80x80 Pole Barn

[alskdjfhg]

I don't want to focus too much on this, as it's still hard to talk about. But this barn building process started back in September when Dad died very suddenly. He and I were in the process of starting a machine shop and farm with obsolete machinery saved from craigslist, fence rows and scrap yards.

I realized that if I wanted to save any of this machinery, I would have to turn-key a shop built. There is only so much a full time 19 year old engineering student can do.

Ended up going with a 40x80x16 insulated pole barn with 25' opening in both endwalls and having a 20' lean too on each side. Making the overall building 80x80.

Even though I HATE pole barns, they do have some advantages.

I started by clearing the area where I wanted the building built. Took two days with a 250G and a 1968 F600 hauling off tree waste.

 

[alskdjfhg]

Then we started the dirt work.

Dug down 2'-3' and then fill back in with 95 loads of select fill. Ran both end dumps and dump trucks. We were flying, got that pad knocked out in 7 hours.

The ground was soft so each one of those end dumps had to be drug in with the dozer. Tried to do it with the Case 930 and it would only dig ruts.

 

[alskdjfhg]

With the pad done, the next thing was my yard/driveway.

Before that I had get my undergound power done as that went under the drieway.

Used the Case 930 with a post hold digger and a 24" auger to set a telephone pole 4' deep. Then used the excavator to set the pole.

Tried to rent a trencher for the conduit, but that wouldn't cut it. So again used the excavator.

Then I laid out 3 rolls of geo-fabric to minimize material losses and brought in 18 loads of 4"-6" crushed concrete. My driveway has 40' culverts and I designed it so a 3 axle truck and a 4 axle lowboy would have all weather access.

I'll need to bring in a few more loads as the concrete trucks punched a few holes and there are a few gaps.

Then the building people came and set the poles for the main 40x80 section of the shop. They will do the two 20' wide lean toos once the building is up.

 

[hemifalcon]

Are you laying the concrete before putting the roof on?


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[alskdjfhg]

And that brings us to today. A total of 76 yards were poured and finished.

A couple of trucks got stuck up to their axles, but other than that, it went pretty smooth. Have to see how it all turns out once the concrete sets up a little more on Monday.

Normally I would never do this, but I drew Dad's initials and them mine with the date in the wet concrete by the door. Seemed fitting for as much up hill slogging, herding of cats and pushing of chains that he did to get everything to this point. And it seemed like he should get his name on it as it was his life insurance that paid for it.

 

[alskdjfhg]

Are you laying the concrete before putting the roof on?


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Yes. They are going to start framing on Monday.

I think they are going to wait a few more days after that before driving the telehandler onto the pad to set trusses. It's so cold that the concrete is setting up slowly.

 

[Sharpest]

I'm sorry for your loss but honoring your father's memory by pushing forward with y'all's dream would have to make him proud. I think honoring his memory at every turn and with every move you make is the only way to go. That's a ton of space and a hell of an undertaking for a man your age. Good luck and keep up the progress updates so we can help where and when we can!

 

[walrus]

I agree with sharpest, your dad would be proud. Looks like the start of a nice shop.

 

[cajunfirehawk]

Awesome size, Wow, what did 80 yds of concrete installed run? If you don't mind me asking, I don't live too far away and here it is like $100 yd just material.

 

[alskdjfhg]

3200 sq ft may seem like a lot, but its about a 3rd the size of the building dad and I were building.

I have most of the stuff I need to build that larger building, just need a spring board to do it from, that's what this pole barn is.

According to the CAD drawing of the shop, the machine tools will nearly fill it up on move in day and once I drag in a combine or tractor to work on it, there won't be much space.

And not sure what the per yard cost was, I'm just paying a flat rate for the whole building. But yes I think it is about $100 a yard for material. On the contract the concrete cost about 25k, it should have been less, but I like that one contractor is doing everything.

 

[justanengineer]

Looks great Matt! Keep pushing forward and get that ol arn inside and running again!


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[matt_i]

That is some soft ground! Good idea using the geotex fabric for the driveway.

 

[alskdjfhg]

I'm going to see about getting the P&H moved over to the building soon. Hopefully I don't have to brake the boom down to do it. But that boom on was a HORRIBLE job even with 3 people, I won't have a chance by myself. Also going to move what's light (less than 15,000lbs) and easy with the hyster, need to take advantage of the dry weather while I can.

Actually the ground is super hard when dry and compacted.

The reason those trucks were getting stuck was because that dirt on the side of the building is the **** dirt that was originally dig out of the hole. It was just spread with the dozer, and those trucks were the first things to roll over that dirt unfortunately.

The geo fabric was laid down because when it gets the slightest ammount of water, this heavy expansive clay turns to bottomless goop.

And as expensive as that crushed concrete was, I wanted to lose as little as possible.

For those that may not know me from another forum, this is my Poor and Helpless. Shes a $3000, 40ton Ritchie Bros special.

 

[alskdjfhg]

This weeks progress, concrete turned out nice.

Kinda dissapointed how slowly these guys are moving, but they seem to be doing good work. They have the trusses set and the framing done for the main building and have the posts set for one of the lean toos.

We are supposed to get a bunch of rain Monday/Tuesday so I'm sure thatll mess everything up. Fingers crossed for having the insulation and metal up by the end of the week.

 

[sean Buick 76]

Sorry for your loss, and really good work moving on at such a tough time. Keep up the great work and keep us posted!

 

[alskdjfhg]

Slowly but surely.

Had a huge storm Monday/Tuesday, even had a couple tornadoes touch down few miles away. So that slowed everything down.

They should finish doing the framing for the lean toos today. Depending on the weather, I might have metal up by the end of the week.

Im uploading this directly with my phone, so let see if the pictures go through ok.

Im also having to line up more crushed concrete. 18 loads of bull rock and the hyster is still getting stuck.....

Going to be fun to get it out by myself, hopefully once it drys out its not too bad.

 

[alskdjfhg]

Truck drivers dumped the 6 loads of crushed concrete, in about the worst possible spot. I didn't know until today, but I got it spread to make my approach to the building. And I'm working on getting it packed in.

Tried to move the hyster on to the concrete, got it out of where it was, and promptly got it stuck again. This time even worse than the first time....

I'm told that the roof should be up by Tuesday, which is good because I'm having a planer brought in a rollback Wednesday. I really hope I have a roof by then.

I wanted to use the hyster as the anchor to help unload the planer, but since its stuck. AGAIN!. So I drove the boom truck inside instead.

 

[alskdjfhg]

They put my roof up today. All thats left is the front face, trim and eventually doors.

I'm glad they got the roof up. I'm bringing in this planer on a rollback Wednesday and in glad it's going under a roof.

 

[alskdjfhg]

Shop shell is done, they finished yesterday.

Need to start back on my electric service hook up, wiring, lighting and figure out something for doors.

Brought in a planer today. Riggers said it weighed 24,300lbs.

First tool I bought for the shop showed up today as well. M18 Milwaukee cordless grease gun.

 

[alskdjfhg]

Finally got power turned on about a month ago.

Over 45 tons of machine tools moved inside and working on getting spindles turning and equipment running.

Recently got a small 2 ton inside forklift. Old hyster makes it look like a toy.

 

[sporty_drew]

Looks like you are getting a good start at filling up the building. What are your projects or plans to use the building for? I saw you mentioned machine shop and farm?

 

[alskdjfhg]

Yes, farming and machine shop are the plan.

It'll be somewhat weird farming, using old slow two row equipment for the most part. Won't make a whole lot of money, but doing some weird small scale organic operation should have a high enough per acre yeild it pencils out. Also planning to put together 10-20 hives for the spring and start beekeeping again.

The machine shop would again be old slow and weird. Probably gearing up towards large large hydraulic cylinders and rebuilding pumps. Also have general fabrication and job shop type equipment.

Another project I have to start on is the leaking boom cylinders on the F800 service truck, (and eventually get a CDL) then I can do onsite removal of pumps and cylinders. That way I'd be a one stop shop for removal, rebuild and reinstall.

Probally also have a hydraulic hose making machine on the service rig to offer that as well.

I'm in a unique position where I have the opportunity to possibly pursue many different things to make the farm cash positive. And yet the time to work on these things as they develop because, thanks to Dad's life insurance, it's all paid for.

Have a long ways to go before that point thouhgh. Had my last final exam today, so hopefully in the next month before summer classes start, I can make some real progress.

 

[jsherid1]

Keep at it, and think about putting together a written business plan for the organic farm. When you put things down on paper it forces you to think it out completely, even if you are the only one that ever looks at it.

 

[C_F]

Just saw your thread today. I love the shot of the little forklift next to the Hyster!

 

[alskdjfhg]

Now that school is out, (my last final was the 10th, was my birthday as well, turned 20) trying to get some stuff done.

Clutch job on the 430 is sort of done, clutch is put back together and tractor is one piece again, but I need to modify a linkage in the clutch pedal. The new pressure plate and throw out bearing are slightly different and the existing adjustment is not enough.

I think the Hyster has a leaking fuel cap, the fuel filters keep getting fill of water and killing the machine. Well yesterday it died on me right outside the shop and I resolved to finally fix it.

Raised the forks with the starter turning the hydraulic pump though the engine. Then drug it in the door dead with the 930. The plan is to drill and fit the bottom of the fuel tank with a drain of some-sort. Way I can clean the tank out real good.

I was planning on having the 430 done today, so I drug the next project over to the shop. But since the 430 is going to take a little longer, this project went under a lean to for right now. It's a Case 700B, Dad said it had a leaking headgasket or cracked head. But this tractor probably hasn't run in over a decade, so I was too little at the time to remember what it was doing at the time.

Also got a 4-53 parts engine, paid way too much, $250. But might be handy if I ever have problems with the 4-53 in the P&H.