Just moved into the area.

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T

Transplanted

New User
Stan
Greetings Everyone

The wife and I just moved down here mid last year from New England. Had a new home built, moved in 3 months ago. Love woodworking...Been doing it for...Well, as long as I can remember. Learned from my Dad on his Shopsmith, in his sawdust filled basement. Spent 20 years in the Marines fixing planes the pilots kept breaking, kids moved on, house got big, taxes in MA. kept rising...So moved South of the Mason Dixon till I get planted. I am not moving again !!!
Right now, my entire workshop is in boxes in the garage. Looking at getting basically a one-car garage built in the back yard. Had the electrician run a 100amp line to a breakout box out back just for my workshop while the house was being built. Saw a kind of kit at Builder's Discount Center. Only thing, I have to build it, but the price is really nice for about an 18x20 or so...Another project.
Anyway, like I said, I really enjoy woodworking and have most of my toys needed to produce a visual pleasing result from whatever picture my wife shows me of something she'd like me to make.
My main workhorse is my Shopsmith Mark V, (Delta cabinet saw wouldn't fit in my basement workshop), planer, jointer, bandsaw, and a bucket load of smaller stuff, (routers, biscuit jointer, etc.).
Glad I "stumbled" upon this place. Lots of great stuff.
Stan
 
farmerbw

farmerbw

Brian
Corporate Member
Welcome aboard Stan, glad to have ya on the friendliest sawdust pile on the net. Look forward to some project pictures or shop build pictures. :icon_thum

Brian.
 
Joe Scharle

Joe Scharle

New User
Joe
Welcome aboard...
Don't forget...post lots of pics of your shop progress.
We need pics, some of us can't read :rotflm:
 
S

Sully

New User
jay
Welcome aboard Stan. Not too far up the road from you in Washington, NC (aka "Little Washington").

J
 
gator

gator

George
Corporate Member
Welcome aboard.

I built one of the BDC garage packages for a workshop. I did the 16 x 24. Because of grade slope I put mine on piers rather than a slab. Actually it makes it nice to have somewhat of a crawl space (I ran some electrical under the floor for like the tablesaw in the middle of the shop instead of extension cords and some DC piping like from the tablesaw). It also helps that I could put in hardwood flooring instead of working on concrete. I did some item swaps, like vinyl siding for the overhead door. I figured that 98% of what I build will have to go into a house so it had to come out of the shop through a normal sized house door and it saved wall space on the inside of the shop. I added four additional windows, one on each end, two on the side opposite the door and one on the side with the door.

My suggestions, finish the interior before moving in. I was in too much of a hurry to move in and had to move a lot of stuff to finish the interior after move-in (in fact I still have more to do after 10 years.

Pix Link: http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showgallery.php?cat=198

George
 
T

Transplanted

New User
Stan
gator said:
Welcome aboard.

I built one of the BDC garage packages for a workshop. I did the 16 x 24. Because of grade slope I put mine on piers rather than a slab. Actually it makes it nice to have somewhat of a crawl space (I ran some electrical under the floor for like the tablesaw in the middle of the shop instead of extension cords and some DC piping like from the tablesaw). It also helps that I could put in hardwood flooring instead of working on concrete. I did some item swaps, like vinyl siding for the overhead door. I figured that 98% of what I build will have to go into a house so it had to come out of the shop through a normal sized house door and it saved wall space on the inside of the shop. I added four additional windows, one on each end, two on the side opposite the door and one on the side with the door.

My suggestions, finish the interior before moving in. I was in too much of a hurry to move in and had to move a lot of stuff to finish the interior after move-in (in fact I still have more to do after 10 years.

Pix Link: http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showgallery.php?cat=198

George
Click to expand...

Very, very nice workshop you have there. 16x24 seems like it would fit for me. I gave up an 18x21, so it would probably work out fine. Good point about the overhead door, I love it, and makes perfect sense. Sorta like building the boat in the basement, why bother, just have a normal size door. I've not visited BDC yet, but plan to, and get some pricing and such. Last flier I got from them had the 16x24 with vinyl for just under 3K...That's probably what I should stick with seeing as if I stray from their "stock" sizes, I'll start paying for it. The size you have seems more than adequate for me, and I can make it work.
Was looking into the mini-heat pump, giving me both heat and a/c. Noticed you had window a/c and elec heater. Do they work out for you? Certainty would be way cheaper.
Did you run into trouble building / putting together the workshop? Very handy, but never built anything on that level.
 
kernnal

kernnal

New User
Eric
Welcome to New Bern and to a great group. Lots of friendly people and great advice.

We are neighbors, so let me know if you need anything.

Semper Fi!

Eric
 
gator

gator

George
Corporate Member
I had no real problems building the shop. I did get help augering the holes for piers and for raising the walls and lifting the trusses. Otherwise, I did all the work myself. I did the rough interior wiring and had an electrician connect to the panel as well as confirm my work inside. When I ran the wire underground from the house, I ran a conduit so I could pull a phone wire and later (later hasn't gotten here yet) to pull a cable for TV.

The heater is a propane radiant (not blue-flame) and does a decent job on all but the super cold days. The shop is too far for placement of a propane tank to be filled from a truck so I use a 100# tank which is the largest that I can handle to load up and take to the refill station. When It runs out I have a second 20# tank for my grill that I hook up until I get time to get the big one refilled. I started with one window A/C and then my son gave me another he salvaged from a next door neighbor who was putting in a central unit (the one from him was free). I thought about a split unit and also a combo unit (as used in motels) but the cost factor was too much for me.

The one thing you might price out at BDC for a switch is to get standard width windows. Mine are narrower and won't take standard sized A/C's.

The plans that BDC supplied with the kit were acceptable to the local permits department.

George
 
T

Transplanted

New User
Stan
gator said:
The one thing you might price out at BDC for a switch is to get standard width windows. Mine are narrower and won't take standard sized A/C's.

The plans that BDC supplied with the kit were acceptable to the local permits department.

George
Click to expand...

Good to know some of the things one didn't know. Never would have thought about the window thing. I will be picking your brain a bit more as I get closer to building.
Love the hand brace you have hanging up. I've acquired my Dad's old one, and have, -or- will soon have, it hanging back on my workshop wall...When I get a wall, that is.
Thanks for the advice.
Stan
 
Glennbear

Glennbear

Moderator
Glenn
Welcome Stan, I left the northeast 4 years ago to move to VA and glad I did so especially with the recent snowfall back up north. :gar-La; Regarding the BDC kits, that was one of the options I looked at when I was building my 24 x24 shop but I was not real comfortable with some of the grades of material offered and the fact that I would be building it by myself. I ended up using a contractor to erect the shell and I insulated, finished the interior and ran the electric. :wsmile:
 
Gofor

Gofor

Mark
Corporate Member
Welcome, Stan. Lots of good people here to pick their brains.

When I checked at our BDC, the guy said that all the lumber in their kits was #3 grade (lots of knots, bark on board edges, etc), and suggested I may want to upgrade to #2 grade when I decide to build. May be something you want to check out.

George, what is your take on that?

Go
 
Bill Clemmons

Bill Clemmons

Bill
Corporate Member
Welcome to the site Stan. Look forward to seeing the pics as you build your shop. If you need advice, you'll get lots of it. We love helping you spend your money. :rotflm:

Bill
 
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