Shut in Shop Tours

[rickeieio]

No offense taken Steve.  I was just trying to convey that I admire folks who get things done, with or without tools.  Understanding the function of each part, and knowing how to duplicate, or improve it, is what sets a mechanic apart from a "technician."

When I walked through your shop, I knew what the machines were, but I don't have a clue how to run them.  My machining is limited to a hacksaw and a file.

[Striper]

When I look at the pictures of some of these shops, all I can say is WOW.  My humble shop is 48 X 60 with 16 foot eves and 14 foot RV doors. (3)  It does have the Heated Floor which I and several friends installed prior to the concrete being poured.  I pretty much do whatever I want to in it.  Not really a Mechanic or a Welder, but I do dable in both.  Seriously enjoy Wood Working and would much rather build a table that buy one.  Even though I usually end up with more in it than if I bought it.  One of the things my shop gets used for several times a year is gatherings of friends and neighbors.  We throw a few pieces of plywood on saw horses and have a good old fashioned get together.  Sorry but all my pictures are way to big to post.

Joe

[Chad Heiser]

I posted a thread on my shop when I built it a few years ago with a bunch of pictures.  It is fairly spartan on the inside.  I’ve got all the basic tools, but no big machinery.  The back wall on the north bay (the left one in the picture I posted earlier) has a work bench and peg board to make accessing the tools easy.  I like peg board for easy access as well as being able to quickly see if something is missing.  I try to keep the shop organized, but when I’m in the middle of a project things can get scattered about.

Being in California, I decided not to insulate it.  I did this mainly so I could use all the wall board gerts as built in shelving.  I don’t like to throw old parts or pieces away because you never know when they might come in handy down the road for “repurposing” (which I tend to do a lot of).  The only time I regret my insulation choice is in the heat of the summer.  

In the next week or so, I plan to add a couple of thermostatically controlled fans in the east (back) wall up high, along with a couple of vents down low on the west wall (along side the roll up doors), to allow for some air movement in the summer months.  The wiring for the fans has been there since I built the shop, I just haven’t gotten around to buying and installing the fans yet.  I figure it will be a good project right about now.  

I can post some more pictures when I get on my computer.  It’s too much of a pain from the iPad.

[jenandjon]

On 4/26/2020 at 5:43 PM, Steve from SoCal said:

Jon,

 

Great farm shop, love that bi-fold door.     Do you recall the make of your iron worker?      My shop is where the first 6000 Piranha's were made.

Steve

It's a uni-hydro. It's small but it does what we need done. 

[jenandjon]

A nice shop is all well and good but if you are out somewhere you need a decent mobile shop. We picked this old power company truck up a few years ago. 45,000 miles. With a crane, screw compressor and all for around $15,000. Stocked with harbor freight tools and a few craftsman. We put a John Deere welderator on it. Welder generator air compressor combo.

[jenandjon]

Phone won't let me post pics. Have to wait until I get to a computer.

[rpsinc]

14 hours ago, Chad Heiser said:

I posted a thread on my shop when I built it a few years ago with a bunch of pictures.  It is fairly spartan on the inside.  I’ve got all the basic tools, but no big machinery.  The back wall on the north bay (the left one in the picture I posted earlier) has a work bench and peg board to make accessing the tools easy.  I like peg board for easy access as well as being able to quickly see if something is missing.  I try to keep the shop organized, but when I’m in the middle of a project things can get scattered about.

Being in California, I decided not to insulate it.  I did this mainly so I could use all the wall board gerts as built in shelving.  I don’t like to throw old parts or pieces away because you never know when they might come in handy down the road for “repurposing” (which I tend to do a lot of).  The only time I regret my insulation choice is in the heat of the summer.  

In the next week or so, I plan to add a couple of thermostatically controlled fans in the east (back) wall up high, along with a couple of vents down low on the west wall (along side the roll up doors), to allow for some air movement in the summer months.  The wiring for the fans has been there since I built the shop, I just haven’t gotten around to buying and installing the fans yet.  I figure it will be a good project right about now.  

I can post some more pictures when I get on my computer.  It’s too much of a pain from the iPad.

My shop is in So Cal and it is a metal building, 3000SF with 16' eaves, and I use it for my construction business which includes fabrication.  I have lots or welder, ironworker, a Smithy, big compressor and plenty of other tools accumulated over 35+ years.  I found that in the late summer/early fall time, that I dont want to work in that thing in the afternoon.  It used to be worse, but I did some investigating about insulation, which I have R-30 in the ceiling, but did not do the walls until 5 years after I moved in.  I talked to the owner of a company that sold radiant barrier and I learned alot about airgaps.  Long and short is that if I placed a radiant barrier onto the walls directly, I would have expected an R2 insulating value, but what I did was to move it to 8" from the walls and got an R22.  In the heat of the afternoon, when we were installing it, standing in the area where the barrier was present was markedly lower temp than a few feet away where we hadnt put it up yet, likely 20deg difference.  And the stuff is not expensive.  I also have a Portacool to move air around, esp when we are welding. 

If you want more into reach out.  I will share what I know.  

[Chad Heiser]

8 hours ago, rpsinc said:

My shop is in So Cal and it is a metal building, 3000SF with 16' eaves, and I use it for my construction business which includes fabrication.  I have lots or welder, ironworker, a Smithy, big compressor and plenty of other tools accumulated over 35+ years.  I found that in the late summer/early fall time, that I dont want to work in that thing in the afternoon.  It used to be worse, but I did some investigating about insulation, which I have R-30 in the ceiling, but did not do the walls until 5 years after I moved in.  I talked to the owner of a company that sold radiant barrier and I learned alot about airgaps.  Long and short is that if I placed a radiant barrier onto the walls directly, I would have expected an R2 insulating value, but what I did was to move it to 8" from the walls and got an R22.  In the heat of the afternoon, when we were installing it, standing in the area where the barrier was present was markedly lower temp than a few feet away where we hadnt put it up yet, likely 20deg difference.  And the stuff is not expensive.  I also have a Portacool to move air around, esp when we are welding. 

If you want more into reach out.  I will share what I know.  

I’m definitely interested as a down the road project.  We’re doing a few things to the house right now, so will have to wait until those are done.  Gotta keep the wife happy before I go working on anymore of my big projects.

[jenandjon]

Here is the service truck.  Freightliner M2 with a Mercedes engine Allison transmission I think its a 2003 model. locker in the rear end. Its beast it will go about anywhere slowly. Top speed is 60 and shes screaming.

 

[rpsinc]

I would love to replace my Chevy 3500 service truck with something like that BUT in Cali, anything over 14000GVWR has to be clean idle truck, so a 2003 will never fly.  But I like that set up.  And more functional for all my equipment.

Anything predef cannot be operated legally for business in Cali, so either has to be registered as an exemption(like personal use which means all that commercial equipment has to be removed and maybe a 5er hitch installed, or go the way of HDTs, which I guess is pretty close to the same.

I am looking at a Volvo 430 (D13/10speed auto) with a service bed to replace my IH 4700 (DT530/6speed auto).  Gives me the big truck drivetrain without being a big truck, which DW and I arent looking at right now, unless things changed and we became FT.  The service bed could be outfitted so that I could still do mobile welding and fabrication but for personal instead of business.

[rpsinc]

8 hours ago, Chad Heiser said:

I’m definitely interested as a down the road project.  We’re doing a few things to the house right now, so will have to wait until those are done.  Gotta keep the wife happy before I go working on anymore of my big projects.

Chad,

You let me know when you are ready or if you want some info for planning purposes, you can PM for phone # and we can discuss.

[Brad & Jacolyn]

7 hours ago, jenandjon said:

Here is the service truck.  Freightliner M2 with a Mercedes engine Allison transmission I think its a 2003 model. locker in the rear end. Its beast it will go about anywhere slowly. Top speed is 60 and shes screaming.

 

 Jon the old girl has what is needed to get the job done and that is what counts. Love the crane. I once welded a new spindle onto a chopper in the field while laying in the mud. All I had to work with was a big buzz box on a trailer powered by a generator running off the PTO of a tractor. Ah the good old days. I do not miss them.   

[rickeieio]

"The good old days, is now."   so said Uncle Mick, until he died about 8-9 years ago.  He grew up with mules and a hoe, and loved big tractors with a/c.

[Imurphy907]

My 2,000sqft shop only has one 14' tall door. Its 3" to short for the trailer to fit inside. I'd take pics but there is too much crud in the way to actually see anything.

[runaway parents]

With all do respect  to the guys that can afford a huge shop with big elaborate tools. It is not the size of the shop its how you use it. For the people that is interested in owning a hdt and want to do your own work. You don't need all those fancy tools . My shop is a two car garage  with a concrete drive way to park the truck on while working on it. Although it sucks working on the truck out side but I managed to build my bed out side in the snow.I would get spoiled working in side. May sounds low budget but I don't have a lot of over head to deal with  you would be amazed with what you can get done with a peanut grinder and a buzz box for a welder. The less over head means more diesel we can buy which =s more camping trips.. But one thing the fact I built my bed in my drive way I took my neighbors In consideration I worked on my bed during the winter months because my neighbors where inside hibernating and didn't have to worry about setting there shrubs on fire from welding sparks  also didn't have to worry about the neighbors kids watching me weld and didn't have any complaints from grinding noise.  Yes I built it in a residential neighbor hood some city's have ordinance against this  keep it clean cover with a tarp don't make your drive way look like a junk pile. And shouldn't have a problem.

Edited April 30, 2020 by runaway parents

[OU812]

Working out side...... I've never...never broken down in a shop. Been hauled into a shop, to be fixed because I didn't have the tools (computer) to work on outside.   On the farm, where I grew up, that was known as "The Big Shop", when working out side on equipment.  Last year I had the ECM go to the "lymp mode".   Made it to a Commings shop. I didn't know that I could hold my breath that long, (60 miles) .  I always have a small rug or peace of plastic to throw down to work on.   It helps to find things when they drop,   keeps the ground clean, and every one happy.   I try to keep up on prevented maintenance at hone,  more options to repair.   Helps keep the problems down to a  very seldom.   Good luck and happy traveling  OU812 

[JPL]

Great shops! I sure would love to have that surface grinder and that long bed lathe. My Bridgeport and Rockwell lathe will just have to do. i hope i can post some pictures of my small shop if I can figure out how. When I retired from the Navy I thought I would teach at a HS or Comm  collage a machine shop program but they don't exist any more. My HS Machine Shop teacher would be heart broken. I still miss Mr. Roades. Jefferson High School Roanoke Va. Class Of 1965.   Pat


The Old Sailor

[sandsys]

On 4/26/2020 at 8:33 PM, Steve from SoCal said:

To build, modify, repair and refurbish "most systems" be they a car, plane, bike or tractor you need the proper tools.     

Even my lightweight electric scooter came with a pocket holding a set of allen wrenches which are the only tools needed to assemble it. We used those tools to install review mirrors last week. Nice to have the right tool in the right place.

Linda

[jenandjon]

On 4/30/2020 at 10:58 AM, OU812 said:

Working out side...... I've never...never broken down in a shop. Been hauled into a shop, to be fixed because I didn't have the tools (computer) to work on outside.   On the farm, where I grew up, that was known as "The Big Shop", when working out side on equipment.  Last year I had the ECM go to the "lymp mode".   Made it to a Commings shop. I didn't know that I could hold my breath that long, (60 miles) .  I always have a small rug or peace of plastic to throw down to work on.   It helps to find things when they drop,   keeps the ground clean, and every one happy.   I try to keep up on prevented maintenance at hone,  more options to repair.   Helps keep the problems down to a  very seldom.   Good luck and happy traveling  OU812 

We just built ours about 10 years ago or so. I never forget the days when you never threw away a good big piece of cardboard or carpet scraps. (Still don't). Having a stocked service truck makes rolling in the dirt a little better. Not making 5 trips to the shop to fix something. But no matter how you plan someone is still running to get something.

Another thing about not having hired help outside the family. He who breaks it has to fix it! So we are not quite so hard on stuff. Sometimes.

[Brad & Jacolyn]

2 hours ago, jenandjon said:

We just built ours about 10 years ago or so. I never forget the days when you never threw away a good big piece of cardboard or carpet scraps. (Still don't). Having a stocked service truck makes rolling in the dirt a little better. Not making 5 trips to the shop to fix something. But no matter how you plan someone is still running to get something.

Another thing about not having hired help outside the family. He who breaks it has to fix it! So we are not quite so hard on stuff. Sometimes.

I remember the days when they broke stuff faster than I could fix it. Remember a week straight that I did not get to the field because more things broke before I could get out of the shop.

[rickeieio]

A long, long time ago, we had an old beverage delivery truck (think single axle Pepsi truck).  First bay behind the driver had tools and parts, and the fuel pump driven by a 12v motor and 20' hose, and 50' of air hose.  Opposite bay had a 300 gal fuel tank. 

Over the axle were the water tank with hose, and the welder/genny.

The remaining bays were for seed and insecsticides.

The good old days is now.........

[Darryl&Rita]

Had an old, single axle beverage trailer set up very similarly. It was moved by a single axle Ford gas job, with a 4 speed trans, and a 2 speed axle. The truck also hauled a few trailers to town and area auctions, just in case. Good times, indeed.

[noteven]

On 4/29/2020 at 5:23 AM, jenandjon said:

Here is the service truck.  Freightliner M2 with a Mercedes engine Allison transmission I think its a 2003 model. locker in the rear end. Its beast it will go about anywhere slowly. Top speed is 60 and shes screaming.

 

If your trans is a 4 or 5 speed - Check with your nearest Allison dealer - many models have another overdrive gear present that can be enabled.

[jenandjon]

On 5/9/2020 at 7:22 AM, noteven said:

If your trans is a 4 or 5 speed - Check with your nearest Allison dealer - many models have another overdrive gear present that can be enabled.

I believe its a 4 speed. I will look into that. Thanks!