My New Shop... well less then a year old.

[James Combs]

I saw some of you folks showing off your new shops etc. See what you think of mine. Except for the excavation and foundation work I have handled every stick of it myself. Not bragging just facts.

You can review it here in this album. The overall size is 20Ft by 32Ft. Tried to keep from having to cut 4 x 8s. BTW be sure and click on each photo thumbnail and read my caption for each. Yeah, I know it is long but hey it's a great shop besides what else you got to do?... Noo don't answer that.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/album.php?albumid=297

Critiques are fine... unless you are professional builder.

[David Christopher]

James, thats a nice looking shop.....looks to be same size as mine. Im sure youre allready enjoying it

[Mike Langford]

Great looking shop James....I like it!

The pride in knowing you built it yourself makes it that much sweeter....

Hurry and post us some pics of the interior!

[James Combs]

Thanks David, appreciate the feedback.
Thanks Mike I am working on an album of the inside. Got a little more insulating to do and some painting before the final photo op. If this weather will ever break a little. It's got no heating yet. BTW it is 20Ft x 32Ft.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Sweet and congratulations. Just need some bushes.
.

[Rob Cunningham]

Good looking shop James. Hope to see the inside soon.

[glenn bradley]

What a great accomplishment. Really great to build something like that the way you want it every step.

[Aaron Wingert]

Critiques are fine... unless you are professional builder.

No critiques at all from me James, and I'm a professional building inspector! Heck of a nice looking shop.

(and the added benefit is that you have a little less grass to mow now!)

[Chris Nolin]

Beautiful building, James! And so great that you've done it all yourself! Like the others have said, can't wait to see the inside when you get it finished.

[Dave Gaul]

Looks like paradise in the making to me!

I'm thinking I'd skip the vinyl siding, I like the look of the T1-11!

[John Keeton]

Nice tour, JD!! As the song says "A country boy can survive..." And, looks like you were a jack of all trades on this one! Nice job. You were very lucky on the roof rafters with minimal diagonal bracing. A shear wind could have laid them all down on you! But, it didn't, and that is what is important.

Bet you are looking forward to spring and a chance to finish out the interior!

[James Combs]

Thanks Folks. Man I love SMC. I have already learned more then my $6 worth and am meeting some really nice folks.


Mitchell L., the bushes are coming... in year or two.

David G., I like the T1-11 also. I used it because I knew I would not be putting siding on it for a year or so. My deed has a stipulation in it that utility buildings must match the house. However, I checked with all my neighbors and they didn't have a problem with the T1 if I left it that way for a year or so. This summer I will just wrap it with building wrap and add some bone white siding and wha-la it matches the house... well maybe not that easily but it won't be hard.

John K., yeah I was concerned about the wind too but I trusted the weather man for a few days there and got lucky. If you read all my notes to the photos you will have noted that I was continuously having rain and weather issues. A lot of my roofing felt blew off once.

Thanks again to all of you for votes of confidence. I am working on an album for the inside and will post something when it is ready.

[Art Mulder]

Great looking shop. I agree that 70' from the house would not be my ideal choice either. But I am impressed at all the solo work you did.

In particular I really like that little overhang you built over the entrance. It really adds a sweet touch. The bracing looks temporary, are you planning some nice beefy "timber-framed" brackets to go there?

And I'm puzzled about the foundation. It looks like a fairly large crawl space, yet I did not see any hatch in either the side of the foundation or in the floor. Do you not want some way to access the crawlspace? With a wooden floor like that I would think that under-floor dust collection, or under-floor wiring, or even stashing the Air Compressor down there to reduce noise, would be one of your plans.

What about insulation? Or is that for another album?

Thanks for posting!

[James Combs]

I wasn't planning on doing anymore to the bracing until Art Mulder brought it up. I may have to change something there. However I was going to trim out their interface to the building to improve the aesthetics.

I have a trap door inside the building to access the craw space. I dug out most of it mainly to use it as back fill but the trap door does allow access when I get to where I can put natural gas and water in later. The site slops about 2Ft in every 15Ft and the water table is fairly high so it stays pretty wet under the building. As a matter of fact there are usually small pools in low paces every time I ever looked. I am eventually going to have to put a vapor barrier under the floor.

Insulation, yes another album but its about 1/6 done not counting the roof. I am not going to put in a ceiling but will be insulating at the roof rafters with appropriate roof/rafter ventilation.

Great looking shop. I agree that 70' from the house would not be my ideal choice either. But I am impressed at all the solo work you did.

In particular I really like that little overhang you built over the entrance. It really adds a sweet touch. The bracing looks temporary, are you planning some nice beefy "timber-framed" brackets to go there?

And I'm puzzled about the foundation. It looks like a fairly large crawl space, yet I did not see any hatch in either the side of the foundation or in the floor. Do you not want some way to access the crawlspace? With a wooden floor like that I would think that under-floor dust collection, or under-floor wiring, or even stashing the Air Compressor down there to reduce noise, would be one of your plans.

What about insulation? Or is that for another album?

Thanks for posting!

[Andrew Minear]

James.... That's a really nice shop. The 20 X 32 size is not quite twice the size of mine, so, I could really settle down in one that big. When I dug the trench for my electric, I plotted the finished trench on graph paper. Rather not rely on my memory when digging in the future. Congrats on the project and use it in good health.

Andrew