10x18 Workshop in Keswick, VA

Started by Jackson Landers, April 17, 2008, 03:26:08 PM

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Jackson Landers



This project is proof that you can really screw things up pretty bad while you're building and it'll still work out ok.  Look at that ridiculous foundation. I started out using wooden posts on concrete deck blocks.  I'd heard that it starts out wobbly but gets more stable as you go. Well, it just stayed wobbly in this case. It turns out that these were the wrong kind of deck blocks. So after I put down the subfloor I decided to improve the situation by building another set of beams and setting another group of posts 18 inches into the ground, surrounded by concrete. Now I've got 2 foundations. Lessons learned.

The building is as high up off the ground as it is because I wanted to kill 2 birds with one stone. The well house needed a new roof and I needed a workshop with electricity.  Seeing as how there was already at least one 15 amp circuit run out to the well house with an outlet and everything, I figured I might as well just build the workshop directly on top of the well house.  I'll be able to run one power tool at a time off of that circuit without being in danger of browning out the well pump.  Lights and other small things will be run off of some type of DC set-up with either wind or solar. Whatever I can salvage cheap, used components for.  There's 3 big windows anyway, so I won't even need electric light during the day.  There's nothing wrong with oil lamps and kerosene lanterns, either.

I kinda like it up that high anyway. It's got the same appeal to me that some folks find in an SUV, up over the rest of the traffic.



In this next picture, I'm standing at what will be a gable end of the building.  The moment was worth photographing because I'd just figured out how to install the top course of sheathing solo and without a real ladder.  Put a C clamp on each end of it, tie a rope to each clamp and then toss the other ends of the ropes over the top of the wall. Mark where you want the bottom of the sheathing to be and tack a couple pieces of scrap 2x4 to that line on the studs, where they will act as a ledge.  Then haul up on each rope and tie it off to a stud on the other side of the building when you get that side of the panel to the right level.  And there you are with your sheathing in place without anyone's help.  Use some other C clamps to hold it tightly in place while you climb around on whatever is handy to nail it in.

I felt sort of like that ape with the stick in '2000: A Space Odyssey.'
Albemarle County, Virginia

Redoverfarm

"where there is a will there is a way".  When working by yourself there is a multitude of jigs and ways to do things.  I do my best work laying in bed thinking how I can do something.  By morning the answer is clear. Do it.

I hope you figured out a way to pull your pump if needed.


MountainDon

Clamps of all types are a solo builders best friend. I also use a lot of screws set with a drill as temporary.

Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.

Jackson Landers

Redoverfarm,

Yeah, I did think of that. I framed the joists for a trap door. Just like a rough opening for stairs, only smaller.

Good question, though.
Albemarle County, Virginia

BiggKidd

Hi Jackson,

   w* Good going getting the sheeting up. Working alone can be difficult at times but your getting it done. ;D Keep up the good work. BTW Wheres Keswick seems familer. ??? Maybe near where we are moving.

Larry 
A hard life only makes you stronger.

Larry


Jackson Landers

Biggkidd,

Keswick is in Albemarle County, about 10-15 minutes north of Charlottesville.
Albemarle County, Virginia

Jackson Landers



I skipped over the middle pair of rafters on account of that being where I temporarily scabbed over the union between the 2 parts of the ridge board. The idea being to do those ones last after the ridge board is fully stable from all the other pairs being installed.

However, now that basically all of the other common rafters are in, the temptation to add an utterly unnecessary dormer window is enormous.  Yeah, there's not even enough room to stand up in there. But the dormer would look so *neat*. 

Probably a bad idea to complicate things on the first roof that I've ever built.  I might make the decision based on how much wood I have left after building the barge rafters and outriggers.
Albemarle County, Virginia

glenn kangiser

Maybe not a bad idea -- practice now to build skills for later.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

Jackson Landers

Quote from: glenn kangiser on May 14, 2008, 11:48:12 AM
Maybe not a bad idea -- practice now to build skills for later.

True enough. That's half the point of building this thing in the first place. It's a dry run for building our new house (the 20x30 2 story).  Much better to learn lessons by making mistakes on a small scale than on a large scale with the building inspector shaking his head.

When this project is all done, I think I'll post pictures of all the myriad mistakes that I've made building this thing. Some of them are pretty funny to anyone who knows carpentry. The amazing thing is just how much you can screw up without ruining the whole thing. Most mistakes just create more work as you work around whatever dumb thing was done, rather than dooming the whole project or resulting in a need for disassembly.  I think more people would start building their own houses if they understood this.
Albemarle County, Virginia


Redoverfarm

Jackson By the way If I didn't mention the bi-annual builders auction that is a Fishersville. If you are going to build and need material such as doors, windows, flooring, lights and the like you should try to catch one.  Next should be in Aug-Sept.  The company is PBauction.com. They usually post a schedule a month or two ahead.

John