New Garage Thread.

[mite5255]

A way your workspace problem may be solved is to make some friends outside of town who own some farm land and have some old outbuildings.

Richard

I did that in a pass life when the local authorities said I was a naughty boy for making concrete garden ornaments in my back yard for sale, they told me if I continued they would hit me with a $3000.00 plus $300.00 per day. Some people that I new offered me part of their large shed rent free so I could continue. An old lady owned the property and one of her daughters was always out there visiting Mum, And I sorta got the feeling the daughter wanted to charge me rent

Mike

[F.C.]

There's something royally fucked up about a society that would fine a person for trying to make a living and improve their economical welfare at absolutely no harm or disturbance of anyone else and would otherwise allow for the "state" or government" to collect more taxes. Especially when what ya produce is something others are eagerly willing to pay for. I used to think Austrailia was a place I could think about retiring to. Not anymore. Add this to Austrailia's insistance of keep'n their entire society's population disarmed and at the mercy of criminals, is too much for me to accept. That don't mean I won't someday try and come see you, Mite, and visit (which I pray someday I can do) but DAYUM.... I won't last long in your neck of the woods with my free spoken mind and my nature to do whatever the F*ck I feel like doing so long as it isn't against others out of malace. I feel for ya, Jammer... I, too left the comforts of my lifelong love of freedom and moved to a place of warmer climate and cheaper land. What I failed to do was do my homework and scout ahead to verify where I was going was suitable for my soul and needs. Had I known of the sheer insanity of regulations and taxes they imposed on the population I would have never considered pulling a single root here in Alaska and would still have a lucrative business casting metal today here at home. Being a military brat and survivor all my life I chose to attempt to play their "games" and win at it wherever i applied myself. It created hostility against me not only from my neighbors but from the local authorities as well. It never mattered I was a good man and would NEVER allow myself to do harm toward another human being. I simply avoided their bullshit and slipped by and made happen ideas I had dreamt of and brought to life. NO ONE succeeds over the long haul in such environments where you have to sit on your ass and wait your turn, pay your dues, eat other people's shit till it makes you sic before you finally succumb to kiss'n someone's ass to get what you need in life. F*ck that. Alaska is a land of opportunity and always will be. You're limited solely by your own initiative here. I'm back. I ain't leave'n no more. I'll die here happy as F*ck I got mine on my own merit and initiative. I wish you sincere luck, jammer. I hate the sound I heard in your written voice... it sounded like you gave up and quit being a man, and consigned yourself to a rocking chair. Rock on, my friend. I wish you well. But somehow I can't shake the notion you're just butt hurt over the issue and will eventually grow a pair of horns and do something about it, if only for the sake of "winning" just because you know you're intelligent enough to outwit the mutherf*ckers.

Give'm hell, Jammer. Nuth'ns worse in life than give'n up without resistance. I'm here if you need someone to vent to.

Cheers.


Frank

[mite5255]

There's something royally fucked up about a society that would fine a person for trying to make a living and improve their economical welfare at absolutely no harm or disturbance of anyone else and would otherwise allow for the "state" or government" to collect more taxes. Especially when what ya produce is something others are eagerly willing to pay for. I used to think Austrailia was a place I could think about retiring to. Not anymore. Add this to Austrailia's insistance of keep'n their entire society's population disarmed and at the mercy of criminals, is too much for me to accept. That don't mean I won't someday try and come see you, Mite, and visit (which I pray someday I can do) but DAYUM.... I won't last long in your neck of the woods with my free spoken mind and my nature to do whatever the F*ck I feel like doing so long as it isn't against others out of malace. I feel for ya, Jammer... I, too left the comforts of my lifelong love of freedom and moved to a place of warmer climate and cheaper land. What I failed to do was do my homework and scout ahead to verify where I was going was suitable for my soul and needs. Had I known of the sheer insanity of regulations and taxes they imposed on the population I would have never considered pulling a single root here in Alaska and would still have a lucrative business casting metal today here at home. Being a military brat and survivor all my life I chose to attempt to play their "games" and win at it wherever i applied myself. It created hostility against me not only from my neighbors but from the local authorities as well. It never mattered I was a good man and would NEVER allow myself to do harm toward another human being. I simply avoided their bullshit and slipped by and made happen ideas I had dreamt of and brought to life. NO ONE succeeds over the long haul in such environments where you have to sit on your ass and wait your turn, pay your dues, eat other people's shit till it makes you sic before you finally succumb to kiss'n someone's ass to get what you need in life. F*ck that. Alaska is a land of opportunity and always will be. You're limited solely by your own initiative here. I'm back. I ain't leave'n no more. I'll die here happy as F*ck I got mine on my own merit and initiative. I wish you sincere luck, jammer. I hate the sound I heard in your written voice... it sounded like you gave up and quit being a man, and consigned yourself to a rocking chair. Rock on, my friend. I wish you well. But somehow I can't shake the notion you're just butt hurt over the issue and will eventually grow a pair of horns and do something about it, if only for the sake of "winning" just because you know you're intelligent enough to outwit the mutherf*ckers.

Give'm hell, Jammer. Nuth'ns worse in life than give'n up without resistance. I'm here if you need someone to vent to.

Cheers.


Frank

I put it down to petty little bureaucrats who have a very inflated view of there own importance and probably are trying to compensate for a very small appendage . what happened was, in this town were I live there was someone that was manufacturing concrete statues, and I was doing some in my backyard. I was no threat to him at all, his statues were by far much better then I could ever hope to make, but I used what he was making as the standard that I wish that I could achieve. Anyway I was using the ready-mix plant that was next door to this concrete statue making factory for my sand and gravel ( not a smart move ) which they delivered by tip truck, so I was assuming after the local council paid me a visit that's who made the complaint about someone running a manufacturing business in their back yard( under the town planning area code I was living in Residential A Zone, absolutely no running a businesses from your house). A few years later who should move in next door, the truck driver that use to deliver all my sand and gravel.I was haveing a few beers with him one day when I happen to mention that the council shut down my statue making enterprise, the look on his face was something to behold, I then new who started the ball rolling.It was all starting to have an effect on me at the time, back then I was doing permanent night-shift, 23.00 start and an 07.00 finish, it was a 5 day a week job and most weekends they would try to get enough staff to run through the week end, so consequently I was working 7 nights a week ( with penalty's I could almost double my weekly income just by working Saturday and Sunday Nights ), then I would do a few hours making statues and bird baths when I got home. my health was going down hill and the family couldn't talk to me as I was always so damn tired. so in the long run it did eventually got me back on a more even keel plus, My back yard was a bit of a mess so at least it got it all cleaned up if nothing else
Now the zone around here has changed to residential B where you can run a home approved business, still no manufacturing, soooooo over the years I've planted trees palms and shrubs so its very hard to see up my back yard, I have no doubt if the local council ever see that I'm burning wast oil in my furnace the petty bureaucrat with the little appendage will have a f$%king heart attack.

Hang in there Jammer don't give up mate

Mike

[F.C.]

If you like, Jammer, I can send you a sketch of a "temporary" quonset shaped structure I designed that can be moved, relocated, and make as big as you need for under a grand. All totally manageable and easily assemble by one individual. No need to make a foundation, no permits for construction. Unless they require permits to put up temporary equipment shelters, you'd have this cat by the ballz. This lightweight, temporary, structure will last decades and handle heavy snowfall. Let me know if you're interested and I'll sketch it up and post it on the forum. Like I said, Jammer... I'm here for ya if you need ideas. Hate to see a good man give up because of other people's bullshit feel'n like they have a right to make other people pay for the pleasure of enjoying a self reliant life.

Don't give up. There's tons of ways to skin this critter, ya just gotta calm down and let your creative juices flow.

[mite5255]

That's thinking Frank, would it me made from corrugated iron

[F.C.]

No corrugated sheathing, just 1/2" marine plywood and 3/32" galvanized 1"x1" steel that has holes spaced 1" apart at equal distance all along the angle's length. It's pretty cheap, lightweight, but strong when combined with a rolled arch and in unision with other dimensional sheathing that's been arched as well. Like an egg shell's physical dynamics. The angles need to be rolled to a specific curve which you can have done at most pipe bender services, or if you're creative you can devise your own cheaply made roller to accommodate this task. The plywood sheathing needs use of a circular saw to cut several grooves (aproximately 5/16" deep), laterally along the 4ft width. Calculate the circumference you need on the inside curve, deduct that length from the 8ft outter length, the sum will be what you'll need to devide and apply (per sawcut width) equally spaced over the entire 8ft length. When the cuts have been equally spaced and made, you'll notice how flexible your sheet of plywood will be. It will only flex to a point where the saw cuts pinch together and close.

In preparation of bending these sheets you'll also need to make yourself a cheap jig out of some scrap lumber (which you can disassemble and use for flask forms later, so nothing's wasted). When you're ready to bend a sheet, mop a lot of boiling hot water onto the uncut face of the plywood. Give it some time to soak in. Don't saturate the sheet, you want the cut side to remain dry. Once the uncut face is properly made semi plyable, flip the sheet and paint a thin layer of Elmer's carpenter's glue into all the cut grooves. Then place the sheet onto your jig with the uncut side up. Clamp the ends, and any other section of the sheet to the jig that's not resting flush to your form. Allow to dry. Then do the next sheet. Stage them on edge till you're ready to apply them to the structure's framework.

Once the angles are bent to proper degree of arch you can assemble each rib which will constitute two angles joined together to form an inverted "T". You can either weld them or rivet. If you rivet you'll have to drill those pre-holes first to the diameter of your rivet, one every open space where there is no pre-existing manufactured hole. Do this until you have sufficient number of ribs to span the length of your quonset. The end ribs will be just one single arched angle, turned with the flange pointed inward, not outward.

Now, create the foundation out of 2x6 treated lumber. They will rest on edge to the ground, the protruding ends of your ribs (at least, 2 inches beyond where your sheathing begins and ends) will be what you'll use to anchor your ribs to the foundation framework. Use pieces cut from your angle stock to form the anchor ties your ribs will bold up to. Space each rib equal distance apart (4ft) to accept the 4x8 sheet of plywood.

Now, lay in your arched plywood sheats, drill through the angle holes and through the sheet of plywood to accept small carriage bolts. Slip in a bolt, apply nut and washer from the inside and tighten. Go to the next, or every three or four holes spacing, and do the same. You'll have that first set of ribs sheathed in no time. Then do the same to the next set of ribs. The end angles (your gable ends of the structure) will have lateral flanges you can attach your upright walls to. Frame for a door and window ventilation and there ya have it... a perfect arched elongated structure with a dirt floor. Or, you can cast a slab of concrete "on top" of a leveled patch of ground with cast in eye bolts at each end of the slab so you can hook to it and drag it whereever to prove it's a mobile, temporary, shelter for your toys. Or, leave it with a dirt floor, your choice. Then dig yourself a trench from your exterior outlet off your house and route a heavy duty electric chord through PVC underground to your shelter so you'll have power.

Lighting is easy to wire in, as well, for lighting and wall outlets.

Interested???

[F.C.]

And if they bitch about you have'n a structure that "drags" across the ground on skids, then you can install independent axles and wheels that can be lowered by cheap automotive scissor jacks from the edge of the foundation framework to elevate your structure and make it a mobile workshop/trailer. It'd be like assembling an erector set 'cept this one will give you the work shop you've always wanted without all the cost of construction, permits, etc. Totally affordable and no physical burden to anyone with a bad back. As you assemble the sheathing you seal all the panel seams with either silicone caulk or roofing patch tar then using a paint roller with a long reach handle you can stand on a step ladder and paint the entire roof to seal up the wood from the elements. Doors and windows can be framed in using the same angle stock you made the ribs with, windows can be made of fiberglass or plastic sheets trimmed in thin wood lathes. If you want the structure insulated you can insulate over time using foam insulation board, 1/2" sheets at a time till you build up the thickness you need, then sheath with 1/8" paneling on the interior using glue to adhere it to the insul board. They even make insul board with an aluminum foil finish face which would retard hot sparks you might send flying with a grinder. You can route yourself a double walled stove roof exhaust stack section through the ceiling and have a local tin shaper fab you a cone shaped hood to attach to it and have it above where your furnace is to operate which would route the lions share of the heat directly out that stack when you're running your furnace. When not firing up, you can have a tilt, lever pulled cover that will cap over your exhaust stack so when it rains water won't come down and saturate your furnace or birds and flying insects won't be an annoyance.

Where there's a will there's a way, Jammer

[Jammer]

I was pretty ticked off but I haven't given up. I can save a few bucks by being my own contractor. Neighbor wants to build it for me, but I need it done this decade. Apparently I have to have a permit for anything over 250 sq ft. I bought a small storage shed for the yard tools, it's only 120 sq ft. The local inspector is in a bunch of trouble and will probably be fired or retire. Everything is a little sticky right now. All is not lost.

[F.C.]

That permit should only be for "permanent" structures, not mobile or temporary ones such as a garden tool shed. Make sure you read the language on the permit application.

Good luck. Hope you get around them asshats and build yourself something you can use.

Frank

[F.C.]

I was pretty ticked off but I haven't given up. I can save a few bucks by being my own contractor. Neighbor wants to build it for me, but I need it done this decade. Apparently I have to have a permit for anything over 250 sq ft. I bought a small storage shed for the yard tools, it's only 120 sq ft. The local inspector is in a bunch of trouble and will probably be fired or retire. Everything is a little sticky right now. All is not lost.

That, RIGHT THERE, is the prime reason this sort of shit get's out of hand. The EXACT same thing was going on with the local inspector in the county I was in. Like I said before, these entities create a job title to put someone in a position they, themselves, know the public is'nt going to like. They, themselves, don't want to be involved in creating regulations the public will ultimately bow their neck over and end up ousting the powers that be in the next election. They play it off as though... "well, we put so in so in the job and damned if he didn't do some weird stuff we didn't catch onto." Meanwhile, there's a crap load of people out there with a full blown case of the ass because that "inspector" was play'n a racket game milk'n people for bribes to turn a blind eye to what they wanted to build. And guess who wrote up the naratives for all the permits? In the county I was in it was the inspector, 'cause no one else wanted to deal with it. This is how these quasi government agencies work. The inspector caught on (albeit too late) with what i was doing and when he come to my property (unannounced and uninvited) I gave him a dose of my "been there, I know your type" personality. He was lucky I didn't sic my heelers on his ass because of the arrogance and attitude he was try'n to shove onto me. I don't play well with people who show no respect when they approach me out of the blue. About the time he attempted to re-group, my efforts had made local awareness and people were beginning to bow their necks and question what the hell he was up to. Someone slipped and told on him about hinting if he was "paid" to look the other way, they'd get what they wanted. What hung the sumbitch was that he reniged on his "deal" and still put a stop work on a guy's project and forced him to pay some stiff fines to the county. The count is blind to what's going on... the inspector, himself, is the front line to what's happening. With that one complaint, and an attorney involved, the entire community dogpiled on that sumbitch in a class action suit. I finished my project before all hell broke loose, then ended up getting disgusted with the community and moved back to Alaska before seeing how it all unfolded. My guess is that without me there to spurr others on some measure of leveling took place to enable others to complete what they had going on and tighten the reigns for others to keep them from wandering too far outside the lines. Plus, they no doubt hired themselves another goone to play bad guy, somebody, no doubt, as uninformed and unintelligent as the last jackass they had on the hook.