SHED RESURRECTION, PART 6

It's Friday night and anything could happen in St. Paul, the city that sleeps. I went out to the shed to drink a beer in the cold night air. Drinking beer in cold weather is so satisfying. It intensifies the crispness of the beer. I like that. Truth be told I'd like to be mixing some vodka based cocktails but the wife says liquor makes me do silly things. I've been watching Mad Men (LINK), hence my desire to add olives, limes, cherries... to what I slake me thirst with. Anywho, the point of this story is that when my shed project is complete nobody will be able to prevent me from drinking cocktails in there because the shed will be sovereign Irish territory on which no laws shall exist.

SHED RESURRECTION, PART 5

Rough sketch (LINK) of a layout for the ground floor of the shed starring the Milk Tray Man (LINK) for some unknown reason. Everyone needs a shed, right?

And with that he cracked another beer…

SHED RESURRECTION, PART 4

I just cracked a beer as I am feeling pretty darn smug about recent developments in the shed project. On Saturday I decided that it would make more sense to have a concrete slab poured for the shed floor and foundation rather than trying to deal with creating individual footings as I jack up each side one at a time.

I talked to some concrete contractors today and got verbal approval on my idea of yanking out the wooden floor (which is just lying on top of gravel) and jacking the shed up and placing it on blocks so that the concrete people can come and pour a slab underneath the shed. After the concrete sets I would bolt pressure-treated sill plates to the concrete and drop the shed down onto them. Genius right?

And with that he cracked another beer…

Crafty Cities

American Craft Council announces relocation to Minneapolis... (LINK). I'm very excited to see what this will mean for the Twin Cities.

SHED RESURRECTION, PART 3

I’ve been thinking incessantly about my shed lately. It’s difficult for me to explain how much that building means to me despite its shabby condition and penchant for offering refuge to various forms of urban wildlife (bees, birds, mice, spiders, possums, adolescent mutant ninja turtles…).

It is even harder for me to explain how much more it will mean to me once the resurrection project has been completed. It has always been my dream to have a place that is dedicated entirely to one purpose; making things at my own pace and in my own company. I enjoy being alone sometimes, especially so while making furniture (LINK). I don’t see anything peculiar or wrong about that. Martha has similar leanings. Each to his or her own.

The shed is currently a two-story structure. I don’t know if I should keep it that way or not. Removing the floor between the two levels is kind of appealing. The result would be a squat little building (16’ x 12’) with a 17’ high ceiling. Those proportions, in my mind, conjure up images of small rural churches built from stone.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t in love with this idea but I have to be practical too. An upstairs in a shed comes along once in a lifetime. It should be embraced. It could serve as guest quarters or a place for the kids to play while staying within earshot of me while I work below. Too much possibility can be crippling sometimes. I will continue to mull and noodle over it through the winter months.

SHED RESURRECTION, PART 2

Phase 1-A completed this weekend. Weather was absolutely perfect. I'll burn most of the wood instead of taking it to the dump. I'm feeling good about the whole project. I think it will actually get done.

Shed Resurrection, Part 1

I've finally heeded the advice of Fran "The Wisest Old Bastard in Wisconsin" Rademacher. The shed will not be demolished and a new one built in its place. Instead, it will be saved and given a new soul. It took about three years for me to realize that he was right; the shed has character and to erase and replace that would not be right. Just like women and Englishmen sheds too have complex feelings.

During Thanksgiving in Waupaca a committee will be formed to discuss the mission. Beer will be swallowed and cards will be played while unholy hushed banter will pivot around what is to be done with that shed of mine.

Clara and myself spent some time today doing a site inspection and drafted a list of sequential action items for the committee to review later in the month. See below. Dunne & Daughter, Inc. is new to the building trade so we’ll be relying heavily on the advice of the committee. Fran has plenty of barn building experience from the 1970’s which is a well we may draw from often but more significantly he has a shed of his own. He saved this shed from being reclaimed by nature a few years ago so he is close to the emotion of what this project involves.

The preliminary plan of attack, pending committee approval of course:

Phase 1 - East
A. Demolish and remove add-on section.
B. Create foundation.
C. New sill plate.
D. New studs.

Phase 2 - West
A. Remove double doors.
B. Create foundation.
C. New sill plate.
D. New studs.
E. New door. Don’t need double doors since our cars won’t be kept in the shed.

Phase 3 - North
A. Lift entire side a few inches. Some four-ton screw jacks are on order already.
B. Create foundation.
C. New sill plate.
D. Straighten structure by pulling toward house using cable hoists. It has a nasty lean in it that has to be fixed.
E. Brace east and west ends to permanently hold straight.

Phase 4 - South
A. Lift entire side a few inches using jacks.
B. Create foundation.
C. New sill plate.

Phase 5 - Luxury Items
A. New siding
B. New doors.
C. New windows.
D. Insulation.
E. Electrical.
F. Wood stove.
G. Fridge full of beer.

I'm as excited as fuck about getting started.