The Almost 10 by Almost 15

[Squashfest81]

Done with Photodouche! Need to pull a few more pics out, but this thread is back.

 

[BoilermakerFan]

Done with Photodouche! Need to pull a few more pics out, but this thread is back.

Sweet! I got lucky and had started to use DropBox when I started my thread here... Now all of my other threads on other hobby forums, well, they're just red Xs now since I deleted all of my pics off Photophucket.

 

[Squashfest81]

I’ve been thinking I want to conveniently hang a few bikes in the shed. Some smarty figured out that you can hang a bike from it’s wheels off those cheap hooks, then pull it up flat against the ceiling with rope. Just what I need. Proof of concept done. Now to pick up rope and some little pulleys.

 

[Squashfest81]

And while hanging things, I screwed a cleat to the door for my little ladder. Somehow, after measuring, I still stuck it too close to the jamb.

 

[Squashfest81]

Doesn’t look different, but the rope with guides and cleat is up. Even moved the ladder mount over an inch. Adding a couple brackets to hold lumber over the file cabinet on the short wall. This will free up the spot above the drill press to hang a second bike.

 

[BoilermakerFan]

Nice Job! I may have to do that for our bikes in the garage too, at least in the winter time when they don't get used much.

 

[Squashfest81]

Go for it Boiler, its a nice way to get them off the floor.
Got the second bike hung up over the drillpress and Sawsmith.

 

[usarmy51m]

So nice to see someone else on here working out of a shed, and from New England! I have been thinking about adding on a 4x8 addition to my shed, one on both ends, to give me a little extra room for tools. Just curious, looks like you ran power out there, what size wire did you run? And did you throw a sub panel in the shed?

 

[Squashfest81]

Army51, if the shed is in good shape, a pair of 4 by 8 bumpouts could be perfect. In my case that little space gained was huge. Gave the 30in deep Vidmar a home.
I’ve got a second shed, like 8 by 10, that needs a little rot help. I’m thinking of lifting him and adding a 4 by 8 bumpout. Give the bikes a little more room. That’s a future project.
As to power. I’m running on an extension cord from the back deck. My plan is to go with two 20 amp circuits from the house box and buried. No sub panel. There’s not a lot of room for multiple tool users, so it’s just the tool I’m using and the lights. I’m going simple.

 

[usarmy51m]

I have an extension cord running from the house out to mine, just enough to run my old Crafstman Table saw.........slowly, or else the breaker trips. I'm upgrading my panel in the house this Spring, hoping to add a line to the Shed, something thick enough to power that, a compressor and my old stick welder if need be lol. I'm gonna have to take some pictures and start a thread, I could use all the help and ideas I can get on this project.

 

[Squashfest81]

Yeah, I’m not the “how to power your shed” expert.
Start taking pics and post a thread. I, well we all, need more shed builds.
And once you decide your power plan, please share.

 

[BoilermakerFan]

You guys can easily add a sub-panel to your sheds, you just have to check local codes, but under the general NEC you just have to put the feed in conduit big enough for the rated amperage of the conductors, then you can backfeed a 2pole breaker in the new shed panel after you put a breaker hold down on that breaker in the shed, then label it "MAIN". NEC and local codes will specify how deep the conduit has to be buried at a minimum.

So you would need a 2pole breaker in the house panel to feed the 2pole breaker in the shed. Whatever amperage you go with, you would have 120V and 240V in the shed up to that "main" breaker rating. I have a 60A sub-panel in the garage, but now I wish I had gone with a 90A when I upgraded all of the wiring in our house when we bought it in March of 2000. I also oversized my grounding rod and the auxiliary grounding wire to the cold water entry over code minimums so I don't have any issues with line noise or nearby lightning strikes. You can also oversize the wire gauge to minimize or eliminate voltage drop too. All of my outlets measure 120V or 240V at the plugs, I have zero voltage drop anywhere in our circuits.

 

[Squashfest81]

Trying get a little done every day. Decided to get a better base for the drill press. Layered up a couple pieces of scrap ply and cut to fit. Need to drill holes and clear it.

 

[Squashfest81]

Now that the BIG shed, almost 10 by 15, is in serviceable shape it’s time to clean up the SMALL shed, 8 by 12. I’d love to go up 18 on him, but not this year.
1. Replace and enlarge the rotted doors with the old doors from the other shed.
2. Redo the lofts on each side. Go 36in deep and about 6ft up.
3. Replace broken window with one removed from other shed.
4. Hang hooks under loft to hang up to 7 bikes, beach chairs, etc.
5. Install adjustable shelves along right and rear sides.
The shed and plan.

 

[Squashfest81]

My daughter mentioned sewing. This popped on Craig’s for free. A working, late 70’s, made in Japan, Kenmore, in a flip up cabinet. It will live in the laundry room.

In shed news, the drill press is bolted down.

 

[BoilermakerFan]

Nice score on the sewing machine and cabinet!

I still want a Pfaff commercial machine with zig-zag and walking foot. But that's a ways off... I have too many other tools I need before I go down that path. However, I would eventually like to be able to make my own seats and grips for my motorcycles.

 

[Squashfest81]

Thanks Boiler. The google says this is a decent machine. It will do the zig-zag, but the walking foot is an accessory that I don’t have. It’s a super clean machine that came with “stuff,” even a pair of Kenmore screwdrivers!

 

[Squashfest81]

Spent a few minutes on the Small Shed.
The shed was leaning back, so I started by lifting the back of the shed and slipping in some treated lumber over the concrete blocks. This brought us closer to level.
Then i reinforced the overhead shelf to support my bike storage. 3 hooks up and 3 unused bikes hung. Going to get more hooks up as I organize.

 

[Squashfest81]

Continued small shed organization.
Cleared out the back corner for the bikes that need to wait for the kiddos to grow. Used the 6 hooks I had for the 6 extra bikes. Grabbed 6 more hooks to get the few remaining bikes hung along with beach chairs. Also planning a basic shelf to hold 6 bins for balls, beach toys, and recycling.

 

[BoilermakerFan]

You may have a bicycle problem... or perhaps a lot of kids.

 

[Squashfest81]

Haha. Only 2, 5 and almost 7. Think it’s a bike problem! I’ve got 2 that need to go. So, only 5 keepers in the small shed, 3 adult bikes hung in the big shed, and the tandem. That’s not too many for a family of 4, is it?

 

[Squashfest81]

Moved around the bike hooks. It appears that 11 inches between hooks is perfect. Got 7 bikes hung along the 8 foot side wall. Also grabbed cheap metal shelf brackets that I added 15 inch wooden extensions to the tops. Now the beach chairs have a place to hang. Next up is the recycling and sports bin shelf. Either going 2 above 2 or 3 above 3? And the adjustable shelves.

 

[Strouty]

That bicycle storage looks like it is the most optimal for the space. Glad to see you still posting!

 

[Squashfest81]

Yeah, still posting. Nothing exciting, but showing some progress. Hanging bikes is working out. Then I can sneak in all the yard tools behind them. Still accessible, but out of the way.
Maybe I need that monster green vid you stole from me. Think I could get a bike in each drawer?
Thanks for stopping in!

 

[Strouty]

If you took the handlebars off, you could probably have made it work.

 

[Squashfest81]

Wrapped up the small shed organization today. There’s actually a floor in there.
Once the weather warms up I’ll replace the bit of floor rot by the door, replace the doors with the old doors from the other shed, and hang all the yard work type tools.

 

[BoilermakerFan]

Haha. Only 2, 5 and almost 7. Think it’s a bike problem! I’ve got 2 that need to go. So, only 5 keepers in the small shed, 3 adult bikes hung in the big shed, and the tandem. That’s not too many for a family of 4, is it?

Just remember to send off the smaller bikes after they outgrow them. I think my son had 3 bikes before his latest bike, which he can ride for a while since it's a 27.5 on a small frame. Went with the small frame instead of the medium since it didn't really change any geometry, but much better stand over clearance. That's important on a mountain bike. My GF is a large frame. Wish I had gone medium when I was trail riding... but now that it's just a rigid SS city bike it's fine. We're down to 4 adult bikes for 4, though I do have a NIB Soul Cycles frame to be built into hard tail XC SS bike at some point in the future.

 

[Strouty]

I was thinking about the bikes, could they be hung the same way outside if you made a lean to off the side wall?

 

[BoilermakerFan]

I was thinking about the bikes, could they be hung the same way outside if you made a lean to off the side wall?

They could, but then they would be exposed to more weather which isn't good for them and they'd be easy to pick off and ride away.

 

[Squashfest81]

Boiler, missed your bump somehow. Good point on moving the small bikes on. Already have 2 that fit that category. Plus, added 2 more bikes that I snagged off the side of the road. One I need a couple parts off and the other will get sold cheap.
Strout, nice to hear you’ve been thinking on my bike issues. I too have thought about an external hook setup. Picture a 3ft lean-to style roof with hooks under it on the side of the shed. I think for a few of the loaner bike path bikes it would work. I think I’m leaning towards a more traditional bike rack for beside the driveway.
Boiler, the weather is a concern. Theft is not such an issue, but I don’t like to invite it. I do actually lock the shop shed, not the storage shed. Shhhhh, don’t tell anyone.

 

[Strouty]

I was thinking during the warmer months, but you would be amazed at how much just having a lean to would protect them. The biggest issue is the moisture from the ground, so hanging them allows great airflow. My brother has some pallet racking that he put a sloped roof made of corrugated metal, he has cardboard boxes on the shelves and they hold up, I was dumbfounded when he told me one box had been through a winter already. Same thing with steel racks, getting the air to flow around everything makes much friendlier storage solution.

 

[Squashfest81]

Strout, I think for the summer months a hanging rack on the outside would absolutely get used. The kiddos will grow out of their bikes before the weather does real damage, although it’s amazing how quickly the crappy chrome on cheap bikes goes to ****. I’m not sure storing them inside the shed will save them.
The few “nice” bikes we have I like out of the moisture and behind closed doors.
Back to my chrome comment. I grabbed this garbage bike off the side of the road last fall. A cheap adult beach cruiser Walmarty style thing missing a seat. Stuck it behind my shed and there it sits. So, a few weeks ago my father is putting together a trike and I mention I have these beach cruiser chrome bars in mint shape. I go out there, nope, all pitted. Not horrible. The chrome fenders though, wow, peeling up in sheets. Rusted below. The painted frame looks unchanged, but the chrome is destroyed after one winter.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Squash, you have created a great space. Congratulation! I have gone through your thread, pics were great. I noticed you have Strouty and Boilmaker keeping an eye on you, so you are in good hands.
I managed to learn a few things as well. Everything from coke and aluminum foil to tanning snakes. A worthwhile read and time well spent, again good job.

 

[Squashfest81]

Miss the Pontiacs, thanks for taking the time to read through and for the kind words. I think I’ve popped into your thread, but I’ll be diving into it to see what you have been up to.

 

[Squashfest81]

Been looking for one of these to hopefully get the boy a little further down the bike path. 5 bucks off Craig’s. Then the precision machining was done in the shop. Locked down a 7/16 pin on the drill press and drilled. Stole a seat post clamp off an old bike and done.

 

[captain14]

Almost riding a big kids bike behind you!

 

[BoilermakerFan]

Swap the handle bar for a BMX handlebar so he feels comfortable with the seating position. It will make it a lot easier for him to transition to a 20" BMX bike w/o training wheels.

 

[ckshowtime]

Love how you raised the shed. I am looking to do something similar with a shed I am moving from one house to another. The only difference is I want to add to the top so create room for a small loft. Nice thread.

 

[Squashfest81]

Thanks Captain. He’s liking it. Who wouldn’t, you don’t have to pedal.
Boiler, I had the same thought on the bars, although the boy vetoed my switch. I don’t think those bars were switched out, but they are odd.
Short tirade on training wheels. Those things should never be used. All they taught my kiddos was that you don’t actually have to balance a bike. Skip the training wheels and focus on balance.
CK, thanks for making me your first post. Good luck on your shed move and lift. Do it, it’s so worth it. On to the lift from above or below. It really doesn’t matter. I went low as I thought it would be easier to jack low and not have to work off a ladder.

 

[BoilermakerFan]

Oh, we used training wheels but they were lifted way up. The bike leaned at a 30 degree angle. Once they got up to speed they were upright. My kids learned the training wheels make you crash on fast turns or just slow you down. So they wanted them off pretty quick.

I'd veto him and swap the bars. Explain why it's important to have BMX bars. My son used to fight silly stuff like that too, but in the end, they learn dad was right. My son is 12-1/2 now and still argues some things until I explain why. Then he usually sees it. And apologizes.