I have started working on a shop area to hold my tools and stuff.

Here's the progress after two days work (fighting the rain stinks).

Day one was setting the 2x8 forms and 4x4 support posts. One side wall was laid out and framed in and set to the side for later use.

Day two saw the 6x6 corner posts sunk 18 inches in the ground and set in concrete. All the holes were dug by hand with post hole digger and the mandatory rock bar.

We also got the rest of the walls framed up and set. Everything squared and leveled, weather permitting we will start on the rafters tomorrow. (If the tornadoes stay away tonight and don't blow everything down). I didn't get a picture of the last wall to go up as it was dark and the rain ran us back into the house. I'll post it tomorrow if possible.

It is 12ft x 16ft will have a 6 ft door opening on the South side and two 2ft x 4ft windows on the East and West sides.

My 14 year old son is helping me which gives me the perfect opportunity to teach him how to frame simple structures.

I will load more pictures as we progress with the build. 

 

my wife chose the color of our new metal roof to match the colour on my shop building which matches my tool color (and was all free metal for the shop due to a massive hail storm causing every roof in the nearby town to get replaced)

Good job to get your son involved; hammering nails is a great way to practice for hammering hot metal!

Thanks Thomas, he seems to be enjoying it. asking a lot of questions and watching closely as I made the cuts for the birds mouths on the rafters.

Here's some more pictures of todays progress.

Ready to put the decking on top and get to nailing down shingles.

The severe thunderstorms ran us inside so had to quit for the day.

Its been over 20 years since I've done any kind of framing even so its turning out as planned. I have a few minor mistakes here and there but it is level, square and solid so that's a plus in my book.

 

 

 

The shop looks to be turning out well. What part of ok are you from.

If he is woried bout naters he isn't near us, TJ 

looks good still love to work with my dad

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"Day two saw the 6x6 corner posts sunk 18 inches in the ground and set in concrete. All the holes were dug by hand with post hole digger and the mandatory rock bar."

I'm jealous that you only had to sink your 6x6 corners down 18" in our area we have to go 36" at least, usually dug by hand shovels and iron bars.  The old style phone pole shovels shaped like a scoop and long handles work great.  These posts were down almost 48" as they were in "disturbed ground" and the contractor felt safer.  I figured that most ground on a construction site was "disturbed" but he builds the pole barn buildings every week so I didn't argue.  Gravel was complements of Hurricane Irene she left about 60 yrds. on a side yard.  had enough for the shop and driveway resurfacing.  Must have worked as this was after the first winter with many mornings of -25F or colder.   

Hoping to get the brick forge built this summer, but already 3 weeks behind on haying which take precedence on time.

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that is a beautiful work shop.

That's a great looking shop, brother.

 

Putting up posts for my shop ranged from pure sand down as far as we could go to rocks that took a backhoe to remove.  On the plus side we're rated for pouring concrete directly on the ground, no excavation or replacement and tamping needed.  Desert doesn't have "topsoil" in my region.

Ethan & JL thanks for the complement on looks it did come out nice.  Now IF the weather would improve haying might get done, 4 weeks behind now, the forge would get some work on done on it.  Have the design and pictures of one from a French & Indian era  Museum Fort and the fellow who built it and (he is an old HS classmate,) has offered bricks and verbal assistance to my son to build it.  Hoping before winter.

Thomas  we can't imagine just sticking the poles on top of the ground in our area all our jobs start with us in the hole before the first nail is driven.  Frost walls are 4' min. my water lines are down 7'

No the poles are 5' down due to high winds, we can pour concrete directly on the ground.

Sounds like your in the panhandle , lol.