72-year-old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

[NASMAN]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

I'm from Cincinnati Ohio. I have found some similar but it is 4' wide and 125' long.

Thanks for the info, you are doing a awesome job thanks for sharing.


Gary

Hi Gary. You are right, 4' is all I could find, and is what we used. The place I bought it from also only has it in 125' rolls but they will cut off what you need. I had to get two full rolls and an extra 30'.
It makes it a little harder to work with in 4' sections cause the TIN is in 3' wide. So you have 2' hanging out with 2 sections of tin up, but you catch up and are even on every forth section.
I think their reasoning for 4' wide is because of it being used with 4' x 8' sheating. Some of the brands come with a glue tab to seal the seams. Also they sell the aluminum tape seal the seams etc. Astro has the tape in 2 and 3 inch wide and really sticks the way it should.

 

[NASMAN]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

This is a great post... most people I know your age are sitting around "waiting to pass on" for lack of a better term. My grandparents are all passed and none of them did anything like this when they were in their 70s. My Pa pa (mother's step-father) was a real handi-man and had a huge wood shop but he passed from cancer in a hurry @ 67. My father is 62 and still working his full-time job and is finally starting to feel his age a bit, I'll have to link him this thread... great work keep it up.

Really shows you that "use it or lose it" is a reality.

Not sure about that “pass on” talk, don’t think to much about it.
The only pass thing I am nervous about is passing my eye exam on Friday.
I have some problems that have developed in the last 10 years and because of it have gone totally blind in my left eye. Over the last 4 or 5 years I also started developing cataracts. They are hesitant to do the operation cause if something did go wrong I don’t have any backup. That's why they only do one eye at a time!
So every 6 months I sweat out what they are going to do.
I would like to suggest to any of you that are over forty, if you have not or are not already doing so, to see a good ophthalmologist for a total exam and follow up as they say. If I had done that they no doubt could have saved my left eye. Thing was I had a good eye doc but when this started we were touring around the country and then got involved with selling and moving from MA to Texas and by the time I found the right guys in Texas the damage was beyond saving.
Not to get into a subject that is not really part of this forum, but just hope that I might help a fellow member.
Just a twist on what Cobra4B said, "do it before you lose it".

 

[Nostraquedeo]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

I waited all day for updates..........More updates please.

 

[NASMAN]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Sorry not to have posted anything last couple days.
Also, hope that I haven’t mislead anyone on here. Let me explain again. This is an on going project that has not been completed. The final installments are a long way down the road, as I have stated in the thread.
We have one more set of pictures that I will post tomorrow if all goes better than today did. Then you will be up to date as is the web site. The rest depends on the weather , which is the reason that we have stopped since Thanksgiving.
The next area to do is the tin roofs on the outer wings. It takes me a lot of time to undo the plastic and get anything done and if I don’t have three or four day forecast of workable conditions it doesn’t make sense to start it. Also keeping up with everything else that the weather problems create keeps this poor 70 year old body as busy as it can handle.
On the other hand I am thrilled that anyone would be waiting for me to show them something more. That is really nice and I sure wish I could comply.
Thanks

 

[gmhill33]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Getting your rest is the most important part, so rest up while the weather permits.

I to appreciate all that you have posted and anxiously await the next post. I also understand the weather problem, that is what has me on hold also.

I look forward to you future post whenever they may be.

Thanks again,
Gary

Also keeping up with everything else that the weather problems create keeps this poor 70 year old body as busy as it can handle.
On the other hand I am thrilled that anyone would be waiting for me to show them something more. That is really nice and I sure wish I could comply.
Thanks

 

[BuickFarmer]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Lin and I spend an enjoyable time on BuickFramer’s thread and the barn album link. To receive kudos from someone that has that amazing place is really special to us.
We personally recommend that if you are reading this and have not visited his thread , to take a look.
To view the BuickFarmer thread Click Here

Thanks for the kind words. I bet my wife Rita and I was looking at your barn the same time as you and Lin was looking at ours.

Too bad we're so far apart, I'd love to come over and give you a hand.
BTW, Reet had a good laugh off me when I read the part out loud where you and Lin had "went on a bike ride" of like 100 miles or so on Lins Birthday. I said, "Good Lord these folks are amazing, riding a bicycle 100 miles in a day, ON ARKANSAS ROADS AT THAT". She explained to me that it had to be a motorcycle.
But with what I have seen you do with that barn, I've got to ask...Is she right?

 

[bazzateer]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

She explained to me that it had to be a motorcycle.
But with what I have seen you do with that barn, I've got to ask...Is she right?

My thoughts exactly!

It wouldn't surprise me if the pair of you built the bikes first!

 

[51rider]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

I love this build

A real inspiration.

How did the eye exam go? All OK I hope?

 

[Harley Monster]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Lin & Dave, I know you are building this garage/barn for yourselves and you are the ones who will benefit the most from this build, but you have to realize that you have been an inspiration to so many who read and post on this journal. You have given hope to so many younger couples that they will be able to continue the hobbies into their future.

Never feel that you have disappointed anyone for not doing frequent posts, do them as you can, but just know that we are all so interested in your project and are learning so much from you.

Godspeed to you and know that you are not doing this alone, you have thousands of supports here.

Harley Monster

 

[NASMAN]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Thanks for the kind words. I bet my wife Rita and I was looking at your barn the same time as you and Lin was looking at ours.

Too bad we're so far apart, I'd love to come over and give you a hand.
BTW, Reet had a good laugh off me when I read the part out loud where you and Lin had "went on a bike ride" of like 100 miles or so on Lins Birthday. I said, "Good Lord these folks are amazing, riding a bicycle 100 miles in a day, ON ARKANSAS ROADS AT THAT". She explained to me that it had to be a motorcycle.
But with what I have seen you do with that barn, I've got to ask...Is she right?

As usual the wife is right.
However I do love bicycle riding, did a lot a it as a youth. And after my heart attack as part of my way to get back in shape I started riding again. I had bought our two girls a couple of fairly nice 10 speeds and now that they were 16 and 17 and had their licenses, they were not using the bikes. I took one and set it up for myself and after a while got myself back up to where I was doing 80 to 90 miles per ride. I got Lin interested in it even though she really had never done much as a kid. That summer we did quite a bit and we had her up to 50 miles a day and still enjoying it by days end. We still have the bikes but they are in storage. I hope to at least get back on mine sometime in the future.
The "BIKE" is a 1993 Harley Sportster 1200. It is a special anniversary model and has just under 3300 miles on it. It is dead stock and has the original peanut tank which gives us about 85 miles on a tank with two on it and you better find a gas station before 95. The sportsters as many of you probably know are not built for comfort. Especially for two. 100 miles to 125 on these winding mountain back roads and Lin has had enough. But we still do enjoy it on a nice fall day.
Also thanks for the offer of help , I too wish we were closer so that we could check out your place in person.

 

[NASMAN]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

I love this build

A real inspiration.

How did the eye exam go? All OK I hope?

Thanks for asking. The visit to the eye surgeon is this coming Friday, the 18th. Will let you know. Hopefully all ok and perhaps an upgrade on the lens in the right eye. We have to do eye drops three times a day in both eyes. Two different drops and sometimes when we go to these regular schedule exams he will change the prescriptions. The stuff they have me on rigth now has been working real good and has at least to me , no side effects. Would like to stay that way even tho they are not cheap.

 

[NASMAN]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Lin & Dave, I know you are building this garage/barn for yourselves and you are the ones who will benefit the most from this build, but you have to realize that you have been an inspiration to so many who read and post on this journal. You have given hope to so many younger couples that they will be able to continue the hobbies into their future.

Never feel that you have disappointed anyone for not doing frequent posts, do them as you can, but just know that we are all so interested in your project and are learning so much from you.

Godspeed to you and know that you are not doing this alone, you have thousands of supports here.

Harley Monster

Well thank you very much, that is so nice of you and all the others.
Just wanted to let all know where we are in the project and why if we don't show up for a period of time, why. It was our hope when we started this post that we might provide a way that the light bulb in others might get turned on. That one might see, that hey you know, why not. And that you don't need a whole bucket full of money to do it, if you do at least some of it yourself. Or even better if you can figure out how to do most of it yourself.
Not that there is anything wrong with hiring it all done and having a very expensive and beautiful finished garage. There is not.
When I was doing some investigating into Log Homes, I would pick up magazines (pre internet) and they were always filled with these gorgeous homes that were way more expensive then anything we could accomplish.
We met one of the editors for one of the leading log home mags at a log home convention in Salt Lake City and I posed the subject to her. She asked where we were building and we gave her a number where we could be reached. Never thought much more about it until about six months later the phone rang and one of her writers were on the other end. They wound up doing a three page story on us and our build. That project ran into some other problems and the final follow up never got published. But we did receive a lot of thanks for the idea of showing how it can be done on a regular budget. And they ran some other stories of others doing it that way in some of their following issues.

 

[nolatoolguy]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

WOW pretty nice

you gonna post some pictures of it when its done

 

[NASMAN]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Cedar and sliding windows.

Above; This is a test piece of local cedar with two coats of clear lacquer.

Above; Took some time to build another set of horses out of some leftover material that we had so far. These can be short as shown or as you will see when we are staining as much as ten feet wide.

Above; First load of cedar from the mill.

Above; They have # 1 grade and also have some stuff that they sell as not # 1. I got some of the cheap sticks that won’t show like around the window top and bottom. Way cheap.

Above; Picture of me on my 70th birthday. Hey that makes Lin older than me.

Above; Cedar nailed to framing. This is actually the inside wall. Another verticle siding of cedar will go over this.

Above; This is how the interior will look.

Above; That’s some of the cheap cedar that won’t show to the inside.

Above; North side ready for windows.

Above; Here are the sliders. Krestmark out of Texas. Price is real good, quality remains to be seen. They needed a lot of cleaning. Had clauk all over places that didn’t need to be. But they are fairly well made and right on square.

Above; Putting on a level strip that the window will set on while I run the screws in.

Above; They only have holes on each corner so added a hole ever 12 inches.

Above; Trial fit and predrill screw holes. Small piece tacked on to hold window in case I have to leave it. Getting old you know.

Above; Run a bead of DAP flex 230 to set the window in.

Above; North side windows done. Note window in front is shorter than the other three.

This is where the project stands as of Jan. 2010. We got no work done on it in Dec. and so far none in Jan.

When we do get back at it we will update the web site www.ninetyninesigns.com and also update on here.

Thanks again we have enjoyed all the support from you guys.

 

[Vernmotor]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Thank you very much for taking the time to post all this..Realy great job you are doing.. Been real interesting to read. As others have said . I can only hope to do what you are doing when I get to be 70..

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Lin and Dave,

I joined Garage Journal about five months ago, but only checked out the Garage Gallery forum recently. After reading all five pages of your post I have to say that your project is one of the most impressive that I can recall. I admire your design, your planning, your ambition, your construction skills, your problem solving, and most of all your never say die attitude. I can tell you right now that if more folks had your work ethic this country would be a lot better off.

Cheers - John Minton

 

[NASMAN]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Lin and Dave,

I joined Garage Journal about five months ago, but only checked out the Garage Gallery forum recently. After reading all five pages of your post I have to say that your project is one of the most impressive that I can recall. I admire your design, your planning, your ambition, your construction skills, your problem solving, and most of all your never say die attitude. I can tell you right now that if more folks had your work ethic this country would be a lot better off.

Cheers - John Minton

Thanks John glad you liked it.
Small world. I used to go to Newbury and Newburyport in the summers back in the 40's. My Aunt and cousins lived there. We would go to the beach out at Pulm Island.

 

[harvey4804]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

"Braces being cut from the two selected posts.I use a DeWalt compund mitre saw that I alltred to get more depth of cut."
How so?

 

[Daniel Dudley]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Thanks John glad you liked it.
Small world. I used to go to Newbury and Newburyport in the summers back in the 40's. My Aunt and cousins lived there. We would go to the beach out at Pulm Island.

My Dad lives across the river from Newburyport, on Ring's Island. He decided last year to finish an apartment on his third floor- at 86. It is looking pretty good too. Of course he does ask the young bucks for a little help now and again. Hard to believe the grandkids are all grown...

We love the barn build BTW. Top notch. Of course now I have to get it in gear to keep up with you guys...

 

[NASMAN]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

"Braces being cut from the two selected posts.I use a DeWalt compound mitre saw that I altered to get more depth of cut."
How so?

When I bought this saw we were building a log home with 6 inch "D" logs. To do the corner cuts ( 45 degree angle ) I needed more depth of cut or a saw with a bigger blade. The expense of the bigger blade saw was like double this one at the time. Only one I could find in Texas than was a Hitaci. (spelling is wrong but you know who I mean ) So I took this DeWalt and, without going out in the cold storage shed and taking another look at it, as I remember I altered the stops that let the blade come down. The lock wingnut on the stop was under the stop and I reversed it to allow the stop screw to be turned up all the way and then also be locked when not needed to be turned up. Also ground the area that the stop hit and had to cut an area on left side when the saw is laid over for a 45 degree cut so that it would miss. These are small alterations but it got me about three quarter of an inch more cut. I still had to finish some cuts with a hand saw (and have had to on this project also ) but would not have been able to make all the cuts even with the 14 inch Hatacci?? . I could hav bought or rented a 16 inch worm drive from the log supplers but super expensive and it's like a framing saw and the weight is more than I wanted to take on.
Hope this is of some help.

 

[harvey4804]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

It did! Thank you fine sir.

 

[NASMAN]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

To all that had asked to keep an update on how the eye doctor visit went.
Doctor was pleased with what he saw, kept me on the same drops and wants to see me again in four months. He is a very respected doctor but he didn't earn it on his comunication aspects. You have to ask and dig the info out of him. Tho if he sees something not going in the right direction he will let you know real quick and to the point.
Anyways, good to go for now, and thanks for asking. Now need a little bit better weather.

 

[Vernmotor]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Thats good news ! thanks for letting us know..

 

[BuickFarmer]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Just checkin in on my favorite thread. Spring is just around the corner now, look forward to seeing you get back on it and maybe knock it out this summer.

 

[mad57]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Very nice that you and ur wife are building this awesome barn together. great job!!!

 

[jktruck150]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Excellent wood working skills! I like how you made templates, jigs, derricks, and everything you needed to do the work yourself!!! I am impressed and am sure to keep looking for your pictures when the weather warms up!

 

[jamesemery728]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

This is truly an awesome project. Many thanks to you and your wife for taking the time to document and share this build. You both have the drive and determination that are the envy of all of us. People like you are what have made this country great. Good luck in the future and keep the pictures coming.

 

[intimadatorsquizz]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

wow that looks great. very nice work

 

[TJE]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

I have been a member here for just a few days, but it is builds like yours that convinced me that this was a place I wanted to be a part of.

Thanks

Tom

 

[NASMAN]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Just checkin in on my favorite thread. Spring is just around the corner now, look forward to seeing you get back on it and maybe knock it out this summer.

Sure hope you are right about spring, it has been a long hard winter for us.
Have not been able to do anything to the project since Thankgiving. And to add to it had to repair damage to house from one of the storms.
Had an inch of slush pellets and ice and than nine inches of snow on top of it and than eight inches of snow wet and heavy a week later. Temps down in the teens every night. Could have stayed in New England and wouldn't have been much worst.
About the time the temps break we will probably go into the tornado season.
Next part of the project will be to get the north side roof on. As soon as we show some progress we will put it on the web site and post it on here also.
Been having some computer issues also but Lin has a fairly new laptop so should be able to keep up with you guys. Not sure about loading pics to the web site tho , that editor program is not on hers.

 

[klogan121]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

I love it! You and your wife prove that age is just a number, it doesn't (and shouldn't) hold you back from what you want to accomplish in life, no matter how old you are!!

 

[cdrewferd]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Simply amazing what you and your wife are doing at your age. The craftsmanship is some of the best I've ever seen. Simply amazing.

 

[DIC]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

The hardest part is done, The rest should be a breeze with the energy and skill you have. I dont have that much energy at 55. Looks great...

 

[BPJOOP93]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

outstanding. simply outstanding. my hats off to the two of you.

 

[jeffharbert]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

I'm absolutely floored by this build. Kudos to you, Lin and Dave.

 

[wtfovr]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

I just read all 6 pages and am so impressed at how active you two are together. I can only hope that my wife and I are as spry as you two are 40 years from now.

My Grandad at 86 has just started to tapper off where he will not get out as much as he used to. So if that is a good marker for me I hope I can be climbing all over a barn at your age.

 

[drmarkr]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Man, I wish I lived nearby so I could've lent a hand with this project. The things I would've learned.....

So very impressive.

 

[organicmechanic]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Great Thread. Inspiring in so many ways.

 

[Retired Navy Chief]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Thank you for showing this inspiring build .... you have the mark of a true craftsman, sir !!

I spent a couple years in Germany learning a bit about old world building styles and techniques ... something that has been lost through the years ... well, obviously not entirely !!

Wish I had the time available to build mine this same way ... unfortunately that isn't the case.


Cheers,
PISTOL

 

[Bevis]

Re: 70 Yr old couple building a barn (garage/workshop)

Hope spring is coming for you soon, and you are abled to get back on the build.