Yet another Shop Build Thread

[Todd Burch]

Several (28?) years ago, I was working on a car - a big Pontiac 2-door, replacing the upper control arm bushings. I had jacked the car up (floor jack) and put a cinderblock under the frame, on end, to support the car. I let the jack down, so the car was resting fully on the cinderblock, but I did leave the loose jack under the center of the front crossmember.

I then proceeded with replacing the upper control arm bushings. Part of the regime was to cut the rivet heads off the upper ball joint with a cold chisel. I had cut a couple off already. I was sitting, Indian style, with my head up under the wheel well, hammering away. All of a sudden, on one hit, the percussion of the hit caused the cinder block to shatter. The side of the car I was working on was much higher than the other side, and the car immediately fell and leveled out, rocking back and forth before it stopped. Had I not had left the floor jack under the car, I would have been decapitated, for sure.

After about messing my pants, I stopped the project and went out and bought proper jack stands. Stupid.

Ever since I have had a bad taste in my mouth for cinder blocks.

Todd

[Larry Browning]

Do you have a tool layout plan yet? I would think that now is the time to do that, before you get too far along. I could effect the construction.

[Steve Milito]

Ever since I have had a bad taste in my mouth for cinder blocks.

Todd

I hear ya. The difference here is that I'm using the block for it's intended purpose.
The original plan was poured concrete but the project was 50% over budget. A compromise was made. It trimmed a huge amount off the price, I was able to expand the building and it I still came in at just 10% above original budget. I could have gone to slab and saved a bigger bundle, but then I would have lost the ability to run the ducts below the floor.

[Steve Milito]

Do you have a tool layout plan yet? I would think that now is the time to do that, before you get too far along. I could effect the construction.

I've played around with a few but haven't finalized the layout. The first phase of this project stops at "rough in" with some lighting.

[Jim Andrew]

Are those hadite or concrete block? Concrete block are a lot stronger, and air doesn't flow through them either. Of course they are considerably heavier as well. The cost doesn't make sense to me, in my area block are not used anymore, and poured concrete is cheaper to build with anyway. Masons charge a LOT to lay block here.

[Steve Milito]

It's concrete block. The block work and concrete work are done by the same sub in my community. I was told that as long as we could get away with unfilled block that it's considerably less expensive to go with block, but filled block is not cost effective compared to poured concrete. That limited the crawl space to 4', which is fine for it's intended use.
I was able to add more space to the main level and increase the size of the second floor by getting rid of the basement.
The contractor and the engineer / architect recommend slab as the most cost effective, but I really wanted a wood floor in the middle part of the building.

[Art Mulder]

The contractor and the engineer / architect recommend slab as the most cost effective, but I really wanted a wood floor in the middle part of the building.

Why not just pour a slab and then frame a 2x6 floor right on top of it? (or 2x4 or 2x2 if you don't care about running electrical or DC underneath.)

[Steve Milito]

Because I want to run DC and electrical under it.

[Jim Andrew]

If I were having that work done, think I would buy some sack crete and a few 4' rods, and fill a few cores when those guys get done. The sack crete doesn't even have to be mixed with water, it will set up when it gets the moisture.

[Steve Milito]

I'll be scoping it out this weekend. Last I saw they were adding some reinforcement. I'm confident I have a good GC.

[Tom Ewell]

Too bad you couldn't go a little higher on the foundation without blowing the code and or budget.

I've got walkout basement on mine which allows dust collection and air compression machinery to go below. Pretty good storage area to boot.

Great looking shop btw.

[Steve Milito]

Too bad you couldn't go a little higher on the foundation without blowing the code and or budget.

I've got walkout basement on mine which allows dust collection and air compression machinery to go below. Pretty good storage area to boot.
.

I know. It wasn't just the cost of the foundation walls, the topography of the land wasn't really conducive to a walkout without extensive excavating and storm water drainage mitigation.

[Steve Milito]

If I were having that work done, think I would buy some sack crete and a few 4' rods, and fill a few cores when those guys get done. The sack crete doesn't even have to be mixed with water, it will set up when it gets the moisture.

They reinforced one core every third block and all the corners.
Flooring system goes in next week.
The floor is 1 1/8" advantech which I plan to cover with 3/4" oak sometime down the road

[Jim Andrew]

Not to cause you concern, but before you think of laying oak on that flooring, drive a nail into the flooring and pull it out with your hammer to see if it has holding power. I tried to lay some oak once on waferboard flooring, and it didn't hold well.

[Steve Milito]

Not to cause you concern, but before you think of laying oak on that flooring, drive a nail into the flooring and pull it out with your hammer to see if it has holding power. I tried to lay some oak once on waferboard flooring, and it didn't hold well.

I've researched this quite a bit before deciding on it. Avantech flooring has at least the same nail holding capacity as plywood.