Above 1200 Sq/FT Sheep Shed Shop

[Tarnished]

Kev, Sorry sir, I'm not going to be able to help ya on this one.
In all the years I worked for/with phone people, I never worked with ANY of the payphone folks. They were/are a separate department within the companies. I have a few payphones myself, and like you they do not have keys. I have tried for years to find keys for the things, but the ones who have them keep them pretty tight. Once in a while a set would show up on the Bay, but not all keys fit all locks. As far as I know, there is no "master" that will fit all. Each regional had their own sets. (it takes 2 keys for each phone) Makes finding one for your phone pretty difficult. I lucked out once and had our local phone folks open one for me, but he wouldn't give up the key. Perhaps others have had better luck. If your interested, I will post a couple of good links. May take some digging, but lots of people on there with way more knowledge than I.
Wiring shouldn't be an issue once you get the thing open, but remember, there is a reason that we don't use those things any longer. You may not be satisfied with quality now....
You should be able to find wiring prints here: Telephone Collectors
Lots of great folks with answers here: Classic Phone Forum
Glad your making the tour, wish I could be more help.

 

[Tarnished]

Santagary: Hamilton is not "little" anything anymore.... Handy, but way to busy for me.
You are correct, I have a great wife. She puts up with most of my obsessions, and the shed is my biggest one. She lets me play (work ) in it all I want, and even shows up with a beverage now and them! What more could ya ask for...
Thanks for following along.

 

[CNGsaves]

WOW, you've got some great lifetime experience with many of major milestones that have occurred in telecom. Only gap is you didn't build your own cell towers for private wireless WAN!! Or partnered with game console Mr Gadget and invent I-Phone about 10 years earlier!! LOL, Could have sold them at huge profit if somehow you created closed geographical area, until ATT or Verizon begged to give your company billions!!

My telco exposure was just a small slice of that with couple remote switch upgrades to digital (so small that entire customer database was in Lotus 1-2-3/Excel -- ie I was billing side interfacing with switch tech), and being around when company removed last piece of "open wire" . . . boss put insulators on oak plaque with engraved plate marking the milestone date, and every employee got one! Other challenging/rewarding project was giant leap from custom programmer PC based billing system to integrated vendor off-the-shelf MicroVAX billing system (multiple day billing-cycle compute time became couple hours)!!

Curious what your thoughts on why EOPL (ethernet over power line) . . or whatever it's actually called now . . . didn't take off?? Couldn't power companies have slammed telcos and cable co's into the dirt and siphon off bunch of revenue?? Or is this just niche that really works in small specific environments? Too many variables in electric setup or interference?

Keep pouring on pics of your place . . . . We Like !!

 

[Tarnished]

CNG, We did build our own microwave WAN system, but we were not allowed to go wireless at that time. (security issues as always). As for Ethernet over power line, our company just didn't want to get involved with it. Would have been to much work for us to take on, and they didn't want to hire people to support. Lot of issues there to be addressed and no clear commitment on who would work out the details or be responsible. I don't know of any power co's that offered it in our area. With WiFi now it seems to have become a vanishing technology here. To bad, as living in the country presents a challenge to having high speed internet!
Have to ask, the CNG in your title i am thinking is for Compressed Natural Gas??? Do you work for a Gas utility?
Glad you like seeing the place. I will post a couple more outside shots.

This is my front door looking north at the front yard field.

Now your still looking north across the garden and the just planted bean field.

To the left you can see more bean fields and the bee hives.

This is my small west yard. I have planted Daffodils around the place for 20 years, and they are everywhere now. Wonderful in the spring.

We are again in the back yard. You can see the spring hale damage to my wife's green house.

And this is the east yard looking back towards the barns again.

There ya have it, a walk around the place. Hope you enjoyed seeing the spring view. It is really pretty that time of the year and I enjoy all the effort we have put in to planting it.
I have to work on some more pics of the shop, but if anyone is interested I will post them up also.
Thanks for taking the time to look thru all this. I hope you aren't getting bored.
John

 

[kmcphee]

Wonderful property you have there Tarnished. Love the barn too!!!!

 

[hidollartoys]

John,

You are an inspiration to all of us that have not yet reached the "golden" age. I am about 13 years from being able to work in my shop anytime I want. I too have a VERY understanding and loving wife (of 30 years).

Congrats on your piece of heaven.

 

[onething]

Just found your tour, John. Thanks for all the time you spent showing us around.

I think I have the same cabinet as the one you are using for your tall workbench. Inherited it from my last home's shed. Mine has a piece of standard kitchen laminate for a top and your's is beautiful. How is your's made, please?

 

[Tarnished]

Kmcphee: I'm glad you stopped by.

hi$$toy: Thanks so much for the inspiring words... I can't tell you how nice it is to walk 30' to your "job". Can work when ya want, and quit when ya want... I should have done this 20 years ago... I keep telling myself how lucky I am.
I figure I should have about 20 more years to puttzing around here before I think about something a little easier.

One: Your welcome. Glad that you found something interesting here. I'm not quite sure if follow your question, but if your talking about this bench,

Then I have to say I purchased this from CL. the top is about 2'x8', and a full 2.5in thick. This thing weighs a TON! I believe it was originally some type of military bench due to the olive drab paint underneath. The top corners have been cut out to clear something? The metal base is extra heavy duty and looks to have had some type of drawer mounting at one point. I really like these tops and I picked this one up because of its thickness. Not wanting to remove all the history, I just lightly sanded, shellacked and then waxed the top. I have reoccurring dreams of building it into some kind of rolling drawer assembly someday.
I have been buying these tops when I could find them over the years, and the 3 under the windows were recently purchased from a high school auction. They were used for electronics classes of some sort and are covered with kids names and initials. I love the history of them, and wouldn't change a thing. I have benches marked 4, 5, & 10. Not sure where the others are, but they weren't in the auction.
Hope this answers you question. Thanks for asking.
John

 

[Vernmotor]

You say you got more pics that you have not posted !!! not allowed .. post now !! lol

 

[larry_g]

I dream that our place could looks so good some day. However if you see my wife coming look out, she thinks it's sacrilegious to have thrown the sheep out. Her flock is lambing in an open barn.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Tarnished]

larry_g: Thanks Larry, Appreciate your kind words. As for the sheep... Well working for the power co required MUCH overtime, and plenty of call in's at all hours. Not a good way to try to farm with animals. I tried, believe me... But I gave up farm critters before I moved to this farm. Two of my neighbors do have sheep, which i keep an eye on if needed, so I am not that far removed. Love to see a spring field with a flock grazing. Does a body good!
John

 

[onething]

John - I was asking about the construction of the tops. Looks like they are laminated full thickness boards like bowling alley or chopping block. Is that correct?
Had no idea you bought them - cool history with the names and stuff in/on them.

 

[NZMacca]

Awesome property and shop mate. We are on a 20 acre property down here in New Zealand, I certainly understand your need for "peace and quiet". Keep up the good work man

 

[Tarnished]

One: Yea the bench tops are laminated. The tall bench is the thickest I have seen. It is a full 2 3/4 in thick. I haven't seen them this thick to often. These things come in all sizes and description's though. I think the 8 foot bench just inside the door is 2" thick. They are all laminated out of 1" thick maple glued together with thru rods accost the entire top to hold them all together. Strong as hell. Will take a beating for years. While I was looking for mine I looked at a lot that were pretty beat up and completely soaked in oil. Still holding up fine! I was looking for ones not oil soaked, but the dings and scratches didn't worry me. I have also seen the ones that are made out of bowling alley floors, and they make GREAT tops. Unfortunately around here, there just aren't that many bowling alleys being taken down. I understand that the new alley floors aren't made this.
Close up of the Tall bench showing the cutout's for the legs, and the crappy paint.

close up of the school bench with JS hart AT carved in it. Wonder who these 2 lovebirds were?

 

[Tarnished]

NZMacca: Thanks so much. Really love how this site is made up of people from all parts of the globe. Great to hear from folks who can relate worlds away. Thanks for taking a look. And there is nothing like coming home after a hard day and just sitting on the porch and listening to the sounds of NOTHING! Hang on to your 20ac. if your like me, it means SANITY!

 

[Tarnished]

You say you got more pics that you have not posted !!! not allowed .. post now !! lol

Vernmotor, Glad you ask..... I'll put a few more of the "back room" if you would like.
Lets walk back into the hog barn storage room and make a turn aground the center post. I will explain all the junk as we go. This section doesn't get heated, so bring you jacket. It can be cold back here.

This first picture is looking in from the connecting door between the shop and storage. The white set of drawers house my nut & bolt collection. First of many drawers, but this one holds a supply of the larger nuts & bolts required to keep things running without a trip to town..... USUALLY!
Wish I was ambitious enough to paint all the cabinets the same color... Oh well maybe some day!


On your right is another set of drawers salvage from an old work van interior and re-purposed here. These drawers hold all the small miscellaneous nuts and bolts needed to keep things humming along. At the end you can see a rotor bin full of NECESSARY stuff....
This wall really does hold all of the everyday things that just can't seem to fit another place. Can't get rid of them, but they don't organize nicely either.

This is another of my benches, again under the windows for light. This bench takes most of the metal work abuse. Things get filed, ground, hammered, pounded, brushed and buffed back here. The RAS on the table is a project that needs to be completed, but I just can't make it go away. Table adjustment and permanent bench placement is all that is needed.....

This corner holds more shelf's for all the spray's, cleaners, lubes and can that one MUST have. I'm looking for a way to clean this mess up, but haven't found anything that doesn't require mega floor space. (thinking combustible cabinets) Anyone done anything cool with this area?

Corner also holds my big anvil, couple of pieces of RR rail for banging on, and the sheet metal stakes. Kinda stuck in the corner and one day I would like to get them into a space of their own. There also a wire wheel here that WILL find a new home soon.

This is the tool chest that I keep back here with the odd tools needed in this area. Also packed full of the tools inherited from my dad. Keep saying I am going to go thru them and sort them out... The tool chest set is on a custom made roller cabinet made to hold odd large tools in the end cabinet. My first job at the power company was working in boiler/turbine maintenance. Everyone had their own tools/box, and drug them from one end of the turbine room to the other as needed. Also took them from floor to floor for boiler maint. This was my first box which I bought used, cart and all. I think $200 then including a BUNCH of tools. (old guys took pity on new kid )

Poor old box has been around the bend a few times, but still holding up pretty well for 40+. After seeing what some here have done with these old boxes, I decided it might just be worth keeping. What ya think?
Could anyone tell from the pics who might have made the box? I have never found a logo any where on the box, and have no idea.

Take a short break here, while I round up more pics. Back soon.
John

 

[Vernmotor]

I have a center box here. that is made just like them. I want to say the brand name is(red line) you can see it in this pic.

I really like that round house storage bin. that's cool. and I see you have a old blacksmith vise also.. always thought them was neat.. I am surprise that your can stuff does not freeze back there with no heat ?


here is other pic of that box but not very good one.

 

[Tarnished]

Vmotor: Thanks. Hadn't heard of "Red Line", but I don't know a lot of the box brands. Been a pretty hard working box, but definitely needs some love again. Your middle box could well be same as my stack.

 

[Tarnished]

OK, break is over.
Here is Ohio, the weather has gone from mid 30's to mid 50's and everything metal in my shop is "sweating". Dam I hate when that happens.
Back to the show and tell. When I last posted, I was showing you my old tool boxes. If we turn a little further left you can see the overhead storage for my ww clamps. I use the joist area's for a lot of overhead storage. As long as I don't have to "duck", I am happy.


This is grinder row. There are 3 here, I have 3 more... I have been trying to work out the best arrangement for these, but I still am not satisfied with it. Think big blue needs to go, and the Asian one for sure, then they might all fit. I'll work on that.


Don't look at this area to closely. It is my "rat hole" where I keep seldom used machines and storage for "Project" machines. All are in my way. Some of the machines are awaiting parts and time, and some of the others are just waiting... The plan for this area was for WORKING machine storage, pull out what is needed, put back when done. Not doing too well making this work............ I keep telling my CFO I need a bigger barn..... She just keeps repeating "Yea Right!" I don't understand??


Well now you've seen where all the bones are stacked and the bodies buried, so let's walk back outside again thru that door you see in the distance.....


I'm sure that after this long tour, some of you would be interested in a facilities break, so if you follow the sign.....

I'll catch up with you shortly

 

[Tarnished]

I hope you will find this as convenient as I do, and sure keeps the neighbors from laughing...

Another thing I didn't think about when I put water in the other barn, was water in this barn. So this 55 gal barrel mounted overhead is next best thing, and works very well.....

Didn't mean to get crude, but might give others ideas.

Oh Yes before you leave, My wife said I had forgotten to introduce the rest of the tour guides. I'm sorry, how rude of me.
Please allow me to introduce the Meter family.

This is the "Lovely Rita Meter" the maid who works collecting parking $$ and hanging on to all the loose hose goodies....

And of course I'm sure you have all heard of the world famous Mr. Peter Meter, (seen here shoveling snow)

(I would have introduced him in this shot, but he was hanging around naked, waiting for new cloths. ) Sheesch.....

And least I forget, their charming spinster aunt, Miss Mille Meter, who is all decked out for the dance.


And again Folks, it seems all farm tours end up back here again,

So if you don't mind I will sit a spell. Thanks for tagging along, I have enjoyed showing you my place, and enjoyed your company on the trip. I hope you all have had some fun while you were! If you have any questions, be sure to ask. I look forward to reading about all your places, and dreaming how I can use your ideas in my shed. Thanks for looking.
John

 

[Tarnished]

Well it's March 5th today, and we had the biggest snow storm so far this year. Dumped about 8" of the heavy wet stuff on us last night. One of those rare still straight down snows that just covered everything in a cloak of white. BEAUTIFUL! Covers up all that depressing late winter crappy brown mess that we all go through here while waiting on something green to break through. Won't last, thankfully, but nice to look at while it does.
Just thought I would share what the SSS looks like in the winter. Know a lot of others were going to get some of this tonight also. Hope they all made out as good as we did.
John

 

[mwbailey]

Good luck on the "something green to break through". We all know it will happen. Nice snow. . . .

 

[Vernmotor]

We only got 1 1/2" here

 

[el Pedro]

Wow! Thats a beautiful property and garage/sheds you have there.
I lived just outside of Springfield OH about 15 years back and would love to be back in SW Ohio. Really miss it and need to go back and visit one of these days.

Thanks for sharing the photos with us.

 

[Tarnished]

el Pedro: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. I do a lot of antiquing in Springfield. Bout the only thing there now. Why did you leave? Come back and see us when you can!
Vernmotor: Usually the other way around. North of 70 gets dumped on, and we get little. Hopefully this will be the last for this year. But it's Ohio, and it does what it wants...

 

[bknudtsen]

Jealous! Love your property! No snow here this year. Just the Great Pacific North Wet...

 

[el Pedro]

el Pedro: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. I do a lot of antiquing in Springfield. Bout the only thing there now. Why did you leave? Come back and see us when you can!

I was an exchange student there in 96-97. Navistar was still doing ok then but wasn't what it once was. The swap meet at the Clarke County fair grounds was always great. Still a beautiful part of the world though.

 

[WarrenJ]

Great looking homestead. Thanks for the down home tour. You really make someone feel wlecome.

 

[pherdie]

Thanks so much or sharing, Tarnished, very impressive.

You have a beautiful home and an equally impressive shop, your reward for years of hard work. I love your work space and even more, the tranquility and beauty of your surroundings. I'm very fortunate in what I have but I still dream about a place like yours.

That being said, one item in your photos utterly captivated my attention as I have the same in my shop and haven't seen another in years, the frame room phone!!! I was shocked and pleased to see it in your picture. Now I know two still exist ;-)

Again, well done and thanks.

 

[Tarnished]

bknudtsen:Thanks. Always be thankful for the wet. It is a commodity in short supply many places.
WarrenJ: Appreciate the kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed the trip.
pherdie: thanks for looking and glad you liked the place. Been picking up these old phones for many a year, and now there getting harder to find. Everyone wants the pay phones and old rotary ones now, and the younger folks among us can't even relate to one that was attached to the wall!
From party lines, to cell phone watches, I've seen them all. Wow! I am old!

 

[Bob Hall]

John,
Thanks for the walk through your terrific place. It would be so nice to have all of that space. Having said that, I've been in some pretty rough sheds including cleaning out a place with about 2 foot of goat ****, so I know that you really worked hard for that cool space! Also love the Delta OWWM content. What's your handle over there?

 

[Tarnished]

Hey Bob, Glad you enjoyed the tour. Thanks for looking. I don't know about all that space, as I keep filling it up with other old "arn". In the process of culling the heard right now to gain back what room I had.
Sometimes I think cleaning out the sheep s**** was easier! Should post up some later pictures as I've changed some things around, and added air plumbing. Will see what I can come up with.
Yea, if I'm not hanging around here, I'm usually reading and learning over there. Post as Rusted there. 2 great sites.

 

[ziprun2005]

Wow, what a great barn/garage space. I got a kick out of the "walk-around tour" narration style too.

So, do you farm the 25 acres of tillable land yourself?

 

[Tarnished]

So, do you farm the 25 acres of tillable land yourself?

Zipr, Yes the tillable acres are still farmed, but not by me. I have neighbors who take care of the tillable. I couldn't afford the equipment to do it for just this small amount of acres. I work with them to plant and harvest, doing what I can. Here's a quick pic of top field being plowed before soybeans planted.


I do however take care of the rest of farm. There's about 20A of woods and I mow fence lines around tillable. Plus about 5A of yard to mow in summer, equipment to keep running and buildings to maintain. So there is always something to keep me busy. Wouldn't want it any other way.