Above 1200 Sq/FT No existing workshop... Another 40x60 shop

[julesthegreat]

The pipes were sealed enough to float pretty well after the rain filled the end of my trench.
Pipes wrapped and capped. I thought I could keep the caps above the water with the bucket lol.

The 3 foot deep trench filled right up no problem.


For the septic run I went around the side of the house. I suppose I could have gone underneath but this was easier. Dug my trenches 5 feet from the side of the house so I can remember where they are later.


I got lucky finding the buried septic line by the workshop as well!

 

[julesthegreat]

The week before Thanksgiving I made these rudimentary sketches to show the building crew where the doors and windows were going to go. They showed up Monday of Thanksgiving week around 11:00, I didn't take many pictures of the structure going up as my brother was also visiting, he brought his gopro and set it up for stop motion for the whole building going up.

Pond

By Wednesday they had the frame all but done with the doors mostly done.

While my brother was in town he also helped my install the third function valve body on my backhoe. There was a spring hanging out but no check/poppet valve. We put it together anyways, initially it was closing slow and opening fast so we swapped the lines and now it closes fast but opens slow. Once the oil is hot it barely opens at all, I have ordered the poppet valve but won't be installing for a while because I am lazy.

Here you can see the spring and poppet, Item 5.

 

[slim_grim]

Awesome! I'm in!

 

[julesthegreat]

After Thanksgiving they came back and put all the VFR and sheet metal up. With the grapple installed I made quick work of moving all the trees on the West side of the building so they would have more room to work.

The windows took alot of time to trim out and there was much complaining about how many I chose to have them install but it looks great.

Wrapping up some of the trim, they installed the ridge vent without the foam seal as the sun was setting, they had to come back and wrap up the following week.

While they wrapped up the building I installed the toilet, sink and hooked up the water. More questionable plumbing and PEX layouts but it seems fine.

The Styrofoam under the toilet flange worked great to keep the concrete from filling it up. Screwed the flange down no problem except for maybe twisting off one screw.

Borrowed a piece of purlin to screw the sink to so it wouldn't get knocked over, most likely by me! The floor here is nowhere near flat so I shimmed the toilet. Not sure what I will end up doing in here but that can wait.

 

[julesthegreat]

How many outlets do people normally install? How far apart and how many per breaker? I have read through the lighting threads is there a good outlet thread too?

 

[zanyad]

How many outlets do people normally install?

All I can say is more is more better!

 

[Norcal]

Those closet bolts do not look like brass, steel in the presence of water, urine does not fare well, & 5/16" closet bolts are more robust then 1/4". have a magnet handy to make sure they are brass, some are really EZ to mistake for brass.

 

[julesthegreat]

Those closet bolts do not look like brass, steel in the presence of water, urine does not fare well, & 5/16" closet bolts are more robust then 1/4". have a magnet handy to make sure they are brass, some are really EZ to mistake for brass.

Do you meant the toilet flange bolts? They were plated steel likely cadmium and came with the toilet. I think they should be stainless myself.

 

[Norcal]

Do you meant the toilet flange bolts? They were plated steel likely cadmium and came with the toilet. I think they should be stainless myself.

They are closet bolts, stainless is a PITA metal to work with, brass works well, time proven. I scrap the supplied closet bolts as it's not wise to use them.

 

[Mr onetwo]

These are best by far ,much better than brass. https://www.supplyhouse.com/Sioux-Chief-425-PB-2-1-2-Closet-Bolts-Bag-of-2

 

[julesthegreat]

Thanks guys, I'll get some different ones on hand but likely won't move the toilet for years!

 

[MacTexas]

Following

 

[julesthegreat]

They wrapped up the sheet metal/building on the 7th of Dec. On the 8th my buddy came and helped me pull the wire. I was planning to pull 3x 250kcmil wire and 4x 4/0 wires at once. The 250's would be for 200 amp single phase and the 4/0 for future 3 phase service but for now I just shelved the 4/0.

To communicate while doing the pull we used my Hollyland full duplex wireless headsets, same ones I used with my brother when we drove back from Washington. They are very nice because you can both talk at once unlike walkie talkies that are one way!

Actually picked up the wire back on Nov 13th with the 55. They sent an 18 wheeler so I drove down and met him at a gas station. He had a lift gate so we just slid the whole pallet into the bed of the truck.


The building guys had left their steel sawhorses so we borrowed them to hold the wire spool. the axle was a piece of drill stem I cut from the old antenna pole on the house that now holds the starlink antenna.


My buddy recommended using a brush to apply the lube to the wire, I had just seen an old brush in the woods a few days before and it worked perfectly clamped to the purlin!


We first used a vacuum to pull a grocery bag attached to a string line through the 3" conduit. Then used the string line to pull the Mule tape through. We installed the giant chinese finger puzzle puller to the wire, then half hitches up the wire with electrical tape to hold it in place. Funnel at the front to help guide it but probably not needed. In fact the puller didn't do any work either, the half hitches were the only part that were pulling and worked fine.


Mule tape running past the brush with an extra string line in the hopes of future pulling but this line got cut.


On the pulling end we used his straps to pull from the nearby trees, if the power pole wasn't completely rotten we could have pulled off that but I can push on the pole with one finger and it moves alot. When I pushed on the pole it moved enough a wasp came out of an electrical box to investigate!


So we have the mule tape running through his ****** block to my red truck, this support ended up being too high and I lowered it down to the vacuum level because it was nearby.


Ready on the pulling end!


Bought two of these bottles but only ended up using half of one, my buddy poured it on the wire as it ran into the hole past the brush. The chinese finger trap puller came with a set of white gloves he wore while applying the lube.


All pulled through with no issues.

 

[julesthegreat]

With some questionable temporary wiring using the stove breaker in the house I have 240v 50 amps out in the shop.

Old stove ground wires just twisted together in the crawl space. At least the hots had clamps.


Pounded a 2x6 into the ground to temporarily screw the external disconnect panel to. This will be mounted to the meter rack when I get around to finishing that part of the build.


Currently I have the panel the "right way up" with the main at the top, but those 250kcmil cables at STIFF and were hard to run to the top. They also take up alot of space in the gutters, I may decide to invert it so the wires run up into the main at the bottom...


Just my LED flood light inside!


It was going to rain and they predicted high winds so I brought all the sheet metal inside. There was alot of water in the panels so I laid them out to dry.

Ran some romex to the opposite/ back corner and installed this external outlet box to run a battery tender on the backhoe!


Should have been charging in this picture but I accidently put the 6Volt tender on it, they look identical and it basically did nothing over Christmas lol.


Here is the finished building with the doors installed.

 

[julesthegreat]

Before leaving for Christmas I ran some ethernet cables and a fiber cable to set up cameras for security. I am not sure where I will mount them yet so I just had three cameras looking out the windows for now.


Used the brush again just to keep the wires from the sharp edges.


Planning a second floor/ mezzanine so I've been watching marketplace and found these six 5x12" I beams for $1600.


Moved the Rockwell shaper and belt sander inside from sitting in the barn.


Brought the 55 inside, first time it's been parked inside in 10 years!

The comet hasn't been parked inside for at least 30 years.


Only parked the loaded trailer inside. The other one I'm hoping to trade for concrete pads and a retaining wall.


The welder and transformers were moved into the barn were the shaper was so they are out of the rain.

 

[Greg9504]

Nice shop! What are the overhead door dimensions?
Thanks

 

[julesthegreat]

Thanks! The doors are 12x12 each centered in a 20 foot section

 

[Bruce 993 SEA]

Greetings from Washington. We are up in LA Conner North of your old stomping grounds in Marysville.

Nice build! Just read through all of it. Trying to figure out the timeframe of when you moved etc. It thought this was from 2017 but it looks to be current as far as the electrical work.

Cheers!

 

[julesthegreat]

Greetings from Washington. We are up in LA Conner North of your old stomping grounds in Marysville.

Nice build! Just read through all of it. Trying to figure out the timeframe of when you moved etc. It thought this was from 2017 but it looks to be current as far as the electrical work.

Cheers!

Hello Bruce,

I closed on this Oklahoma property in June of 2024. Bought the backhoe and started clearing the land at the end of July 2024. Clearing the trees, bringing up fill and trenching in conduits/ plumbing took so long I didn't start a thread until things had settled down a bit. I want really planning to made a build thread but after reading through others and enjoying them so much I figured I'd through some pictures up here too.

 

[Bruce 993 SEA]

Nice! That's a lot of progress for that timeframe!

Looking forward to seeing more of your progress.

 

[nickstar]

Building looks great! You did a lot of work in a short amount of time especially with all that traveling, you should be very proud. It took me twice as long to do similar work when we built our 45x55x14 5 years ago. Your shop looks way bigger than ours for some reason. Below is a few pics of my sanctuary. Keep us posted on your progress. Can't wait to see how you finish the inside!

 

[julesthegreat]

Nice! That's a lot of progress for that timeframe!

Looking forward to seeing more of your progress.

Thanks it has been alot of work but also enjoyable.

 

[julesthegreat]

Building looks great! You did a lot of work in a short amount of time especially with all that traveling, you should be very proud. It took me twice as long to do similar work when we built our 45x55x14 5 years ago. Your shop looks way bigger than ours for some reason. Below is a few pics of my sanctuary. Keep us posted on your progress. Can't wait to see how you finish the inside!

Thanks I only prepped the area, the building guy put up the forms and the building. That looks like a nice building and you can probably put an RV in that center bay which I can't with only 12' doors.

Did you just prep the site or put up the whole building yourself?

Where do the two gutter drains on the front corners go? Did you ever link the other gutters or do they dump on the ground?

Did you do anything to seal the concrete?

 

[julesthegreat]

Building looks great! You did a lot of work in a short amount of time especially with all that traveling, you should be very proud. It took me twice as long to do similar work when we built our 45x55x14 5 years ago. Your shop looks way bigger than ours for some reason. Below is a few pics of my sanctuary. Keep us posted on your progress. Can't wait to see how you finish the inside!

Also wanted to ask Are those X braces needed?

 

[julesthegreat]

Got back from Houston and started assembling outlets using 12/2 romex. Currently wiring two quads to each breaker, but jumpering every other box. Currently installing two boxes per 20 foot wall section so if you are using tools in that area you are could be on two breakers, probably not needed but should be fine.



I am just running 12/2 romex for all the lights and outlets. It will be retained under, inside the center of the purlins then covered in sheet metal later.


Having the same "opportunities" as others dealing with the ribs on the outside sheet metal being in the wrong place I decided to use a piece of purlin to attach the over door lights. Initially planning to mount it horizontal like this and then cut a notch for the rib.


Then realized I can just mount it like this and not deal with extra cutting.

Cut a clearance hole in the center for the plug, 4 screw holes in the flange and 4 holes for the driver bit.


I didn't want to cut a huge hole in the building to have the junction box poking through, instead I decided to cut one small hole for the conduit and 4 screw holes. Not sure this is much better but should be fine once siliconed up.


One of these light for over each door. I will make a smaller one for the side double door/ loading bay door.


Brought a piece of sheet metal to Lowes and found this almond paint that matches pretty close for what I am doing.

 

[y'sguy]

Great work!
Which engine is in the 55 FORD pickup? It seems like it did well on the trips it made, especially towing all that way.
When I saw you were in Oklahoma, I wondered where. I see lots of red dirt, so it's west of me, for sure.
.

 

[julesthegreat]

Great work!
Which engine is in the 55 FORD pickup? It seems like it did well on the trips it made, especially towing all that way.
When I saw you were in Oklahoma, I wondered where. I see lots of red dirt, so it's west of me, for sure.
.

Thanks, The 55 has a Lincoln Navigator DOHC 5.4L. I may not have said it well but it didn't tow from WA to OK, only from Ellensburg to Maysville, WA years ago. I was initially planning to tow the Comet all the way here before I realized I needed to bring the big trailer back again!

I am in Macomb so yes South West

 

[nickstar]

Thanks I only prepped the area, the building guy put up the forms and the building. That looks like a nice building and you can probably put an RV in that center bay which I can't with only 12' doors.

Did you just prep the site or put up the whole building yourself?

Where do the two gutter drains on the front corners go? Did you ever link the other gutters or do they dump on the ground?

Did you do anything to seal the concrete?

I did the clearing myself, but I let someone else put up the building. I thought about putting the building up myself, but the reality is it was to big of a job for me by myself. Clearing the land by myself, took a lot out of me. I paid $9K for a crew to do it and it was delivered and up in a week. We moved to Georgia from NJ in fall of 2017 and it took me a year and half (I work full time) to get the land set up.
The gutters dump in front of two culvert openings that run through a pipe under the driveway. I was going to do the same on the others but it was a lot more digging. So I decided to make the pipes longer and see if there was any erosion. I also put a flat stone at the end of each pipe. It's been five years and no erosion, knock on wood. So I let them be.

I sealed the concrete with "Clemons Concrete super seal" it has held up well. It does not like gasoline though.

 

[nickstar]

Also wanted to ask Are those X braces needed?

I am no engineer, I am sure someone on the GJ will know better than me and will chime in. The way I understand it, the X braces add stability, they also are used to true up the frame when erecting.

 

[Bruce 993 SEA]

I like the use of 12 Ga for the outlets. Are you going to have much amperage for the lighting circuits? I would go with 14 Ga as it is easier to work with and more that enough capacity for lights.

 

[julesthegreat]

I did the clearing myself, but I let someone else put up the building. I thought about putting the building up myself, but the reality is it was to big of a job for me by myself. Clearing the land by myself, took a lot out of me. I paid $9K for a crew to do it and it was delivered and up in a week. We moved to Georgia from NJ in fall of 2017 and it took me a year and half (I work full time) to get the land set up.
The gutters dump in front of two culvert openings that run through a pipe under the driveway. I was going to do the same on the others but it was a lot more digging. So I decided to make the pipes longer and see if there was any erosion. I also put a flat stone at the end of each pipe. It's been five years and no erosion, knock on wood. So I let them be.

I sealed the concrete with "Clemons Concrete super seal" it has held up well. It does not like gasoline though.

That is still alot of work, did you rent equipment or use a tractor?

I am no engineer, I am sure someone on the GJ will know better than me and will chime in. The way I understand it, the X braces add stability, they also are used to true up the frame when erecting.

Makes sense!

I like the use of 12 Ga for the outlets. Are you going to have much amperage for the lighting circuits? I would go with 14 Ga as it is easier to work with and more that enough capacity for lights.

I don't disagree with you there, I need some 3 wire for the lights anyways might as well get some 14-3 and 14-2

 

[julesthegreat]

While planning the overdoor lights I noticed the spring center brace was attached to the receiver and flexing it out substantially. I am surprised the door guy didn't say anything or put a brace to purlin below it?



With the door all the way up there was minimal tension on the spring. I was able to force the door back far enough to fit in there and jam this piece of purlin in to hold it open. Probably ruining the seal but oh well!


I found this little piece of purlin in the scrap pile. With the door up I was able to release the two lower screws and nothing moved. The only negative to putting this piece here is having two more screw holes coming through the sheet metal. When I showed the builder he said they should have put a brace to the lower purlin which would have avoided the extra holes but it is too late for that now! You can also see the junction box on the inside with the piece of water pipe "******" poking through and the nut and bushing.


****** comes all the way through the box and the nut an bushing should keep it in place and protect the wires.


After having the ladder out in the mud and not enjoying being that high I turned the 55 around and popped my step ladder in the bed. Apart from feeling safer I can reach both sides at once and more quickly move from inside to outside!


These came with a dusk to dawn sense which I have left connected for now but will have them wired to a switch as well. There will be one light over each door. Most likely don't need two and could have done one in the center of the doors but I like symmetry!


Final install. Color matches good enough from ground distance. My only regret is being lazy and not squaring off the ends of the purlin drop before starting, the whole bracket is vertical to the ridges in the sheet but the bottom isn't parallel to the J trim below it, oh well! I am sure the mud daubers and wasps will appreciate their new home! I do plan to seal the ends one day but....

 

[julesthegreat]

We are caught up with real time now, as opposed to posting pictures from the last few months. So updates may be slower for those reading through real time.

I was messing with the lights and wiring assuming I was waiting on the power company but when I called they said they were waiting for me to finish the meter rack. Back in August they told me I would have to build this rack because they won't upgrade the meter on the pole. I had picked up the meter base back around Thanksgiving. They also included this paper.


Was going to wait for the ground to freeze OR the snow up melt and the ground to dry out. My buddy said I was just being lazy so I marked out the location and positioned the backhoe for digging a trench because I don't have an auger.


There were a few back and forth attempts at positioning which didn't do the ground any good. Had to push myself out with the boom. Trench is over on the left. Not being lazy led to getting really stuck a few times trying to escape this area.


Picked up this concrete mixer for $150 on Sunday. Dug the trench on Monday, bought the concrete on Tuesday and set up the "fast-tube" forms inside, assembled the meter rack and bracing on Wed and poured the concrete, took about 2 hours.


Fast tube says to staple the seam to one 2x4 then pinch it with a second this is the only support for the tube. I used a concrete form stake in the bottom of the hole and what you can see at the top. There are two pavers under pipes.


All vertical and in position, pipes are 3 feet in the ground. The forms are 16 because their paper said minimum of 6" around the pipe but then later they told me that doesn't matter lol. Meter rack is positioned so the conduit from the shop comes up in the middle of the rack!


This mixer seems like it was made for pouring directly over a hole so I put it up on concrete blocks.


Poured into this 5 gallon bucket 1/2 of each 80lb bag then carried over and poured in the tube, worked out pretty well. You can see the 5 gallon buckets I used for water in the background there, this was hot water to help with the cold!


Used 15 80lb bags.

 

[Mr onetwo]

Nice work! I have been investigating "Fast-Tube" forms and with your success I think I will try them underneath a 40ft shipping container I am setting this spring.

 

[Nobody-named-Olli]

In for the ride, great build so far! Lovely place as well!

Kind regards,
Olli

 

[julesthegreat]

Nice work! I have been investigating "Fast-Tube" forms and with your success I think I will try them underneath a 40ft shipping container I am setting this spring.

Yes they were fine, I initially had 4 additional stakes stapled to the tubes to try and hold the bottoms but I couldn't even pound them into the rock hard clay down there! I ripped the stakes off which left holes and slots from the staples but the forms still held up and only water leaked out lol. If you have watched their videos they say to hold the bottom with your hands or feet until you get about 6" of concrete in there. I couldn't stand down there and pour so I just rolled the bottom under a bit then used my chisel/ digging bar to hold it down and it worked fine! I actually didn't try to adjust the first form until it was practically full but I was still able to lift/slide the form up on the low side.

Are you getting a steel deck container or wood? I would imagine the wood ones start leaking over time? Are you going to also pour a pad for it or just gravel?

In for the ride, great build so far! Lovely place as well!

Kind regards,
Olli

Thank you sir!

 

[Mr onetwo]

julesthegreat asked "Are you getting a steel deck container or wood? I would imagine the wood ones start leaking over time? Are you going to also pour a pad for it or just gravel?"​

It is a standard 40ft high cube with the wood floor. I will put some gravel underneath and a sloped shed roof over the top.Pretty standard stuff...I'm not worried about it leaking.

 

[zanyad]

It is a standard 40ft high cube with the wood floor. I will put some gravel underneath and a sloped shed roof over the top.Pretty standard stuff...I'm not worried about it leaking.

@Mr onetwo I think you posted to the wrong thread?

 

[julesthegreat]

julesthegreat asked "Are you getting a steel deck container or wood? I would imagine the wood ones start leaking over time? Are you going to also pour a pad for it or just gravel?"​

It is a standard 40ft high cube with the wood floor. I will put some gravel underneath and a sloped shed roof over the top.Pretty standard stuff...I'm not worried about it leaking.

Tha'ts good, the leaking I am thinking of is humidity/moisture up through the wood floor. I have known people who fill them up with tools only to come back months later and everything is rusty.

 

[Mr onetwo]

That is from condensation on the roof and poor ventilation. I have read that adding a metal roof over the container stops the condensation inside by moving the location of the dew point.I plan on cutting in 4 vents...2 upper and 2 lower for air flow. The underside is coated and the plywood is designed to withstand the ocean.