GLTHFJ60
Well-known member
Just ordered my first Big *** Light after seeing the above. Looking forward to getting it!
The Flying Shop
- Thread starter phred
- Start date
You'll really like it. I need one more light. If I have all 4 trucks in the shop there are shadows by the big doors. One more light centered over the door should solve that problem. Its amazing how much more light I need now compared to when I was 40 yrs old
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Well it was time to start reconfiguring the driveway and parking pad so we can have access to both the existing garage and the new shop. The drive and parking pad were a patchwork of pours dating from the early 1930's to date. We expanded the pad about 8 more feet to get have a better turn around area. By the time we reshaped to lower pad to get water to flow there was not much left to save. We cut back the rear of the parking area and poured a footing for a new retaining wall while we were at it
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Terranova
Well-known member
Sometimes my iPhone takes photos 90 or 180 degrees off. Are your pics taken with an iPhone?
C_F
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Well I tried reformatting the photos so we'll wee if these work.
We got the old driveway removed and the new retaining wall in. Time to form and pour. Like everything we did I wanted to make sure the driveway was solid and will not break if I bring in a heavy vehicle. We put down 4" of 57 stone, #4 bars 12" on center each way and 4000 psi concrete with fiber. Over kill I know for a residential drive but I often have dually f250's, 350's and the occasional service truck down the drive and the driveway edges crack and break. I didn't want that to happen again. We thickened up the drive alone the edges to 6"+/- and the apron in front of the shop is about 10" thick because of the recess for the sliding door track.
We got the old driveway removed and the new retaining wall in. Time to form and pour. Like everything we did I wanted to make sure the driveway was solid and will not break if I bring in a heavy vehicle. We put down 4" of 57 stone, #4 bars 12" on center each way and 4000 psi concrete with fiber. Over kill I know for a residential drive but I often have dually f250's, 350's and the occasional service truck down the drive and the driveway edges crack and break. I didn't want that to happen again. We thickened up the drive alone the edges to 6"+/- and the apron in front of the shop is about 10" thick because of the recess for the sliding door track.
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Time to do some interior work while the driveway cures out. Added a built-in desk in the little office. Added some more shelves to the rear wall of cabinets. Started installing the Maxair air lines. I went with the 3/4" lines. The cost was not much more than the 1/2" stuff and I liked the compression fittings better than the press in fittings. Made a water trap and drain from iron pipe. Of course the local big box store's pipe threader was broken so i had to use what they had in stock so the diameter of the main drop is not as large as I wanted but it actually works pretty well in the humid south.
Started the data, cable and security connections to the main house.
Started the data, cable and security connections to the main house.
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fergus
Well-known member
Cool build. I like the MDO plywood interior walls. I may have to use that someday if/when I finish the inside of my shop.
sbosecker
Well-known member
Perhaps some GJer's from Australia can help with the pictures.
Enjoying your thread!
Best regards,
Scott
Enjoying your thread!
Best regards,
Scott
Ha ha great idea!!
1/2 Cup
Member Emeritus
Last edited:
Well the big day finally arrived. Installation of the Mohawk lift. The job superintendent and an ironworker friend and myself took a day to install this beast. We used my electric forklift to lift and set the columns in place. The steel frame was designed for the columns to sit directly over on of he main beams. We drilled through the slab and put 1/4" thick plates on the underside. No way for the 1" grade 8 threaded rods to pull out. We only need a couple very thin shims to get the columns perfectly plumb. In hind sight it would have been cheaper to have Mohawk install the lift as it took the 3 of us a full 9 hours to get everything set, plumb and bolted down and I spent another 12 hours installing the arms, electrical cable, inflow hydraulic lines, and testing the system. I learned the lift well and can now service it myself if need be.
Installed the wash sink and water heater. installed the water trap and regulator.
Started the install of the mini split heat pump. First the wall brackets and then a pulley system to lift the compressor into place.
You will all be glad to know that I didn't actually use the pulley system to lift the compressor. I had a couple buddies from the gym come over and they just pressed it up there. Its handy to know guys that can squat 500 lbs and overhead press 250. They made it look easy and it was way safer.
Started the install of the mini split heat pump. First the wall brackets and then a pulley system to lift the compressor into place.
You will all be glad to know that I didn't actually use the pulley system to lift the compressor. I had a couple buddies from the gym come over and they just pressed it up there. Its handy to know guys that can squat 500 lbs and overhead press 250. They made it look easy and it was way safer.
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GLTHFJ60
Well-known member
Sweet!
Now its time to start the longest most complex and frustrating part of the build. The sliding doors. I didn't want a big over head door that would block the overhead lights when it was open or reduce the ceiling height. So I looked at barn doors, sliding doors, carriage doors, and coiling overhead doors. All had the pros and cons. I liked the barn door look but they don't seal or secure well. Carriage doors are beautiful. Are easy too seal and secure but large openings tend to have issues with sagging. Coming overhead doors have one con. They are ugly. Sliders are a good compromise but can be heavy. I talked to hanger door manufacturers to see about having some tabbed but the size I needed was not efficient or cost effective. The steel fabricator that put up the steel frame said he could make the tracks, rollers and frames for me for $4500 and he would install the tracks and set the frames inplace. That seemed like a fair price for custom frames and track. All I would need to do is put the skins on and install all the weather strip. We agreed on the design and cost in April. The driveway was poured in August with he blackout for the lower track. The track and doors didn't arrive until November. One thing after another kept getting in the way. Big job out of town kept him out of the shop. He hurt his back, someone was sick. All legit reasons but I needed doors. I started hunting other fab shops to complete the work. I was willing to buy what was started and have some one else finish it up. Finally all the pieces arrive and I paid the cost of the fab work and did the install myself so I could close in the shop and finish the interior work.
Here are some sketches of different door designs we discussed. The custom lower track milled from 6061 aluminum, and the recess in the driveway slab for the track.
Here are some sketches of different door designs we discussed. The custom lower track milled from 6061 aluminum, and the recess in the driveway slab for the track.
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We did take in photos of the track install. I guess I was to anxious to actually get doors up that I just forgot. The 2" deep by 8" wide recess allows us to have the bottom track flash with the driveway slab and the shop slab. I need to be able to roll my fork lift, press and other heavy tools into the shop. Any kind of lip would be a problem. I spent the better part of a day getting the 3 10' sections of track aligned and level. I used CH Lawrence mini shims to get the fine adjustment I needed. Once all the track was level and secured with concrete anchors ww mixed up non-shrink grout and poured the recess full. The recess too about 10 50lb bags of grout to fill. Thats a lot of grout mixed 5 gallons at a time
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hewey
Well-known member
Really nice out of the box approach to your garage space, nice work.
Thanks hewey. Unfortunately we had to move for work and the “flying shop” and the house now belong to someone else. Last I heard the shop had been converted in to an apartment, the one thing the city told me I could not do!. I guess I didn’t grease the right palms?! Anyway I’ve got a new shop at a new place. Here’s a link to the new build thread. https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...de-or-the-opposite-of-the-flying-shop.506790/
It’s still in progress as they always seem to be.
It’s still in progress as they always seem to be.
larry4406
Well-known member
Epic build!
I like the high-hat dormer section to give head room for the lift!
I like the high-hat dormer section to give head room for the lift!
Yeah I really liked that build. The shop was perfect for what I had at the time and was well thought out given the constraints of the site and lot. My new shop is twice as large and is jammed full of stuff. More tools of course and currently I have 4 trucks in it with room to wrench on all 4. Typical I wish I had done things differently but every build is a leaning experience.