Draw bridge for large shed.

[wgm]

its been Decades since i learned Mechanical Drawing. **** i would like to know what scale to use to make a Drawing and figure out a bill of materials. the existing garage door is a metal roll-up and during Cold HArd New england winters i can open the garage to deal with removing large items as i currently place 2" thick foam board over the metal door to keep the heat inside during winter.
Can anyone direct me to the old school way to Draw up some plans so i dont over buy my wood with the sky high lumber costs.
my thoughts are to build a 2x4 frame, skin exterior with T-111 side panels and skin the indoor with marine grade plywood. the voids will be filled with insulating panels and hinged to the lower shed front framing.
it is something similar to what i see on Enclosed trailers used for Motorcycles and Landscapers/Tradesmen.


Thanks for the assist.
Dave

 

[safnd2021]

Are you using t1-11 and not putting any sheeting on the building?

Lumber prices have fallen significantly I bought a pallet of 2x6s 92 5/8 for 5.95 a piece I'm sure 2x4s are cheaper. Plus it's nice to have extra for bracing and to pick the best studs

 

[cvairwerks]

If you use any of the CAD type programs, it will be 1:1. For old style pencil and paper, you can use quadrule sheets and that would give you 1 big square: 1'..ie each small square would be 3" and the large ones 1'. Find some 11x17 pads and you could go larger if needed.

 

[65ranchero]

quadrule sheets and a student architects scale like this

Amazon.com : Helix Student Architect's Triangular Scale 12 Inch / 30cm (18170) : Triangular Scales : Office Products

Amazon.com : Helix Student Architect's Triangular Scale 12 Inch / 30cm (18170) : Triangular Scales : Office Products

www.amazon.com

I think I got mine at Staples

 

[jack stand]

Your only talking about a 1 cart job, but planning is good. Get a 1/4" scale paa at staples, sketch the overall proposed door making each block equal a foot and skip or approximate drawing the inches and fractions. Then draw in more detail (like each block equals 3") your corner connections as in the horizontals to verticals.
In another detailed drawing, decide and draw the added framing necessary to support your hinge locations.
Lastly, create a cut list, this is where you figure out how to make up your finished overall dimensions. A "scalable" drawing for this is unnecessary but drawing it out will help with your mental vision of the finished door and the "joinery" that if correct will provide extra rigidity.
I'd recommend using screws and construction adhesive. Things that will repeatedly move (and flex) will ultimately loosen nails.
I hope this helps, I don't understand the drawbridge reference. I can't imagine that you'll be laying this down into your workspace or outside.

 

[wgm]

Your only talking about a 1 cart job, but planning is good. Get a 1/4" scale paa at staples, sketch the overall proposed door making each block equal a foot and skip or approximate drawing the inches and fractions. Then draw in more detail (like each block equals 3") your corner connections as in the horizontals to verticals.
In another detailed drawing, decide and draw the added framing necessary to support your hinge locations.
Lastly, create a cut list, this is where you figure out how to make up your finished overall dimensions. A "scalable" drawing for this is unnecessary but drawing it out will help with your mental vision of the finished door and the "joinery" that if correct will provide extra rigidity.
I'd recommend using screws and construction adhesive. Things that will repeatedly move (and flex) will ultimately loosen nails.
I hope this helps, I don't understand the drawbridge reference. I can't imagine that you'll be laying this down into your workspace or outside

 

[wgm]

that is exactly what i was referring. thank you. and it is my plan to have this as a Drawbridge. hinged at the bottom and raise it up to protect the existing metal door.
I currently have 2" foam boards installed in front of the metal roll-up door for Winter time with a man door for entry.
my Goal is to have the "Draw Bridge" to be hinged on the bottom to be used as a ramp for regular usage and raise it during winter to keep the heat inside.
With Regards to the Weight, i am thinking of using a winch or some gagare springs to counterbalance the effort to raise it.

 

[jkuro]

If you buy to much, why can't you just take it back ?

 

[jbfsr]

I like 1/4" = 1'. 1/4 graph paper works well.

 

[jack stand]

Iirc the last trailer that had thi ramp setup had a torsional spring in pretty normal garage door hardware. But none of them I've ever seen had a taper, they used a (hinged inward) strip of good advantec osb subflooring about 16" wide to complete the transition to the ground. It's heavy and expensive but it's very water resistant. We'd leave the ramp down on the job tool trailer all day in the rain and it never showed any damage over the years. You'll need to buy a whole sheet (4x8) to make this flip over transition piece.

 

[jack stand]

Now that I look at your picture, have you simply priced an insulated door? There may be not as much difference in cost by the time you build this and include the spring assistance and the hinges even with "free" labor. Then as long as you're current door isn't some oddball shedbuilder size, it could be sold, then if it's a simple "sectional" door, a lot of guys have filled the inside of the panels with rigid foam for insulation. This would only be about $100 for 3 2" 4x8 sheets.

 

[wgm]

Now that I look at your picture, have you simply priced an insulated door? There may be not as much difference in cost by the time you build this and include the spring assistance and the hinges even with "free" labor. Then as long as you're current door isn't some oddball shedbuilder size, it could be sold, then if it's a simple "sectional" door, a lot of guys have filled the inside of the panels with rigid foam for insulation. This would only be about $100 for 3 2" 4x8 sheets.

i have looked at other doors. during the build phase , the other garage door footprint consumed the overhead and interfered with the Heater; about a foot away from the door roll space.
i didnt even think a door like this would be uninsulated for this region. i have even considered the flexible radiant silver foil barrier, **** that didnt give much insulation for the price

 

[FredWanaker]

i use graph paper, a good pencil, ruler, eraser, and tape measure.

 

[rayra]

seconding / thirding 1/4" graph paper and a ruler. Easy.

But the drawbridge idea is not a good one IMAO.
Drawbridge also infers you will walk on or drive on it when it is down. Worse still you will have to clear all the snow off the ground in front of the drawbridge in order to lower it.

SImple EPS foam sheets, double laminated 2", for a 4" thickness. OR even a 6", outfitted with an eyebolt setup so you hang them against the inside of the roll-up will do what you want and be easily handled and set aside when you want to operate the door.

 

[bas157]

Going on what Rayra said, the drawbridge, depending on how the bottom is arranged, might collected and hold snow and ice up against the garage door. Might melt and refreeze in between the sections of the door and cause some small warps? You'd have to have it sealed up nice and tight along the top and edges

 

[mike93lx]

I use excel for my 2d modeling. Adjust the grid to small squares, decide on a scale and then you can use borders, coloring and merging to do the layout. Works awesome

 

[wgm]

seconding / thirding 1/4" graph paper and a ruler. Easy.

But the drawbridge idea is not a good one IMAO.
Drawbridge also infers you will walk on or drive on it when it is down. Worse still you will have to clear all the snow off the ground in front of the drawbridge in order to lower it.

SImple EPS foam sheets, double laminated 2", for a 4" thickness. OR even a 6", outfitted with an eyebolt setup so you hang them against the inside of the roll-up will do what you want and be easily handled and set aside when you want to operate the door.

i do have the insulated panels installed on the exterior of the metal roll up door. i also have a heavy Freight Elevator padded "Curtain" hanging on the interior in front of the door with a small dead air space. During winter, i always keep my driveway cleared

 

[brownbagg]

just buy insulated panel boards

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Years ago I'd pick a scale so the longest dimension fit 60-75% of the dimension of the paper.
For a bill of material scale doesn't matter that much.

 

[i4ni]

A drawbridge would be cool, especially if you dug a moat and put alligators in it

 

[Daniel Dudley]

Figure out the lift assist hardware first, and then plan it. make sure you have reinforcement for anything you might want to roll in there, and any hardware like hinges that you want to attach.

I usually sketch out something freehand with all the details, and if I don't like it, I sketch another drawing. I write in the dimensions. IF I draw it to scale, I won't draw it before I have all the details worked out. I will make separate sketches for different details or ideas I want to try. I can make a whole lot of sketches in a very short time, and I never erase anything, or fight the design on a detailed drawing.

FWIW, I once built a three story addition off of a sketch I made on an unfolded grocery bag in about 15 minutes. OTOH, I took drafting in school, and I used to loft boat plans, so I have some practice behind me. The point is, don't work out your details on your final drawing, and assume that if you can't draw it, you won't be able to build it either. I won't get in trouble if I sketch it out - only if I don't will I miss a detail.

 

[nolimits76]

As some others pointed out the scale size doesn’t matter as long as it fits in the paper. Theoretically you could either use a civil or architectural scale but the latter will make things larger. Civil will be 1”=60’, 40’, etc. Architectural will be measured as 1/4”=1’, 1/2”=1’, etc.

If you are any good with computers then a free or cheap CAD program is a good option. With CAD you draw in full 1:1 scale and then print to a scale that fits on your specified paper size.

if you want to get a little more tricky SketchUp is a free 3D program and very useful in creating plans. I’ve been working on a few projects in it and have worked through some problem areas and found solutions being able to visualize and spin as needed.

 

[619DioFan]

Would be easier to build two swing open doors that are insulated and attach them to the outside of the shed

 

[RPH]

A drawbridge would be cool, especially if you dug a moat and put alligators in it

And in the winter their tough spiked body frozen in the moat. Will allow you great stepping stones for traversing the frozen moat. Pictures indicate it will be real tough for at least a few months for gators.

 

[Jacko264]

For a torsion lift door look at tail lifts on trucks and see how they work
Graham