Above 1200 Sq/FT The Empty Cup 40x64 Post Frame

[Cdubu52]

East, does the gutter foam work well with heavy rain? I have considered it before, but was always worried that in heavy rain it would just pour over the gutters. Im in the process of planning that exact same project for my shop.

 

[eastmtn]

East, does the gutter foam work well with heavy rain? I have considered it before, but was always worried that in heavy rain it would just pour over the gutters. Im in the process of planning that exact same project for my shop.

So far it has worked in heavy rain.. The foam is in the shape of an equilateral triangle so that the channel for water to flow underneath is the same size as the foam itself. I have yet to notice any water going over the gutters. If I do notice a problem, I'll be sure and mention it. Below is a picture of the roof taken just now. I put the foam up a month ago. The pine needles aren't accumulating on top of the foam. From the ground it looks like they are getting carried over the edge because normally they would look like the pic I showed earlier. I have heard that heavy pollen can clog up the pores though.

 

[Cdubu52]

Thanks, I may try them out. Anything is better than nothing.

 

[eastmtn]

Now that all of the crews are gone it was time to beef up security. I replaced the original locks with a biometric scanner on the man door and a spring loaded cover to protect it better from the elements. It's made by Securam, the same company that makes electronic safe locks. It has 3 methods of authentication for access, the last being a physical key.


A couple of days later it snowed and the clear cover proved it's worth. My foreman also had an opportunity to engage in a character building exercise.

 

[eastmtn]

We dismantled 4 of the frames of the greenhouse and brought them back inside so J could adjust her distances to account for the post holes we had already dug.


I made 3 of the post holes wider and augered out 2 more. Afterwards we set the 4x4 posts in the holes and poured quicksetting concrete in the holes.



We brought the frames back out to the site and the snowfall got heavier, but J was determined to get the walls back up. So we pushed on.

 

[eastmtn]

This is what the greenhouse looks like up to this point. Next time we get a day off together we will continue working on it. It's level now and bolted to the 4x4 posts. There are pavers underneath the bottom boards to create separation from the earth. All the boards have also been treated with clear sealer.

 

[eastmtn]

The foreman is 7 yrs old now so we had several days of festivities to honor the occaision. My family has a tradition of celebrating birthday months for the mothers, so we went with a birthday week for the foreman. We finished the week off with a barbecue. I smoked Spike Elk burgers wrapped in bacon, Italian sausage, Hawaiian Huli Huli chicken, and a pork **** for pulled pork sandwiches. This was an 11 hour session of low and slow with mesquite and local cherry split wood.

 

[eastmtn]

J's first batch of IPA this year was ready for tasting. She's gotten pretty good at brewing. I personally don't like IPA beers but this one had a nice head and color on it after the pour. It didn't taste too bad either. Her homebrewing operation has expanded beyond our attached garage and I can't help but get the feeling that she's eyeing the Empty Cup with a longterm occupation strategy. I'll keep building greenhouses and chicken coops as long as it keeps her from overtaking the shop.

 

[Maxcustody]

Happy birthday to the Foreman! The food looks amazing. Pretty cool with the outside lock, great idea. Greenhouse project is coming along nicely

 

[eastmtn]

Thanks. That kid is spoiled rotten. He is the only grandchild of both of our families so he gets tons of presents. My mom and dad got him a gift card to HD to fund a project of his choice. I'm thinking of rewrapping some of his presents and saving them for Xmas. . There's no way that he can play with all of those toys in 9 months.

 

[eastmtn]

I made this post back in December about the day I tried to hook up the air line distribution system for the compressor. https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...p-40x64-post-frame.493687/page-8#post-9876173

The time has come for me to tackle that project. I had made a drawing showing where I wanted every fitting to go and in which order. That drawing came in handy to jog my memory of what I was trying to accomplish and the fitment issues I was going to have. I took a couple of hours rewatch the Youtube videos on Prevost piping from Prevost and Obsessed Garage.


And I got to work. I was on my last 3 days off before having to return to work so I pulled some long hours in the shop in between shuttling the young one to and from school, swim lessons, basketball practice, and jiu jitsu. Some of you may remember something about an idle mind being the devil's workshop. We keep our son busy from 5AM - 7PM daily. He doesn't have time to get into trouble. Well that's the theory anyway. In reality inevitably happens.

I started with the 90 at the top of the utility closet first to minimize the number of pipe cuts and line up the first tee of the air loop in the shop.

 

[eastmtn]

I put the 1" pipe in standoffs every 6 feet to keep them supported and keep bend pressure off the couplings. Installing the first drop was pretty easy. I used a ball valve and stepped the fittings down to a 3/8" hose.


The difficulty came when I got to the combination 90 degree turn and 2nd and 3rd drops that were going to be on the outer brick wall.




I didn't want too much pipe sticking out of the brick wall and I didn't have long enough sections to get through the wall while keeping the tees spaced properly to avoid electrical j boxes that followed the same path. So I took a break and mounted the first hose reel while I thought things over.

 

[eastmtn]

I made a really short piece of pipe to get the tee in the right place and kept the original length of pipe beyond the tee so I could connect the two ends with a little bit of room to move the pipe. It was a tight fit and you have to ensure that enough pipe goes in to the rubber seals inside each fitting so that when the collars are tightened it makes a proper seal. This is where leaks are prone to happen during installation.





I made up this drop and mounted the hose reel but wasn't satisfied with the limited swing of the reel. So I added another 90 and a couple of short pipes.




All of the hose reels got Stedlin orbital couplers. They are expensive but the added rotation and ease of coupling and decoupling is ridiculous.

 

[eastmtn]

As I was mounting the third reel I could no longer ignore the exposed cantilever for the stairs. I had some extra brick panels leftover so I covered it up. Here are before and after shots.

 

[eastmtn]

I made up the connection back at the air compressor last. I then closed all of the ball valves with the exception of the first drop that I hadn't yet tied in.


I energized the line slowly and blew out all of the metal shavings that might have still been in the pipe. And finally connected the first drop to it's hose reel.



I only had one air leak. That was because I never tightened one of the coupler collars after I inserted it. Other than that the loop is pressurized and ready to go. Here are a couple of panoramic shots to show the air lines and reels in place. You can click on the shop panorama pic and zoom in for a closer look.





The compressor's regulator has an inline air filter and automatic drain valve. It clears moisture and particulates at predetermined intervals and duration that I set on its timer.

Next up is testing it out with some of my air tools.

 

[eastmtn]

I transferred from residential trash service to commercial and got a dumpster delivered. This way I don't have to haul the cans out to the highway anymore for pick up The bigger size should cut back on my extra trips to the transfer station with the backlog of trash.


I worked through the night to finish the airlines. When the sun cam up the shop dog and I turned out the lights to watch the new Top Gun movie. And passed out cold.

 

[eastmtn]

I put together this wire rack wardrobe to dry and store my wetsuits and dry suits. I'm almost caught up on projects to the point where I can take time out to get back in the water. It's been over a year since I paddled my surfski's and 15yrs since I spear hunted. Patience.


In the meantime, another delivery arrived, which means another project. I bought a kit and am going to redo my portable generator sheds to better handle the exhaust and get them fire rated. The existing shed was getting plenty of fresh air from the inline fan but the exhaust gases weren't escaping fast enough with the exhaust fan.

 

[eastmtn]

I use a tornador gun to save my knuckles when cleaning wheels and crevices. It's also good for interiors. Especially carpet. I bought a new version and it wouldn't couple to the Stedlin coupler. So I had the bright idea of changing out the connectors. When I pulled the original male plug out it broke the internal air seal on the new gun. I hooked everything back up and air just poured out of the handle. Luckily these things are modular with interchangeable parts. I swapped out the bodies, internal parts, and light and had a 80% new gun to use.




The truck was pretty dirty



My rinse bucket.

 

[eastmtn]

Here's a pic of the truck after using the spotless rinse and drying it with a heated blower. No hard water spots.



When I'm pulling contaminants out I want those bits to either be lubricated and removed with as little damage to the clear coat as possible. It makes maintenance washes a breeze and keeps it looking shiny. I haven't polished or waxed this truck in 3 years and it's spent 100% of the last 2 years outside. I'm looking forward to showing off what it looks like after I detail and protect it with ceramic coating. The blue will get deeper and really pop.

 

[Maxcustody]

Wow, great updates, definitely keeping busy. I love my air system , but really love the look of the prevost stuff. Great work, real clean installation

This has been on my mind lately and there have been several opinions here………your compressor, are you going to leave it on and full all the time? I go back and forth and right now it has been off and the tank is empty and has been drained. However the one in the garage has been on literally for years and never had a problem.

 

[eastmtn]

This has been on my mind lately and there have been several opinions here………your compressor, are you going to leave it on and full all the time?

Scott, I turn the big unit off when not using it but keep it full and the piping charged. The way I understand it, condensation forms when the new hot air gets compressed and the water vapor in it drops out because it can't stay suspended in a high pressurized environment. I don't know if your unit has an automatic drain valve on it but they are great! It kicks on whenever the motor is running and pushes the condensation out from the tank. I keep the line charged like I keep generators full of fuel. It allows less moisture buildup. If you're not going to use the compressor for a few months I would drain it. Same reason why we pull the fuel completely out of a chainsaw when it's done for the season.
On My small air compressors I always drain them after each use. They are exposed to higher temperature differences and higher humidity. Does that help?

 

[Maxcustody]

Scott, I turn the big unit off when not using it but keep it full and the piping charged. The way I understand it, condensation forms when the new hot air gets compressed and the water vapor in it drops out because it can't stay suspended in a high pressurized environment. I don't know if your unit has an automatic drain valve on it but they are great! It kicks on whenever the motor is running and pushes the condensation out from the tank. I keep the line charged like I keep generators full of fuel. It allows less moisture buildup. If you're not going to use the compressor for a few months I would drain it. Same reason why we pull the fuel completely out of a chainsaw when it's done for the season.
On My small air compressors I always drain them after each use. They are exposed to higher temperature differences and higher humidity. Does that help?

Thanks. Yes, makes perfect sense and reading more on it this morning. I have not used it for a while, but now I am going to pressurize it, but then close the valve and turn the power off to it when not in use

 

[bugnut]

Thanks for this write up. I too have been trying to decide if the compressor should be emptied. I leave it full, thinking along the same line. Projects are coming along and the place looks outstanding!

Scott, I turn the big unit off when not using it but keep it full and the piping charged. The way I understand it, condensation forms when the new hot air gets compressed and the water vapor in it drops out because it can't stay suspended in a high pressurized environment. I don't know if your unit has an automatic drain valve on it but they are great! It kicks on whenever the motor is running and pushes the condensation out from the tank. I keep the line charged like I keep generators full of fuel. It allows less moisture buildup. If you're not going to use the compressor for a few months I would drain it. Same reason why we pull the fuel completely out of a chainsaw when it's done for the season.
On My small air compressors I always drain them after each use. They are exposed to higher temperature differences and higher humidity. Does that help?

 

[jbrentd]

Nice updates! You guys have been busy. Happy birthday to the foreman. I can tell he like to help out with everything. I can't recall when, but mine eventually got to an age where they felt they were "working" rather than "helping".

Who makes that dirt trap that you're using in your rinse bucket? I have one of those flat ones, but I like how yours is also vertical.

 

[eastmtn]

Who makes that dirt trap that you're using in your rinse bucket? I have one of those flat ones, but I like how yours is also vertical.

Thanks for checking in. I know you've been busy eyeballing wheel alignments and modernizing door locks.

The washboard comes separately, or you can order the combo with the flat grit guard. http://www.gritguard.com/category-s/110.htm

They sell them on Amazon too. Mine is a Viking product but I don't see that Viking makes them anymore. I like the washboard attachment because it I can scrub the mitt like you would when washing clothes and it traps the sediment higher up than the flat. I haven't used an actual washboard since I was a kid. I certainly don't miss that experience.

 

[eastmtn]

J and the foreman have been pecking away at the greenhouse. It's a short haul from the big garage so they always load their tools up before heading out. J started on the door and window frames. She likes to use pocket jigs for the corners.

The foreman insisted that I take this photograph and post it.

 

[eastmtn]

I pried open the generator shed from it's crate and quickly got it put together. The round shroud is an exhaust fan. Each of the sides and the top can be removed and installed with ease. I'm not impressed with the latches though. They don't hold well with the thin sheet metal. The shed had an exhaust port so I cobbled together some exhaust pipe to make use of it.

 

[eastmtn]

Greenhouse is now complete and the snow peas are sprouting. We also have an indoor growing area with lamps to help seedlings get through the winter before putting them in the ground. J wants to use the greenhouse to grow edible plants that wouldn't normally grow in this cold, environment with limited sun.

 

[jbrentd]

It's pretty cool to see your wife out there building that greenhouse herself!

 

[eastmtn]

It's pretty cool to see your wife out there building that greenhouse herself!

Yep, I’m glad that she wants to take some of these tasks on. She’s hard on herself and meticulous. She does a great job.

The baby chicks come next week so she wants to get going on the chicken coop next.

 

[eastmtn]

The baby chicks arrived and J got a surprise when she counted 30 in the box. She only ordered 15. The instructions on the box said that they pack more than ordered due to the expected death of a few during and after transport.


J bought another set of plans from a different supplier after the metrics/ imperial conversion debacle with the greenhouse plans. We set the foundation of the chicken coup using shallow holes filled with pea gravel and concrete blocks. But after the surprise of twice the number of chicks she improvised and extended the original size to accommodate them. My parents came into town for the foreman's birthday and my dad wanted to help so we put him on leveling duty.

I got to use the laser level again and it quickly showed us that eyeballing things on a slight downward slope is unacceptable.

Meanwhile J completely took over the Empty Cup both in the main area and the shop.


J prebuilt the walls again and we are waiting when we have a day off together to get them erected. All of the wood is either painted or sealed with clear sealant.

 

[eastmtn]

I took a few minutes to organize the new mobile detailing cabinet. Exterior polishers, and brushes are on this side.



Interior polishers and the like to on this side.



Rags, pads, specialty liquids and attachments are inside along with bulk liquid storage. I intend to roll this cabinet in front of whatever bay I'm working in.

 

[Blackbyrd]

Huh, never thought of doing a mobile cabinet for the cleaning stuff.....

Might borrow that one.

 

[Cdubu52]

East, I love the mobile cabinet idea. I currently use my utility cart and just load it up with what I need. I still need to finish setting everything up in my shop to make some things more efficient. Always great to see your posts! And Happy Birthday to the the foreman!

 

[eastmtn]

And Happy Birthday to the the foreman!

Thanks! Like @jbrentd said I'm just happy that he still wants to help and finds the stuff interesting at his age.

 

[eastmtn]

J and the foreman have been working like mad woodworking scientists. I caught a glimpse of the shop area and thought I'd take a pic. Here they are painting one of the walls. This is gonna be one heck of a chicken coop judging by the carnage.

 

[eastmtn]

I ordered a new aluminum Mishimoto Racing radiator, coolant hoses, and a transmission cooler for the Raptor over a year ago. I had a day off and was itching to do some wrenching so I broke out the tools and got to work at 0800. Mishimoto estimated this to be a 2hr job. They vastly underestimated my overconfidence.

 

[eastmtn]

Here's a before pic


I evacuated the coolant with a pump. This pump has a small diameter hose for pulling fluid out of reservoirs through a hole as small as a dipstick.


I removed the ram air filter and then got to work pulling wires and pulling plastic clips to get the fan free. That's not a video. I took a video and made a screenshot of it to post on here.

Now it was time to get the actual radiator out.

 

[eastmtn]

If you noticed the lack of a radiator cap on the new radiator then you're already a step ahead of me. I inspected the new radiator before putting it in and thought the lack of a radiator cap was a new design feature. This is after all a larger, all aluminum racing unit and it had an overflow port that hooked up to the overflow reservoir in the right spot.




North American Raptors come with the smaller trans cooler shown in black. But in the Middle Eastern countries they have larger coolers using the same brackets. The Mishimoto unit took advantage of the existing brackets to make a larger cooler in aluminum. I also like that there is a lifetime warranty on the radiator and trans cooler.

 

[eastmtn]

And this is where things turn dark.


I put the new radiator in and was having a helluva time fitting the existing small hoses over the new barbed fittings. The units went into place fine but the lower coolant hose didn't have a staisfying snap into place like before.

I got everything installed and filled the overflow reservoir with coolant. I decided not to start the engine and inspect for weeping fluid. After about ten minutes the new coolant began showering the front skid plate like a sounds of nature video.



I didn't want to tear the whole thing apart again so I removed the skid plate and the rest of the air box to watch in horror as coolant steadily streamed out of the lower coolant hose.

I got the pump back out and removed the rest of the coolant from the radiator. I then went over to the radiator box and cross referenced it with my confirmation email of the items purchased. I had bought the right radiator but received a radiator for an F150 V8 truck. Not a Raptor. These things are built like tanks with a Frankenstein of commercial duty Ford parts to handle the extreme temps and abuse that they were designed for and F150 parts everywhere else.
I was happy that the leak wasn't because of how I put it back together and pissed at the same time that I had spent all this time putting in the wrong radiator.
I spent the next 5 hours uninstalling the new one and reinstalling the old one.