extending my workshop?

tonyjohnson · #1 08-11-2007, 11:41 PM

I need more room in my garage/workshop. Soon I will put my 8A project on the gear and install the engine. There is not room in my garage bay to house the fuselage with an engine installed. The fuselage with engine mount attached is 16 ft 4 in. The distance from the front to back of my garage is 18 feet.

One of the two garage bays has a garage door on both ends. The aft door opens into my back yard. My thought is to buy a garden shed larger than the 8X8 opening of the aft garage door and put it up against the aft door, cut a hole in the back of the garden shed so that the tailcone can protrude through the opening and into the garden shed. That would give me enough room to work on the firewall forward part of my project.

At present I am using all of the garage for my project and the storage of two harleys. It is adequate now, but there is one toy that I have always wanted and I am in negotiation now to buy it. It must live inside. For you car buffs it is a 308 Ferrari QV. If the Ferrari arrives, I must make room for it. The only way that I can see to do that is expand my garage/workshop. The garden shed is the only way I know to do that. Once I have completed the RV to the point that it is ready to go to the airport, I will remove the garden shed.

Any thoughts?

catmandu · #2 08-12-2007, 07:21 AM

You will probably put as much time and energy into the shed idea as you would a bare-bones stick-framed addition, made to more appropriate dimensions, that you could just as easily tear down. Your call on getting a building permit or not, depeding on how many county inspectors drive by the house or how nit-picky the neighbors are, and how long you think the extension will live.

grover · #3 08-12-2007, 03:36 PM

there just so happens to be enough extra room in my shed for a ferrari (I've measured) and you are welcome to store it here until your plane makes the move to the airfield.

jmartinez443 · #4 08-13-2007, 01:08 PM

Sounds like you may be ready to move to the airport sooner than you expected. Do you have hangar space set aside already? If not, theres a guy in Apopka with a double wide hangar who is interested in hosting RV's. I looked at his space and it looks very nice. The price was reasonable but the commute is a bit much for me (about 45 min each way). I may still move there when I run out of space in my garage.

I know I keep threatening to come over to see your project, getting a look at the Ferrari may provide extra incentive

.

BTW, holler if you need help flipping the canoe.

2nd BTW, I'm finally going to Cali the first week of october to get my 8 over here. It's been almost a year since I've worked on it. My drilling trigger finger is getting itchy.

3rd BTW, are you looking to adopt someone?

Good luck filling the toy chest.

Mike S · #5 08-13-2007, 01:27 PM

Start by dumping the Harleys-----keep the 308 though.

Check with your local building dept, I suspect that a "garden shed" will be considered a portable building, not need anything in the way of permits. I dont think I would mention it is going to be attached to the garage though.

Good luck

FlyerJumper · #6 08-13-2007, 01:35 PM

This has been done before... Check out Chris Johnston's shop mods on his site here... maybe he could offer some insight.

frankh · #7 08-13-2007, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike S

Start by dumping the Harleys-----keep the 308 though.

Check with your local building dept, I suspect that a "garden shed" will be considered a portable building, not need anything in the way of permits. I dont think I would mention it is going to be attached to the garage though.

Good luck

Yes you could buy a motorcycle instead....

Frank

tonyjohnson · #8 08-13-2007, 06:13 PM

Guys, thanks for your posts.

Grover, I was just about to take you up on the offer to keep the Ferrari for me till my RV is completed when I had it inspected today and some problems were revealed that I don't need. I will keep looking till I find the 308 that is for me.

Jorge, Your are welcome any time you want to stop by. I may give you a call when I am ready to put in on the gear which may be soon. The taper pin hole is taking forever and must be done before the engine mount, hence the forward gear, goes on. When you get your project here from California let me know if you need any help on it. I will tell you about all the mistakes I made so far so that you may avoid them.

FlyerJumper, Thanks for the link to Chris Johnston's shop extention, it is exactly what I was planning. Mine will be even easier to do since I have a regular garage door on the aft end of my shop and will not have to knock a hole in my garage.

Not getting the Ferrari will buy me some time, but I have a 1973 MGB that I bought new and I am now having restored. It will be done in a couple of months. I was thinking about having it live in my hangar next to my L2 and swapping out the RV with the MG when I move the RV to the hangar.

FrankH, I won't even comment on the "get a motorcycle" comment.

The only motorcycle non Harley motorcycle that I have is a 1971 Triumph that I also bought new and is waiting its turn for restoration. Is the Triumph a "motorcycle" ?

If anyone wants to sell a Ferrari 308 QV or buy a 2001 Harley superglide, let me know.

frankh · #9 08-14-2007, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonyjohnson

Guys, thanks for your posts.

FrankH, I won't even comment on the "get a motorcycle" comment.

The only motorcycle non Harley motorcycle that I have is a 1971 Triumph that I also bought new and is waiting its turn for restoration. Is the Triumph a "motorcycle" ?

If anyone wants to sell a Ferrari 308 QV or buy a 2001 Harley superglide, let me know.

Well the Triumph was in its day but even as a confirmed Brit I have to admit there is nothing in the world that comes even close to the Japanese superbikes. The last bike I owned was 15 years old, made 130hp at the rear wheel and went round corners like it was on rails, 173mph top speed and scenery bending acceleration!

Depends on what you want of course...I like to feel at least 2 G's in the corners...

Frank

jmartinez443 · #10 08-14-2007, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonyjohnson

Guys, thanks for your posts.

Jorge, Your are welcome any time you want to stop by. I may give you a call when I am ready to put in on the gear which may be soon.

Just sent you an e-mail with my contact info. Call me if I can help you in any way.

Jorge
8A Wings (on hold in Cali for the time being)
http://www.rv8alog.com