Boring holes for wiring, today. We should be fully electrified by this time next week. If, the outlets I ordered get here soon. 

114° here in the desert today. Got all the stud holes bored for the wiring, yesterday. Installing outlet boxes today. Might get some wires pulled today. Got me a portable evaporative cooler a couple days ago. Yesterday was it’s first day of use. It really makes a difference.
Shop might be useable by the end of the month. We’ll see. 

Sons are coming tomorrow (Saturday) to help with the wiring. Will have 12 outlets. That should be sufficient for a 20X40 shop. Should be totally electrified by tomorrow evening. I've been operating with one quad outlet on the 12' ceiling. Finally, no more hanging extension cords that snake across the floor. 

Ordered a new pressure regulator for the compressor. plan to do a thorough cleaning of filters, too. That's a job for next week. Wanted to rebuild the pump but, parts are really scarce. At least, I Can't find a supplier who has any. They all list them but, all are back ordered with no ETA. Couldn't even find a complete pump in stock. 

Don't know when the wall sheeting will get hung. I refuse to pay the current price for 1/2" plywood. Even OSB is outta sight. 

 Ahh well, I can work with bare studs for a while. But, it makes hanging tool storage a problem. Hopefully, prices will come down in a few months. 

In the meantime, the 300' of LED strip lights can be hung. 

Edited June 18, 20214 yr by Gene Howe

On 6/14/2021 at 5:35 AM, DuckSoup said:

 Some of us boys never grow up.

The only difference between men & boys is the price of their toys. 

Edited June 18, 20214 yr by Larry Buskirk

1 hour ago, Gene Howe said:

I've been operating with one quad outlet on the 12' ceiling. Finally, no more hanging extension cords that snake across the floor. 

 

Gene if that outlet on the ceiling is out towards the middle of the floor you could install a cord grip & drop 6' of SO cord with a plug on the end. Never know when you might need it.

 

59 minutes ago, DuckSoup said:

 

Gene if that outlet on the ceiling is out towards the middle of the floor you could install a cord grip & drop 6' of SO cord with a plug on the end. Never know when you might need it.

 

It's about 5' from an outside wall and about 10' from the front shop wall. I do have a cord reel that I could fasten to a ceiling beam. 

3 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

In the meantime, the 300' of LED strip lights can be hung. 

300'? You'll need welding goggles to work in there!

5 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

Will have 12 outlets.

Holy cow, I've got more than that in my tiny 12x24 basement shop. plus the 220 one.  Obviously, more for convenience.

 

"I wish I hadn't put in so many outlets," said no one ever on his death bed.

1 hour ago, JimM said:

Holy cow, I've got more than that in my tiny 12x24 basement shop. plus the 220 one.  Obviously, more for convenience.

 

"I wish I hadn't put in so many outlets," said no one ever on his death bed.

Counting the 5 outlets on the ceiling and 1 already existing on the wall, I'll have 19 X 2 spots to plug in, plus the 220 single outlet. That's probably enough for a one man shop. 

Are you wiring in a circuit for the min-split?

3 hours ago, HARO50 said:

300'? You'll need welding goggles to work in there!

Well, in my old shop I had 4 double tube 8' fluorescents to light 85 sq. ft more than this new shop. That was woefully inadequate. I'm of the opinion that, like clamps, one can never have too many lights. 

2 minutes ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

Are you wiring in a circuit for the min-split?

I wish! The ones we installed in the house up north did a fantastic job and, were cheap to run. I can't foresee the need for much in the way of heat and, the evap cooler makes it tolerable in this 114° heat. 

The shop is fully electrified, now. And, a new pressure switch was installed on the compressor. So, we got air and juice. 

Tomorrow, the 32 sticks of 1/2" EMT gets delivered. Once Phyl and I get them installed on the metal ceiling cross beams, we can hang the strip lights with zip ties. Then, I think we'll be FINALLY done with the ladder work. Then, we can begin to move all the tools into the shop. 

I guess the bottom 36" of the walls will be covered with 1/2" MDF, since I stubbornly refuse to pay these prices for ply wood. None of my work surfaces will be higher than 36". For now, I can get by with the bare studs above 36". Hopefully, lumber prices will moderate soon. 

There's been some news reports that lumber prices are falling, but it may take a while to work it's way to the stores. It's still a smart move to wait.

We've scrounged a good deal of ply with non standard cuts from the demo of the room the previous owner had erected. Plus, a couple 4X 8 sheets of peg board. We MIGHT get by with what we have, considering the planned 36" high mdf. It ain't gonna be purty but it'll do for now. Poor folks have poor ways. 

4 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

It ain't gonna be purty but it'll do for now.

 

Would drywall be cheaper?

On 6/20/2021 at 3:06 PM, HandyDan said:

 

Would drywall be cheaper?

Yep, but it doesn't take the abuse I give out. 

We managed to use up all the scrap plywood and pegboard we had. Now, only about 4 sheets of ply are needed. That can wait.

Tomorrow, we start on the lighting.  

 

The strip lights are all up. They provide good general lighting but task lights will be necessary. 

My ever frugal wife adamantly insisted that every piece of scrap we have saved be used for wall stud covering. So, a 20' section of wall on one side is now a mish mash of plywood, peg board and oak laminate flooring that came out of the house.. I'll have to admit that it's cheaper but, hellishly time consuming and ugly as sin. She keeps reminding me that "It's just a shop." 

But, only because we've used up most of the scrsps, I'm going to get my way on the opposite 40' wall. I'm paneling the the lower 36" with 1/2" MDF, as most of that wall will have benches/work tables at that height. The upper 5' will be slats from deconstructed pallets. Yeah, I know. Also, terribly time consuming, as well. But, the end result will be far better looking. Plus, think of all the bent nails I'll have to straighten in my spare time.

11 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

I'm paneling the the lower 36" with 1/2" MDF,

I paneled one wall of my shop with fairly decent 1/2" stuff called Sandiply or similar from the local BORG.  It's imported from somewhere.  A few months ago, the price wasn't bad, compared to CDX or the floor sweepings called OSB, and much lighter than MDF.  It may be regional.

 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/12mm-Sande-Plywood-1-2-in-Category-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-Actual-0-472-in-x-48-in-x-96-in-454532/203414055#product-overview

10 hours ago, JimM said:

I paneled one wall of my shop with fairly decent 1/2" stuff called Sandiply or similar from the local BORG.  It's imported from somewhere.  A few months ago, the price wasn't bad, compared to CDX or the floor sweepings called OSB, and much lighter than MDF.  It may be regional.

 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/12mm-Sande-Plywood-1-2-in-Category-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-Actual-0-472-in-x-48-in-x-96-in-454532/203414055#product-overview

Thanks, Jim. It must be regional. Our HDs don't carry it. None available in the state! 

We've rounded up several 48X48 pallets. We'll likely have enough to cover what we need. If not, there's enough scrap tubafors and sixes to resaw.