Took the first step towards building my shop

[KustomsbyKent]

Frank S,
Is it worth considering to rent a telescoping boom lift for a week? You'd have to have all your trusses all set to go, but if you did, it'd be short work with a Skytrak or similar. Those can usually lift 38' or more, and I've seen them listed to rent for ~$1500/week. It might be money well spent to have get the trusses all set up quickly, and not be distracted by other projects.
Seems like you'd probably spend more than $1500 by the time you go get your crane from 200 miles away, find and install an engine, and fix anything else that's needed.

[Frank S]

Not really Kent; I cen get my crane hauled to me for nothing I just have to catch my bud coming this way to get some repairs on his truck or trailer or passing by otherwise empty on his way to pick up a load. I have a couple engines that would serve just fine with transmissions mounted just not sure about the pump mounting until I see the crane.
However the skytrack idea is not a bad one, The guy I got the crane from also has a skytrack that I have used a couple times in the past I can get it to use for a lot less than just the transportation would cost me to rent one. The closest equipment rental to me that would have anything suitable to lift the trusses is over 80 miles away.
Obviously we have the means to transport but it is not an on demand thing once I got the skytrack it could be 2 3 or 4 week before we could return it ourselves or have the rental company pick it up at $ 4.00 a mile round trip $2.50 a mile if they deliver and pick up that would work out to a 320 mile fee less a 25 mile discount or 100 miles total for the 2 trips, 220 miles at 2.50 or say $550.00 on top of the 1500.00 The only reason I know these figures is I had thought of renting a small dozer last summer
The other thing about just knocking together something to use on them back hoe is I would not be under any time constraint. Since I have the quick connect on the backhoe I can drop the bucket and bake a short stinger of about 8 ft for it instead of having to build something for the loader end the stinger on the hoe would let it function more like a knuckle boom and I would have it for lifting the bridging girts and purlins then later the sheet metal
But first I have to sort out my scaffolding to make sure I have all the bits to erect scaffolding along both sides of the building.or at least enough on opposite sides so I can set 2 trusses without having to move it first I think I still have enough to make an 18 ft tall scaffold to cover both sides completely but may have to make some small bits

[Frank S]

Well I have finally set column #10 in the ground Time to set up the rest of the scaffolding come up with more scaffold boards Laser line the tops for trimming set some trusses at least 2 so I can add in some wind bracing then set the rest of the trusses and bridge them all together. Plus I need to go to my mine site and excavate another 100 yards of flex base select fill clay to level out the inside floor area then another 4 to 500 yards raise the outside grade on the south side some sloping slightly away from the building so I will be able to have a hard packed area at least 50 feet wide around the side and back of the building Trucks don't do well in the sandy loam unless it is right after a really hard rain.
What I really need is to come up with a small tracked loader or tracked skid steer for a while. My old 755 backhoe is just too old too slow and too cumbersome at times when just moving material.



I have all 5 trusses completed the 3 center trusses are doubled for the possible later addition of a light weight bridge crane the West end truss will be stiffened by x bracing Tabernacle style to truss #2 and will have a I beams welded to the bottom of it for a tri fold rolling door set to allow access to the whole west end of the building depending on which way the doors are rolled, Haven't decided about the East end yet I may opt to only have a 30ft single rolling door or a pair of 15 foot doors to give a 30 ft opening. I may add an 8ft wide 53 ft long mezzanine attached to the top of the container then build a 12 by 40 ft office on top. Or just place my school bus on top and make my office out of it but still add the mezzanine.

[Frank S]

In case anyone is wondering all columns have at a minimum a 24" diameter base welded to them and are from 6 to 8 feet in the ground the holes were dug to penetrate into the blue gray white hard layer below a red clay layer. Since I could not afford to put down concrete footers below each column this became the next best alternative and past experiences show this is often as good if not better than concrete with a few exceptions such as the columns having direct contact with the soil instead of being bolted or welded to a plate secured in the concrete. However these columns are not plain pipe they are oilfield grade tubing designed to be buried 1000's of feet into the earth to last for decades in all types of soil strata I have used the same grades of pipe in construction of both fresh and salt water piers they may eventually rot or rust through but not in my children's and possibly my grand children's life times.AT 64 and half years old if it lasts for 30 years I'll be happy.

[Toolmaker51]

Dang, I better get busy?
Can't leave that lathe hanging forever.
But one project this weekend is collecting truck supplies. It's supposed to head south for a little rejuvenation.
And I'm 66 8 months. Those bricks, I want FORTY years out of them. Built 1897.

[Frank S]

There was supposed to be a rough terrain man lift show up for some repairs but is hasn't made it yet. I told the guy that I would do what ever repairs it needed then might want to use it a couple of weeks I'd cut him some slack on the repair ticket if he did the same on rental but he had to buy all replacement parts if any were required. Sounded like a good deal to him but I haven't seen it show up yet. I need to go meet one of my distant neighbors and talk to him about his tracked bobcat see if some trade work can be worked out whit him.

[KustomsbyKent]

Awesome, I can't wait to see some trusses getting set!

Those tracked skidsteers are nice.... but spendy. Hopefully you're able to work out a trade deal.

I am in the midst of repairing my 1968 Melroe Bobcat M600 to use around the acreage. I've used my old AC WD tractor with loader for some stuff, but boy is that cumbersome compared to any skidsteer.

[Frank S]

Awesome, I can't wait to see some trusses getting set!

Those tracked skidsteers are nice.... but spendy. Hopefully you're able to work out a trade deal.

I am in the midst of repairing my 1968 Melroe Bobcat M600 to use around the acreage. I've used my old AC WD tractor with loader for some stuff, but boy is that cumbersome compared to any skidsteer.

yep, Except for the fact that I am mining my base and fill from less than a 100 yards away it would almost make sense for me to get a 6 yard or a tandem dump truck for hauling it would also make sense for me to spend some time and get my Kubota KH191 excavator going for the excavation instead of using the backhoe.
But hey I could be having to do this with a wheel barrow and shovel. And I never know there could be a D10 dozer show up with a coal blade on it to be modified Stranger things have happened in my world.

[Frank S]

Today 6 12" I beams 45ft long showed up to be used as the top perimeter of my shop along with a skytrack we call the monster mash when you look at the picture you will understand the name





welded 2 together then later cut to length

[Rikk]

I wish I lived next door to you Frank. Between your big stuff and my normal human sized stuff, we could build, fix and/or rule the world.

Funny thing.. When I get the emails from here showing pictures and snippets of new threads, I can usually tell if it's one of yours just by the pictures.