Ive been getting quotes for the past couple years to have a shop put up. The prices are crazy, so really considering a DIY metal building. I have enough pipe laying around or easy access to get more. but pipe takes quite a bit more time with the fitting and welding. 4" square steel square tubing is used pretty common in alot of buildings in my area so thinking about doing that (easier to work with). Im just not completely sure of what thickness I need to use thoughts are minimum of 3/16". anybody have any experience/insight on this?
DIY metal building
- Thread starter J2 weld
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larry4406
Well-known member
We had a member here several years back, I think from West Va and he was both a registered professional mechanical engineer, and an excellent fabricator.
He built all of his own metal trusses and tube steel supports and documented the whole thing. Was a very nice build.
My googlefu is not working now to find it.
He built all of his own metal trusses and tube steel supports and documented the whole thing. Was a very nice build.
My googlefu is not working now to find it.
nadogail
Well-known member
IMHO, all projects cost more than you want to spend. If the job takes more skills than you have; it is time to grow your skills. Most of my skills were acquired by Trial and Error.
larry4406
Well-known member
If inspections are required where you live, then this is probably a pipe dream unless you can get an engineer on board.
I would look at Versatube, I am really happy with the kit I got from them. You can buy just the frame if you want and their tubing is really nice. Was cheaper than anything else I could come up with when I was doing the same thing.
My Old Tools
Well-known member
Get it engineered correctly with some known structural steel. I prefer red iron.
tool_scrounge
Well-known member
This. I know of someone who built his own shop without a permit or engineering. Stood there fine for 30+ years. Someone turned him in to the County. He had to remove it as no engineer would sign off on it for the permitting. If your area has no permits required, you may be OK. But you may have liability if it ever falls down
joe_padavano
Well-known member
I have several shop and barn outbuildings on the farm that I've put up myself. Most are pole barns with trusses that I purchased. In one case I got a deal on a red iron metal building that had been purchased but never assembled, so it was all still on pallets. I also erected that one myself. Pole buildings are less expensive than metal frame buildings since the latter require an engineered foundation for proper structural support. I'm in the middle of putting up a 40x80 shop and this time I went with PermaColumns and metal 40 ft trusses. The non-structural concrete slab is the single most expensive part.
Yeah, so I am in oil country (SWKS.) I’ve been welding pipeline for the past 17-18 yrs so I’ve got all the welding and fabrication equipment. I’ve also got access to plenty of pipe and I’ve built a couple smaller buildings out of drill stem it just takes a lot of time. I’m just hoping maybe using 4” square tubing would be much simpler and quicker as far as layout, cutting, and fitting but it’s definitely not cheap when you use the thicker material! But you know how it goes, I think it would be fun to build my own big shop but I have projects piling up so trying to figure out a faster way to do it! Thank you!
What size of building did you go with? I have been very seriously looking into tubular construction. It costs way less and they can have one of those stood up in a couple days! I’m wanting a 40x40x14-16’ or 40x60x14-16’ just wondering how they hold up especially in the high winds?
nadogail
Well-known member
I have successfully repurposed used Load Beams from Pallet Racking into Fence and Gate Posts.
tool_scrounge
Well-known member
If you were going to use oil field pipe, what diameter would you use?If I had a free source of suitable pipe, I would be figuring out a repeatable way of notching or fitting to make the tube fabrication go faster.
My first thought is to use a cheap Nichols #8 horizontal mill and a roller stand for the far end of the tube.
here is a photo of tool room version owned by a member of the GJ. The more common production version would probably be fine for this type of job.
other information:
https://www.lathes.co.uk/nichols/
You spec them for your area or better. I think mine ended 120mph wind and 80 pounds snow load, higher than needed for code. We just had 80mph winds though so I'm glad I did it higher. Had no issues with years of random 60-85mph winds since I built it, and **** tons of snow. You can also mess with those numbers to try and get your framing on 4ft centers, mines 5ft and I wish it was 4. Mine is also pretty small, 24x36. A friend did a 32x48 that turned out really nice. I am very happy with their frames, super solid. And they are really easy to put up. You are usually better getting metal locally, which they tell you as they don't make it, just the frames. That's what I did. They gave me a very detailed cut sheet that the local building place had no trouble filling.
I looked at a bunch of kits and didn't see any that had as nice of frames as VersaTube. Everything was thinner and/or smaller. They have a cool video about how they came up with the design and built the machines to make it.
The pst couple I’ve done I used 2 3/8” and built scissor trusses using sucker rod for the webbing. I just coped and fit everything a torch and grinder. But that is a good idea, if you had something you could set up and just cut and cope the ends you could have a whole pile of trusses knocked out in no time! That was the part about using pipe that took the most time was cutting and fitting. Also with pipe I made sure to brace everything since pipe flexes.If you were going to use oil field pipe, what diameter would you use?If I had a free source of suitable pipe, I would be figuring out a repeatable way of notching or fitting to make the tube fabrication go faster.
My first thought is to use a cheap Nichols #8 horizontal mill and a roller stand for the far end of the tube.
here is a photo of tool room version owned by a member of the GJ. The more common production version would probably be fine for this type of job.
other information:
https://www.lathes.co.uk/nichols/
uratool
Well-known member
If you wind up doing this project...any chance the well pipe is radioactive to a degree that might be a concern? Knew some ignorant, well-meaning folk that built a cattle fence using radioactive stem pipe and now have to be monitored periodically by their state agency.
member name checks out...
(I was thinking in this case of uranium, lol - not the simpler pun/homonym)
Joemctag
Well-known member
You can order all kinds of self-drilling screws suitable for assemblng trusses..
I was able to buy square, galvanized tube in garious sizes from a company in eastern North Carolina that sells and erects tube buildings. Could bave got the roof and wall sheets, too . They cut those to llength without charging for the cuts.
I was fabricating stuff with the tube, so didnt need sheets or trim or doors: Good luck!
Well to tell a family secret, I’m afraid if somebody would happen to walk around my pipe racks with a Geiger counter there heads would explode lol! Pretty much anything that came from a well site or has some residual crude oil has trace amounts of NORM. But it dissipates on its own over time from my experiences
.Have you heard anything about “American Steel Structures”? I just got a quote from them and for the size and everything it’s like $10-15k cheaper than anything I’ve looked at!! If it’s that cheap kind of has me a little nervous about quality and longevity!
cvairwerks
Well-known member
A Mueller 40x60x16 bolt up kit is about 28K$, less doors. Includes stamped drawings.....
aka Larry
Well-known member
Where are you located? My 40'x40' steel building (see link in my signature) uses 2" square tubing for the trusses.