Above 1200 Sq/FT The ASYLUM - Happy 40th Birthday to Me! (Est. 2005)

Bob Heine · Jan 26, 2010

shopnut said:
EVERY DESIGNER NEEDS A SKETCH PAD…

Just so I never forget which switch is connected where.

You have my admiration and respect for your patience and attention to detail on this phenomenal build.

As my memory fails and my forgettery improves, I have to label more and more things. I bought a Brother P-touch Model PT-1280. It prints labels on 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" tape. It prints three different size fonts in wide/narrow, bold, outline and italic styles. The tape is available in lots of color combinations, including white on clear (for the switch labels) and black on yellow (for the cabinet doors). The machine sells for about $35 and the tape is another $15 or so per cartridge.

Your wife bought you a vacuum so this should be right in line with that. Once everything is labeled, she could help you find the treasures hidden in those cabinets with easy-to-read labels...

shopnut · Jan 27, 2010

Bob Heine said:
You have my admiration and respect for your patience and attention to detail on this phenomenal build.

As my memory fails and my forgettery improves, I have to label more and more things. I bought a Brother P-touch Model PT-1280. It prints labels on 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" tape. It prints three different size fonts in wide/narrow, bold, outline and italic styles. The tape is available in lots of color combinations, including white on clear (for the switch labels) and black on yellow (for the cabinet doors). The machine sells for about $35 and the tape is another $15 or so per cartridge.

Your wife bought you a vacuum so this should be right in line with that. Once everything is labeled, she could help you find the treasures hidden in those cabinets with easy-to-read labels...

Thanks for your kind words Bob.

I couldn't pass up a $15 Black Friday deal on my Brother PT-65 labeler a couple years back. It works pretty good. They get you with the refill tape however ($$). It's kind of like the computer people giving you a printer for free but then charging you $30 for refill cartridges every two months

Thanks for the info. Others should find it useful too.

shopnut · Jan 31, 2010

I MADE GOOD PROGRESS THIS WEEK…

The banner door located underneath the bay window is built and installed (now if I only had that banner to hang on it!). You might notice that the pull tube for the door is offset way to the left side. Up until now, I have been able to center them, but the shelves in the storage area kept me from doing that. Luckily there was enough space in the left pocket to allow the tube to swing. I had some doubt but it works fine offset like that and there really isn’t any sag at the opposite end when propped open.

I also got all the tileboard cut around the whiteboard. The tileboard work was slow going because I wanted the “grout” lines to match between adjacent panels, and that usually requires more cuts. All that remains to do is the black trim work.

This corner post will have a fan and spotlight mounted on it like the other posts and they will be at banner height. Because the fan is too high to reach from the ground, the same step and handle are being added to allow me to adjust them.

One more feature I added to the post was an anchor ring. This will come in handy for a number of things such as pulling something across the room. I used the same 5/8 threaded rod that was used in the crane cabling. A coupling nut joins the rod and the ring and a 1/4 plate helps spread the load on the backside. One picture shows my method of keeping the drill bit running true through the post. The 2x4 matches the hole height and the clamped on square lets me keep an eye on side-to-side angle. I was going through about 8.5” of material, and although it’s not perfect, this method kept the hole running reasonably straight through. An 11/16” hole was drilled all the way through, then a larger hole (slightly smaller than the nut size) was drilled as a counterbore for the nut, allowing it to recess in. With an undersized hole, the six corners of the nut drive into the wood and keep it from turning in the future. A black plastic washer finishes it off. I made it so I can remove the ring but I honestly doubt I will every need to.

shopnut · Feb 8, 2010

A MAJOR LEAP FORWARD IN THE AESTHETICS DEPT…

Now you can see what I have been picturing in my head for over a year. I first hung the checkered banner up on the PVC door frame. At that point, I decided to just keep working on this wall and finally finished up all the trim on the bay window.

Although it can barely be seen from the ground, the “roof” of the bay window is clad with ribbed galvanized metal. At least I will know it’s there, even if no one else does. The same roofing material will be used above the back-wall storage bin area and along the side wall. I also added the yellow accent panels above and below the window to match the clock. To make these, I used standard 3-1/4” baseboard molding and painted the backside of it yellow. On the slightly raised parts that would normally contact the wall, I added black/white decal strips.

Since the other ones are pretty useful, I decided to add a third fan/spotlight combo to the main bay area. The major individual parts are shown on the bench. The light is controlled by a wall switch while the fan has remote control. The fan and light can be re-directed as needed by grabbing the handle on the wall and stepping up to reach it. Remember, these things are about 9’ off the floor.

You can also see in the pictures that I finished up all the black corner trim for the tileboard. Eventually, I will finish the rest of the wall below the banner in tileboard, thus covering the drywall, but there are other walls that don’t have ANY covering yet. In this wall, I believe there is room for another recessed fire extinguisher and a wall-mount garbage can I’ve had in storage now for about 3 years. But there are higher priorities right now, like finishing the exhaust duct and back wall in white vinyl.

mustangmccance · Feb 8, 2010

ok shopnut first of all I just have to say wow. amazing job. but, I just have too ask. is the asylum name taken from the Douglas Adams book so long and thanks for all the fish. i.e. an asylum to keep the crazy world away from you?
http://www.terindell.com/asylum/docs/asylum.html

shopnut · Feb 8, 2010

mustangmccance said:
ok shopnut first of all I just have to say wow. amazing job. but, I just have too ask. is the asylum name taken from the Douglas Adams book so long and thanks for all the fish. i.e. an asylum to keep the crazy world away from you?
http://www.terindell.com/asylum/docs/asylum.html

Sorry, not the literary type. In fact most people are surprised to find out I can read

.

Honestly, I've never heard of this Douglas Adams fellow nor read any of his work. I thought for a day or two about what I would call this place and THE ASYLUM made it to the top of the list for the reasons stated in post #1. Just thought it seemed fitting.

Glad you like the place. Follow along as I finish her up.

mustangmccance · Feb 8, 2010

If you get some time, click the link I put in my first post, it has the section of the book I was referring to. I think you will enjoy it.

houstonhusker · Feb 9, 2010

Shopnut, can you tell me a little more about the fan...brand, size, etc and does it push some air?

shopnut · Feb 9, 2010

houstonhusker said:
Shopnut, can you tell me a little more about the fan...brand, size, etc and does it push some air?

Assuming you're talking about the room fans not the exhaust fan:

Brand: SMC
Bought At: Home Depot 2 years ago
Price: $30
Blade Size: 18"
Power: 110V
Color: Off-white
Oscillation: Switched on by pull cord
CFM: Unknown, but decent for an inexpensive fan
Fan Head: Up/down adjustment, spring loaded for counterbalance
Remote Control: On/Off and Fan Speeds (Hi/Med/Lo)
Remote Batteries: 2X AAA

I just threw the box out yesterday for the last one I hung up otherwise I could give you all the details.

shopnut · Feb 12, 2010

A PANORAMIC VIEW TO BETTER EXPLAIN THE SHOP LAYOUT…

I had some friends over to see the place the other day and it was their first time checking it out in person. One of them had been seeing pictures all along the way and mentioned it looked a lot different in “real life” than in the pictures. I’m guessing there are a lot of you in the same situation.

To help better explain the place, I took a series of pictures circling around the shop and attempted to merge them into a panoramic view (using some software, of course). It’s turned out surprisingly well and it only took a few seconds to process (stitch) my six pictures. The view is from about 8’ and above, since there is still too much clutter below (although the lower walls are now mainly finished).

I found that if you keep the camera pointing level as you pan around and snap your pictures, the program can deal with it much better. The vertical perspective angles seem to cause a problem so if you have a tall garage, get up on a ladder if you want to capture it all.

New digital cameras are capable of stitching a few photos together, but my old ones don't do it, so I had to look for an alternative. There are many programs out there, as well as some add-ins for Windows, but this is the one I used (offering 30-day free trial): http://panorama.firmtools.com/download.php The software says you can even do a 360 degree view, so next time I will have to get enough photos to try that.

Here are the six images spanning about a 160 degree field of view:

Here is the "stitched" photo:

Next, I'm going to try a 360 view inside the apartment and the upstairs office.

mpire · Feb 12, 2010

Ok, this is getting silly now.

Where is this barn, and when can I come see it?

shopnut · Feb 12, 2010

mpire said:
Ok, this is getting silly now.

Where is this barn, and when can I come see it?

I'm planning a big party on Dec 20, 2012 (day before DoomsDay).
Free food and beer!
Everyone is invited!
Directions to follow...

I just don't want to have to clean up after all of you!

mpire · Feb 12, 2010

Well, I live in Orlando. How far away are you? And what do I gotta do to get a tour? I need more ideas!

shopnut · Feb 20, 2010

ONE MORE PANORAMIC VIEW SHOWING ALL THE SHOP CLUTTER…

This one utilized 10 photos and sweeps about 190 degrees. You can barely see the poor old Chevelle sitting off to the right behind that stack of fluorescent lights. The front roll-up doors are visible at each end of the picture.

Just so the Chevelle doesn't feel left out - here is a picture of the old girl from the office...

I tried some other sets inside the office and apartment, but they did not turn out. It seems if you change your position in the room a little bit while taking the photos, the program has a problem with stitching them together. So the second tip is to just stay in one spot while circling around, rather than moving to one end of the room to capture the most in that view.

DaleJR88Fan · Feb 22, 2010

Awsome build. I am in the process of finishing the inside of my dream shop and I have gotten a lot of ideas from yours.

Where did you get your fairleads from?

shopnut · Feb 23, 2010

DaleJR88Fan said:
Awsome build. I am in the process of finishing the inside of my dream shop and I have gotten a lot of ideas from yours.

Where did you get your fairleads from?

Thanks. Be sure to post some pictures of your place when you're finished.

As far as the fairleads - they appear to be Reelcraft brand as seen here: Reelcraft Fairlead

Years ago someone had a whole bunch of these they were selling on ebay and I bought 2 different groups of ten. I wish I could find that deal again because I picked them up for about $3 each back then. Out of the 20, I only have two left and this makes me CRAZY! :willy_nil

DaleJR88Fan · Feb 23, 2010

Thanks shopnut, I will keep my eye out. Pictures of my building can be seen at the following introduction post. When I get the time I am going to start a post documenting the build from start to finish (when I get the time and funds to finish the inside at least).

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=791819#post791819

shopnut · Mar 2, 2010

STARTING ON THE MAIN BAY “LIBRARY LADDER” …

In previous posts, I mentioned I wanted to install a library ladder around the perimeter of the main bay (excluding the office bump-out). It will mount high where the walls meet the ceiling and that will put the rail at about 15’ above the floor. I will use my 24’ extension ladder, but instead of sitting at a fixed angle and having wheels like the typical library ladder, I intend my ladder to retract when not in use and have it hang slightly off the floor. When needed to change light bulbs, access the storage lofts, and such, I will roll it into position, extend it down, and pull it out at an angle to climb up. I also want the ladder to detach completely from the rolling trolley for use on other jobs around the property. Here’s a typical library ladder:

Well, it’s time to get started on it since I can’t finish the back walls of the main bay until the brackets are installed (I want them to be mostly hidden in the wall). While up there, I’m also going to install two windows affording a view out opposite the office on the second floor (the start of my “lookout tower”). These windows will replace some of the translucent fiberglass clerestory windows much like I did on the exterior office wall.

Several years ago, I salvaged a heavy duty track system from my parent’s old dairy barn before they sold the farm and would like to incorporate this into the Asylum. I have about 90’ of monorail, two trolleys, 29 monorail hangers, and the old hoist system. I also have 23 surplus military fuel tank brackets that can mount to the wall and hang the rail out from them. I remember the hangers being spaced every 4 or 5 feet hanging straight down from the ceiling joists, but my new cantilevered brackets will probably be the limiting factor in this system.

At this point, I only will be installing the rail in the back section on the main bay and later will continue the loop around the shop. However, I basically need to plan out the whole system now because, of course, it needs to be level around the entire perimeter. I plan to rough this out in CAD and I will post an image or two to better explain all this later on.

shopnut · Mar 4, 2010

Here’s a quick plan view of the library ladder track system (in green). I think about 3 feet is the smallest radius I can go in the corners to still allow the trolley to navigate the bends. I also found out from a great resource on the net that support spacing for the rail should be keep at a maximum of 32". This is going to cause a small challenge in how to support the track where it extends out further from the wall, but I'll figure that out as I go.

Nuts · Mar 5, 2010

And the idea's never end.

From one Nut to another, good job ShopNut

Nuts

shopnut · Mar 5, 2010

Nuts said:
And the idea's never end.

From one Nut to another, good job ShopNut

Nuts

Thanks Nuts,

From what I've seen on this site, us crazy nuts are not alone! And they're all over the world!

shopnut · Mar 9, 2010

DEMOLITION TIME - PREP WORK FOR THE MAIN BAY WINDOWS…

I hated to tear out some work I did just a few short years ago, but sometimes you just have to do it to make it better. Luckily everything was put together with screws so it went fast, and it also means most everything gets recycled.

First I had to remove two of the old light fixtures above the Chevelle banner and surrounding white vinyl. As with the office windows, I had to enlarge the opening (downward) for the slightly taller windows.

While I was up there, I decided to do the rough framing for the ceiling. There will be a recessed fluorescent fixture directly above each window. I also added some extra 2x4’s in between the purlins to help support the insulation and while vinyl.

The following two pictures show before and after shots.

I also made some progress on the library ladder system. One section of 10ft rail was hung as a sample and 180” rail centerline off the floor was chosen. This allows the trolley wheels to pass under the main rafters yet the rail does not hang in front of the window. Wherever possible, I will hang straps straight down from the main rafters. In the 12’ space between, brackets will cantilever out from the wall. I chose to come off the wall in these spots rather than hang from the ceiling because there is much more structure to be had and I won’t have to worry about the ceiling sagging over time. I have access to the backside of the 2x6’s so it is easy to install bolts with nuts which is much better than just lag-bolting them in. These mount points are just temporary and I will probably space the hangers every 48” or so because I don’t need it to support 1000 lbs like the original system was designed for at 32” spacing.

Next time (depending on weather) I will either install the windows or finish framing the back wall to accommodate the library ladder mounts (by the Chevy sign).

Vernmotor · Mar 9, 2010

Well you just keep making nicer and better..Ladder is real cool..

shopnut · Mar 10, 2010

Thanks Vernmotor - I think it will become one of the "Wow" features of the place when it's done, but very handy as well.

Looking forward to having the majority of the place finished off soon, though - it's starting to wear me out!

lenross1 · Mar 10, 2010

A great inspiration. I am in the process of building my shop and now may start over..
:bowdown:

shopnut · Mar 12, 2010

lenross1 said:
A great inspiration. I am in the process of building my shop and now may start over..

Yep - just tear it down. The world has plenty of room for two Asylums!

Seriously, good luck with your planning/building. There are lots of great ideas on this website - just pick the features you like best, add a few of your own, and put them all together.

Thanks for taking the time to write.

shopnut · Mar 16, 2010

THE WEATHER COOPERATED WITH ME …

Even though the wind was a bit gustier than I preferred for being on the roof, at least the rain held off for a few days. I was successful at getting the two windows and siding installed, so everything is now weather sealed. Here’s a shot from the outside.

On the inside, it was time to take down the racing tires and big blue Chevy sign so I could finish off the wall. Just to the right of the ladder, you’ll notice pairs of vertical 2x6’s added to attach some more library ladder supports on the back wall. After I was done with a test fit, I took all the brackets down in hopes of painting them white, but simply ran out of time.

Looking from inside the office, it’s nice to have a view out the opposite side of the building. And now I will be able to spot cars coming up the driveway.

My next challenge will be figuring out how to bend the library ladder rail into a perfect 42” radius. I tried taking a kink out of one of them and it was a struggle. I’m not sure what kind of steel they are made out of but they are much tougher than they look and just want to spring back rather than taking a permanent set.

shopnut · Mar 23, 2010

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH AN OLD STUMP THAT SHOULD BE REMOVED? …

You use it to bend metal, of course. I looked around for something sturdy enough to bend my library ladder rail and then I had an idea. That old oak tree stump I’ve been meaning to tear out for years now came in handy. After trying to get the chainsaw running for about an hour (bad fuel lines found), I carved a slot into the top of the stump and then rounded the edges. After hoping the stump would rot naturally, now I’m hoping I can figure out a way to preserve it for future projects! To help get my 42” bend radius, I used a string compass and cut out a cardboard template.

Next it was on to painting some parts for the ladder hangers. The main L-brackets just needed a quick roughing up and then a fresh coat of paint. All the old hanger parts, however, needed some major rust removal. My intention is to hide the vertical section of the L-bracket in the wall (if you look closely, they are recessed), so I had to get these parts painted/mounted now before the white vinyl goes on the wall. I chose white paint because I wanted the hangers to “blend in” with the background color. The main rail, however, will be yellow (probably with some black/white checker accents) so it will stand out.

I also had time to finish up the framing in preparation of the white vinyl and insulate the walls and ceiling. You should now be able to clearly tell where the fluorescent lights will go. In the picture, you can see the four ladder L-brackets mounted in their final locations. On the back wall, there will be a step or inset (just below the L-brackets and painted white) that I will be able to screw some eye-bolts up into. They will allow the 4x8 Chevy sign to hang back up there.

Next, it’s time to paint the rail sections and add all the trim (J-channel) for the white wall vinyl. Some dramatic changes are in the near future!

shopnut · Mar 27, 2010

MY OSHA/EPA APPROVED PAINT BOOTH…

Well, at least it has great ventilation! The first two sections of library ladder rail get a fresh coat of yellow paint. Luckily, the local auto parts store had the spray paint I use at half price!

shopnut · Mar 27, 2010

THE OFFICE GETS A STOOL…

I’ve been searching for a good quality stool to use in the upstairs office and finally found one – on clearance of course. I wanted one adjustable in height so it could be used at either the bay workbench or the drawing board. Months ago, I saw this stool at Bed Bath and Beyond and looked it over really good. At the time, the price was $150, so I passed. Recently I checked online and discovered BBB had put them on clearance, and with their 20% discount, I got this one for $80. It is worth every penny.

It’s made by Hillsdale and it’s a high quality item. It has a 1/4” base plate and all welds look very sound. The lift/lower hydraulics work smoothly. And the backrest is removable.

I added some clear vinyl tubing on the footrest and base plate to keep things from getting scratched. I planned to add some casters to it, but will wait to see if they are really needed before going through the trouble.

DaleJR88Fan · Mar 29, 2010

shopnut said:
THE OFFICE GETS A STOOL…

I’ve been searching for a good quality stool to use in the upstairs office and finally found one – on clearance of course. I wanted one adjustable in height so it could be used at either the bay workbench or the drawing board. Months ago, I saw this stool at Bed Bath and Beyond and looked it over really good. At the time, the price was $150, so I passed. Recently I checked online and discovered BBB had put them on clearance, and with their 20% discount, I got this one for $80. It is worth every penny.

It’s made by Hillsdale and it’s a high quality item. It has a 1/4” base plate and all welds look very sound. The lift/lower hydraulics work smoothly. And the backrest is removable.

I added some clear vinyl tubing on the footrest and base plate to keep things from getting scratched. I planned to add some casters to it, but will wait to see if they are really needed before going through the trouble.

nice looking stool. Really digging the library ladder. Do you have the part number for the stool at BBB? I tried fining it online and couldn't.

shopnut · Mar 29, 2010

Brian,

I don't have the SKU with me right now, but it appears BBB is sold out. I purchased the stool about three weeks ago and I found it in their "Clearance" section online, but I don't see it there anymore.

(edit) BBB item number is 14636528

Here's another source at $100 with free shipping...
Hillsdale Venus Stool
That's still a great deal delivered to your door.

Quiksilver · Mar 29, 2010

My wife and I have the same stools at the island in our kitchen. Really like them. We used felt on the bottom of ours to keep from scratching the floor but I really like the clear hose idea.

shopnut · Mar 29, 2010

Quiksilver said:
My wife and I have the same stools at the island in our kitchen. Really like them. We used felt on the bottom of ours to keep from scratching the floor but I really like the clear hose idea.

The reviews that I read made them sound pretty good - glad you like them too. Thanks for posting that. Felt works great at first, but once it starts coming off, it can leave the glue residue on the floor and that can drive a man "crazy" :willy_nil

shopnut · Mar 30, 2010

UPDATED TASK LIST...

Updated project list from post 256 ==> I'm getting there!

Link to prior Task List (reply#256)
Link to next Task List (reply#473)

ASYLUM Task List:

Office (Upstairs) Interior
* Finish installing trim around bay window and workbenches
* Install new cover on drawing board
Office Exterior
DONE * Install tileboard on “external” wall (below 10 foot level)
DONE * Install whiteboard for sketching ideas (above jack nook)
DONE * Make checkered flag door banners
DONE * Build/Install checkered flag door to hide between-floor storage bins
DONE * Finish roof and trim on bay window
* Add half window in first floor apartment door (???)
Stairway
* Install aluminum diamond plate and rubber on treads
* Install tileboard on risers and stringer sides
* Install window sills and door casings
Sink/Jack Nook (under stairs)
* Plumbing for SS sink and add skirting to hide pipes
* Plumbing for shop clothes washer
* Install three SS cabinets above sink
* Build shelf for Audio/Video equipment
* Install all tileboard and black trim
* Add large drawer for jack stands in jack nook
* Add door to jack nook
Crane
* Install cable carrier system for power cabling to hoist
* Install hoist-mounted spotlight (controlled with wall switch)
* Install crane-mounted power cable reel
* Install lift rings in main rafter above for servicing (leveling) crane
DONE * Install removable pull ring at base of crane column
* Final leveling of crane beam
Main Bay (12x13’ area adjacent to stairway)
* Install fluorescent light fixtures in bottom of exhaust fan duct
DONE * Install fluorescent light fixture above main workbench
DONE * Install dental light above main workbench
* Finish exhaust fan duct framing
* Build louvers (2X) for exhaust fan
* Install white vinyl siding on fan duct
STARTED * Install “Library Ladder” system using an old barn track system along with extension ladder (currently on scaffold). I acquired the track and trolley parts from my parent’s dairy barn before they sold the old homestead. I have enough track rail to continue around most of the perimeter of the tall main bay someday, and it will allow access to storage areas, servicing light fixtures, general cleanup, etc.
DONE * Build full width back wall storage area above window with false roof to hide electrical and storage bins (also will have checkered flag door)
DONE(2 of 10)* Replace clerestory fiberglass panels with sliding windows (needs to happen in dry months) Last 8 may be way out in future
DONE * Insulate back wall
DONE * Insulate back ceiling
DONE * Insulate wall opposite the office
DONE * Install white vinyl siding on back wall
STARTED * Install white vinyl siding on ceiling
STARTED * Install white vinyl siding on wall opposite the office
DONE * Trim out wall by main panel and include service door for timer boxes
Electrical
DONE * Rearrange breakers in main panel
DONE * Add GFCI outlets next to main panel for all shop receptacle circuits (they are spread all over the place right now)(GFI main panel breakers are too big/costly)
DONE * Install timers
DONE * Install UPS (Backup power)
DONE * Wiring for new light fixtures in main bay
DONE * Remove solid conduit to main panel

shopnut · Mar 30, 2010

ONE MORE WALL FINISHED OFF…

Besides this wall being done, the other good thing is the trim work (mainly J-channel installation) is done on the window wall (including the window jambs) and the ceiling too so I just need about another 4-6 hours to finish them both off :bounce:

Cutting out the vinyl closely around the library ladder brackets took some time, but I wanted a clean look and that was the price I paid. I don’t really look forward to cutting out the rest, but I will get better at it as I go.

One word of advice for the vinyl installation (or anytime you are cutting long pieces of something) – always do the longest sections first since the short sawed-off pieces might be used elsewhere later. For instance, from the 12’ planks, I will cut the ceiling sections (about 9’ in this case). The 3’ sections can then be cut to finish off the wall around the windows. This should be common sense and I end up with very little waste when finished (easily <5%). BTW, for cutting the 12” vinyl planks, I use an 80T carbide-tipped blade mounted backwards in my 10in sliding miter saw – it works perfectly and gives a clean cut!

I can’t finish off the main rafter until I incorporate some heavy duty hoist rings above the crane (I can’t just sling a chain over it like I did earlier when the ceiling is finished off). I ordered some D-Rings from Reid Supply that will do the job. Even with shipping figured in, they were cheaper than the ones from Northern Tool :headscrat

Soon I will have the other two sections covered with vinyl, the fourth stereo speaker hooked back up again, and two more lights installed (the wiring is ready to go). Then it will be time to install the first two sections of ladder rail.

shopnut · Apr 6, 2010

THESE PARTS DON’T LOOK BAD FOR BEING 90 YEARS OLD…

From the research I’ve done, I estimate these old trolley assemblies are from the 1920’s and I’m very happy to be recycling this stuff from the old homestead. I disassembled, degreased, primed, painted, and reassembled them. I painted the wheels yellow to match the rail so “traded” paint won’t be obvious. The rest of the parts will be blue. They have heavy duty 1/4” roller bearings, which makes sense considering the weight the pair of these normally carried. Although they didn’t really look worn at all, the bores of the wheels are quite a bit oversize, and I’m guessing this is to allow them to negotiate the curved sections of rail without binding. At any rate, they will work perfectly up there.

Here are the D-rings that will mount above the crane. I sprayed them with a thin coat of paint to keep them from rusting even though they won’t be seen once installed (I intend to have a cover panel hide them). Unfortunately I forgot to drill out some of the square holes into larger round holes before the paint job – oh well, you can’t remember everything.

Next, I will need to build the carriage that hangs between the trolleys and supports the ladder.

warrenlord · Apr 8, 2010

crazy nice place you have well done man!

shopnut · Apr 8, 2010

warrenlord said:
crazy nice place you have well done man!

Good choice of words for the Asylum - Thanks.

shopnut · Apr 11, 2010

THE CRANE HOIST RINGS ARE IN PLACE…

I added D-rings in three different locations in the rafter above the crane. One heavy duty set is directly over the CG of the crane beam and can be used to take the crane down (hopefully don’t ever need to do that!). Another heavy duty version is located above the outer end of the crane. I will sling a chain down to support the cantilevered end of the crane if I ever need lift something extremely heavy (over 1000 lbs) off of a trailer or something. I added the third light duty version in between them just because I had extra parts and the tools were already out.

I positioned these parts in roughly the same position on the bench to better explain how the D-rings are attached in the heavy duty versions. Two 1/2” bolts go through the 4x6 in the rafter. A 5/8” threaded rod passes through the entire rafter beam and makes sure the 4x6 doesn’t pull out. In use, a chain will loop from one D-ring around the 4x6 to the one on the other side to eliminate the tendency to twist it.

Above 1200 Sq/FT The ASYLUM - Happy 40th Birthday to Me! (Est. 2005)

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Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Member

Well-known member

Well-known member