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Thread: ShackaShop

  1. #1
    Junior Member Stever60's Avatar
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    Default ShackaShop

    I am in the middle of building a combo building on a budget. Doing all the work myself with a little help here and there when I need it. I needed a place big enough for myself, maybe just a touch bigger in case I find a nice dog that wants to live with me some day and doesn't mind a little snoring.

    The project scope is a shack with one bedroom and a good size closet. Cooking, living and eating area. A good size bathroom with adjacent utility room for a washer and dryer. The shack ties into a work shop for me to work and store a few things in. In between the two will be a common roof with a small screen room.

    The building site is remote, close to a river with good land, open and timber.

    I have actually have been working on the project for 8 months on weekends mostly. Tough to get a lot done when mostly by myself and one day a week. Not complaining - I just feel slow. I have a lot of pictures and will try and figure how to link to them.


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    You won't be able to post them until you have 10 posts. It's one of the ways we try to keep a handle on spam. After that, post away. Here's the instructions for posting.

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  3. #3
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Sounds like an interesting project.....looking forward to pic's.

    How many square feet is this going to be?
    I'm a big fan of "core building.... with additions/lean-to's....
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
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    Junior Member Stever60's Avatar
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    The shack is 24'x24'

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    Junior Member Stever60's Avatar
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    There is an 8' breezeway way between the shack and work shop. The work shop is 24' x 40'. The breezeway has a screen room and a small porch for getting
    in and out

  6. #6
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Sounds like a good start.....
    You have electric?...Make the use of power tools easier.....
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
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  7. #7
    Senior Member DSJohnson's Avatar
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    Welcome to the Forum. I agree with Hunter it does sound like an interesting project. Looking forward to hearing more about it.

  8. #8
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    I too think it sounds like an interesting project. Looking forward to seeing more about it.
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  9. #9
    Junior Member Stever60's Avatar
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    I do have electric - I started with a generator but quickly brought in construction power. Since then though I have gone to permanent power on my shop. I went with an underground line. It helps with my OPSEC, plus I love the woods and hate looking at lines anyway. I bought a 200 amp double throw manual switch (ebay) and brought power in through the switch. I won't ever have a generator at 200 amps but it will let me switch the line power 100% off and go to generator. I am running power from my shop to the shack so I only have one meter.

    I have not decided if I want to use gas appliances or electric. No natural gas so would have to go with propane. Pros and cons for both. I like gas but the way I am set up all electric and a generator works too. I can pick and choose what I want to run. Easy enough not to wash clothes and take a shower at the same time. I am close to starting rough in plumbing and electrical on the shack. I have been trying to stay focused and finish the outside completely before I move inside. I may go 100% electric but have an outside gas cooking spot maybe under a gazebo. The shack is not huge and I like being outside anyway. Still really just undecided - it is nice when the power goes down to know the stove and hot water are "up and at em" with out doing anything. Generators even good ones can be finicky. Messing with them when the power is down generally means weather and circumstances are not ideal. I am not getting younger either.

  10. #10
    Junior Member Stever60's Avatar
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    More on the general scope -
    Growing up on a farm in rural North Alabama in 60s, 70s, has taught me to appreciate some of the old ways and appreciate modern conveniences. No AC growing up, not at home, not at school, not on a bus and not on a car. However, I have learned to like AC. That said there may be times short or long when conveniences like that, and similar to that, are not available. So my shack wants to have those conveniences, but if they are not available I want to still be as comfortable as possible. So with those thoughts in mind I want to incorporate normal conveniences but with some allowances to stay comfortable if they are not available. So off grid is not what I want, but neither is being totally dependent on it either.

  11. #11
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Welcome from Alaska. Can't wait to see pictures.
    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

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  12. #12
    Junior Member Stever60's Avatar
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    I think a picture of the wifi outhouse is in order, since I am new though the pictures may be here given time for a search

  13. #13
    Junior Member Stever60's Avatar
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    My spot is more or less my version a private full time camp ground. I have a number of things I plan on doing after I get the shack finished. I started with some basics, a place to build a fire, a clamshell screen room and a 20'-0 container for my tools. Pictures to follow if I can figure out the system -

  14. #14
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    I use Photobucket.....the free version....can be a PITA sometimes but generally works pretty well.

    When we first got our property, I have called the Co-op about electrical service. was a pole on the road with a transformer... and was told they would run power to a dwelling only?

    So it was, How am I supposed to build with out power? (yeah, I know lots of people do, and I did have a gen-set....but I was pizzed that they were screwing over a dumbazz city guy....got to be careful of that)

    The land had been divided into 6 to 10 acre plots along a river.....and a few had driveways, and had a pole with a meter....
    So, I asked how that could be done....They said, "Those are seasonal services...and need a monthly fee of $15 bucks+ usage.....Well DOH....THAT'S what I want!

    So got a pole/meter 150 ft. in form the road......then hired the lineman to hook up a double breaker and plug in......another 200 ft of Romex I had power down the hill to the original "Place"...a 1963 Shasta travel trailer.

    Land had a "covenant" that said "no house trailers, minimum Sq footage of 800 sq ft.....some other rules....but didn't say anything about a temporary camper.......so was good to go for a long time.

    Gave the camper away a couple of years ago, to make room for a tractor/boat barn.
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  15. #15
    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    awesome, it's great plan, a shop should be the largest building on a place. The only exception is a hay storage barn or a tobacco barn
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?

  16. #16
    Junior Member Stever60's Avatar
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    Will try setting up photo bucket today - I tried for over an hour to post a picture direct with no joy :-)

  17. #17
    Junior Member Stever60's Avatar
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    Site prep-

    Started work late last summer, septic, water and temporary power.

    I added a shipping container for my tools, a clam shell screen room, and a fire ring that was made at work.


    http://s173.photobucket.com/user/Ste...ry/Site%20Prep

  18. #18
    Junior Member Stever60's Avatar
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    I tried to set up essential basics on the front end that I could use to live here if I had too. I needed storage and a place to get away from the bugs and heat. With fall just around the corner and working through the winter the fire ring was/is nice. Mostly just burning trash limbs from around the site that I needed out of the way - but it works. Later on I will get some nice hardwood stacked in. The shipping container was placed next to my temporary power. I pulled a wire in, added a few lights and a double set of outlets to charge my cordless tools in the dry.

    Once I was set up - on to hole digging and making sawdust.

    http://s173.photobucket.com/user/Ste...0shack%20floor

  19. #19
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Looks interesting. Not using PT lumber for floor joists?
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  20. #20
    Junior Member Stever60's Avatar
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    I used PT lumber on the outside band. The internal joist are just southern yellow pine. I will underpin the whole thing and put plastic down but even with out doing that it would be fine.

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