Messing around in the shop

[Harry]

Matt, I have a neighbor across the street like that. He has a small yard and used a push mower but this summer he bought a new Cub Cadet. He couldn’t get it to crank over so he asked me to take a look at it. It was something simple. He is a short guy and his legs are short. He had to push the brake pedal down to engage a safety switch. His legs was short so he had to push harder to engage the switch. I think he was embarrassed about it being something so simple. He had a problem with his snowblower. He told me he tried to change the belt but couldn’t get the old one off. Plus when he ran it I could always hear the engine hunting. A few weeks ago I saw a pickup take the blower away. He may of figured to get a plow service for his driveway which is very small, I’m not sure. Harry

[JSinMO]

I made the frame for the box to set on. It’s a simple A-frame made from the 2x4s in the pallets. Screwed together then bolted to the 3 point frame. I was going to make it out of steel but it should be mostly down force so I’m hoping this will be fine.

I made the front wall of the bed and attached it to what will be the floor. Then bigger problems arose! Don’t know if you can tell in the picture but there’s no power in the shop!

Turns out the 200 amp main breaker decided it was going to retire.

It’s old and apparently made of unobtainium. They don’t make them anymore. The few examples that still exist cost enough to curl your hair!

It was at least 50% cheaper to just put in a whole new service panel. So that the path we chose. Thankfully it was relatively easy work. New panel in and disaster averted!
Now maybe I can get back to messing around IN the shop instead of messing around ON the shop!

[Timj]

Power for lights and tools is pretty important in the shop, the house could have waited a while to fix but not the shop.

[JSinMO]

Power for lights and tools is pretty important in the shop, the house could have waited a while to fix but not the shop.

You hit the nail on the head Tim!

I mean come on, we can use the fireplaces in the house. And I know there’s at least a weeks worth of bottled water around here! Shouldn’t be a problem. The shop on the other hand only has electric heat and just cold drink in the refrigerator!


This also supplies power to the garage where my wife, god love her, parks her car. She was on board to get this fixed.
Truth be told I think she know that if she wants me to have any semblance of sanity I need to be able to go up to the shop!

[Eugen]

Box looks good Jeff! It'll be great when finished. Too bad about the breaker, never thought those could ever go bad.

[DavidBarkey]

OMG 200 amps in the shop . I have gas heat but only 40 amps into my shop. Every thing in on a "manual disconnect" (big plugs ) because don't have enough panel for all of it . Oh well always warm . Glad you got it fixed fairly easily .

This also supplies power to the garage where my wife, god love her, parks her car. She was on board to get this fixed.
Truth be told I think she know that if she wants me to have any semblance of sanity I need to be able to go up to the shop! /quote]
You got to keep the happy . Are you sure that it is your sanity that she is worried about ,or is it more that with out shop time you will in the house invading her "personal time"

[Harry]

JSinMo, I can relate to working on the shop vs working in the shop. I was working in the shop late last night on the snow caster, first time in a while in the shop after dinner. Wood furnace fired up heated the shop to 70 degrees. This winter I want to run some piping for the air compressor to run air overhead. I picked up from CL all the piping I need and two new Craftsman hose reels. That will be better than having a hose on the floor to trip on. I enjoy projects making the shop better. Harry

[Toolslinger]

That will be better than having a hose on the floor to trip on. I enjoy projects making the shop better.

You ain't kidding there... Hose reels are probably the biggest improvement, along with cord reels. It's no effort at all to put the hoses and cords away when you just need to give them a little tug, and guide them back in. I'm at 5 or 6 cord reels now, and 2 hose, but there are 3 more hose reels and 1 more cord waiting to go in. Drop lights suplement the cord reels, and there are 9 or 10 of them. ( I know that seems excessive, but I'm spread across 2 buildings, with 2 floors each, and the barn is kinda long, and dark)

[JSinMO]

@Harry @Toolslinger im with you guys! My shop really isn’t big enough to need hard lines run for air but I need to keep my eye out for some reels! I missed a chance to get some out of an old garage that shut down.

@DavidBarkey That 200 amp breaker is the main for the everything on the property out side of the house. I have the actual sub panel in the shop at 60 amps which it more that enough for what I’m doing.
That breaker was there when we bought this place it had a damaged case then but was working fine then the other night it just went open on both poles. I think we’re lucky we didn’t have bigger issues with it.

[Harry]

JSinMo, 200 amp is what I have for my house with a 60 amp breaker to run my shop. I have no problem in the shop because I’m the only person using it. So I only use one piece of equipment at a time. Harry