west of Philly - barn saving

[rieferman]

EDIT: ALL "FINAL" PICS OF THE BUILD ARE ON PREVIOUS PAGE
--

Neil - thanks a ton for your continued support. Throughout this project, I would always look forward to getting encouragement on here from guys like you. Much appreciated

Thomas - you were right! Thanks for your kind words too.

--

Ok, so I edited all the pics above with my commentary.

Oh, and don't "worry", there will be plenty of updates for a long time to come. I'm just "done" to the point where I can rest for as long as feels right. I still have to build: table saw stand, all sorts of storage, all sorts of decoratio nand organization, siding, gutters, shed out front, deck by front door, some vintage lighting etc. etc. etc.

And then there's the 2nd story of the building.... hmmm, what can I turn that into?

 

[Atomatic]

this is really one of my favorite treads, i am allmost sad that you are done with the restoration, but at the same time very happy for you, congratulations

 

[nkachur]

It has been 1 incredable build, been lurking here for a couple months checking in. Glad that you stuck in there and now can enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Nathan

 

[Fleetwiz]

Nice...congrats...

 

[JohnFreeman]

What a fantastic job. Man that's just a great piece of work

 

[MaddDogg49]

Wow just read the thread front to back... awesome build.

Cant wait to see the future installments.

 

[rieferman]

Hey guys! Thanks so much for the nice comments.

It was funny because someone was looking at it the other day, and was pointing out imperfections. I calmly explained how it's a 105 year old building, it's very difficult to work with, etc. etc. Afterwards, I called my aunt (she makes little signs etc.) and asked her to paint me a sign that reads:

"Yes it's crooked. No it's not perfect. Go build your own barn"



Anyhow, despite my "done" status, there's really so much else to do. But, as I found out last night, picking away at it whenever I feel like it doesn't feel like work.

Last night I made a really ****** lid for my garbage can. It's honestly the worst carpentry I've done. But it works absolutely perfectly, so screw it, good enough.

(edit on 12/2/13 - I still use the same crappy garbage can lid today, and yes it's that bad. Moral of the story is that if you build something terrible but functional, it will end up being around forever)

oh, then I put up a quick shelf. And ran a power strip to the front of the workbench.

Then, I properly cleaned up the entertainment center. Got the correct cable box in there so the wife can use "On Demand" for her workouts, drilled a big hole so all the power cords and cables could be hidden inside, reinforced the shelf, hid the lamp cord, a dab of touch up paint.

Tonight I'll hopefully have my stuff back down out of the 2nd story storage. I'll take a pic of the mess. I have a neat old army locker that was left at my previous house by the previous owner. I have some road signs from when I was young and stupid enough to take them. Some pics to hang etc.

I also saved the old cabinets that were in the barn before. I think I'll just paint them a light color and use them for my wife's potting bench area. Free and functional is what it's all about in my book.

ha ha, so as you can see, you haven't gotten rid of me yet. Quite a ways to go. And just wait til we get to that deck and shed build that i have planned.

edit: last night I noticed for the first time in memory that I can get up from a chair without pain, can bend down to pick things up without wincing, and that there's a bounce back in my step. I didn't realize how much the project was beating me up until I finally had a few days to recover!

 

[Hardware]

Time for East of philly shed saving. my house.

 

[rieferman]

Time for East of philly shed saving. my house.

need a hand?

---


Anyhow, we tallied our receipts last night.

On page 1 of this thread, I wrote:

Budget:
I haven't seen a lot of budget talk in most posts.. I see these amazing spaces with tons of cool toys... but I don't have that kind of money at this age (32). Anyhow, I'll be completely done for under $10,000 when it's all said and done. Well, $10,000 and aches and pains that will probably never heal.

Total right now is about $10,500. Of that, about $1500 is tools that I will use for a long time, so I sort of consider that a separate expenditure.

So, that leaves about $9K expense. Of that, $5K was excavation and concrete floor. So, for the rest of it, I spent about $4,000.

Not bad, not bad.

Of course, I still have to do the siding, which if I do it myself will cost me about $5K with materials, tool purchases, and lift rental.

So, all in all, when I compare to what it would have been to knock it down, pay for variances, and build an entirely new building (one which probably wouldn't have the 2nd story), we made out very well.

 

[HandyManny]

This is fantastic!!!

I love old barns and old workshops. There is just something about them I love. Maybe it's knowing that they once were a functional parts of our society decades ago. I see nothing wrong with rennovating them and re-using them as barns, workshops, or turningt hem into living space. Anyone ever watch the Carlisle Project on This Old House (2004)?

 

[misaligned]

Re: imperfections...with something like this, the "flaws" are part of the character, the charm...they're often the best part.

Great job...what an awesome accomplishment.

 

[Woogeroo]

I called my aunt (she makes little signs etc.) and asked her to paint me a sign that reads:

"Yes it's crooked. No it's not perfect. Go build your own barn"

That is about how I would handle that situation.


Congrats on the new workspace!

Thanks for sharing the pictures with us.

A very neat project.

-W

 

[nissan_crawler]

Holy hell, I'm not sure how I missed this until now.

It's not crooked, it has character!

New shops are nice and all...but it's sure not the same as walking into that.

Sit back and have a beer for a job well done. Then do something nice for the wife for being such a good sport.

Excellent job you two did. It's too bad the siding will have to be covered, but I understand the practicality aspect of it.

 

[rieferman]

hey hey! sorry, I was on a mini vacation, just catching up on my GJ browsing And look at this, I've got all sorts of nice replies. This forum is awesome, I really appreciate all the comments so much

I might have some fun pics for you guys in the next couple of days. I've been digging out all my trinkets/decorations/storage stuff. As is my usual pattern, my "new stuff" is actually old, reused, found, free, repurposed etc. But functional as can be. More soon

Later!

 

[misaligned]

I love all that old stuff...put me in one of those junk antique stores you find on every corner in Maine/New Hampshire and I'm a kid in a candy store. Can't wait to see the new pics!

 

[KingConstruction]

You did a really nice job on that, I like the way it turned out

 

[rieferman]

ok, these aren't that exciting compared with the pro-level carpenters and gladiator cabinets etc. But, if you appreciate usefulness and practical use of items at a low cost.. Well, I love it. All the little things are where it's at for me. Thanks for following everyone!

- 1st pic - the evolution of the organized bench. bins starting to find their spot. power strips popping up where they're needed. additional lighting (I rewired that myself!) for counting fasteners etc. edit: oh, and that brown box on top of the fasteners drawer is an old boy scout project or something like that. It held trinkets on my dresser at home for years and years. Works out nicely for keeping my cell phone and keys and wallet out of the way when I go out to the shop.

- 2nd pic - a place for everything.. all my levels and similar

- 3rd pic - an old post peg joint.. this was cut away during early step in the project. I thought it was cool so I saved it. Now it hangs above my bench.

more pics in next post

 

[rieferman]

- 1st pic - this is an old locker of some sort.. all I know is that my first house (a row home down in Philly) had this in the basement and I thought it was cool. so when we moved, it moved. And now it holds all types of lesser used tools etc.

- 2nd pic - I like that the locker has this painted symbol on it. I don't know what it means, but I like it anyways.

- 3rd pic - and I really love the latch. It works perfectly and is fun to operate.

more pics in next post

 

[rieferman]

and last but not least, my re-used cabinets and kitchen table and old shelf combination.. turns into a nice place for wife to pot plants, and for me to store stuff. better than throwing them all out. works for me, and it was free

 

[NUTTSGT]

This thread is the reason I joined here, now back to page 2.

 

[Old61]

Well done!

 

[banzaitoyota]

very nice.

 

[rieferman]

thanks guys!

this weekend, electrician buddy came over and we finished up last couple details.

- removed the old power line that ran in the air across the yard (because the new service was run underground)

- connected up all the exterior lights/motion sensors

- got the baseboard electric heaters hooked up

- labeled the panel and did a final test on everything.

All told, the electric bill, including all materials, came to $1700. Compared to the 3 other estimates I got, this is a good deal. And I learned a ton.

also, the wife and i painted all the exterior plywood sections to protect them, and to make them hide a little better until we put new siding on. She did good - she not only went and worked with the guys at teh paint place to pick the best type of paint for our application, but she also used the chop saw all on her own to cut a piece of the old barn wood siding that has some flecks of paint on it.. and she had the store match the color. it's an exact match, and the plywood just doesn't stand out now. plus, she pushed a roller with me the whole time. go wife.

otherwise, continued with some storage stuff etc. got an amplifier for my radio antenna so now all my AM and FM stations come in crystal clear. Mounted the center speaker above the TV where it belongs. Got my Phillies World Champs plaque up on the wall (3 signed baseball cards on there too!). figured out some bins storage etc.

Not enough to warrant pics yet, maybe after the next couple steps.

later!

 

[rieferman]

my dad's dad passed away on April 23rd 2009. He was 92 years old by a couple days. Well, my dad (and mom) is in town for my son's birthday (someplace, I have a picture of 4 generations of men in my family) and decided to surprise me with some "inheritance". There's no dollars involved, but it is better than I could have ever hoped for. These are TREASURE to me.

please enjoy and comment. cheers fellas

 

[rieferman]

here's the rest of the pics

 

[petemarkey]

Just read all through this... I have one comment.. I'm from Atlanta, I can't believe we ship Sweetwater up there and what we get in exchange is Yuengling. What a travesty.

 

[Woogeroo]

All hail the Sweetwater brew.

Cool tools and books from the family, rieferman.

-W

 

[rieferman]

Good eye, you know your beer! We must be related

interestingly, my brother in law was in Atlanta GA for the last couple of years for his job, and just got transferred back to the Philly area. He gave me the Sweetwater (it was the IPA if I remember correctly) and it was delicious.

And yes, Yuengling... sorry about that. I'm not a huge fan either actually. Let's just sweep it under the rug and pretend it doesn't come from around here ok?

Although PA does bring you Troegs and Victory among a bunch of other brewers.

And ketchup if you go west in the state


Edit: Btw, I meant to mention for the GJ members that are in this area. The barn opening party is coming up in mid-October. PM me if you're interested in swinging by.

 

[Jeepguy]

haha dont forget that York, PA is the Snack Food Capital Of the World.... more fatty's in central PA than anywhere else! oh yeah rolling rock, and iron city brew also out in western PA. we like em drunk and chubby

 

[rieferman]

ha ha, drunk and chubby is maybe the funniest combination of words I've heard all week.

---
well, I rebuilt the barn to save it, to have an exercise room, and to have a woodworking shop so that I could develop a side career/hobby as a furniture maker.

Issue is, I don't know how to make furniture.

Other issue is, I don't have the right tools and equipment to make furniture.

Other other issue is, I don't even know where to begin on selecting equipment or learning the skills I need.

Solution: http://www.jdlohrwood.com/services.htm

As fate would have it, this very well respected school (people travel from all over the US to attend) is 4.2 miles from my house. This is exactly what I've been looking for. And I found it so easily (remember my "nothing's easy" motto? well, I stand corrected). Meant to be, meant to be.

My week long, six 8 hour days, course starts in April. I can barely wait.

edit: here's two pictures of where the course is held (I'm going to try to stow away someplace and just live there forever and ever)

 

[Scotto]

Look like a very cool class and I'm sure you'll learn a ton. Hopefully it wasn't TOO expensive.

 

[rieferman]

Hey Scotto, good point, forgot to mention that. The course cost $890 which comes to about $17 per hour. Compared to local "continuing education" alternatives, or courses affiliated with a tool company (with their constant pitching of their "superior" products) I'm very happy with the price given the small class size, setting, course syllabus, reputation of the teacher etc..

 

[Tazfink]

[QUOTEedit: here's two pictures of where the course is held (I'm going to try to stow away someplace and just live there forever and ever)[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I think I could live there too.

 

[rieferman]

We had our barn warming party last weekend, it was really fun. We played darts, watched baseball, showed people the various features of the setup, explained the mechanics behind fixing the place etc.

pictures here include
- a shot of the entertainment center now that it's nicely done up (hopefully will have a 2nd Phillies picture soon!)

-a shot of my display area for some of old literature that my dad salvaged from my grandpa's basement (see previous posts). This also shows the new shelf made out of barn joist.

- me celebrating the best darts throw ever (I needed three 19's and three bull's eyes to win.. and hit this series of throws [a triple 19, followed by two consecutive dead center bull's eyes], while talking trash and calling that I was about to hit this series of throws.. this is me, drunk, gloating over the shots, while taking self photo because no one wanted to feed my ego)

 

[cyclopsblown34]

Nice out for cricket or was it 01 double in double out?

 

[heffneil]

Nice! Enjoying the fruits of your labor and watching the Phils kick ****! Go Phils!!!

Neil

 

[70Chevy]

I just stumbled across this thread - that's awesome! First fixing the structure lean and other weak areas - deathtrap stairs.
Nicely done and thanks for sharing along the way.

 

[rieferman]

yikes, I've been snoozing on the replies here.. Sorry!

cyclops and heffneil back for a visit good to "see" you guys again. (it was an out for cricket to answer the one question. and, poor Phils, to make closure on the other comment)

70chevy, thanks a ton for taking time to comment. cool thing about this forum is how everyone takes a minute to give encouragement to the other members. Really glad you liked this thread, and thanks for stopping in!

--
so, I think I've rested enough.. I've been getting really antsy and bored, the wife says I'm driving her nuts. So, it's time to start some new plans in the barn and house. Just planning right now, but here's preview of some things I'll document in this thread in the future:

- I've figured out how I want to do the trap door at the top of the barn steps. I don't want heat running up the stairs in the dead of winter, so I need a door. Also, I don't want anyone up there until I have time to rebuild the space up there. Pulleys and counter weights and old barn siding are part of the plan.

- the garage bay is going to be more wood shop space. After I take the woodworking course (above) I want to take steps to starting a side business, so I'll need the space. So, the garage bay will hold the table saw island and other equipment. Plus, with a garage door, it will be easy to get materials in and out. (maybe the 2nd story as a furniture show room?) Anyways, to make it better to heat and to give another wall surface to have shelves etc, I'll be dropping a wall to separate garage bay/new woodshop space from the mower storage area. I have an old door saved from my house that I'll use here too. At some point, I'll have to insulate and add one of those G73 heaters I think.

- This means I'm losing a parking spot... but I was always short on covered parking even with the garage bay in play.. So, I think a free standing car port above our 3 car parking area next to the house is the way to go. I have a really good idea of how I want to do it (i want a little bit of a timber frame look, metal roof, some simple lights underneath etc.), but that'll be somewhat expensive, so I think I'll wait. I might even hire some of that job out (cough cough.. like digging the holes.. I've dug enough!), we'll see.

- and obviously, at some point I have to stop ignoring the 2nd story and get that done up nice.. oh, and the deck by the entry door... and the siding.. and gutters.. oh ****, this is getting out of control

 

[thomask]

Hey rieferman,

The more you learn, the more you will want to do. This stuff is addictive.

Good luck in your school, keep us posted.

 

[WhatThaFrig]

Great work. Very very jealous. I'd love to try something like that.