, if they don't look good in black they'll be colour matched with the doors.
.

 

[Bronson]

Great job, I like the wood!
The glass bricks are cool, and lots of light, there!

 

[CaptainCaveman]

You will appreciate the natural light through the windows as you work out there

Great job, I like the wood!
The glass bricks are cool, and lots of light, there!

Yeah there's enough light in there for popping in and rummaging around for things
I'll still need the lights on if I'm making something or working on the bikes.

I had thought about some kind of roof light, although the additional time and faff didn't seem worth it.

At the moment I've got an extension lead running in which supplies power and light,
but I'll need to figure out how to get adequate working light without it being in my face, tricky with such a low ceiling but should be managable with some bouncing of light.


As for a woody look, I really like the look as it is currently,
I had been planning white doors and cladding with a dark mahogany stain on the frame posts to show the grain,
I'm tempted to find a way to thin the white paint or get some kind of whitewash instead now to keep the grain on show,
Or maybe just sand and varnish it all to.keep the.natural colour...
Decisions decisions,
Suppose I can experiment on some offcuts.


.

 

[andyaus]

Nicely done I like the creativity you've employed here, and I'm looking forward to more! How do you plan on getting the power feed to it? Via the frame for the roof over the deck between the house and shop?

 

[CaptainCaveman]

Nicely done I like the creativity you've employed here, and I'm looking forward to more! How do you plan on getting the power feed to it? Via the frame for the roof over the deck between the house and shop?

Cheers dude.

On the power front, I'm getting a 50amp cable ran in to power a board and welder,
So it'll have to be in a trench, under gravel and armoured.

Until then I'll daisy-chain some extensions around and clip the cable to the wall under the capping blues to stop it getting wet,
That way I can at least have lights and enough power for a drill-press / bandsaw / heater.

 

[captain14]

Can you show more more closer shots of the door frame build out? I think the one photo shows a rabbit where the plastic goes and then held in place with moulding or glazier points?

 

[CaptainCaveman]

Can you show more more closer shots of the door frame build out? I think the one photo shows a rabbit where the plastic goes and then held in place with moulding or glazier points?

So far i've only actually done the beading for 1 window,
I've yet to cut the remaining 120 pieces of beading for the remaining 15 windows...

 

[irregardless]

You posted in the motorcycle garage thread... I hope there's an update to this.

Looks awesome. Can't wait to see it completed!

 

[CaptainCaveman]

You posted in the motorcycle garage thread... I hope there's an update to this.

Looks awesome. Can't wait to see it completed!

If you take a look at the date of the first post in this thread, you'll see progress is glacial...

Half-hung the other door and stuck a lock on as now I'm starting to keep a few bits and bobs in there,
Makes it easier getting the blade out in the morning easier than unscrewing all the temporary blocks from the inside too(!)

Unfortunately progress will remain slow as I'm renovating the house, racing bikes, coverting the van to a camper, working full time, planning my wedding, doing a degree, play drums in a punk band...
The fun never stops! (far too busy, at least there are no kids yet!)

 

[CaptainCaveman]

Well,
I'm definitely overdue and update,
As summer was upon us I did some work on the garden.
(apologies for the syntax/tense, this is copied and pasted from my build thread on a motorbike forum):

Shed is mostly being covered in mud at the moment:

The plus side is, it'll mean I can access both sides of the shed as the right was always blocked by the 'mountain'.

I've a load of decking stored in the shed,
Many meters of artificial grass arriving Wednesday,
and a ton of slate slabs arriving Thursday!

Finally taking shape,
Fun fun.

(if anyone wants some concrete slabs by the way, I have loads going spare!)
.

 

[CaptainCaveman]

Steadily getting there:

...


A ton of slate slabs:

(the thicker ones were a little heavy and arrived 2 days late...)

Access to my shed is a little tight:

Sportsbikes only, wide bars on the Z are a little tricky, even my bro's zx7r is a tight fit.

Slowly getting there, but I've still got to lift all the slabs back up, pack them all level, make some cuts, seal them and mortor them in,

Easy peasy(!)

.

 

[CaptainCaveman]

Garden is slowly coming together:

This may look very similar to a previous image,
but I actually took another half ton out of the lawn area infront of the shed to get it all level and ensure the doors clear the grass.

Not screwed the decking down yet, but this doesn't stop us hanging around on it and getting drunk

Just need to buy a massive awesome barbeque.
(and a smaller table and chair set)

Did alot of this yesterday:

Handily I've got 4 left over which will line the dining room fireplace nicely, ethankyouveymuch.

Slate is a ******* to cut and splinters and spits everywhere, looks nice though.


.

 

[CaptainCaveman]

And now for lawn:

Nice fake grass that'll take bikes rolling across all the time

The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced, The decking must be evenly spaced!!!

 

[CaptainCaveman]

[quote name="lorenzo" post="1008780" timestamp="1403644248"]
Is that going to be a sensible thing to put on wood, oil, in the wet, ******* lethal. You'd be better off with a selection of banana skins, wouldn't you?[/quote]
Penetrating (fnarr) oil, for treatment.
I've found some good, Matt finish grey stain now.

Unfortunately I've mostly been doing this:

Drinking and eating barbeque food.

So not much in the.way of new news to report,
Got a few days off this week though, so watch this.space...

...

I also forgot to introduce my new friend,

I found him.in the garden,

Say hello to Jimmy:

I worship him because he has magical powers.

 

[CaptainCaveman]

Actually did some work on the fecker today:

Shelves!

I had planned a return for another 4 tiers, but it took too much room which would have both made the parking tight AND the workshop space unworkable.

Just enough room for 2 bikes:

The Ducati looks tiny next to the blade!

Teeny tiny du-rattly:

Slightly overly robust as a storage medium:

I tested it by lying on one of the shelves, felt a little like I was in a coffin.

Finally fitted some more hinges and another lock:

Need to drill and fit 60 coach bolts for the hinges and then cut 128 lengths of beading for the 16 windows.
Gah(!)

 

[CaptainCaveman]

After a bit of advice,
What do folk weld on?

I don't especially want to go to the trouble of making an all metal bench to go alongside the wood bench I'll be making,
Would dropping a thick steel gauge plate on top of an oak or ply top be OK?
Would it spontaneously combust under the heat?

Any experience shared appreciated (especially if it involves tales of wo from welding...)

 

[afmrick]

FWIW, I use the Harbor Freight Welding Table, basically a Nomad knock-off, that I picked up for $50 w/ a coupon. For the occasional welding as I do it's perfect. When not it use, I fold it flat and hang it on the wall behind the welder.

With that said, I would imagine that a thick steel gauge plate would probably be okay. Before I had the table, I frequently welded on some scrap 2x4's bunched together on the ground. They would char a little from spatter but, nothing ever ignited.

 

[RB89]

Just read through this, I love the build. For some reason I prefer the smaller workshops. Looking forward to seeing how it goes.

What bike forum you on?

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Thats looking great now. Love the fake grass. Saves mowing.

 

[Notgrownup]

I am impressed with your use of space....wow....like somebody else said, I will not complain about my current project of 24x24...

 

[uke73]

After a bit of advice,
What do folk weld on?

I don't especially want to go to the trouble of making an all metal bench to go alongside the wood bench I'll be making,
Would dropping a thick steel gauge plate on top of an oak or ply top be OK?
Would it spontaneously combust under the heat?

Any experience shared appreciated (especially if it involves tales of wo from welding...)

Depends on how much heat you slap in but I have done much welding on a standard office desk with a kitchen fire blanket on top. Quite a bit of scorching but no fires yet! I would have through metal over wood should be ok if you aren't doing huge amounts.

Neil