New shop
 

I've been without a shop to work in since Jan 2022. Divorce sucks. I got started on a new one in Oct 2023 by having dirt hauled in to build up a piece of property that I own. I wanted to let it settle for a while before building on it. In April construction started on my 40 X 60. A few days ago the floor was poured. The doors should go up sometime next week. Still a lot to do, and if I'm lucky I might be able to start working in it around Dec.

I couldn't figure out how to put captions with the pictures. The first picture shows my old shop in the background with my trailer. The third picture shows my old house in the background. My son and his family live there now. My parent's house is to the left of his house. That's where I grew up. My grandkids like playing on stuff and in the dirt.

I'm putting a living area in one end. This is mostly for my new wife to have a place to hang out while I'm working on stuff. We might sell the house someday and move in here.

Very cool! Good luck, with everything!
Anthony

Looks good, Freddie.
I thought you got to keep using your old shop after the sale of the house ?

Looks good Freddie, I’m working on a similar project

My son has plans for it, and now that he has a Z06 Corvette, he's been using it quite a bit. Between all of my stuff and the stuff that he has been buying, there isn't much room left to work.

Well, that was a bummer for you. Happy for you that you were able to keep the lot next door to build your new place.
No mention of heat source. If not in the floor, are you considering an indirect, tube heater for the shop area ? I really like them, no air blowing dust, papers around and the tools/objects warm up and hold the heat much better than hot air does. I can hear it run, but it's quieter than a hanging space heater fan.

I've looked at one and I'm considering it. I need to get a HVAC guy and talk about options. Still have to get an electrician too.

Looking great Freddie!

Hydronic is the way to go. It's just that not many are very familiar with the materials to do it with.

https://i.postimg.cc/rmq7mMMT/949.jpg

Doors and gutters are done. I bought the meter base, two 200 amp breaker boxes and some other stuff to get some electricity out there, but haven't started installing it yet. It's very hot inside.

Looks nice, but you may need to have them run that right roof gutter to the ground instead of the porch. In a heavy rain, the volume of both roofs may well overwhelm the gutter and flow over the side.
Time will tell if it becomes an issue.

Swept the floor for the first time. That's a lot of sweeping! The first car part was moved in. It's the frame for dad's '55 Chevy. My son got me this sign. It's the first thing hung on the wall.

There is so much work to be done it seems overwhelming. Hopefully I'll get started on electricity next week, then maybe things will go better.

That IS a big floor ! Yes, getting power in will make it better. Being able to have lights and use corded tools and such will make the other work easier.

When I had my back storage shed built I didn't intent to run power to it, but after 1 year of using 200 ft of extension cords and then a year of using a generator to run the lifts, I ran the old hot tub circuit back there. It is so much nicer to have real electricity.

Looks good! I put two 84" fans from home depot on down rods in my 40x60 shop and they move a considerable amount of air and keep it comfortable. However, once outside temps are above 90 degrees, it does get fairly warm in there. I've got 4" insulation on the roof and walls. I went with 7 of these lights from Amazon and couldn't be happier. Just had outlets installed on the roof beams so that I can plug them in. If one fails, take it down, and plug another in. They've been up since 2021 and haven't had one fail yet. They really throw off the light and there are no dark spots in my shop.

If you plan to put a floor coating on, do it now before you get a lot of stuff in there. I used Amour Seal from Sherwin Williams and it has held up very well. If you create an account with them, which is free to do, you get a major discount on the product. I think I saved about 50% on the cost.

https://images.sherwin-williams.com/...535.1719434115

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0761L281Z...roduct_details

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Home-Dec...A-BN/305363971

I've been trying to figure out what lights I want to use. I hate dark spots, and as I get older I need more light. How does that floor coating hold up to steel wheels on a floor jack and gasoline and brake cleaner? I used a sealer on the floor in my old shop and every time I spilled gas or brake cleaner it turned into glue.

I have had no issues with the coating dissolving when coming into contact with gas or brake clean. I had a car on a lift for several weeks that had a small gas leak and had a red shop rag on the floor to soak it up. The dye from the shop rag transferred onto the coating, but it did not lift, peel or break down. The only time I've been able to get the coating to lift or fracture is if a piece of steel hits it and actually knocks a plug out of the concrete. I've had steel wheel floor jacks, trans jacks and engine stands roll on it and it's held up very well. It has to cure a full 7 days before you put anything on it. Sherwin Williams actually has REPs that will come to your site and look it over with you as well. They may have an even better product now. Something to consider!

I couldn't be happier with the lights. They are cost effective and super bright. Being LED they save energy too.

LED is the ONLY lighting to use. I have a number of 4-8' strips. These have variable temperature and brightness and being 12' off the floor I have them on high, everything, LOL. I have very good light from above, obviously, from the side isn't as good, but the more rows you place the better chance you have of a strip beside the vehicle providing light on the side.

This is just as we were finishing the ceiling and heater install, with 4 LED bulbs
https://www.yenko.net/forum/cache.ph...2FDSC06771.JPG


To this...3, 8ft and 2, 4' strips, just in that back corner. The third 8' is running parallel to the heater and you can't see it in the pic.


https://www.yenko.net/forum/cache.ph...2FDSC07206.JPG

Any updates Freddie?

We're all waiting...

I took a week vacation this week to try to get the floor finished. I used Sikaflex 1A to fill the saw cuts in the floor. This is supposed to be chemical resistant and safe for gasoline and oil. I filled the cracks about 2 weeks ago. I spent a lot of time searching for a sealer that would be safe with gasoline and wouldn't chip or peel when using steel jack stands and steel wheels on a jack. I got a quote from Icon to seal the floor. The quote was for $18,000, which shocked me! I ended up buying ArmorPoxy Balistix SC sealer and I'm doing it myself. The kit from ArmorPoxy was $3000 and is safe with gasoline and brake cleaner. It also won't chip or peel. I started cleaning the floor Monday. Tuesday I rented a floor buffer and tried scuffing the concrete. That didn't work out too well, so Wednesday I used muriatic acid to etch the floor. I didn't get to work on it yesterday because it has to completely dry. Today I hope to get the primer on the floor and maybe tomorrow I can get the sealer on it. The floor has been a huge challenge, but I want to get it right. I was never happy with the floor in my old shop. I'm trying to get the floor done this week because I'm going to be down for about 2 months. I've got to get my left shoulder repaired and that's going to put a stop to all work until that is healed.

When the floor is finished I have to run the wires for the lights. I'm planning on using 8 foot LED lights. Once the wires are run I have to get the ceiling put up and install the lights. Then hopefully things will go a little quicker.

Sorry to hear about the shoulder, hoping that all goes as planned and you recover well.
The distances involved with forums like these is sometime frustrating. It would be challenging to organize a weekend to have some members come over and help you get more done.

I appreciate the the thoughts Mitch. I'll get it done sometime. It would be nice to get heat in it before winter so that I can work comfortably when the shoulder is healed, but I'll figure that out when the time comes.
I should have gone to work yesterday and today because the floor still isn't dry enough to start putting the primer on.

Getting the primer put down. That's a good woman right there. I'll have to take another day off next week to get the sealer done. Then on to wiring.

I had bad luck with what was guaranteed not to fail and prefer my bare floor. And of course the Company is out of business.

Charlie, did they diamond grind your floor and then clean with acid before the primer and top coating? Your floor looks like the concrete installer did a slick finish and if it's not diamond ground before the floor coating goes on then it will never adhere long term.

The coated floor was a new pour that had cured for a few months.They initially did a urethane coating that failed almost right away because the chemical company sent them the wrong chemicals. The chemical company bought them a diamond grinder to remove everything and then the epoxy.


The bare floor just gets shinier as I scrub it with the floor scrubber.

I was told that even with a brand new and cured floor they still need to diamond grind it followed by the acid wash because the "slick finish" of most concrete floors won't allow good adhesion for the coating. This was from a guy who does floor coatings for commercial businesses.

They did diamond grind it and it still failed.

The floor is finally done. I used ArmorPoxy Ballistix SC to seal it and Sikaflex 1A to fill the control joints. Both of these are safe with gasoline and other automotive chemicals. I used the no slip additive to keep me from falling when my shoes are wet. I think it turned out pretty good. Time will tell.

Looks great from here, Freddie, congrats on git'n-er-done.

Looks awesome!!

Finally in it's new home. I'll have to keep it covered up while I'm building walls, putting up the ceiling and other stuff. That's the frame for my '55 Chevy. My next project.

I had to put the Camaro in the bag while using the saw to keep sawdust from getting into everything. Then the wood was delivered. I was in a race to get as much done as I could in 2 weeks. I got all of the walls framed working to the very last minute, but didn't get the ceiling joists up or the wiring done. That means there will be no heat until around February or later. I had to get the left shoulder repaired this morning, so no more work for 8 to 12 weeks.

Looking good Freddy. I hope you have a healthy recovery so you can get back to work pain free.

Really nice looking shop. Plan the plan and work the plan!

Good luck on the shoulder rehab. I had both of my shoulder joints replaced in 2020.
Hopefully yours isn't a total joint replacement. The rehab is brutal. OTH, if you "just" had rotator cuff surgery, you will likely breeze through that. Make CERTAIN you work really hard on range of motion in your rehab.

Shop looks great. So does your Camaro.

Rest up and heal well, my friend. When you are ready to get back at it, make a post and maybe a few of us "retirees" can come down for a weekend and help get this done.

How's that shoulder doing, Freddie ?? Hope it's healing up well for you.

It's doing pretty good. I'm ready to get back to work. I don't like sitting around doing nothing. Can't get back to work until around Jan 21st.