Above 1200 Sq/FT In-N-Outside the shop

[rzims]

What a cool property. You've done a ton of work!
We're also up in the CA foothills, but closer to Tahoe. A lot of property up here used to be grow farms. Now that the market is dying for the independent growers, there are even more empty plots on the market.
Good luck and keep the updates coming.

 

[Danny]

Love that chevy p/u too!

Thanks, I bought it when I was 17.

 

[Danny]

What a cool property. You've done a ton of work!
We're also up in the CA foothills, but closer to Tahoe. A lot of property up here used to be grow farms. Now that the market is dying for the independent growers, there are even more empty plots on the market.
Good luck and keep the updates coming.

It’s crazy how many properties were being used as grows, it was like a fad that came and went through this area. I’m sure there are still some but not like it was a few years ago.

Thanks!

 

[BigRed-131]

nice work

 

[Danny]

Alright I’m going to throw a bunch of pictures up as an example of all the trash scattered around the property. I’ve been cleaning up any and all trash as I find it.

Spotted some trash in the trees as I was driving by.

Ended up being more hidden under the leaves.

Found a deteriorating bag of brand new irrigation parts in a random spot.

No shortage of drip line throughout the property.

Probably removed a mile or more of this stuff.


More trash.

Before.

After.

Random. Some is harder to spot than others.

There was plenty more but this basically sums up the amount of trash left behind in random spots, I’m absolutely positive I will find more as time passes.

 

[ObnoxiousFumes]

Wow, just found your thread and I am impressed! You’ve made a heck of an improvement to the place! Kinda my dream property too. And I love cleaning places up like that, so satisfying lol.
And you’ve got some cool vehicles too! Sweet little Datsun, big Ram dually, the Jeep, and a classic old Chevy, I love it. Where does the 2nd gen hide out?
Also a fan of The Buggy, I kinda want to build one now

 

[Danny]

Wow, just found your thread and I am impressed! You’ve made a heck of an improvement to the place! Kinda my dream property too. And I love cleaning places up like that, so satisfying lol.
And you’ve got some cool vehicles too! Sweet little Datsun, big Ram dually, the Jeep, and a classic old Chevy, I love it. Where does the 2nd gen hide out?
Also a fan of The Buggy, I kinda want to build one now

Thanks we really like the place! There are a couple more vehicles that haven’t made an appearance yet but the dodge is hiding in the garage at the moment.

 

[Danny]

Did a little more work outside today, up by the barn.

I took down a bunch of fencing around the back, everything that’s left is welded to the awning posts. Once back there I had an idea involving a hitching post. I took half of it apart and cut new legs to set the half on.
Like this.


And now it holds my camper shell. All the stuff to put it together was already at the barn.

 

[Danny]

Gathering more junk from storage I found this ‘robot’ I built a while back, about 10 years ago according to these stamped numbers.

I built it because I had a large piston rod given to me, there was a junk 455 olds engine in pieces at my house, and I was bored. It originally just held a solar outdoor light but after the light failed it was put away and mostly forgotten.

I brought it to its new home and started getting an idea of what it’s new job would be.

I cut down an old junk cam and welded a piece of 1/8” plate to it. Then proceeded to stack caterpillars.

Then it looked like this, starting to take shape.

Straightened his arm and welded it in place, added a little gusset and made a clamping ring.

Gussets and welded on both sides.

Put a cast on his arm to slow the cooling some.

Cooled and ready for the next step.

 

[Danny]

Little 1/2 inch anchors going into the dirt. I drilled a hole in the piston feet for the bolts.

Strapped around the fence post.

Reborn as the address sign at the driveway.

 

[Danny]

Then there was a local estate sale about a mile down the road and I bought a bunch of cool stuff for the shop.

5 metal cabinets and 2 shelves for $40 each and it included all the contents.

Some of the stuff piled next to them, I kept probably 2/3 of the contents so far. There is also a little metal cart in this picture that was $5.

From the same place I picked up these toolboxes for $40 each (top and bottom combined) and the 42 slot organizer for $12.



Everything was packed full of tools, they definitely just wanted everything gone.


Can’t even remember the price of this cart and little toolbox on casters.

 

[Danny]

I’ve been slowly going through the toolboxes, a lot of the tools are USA made.

From one drawer.

From a cabinet.

Worth more than I paid for all the toolboxes.

Tons of drill bits and a drill doctor. That’s not even the only drawer full of bits, plus all the ones I already have.

So many cool tools!

Aaaaand a bunch more not pictured.

 

[Boostingaz]

Great score!!

 

[ObnoxiousFumes]

WOW, VERY nice score! I’m droolin!

 

[jarhead]

Well this brings back memories, LOL.
I was stationed at a Marine Corps training facility in Fresno, near Clovis the mid to late seventies. Many weekend drives to Kings Canyon for it's beauty and to getaway from town.

The picture of the potted plant containers remains cracked me up, we had a 7 acre hemp farm down the road from us for a few years, it went belly up and they left hundreds of those containers when they left, as well as shredded greenhouses. It's still a mess.

You have done a incredible cleanup job! And the shop is awesome. Have you ran into many snakes?

 

[Danny]

Well this brings back memories, LOL.
I was stationed at a Marine Corps training facility in Fresno, near Clovis the mid to late seventies. Many weekend drives to Kings Canyon for it's beauty and to getaway from town.

The picture of the potted plant containers remains cracked me up, we had a 7 acre hemp farm down the road from us for a few years, it went belly up and they left hundreds of those containers when they left, as well as shredded greenhouses. It's still a mess.

You have done a incredible cleanup job! And the shop is awesome. Have you ran into many snakes?

That’s awesome! I have seen a few snakes this year, 3 of my neighbors have come across rattlesnakes but I haven’t seen any of those yet. I did see a garter snake and a king snake within 10 minutes of each other while walking around the other day.

Also I love Kings Canyon! This picture was taken about 3 years ago before the road opened, two or three miles west of the first bridge that crosses the river. And thanks!

 

[DeeDubz]

Those two cabinets with the wood bring back memories. I lived out of those cabinets in the early days of my career. Those things are f ing heavy. The station I worked out of got them free from 29 palms Marine Corps base. Many yrs later I transferred to a different division. When I went back to visit those cabinets were gone and replaced with professional custom made cabinets. The some 15+ cabinets found their ways into the garages of the guys working there. I would have loved to have scored one. Nice score OP. I wish I had that luck at garage/estate sales...

 

[Danny]

Time to start on the bathroom.

Picked up some channel iron locally for $35/20’ stick (12 pieces total). It’s 4” x 5.4# and the green I beam was $20.


I cut some of the channel down and tacked them together to make posts.



The mig wasn’t liking the steel even with the material prepped bright and shiny so I dusted the cobwebs off my stick welding lead. First time using that process on a machine that I have had for 4+ years.

Then burned it in old school with the stick welder, it was nice having a fan blasting air on me in the hot shop while I welded.

 

[wagoncrazy]

Great find in that property, and the discoveries you've made since buying it. Your cleanup is already resulting in a nice place to do your thing. You're on the right track. Keep at it, and thank you for posting progress pics. Beautiful country there in the foothills.

 

[Ray-CA]

That's a lot of work, and nicely done. Looks like the Trimmer or Dunlap area. I worked out of the Fresno CHP office for a while.

 

[Danny]

Great find in that property, and the discoveries you've made since buying it. Your cleanup is already resulting in a nice place to do your thing. You're on the right track. Keep at it, and thank you for posting progress pics. Beautiful country there in the foothills.

Thanks, we really like it! I have a bunch of plans for the place and I’m excited to raise my 3 boys here.

That's a lot of work, and nicely done. Looks like the Trimmer or Dunlap area. I worked out of the Fresno CHP office for a while.

How bad was it working in Fresno as a CHP? I lived there for about 4 years and have some really good friends that still live there.
Yep, I’m right next to Dunlap in what used to be Squaw Valley.

 

[nadogail]

Great Find and I admire your creativity.

 

[Danny]

Cut some plate to get started, baseplates, stiffeners, etc.

Got the posts welded out and tacked to the I beams.

Corner gussets made, once those were tacked and everything was square I started welding it on the table.

Used the MiG this time, trying to weld it while it’s sitting flat on the table.

Got as much as I could get done on the table before laying it down and finishing it on the floor.

 

[Danny]

Great Find and I admire your creativity.

Thanks!

 

[65Goat]

I have enjoyed your story.

 

[Danny]

Its been about 3 months since I planted the sago tree and I just noticed some new growth today!

Little bit of bleaching on the leaves because of all the sun it gets but I’m pretty happy with it so far. I’m definitely not a green thumb like the previous owners!

 

[Danny]

Putting the restroom in the corner where the PO started to put one. Got it square and then welded the 2 top pieces of channel to the walls.

 

[Jeff Ivers]

If you are framing that bathroom in steel, is it to try to contain an anticipated explosion? Do you have a problem you want to discuss here?

 

[Danny]

If you are framing that bathroom in steel, is it to try to contain an anticipated explosion? Do you have a problem you want to discuss here?

Haha, no explosions of any kind allowed in the shop.

 

[Danny]

I found this metal door in the barn, thing must weigh 80lbs or more. I sanded the paint off and repaired the top a little bit before hanging it.

It just has 4 tack welds/hinge for now.

 

[Danny]

Quick test fit before cutting anything.

Gap looks good going both ways and things are turning out square.

Anchored to the floor like the other 4. Top of the door needed a slight repair.

Ground the post a little bit where the door latch contacts.

Then cut a rectangular hole.

 

[tweidman]

That is one hell of a bathroom door.

 

[jcarapet]

I'm curious, why are you building the bathroom to withstand a hurricane?

I might suggest more fiber in your diet

 

[Danny]

I'm curious, why are you building the bathroom to withstand a hurricane?

I might suggest more fiber in your diet

I needed a place for my paranoid friends to hide when they think the sky is falling.


Also so I can put heavy things up top when it’s done.

 

[Danny]

Then I drug in this old 7x9 flatbed I’ve had stashed for the last 15 years.

I needed to strip off all the old **** hanging from the long sills.

And the old hitch.

Along with the headboard.

 

[Danny]

Plenty of junk welded to the deck over the years.

All of it had to go.

Eventually it all fell off and started to look a little better.

Quick test fit to give me an idea of what I had left to do and everything was looking good.

 

[Danny]

I took the bed off and stood it upright to clean the underside.

Wire wheeled the loose rust and crud then prepped for welding.

The old long sill just kind of floats now, it could have been removed completely.

I made these 7/8” spacers.

And welded them on to catch the old long sill in 4 spots.
So the flatbed is welded to the structure in a total of 15 places now.

 

[MadeByMiller]

I really enjoy viewing your thread. The transformation speaks for itself and it's been really satisfying to watch! The bathroom is going to be awesome. Your welding and fab work is very proper and tidy. Thank you for sharing!

 

[Danny]

I really enjoy viewing your thread. The transformation speaks for itself and it's been really satisfying to watch! The bathroom is going to be awesome. Your welding and fab work is very proper and tidy. Thank you for sharing!

Thanks! I appreciate the compliment and I’m glad you are enjoying the thread!

 

[Danny]

For now I am going to pause on the bathroom to work on straightening up the shop and trying to finish up some vehicular projects.

I was able to get the lid fully welded to the frame, it went on surprisingly smooth. I had to trim the tail panel some to fit the cabinets clean.

I slid the walls into place for now but they are not going to be permanently mounted until I can spend a little time making the cabinets better. They don’t need more than a few dents removed, new latches, handles, and paint.

At this point the 7x9 flatbed is not taking up space on the shop floor, I can start moving stuff on top of the restroom loft, and I finally have my little welding table back!