Update on shop (** MORE **PICS)

[Radar67]

400 amps is a lot. I currently have a 100 amp service in my house and don't have any problems. I can run my central air, electric stove, electric water heater, and the normal compliment of various other electric appliances and lights at the same time. Even been known to run the welder (50amp) with all the other as well.

Stew

[tcsmpsi]

Admittedly, seldom do I find 400 amp residential, single dwelling service.  However, if it were a reasonable matter to have it instead of 100 or 200, I'd go for it in a heartbeat. 

The more there is to draw from, the more efficient the electrical devices can operate.

I've put in higher amp services for some older places, and some of those owners have been pretty amazed at the difference it made in their equipment.

[Norm]

I'm with tctspi...um tscpmi...not it's tcmpti....oh you know that guy from texas. :D

If it's not much more money get the 400 amp, you'll never regret it. Beautiful shop by the way, I'm jealous.

Just joking tcsmpsi but I'm calling you tc from now on, for some reason the other one always twists up my fingers trying to type it out. Now before you get mad it could be worse...you could be named Norm!

[WDH]

I need to upgrade my shop bad.  I did not put in a big enough service.  So, I know what it means to be under-powered ;D.

TCSMPSI is a mouthful isn't it :D.  I know what it means, but I ain't tellin' .

[Larry]

I'm on a REA company in Arkansas.  I supplied my own wire, conduit, disconnect, and all the little pieces up to the transformer.  Figured I would go with 600 amp service to my meter and disconnect than send 300 amps to the house and 300 amps to the shop.  Prices on breaker panels, breakers, and wire really jump when you move above 200 amps.  Backed off and got 200 amps for the house and 200 amps for the shop.  Actually 200 amps could be overkill for a one man shop.  My shop in north Missouri has an arc welder, 5 hp air compressor, 5 hp planer, and a 5 hp DC.  All on 100 amp service.  Guess my most load is when running the planer and DC at the same time.  Never tripped the main breaker.

On my shop outlets they are 54" above the floor so I can lay a piece of plywood on the wall and not block the outlet.  Also each box houses 4 - 120 outlets on two different circuits.  Some codes don't allow this.

Have fun building the shop...keep us updated with pics...everybody likes new shops and all can get some ideas.

[metalspinner]

The lights go out on Monday here for my panel upgrade.  It all  started with a new heat pump installation.  The HVAC guy needed more power at the panel.  I made the choice of upping to 225 amps.  The jump to 400 was substantial.  The electrician recommended a second drop line to the (future)shop.

[tcsmpsi]

I had electricity brought in almost a mile, and was the only recipient.  I was somewhat constrained with what I could initially get and for them to set up for anything more than 200 amp service, under those circumstances would have been...well, impossible.

Fortunately, I was still in the business, and copper was still quite reasonable, so I was able to run the largest wire the meter box would hold, which does help some.

I've never blown their transformer, so, that's a good thing.   :D

As an example:
For my new table saw (in the same spot where my old one had been), I had a designated 110 circuit, with the recepticle running 20-25' of #12 to the circuit.  Running a new circuit to it with #10 wire instead, there was a notable improvement in the saw's capability.

Well, Norm, you see, tcsmpsi is unlikely to be 'taken', nor is it likely to be 'randomly selected'.  And yes, it is not a normal keyboard flow.   :D

One of the first things WDH asked me when he saw me in person, was how to pronounce it.  If you think the keyboard is difficult, try that.   :D

[brdmkr]

I thought I would share a little bit of this weeks activities on the shop.  I started working on the BIG doors yesterday.  I decided to use left over siding (3/4 x 6").  I basically built 3 rail and stile frames and then used liquid nails and screws to pull the frames together.

Here is a pic of the outer and mid frame.  The mid frame is  made of 3/4x4.



I cut ship-lap for the main panel so I could pull everything together and get a good tight seal.



This is what things looked like as I filled in the frame.  I put one finish nail in the middle of each of the pieces of lap.



And here it is with the prame completely filled.



Here is the finished product.  I figure it took 12 hours (give or take) to go from full-length rough cut to this.  There are diagonals on each side of the door.  I placed a 2" screw through each diagonal into the middle of each piece of lap.  I skpped every other lap when doing this and then flipped to door over and repeated.  However, when I put screws in the other side, I put the screws in boards that were not held by screws on the other side.  Basically, this pattern really sandwiched those laps while still allowing for expansion.



While 12 hours seems like a long time to make one door, it only took about 45 minutes to get the second one to this state.

I figure each door weighs about 200 lbs. 



I haven't had this much fun building something in a long time.  Even the neighborhood kids came over to watch 8)  More pics when the doors are hung.  It may be a while as I have some logs to cut.

[Paschale]

TCSMPSI is a mouthful isn't it :D.  I know what it means, but I ain't tellin' .

Texas
Centered
Sawyer
Man
Plies
Sawing
Implement

Who's got a better guess?   ;D

The shop looks great, brdmker!   8)

[WDH]

Those are some good looking doors, Brdmker.  Strong, too.  You will need some stout hinges ;D.

[WDH]

Paschale,

I can't participate in interpreting TCSMPSI since I already know the true answer.  This could be fun.  We might have to do a separate post on it :D.

[thurlow]

Texas
Centered
Sawyer
Man Mikata
Plies Protective
Sawing
Implement

[WDH]

Thurlow must have the low down :D.  Getting very warm.

[Patty]

texas     chain    saw    massacre    partly     secret     investigator    8)

[TexasTimbers]

The Crazy Simpleton Maniac Pretending Sanity Intermittantly    ;D

And BTW brdmkr (which I assume means boardmaker ??? ) you have done a fantastic job on your shop!

[metalspinner]

And BTW brdmkr (which I assume means boardmaker  )

I thought "brdmkr"  stood for "breadmaker."

[TexasTimbers]

Prolly does then it was just a guess. I have no ideer actually.

[Tom]

Actually it stands for Bread Marker.  It's a long lost profession known but to a few.  It's a job that was created back in pre-Christian days when the Italians produced more loaves than they could eat themselves and donated them to the Roman Army, who carried them to the far reaches of the Empire.  That Italian bread has always been hard to chew, something the Roman Army also found out about Old Julius' bent for pet lions. 

To make sure that the bread got to the right place, it was marked with hash marks.  Sometimes the mark was run the length of the loaf and sometimes it was a bunch of little marks across the loaf.  This designated where the loaf was to end up.  The Loafers eventually came to the New World and their round loaves, due to their lack of interest, became flat.  The entrepreneurs of New York City, being the imitation salsa capital of the world, found that they could dress the Loafer's loaves with the salsa and invented Pizza Pie.  The Markers have lost out on the supply and demand end of the concession and you don't find too many Markers anymore.  We are truly lucky to have an old timey Bread Marker on our Board.  It has been such an honor that we considered creating a Bread Board but the Loafers wouldn't have it.

So, be prideful of Bread Marker.  He comes from a long line of loafers.

[Raider Bill]

 smiley_clapping lol smiley_turkey_dancing

[theorm]

Tom,

But does his mill have a sourdough starter?

:D Theo

[WDH]

If it wasn't such a nice shop, we wouldn't be having so much fun Brdmkr ;D.

[sawguy21]

 :D :D :D Tom, just what is in your sweet iced tea ???

[brdmkr]

Actually, it originally stood for bird maker.  I had a job gluing on the feathers, but that was before they started putting them in eggs.  Not wanting to change my name, I just changed what I mk.  Now, I mk brds er uh boards.  Which differs from lumber; I have heard.  I have also been told that I make boreds, but I never really figured that one out.

So, who would have thought that birds coming from eggs would have prompted me to get a sawmill.  It is strange how things happen.  If only I had known about the bread markers!  I could have likely gotten around to having my own bread board.  While Tom has been around here much longer than me and likely knows most of the forum loafers, I think that with hard work, I could have gotten the rest of the loafers behind me.  After all, loafers will do most anything for a penny, but I have seen some that preferred to carry quarters.  Hopefully most of the loafers that hang out here are, in fact, penny loafers.  Otherwise, I would have to take a job making some real bread to pay those that need quarters.  Maybe I should think about that anyway, as you can always use more dough.

[DanG]

 :D :D :D :D :D :D

Looks like Tom's bread marker theory is toast.

[TexasTimbers]

Y'all are on a roll. I mean yoos guys is the coolest thing since sliced bread. At yeast we are all on a leavened playing field.
Tom looks like comic relief is your bread and butter.