Wiring and New Shop Flooring

[capncarl]

CWS, sounds like you need to find all the savings you can so you can afford some heat!

[cwsmith]

Yes Sir,

We,re only getting our second really cold spell though. Not at all bad for our normal kind of winters where the temps usually hover between the low teens and 30-something. Last week we were in the low 50's and at Christmas pretty close to 70, so no complaints here.

This has been the warmest winter I've ever remembered. When I was a teen, back in the late 50's and early 60's, I recall a couple of winters where it got down close to 20-below... the last really cold winter I remember was in 83 or 84, when the mid- morning temp was 10-below. Nothing like that in a very long time.

I've got a fairly good quartz heater, but without electricity it doesn't do me much good. I'm trying to run two temporary lines from the garage so I can power the heater as well as at least one power tool up until the final electrical inspection. Time is always a challenge!

CWS

[JimD]

You may have a good way to drill the holes but I will make a suggestion. I got an Irwin speedbor bit like this:

http://www.irwin.com/tools/drill-bits/speedbor-max-speed-bits-4-short-length-bits

I think it was a 1 inch diameter. The threads on the front pull the bit forward aggressively. I used my Ryobi 18v in slow speed to power it. You really have to hang onto the drill. It dulls quickly when you hit a nail but otherwise I was very happy with it. It has a hex shank which makes it easy to put an extension on it when you are going through multiple studs.

[capncarl]

I'm considering adding rubber mats to my shop floor to help with the slippery situation. Like the rubber mats sold by Tractor Supply for cattle stalls. In 2015 I've averaged over 2 tables each month, each table had multiple coats of wax applied and buffed off creating a lot of slick floors. Cleaning the floor with a strong soap removes the wax but it just gets slick after the nest table is built. Mats will create their own problem though.

[cwsmith]

JimD,

I'm going to Lowes', and probably Home Depot, this afternoon and I'll check the Speedbor bit. I like the shortness of it. I have a Bosch 5/8" auger that I got a few years ago in a promotion, but I'll be darned if I know what I did with it. I was planning on using either a spade bit with my Ridgid 14.4 Volt or my good-old brace and bit set with a 5/8-inch auger. I actually like the latter, as it bores a hole pretty fast and you can immediately feel if you've hit a nail without destroying the bit. I think I bought that brace and bit set back in the very early 70's and it has served me well over all these years.

Since most of my outlets will be at about 46 inches, the plan is to run along the top of the wall plate. That's where the gambrel rafters fasten and at that point they are about four inches wide. For a 'shop', I like to keep the wall interior free from horizontal-runs of electrical wires. On a 2 x 4 wall I just don't think you can place them back enough to risk damage from mountings, future openings, etc.. Along the top plate, they'll be fine.

Carl,

Unfortunately, most the big tools in my shop are portable. The exceptions being the RAS and the DP. So, having rubber mats would sort of hinder the mobility, even with 3-inch wheels.

In the present basement shop, with it's concrete floor, I put down Dri-Cor panels, which are a 2 x 2 treated OSB with a patterned PVC backing. They offer both resilience as well as a breathable moisture barrier.

The shed has a composite wood floor with urethane insulation. As mentioned, I'd like to add another layer of something for wear. So it should be equally comfortable when compared to the basement shop.

The use of mats is probably better on the legs and feet, but as you mentioned they can offer other challenges with mobility, tripping, etc.. My local surplus/discount store (Ollie's) has some nice perforated mats with tapered edges but they just seemed like they'd be more trouble than they were worth. For a solid mat, I'd be concerned about trapping moisture beneath them.

(Edits: Looks like I poured Jack Daniels over my cereal this morning instead of milk... I think I need to reread this stuff before I post

CWS

[capncarl]

CWS, my son covered the floor to his basement excercise room wall to wall with the tractor supply mat. It is almost like walking on a hard surface but it has some give. I guess for a horse or cow to stand on it all day it must be pretty tough. He rolls his table saw built into a cabinet into this room with no trouble. I'm considering doing a wall to wall with it in my shop and maybe putting down 1'x1' squares of plywood for the equipment wheels so it won't damage the mats. Either that or confine my waxing to outside or over a piece of carpet.

[cwsmith]

Carl,

I understand about your 'waxing' and the problems that would cause. It's been awhile since I've been in a TSC store, there's one in Painted Post but the nearest one here is about 20 miles away, I think.

As I recall those stall mats are pretty neat and don't cost a lot. Still, I think I'll stick to the plywood. I appreciate your mentioning these however.

As I bring this whole plan to conclusion (that will take several months), the new shed will be primarily a wood working area. The adjacent garage (20 x 20), has a 8 ft extension on the side (8 x 20) toward the shed. I ordered the shed with a double door (60" wide) on that end and will connect it to that extended garage area. In the front to that extended area, I'm going to place an office of sorts.... desk, files, computer, reference table. There I'll probably keep my shortwave equipment too (another hobby). On the other end of that area I'll keep scraps, hardware, steel bench & metal vise. The back of the garage is getting a storage loft and beneath that will be lumber storage and where the compressor will reside. I'm planning on running an air line into that side extension and on through to the shed/woodworking shop.

The garage will be where the messy stuff takes place for the most part.

In that passway between the shed and garage I've got just enough room to locate the HF dust collector, where it will pipe through that end of the shed in a straight line down the back of the shop where it will be directly connected to the DP and RAS, and by flex hose to either the TS, Jointer, or Planer... all are mobile and will be centered as used. I also have a smaller piping system (clear 2-1/2") that I could extend 'U' fashion around the other end to pick up the lighter tools.

I've put a lot of thought into this, but also am accepting advice as I go along. Main thing is to remain flexible and let change happen as I slowly plod along.

CWS

[bigstick509]

Concerning the floor choice's. I've used the HF interlocking mats for over ten years in my two car shop/garage. All my tools are on mobil base's and have not been a problem. I know they have saved me a bunch of money when dropping tools, wood and what not.

[cwsmith]

Thanks, that does look pretty nice and I'm sure that it's a lot more comfortable on the legs and feet too. Perhaps I shouldn't be concerned with the rigidity of what is now a single layer of LP 'Smart' composite over 12" OC joists.

I'm thinking in terms of MDF and it's probably much more ridgid than that. (Like I'm imagining waves in less than a year's usage! ) If not the case, then mats might be a consideration. But, how breathable are they?

This is a wood shed, with PT 4 x 4 base skids resting on 6 to 7 inches of crushed stone, topped by PT 2 x 4 joists. Although the composite floor is backed with urethane, I wouldn't want condensate possibly collecting on the underside of a rubber- like mat

CWS

[All Thumbs]

I'd do 4" steel boxes w/ brackets (about $1.50), and add mud rings (about another $1.50).

No way would I use plastic boxes. I just hate those things, too wobbly.

[onedash]

The first thing I did when I bought my house was put in laminate flooring in the garage. Didn't really think about it being slippery. It is a little slippery when sawdust gets on it. I bought some grip tape but haven't put it on the floor in front of my saw yet. I think I will put a few strips down soon. Probably in front of the jointer and router table too.

[JimD]

My shop floors have always been concrete. Not the best, I guess, but it works.

I use plastic boxes and don't have any issue with their rigidity. A framing nail at each end holds them very securely to the stud. The old part of my house has metal boxes but they seem no more rigid. They also conduct electricity which can be an issue when you are pushing things back into the box. I just do not see an advantage to metal. Plastic works fine, better in my opinion.