Today was another great day weather wise so I started with finishing some caulking around the entry door that was long overdue . Got that done and decided to start running the Rapid Air airlines . I've never used this product before but it is very easy to work with . I got about 50 % done I'm now at a point where I need an extra set of hands to complete the last 50 % . I have two hose reels mounted so each bay has it's own reel . And each reel has enough hose on it to go WAY out of the garage :D

So I was happy with today's progress and here are two pics showing the airlines . The grandchildren are coming over in about an hour to stay overnight so might not be too much progress tomorrow .

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1528398319.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1528398319.jpg

I need to back up about two weeks need to tell you guys a story I forgot to post :D . So about three weeks ago it rained every day for about a week there was red GA. clay/mud anywhere it was exposed . About two weeks ago I went out and was doing a cursory walk around the building to make sure all the rain didn't do anything . As I came around the left side of the building up front near the outside corner I noticed a track in the mud and I knew right away it was not a dog track ;)

Whatever it was it walked through the mud at the side of the building , walked in front of the garage doors because there were prints on the concrete apron and apparently went into our yard . OK whatever I didn't give it any more thought . When my buddy came over to help install the lift cross bar I asked him to take a look at the prints in the mud . He lives about 5 miles from me and has trail cams set up so he knows various game animal paw prints . He took one look and said " that's a bear " ! :eek: I asked him if he was sure and he said yep that's a bear . Our garbage can and bird feeders were not touched and I know why...........

Talking to our next door neighbor the next day she asked us " did you hear about the bear " ? We have another neighbor behind our property aprox. an 1/8th of a mile away that raises honey bees and sells local honey he makes . The bear that walked in front of my garage kept on walking over to his bee hives and smashed them and ate a bunch of honey .

So if I ever meet this bear I will tell it this is a MAN CAVE not a BEAR CAVE :D As Paul Harvey used to say " and now you know the rest of the story " SmileWavy

Not to derail my garage build but look who showed up last night :p I got up to close the living room blinds as the sun was going down and I see this guy helping himself to the bird food :) I snapped two pics through the blinds then decided to open the front door , we do have a storm door so I wasn't totally exposed . Took one pic through the storm door and just watched him a bit . My wife had a look of horror as I had been telling her it was just a matter of time :rolleyes:

I then opened the storm door and stepped out and yelled at him , he turned his head to look at me , he got down on four legs and boogied off into the woods :D While it was cool to see him I told my wife we're going to hold off on anymore bird feeding for a while . We still have several humming bird feeders up and we're hoping he's not attracted to them . Any way here is the little rascal but I'm more worried about his mom and dad :eek:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1528629885.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1528629885.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1528629885.jpg

There goes the neighborhood...

I almost lost my coffee on that .......... good one :D

Finally back working in the garage , put up two game cameras to keep an eye on smokey junior :D Decided to work on the work bench , started with installing a 2 x 6 for a backsplash to stop things from falling off the back of the bench . I used 2 x 6's x 10 ' long and bridged the seams of the benches making it quite strong . It is screwed through the metal framework and also into the top with 2 1/2 " long screws . Not going anywhere in my lifetime ;)

Also made some 2 x 4 braces to screw to the pair of legs that meet when the benches are put end to end . Also screwed through the metal frame . Then installed 7/16 OSB with construction adhesive and screws into the existing top , again overlapping the seams . This bad boy starting to get heavy ! I will end up putting plywood or OSB on the bottom framework so that will make a nice storage area .

I have to figure out what I want for a final finish for the bench , I would really like metal but that may be crazy money . On the bench I had in the last house I put down smooth masonite with just screws . The stuff is tough , relatively inexpensive and if you damage it you just remove and replace . That's it for today here's two pics for your viewing pleasure :D

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1528921414.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1528921414.jpg

Hey, Boo-Boo!

The place looks really great...I really enjoy watching it come together.

Best.

Hey Seahawk thanks . I was really hoping to have been done by now but it is what it is . I'm hoping that my posting pics it can help others if they are planning on going down the same route . When I look at my list of stuff that is still left to go it feels like I'll never finish !!!

This morning I called the local metal shop and spoke with the guy that installed my metal roof . I'm meeting him tomorrow morning to see what it will cost to have a 20 gauge piece of metal bent up for the work bench . After that I went out to the garage and measured all the wall top plates . I have to " cap " the end and side walls so there will be something to screw to when installing the metal ceiling panels . Went to Home Depot and purchased band sawn lumber , it is cheaper than clean planer wood and just fine for what I need it for as it won't be seen . I pulled all the wire staples the electrician used to hold the wires in place so I can slide the wood under the wires .

It was 93 degrees out and humid so sweating my balls off :( so I started thinking about the mini split install :D . Even though I don't have a ceiling yet I'd like to get the mini split installed and running so I can check that off the list . That's all I have to report :D

Oh and I did the final tightening of the lift base mounting bolts ........... 150 FT. LBS. !!! :( But a piece of cake with an 8 ' piece of pipe over the handle of the torque wrench :D
I was bent over , sweat pouring off my forehead I was leaving a sweat trail on the garage floor in a radius :D

The one thing I have learned over the years is that fixed benches are great, but rolling benches are more better :)

The benches in the picture would be enough for me, the rest would be on wheels.

Trust me I am not criticizing, a minor critique.

The work bench in the pic is the only bench I will have . It is long enough and deep enough for anything I will ever do . Once I have either Masonite or metal down as the top final finish surface I will mount my two vises . This bench will NOT be screwed to the wall my plan is to just use it as a free standing bench . I am at a point in my life where engine/transmission restorations are in the rear view mirror :D To be honest I probably could have not gone as large but it's my final man cave so go big or go home !!! ;)

My opinion on the finished bench top....you have put so much thought and effort into this project, and delivered such a fantastic result, just bite the bullet and get the metal top. It is maintenance free, easy to use, almost indestructible, and will look great. I would say this project "deserves" a nice metal top work surface.

Great build...great thread.

JA

Appreciate the kind words John I am meeting the sheet metal guy at 8:00 this morning . They primarily make metal roofing they did the roof on my house and the siding on the man cave . The thickest metal they work with is 20 gauge , I " think " that would be thick enough but I have to see/feel it to be sure . I agree the metal would look good and is easy to clean . The wood top is now 1.5 " thick so it's the wood giving the bench the strength the metal top is more for appearance , ease of cleaning etc. and I would probably glue down the metal top adding just a little more strength overall . I will report back today the results of the meeting .

Just got back from the metal shop and I think the 20 gauge galvanized will work fine . Their material is in 4 ' x 12 ' sheets so I'll have to have one seam . They will do a back splash bend , a cap bend on the back splash and an apron bend on the front with a 1/2 hem so no sharp edge . Total price with tax $130.00 which isn't bad . And as my wife pointed out it will tie in the workbench to the wainscote ............. gotta have that man cave bling :D .

So now I have to lay out where I want the seam , draw it up and I'll go ahead and order it . With their current schedule ( very busy shop ) they said less than a week to complete . This is the same shop I will purchase the ceiling metal from also . Now I'm off to the man cave to start installing the wood capping off the top walls for the ceiling metal install . SmileWavy

I am sweating my balls off it has been a " feels like " temp of 100 last week and projected all this week ............... very hot and humid . But I have been working , it's great being fully drenched in sweat wearing shorts and a tee shirt and handling fiberglass insulation :rolleyes: I am cutting insulation and placing into the gap between the inner and outer laminated beams up at ceiling level . I'm done on the right side now have to do the left side that will be done today .

The 1 x 12 and 1 x 6 cap wood I am installing to give me something to screw the metal ceiling to on the perimeter is 50 % done . Hard to explain but I am screwing these boards onto the top of the end wall studs and on top of the side laminated beams with an overlap of about 3 " to the inside . That is what I will screw the metal ceiling panels to along the perimeter with the rest just being screwed to the bottom of the rafters .

In a few minutes I'm heading back to the sheet metal guys to put in my order for the work bench top I should have that by the end of the week . I may have to switch my current work plan as I'm now getting a fair amount of hornet activity via the wide open soffits :mad: They seem to like the shiny radiant barrier . I'm going on vacation the end of July and hate to think of how many bees might move in . So I better concentrate on installing ventilated soffits . I've never done that before so have to get smart on that pretty quick ;) While I'm at the sheet metal shop I'll ask them if they can make up soffit , I'd prefer to do in 10 - 12 ' strips vs. individual pieces which is how I think it's normally done ?

Time for:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1529329192.png

Another day of progress in the sweat bowl ! :p Started the day by going to the sheet metal guys and placing my order for the metal top for the work bench . Got home from that and dived into the sweat mixer :D I finished with the insulation in the top headers so good to get that done . I am now 3/4 done with the perimeter wood install for the ceiling , I will be done tomorrow . That's a good step forward . Also my oldest son is coming over Wed. to help me run the last run of the Rapid Air air line . That will be another good step forward .

I will now turn my attention to getting the ventilated soffits installed . After that I will measure for ceiling metal and get that ordered , I can feel the end SLOWLY approaching :D

Burned this morning going to look at a turbo Cayenne it was not meant to be :( Got home at noon , ate some lunch and went out and measured the rafters for prep for the soffit install . Being a pole barn my rafters are on 6 ' centers and the last one is 4 ' . So I purchased 2 x 4's that I will cut and install inside of each rafter tail flush with the end of the rafter . I also purchased 1 x 6's that will install onto the ends of the rafter tails but will also be screwed to the 2 x 4's . This will give a solid foundation to mount the soffit and gutters to . I already have the metal waiting to wrap the 1 x 6 before gutter install . It was 2:30 by the time I got the lumber out of my truck and it was brutally hot :eek: so I went inside and started drinking beer :D But I did make some progress !

Woohoo another nasty sweaty job done this morning I completed the top cap perimeter boards ! So if I was ready ( not quite yet ) I could install the ceiling metal ......... which I still have to buy :D . So now I'll switch to the rafter tails and getting them ready for soffits . My oldest son will be here in the next 30 minutes to help me install the last run of the Rapid Air airline . I just keep checking off the tasks one at a time ;)