Shop Modifications Started/Finished

Decided to modify walls in shop. The open studs just collect sawdust and spider webs.

Using Pressure Treated Plywood (1/2 Inch) sheathing. First panel up. Took a bit longer than expected. Challenging to position panel and cut-out electric box etc. Forgot how heavy this stuff is.

UPDATE – JULY 10, 2023

Slow but steady progress – hasn’t rained too much last few days and trying to take advantage of it. I spend more time moving stuff around than actual construction part.

Of course it is raining today so no work happening for couple days – we’ve had more rain last 2 months than anyone can remember. Pics below show where things stand after couple long days in very hot/humid shop. I need couple nice days so I can finish sheathing, everything after that is easy work (build cabinets/shelving/organizing…) Going to get rid of bunch of stuff (desk/lumber unused junk) as all my house projects completed and just going to now focus on boat building – stay tuned.

 

 

Compressor temp mounted on wall, moving stuff to make space for the other 2 walls. Lots of prep work for these as all kinds of things (shelf s/brackets/tool holders) attached to these walls. Decided to not install some extra windows I had been saving – just not worth the effort.

 

UPDATE JULY 11,2023

Decided to make some heavy duty sawhorses since weather still sucks and will be needing for next boat build. Completed ones shown below.

 

Not certain why plans did not call out floor/leg angle – would have been much easier to cut 15-degrees on mitre saw as sub-assemblies than scribe everything to floor, cut by hand etc… the jig helped with controlling angle.

 

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…Since I was modifying legs, figured I would put replacable yellow pine shoes  – experience says when end grain in contact with ground  you will get rot and breakage here. Since these may be used to for kayak outdoor winter storage thought 10 minutes work a smart move.

 

…They do stack nice, the only thing I don’t like is widths are different – 49-in vs 47-in. If I had been smart I would have made at 48 and 46 inches as with 49, you have horse that is 1/2 inch wider per side than standard plywood 4×8.

 

…Just waiting for next batch of pressure treated plywood so I can finish sheathing garage. These things are definitely heavy duty. Not certain if I am going to bother to paint them or not – maybe when rain/humidity get more tolerable.

 

UPDATE July 12, 2023

Almost got done today but discovered I had 3 sheets of different thickness plywood so it’s back to LaValleys to exchange for what I was suppose to get. Not super impressed with LaValleys – the don’t seem to really be any better than Lowes or Home Depot.

This is the back wall about halfway done – was a huge pain to remove everything from wall to prep. Also had to re-run some electrical. Still haven’t figured out how to utilize the extra power box – maybe overhead lights or run to an attic vent.

 

…This wall is where I discovered the issue with different thickness, just to right of window you can see a slightly different color plywood – well it also 1/8 inch thicker and will cause problems downstream – can handle the window trim, but don’t want to create more problems than necessary.

 

… I’ve moved everything in here at least 3 times as part of this projects. The good thing is it is helping my knees – normally I would be exercising (fishexcise) in kayak but this has been a crazy year for rain.

UPDATE JULY 13, 2023

Finished the sheathing after quick run to Newport for right thickness plywood. Below is last panel, I knew I needed switch cover but surprisingly LaValleys did not have a 2 switch cover in brown. The panels look pretty crappy now but after they dry out (3 months) they will get some filler and coat of paint. Not going to do trim until walls painted (probably white with some kind of bright trim color). Have been in rush to get this stuff hung since want to get everything finished/painted before winter arrives. Should be dry enough by mid-October.

I decided to make the last panel detachable as this is where main power comes in and gets distributed. Just used deck screws as PT plywood eats regular screws/nails.

…Too tired to clean things up today and still hot/humid outside. Really did not like working with pressure treated plywood – ugly, messy and looks like crap with all the defects – not a material I’m used to dealing with.

 

 

…UPDATE JULY 18, 2023

Since everything needs to be easily mobile to accommodate cars and projects, needed to get heavy tools on bases. Got these from Home Depot (online) as they got very good reviews. Got to admit, those Chinese products are getting better and better every year.

 

 

…Lots of assembly required, everything heavy duty, well machined and all the parts included. Very smart design for easy customization of base dimensions. Impressed for unit cost of $55 each.

 

…Challenging to get bases on these tools. Had to get creative as some of the tools quite heavy. Workbench was the worst to install but now easy to move around.

 

…Getting ready for action. Another week or so and basic layout should be resolved. Should have done this years ago.

 

…UPDATE JULY 25, 2023

Finally got everything set up and in position. Still will tweak over time (nature of shops). Need the pressure treated plywood to get good and dry before I paint walls white and trim green. Lumber storage racks along back wall will be started soon and sheet goods storage will be just to right of the bench. Wall mounted shop vac will be just above the shaper/tablesaw – will figure out where yellow storage bins can go.

Should now have space for 2 vehicles, but will be tight.

This has taken way longer than I anticipated, but most of the labor was just moving crap around and around to either make way for construction of work on maximizing space for cars.

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This area came out nice – will trim things out and finish (additional lighting) when I get back from WBS in Sept.

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Here’s my frequently used tool/supples area. Will build a nice storage/display case for planes and chisels one of these days. The speaker wires are just held in position with spring clamps until I get ceiling resolved – on the fence to sheetrock in or not. Loose lots of storage if I box them out.

Ps- I made that bench out of solid maple in 1991. It has been moved across country multiple times, wailed on with hammers, cut and gouged with chisels and saws, but still holding together quite nicely. Probably should clean up and add another coat of Danish Oil – the best finish ever invented.

 

…UPDATE August 1, 2023

Just about everything completed – have some shop lighting on order, window/door trim to finish and we have this project just about wrapped   up for next big boat building project.

The lumber racks should be able to hold 14-ft boards with no problem. The plywood racks should hold 10 sheets of 4×8 which will be more than enough for boat.

 

 

Sneak Peek for next project – this is a very nice built boat. His blog says 1st thing he has ever build by hand. I hope mine comes out as nice.

 

UPDATE – August 3, 2023

Finished door and window trim so officially done construction/reconfig phase. Will paint after back from WBS class. Coincidently as I was cleaning up for the day, Lisa brought me the new boat plans (Penobscot 14) from Post Office. Hope I can keep schedule and cost under control for this project.