A Shed Downunder.

[don long]

1/2 cup

I have visited your thread many times and enjoy seeing the variety of your talents as you post the different projects you are working on.

I just realised that I have taken from you and your thread without saying "thank you"
So let me fix that. THANK YOU!!
You do great work .Now what are your plans for those cool lights??

 

[1/2 Cup]

Hi Steve, that unimig tig welder is great at that price and they perform really well, the only thing i would do is upgrade the earth lead as you will find it gets really hot, you could almost weld with it sometimes. The bunker lights look great too
keep up the great work.
Lee

Thanks Lee,
From all accounts, the reviews and friends who have Unimig gear say it will do all I will need and more.
Welder leads that get hot are a pet peeve of mine, I have a new C.I.G. 400amp earth clamp with an inbuilt shunt and plenty of welder flex if it is an issue.

A lead that gets hot is indicative of a loose or poor connection somewhere, I have seen tradesmen welders wielding away with smoke coming from an earth clamp and wondering why they are continually cranking the amps up.

If it is anything like this one I got from the NZ H&F counterpart you will really enjoy and get good use out of it: http://www.machineryhouse.co.nz/W1125
Might pay to get the foot pedal too!

Had it for over 9 months and still learning about all its features.

Yours looks very similar.

At work we had an early digital Esab and you could make that thing talk.

In the deal, seeing it came on special after I hit the checkout button they have given me it at the discounted price, plus coupons and bonus points that pays for the freight. I also purchased the trolley and foot control as well.

I cannot wait to play with it.

Thanks for posting, I will let you know how it goes and include some pics.

 

[1/2 Cup]

The lights came up nice Steve.

Nice bunker lights 1/2cup

Thanks guys ,I am really happy with how they turned out and I have brought some CFL lamps for them which work well.
I just couldn't bear to see them tossed in the dumpster, when I got them they had about 4 coats of paint and crud build up from over 60 odd years of service.
The lenses came up a treat as well.

 

[1/2 Cup]

1/2 cup

I have visited your thread many times and enjoy seeing the variety of your talents as you post the different projects you are working on.

I just realised that I have taken from you and your thread without saying "thank you"
So let me fix that. THANK YOU!!
You do great work .Now what are your plans for those cool lights??

Don,

What can I say other than I am truly humbled for your kind comments and many thanks to you and the wider GJ community as well.

I take away so much way from here both personally as well the inspiration to, as we say downunder, " have a go "

The bunker lights will end up along the wall of the "Storage Solution " that I will be building adjacent to our carport that gets a total rebuild in the not to distant future.

Many thanks again for stopping by, much appreciated.


Cheers

 

[HOTFR8]

I can just imagine them being painted over every time an installation got a new coat of paint. What news on the insulators ? Still thinking about them no doubt.

 

[1/2 Cup]

I can just imagine them being painted over every time an installation got a new coat of paint. What news on the insulators ? Still thinking about them no doubt.

My ideas for the insulators are still getting tossed about, that's why I have purposely left them front and centre on the bench. It has been amazing all the comments and suggestions I have had from different people that have seen them and all taken on board.

 

[HOTFR8]

Care to share any of those suggestions on the forum ?

 

[1/2 Cup]

Care to share any of those suggestions on the forum ?

Sure can and should have done it sooner and to that end I should have done a POLL on it as there are some pretty creative members out there.

The question is??? When you are kindly given (thanks again HOTFR8) six high voltage glass insulators to repurpose just what would you do with them??

View media item 40258
Here is my thoughts thus far..

Option 1. Individual candelabras using the railway sleeper cleats as a stands.

View media item 40476
Option 2. Individual Potpourri dishes. Mrs 1/2 Cups choice..
Option 3. A water feature using all six insulators.
Option 4. I am leaning towards using them as set of six suspended light shades.
Option 5. A base for a desk light or similar.

The real quandary I have is that the cast iron centre bit is glued to the glass as you can see and once I start cutting that out there is no going back.

A google search turned up some really neat ideas, one thing i did not realise is that they actually have quite an almost cult following.

Your input to help me decide the insulators ultimate fate would be appreciated.

 

[Bob Heine]

Sure can and should have done it sooner and to that end I should have done a POLL on it as there are some pretty creative members out there.

The question is??? When you are kindly given (thanks again HOTFR8) six high voltage glass insulators to repurpose just what would you do with them??

View media item 40258
Here is my thoughts thus far..

Option 1. Individual candelabras using the railway sleeper cleats as a stands.

View media item 40476
Option 2. Individual Potpourri dishes. Mrs 1/2 Cups choice..
Option 3. A water feature using all six insulators.
Option 4. I am leaning towards using them as set of six sususpended light shades.
Option 5. A base for a desk light or similar.

The real quandary I have is that the cast iron centre bit is glued to the glass as you can see and once I start cutting that out there is no going back.

A google search turned up some really neat ideas, one thing i did not realise is that they actually have quite an almost cult following.

Your input to help me decide the insulators ultimate fate would be appreciated.

1/2 Cup,

At first I thought the insulators could be used as suspended lights over the counter in the kitchen...

...but then I remembered you already spent some serious time and effort on the kitchen lighting.

Kitchen and family room lighting upgrade Finished, well almost ........ apart from repainting the ceiling.


View media item 40999

Well that was my weekend....

If you have a permanent location planned for the dining table and benches, maybe pendant lights over that. A 3-lamp candelabra for the industrial table would be another cool option and since you have six to work with, you could do both.

 

[HOTFR8]

The lights sound to me like a great way to re-purpose them given the electrical field you work in. What about the packing crates ? You had some ideas for them as well.

Hmmmmmm.........Cult following. This will be interesting.

 

[HSpencer]

I remember seeing those insulators as a young man, but I don't recall seeing any here in the States for some time. The ones sought after here (antique shop and flea markets) are more bell shaped and have no metal in them. Also, I recall the ones that were brown and bell shaped and these usually seen at transfer stations.
I would say you have something really unique there.
I am thinking fabricate an LED light fixture from them, say over a desk or counter. Blue LED would look as the youngsters say: "Bad to the Bone"!!

Best Regards
Herb Spencer

 

[1/2 Cup]

1/2 Cup,

At first I thought the insulators could be used as suspended lights over the counter in the kitchen...

...but then I remembered you already spent some serious time and effort on the kitchen lighting.



If you have a permanent location planned for the dining table and benches, maybe pendant lights over that. A 3-lamp candelabra for the industrial table would be another cool option and since you have six to work with, you could do both.

Bob,
I am really leaning toward the light option as adding new lights to the kitchen/ family room will not a big deal. We currently have the fluorescents as general lighting and strategically placed down lights for task lighting as well as providing a nice ambience and flexibility.

Perhaps 3 pendant lights, 2 wall sconces and one candelabra to match???.

You cannot have enough diversity when it comes to lighting from a functional, aesthetic and not to mention the running cost points of view.
I have always tried to keep those considerations uppermost in mind when scoping out a lighting design job.

Many thanks for your contribution.

 

[1/2 Cup]

The lights sound to me like a great way to re-purpose them given the electrical field you work in. What about the packing crates ? You had some ideas for them as well.

Hmmmmmm.........Cult following. This will be interesting.

The timber is destined for the backing piece of wall art to display some smaller enamel signs and car badges on. You can't buy patina.

You should Google glass insulators, its a whole new world out there in insulator collector land, absolutely amazing.

One issue I do have in using them as a suspended light fitting is the weight of the glass, they are heavy little critters!

Thinking out of the square the options I have thus far are;

1. Some nice rusty chain??
2. I have some nice 3 core cable that has a woven copper screen with a clear PVC sheath that will support the weight and should look well proportioned.

And many thanks again..

 

[1/2 Cup]

I remember seeing those insulators as a young man, but I don't recall seeing any here in the States for some time. The ones sought after here (antique shop and flea markets) are more bell shaped and have no metal in them. Also, I recall the ones that were brown and bell shaped and these usually seen at transfer stations.
I would say you have something really unique there.
I am thinking fabricate an LED light fixture from them, say over a desk or counter. Blue LED would look as the youngsters say: "Bad to the Bone"!!

Best Regards
Herb Spencer

Herb,

I have a confession to make, as I am driving around I am tending to have one eye on every power pole I pass, bizarre I know. It appears we still have a few of these sort of insulators still in service out here, mainly on older infrastructure. They appear to be used mainly where the lines change direction and are not running in alignment to the main feeder, as an assembly they are pretty much self aligning.
I am surprised at the variety you see, I have never taken a lot of notice before.

My next challenge will be to remove the cast iron fittings from the glass without generating too much heat and cracking them.

You are right LEDs will look great.

Many thanks for stopping by again.

Regards..

 

[HOTFR8]

Eyes on the road Steve. Now you will have me looking at every power pole I see. I never knew what they would have been for except for what you have told me. They are or would have been High Voltage.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Eyes on the road Steve. Now you will have me looking at every power pole I see. I never knew what they would have been for except for what you have told me. They are or would have been High Voltage.

Sorry but I just can't help myself

Depending on the number of insulators they link together they are generally used for 11000, 22000 or 66000 volt transmission lines.
Cheers

 

[RivennHewn]

1/2 cup, Thanks for stopping by my side of the world.

Seems you've been busy too.

Got those bunker lights installed yet? I've always like that style.

Liked your quote "You can't buy patina", but you can enhance it!

 

[1/2 Cup]

1/2 cup, Thanks for stopping by my side of the world.

Seems you've been busy too.

Got those bunker lights installed yet? I've always like that style.

Liked your quote "You can't buy patina", but you can enhance it!

Its always great to check out what you are up too

Silly busy at work, end of financial year, winter maintenance and projects with deadlines!!

The bunker light install will be at least another six months away as they are destined for the " Storage Solution " beside the carport, yet another of the many projects I have to do.

I have to agree you can enhance patina, to true

Thanks for stopping by..

Cheers

 

[1/2 Cup]

Another project drawing to a close, one of the two bench seats and its matching table.
I still have to give both frames another coat of black but it will have to wait until the weather warms up here.

View media item 41579
You will have to excuse any grammatical errors today as we had our work place Christmas in July last night and I am not running on all 8 cylinders today.

Have a great weekend.

 

[metalhead140]

Chair looks great!

 

[HSpencer]

Table and bench are a work of art. Very nice job!!! I like the colorization of the black and wood.

Best Regards
Herb

 

[1/2 Cup]

Chair looks great!

Table and bench are a work of art. Very nice job!!! I like the colorization of the black and wood.

Best Regards
Herb

Many thanks gents.

The bench seats almost past the QA department ( AKA Mrs 1/2 Cup ) inspection as well.

Ergonomics - Big tick.

Aesthetics - Another big tick.

Functionality - Yet another big tick.

Timber finish - Another coat of Danish Oil was recommended.

Have a good one

 

[1/2 Cup]

Well it official, I started work over the weekend and turned the first sod so to speak on the "Storage Solution"

We have literally been bursting at the seams around here for some years now in terms of storage in the shed and house for that matter. Mrs 1/2 Cup has long been a strong advocate to for us to look at our options either to sell here and get a place more suited to our current and long term needs or come up with some innovative ways in which we can work with our home of some 35 years.

As much as I would like to the thought of moving and starting over does not sit comfortably with me, Mrs 1/2 Cup on the other hand would. She, I must say thinks out of the square and some time back canvassed the idea of turning our fernery that runs beside our carport in to a storage shed. I love my garden but given just how time consuming they can be and the practicality that the solution offers in a lot of ways for both of us, so its all go.

The build throws up some challenges however, as the current carport that I built some 30 odd years ago needs to be brought into the 21st. century as well.

These are the original drawings/plans I submitted to council way back when.

View media item 35448
View media item 35442
The carport as it stands today and the remnants of the fernery which were for the most part cleared out today with most of the plants if not given away were sold on our Craigslist here called "Gumtree"


View media item 41589
This will be a project that will tick away in the background for me over the next six - twelve months or so.

I have hardly put pen to paper as yet, its all very conceptual at this stage. Sketches and my ideas to follow.

Have a good one, enjoy..

 

[Sunbimmer]

I'm following 1/2 Cup good luck on that

 

[metalhead140]

Look forward to your storage plans.

 

[80WTI_55_CHEV]

You can never have enough storage Steve so i think once finished you will love it, but i don't know about this getting council approval stuff, sounds almost un Australian, up here our local council are a bit of a joke especially around the flood zones as they don't want any future adjustments to properties including shed's patios or anything, but they aren't paying my house off for me so i have no intent on listening to them, hopefully they are a lot easier to deal with down your way mate.

 

[1/2 Cup]

I'm following 1/2 Cup good luck on that

Look forward to your storage plans.

You can never have enough storage Steve so i think once finished you will love it, but i don't know about this getting council approval stuff, sounds almost un Australian, up here our local council are a bit of a joke especially around the flood zones as they don't want any future adjustments to properties including shed's patios or anything, but they aren't paying my house off for me so i have no intent on listening to them, hopefully they are a lot easier to deal with down your way mate.

Thanks guys

Lee,

Did i read the words " council approval " ? the original plans had approval 30 years ago i thought that they might still apply today

Any way thats what i will use in my defence.

I am still trying to duck and weave around those issues...

Our city council sound exactly like yours up there.

Cheers

PS I am taking my address out of my avitar.

 

[HOTFR8]

PS I am taking my address out of my avitar.

Why is that ?

 

[anth]

I did the right thing and got a building permit for my shed, then my council thanked me by sending me a $275 bill for a "clean work permit", which basically said I have to promise to not damage the footpath, and to fix it if I did. I will forever be sour about this, haha, it shits me to even think about it!

 

[sean Buick 76]

Great projects in your thread!!!! Keep up the awesome work!!

 

[1/2 Cup]

Why is that ?

Just joking, I also thought about camouflage paint on the roof as our council, as would many, use GIS mapping systems similar to Google maps to check on illegal building activity.

I did the right thing and got a building permit for my shed, then my council thanked me by sending me a $275 bill for a "clean work permit", which basically said I have to promise to not damage the footpath, and to fix it if I did. I will forever be sour about this, haha, it shits me to even think about it!

I will need a permit because the storage shed is over 10 square meters, that's my next battle.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Great projects in your thread!!!! Keep up the awesome work!!

Many thanks for dropping by and kind words, its much appreciated.

 

[HOTFR8]

Just joking, I also thought about camouflage paint on the roof as our council, as would many, use GIS mapping systems similar to Google maps to check on illegal building activity.

Why do you think I dug in after I put up the extensions here . We all know many councils do just that.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Why do you think I dug in after I put up the extensions here . We all know many councils do just that.

I never thought of that one, an under ground storage solution.

 

[HOTFR8]

Remember we put up the extension then worked on the cellar and pit and the machinery was out of site under cover out of the bad weather. Unless they read it here who would know ! I doubt they would read it here.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Remember we put up the extension then worked on the cellar and pit and the machinery was out of site under cover out of the bad weather. Unless they read it here who would know ! I doubt they would read it here.

Your set up is fantastic.
And you are right, at the last building inspection I had done on the back room all the building inspector seemed to be interested in was if I had smoke detectors installed in the house.

 

[BBChevro]

...I will need a permit because the storage shed is over 10 square meters, that's my next battle.

Hey 1/2cup, when we were considering the purchase of our current home in 1999, one of the deciding factors was whether I could demolish the 2 car carport (with a small workshop behind it) in the back yard & build a shed large enough to store 3 cars (with a small workshop area as well).
Nobody at the local council would clearly tell me what the rules were (and there were plenty of very "grey area" rules), they would just tell me to submit plans - I wasn't about to submit plans (with all the associated fees) when I hadn't even bought the property!!


The day (and my sanity) was saved when we found a building consultant - they were able to tell me exactly what I could & couldn't get away with & that I could build it right on the rear boundary (we back onto parklands - one of the reasons we were attracted to the place) - I ended up with a shed measuring (approximately) 22' x 39' (not huge but I opted for 10' walls & a steeper than usual pitch on the roof, so I could build a mezanine floor later).
They (the consultancy firm) weren't very expensive & they did all the dealings with council .

 

[1/2 Cup]

Hey 1/2cup, when we were considering the purchase of our current home in 1999, one of the deciding factors was whether I could demolish the 2 car carport (with a small workshop behind it) in the back yard & build a shed large enough to store 3 cars (with a small workshop area as well).
Nobody at the local council would clearly tell me what the rules were (and there were plenty of very "grey area" rules), they would just tell me to submit plans - I wasn't about to submit plans (with all the associated fees) when I hadn't even bought the property!!


The day (and my sanity) was saved when we found a building consultant - they were able to tell me exactly what I could & couldn't get away with & that I could build it right on the rear boundary (we back onto parklands - one of the reasons we were attracted to the place) - I ended up with a shed measuring (approximately) 22' x 39' (not huge but I opted for 10' walls & a steeper than usual pitch on the roof, so I could build a mezanine floor later).
They (the consultancy firm) weren't very expensive & they did all the dealings with council .

Duly noted and thanks Mark, much appreciated.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Finally, I received confirmation that my new welder is being shipped this week. The welder trolley was on back order and I had said that I was happy to wait until that had arrived and the whole package be shipped together, any way yesterday would have been the ideal time to test it out as I spent most of the afternoon widening the checker plate floor in the tilt trailer my son uses for the MG race car. The trailer is also used to cart a TC MG which has a narrower track and will sort some of the issues he has when the car is loaded on the trailer.

View media item 37411
We added another 8" of checker plate to each track, some additional supports, modified the tie down brackets and the number plate bracket.
I couldn't use the MIG welder because I don't have a 3 phase lead long enough that would reach from the outlet in the shed, so it was out with the MMA stick welder and all positional vertical down welds. The new DC inverter welder would have been ideal to try.
I am a big fan of CIG Satincraft rods as you can get plenty of penetration and a great finish as well.

On the "Carport / Storage Solution" front I have changed my original design concept which was basically replicating the timber structure in RHS but adding a gable roof in lieu of the flat roof.

View media item 41589
The thought is now that I will widen the whole structure to the fence line still with a pitched roof as this will mitigate a few issues I have I terms of alignment and aesthetics due to the fact the house has not been built square to the boundary fence and the driveway has not been centred to the existing carport alignment.
I will be putting pen to paper in the next week or so.

Have a great weekend, Cheers.

 

[HOTFR8]

Busy as usual I see.