I always hoped that when I retired (only 13 months away! -- if you think creepers cause pains in the mid-50s, you ought to try it in the 60s), I'd be able to move back to my father's shop on the farm in Minnesota, with a 24 X 40 heated workshop and a large machine shed attached to store projects, since it's too small for modern farm machines, but the beloved has decided she must stay in a warmer climate (even though she's the one who obviously shares a lot of genetic heritage with that Olsson girl [Ann-Margaret Olsson]), and since she's 5 years younger and women tend to live 5 years longer, I don't want her stuck someplace she doesn't want to be for 10 years after I've left this world.

These are lousy, camera phone pictures but they were quick and easy. As you will see the building is just a ratty old tin hay barn, but it is coming together with concrete floor, adequate wiring and will take shape with benches, shelves and a two post lift as time moves along. My lift should be here in a week or two.

The first picture is looking from the woodshop (low roof side) toward the car shop side. There is still lots of construction mess.

You should be able to see in this picture that there's lots of light. The fixtures aren't perfect for the application, but they were filthy cheap. They are high bay, metal halide hanging about 13 feet from the floor.

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This one is from the car shop area looking over into the low roof wood shop area. You should see the suspended lumber rack. It is full of really nice aromatic cedar ready to be turned into cedar chests.

Since I took this picture I've finished adding the light fixtures in the wood shop area. It is not as well lit as the car shop section, but not bad and can be turned on and off individually by fixture and then all of them turned off at the door.

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This is from the outside looking in as the sun is going down. It should give you an idea how much light I have.

The concrete pad in the left foreground is for my tire machine.

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Larry,

Looks great! You'll have more than enough room to work on your cars.

What are you going to do to heat the space during the winter and cool it in the summer? Or are you just going to "rough it"?

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Larry,

You give me inspiration to work hard to be able to afford to build one myself one day.

Since I still have a good number of years in school left, I will look at your pictures and dream....

Great Job.

Sincerely,

Mike McKinney

__________________
1989 300CE - 269,000 km
1994 SL600 - 59,000 km

For cooling there are the double doors on the back and the ports on the side. The back is toward the South and the side is on the West. We have a prevailing southwest wind here, so I will get a little breeze plus the use of a heavy squirrel cage fan that I can aim where I am working.

Heating is almost impossible. My existing shop is also a non insulated metal building and whatever heat you pour in just goes right through the metal. I have a few radiant heaters that I aim where I am working. I also have a Dearborn. I plan on building a wood stove before next Winter since I have an unlimited supply of firewood that only costs the fuel for the chainsaw.

So, mostly I will be roughing it. In the past my work gets limited to what MUST be done during July, August and January,February.

Have a great day,

Congratulations Larry! ! !

That is awesome

__________________
...Tracy

'00 ML320 "Casper"
'92 400E "Stella"

Here's the latest equipment put in the shop. My 300E.

I hope to post pictures of the lift in place in a few weeks.

Have a great day,

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Looks great Larry - where will your bed be located?

I recommend the 3-blade metal industrial fans to move the air. It will help create a breese in the summer and circulate the heat in the winter. I installed one in my garage after putting in a natural gas heater. Before the fan the heat would go to the ceiling and never heat up the garage. After the fan the garage would heat up fast and evenly.

__________________
Ray
1998 Mercedes E320, 200K Miles
2001 Acura 3.2TL, 178K Miles
1992 Chevy Astro, 205K Miles

The bed is in the corner beyond the left front of the car. That bed, however, is for the dog, mine is in the house.

I got the rail up for the other front door last night. If I can get someone to help now, I'll stand up the door and then I'll be ready start moving in equipment. The lift is due to be shipped this week, maybe even today.

Have a great day,

Dang Larry. Looks like I'll hafta start hunting a transfer back home to the Great State, if only just to have some access to one heck of a car/wood shop. I'll even bring my lathe and get you started on some furniture projects that involve turning (the wood lathe is the one machine that truely scares me...but I have one anyways. You've seen the pictures of the rocking chair I built.) I am turning green with envy.

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

Mike,

The odd thing about a wood lathe is that the first serious woodworking project that I ever undertook was a floor lamp that consisted of a bunch of curvy turnings. It was ninth grade woodshop and I won a ribbon with it. My Mom still has it in the attic I think. (Doesn't fit her decor, at least that's her story.)

For some reason I have just never gotten back into wood turning. If I could get a really nice, heavy wood lathe for reasonable money, I might do it. I was spoiled by that big, heavy, expensive lathe we had in the junior high wood shop.

A heavy lathe with variable speed doesn't really scare me. A 3/4" shaper with big cutters is what scares me. I have developed good safety habits on everything else so I'm not intimidated, just respectful. Hope I don't ever lose any limbs on any of this stuff.

Have a great day,

My fear feeds my respect, or is it vice versa? I acquired the fear of the machine in junior high, 8th grade shop, where I watched more than a few classmates get the chisels yanked from their hands and launched into the ceiling. Something about those images has haunted me ever since, which probably drives me to use a gentle touch and a very firm grip. The launch episodes most came, IIRC, on inital gouges when the chisel is catching the sharp corners. Knocking those corners off on the table saw is feasable on large turnings, but not for the lomg, thin seatback spindles.

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

That's a great story Larry, one I will follow with great interest, I take my hat off to you. I know what you mean about the creeper, I turned 50 last year and I think my days of crawling under cars is coming to an end. A car on axle stands is about as far as I really want to go, especially in the summers here. All the very best of luck and again, well done !

__________________
1993 190E 2.0L (Euro.) sold
1991. 500 SEL (Euro.)
1991. 300 CE (Euro.) sold
1993. 500 E (U.S. spec.)