To assemble decking on the mezzanines, used a ladder to get up top. Got a couple of cheap jib cranes with electric winches from Amazon. Used a come-a-long to get the cranes up, mounted one on each mezzanine near a front corner column. Got 30 sheets of Home O'De Po 4'x8' T&G 3/4" plywood delivered
The last time I built a loft in my old shop, I didn't paint the decking, and the bare wood sucked up all the light, reflected none, it was like a cave, had to double the planned amount of lighting to make the space bright enough to work. So for the new shop, I first painted each sheet white on one side. Ran a 100' extension cord from the house patio to the new shop so I could run power tools and connect up a hoist winch when needed. Hoisted 3 up at a time, screwed them white-side-down to the joists with self-drilling wood-to-metal screws. When completely decked, painted the top white. Had some paint left so I rolled the remaining paint on the underside to the joists, pretty happy with how it turned out, paiinting everything white definitely helps.
Had the overhead door guys come back out to install brush seals at the top. On the day they were there installing them, I was finishing up my paint work. When finished, I cleaned up and put away the drop cloths, then looked around for something useful to do while the OH door guys finished up. The electrical installers would be the next ones on site, and after them the floor coating contractor. So the stuff I had been using to do my deck job needed to get out of their way; the hand tools were not a big deal but the table saw would be in the way, so I rigged it with strapping to the hoist hook, went up the ladder, and pressed the button. Ran out of cable about an inch before the table could clear the deck edge. OK, I should set it down, move the jig boom to its higher setting, climb down the ladder, re-rig the straps for less slack. Started to lower it and one of the OH door guys says dont do that, just grab the table and tilt it up over the edge, it will go.
What is the dumbest thing you have done lately? Don't know? I sure do. When I leaned out over the edge to try tilting the load, that took the tension off one of my rigged straps, it jumped out of the cable hook and the table and I went flying. Landed mostly on my right heel, busted a lot of stuff in there, cracked my T6 vertebra in my spine. Got to ride in an ambulance, wheeee lights and sirens, had an enjoyable time in hospital for 3 days. Not. Wearing a splint boot for the foot and a back brace until docs say otherwise. Been 3 weeks on a walker, can put a little weight on the boot now, yesterday started hobbling around with a forearm crutch. Last week I cobbled up a padded footpeg on my old minibike, now I can get down the dirt driveway to the new shop to show the elec guys where stuff is going, and with the little trailer I can pull the garbage and recycling cans out to the street once a week. Neighbors shake their heads.
OK back to shop progress. Electrical work is happening, 200' of pipe in the ground to get service from the power pole, copper wire pulled but no utility connection yet, 200A service panel installed. They have other work next week, will return after Memorial Day.
Looks great so far!
