Above 1200 Sq/FT My Retirement Shop, Pole Barns, Old Truck and Questionable Decisions Thread

[Mr onetwo]

That ceiling looks really good. Have you figured out your lighting plan yet? That is always a big topic of discussion here

 

[SouthernIllinois]

I am going with four rows of three of these Hyperlite High Bay lights that come with diffusers on the ceiling for a total of 12 - Hyperlite recommended eight.

Each row of three will be on its own switch.

If I find I need more light for bodywork, I will add linear LED lights on the walls on the end of the building that I plan to use as a hobby resto shop.

I am running the electric surface mounted in EMT so adding more shouldn't be too difficult.

I would like to have more ceiling fans - matter of fact, I had already bought them but then it dawned on me that between the infrared tube heater, lights, garage door tracks and openers, I simply don't have enough room for more on the ceiling.

 

[Mr onetwo]

When I was a kid I scuffed cars at a couple of different body shops.They both had horizontal tubes on the walls and in the paint booth.Have you purchased your tube heater yet? I have a Sunstar in my garage and it has been flawless for 16 years....highly recommend. https://sunstarheaters.com/product/sis-series/

 

[SouthernIllinois]

When I was a kid I scuffed cars at a couple of different body shops.They both had horizontal tubes on the walls and in the paint booth.Have you purchased your tube heater yet? I have a Sunstar in my garage and it has been flawless for 16 years....highly recommend. https://sunstarheaters.com/product/sis-series/

Prior to joining the Navy I worked in a high end bodyshop and they had florescent tube lights on the walls as well. I won't really know how the high bays work out until it is wired and the lights are up.

This isn't purely a shop - We will also keep our vehicles in here, JD Gator, mower, and some storage so until I get everything moved in it, I won't really have a firm grasp on where I want stuff.

Our house which is about 50 yards from the building is a cabin style house without a mud room or convenient storage for wet dirty clothes.

I am putting in a 7' X 17' utility room in the shed. The utility room will house the breaker panel, plumbing manifold, water heater, urinal, air compressor as well as shelving and clothes rack for boots and coveralls. My plan is to keep a pair of sweatpants and sweatshirt out there - when I am out and dirty, muddy, wet, covered in snow I can change clothes out there and keep the wet dirty clothes out of the house.

As for the tube heater, I have signed a contract with the local Farm Service Co-Op. A local guy runs that department and gave me the best deal he could. They are installing it and it comes with a warranty.

The weather turned before we got the pad behind the shed poured for the propane tank so it may be spring before we get to installing the heater. Until then, I will use a propane torpedo heater while we wire it and build out the closet.

 

[Tynee]

Nice progress.

 

[Notgrownup]

I’m nearing retirement and want to sell everything and build a pole barn similar to yours but with a living quarters one end and woodworking shop on the other. I love your project…. Congrats. I know the end product is making you happy, or near end product.

 

[manwithtools]

I am putting in a 7' X 17' utility room in the shed. The utility room will house the breaker panel, plumbing manifold, water heater, urinal, air compressor as well as shelving and clothes rack for boots and coveralls. My plan is to keep a pair of sweatpants and sweatshirt out there - when I am out and dirty, muddy, wet, covered in snow I can change clothes out there and keep the wet dirty clothes out of the house.

I am doing something similar. Actually will have a full bath + utility sink and washer and dryer. Thought is to keep all the dirty clothes in the shop and actually wash and dry them there. Can also wash the car detailing and drying cloths there as well.

I'm actually using a lighting setup close to yours, I went with Sunco lights with 0-10 volt dimmer circuitry. I also installed more than recommended (10 instead of 6), thinking that the ability to dim will allow "tuning" to the task at hand.

It's quite interesting to me how we made many similar choices for our shop builds, but had no prior collaborations.

 

[SouthernIllinois]

I am doing something similar. Actually will have a full bath + utility sink and washer and dryer. Thought is to keep all the dirty clothes in the shop and actually wash and dry them there. Can also wash the car detailing and drying cloths there as well.

I'm actually using a lighting setup close to yours, I went with Sunco lights with 0-10 volt dimmer circuitry. I also installed more than recommended (10 instead of 6), thinking that the ability to dim will allow "tuning" to the task at hand.

It's quite interesting to me how we made many similar choices for our shop builds, but had no prior collaborations.

Nice - Great minds think alike...lol

I would love to have been able to put a full bathroom and W&D in but my septic is across a blacktop driveway, a blacktop parking area and on the opposite side of the house...simply a bridge too far.

My sinks and urinal tie into a downspout drain and run underground out to the ditch along side a seldom used gravel road. An advantage of living out in the country....lol

 

[SouthernIllinois]

Shed interior is in. Next up utility room walls, electrical, water & plumbing. Unfortunately the garage doors won’t come in until after Christmas.

 

[Tynee]

It's going to be bright in there when you get the lights hung.

 

[zmotorsports]

That is REALLY turning out great. Well done.

 

[Mr onetwo]

So envious...you are where I want to be this time next year

 

[CraigStu]

Depending what type work you do on a given day you might also want to consider wearing overalls or coveralls. Then you can slip out of them and hang on a hook before going to the house.

 

[boyleged]

for what its worth, I used 6 of the Sunco UFO lights in my 48x44 shop portion with an open ceiling and 16' sidewalls and we have been happy with them

 

[racecougar]

for what its worth, I used 6 of the Sunco UFO lights in my 48x44 shop portion with an open ceiling and 16' sidewalls and we have been happy with them

That wall height is the important factor. I'll stick by my comment in post #8. The diffusers on the OP's lights should help though.

 

[SouthernIllinois]

My friend and neighbor got the boring machine fixed and ran the water line to the shed today. Turned out it was a $12 ignition switch.

Another old friend who is a custom home builder came over and helped me frame out the utility room / tool room / closet.

The breaker panel, water heater, urinal, hydrant and air compressor will be in there. Additionally I intend to store some larger tools and ladders in there as well as a coat rack for work clothes and boots.

The ceiling of it will be used for storage of things that we should have thrown away. Totes will go up there and probably won't come down again until we are dead and someone is clearing out our estate.

 

[STIBuilder]

Awesome progress, love the small town help part of the build, friends helping friends it really does make a difference in community.

 

[SouthernIllinois]

Ceiling insulation getting blown in today

 

[red61cj5]

Thanks.

My Dad caught that a couple years back.

I was a commercial fisherman and charter boat captain out of Maryland for the past 15 years before retiring and moving back to the Midwest.

Cecil County, by any chance?

 

[SouthernIllinois]

Nope, Anne Arundel on the Western. Just South of Annapolis.
Past couple years we had moved up to the Patapsco to be closer to the fish.

 

[Swanny1953]

Great progress on a good looking shop. Subscribed for updates!

 

[CraigStu]

Well dang, I keep seeing your Southern Ill screen name and never thought about location. We lived for 20 yrs in Shady Side, Md. Not a fisher just a boater. We went from a 22ft sail to living in Deale on a 41ft sail for 2 years, to a 27ft sail and a 31ft sail to a 19ft power and finally a 23ft power. Is that your boat above?

 

[SouthernIllinois]

Well dang, I keep seeing your Southern Ill screen name and never thought about location. We lived for 20 yrs in Shady Side, Md. Not a fisher just a boater. We went from a 22ft sail to living in Deale on a 41ft sail for 2 years, to a 27ft sail and a 31ft sail to a 19ft power and finally a 23ft power. Is that your boat above?

I am a co-owner. It's a 46 Markley. Split our time between the Happy Harbor in Deale and Anchor Bay East in Dundalk.

Last Thanksgiving my Dad died and I very abruptly decided to retire early and move back home to rural Illinois.

I didn't think it was fair to my business partner to ask him to buy out my share of the boat on such short notice so now I am a somewhat silent partner. I take care of what paperwork and licensing I can remotely and he runs the boat and I take a small percentage of any profits.

I love being back home in the middle of nowhere but I do miss Deale.
We went back for a visit and to check on the boat a few weeks ago.

 

[SouthernIllinois]

Doors!!!

We have doors!

Hopefully we will have electricity soon so we can actually use the openers!

 

[Mr onetwo]

That is one great lookin' building....congratulations!

 

[SilverJimmy]

Really like how your rollup doors look. Reread your whole thread to see if you said what they were, didn’t find any reference to them. I’m still looking for what doors I need and yours are my favorite so far! Who’s are they and would you buy them again after having them installed? Also like the shutters you put on your windows, really helps the building not look like a commercial refugee!

 

[SouthernIllinois]

Thank you.

Here is the info I have.

Around here the local Farm Services has an overhead door division - went through them based on the pole barn builders recommendation. They work together a lot.

 

[E1271]

Doors!!!

We have doors!

Hopefully we will have electricity soon so we can actually use the openers!

I'm just joining the thread. Awesome progress, I love the lifestyle.

 

[manwithtools]

Doors!!!

We have doors!

Hopefully we will have electricity soon so we can actually use the openers!

Looks great! I'm still waiting on concrete, we just can't get the weather to cooperate. Maybe in two weeks we'll get a decent window of temps above or near freezing.

 

[SouthernIllinois]

Making headway.
Started on electrical and the ceiling and exterior walls on the tool room.

 

[kj_mustang]

CHI garage doors are very good quality. I have two of their commercial models. Your place is really looking nice.

 

[SouthernIllinois]

Got a good start on the compressed air plumbing this evening.

Using the Transair system. Motor Guard TP filter and Motor Guard AC6500 filter / regulators at each of the three drops.

 

[SSDVC]

Beautifully done. I like the interior polished concrete floors. If I may ask, did you consider doing radiant heat for the floor vs the overhead tube type heating?

 

[BORING HOP YARD]

I have radiant tube heat in my 30x60, and I love it.
I'm looking forward to seeing your installation.
Great looking shop!
Thank you for sharing.

 

[SouthernIllinois]

Beautifully done. I like the interior polished concrete floors. If I may ask, did you consider doing radiant heat for the floor vs the overhead tube type heating?

I did. I want to be able to leave the heat set low and be able to crank it up quickly when I am out there. I was told radiant heat in the floor takes a while to warm up the building.

 

[SouthernIllinois]

Got the filter/regulators assembled - didn’t expect them to come as a box of parts.

Need some spacers from Fastenal when they open tomorrow and I should be able to cross that off the to-do list.

 

[Mike777]

I want it nice and thick. Want it to last no matter what I put on it.

What kind of load is the 6" concrete apron good for? Is that about 18,000 lbs?

 

[Mike777]

Apron is in - very happy with it

That looks great. The concrete company did a really nice job.

 

[SouthernIllinois]

What kind of load is the 6" concrete apron good for? Is that about 18,000 lbs?

Not certain - 6" thick, 6 bag mix.

 

[SouthernIllinois]

Finally able to start moving some tools into the shed.

Finally got wire from the new meter into the building and we have started wiring the breaker panel.

Hopefully we will have electricity soon followed by radiant heat.