Projects

Some of our Projects

New Shop Build at our new place (beginning July 2020)

The new shop will have a different layout than that of our previous. It measures 20' Wide by 35' Long (700 sf.) on a concrete foundation. The side walls will be 14' high. A mezzanine(loft) is planned to cover at least 30% of the shop's main floor. This will give us about 940 sf. of combined work/storage area.

I obtained a Fill Permit to bring clay soil into the area of the shop's location. Once the soil was spread and compacted, I obtained a Building Permit to begin work on a form for a concrete foundation.

Below are images of the site during preparation and building. Click on the images and it will load a Slide Show with descriptions for you to scroll through.

The shop will be open on both ends for now. I'll enclose these when I decide where I want to install the doors.

A side view.

Clay soil moved into the location. The form-work began in November 2020.

November, 2020. I hired someone to help me while building the form.

The shop will be built over the water well. I placed orange cones at the location to help prevent contact and damage while I spread the clay.

To gain access to the water well, I set a form and poured concrete to build a pit using concrete blocks.

Concrete blocks were laid on the slab for the water well access.

January 2021. The footing measure 24" x 18". Sheeting in place to cover fill sand before concrete can be poured.

Feb. 2021 Building frame for water well access cover.

Feb. 2021 Access cover frame installed prior to concrete.

March 4, 2021. Expansion Joints in place.

March 5, 2021. Rebar in place. Ready for concrete.

March 12, 2021. Pumper truck is set up at end of driveway to pump concrete to shop's location.

March 12, 2021. Pumping concrete to shop form.

March 12, 2021. Floating and raking concrete.

March 12, 2021. Power-trowling the slab.

March 13, 2021. After 8 months of preparation, the slab is finally done.

April 23, 2021. Shop framing begins.

April 23, 2021.

April 23, 2021. Sidewalls are going up.

April 24, 2021. Roof is almost complete.

April 24, 2021. Trim being installed.

April 24, 2021. Building is up and complete, as far as their part is concerned. It's time for me to begin assembling the end walls.

Apr. 29, 2021. The concrete is pressure washed and two coats of sealer is applied.

5/11/21. Returning from a trip to Dallas, TX. to purchased material for the end walls.

5/12/21 Partial framing of the rear wall.

5/17/21. Framing of the front wall begins.

5/25/21. Installed breaker panel and ran power to it. Also installed a temporary Weather Resistant Double-Duplex receptacle.

6/11/2021 Began fabricating a frame for the front wall man-door.

6/14/2021 Exterior view: A couple more braces will need to be added.

Inside view: Front wall man-door in place and secured. Final adjustment will be needed.

6/23/21. Assembled flagpole.

8/07/2021. The front wall of the shop is complete.

8/07/2021 Northwest side.

8/07/2021 The Southeast side.

8/07/2021 The back of the shop is almost complete.

8/12/21 Built brackets for Radio Antenna.

8/13/21 FM Radio Antenna installed on rear side of shop wall.

8/14/21 Antenna closeup.

8/18/21 Barn style sliding door for rear of shop begins.

8/27/2021 Rear door is hung in place.

8/28/2021 Installed tempered glass to upper portion and testing door operation.

9/25/21 Joist being installed for mezzanine (loft).

9/27/21 Loft decking begins.

10/02/21. Double-bubble insulation is adhered to the back side OSB and attached to building's framework.

10/03/21. All loft walls are installed.

10/23/21. Priming the walls and floor of the loft.

10/23/21. My better half priming the loft floor.

10/23/21. Walls primed.

10/25/21. Walls were painted and shelving moved in place.

11/12/2021. Completed the framing of the loft's front wall and installed re-purposed Tin on outer side.

11/15/21. Installed a few panels of re-purposed Tin on the shop wall.

11/17/21. Built mounting brackets and installed the stairway to the loft.

11/24/21. Applied primer and the first coat of paint to the loft access stairway.

12/13/21. Framing for 8' x 10' sliding door (south side).

12/15/21. South wall door, primed and painted.

12/15/2021. Installed more insulation and reclaimed Tin.

12/16/2021. Extended the door track.

12/16/21. Exterior view of the south door with dusk-to-dawn light.

12/27/2021. Installed glass panels on south door.

12/27/2021. Installed the door roller.

12/27/2021. Installed the door stop.

1/05/22. Delivered the Fab Table to the sand-blast yard for blasting and priming.

1/11/22. Picked up a 24"x72" adjustable height workbench for the shop.

1/12/22. Built form at the south door area in preparation for concrete.

1/13/22. Picked up Fab-Table from blast yard.

1/14/22. Granddaughter and wife painting the inner front walls of the loft.

1/25/22. Wife painting the south door interior.

2/1/22. My wife and I installed more repurposed Tin on the interior south wall.

2/3/22. We started installing Tin on interior north wall.

2/13/22.

2/13/22. 4"x4" tubing stubs set in place prior to concrete. These will be to accept the awning support post at a later date.

3/3/22. Prepping area between shop and house for concrete.

3/3/22. Area is almost ready for concrete.

3/3/22. Lower portion of the shop walls are protected with sheathing.

3/3/22.

3/5/22 Concrete delivery.

3/4/22. Concrete poured and finished.

3/4/22.

3/5/22.

3/5/22. Wood & iron half-fence reinstalled.

7/08/2022. Prepping area on north side of shop for concrete.

7/15/2022. Pouring the concrete.

7/15/2022. Finishing the concrete.

7/15/2022. All concrete done on the north side.

9/13/2022 Installing sheathing on the interior west wall.

9/21/22. Completed the west wall interior.

9/21/22

9/22/22. 55" TV mounted to west wall.

10/7/22. This is the mid-wall at fabrication/metal working area.

10/11/22. Opposite side of mid-wall is done.

10/11/22. Fabrication/metal working area. Receptacles will be installed on this wall to power the drill-press, grinder and MIG.

10/11/22

10/11/22. A view of the mid-wall and loft.

10/12/22. Began work on the south side awning post. Two 4"x4"x10' post.

10/12/22. Drilled holes and welded alignment tabs. This is done to line up the post to the 4"x4" stubs, previously place prior to pouring concrete.

10/12/22. Welded, buffed and ready to install.

10/14/22. Install receptacle for drill press.

10/14/22. Installed receptacle for bench grinder.

10/14/22. Installed footswitch for bench grinder.

10/14/22. Installed receptacle for MIG welder.

10/17/22. First awning support post welded in place.

10/19/22. Second awning support post welded in place. Top band install and attached to shop frame.

10/20/22. Installed lower door seals on north-side sliding barn doors.

10/27/22. Installed window stiles and dusk-to-dawn lights on each side of north doors.

10/27/22. Night photo of north side sliding barn doors.

10/29/22. Built shelf brackets using a flywheel flex-plate.

10/29/22.

10/30/22. Painted two flex-plate shelf brackets John Deere Green and Yellow. Painted the other two brackets Chevy Orange and Ford Blue.

11/01/22. Attached cypress shelf boards to wall using flex-plate brackets.

11/01/22.

11/11/22. 70" TV upgrade.

11/15/22. Wire brushed and buffed welding table; and repaint Vise.

11/17/22. Add power strip to welding table.

11/20/22. Framed for awning roofing.

To be Continued.

10/06/22
ERTL model 520 pedal tractor.
(John Deere 40 series)
Note: This pedal tractor is for a neighbor.
He asked me to refresh it, as it will be a birthday gift to his grandson who will be 2-years old this December.

Coffee Table Build for our new house. (Dec. 2020).

I began by fabricating a frame using 4"x4" square tubing, cut to approximate length. The stringers that connect the top of legs are angle iron, 2"x2"x1/4".

Cross bracings were installed(1" x 3/16" flat bar). The frame was then prepped and gray primer applied.

The primer was lightly sanded, then two coats of Krylon Hammered Black was applied.

A close-up of the framework.

(12/26/20) Boards secured together and some light destressing was done. Pre-stain solution applied.

(12/27/20) One more light sanding and a coat of Dark Walnut stain applied. A Matt clear-coat was then applied.

(12/28/2020) All is done and place in the living room.

Another project completed.

Cypress Wash Basin Cabinet Repair, Makeover (March 2021)

This stand-alone cabinet will have a different look when completed. The frame will be painted a light color. The top will be stained dark-oak with a matt finish. Click on the first photo for a manual slideshow.

Home Office Desk (Feb. 2021)

Measurements of desk.

Pocket holes drilled.

Assembled leg.

#2 furniture grade for the desktop.

Assembling framework to desktop.

Assembled, rear view.

Assembled, front view.

Added desktop edging.

Sanded and stained.

Cable management grommets installed at each front corner.

Three coats of Spare Varnish applied to desktop.

Front view of completed desk.

Desk placed in home office.

Front view.

Side view.

View from desk chair.

We moved the office mid-summer of this year (2022). This photo is of Pat's mom's china cabinet. It's most likely >80 years old. I reworked it and installed glass shelves. It's now a Curio for my John Deere memorabilia.

Floating Shelves (July 2020)

Floating shelf brackets.

2"x6"x24" pine shelves were used. Distressed and stained. Holes drilled on back side to slide over shelf brackets.

In half-bath near fourth bedroom. Shelf brackets installed and shelves being slid over brackets.

Shelves installed.

Front view.

Angled view.

Floating shelf installed in front bathroom.

A towel bar(homemade 1/2" rod) was attached to the bottom of this shelf.

NOTE:
All projects posted below were done at our previous house in Prairieville, LA., which was sold June of 2020.

Driveway Gate (2013-2014)

This 17' dual driveway gate was constructed in my spare time. It consists of three different size square tubing. 1-1/4" for the main frame, 1" for the lateral brace & top arch, and 1/2" for the pickets. Prior to beginning this project, I built a JIG to secure the tubing will fitting & welding. After completing the main frame, I built another JIG to properly space the pickets. Later, the cast iron finials were welded atop each picket. The entire gate was built in one section, as to create the Arch. Once welding was completed, the gate was cut in two. Ball-bearing hinges were added to easily swing the gates.

12/14/13 An electrically operated Dual Gate actuator kit was ordered and installed. I also fabricated a gate-stop using 1/4" steel plate; and fastened it to the concrete driveway using 3/8" strike-bolts. A striker, mounted to the lower frame of the master gate, will contact the gate-stop. The slave gate, which travels ~2 second behind the master gate, will contact the master gate. After all alignment & adjustments were made, I removed the gates and loaded them onto my utility trailer. They were delivered to the paint shop to be sand blasting, priming & painting.

1/24/14 Picked up the gates last Monday. I applied two coats of Epoxy Primer, then two coats of Industrial Gloss Black.

1/25/14 Gate is installed, adjusted and operation is tested. Next, is to build a gate-lock mount.

Double swing 17' overall driveway gate.

Close-up of Driveway Gate.

Mounting holes are drilled in post to install gate actuator mount.

Gate actuator mounts are installed onto post. The excess bolt length will be cut off later.

First gate actuator is being fitted for proper location.

Actuator controller is mounted inside a weather proof metal box.

This weather proof metal box when closed.

I built a 2" x 6" Gate-Stop which was fabricated using flat bar stock. When closing, the striker of the master gate will contact the gate-stop. The slave gate, will contact the master gate.

Gates loaded onto utility trailer for delivery to the sand-blasting shop.

The newly painted gates are re-installed.

The Barn (a work in progress, began 2010)

The RV cover (center section) was originally installed behind the workshop. To make room for a kitchen on the rear of my workshop, we moved the RV cover to the rear of the property. I formed up and poured concrete for a floor. The RV cover measured 12' wide by 31' long: and 13' tall (center height). Once I had the RV cover in place, I raised it an additional 18". This gave me a 14.5' center height. I then added a lean-to on each side of the center. Each lean-to is 12' wide. Total size of the barn is 31' X 36'. The lean-to on the left will be for storing lawn & gardening tools and equipment. The area behind the left lean-to (not concreted), will be for storing a couple of small utility trailers. The lean-to on the right, will be for storing camping/recreational gear.
(4/14/14), the left lean-to is roofed; and the right lean-to is partially framed. I purchased and installed white steel panels for the roof. The front, back and sides will be rustic red steel panels.
(6/4/14) I've revised the floorplan to add more concreted area. I've also added concrete to the rear side of the barn. This extra concrete is where I'll park my two utility trailers.
(6/6/14) I've completed the installation of the rustic red steel panels to the front and sides. The rear wall will go up next. Then, I'll panel the opening between the center section and left & right lean-to.
To be continued

EDIT:
Our place was sold in June 2020, so no more work at this location.
Please return for posting of our new place.