shop progress

[rcavictim]

I'm wondering if our planning rules are unnecessarily draconian.

Do you really have to wonder?

I think the rules are pretty relaxed out in Kansas for Bob. Try to build something like that in new york city, no way, no how. Where I'm at anything over 200sq ft has to go through the building nazis first. Where my shop is, the city even has a law that says the parking lot must be a certain size and have stripes painted, and they dictate how many lights you must have outside.

In NY city and darned near anywhere else now because of political correctness gone amuk you can get past all the building permit nonsense by calling it a Mosque provided you stay clear of 9-11 Ground Zero to avoid negative publicity.

[Terry]

Where I am (rural central Arkansas) if you want to build something like that or a house you just do it. Septic isn't inspected if you have over 5 acres (I think ), if you are on a water system they will check to the house, no building permits or inspections, electric company will check that meter base and disconnect are to their standards past their meter they want you to do ir right, but no one inspects anything. I even had the serviceman that connected the power to my shop (3 phase, only cost to me was conduit and digging the ditch) tell me that part of my work wasn't exactly to code, but it would never give me trouble. Don't think I could put up with  the crap most of ya'll have to do.
Terry

[fabricator]

Well there is a lot to be said for the electrical code the NEC was developed to keep houses from burning down.

[rcavictim]

Well there is a lot to be said for the electrical code the NEC was developed to keep houses from burning down.

Unfortunately not all well meaning ideas work out perfectly in practise. Would you like some aluminum wire with that order of fries?

Code is enforcement so that everyone is forced to make the same mistakes, and often enforced by trained monkeys that do not possess a working knowledge of electricity.  That it seems is not high on the requirements list to becoming an electrical code inspector. That is at least from my own experience with an area SUPERVISOR , read head honcho inspector under the employ of Ontario Hydro. When I looked up moron in the dictionary his picture was right there! You do have to be able to memorize colors however, presumably as though electrons give a shit about insulation colors.

Yes indeed there have been a lot of words said because of the NEC.

[LowGear]

You know:

I've worked on some cracker boxes that would make you be more understanding of the need for reasonable code enforcement.  This would include a plan, a permit and an independent inspection.

And then there's the last guy that told me while we were standing on the roof that he couldn't inspect it without an OSHA rope.  I got one for the return inspection and he then said he'd seen enough of the roof before and didn't need to go back up.  OSHA ropes are $108.  A little power is more than some can handle.

Casey

[rcavictim]

You know:

I've worked on some cracker boxes that would make you be more understanding of the need for reasonable code enforcement.  This would include a plan, a permit and an independent inspection.

And then there's the last guy that told me while we were standing on the roof that he couldn't inspect it without an OSHA rope.  I got one for the return inspection and he then said he'd seen enough of the roof before and didn't need to go back up.  OSHA ropes are $108.  A little power is more than some can handle.

Casey

I lost one of my dearly missed indoor cats and am myself permanently less than I was from long term CO exposure in my home, the result of a professional gas furnace chimney installation and pass inspection.  My CO alarm never went off once and if you do some research into those you will find out that they are by law, too insensitive to save your health.  I'm actually pretty lucky to be alive.  The headaches I suffered were insane.  This went on for the last two consecutive winters. The cats were pooping all over the carpet and I had no idea what was going on.  When I discovered the problem just by sheer luck one day because I was in the furnace room when the furnace started and I got a facefull of horrible exhaust gas I took measures and fixed it properly myself.  Now they want to send an inspector in again.  Fat f#cking chance.  This is behind why I am having so much trouble now finishing my wind turbine.  Chronic fatigue.  Ask me if I am impressed with 'inspectors'.  Well actually don't ask. 

[BioHazard]

Well there is a lot to be said for the electrical code the NEC was developed to keep houses from burning down.

It's one thing to make up a set of rules for safety, unfortunately, electrical permits have become a source of revenue and often cost more than an electrician. I'm all for people getting their wiring inspected but I don't think it should cost anything....(and that's why inspectors never come anywhere near my house)

The "cheif" county electrical inspector here is so stupid that he wrote me up for having "unsafe live/bare wires" hanging around. How did he know they were live? They weren't, it was just a pile of unused old wire I was saving. That's like going into home depot and writing them up because they have wires all over.  After a few words I said "Hey DUMBASS, check it with this and see what happens", and handed him a non contact voltage tester. Guess what? No voltage.

[mike90045]

... A little power is more than some can handle....

Yeah, I have an AQMD (Kalifornia Air Management District) dumbass working against me regarding a Masonry Heater.  The office asked for other Districts in Kalifornia that allowed them, and then he refused the application because I didn't supply test data, that he didn't ask for.  Now I get to go the route, I could save $20K and install a prefab EPA wood stove, but it will generate 3x as much emissions and burn 2x the wood...  I doubt he'll be able to wrap his greenified brain around that either. 

[mbryner]

Always ways around that, mike90045.   California is bass-ackwards about a lot of stuff, but why can't you just put in a cheapo EPA approved stove for the inspection, then return it and put in your masonry stove?   

Also, aren't the Tulikivi stoves approved just about everywhere?   Show him the data on those.   

Custom stove?  What about running a gas line into it and calling it a gas fireplace?   

Show your inspector data from other states like Oregon and Washington that allow them.   

Doesn't the Masonry Heaters Assoc have resources for situations like this? 

I have a custom masonry stove, and Oregon just treated it's construction like a fireplace from a safety standpoint, and it's emissions weren't questioned.     I guess what I'm getting at is that it may be worth fighting for.   We love our stove.

Marcus

[mobile_bob]

thanks for the kind words guys!

just got back today from the 1900 mile trip to recover my service truck and my dear old 55 chevy

got the 55 backed into its new bay in the corner of the shop and it looks like it will fit in quite nicely if i do say so myself.



as for codes

the city i live in is zoned, and as such i only had to pay a 10 dollar permit fee and have the city guy come out and take a look
at where i wanted to site the shop, making sure the setbacks are sufficient and that i wasn't planning on parking the building over
a water or sewer line. took him maybe 10 minutes to sign off and i was set to go.

i built the place to a much higher standard that would be spec'd in this area anyway, the concrete is 5k psi when local codes call for
3.5k psi, the roof trusses are 2x6 top and bottom cord when 2x4 is more than sufficient. the studs  are 2x6 on 16inch centers and i have
enough anchors and tie downs to handle a 6.0 earthquake (which is only a once in 500 year event around here)

i am planning on siding the garage with matching vinyl so that it looks like the house, thinking this will look more appealing to the neighborhood.

the container top will have another shed roof going toward the back to provide cover for other things like lawn equipment/mowers/and the like, as well as rabbit hutches and a few other items of low value that i don't want to have clutter the shop.

someone asked about how the container is set?  it is set on rock that is about fist size and a foot deep. with nearly 40k lbs of iron inside the
can is set as if it was locked to a concrete base.  i spent nearly 5 hours one day just trying to jack up one corner and found that after sinking
about 20 bricks for a piling base i only got the can up a half inch,,, it ain't going anywhere from what i can tell.

anyways i am off to get a shower and take a nap!  i need both about now

later

bob g

[rcavictim]

Welcome home Bob!

[mobile_bob]

took some time today to add antifreeze to the 55 chevy's engine (472cu/in caddy) and to my horror i found that yes it does get cold enough
in tacoma in an attached garage to freeze the engine and knock out a core plug!

yeouch!

installed one of those rubber stopper types to do a quick check only to find another out on the other side
found the one laying on the starter so i cleaned and regooped it for reinstall, still hoping against hope that there are no further
ugly surprises, and ...

another leak!

the t/stat gskt was pushed out and the t/stat was dome shaped!

made up a cardboard gskt to continue with the quick check... the engine btw sounds fantastic with open headers too 

after making the needed repairs all is good no external leaks and no internal leaks either...

i think i dodged a bullet this time, and need to go buy a lottery ticket right away.

gotta say this for cadillac, there high nickel content castings are evidently strong as hell
and this is the only engine i have ever owned that can sit for nearly 10 years and fire up to a perfect idle
with less than one half a revolution of the crank when you hit the starter!

once warmed up you don't even get to hear the starter turn and the engine is immediately running.

nothin runs like a caddy i guess!



bob g

btw, my neighbor across the street has at last count 14 wiener dogs, so there is no peace for me when i am out in the yard

now there is no peace for them either!!  mwahahahahahaaaaa

bob g

[Tom Reed]

I used to build a custom car that used Caddy running gear and 472 sweet motor. I used to enjoy reving the engine with the air cleaner off and seeing those HUGE secondaries open up and just pour gas down those giant holes.  I wish I still had my '55 Chevy 

[mobile_bob]

water, water, everywhere!

but thankfully it is staying where it belongs now

bob g

[Carlb]

I had a 55 Belair hardtop with a 427 and fenderwell headers,  those things will rattle your teeth out.