Coolmeadow Creations Shop Rehab

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Jim,

You are correct in that a header may not be needed above that door. The reason being is that the rafters are supported by the two outside walls, not the wall with the door in it.

The only thing the header will support is that small wall above it. At this time it looks to be hanging from the rafter, not supported from below.

So long story short, a header probably should have been put in to support the wall above it. Shortcut taken by someone

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I would recommend the header be put in. I've seen plenty of shortcuts taken before that wound up being a big mistake....especially over garage doors.

[Jim O'Dell]

Thanks guys. Yes, there WILL be a header when I get done. Actually, there not being a header there will make my job a little easier...don't have to catch the old piece as I cut it out!!! ;-0 Jim.

[Jim O'Dell]

Good evening all!

Well, I took a vacation day Friday. Got the wall braced, each side wall cut out, and framed back in, with a window opening framed in the west side wall. Got the header put in, lost an old wooden ladder in the process!!! (and tweaked by back a little as I was trying to get away from the falling header) All in all, about what I thought I'd get done.
Saturday was a short day as my wife"s brother came down to visit a friend and spent the night with us, and their father and his wife came by on their way home from a trip to Dallas. So that meant I needed to knock off about 4:00 to get cleaned up for a meal out. (But Uncle Julios is worth it!!!!) But I did get the sheathing and the Tyvek wrap up...again about what I thought I'd be able to finish.
Sunday was a late start at 9:00. Had to make a run to HD for supplies (should have gone Sat. evening, but I was way too full) Got the trim up around the garage door, and some of the brick moulding around the window, and, you guessed it, back to HD to get more stuff so I could finish the trim. At about 4:45, it started to sprinkle. I was able to get the first 2 courses of the Hardi plank up. Really thought I'd have all of it up. Even if it hadn't started to rain, I still don't think I would have finished. But I can do some during the week after work. I wanted to start building the doors next weekend, but we'll see.
Then first picture is from Friday, with the framing in progress. The second pic is Saturday showing the header in place and the sheathing almost up. The last pic is from today, showing the Tyvek wrap on, the window in, and the first 2 courses of Hardi plank on. Thanks for reading! Jim

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Looks good Jim....it's still spittin' out here in SE Dallas and from the looks of the weather radar it's here to stay for a bit.

[Jim O'Dell]

I can't believe I haven't updated here in 3 1/2 weeks!! Not a whole lot of progress, except spending money on toyls that I can't hook up and use yet!!! The picture attached at least shows the completed south wall section. I have 1 door cut out except for the "skins" I'll try to complete that this coming Sat. Sunday we head out to Okie land for a dog show, that is if the pup pictured in page 2 of this thread heals in time to go. Evidently got run over by one of the other dogs yesterday, and is limping and won't hold her tail up. Can't show her that way.
I've got some reworking to do on some of the the door parts that are ready to assemble. My cuts for the interior slats didn't line up exactly, so I have some minor surgery to do, then it should go together ok. Maybe two more weekends and I'll have the doors done so I can start the wiring, and get that inspected. I've got a new cyclone here, and the new bandsaw should be here tomorrow morning, and I can't try either of them out until I get the wiring in and turned on. Thanks for looking. Hopefully the next picture will show a lot more progress. Jim

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Way to keep at it Jim!! Sounds like you are getting some cool new toys. I'd bet you can't wait to get them hooked up and running!

After it is all done, you will wonder why you didn't do it years ago

[Jim O'Dell]

Well, I haven't posted on this thread in a couple of weeks. I have been busy, though. I finished one door earlier this week, working in the evenings to get the "skin" on it. I had hoped to finish the 2nd one this weekend, but it was raining pretty good yesterday, and being that I would need to drag wood back and forth from the shop to the garage temporary shop, I did some honey do's in the house instead, and then we went out to eat last night. I started about 9:45 this morning, and finished about 7:30 this evening. Got the skeleton finished for the 2nd door, but the skins will have to wait for a couple of evenings this week. I'd like to get them hung next weekend, and painted so I can concentrate on the electrical install. I had forgotten to take pictures of the first door, so here is a view part way through the skeleton build on #2. I'll get the skin on one side, flip it over and cut the closed cell sheet foam board and stuff each void, then install the 2nd set of skins. I still have 4 pieces of 2 X 4 blocking to glue in where one mounting bolt from each of the hinges goes, but that is a quick install. At some point I'm going to have to come up with some sort of moulding design for the doors. 2 big ole fat slabs hanging there wouldn't be very attractive. Maybe use the wooden letters and make a big shop sign?? I'll accept all ideas. Jim.

edit: added picture of the finished skeleton. The camera battery died last night after the 1 picture. Jim.

[Frank Pellow]

Thanks for the update Jim. Its good to see you making progress. I think that a shop sign on the doors using wooden letters is a good idea.

[Jim O'Dell]

Thanks for the comments. I appreciate you looking. I'm also looking for any ideas you all might have. Don't be bashful, throw them on out. Even if I don't use them, they will get the creative juices flowing, and who knows what might pop up!!

Glenna has been out of town since Thursday...coming back Monday afternoon. So work has been slow on the shop, since I have my day job and dog duty for our 4 (see the off topic tread on shop dogs) plus 1 foster girl waiting for a forever home. The foster is about 1 1/2 years old, and our pup is 8 months. They are into everything!!!

Shop progress: I got the doors hung last weekend, and the top slide bolts installed so they were semi secure. Sanded and bondo'd the screw holes Friday and Saturday afternoons after getting off of work. Then painted the doors, anchored the threshold down, and installed the bottom slide bolts today. I took a couple hours to go look at possible ways to weatherseal the door openings this afternoon after lunch. I got some good ideas, but need to cut a saw kerf in a piece of wood and see if the replaceable weatherstrips for french doors will fit tightly enough to use. I'll do that and check after work one day this week. If so, I'll cut my own mouldings. The ones I found at the blue and the orange are a little too ornate for me and this building. I can't find a large enough piece of metal to use to cover the gap between the 2 doors. I was looking for a 1/8" X 2 1/2" piece to screw onto one of the doors, then put a peel and stick weather strip so it seals off on the other door. Don't know the technical term for this. I have a 10% off at HD that ends the 14th. I need several electrical supplies (breakers), some paint, wire from the meter to the new box, and HD has some cheap metal and fabric lawn chairs that I may get a few of for the patio if the LOML approves when she sees them.

Sorry for the rambling. Must be heat exhaustion or the sleep deprivation. There are 2 pictures of the doors. Hope everyone had a great weekend! Jim

[Jim O'Dell]

For those of you that read Dennis Peacock's Monday morning 'Wha dya do this weekend?' threads, I appologize for taking this long to get the pictures, and they aren't that great, but it will show that I've made some electrical progress. I have all the boxes in and wired to the breaker box, but don't have the ground bar in, or the breakers wired and in yet. I have several junction boxes mounted in the ceiling. Not sure you will be able to tell from the poor quality pictures, but I have them mounted so that when the ceiling is in, one of these years, I can still access the junction boxes from the shop to add wiring, or correct a problem, since I don't have enough room to get up in the "attic" part, it's just not usuable. So I felt this was the best option. I have my can lights, and 4 spot light fixtures in and wired. I have one junction box left to wire, and it's a doozy. I think I need to go get a bigger electrical box for this one...just too many wires to be able to get connected and still put a cover on it. I have all the ceiling 110 receptacles mounted (single twist locks), and if you saw my other thread with the question about the 220 volt twist locks, you know I haven't gotten any of them yet. With funds drying up a little, I'm not sure when I will get to proceed with this.
I talked to an electrician when I was pricing T-8 fixtures the other day, and he said where I'm at, I don't need to have an electrical inspection?!?!?!? I will follow up with TXU Electric and see what they say. If it is true, then I'll ask an electrician what he would charge to come and look at what I've done and point out any mistakes, or problem areas. I think that that would be a prudent thing to do.
I'll go ahead and post 2 pictures here, but again they are lousy. I'll try to redo them this weekend, and substitute them if they turn out any better. As always, thanks for looking in! Jim.

[Michael Gabbay]

Jim - Looks good! As far as inspections are concerned, in my county we require a rough in and final for electric. Rough-in would require all boxes in place, all ciruits run but not wired to the light fixtures or outlets/switches, and panel in place but not wired to breakers. In my last two remodels, I have done the final wiring for the panel and lights prior to rough-in and the inspectors are ok with that. The theory is you need lights and juice to build.

Final inspection is when all fixtures, outlets, switches and breakers are installed and fully functional.

You may want to have the inspector come out and do a rough-in. Even if you don't pass they are generally very helpful with resolving issues. Plus you save a few $$ by not hiring an electrician.

B&D has a good book on home wiring. They have a chapter about inspections and what the general code requirements are. You can find it at HD or Lowes.

Mike

[Jim O'Dell]

Thanks Michael,
But if it's true I don't have to have an inspection, then that would mean to me that there is no one to perform that function. I still need to call TXU and the county to verify before I proceed too far.
I actually have a 1990 copy of the NEC. Man, that's one thick book! I have looked at it, and I think a GE simplified wiring book, I read cover to cover...very hard for me to sit down and do.
I'm thinking about stopping and talking to a neighbor a couple blocks away that is an electrician, or at least his work van says he is ;-0. I'll see if it's something he is willing to do on the side for a little cash. Thanks!! Jim.

[Michael Gabbay]

I'd be surprised if your county does not require a rough-in inspection. To me (I'm not an electrician) that is a very import, if not the most important one to get. Once you put up insulation and walls etc. any rework becomes a major hassle.


You did get an electric permit when you started right? It should state what the inpection schedule is.
Mike

[Jim O'Dell]

Michael,
This is not new construction, I'm just rehabbing an existing building. Electrical was already there, I'm upgrading and running new wiring so I'm happy with how it is done. There won't be any wall panels or insulation until after I get the electrical done, so any inspections I may need will be easy to perform. Did I need a permit? Probably. We'll see how it flies!!! Jim.