It's been a Year and not Finished

[notownkid]

It been a year since my New Retirement Shop was built. It took 2 1/2 days for the contractors to build it and 10 months to get the floor in. Best laid plans and all. Should have been more accurate with the amount of gravel we put in before the walls were built. Everything additional had to be put through the front door with my tractor and be hand shoveled and raked around, no small feat for someone with back and shoulder limitations. Only have 2-3 days a month to work on it. Finally got what I figured was enough, rented a compactor and it ended up an inch short. Concrete contractor could do the job the following week or not until next June. We bought an additional inch of concrete and got the floor in.

It is 16' x 20' about 40% smaller than originally planned but time and increased costs kept shrinking the size. It will have to do the job, and darn lucky to have it. Decided to use 2 4' rolling doors for the 8' opening, it was framed for an overhead door incase the next owner so desires. 8' ceilings, would have liked 10' but that size building it wouldn't have "Look" good according to the "experts" in the family.

I have two cast forges one which I've been waiting to have a building for for 35 yrs. Have decided to build a brick forge in the spring. A HS classmate who is a retired stone mason and my son who use to do masonry are talking of building it in the spring. It's a replica of an French & Indian era forge at a museum in NH., which my classmate built 40 yrs. ago.

When the weather allows I'll do the electrical this winter to early spring and have it ready when the ground thaws to dig for the cable. Finished landscaping is slated for the spring as well.

We are hoping to be full time where it is located a yr. from now. Now it's a 200 mile trip every other weekend usually hauling a truck and trailer load of Farm equipment, museum items, tools, plus household items or what ever needs to move. This makes my blacksmithing time extremely limited, esp. when I'm always hunting for the tools I need in two different barns.

Hoping to attach some Pictures.

[njanvilman]

At least you are getting it done.  Many a dream never got beyond a drawing on paper.

[L Smith]

 feel you pain . However it is looking first class!

[Frosty]

 I like it, it looks good. Cozy but enough room, IF you're not as big a pack rat as I am that is.

 

Is it full yet?

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[notownkid]

No it's not full at the moment. mostly as I'm trying to keep it somewhat open so I can do the electrical and have room to work building the forge. Between the big barn 3 stories, and the Equip. Repair / Garage there is enough stuff stored to fill it many times over. Trying to keep most items on wheels so center can be kept open to park my small backhoe in there. Most important to do in the winter.

I'm a pack rat as well Frosty and since this was started and neighbors found out what it was all sorts of old tools and blacksmith items have been dropped off. Some items I'll keep across the lot in the bigger shop and use there. When I get it sorted the extras I'm planning on moving to a young fellow just getting started as a JR.

NJanvil your right, it did get done and the decision to go for it came when I was driving home from the 3rd funeral in 10 days for close friends, I called the contractor from the road.

Thanks for the nice comments.

[Charles R. Stevens]

I see "sheds" (leantoos) in your future, lol. Nice place for material storage.