Finishing my Buick Shop

[MrEarl]

Oh and as you might know, I discovered they can be had with concealed duct that can be installed in the ceiling of the office. That really caught my attention.

[JoelsBuicks]

6 hours ago, Bill Stoneberg said:

You are in for a surprise unless these heat pumps are different then mine.  

The colder it gets, the worse it heats.  I have to use Emergency heat to keep the house war when it gets below 30.

Bill I had the same experience as you with two previous houses that had heat pumps.  Both were rural homes and I changed out systems to natural gas, just for that reason.

 

I was skeptical when I heard these Fujitsu’s would produce heat down to 0F - even to the point of installing supplemental propane just in case.  For the last six years, we’ve been at or close to 0 F only a few times but that unit heated very well and didn’t once require propane.  I’m counting on these news units to have that kind of performance. They should because 10F is used as their design ambient low.

 

 

Edited July 8, 2018 by JoelsBuicks
Improper use of “there” (see edit history)

[JoelsBuicks]

After seeing the Fujitsu’s installed rough-in and later finished, I wouldn’t hesitate to do it myself.  I would need a vac pump and a way to test with 600lbs Nitrogen pressure. I already have a set of gauges and a copper flaring tool.  My systems each needed a 20 amp 240v breaker.

 

Needed to edit this to be more thorough. The copper tube line set uses flare fittings at the inside units.  They have to be cut to a certain length and then flared.  My installer pressure tests the connections using 600psi nitrogen because he has witnessed many leaks at these fittings.  In fact one of my units had a very small leak but a leak nonetheless. The line fitting was taken apart and I examined both mating surfaces and they looked great.  We just rotated the fitting and tightened it back up and the leak was gone.  The HVAC guy said this is the Achilles heel of these units.  

 

 

Edited July 9, 2018 by JoelsBuicks
Clarification (see edit history)

[JoelsBuicks]

Thank you all again for the compliments, they are encouraging to me and I can’t hardly wait to get my Buick work going again.

 

 

[JoelsBuicks]

Shower is ready for tile.  Do I want to do this job myself?  Not really, but...

 

[Kosage Chavis]

Can't wait for you to get your Buick work going again either.  The garage is coming along beautifully.  

[JoelsBuicks]

Air Conditioning (AC),  I’ve always wanted to write a disquisition about AC but I’ll spare us the lengthy treatise and focus on what I find to be some interesting Information and germane to our Buick shops.  

 

Thirty five years ago I was studying Chemical Engineering and heat transfer in particular. I was fascinated by the complex math associated with non-steady state thermodynamics. By then, I had also spent a lot of time working for a HVAC servicer and installer.  I was able to put both of these experiences together to “entertain” my own mind; absent any big mysteries about this science.  

 

If you don’t feel guilty about running a dishwasher in the summertime or allowing your towel to dry out inside then consider yourself lucky.  For me, I have to “count” the molecules of water that AC’s first have to remove in order for them to cool the air -  well, most of them anyhow.  We all lean towards the things we know the most, and someone once said, “he who is good with a hammer treats everything like a nail.”  I’m afraid I’ve spent way too much time pondering this stuff.

 

When it comes to our shops, AC and heating for that matter certainly follow the same thermodynamic laws but vary widely based on the space we are controlling, insulation (heat gain or loss) and especially, how we use that space.  I’ve really been wanting to talk about that last item, because it makes a huge difference in our approach to climate control.

 

Some of us have weekend spaces and others, like myself, might spend every day and all day in the shop.  For sporadic use, I would advise the biggest unit you can find (probably 5 ton) and try to find a used one for almost no cost.  You would be amazed at how many good units get replaced because someone suggested it was nearing the end of its life. Inefficient you say?  Remember, it’s sporadic use - but also consider this:  when you go to your shop and want quick cooling or heating, the biggest unit get you there quickest.  Oh yeah,  just put a single big duct up there that is oriented to create circulation in the room.  

 

If you spend a lot of time and consecutive days in your shop, go for a good high efficiency unit, try to improve insulation, and by all means get the water out.  This brings me back to my AC nemesis, the dastardly dishwasher.  In the summer, I have to pay to heat up that water and then I have to pay to condense it.  Everyone’s AC has one thing in common, they all have to remove water - down to the dewpoint temp at the evaporator.  Ok, so it’s expensive to remove water but what’s worse is that it consumes duty that is needed to remove heat so that we’ll stay cool.  So, if you use your shop daily, get rid of the water and keep it that way.  Don’t open the doors and windows on those cooler mornings because your AC will then have to remove that water.

 

Well this turned out longer than I wanted but I felt I needed to say it. 

 

Thanks for listening!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2018 by JoelsBuicks (see edit history)

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Glad you did. I never studied like you, but agree completely.

  Putting the shower in a non climate control area?

 

  Ben

[JoelsBuicks]

Yes Ben!  It’s a horrible affliction.  Just like that dishwasher is going to stay put, so will that shower....and the teapot, the potted plants, the washing machine...and many other sources. Just a week ago I told my wife that burning those old light bulbs cost us double in the summer.  She reminded me they are almost free in the winter.  Me and my wife both married ChemE’s ?.

[MrEarl]

11 hours ago, JoelsBuicks said:

  For me, I have to “count” the molecules of water that AC’s first have to remove in order for them to cool the air

 

You would have had fun counting the molecules of water at our house this last week. Molecules on the inside of windows, on all the ac duct work and insulation and about a 1/4 inch thick on the basement floor. FRIGGIN WATER MOLECULES EVERY FRIGGIN WHERE!!!!!!!  Yep, Mr Thermodynamic Man, I'm sure you know exactly what the culprit was. A big ass millipede had crawled up into the discharge end of the condensate drain down in the woods below the house and backed the water up to the ac unit. Every mans nightmare, while working joyously on your favorite project in 95* heat to be told by your wife "Hon, you need to come up to the house, the basement is flooded" 

OK enough of honing in on your thread with my problems. But I do have a few questions/comments re your last post.

 

11 hours ago, JoelsBuicks said:

 when you go to your shop and want quick cooling or heating, the biggest unit get you there quickest.

 

BUT, if that unit is too big, it will cool too quickly, thus not running long enough to pull all them pesty water molecules out of the air right?

 

11 hours ago, JoelsBuicks said:

Oh yeah,  just put a single big duct up there that is oriented to create circulation in the room.  

 

So should I decide to go with a conventional system, I might not need that 25 ft of spiral duct work running along and obstructing the view of that kaleidoscope of corrosion ceiling of mine that the AC guy included in the estimate, eh? Just one big ass vent in the interior gable shooting out over the cars and work area. I like that idea.

 

11 hours ago, JoelsBuicks said:

If you spend a lot of time and consecutive days in your shop, go for a good high efficiency unit, try to improve insulation, and by all means get the water out. 

 

While I probably won't spend a LOT of time and consecutive days in the BS&SG, my cars certainly will. After all that is my main objective, to keep the mildew out of my cars. I've probably spent enough $$ on DampRid over the last 20 years to have paid for an ac system. I'm planning on running the AC full time. While not humanly occupied,  at about 80*/summer and 50* winter just to keep the moisture down.

 

11 hours ago, JoelsBuicks said:

Don’t open the doors and windows on those cooler mornings because your AC will then have to remove that water.

 

 

but I love the sound of lifting those cane bolts out of their drilled concrete holes and swinging those 3 inch thick wood and iron clad doors open and being met with the cool fresh morning air and  fog coming off Buick pond. Now thanks to you, I'll be thinking " Oh gawd, look at all them damn water molecules coming into my garage, wonder how much it’s going to cost to get all them suckers back out"  Thanks Joel, thanks a lot buddy!!! ???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JoelsBuicks]

13 hours ago, MrEarl said:

BUT, if that unit is too big, it will cool too quickly, thus not running long enough to pull all them pesty water molecules out of the air right?

Well now that is a good point and it’s a good example of why such a discussion just can’t effectively be abbreviated. That oversized unit being used sporadically needs to be set and run at its lowest temp setting until the humidity is reasonable.   It makes me wonder if there is such a thing as a humistat with a temperature override or maybe the other way around?  But again, your point is legitimate and it reminded me of a system I built with a thermostat control and a timer override.  The space was too large and under insulated and that unit needed to run all the time.  

[JohnD1956]

On ‎7‎/‎6‎/‎2018 at 8:07 PM, JoelsBuicks said:

Trim around the windows today.  Got a little cleaning and touch up left to do.

 

 

WOW!   WOW!!!

[JoelsBuicks]

Thanks John, someday I gotta get back to the Buicks.  Recently I took a break on the building to do a paying project - a solid walnut coffee table!  Done and delivered I am now back to trim work.  

 

 

[GARY F]

That table look great. Did you build it from scratch?

[JoelsBuicks]

Hi Gary, a lady had a picture of a table being offered by a place called Restoration Hardware. I’ve attached that picture below and she asked that it be made 36” x 46” and 19” tall with those turned legs.  So, I scaled the drawing and built it from my drawings.

 

Twenty years ago I bought a huge lot of walnut logs out of Missouri and sawed them on my mill.  That’s what I used and those legs were turned out of blocks that I glued up. 

 

Fun little project but took too much time.  Seems like I can’t get myself out of second gear these days.

 

Thanks,

Joel

 

 

Edited August 9, 2018 by JoelsBuicks (see edit history)

[GARY F]

That is very nice wood and the finish is beautiful.

[billbuickgs]

BOY,  that's a nice parts table !!! You could work on transmissions , rears, intakes etc. LOL

Very beautiful work !

Bill

 

 

[Larry Schramm]

Joel,  Fantastic work on the shop and the table.

[JoelsBuicks]

Hey I gotta break the silence here.  First, thanks again folks for the nice comments. I have been doing some work on my 36 Coupe - mostly trying to get it running and road worthy.  More than anything, it’s a much needed break from the shop.

 

I have made some shop progress just trying to finish those internal rooms.  It’s mostly trimwork and hard to get too enthusiastic about doing it.  Also, finished up the carpet job upstairs.  The brand new carpet tiles were free.  Free trumps most everything for something this big.  Baseboard goes on tomorrow - free as well.

 

Shower and bathroom tile is next.  Maybe right after I buy a nice popcorn machine.  Anybody know anything about them?  I want that theatre taste, not microwaved.

 

Take care, be safe and thanks again.

 

 

 

[auburnseeker]

Like you said hard to beat free for something you probably didn't have anything specific specced for. 

I imagine Mr Earl and  I,  like you have made progress on ours,  just nothing exciting to post a bunch of photos over.  I got all my Tyvek on which was a bit of a chore by myself and got all my hurricane plates on.  Cut a pile of wanescoating for my soffits (it's going to take over 600 pieces)  but took a break from that to do the brakes on my 40 Ford coupe over (all new). Now the new throwout bearing has stuck internally so the whole thing spins not just the face,  and on a Ford it's just like a Buick, Out comes the rear to fix it.  

Nice to see your progress though.  Mine is being tied up by finances s well.  

The problem with a big building is everything costs alot.  Even the cheap stuff as you need so much of it.   Takes alot of time to finish each step as well especially when you are trying to run your business and pay for it all as you go.  Lots of days it doesn't look like you will ever see the end.  I have to look back and remember that this time last year,  we were just getting ready to pour the footings and you couldn't even walk around the site.  It seemed like I would never get the site back filled and level.

Keep up the good work and keep us posted. 

[JohnD1956]

On ‎8‎/‎7‎/‎2018 at 8:18 PM, JoelsBuicks said:

Thanks John, someday I gotta get back to the Buicks.  Recently I took a break on the building to do a paying project - a solid walnut coffee table!  Done and delivered I am now back to trim work.  

 

 

 

Can we get a WOW/ YIKES  button please? 

[JoelsBuicks]

I need to get caught up on the progress. First is the two rooms upstairs.  They are now carpeted and trimmed out.  One room will be a theater and the other a rec room - for my 12 year old boy. I’m on the prowl for a used home theater system, a 7ft pool table and a popcorn machine.  Oh, and some nice lights.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 19, 2018 by JoelsBuicks (see edit history)

[JoelsBuicks]

It’s all about the base!  I installed brown vinyl base in my mechanics room.  It was easier than I thought it would be and that’s probably due to a nifty glue spreader that fits on the end of a caulk gun.  The room needed that dark base.

 

 

[JoelsBuicks]

The best day of laying tile is always the last day.  I’ve been working on my shower and bathroom floor.  It’s all done and grouted and now I need to build a vanity. I don’t do these things very quickly.  The bending, crouching, and hands and knees really takes a toll on me.  Just glad it’s done. 

 

[JoelsBuicks]

I hung three of these old galvanized lights and fitted them with warm LED flood lights. One for my reading chair, one for my work desk, and one that will hang over a corner of a bed.

 

That’s it for now, looking forward to the end of these hot summer days.

 

 

Edited September 19, 2018 by JoelsBuicks (see edit history)

[MrEarl]

Jeezzzze, how do you get so much done? Lookin good man!!!!  We just got some quotes on having kitchen and two baths redone and were floored with what the labor costs were. Looks like I'll be doing some flooring and tile work myself soon. I may as well sell all the Buicks and turn the BS&S into a saloon. ?

[Mark Simmons]

Mr. Earl, as you may already know bathrooms and kitchens are the most expensive rooms to redo,remodel,re???. I can only imagine what you were quoted but I can tell you that if you lived here in California it would be double or more for the same job. Looking at what you and Joel have accomplished as well as Auburnseeker, I am truly amazed at your at your speed of progress and quality of work. Keep on Keeping on as the saying goes. ?

[auburnseeker]

22 hours ago, MrEarl said:

Jeezzzze, how do you get so much done? Lookin good man!!!!  We just got some quotes on having kitchen and two baths redone and were floored with what the labor costs were. Looks like I'll be doing some flooring and tile work myself soon. I may as well sell all the Buicks and turn the BS&S into a saloon. ?

Don't feel too bad.  I look at my list of things to acquire to finish each phase of my shop,  look at my bank account and earning potential in the near future, then realize none of them align.  As it is I spend my time trying to get my 40 Ford coupe ready to sell,  so nothing gets done on the shop, meanwhile watching the days get shorter and realizing winter is right around the corner and anytime after November 1st everything can come to a screeching halt. 

I talked with the guy that put it up and he is ready to send his guys over for a week to make some progress, but then realize there isn't any money in the bank to pay for the work.   As it is i still have to buy all my trim from him.  I spent 600 at Lowe's the other day for wainscoting to do my soffits with and still have more to get,  but I exhausted their supply.  As usual it's just time and money,  of which I seem to have none these days.

I think I have my framing inspection tomorrow.  Wish me luck. 

[JoelsBuicks]

In retirement, cash flow is no problem, it’s the direction.  I watch for bargains and do most of the work myself.  I’m more concerned about my physical ability to do a good day’s work and then do it all over again the next day.  Then, there’s the mental part where you put things here and there and immediately forget where you laid it.  Or, you go to Lowe’s and get about half of what you needed.  It’s seems to me that progress is at a snail’s pace.

 

Check out this pic, it’s a caulked saw line in my concrete. It took several days to clean out and caulk these cracks.  I had just over 600 feet to do!  It should have been done just after they were sawn but at that time, it seemed I had more important things to do.

 

[JoelsBuicks]

I tied up some loose ends on my paint booth. For the air/dust seals for the large entry door I used these seal boards that are normally used for garage doors.

 

Also, I added hardware to the inside to hold the doors together and to pin them to the concrete and the upper jamb.

 

 

Edited September 22, 2018 by JoelsBuicks (see edit history)

[JoelsBuicks]

The carpet tiles went in fairly quickly after spreading the pressure sensitive adhesive and allowing it to dry to a tacky stage.  Then, the baseboard went in and it gave the room a near finished look.  I still have lighting to acquire and install and electrical box covers to install.  

 

That toilet isn’t bolted down but will soon be if I can remember to buy concrete screws for the closet flange next time I’m at Lowes!

 

 

 

Edited September 22, 2018 by JoelsBuicks (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

It's all those extras and trips to the hardware/ Lowes that really add up.  Looks great.  I wonder if I will ever make it to the finishing phase.  I've been trying to make a quick blast of money so I can hire back the crew that put my building up to blitz a bunch of siding on,  then I can go behind them and put all the batten strips on and finish stuff off.  We have winter closing in here in another 2 months and I can't seem to find the time to ever get out to the shop to work on it.  As it is I'm trying to finish up the 40 Ford to sell it, so I can free up more funds.  

[JoelsBuicks]

Randy, I’ve been grateful for the times when I was able to get a crew of people to help with the larger tasks.  Each time I tried to “economize” the project by making sure I was as prepared as possible by having supplies ready and knowing what I wanted.  It was always uplifting to see so much progress in a short time.

 

I’m now working on my bathroom vanity.  There’s nothing standard about what I need, so I’m building it from scratch  - and scraps.

 

The ‘74 is feeling at home around the shop.  It’s a smooth ride.

 

Edited October 2, 2018 by JoelsBuicks (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

4 hours ago, JoelsBuicks said:

Randy, I’ve been grateful for the times when I was able to get a crew of people to help with the larger tasks.  Each time I tried to “economize” the project by making sure I was as prepared as possible by having supplies ready and knowing what I wanted.  It was always uplifting to see so much progress in a short time.

If I can make enough surplus cash,  I'm strongly thinking of doing that.  We have alot of the material prefinished.  I'm going to try to get the soffits up and done so it's just slapping up the big planks.  We'll see.  Times ticking away and I still don't have my order of trim (some of which I need, to be able to put the siding on because of flashing)  Which I still need to prefinish.  My supplier is in Carlisle this week so the soonest I'll see it is next week,  which I'll then be in Hershey.  We'll see.  It's nice to see someone making progress.  This darn work to pay the bills always seems to get in the way of the garage progress. 

 

Your project is looking good.  Keep it up. 

[JoelsBuicks]

Almost finished with the bathroom vanity - awaiting arrival of a pair of concealed hinges for the door, followed by the top and sink.  Drawer fronts are walnut and frame is birch.  The rest is scrap plywood and some old drawer boxes removed from my parents kitchen several years ago. 

 

My mechanics room is ready for tools and benches now that the floor has been coated and waxed.  I really like the very hard coating as it is almost indestructible -called Clear Gaurd and I can get you more info if desired.  The wax will make it even easier to sweep but no doubt dangerous when wet with oil or water.  

 

My 60 Electra has developed a knock and will likely be the first Buick to visit the mechanics room.  More about that knock later.

 

 

[JoelsBuicks]

I’m now working on the floors in the main shop area.  Shortly after the concrete was poured and hardened, I put on two coats of the Clear Guard coating.  Although it had held up well, I wanted to give it one more coat and then follow it with two coats of floor wax.  The wax makes the floor easy to sweep.  Now, It’s about time to get some stuff moved into this building.

 

 

[JoelsBuicks]

With all but a couple small patches of floor coating left to do, I’ve started a few other projects needed to help “move into” the shop.  

 

On the list is an old four post lift, to be first cleaned up and painted. Then, a blower for the paint booth to be affixed to a concrete pad just outside the building.  Next, a 400 lb steel table for my welding station will need to look respectable - although I don’t know why.

 

 

Edited October 30, 2018 by JoelsBuicks (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

Nice to see others making progress.  I've been staining trim so I'm ready to go when the weather turns.  With a 6 month winter,  you need to try to get the outside warm days stuff done so you can keep going when the weather turns. Hopefully today is the last day of that.   Then maybe I can actually start putting some of it up and actually have something to post on my own build.

Keep up the work,  it inspires me to keep going on mine.  Right now I can only dream of my floor and having a nice finish on it.

[Rivman]

On ‎9‎/‎22‎/‎2018 at 5:27 PM, JoelsBuicks said:

Check out this pic, it’s a caulked saw line in my concrete. It took several days to clean out and caulk these cracks.  I had just over 600 feet to do!  It should have been done just after they were sawn but at that time, it seemed I had more important things to do.

 

 

I made the same mistake with my garage floor. I didn't have anywhere near 600 feet to caulk of course, and I was building my walls on top of it, but it was a pain to go back and clean them out, mostly sawdust, and get them caulked.

[Rivman]

On ‎10‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 9:05 PM, JoelsBuicks said:

I’m now working on the floors in the main shop area.  Shortly after the concrete was poured and hardened, I put on two coats of the Clear Guard coating.  Although it had held up well, I wanted to give it one more coat and then follow it with two coats of floor wax.  The wax makes the floor easy to sweep.  Now, It’s about time to get some stuff moved into this building.

 

 

 

Everything looks great Joel! AND, those floors look FANTASTIC!