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My Retro 1930's BUICK SALES and SERVICE GARAGE


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I put the new fuel shut off solenoid in my lift and manhandled the Huge tractor trailer battery close to position. Hopefully I'll have it running tomorrow so I can start cutting out my windows. 

Sure beats screwing around with the scaffolding and once the battery is in,  saves the back if that doesn't throw it out getting it into position to drop in the tray being the tray is up inside,  5 feet off the ground. I was going to use the excavator to set it in place.  I probably should have.  

Too bad we weren't neighbors,  would come in handy around Buick gardens but you would want a short cut to get it there as it moves about as fast as a paver.  It's 4x4 as well so it should be able to handle that red clay if it's not too wet. 

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22 hours ago, auburnseeker said:

Too bad we weren't neighbors,  ( a lift) would come in handy around Buick gardens

A lift would indeed be nice. The most taxing and fatiguing part of the day is climbing up and down the scaffolding. You for dang sure want to make sure you have everything you’ll need before climbing up and even then you’re bound to drop something and have to make a trip back down to fetch. I learned early on to dry your hands of any slippery sweat before climbing. 

Oh Lord it was a hot one today, had to change into some dry clothes at lunch. A couple of folks have pm’d asking where has the music been. I think this might be a fitting song this day 

 

 

Furred out the braces and added some additional purlins to the front gable then started mounting the tin. I’m just cutting and mounting the tin wild and will come back and trim it to shape after it is all up. I started mounting it in the center so I can rough cut sheets to the left and to the right PLUS same for the rear gable, four sheets in all, all at the same cutting. 

Have some help coming tomorrow, thank goodness. 

 

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Well I thought I had it made today.  I rustled the battery into the lift got everything hooked up, turned on the ignition and though it hasn't been started since December hit the starter and the darn thing didn't even make a half a revolution and it was running.  Almost scared me.  I checked the fuel shutoff switch I put in it and it didn't work so the wiring must be messed up not the switch.  If you saw the wiring you wouldn't even know where to start to look for the problem as the old harness is laying there and piles of new wires were run to bypass it. I traced the wires to a huge junction block that must have 30 wires or more hooked to it.  Figured I would just shut it off manually for now the way I have been. 

Anyways I had to drill some guide holes in the windows I forgot to do when I framed them in so I went up and did half of them,  then figured I would move the lift outside turn it around and boom myself in to get the back ones as I didn't have enough room to swing the 30 foot boom around inside.  Ran the lift ahead a little with the wheels turned,  then went to straighten them up and heard a loud pop, with no response in the back.  So I went down to investigate.  This is what I found.  The steering cylinder popped the end right off it.  Because of the age of the lift I can see why it happened.  Really a poor design as the ram is only bolted at the end on one side not in a stirrup like you would think so there is alot of force stressing the weld at an angle because with age everything is getting a bit sloppy.  I also think the bolts might not be quite the right size.  It doesn't take much to exert pressure the wrong way. 

Anyways,  I have to take it up to my Welder tomorrow and see if he can out it back together.  I'm not sure if he can do it without disassembling the cylinder.  The end was welded on from the factory so atleast it's not a case or forged part we are trying to glue back together.  Hopefully he can do something with it as I couldn't find the right cylinder on line and similar ones I found retailed around $2000.  Yes that's right 2G.   If he can fix it a second bracket could be added to the Knuckle easily to help take the stress off the bottom edge of the sleeve.

Do you have these type of troubles or is it just me? 

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Good news.  I dropped it off at the welder at 9 AM and it was done by 11 AM.  He charged me 40.00.  I gave him 60 and thanked him for getting right to it.  I've used him before and not only being reasonable does very good work so I always try to give him a tip.  Stopped at the Hardware and picked up new Grade 8 Bolt and self locking nut.  Those were 20.00 for the nut and bolt.  It's all back together and working fine at the moment.  She's outside and ready to go on window duty tomorrow. :)

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Another scorcher but with Wonderboy working with me we got the red clay spread and compacted then the top soil pile moved over the top of the rgc. The top soil had to be moved to make room for the scaffolding on the rear. Got all the front gable covered and most of it trimmed. Discover a small glitch in my design of the gable tin and will have to remove and replace a couple pieces of tin to fix. Also got the rear braces and side girts up.  Hope to finish the rest of the tin tomorrow. 

 

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Here is it’s orientation relative to BS&S. Looking more like maybe an oil and lube shed every day. 

 

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Saw the thunder clouds coming and tried to get all the tall tin on the back gable cut but didn’t quite make it.

 

 

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Got the ladders laid down and cut tin pieces picked up before the heavy winds arrived. Went to the fridge and had a couple beers with Wonderboy and watched the heavy rain coming down. At least the storm waited til almost quitin time to roll in. Thank ya Jesus, thank ya Lord. 

 

 

Did get the front cut and is coming out just as envisioned. 

 

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You must have sent the rain my way.  I got my upper windows cut out, started tyveking the side with a contraption that worked very well on my lift,  Got to the end and found a nice big Hornets nest.  Had to go and get killer then come back and treat it.  Of course what we had at the house wasn't enough so I had to go to the store.  Got back killed them and finished that side,  then went to put the windows in.  Got the first one all set caulked,  thankfully the opening and not the window,  went to go down for the window and it started pouring.  Rained for a half hour. I had just came in and checked the radar and it showed a little green dot.  For some reason the rain was forming off and on all day probably 10 miles away,  so there was no warning for storms coming through.  It finally stopped and I hurried up and put the window in before the caulk dried.  Just when I get on a roll something always comes up. 

Yesterday after getting the lift all back together I shut it down when someone came to see me,  then it wouldn't start when I went to start back up.  It was an electrical issue.  Unfortunately the wiring is far from virgin so it's a nightmare when something "electrical" is the problem.  I started checking around and found a wire off on a relay that was laying (probably not suppose to be there) next to the engine panel.  The door when I closed it,  must have bumped the relay and the poorly applied electrical connetor fell off the wire.  

It's non stop,  but boy it sure does work nice to roll tyvek on the building 10 foot off the ground and not a ladder in sight. 

Hopefully tomorrow will go better.

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12 hours ago, JoelsBuicks said:

This looks very nice and as usual, straight and square.  I was surprised to see that you cut the metal off at the height and rake of the rafter.  Will you be adding a barge rafter to create an eave on the gable ends?

 

 

 

I was wondering about the front too?

 

It looked like you were going to match the step front of the BS&S when you started, I thought that would have given it an interesting look. Looks great, and I know you'll always get "suggestions", not that you ever need them. 

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17 hours ago, JoelsBuicks said:

This looks very nice and as usual, straight and square.  I was surprised to see that you cut the metal off at the height and rake of the rafter.  Will you be adding a barge rafter to create an eave on the gable ends?

 

 

 

5 hours ago, Rivman said:

 

I was wondering about the front too?

 

It looked like you were going to match the step front of the BS&S when you started, I thought that would have given it an interesting look. Looks great, and I know you'll always get "suggestions", not that you ever need them. 

 

 

My thinking is that the formal false front facades of buildings back then were used mostly on the actual store fronts. This is just an oil and lube shed, he he,  AND this way was much simpler. :) IOW I didn't want to take the time to figure out the flashing :lol:

As seen and discussed  previously, I had actually installed two purlins on the upper rafters with a 2 ft overhang for the barge rafter when I came up with the idea of installing the rough cut tin cladding first then trimming it off. So I pulled them off and proceeded with that idea. That worked great and really didn't result in much waste of tin. btw, folks, it helps to read here, not just look at the pictures...?

 

But I have a dilemma. I am getting short on the corrugated tin to finish out the 4 ft sides. I have plans for much of what corrugated I have left to go inside the BS&S garage area as 4 ft wainscoting. I do have sufficient amount of the 5V that was used on the BS&S ceiling, so I am thinking of going with that along the sides and back.

 

 

 

 

 

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I got my other 6 windows in and with the high temps and high humidity flew through them as fast as I could,  but had to come in for dry clothes by the end.  I precut all my flashing tape and will probably flash them today,  then they are all done.   

Are you working alone now or do you still have wonder boy? 

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Slack day today. Got the four corners wrapped using some salvaged tin ridge cap. Of course had to spend the rest of the day mowing the Gardens. 

 

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Of course Elvis thinks it was all built for him to be able to lay in the shade all day. 

I am very pleased with the amount of shade the sides and overhangs cast. At no time today did I see actual sunlight hitting where the Argosy will be sitting 

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On ‎7‎/‎15‎/‎2018 at 10:23 AM, MrEarl said:

 btw, folks, it helps to read here, not just look at the pictures...?

 

 

Aw’ come on Lamar, I do read everything you post, guess I just missed the part about the front of your latest project.

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That ridge cap did a neat job of finishing the corners.  I don’t know why I was expecting a drive through but I see a fence back there and probably not enough room.  Looks like a good decision to keep the corrugated metal for the sides.

 

BTW, are those concrete posts holding up you grapevines?  If so, is there a story there?  You don’t see that kind of stuff around here but if you do, it would have been a marker for a major boundary like for an Indian reservation.

 

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Yea, the grade and tight turn were a bit too much to let me do a drive through. 

The concrete posts are old City of Athens street marker posts. Originally painted white with street name stenciled in black. What’s cool on some of them are the scratched in initials in hearts with arrows. Acquired back in the early eighties when I was Athens Street Superintendent and the conversion was made from them to standard metal ones.

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On 7/22/2018 at 4:46 PM, Rivman said:

 

Aw’ come on Lamar, I do read everything you post, guess I just missed the part about the front of your latest project.

 

This is better then Playboy... I look at the pictures AND read the articles!

 Oh and I just hit 6000 posts, wow!

Edited by DAVES89 (see edit history)
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1 hour ago, DAVES89 said:

This is better then Playboy... I look at the pictures AND read the articles!

Well it is a wealth of knowledge and ideas, but I'm still young and hopefully not just at heart so it takes a bit more than building projects to get me excited,  and I'm in the middle of my own build. 

Good work Mr Earl.

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I am no expert but I see lots of places wide open for birds nests, and the resulting bird waste they produce.  On one small project I did I ripped pieces of scrap in triangle configuration and then tacked them on top of the flat rafters and whatever else was up there.  It seemed to have stopped the birds from building nests  on the pointed tops.

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I was really surprised with my all my trusses open on the ends (36 of them) and no garage door on my building,  I didn't get any in mine this year.  Of course the neighbor has a barn and there is a Horse farm with 60 horses and multiple out buildings on the other side as well,  so maybe they have plenty of accommodations already, I hope.  Should have all the soffits finished in the next month so the No vacancy sign will be up for next year.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Bill I knew a guy who practice the same thing in and around his barn, shop and orchard. That is until the next guy over sold his land and a housing tract was built on that land. The sheriff came out and put an end to that. Seems civilization has rules agin such things. Mr. Earl I built and addition on our house a decade or three ago now and forgot to block off one small area where the new addition met the old structure. Sure enuff a couple of birds moved in up there and set up house keepin. They or their offspring return every year and repeat the cycle. When I attempted to block off that area a few times over the years the admiral runnin this mans mooring station made it clear the bird hangar was to remain open if you get my drift. ??  

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42 wheelbarrow loads of red clay, topsoil and sand later (all wheeled up hill)  and the dirt floor surface is within 1/2” of being level all over. No having to level the trailer up with levelers here!  Rolled it several time during with the Silverado then flooded the top with water a couple of days.

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The tires of the Silverado barely leave an impression. Debating on whether to add river pebble topping? Thoughts?

 

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Wait until it's wet and rainy then you will know the answer to that question.  I know every time I ask , should I do this?  I end up doing it.  The fact you are considering it,  means you are most likely going to do it,  you just want someone else to confirm what you know is probably the right answer anyways. 

It will keep the inside of the Argosy Cleaner if the wife wants to go in and out to do some cleaning or getting ready for a trip.  Won't be any muddy dog prints on the floor either.  

I think I have asked those same questions about my garage build and every time ended up doing it.  Looking back,  I never had a "wish I hadn't done that" when it came to doing something maybe a tad over the top or not quite necessary. 

Looking good.

Edited by auburnseeker (see edit history)
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52 minutes ago, MrEarl said:

Debating on whether to add river pebble topping? Thoughts?

Although not a high speed or high traffic area, the smooth stone topping will eventually scatter and require raking.  Crushed stone or steel mill slag work work better.

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My vote is do nothing more.  Park the Argosy there and fix the pad when it fails.  River pebble doesn’t compact very well and some varmit will scatter it on your yard when he tries to dig a den under the tires.  You can throw down a couple sheets of that used tin to walk on and then shoot the copperheads off as they collect some morning sun.

 

Before you finish, Dont you have to plant some of that Kudzu vine to help this blend into its environment?  

 

It looks really good; even looks like a good airy place to pull an engine every now and then.

Edited by JoelsBuicks (see edit history)
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11 hours ago, JoelsBuicks said:

It looks really good; even looks like a good airy place to pull an engine every now and then.

Well there you go.  Might as well put the concrete down and be done with it. ;)

That engine crane ain't going to roll around good on gravel or mud and you forgot the steel beam for the chainfall when you built it. 

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