Project : Workshop

[BenG]

The mesh is there to add strength as you say, this is something I have considered.

I spoke to the guy who is laying the concrete today to discuss this. I told him at some point I would be fitting a 2 post car lift and was the mesh required. He said the mesh is there to stop hair line cracks but with a hard base underneath and well compacted aggregrate he said it will be fine. It wont crumble/break up. There is nothing but limestone slabs underneath the building, it's literally solid as a rock, it's also a pretty good strength concrete.

 

[hoolio]

Ben you are so lucky if I had a place like that it would be full of cars by now, having to walk away from a lovely ph 1 5GTT as storage is just ridiculous around here. Don't suppose you fancy playing mum to a little red 5? :wink:

 

[BenG]

J, if you lived closer I would happily mother it for you, I could tuck it away at the back and no one would even know it was there :wink: .

Sadly, It was broken into late last year, I had just fitted and started locking the personnel door when it was broken into, they made a right mess of the door, all that was inside was a generator and some car cleaning stuff (amongst other crap), they took my machine polisher (used once) and a crappy pressure washer. I didn't care about the stuff they stole but the door cost alot of money!

It got me thinking about security so I've been brain storming over the past 6 months... I figured that the only the thing you have on your side against thieves is time, that and a good alarm system.

 

[hoolio]

The Outer Hebrides would be fine tbh it's not as if I haven't other great cars to drive around.

I was looking at solar power/photo voltaic units a while back, a lot cheaper than you think and I'm sure there must be stuff linked up to alarms and remote access etc.

 

[BenG]

Yep, the power side of things I have already thought of. I will use marine/lorrie batteries linked up to a suitable pure sine inverter to power lights and other small appliances etc... Wind turbines are fairly cheap now, you can buy them in kit form which include all the wiring, batteries, inverter for around £1000 (1000W).

For heavy power tools and the car lift i'll use the generator.

The alarm system I wanted to use needs the use of a phone line as it is monitored 24/7 and if the alarm is triggered they phone you up to let you know, you have to pay around £20 a month but thats worth it to me. I'm sure it wouldn't cost too much to install a phone line but there is no way I would pay phone line rental on top.

I'll just have to fit one which isn't monitored, there are houses close by that would hear it and it's right next to a main road, police usually park in a lay-by opposite (probably watching me to see what i'm up too :wink: ). I thought about linking some spot lights into the alarm which flash when triggered, you would easily see them from the road.

Also geese, nasty little buggers and make a commotion when confronted by strangers.

 

[stormduck]

Good stuff re the concrete, but would a few years on would you possibly wish you had spent the extra money? Depends how expensive it is to your income i guess.

I think anything that may draw attention will deter a potential thief. I think spotlights with motion sensors are so valuable. How about a cctv camera on the entrances? Even if they're fake a thief would have to assume they weren't. And a shotgun with a rope around the trigger leaning against the door too just don't forget yourself that it's there

 

[BenG]

:lol: .

I hear what you're saying. I earn enough to be able to fund the concrete, just look at the money been invested in it so far, £900 is not much in comparison, however, if it's not vital then there is no point throwing money away. I was talking to my brother in law today, he is a farmer, he said most of his buildings have 150mm of concrete and he drives over them with 7tonne machinery + trailers and they have only suffered slight cracking after a few years of abuse, he admits he should have put wire mesh down but being a tight farmer he didn't want to pay the extra.

The guy doing the job is going to pop up this weekend again so i'll have another 'crack' with him about it.

Re CCTV. When speaking to the police the night of the robbery I mentioned fitting CCTV and he said unless they are of 'very' good picture quality they will not use it as evidence, you're talking professional equipment.

I like the shotgun idea :twisted:

 

[bearne1]

I can sense a 'National Renault Sport Trophy' workshop coming here, only just stumbled across this!

Epic!

 

[Supersonic]

I helped a freind of mine put a concrete floor down in his workshop about 3-4 years ago, never bothered with any mesh stuff, just made sure it was well laid.

A 2 post lift was put in a while back, I think about 2 years max and that gets used alot, quite often for lifting Mitsubishi GTOs (which are fat bastards), and he's never had a problem apart from having to repaint it.

I just think it matters how it's laid. We divided the floor up into quarters with sections of 2 by 4 if that helps.

 

[BenG]

Thanks for the re-assurance. It's being laid professionally so I can be sure it will be well laid, once it's cured it is cut in half and re sealed (something to do with expansion and contraction) so effectively it will be in 2 halves. I'm confident it will be up to the job.

 

[BenG]

I can sense a 'National Renault Sport Trophy' workshop coming here, only just stumbled across this!

Epic!

Hehe! How about a 'National Renault Sport Trophy open day' with Hog-Roast.

Oink!



poor old Miss Pig will be in the freezer in a few weeks

 

[Supersonic]

Thanks for the re-assurance. It's being laid professionally so I can be sure it will be well laid, once it's cured it is cut in half and re sealed (something to do with expansion and contraction) so effectively it will be in 2 halves. I'm confident it will be up to the job.

Ah, we didn't even do that. Hasn't mattered anyway as he lives in Weymouth and it just seems to be permanently cold there!

 

[BenG]

It’s been a while since I’ve updated this but unfortunatelynot much progress has been made over winter, the workshop has mainly been usedto store some things over the winter months.

 

[BenG]

The Concrete went in last year some time, I’m really happy with the finish, it was smoothed over with a concrete smoother.

Even the hen loves it. (this is Eggbert II, she is lonely because her sisters were eaten by a fox last year, as a result she likes to follow me around EVERYWHERE!)



This is where the concrete was cut in half. It just needs cleaning out and some filler putting in.



So, as far as construction is concerned it’s virtually finished, just have some guttering to fit and an endless amount of work to doon the driveway and surrounding area.






I eventually had an alarm fitted. It runs off batteries for the time being until I get a proper DC/AC converter, batteries and solar panels etc. I installed a SIM card which alerts me if the alarmsounds and I can turn it on/off via text message, pretty cool and saves me from having a phone line fitted. The control panel has built in relays so basically whatever I wire into it will activate during the alarm sounding. I’m going to wire in 2 250W spotlights and set them up to flash on/off.

The plan for this summer is to build another building inside this one (approx 1/3[SUP]rd[/SUP]) and divide that up into 2 rooms, oneI can kit out as a little (or big) hide away with a nice sofa, coffee table etc….

Ben

 

[BenG]

Meet Panda Pig (Left) and Poppy Pig (Right).

The happiest Pigs in Cumbria.



Edit: I wish I could wire a cable from that pylon to my workshop.

 

[shiftspark]

The plan for this summer is to build another building inside this one (approx 1/3[SUP]rd[/SUP]) and divide that up into 2 rooms, oneI can kit out as a little (or big) hide away with a nice sofa, coffee table etc….

Ben

Is this so you and Eggbert II can spend some quality time together but seriously that is some garage you have there Ben , you should start filling it with a car collection.

Will I see you on the hills this year ?

 

[hoolio]

but seriously that is some garage you have there Ben , you should start filling it with a car collection.

I have offered to help him with that But really that is a brilliant space for a project, my garage is too small to even consider taking apart or building something up.

 

[jenic]

Just read (well, skimmed) all this, it was going so well and then just came to a hault

Still, its an awesome project, would love the land to have something like this!

 

[BenG]

Is this so you and Eggbert II can spend some quality time together but seriously that is some garage you have there Ben , you should start filling it with a car collection.

Will I see you on the hills this year ?

I'll be either in the workshop or in the hills all this summer, if you ever want to meet up and go for a walk i'm up for that.

I have offered to help him with that But really that is a brilliant space for a project, my garage is too small to even consider taking apart or building something up.

I wish i had enough money to start a car collection. I'm saving up hard now for a house which is another reason why not much has been done to the workshop. Very shortly i'm going to need some power and i'm looking at spending around £1000 on a solar setup, every job I do on this building seems to cost loads which means slow progress i'm afraid, especially with saving for a house.

 

[shiftspark]

I only drive my car up hills! I mean at Harewood hillclimb?