Barge Boards

Barge Boards

I’m not sure if ‘barge board’ is the correct term, but I don’t know what else to call them – they are the black plastic bits at the bottom. Not much to say, other than the fact that my plunge saw got a bit more use. While fitting them around the metal plates the...

I’m not sure if ‘barge board’ is the correct term, but I don’t know what else to call them – they are the black...

workshop cladding
Completing the Roof - fascias

Completing the Roof - fascias

Got a few hours in between interruptions to fit the fascias and roof trim – great to get a bit completed at last. I spent a good hour faffing around creating mitred corners for the plastic fascias, and although the results were passable, I am pretty sure they would have opened up as soon as the...

Got a few hours in between interruptions to fit the fascias and roof trim – great to get a bit completed at last. I spent a...

workshop construction
Plunge Saws - Part  II

Plunge Saws - Part II

The contenders Rough uk prices for saw + 1.4M rail (in 2014) are: * festool TS55 (~£400) * makita SP6000 (~£300) * mafell MT55 (~£500) * DeWalt DWS520KR (~£300). Festool are the grandaddy of the pack, having invented guide saws in the 1960s and holding a patent on key technologies that barred their German competitors (all of the above,...

The contenders Rough uk prices for saw + 1.4M rail (in 2014) are: * festool TS55 (~£400) * makita SP6000 (~£300) * mafell MT55 (~£500) * DeWalt DWS520KR (~£300)...

festool
Plunge Saws

Plunge Saws

This is what I found out about plunge saws. Note that all the below is from research – I am not an expert. In particular note that I have also included some comments about safety features, again, gleaned from t’internet. If you value your fingers do your own research to be sure. With that said,...

This is what I found out about plunge saws. Note that all the below is from research – I am not an expert. In particular note...

festool
EPDM Rubber Roof - installing the gutters

EPDM Rubber Roof - installing the gutters

Now I have my timber delivery I could finally finish gluing down the epdm rubber membrane on the roof. Step 1 was to create an upstand so water does not overspill the edges at the side and front. I cut a 45 degree chamfer on the upstands as I thought this would make it easier...

Now I have my timber delivery I could finally finish gluing down the epdm rubber membrane on the roof. Step 1 was to create an...

workshop construction
Cheap Cladding

Cheap Cladding

I stumbled across a possible cladding material for the out-of-sight sides for the workshop, called ecosheet. Light, completely waterproof, hard-wearing, does not need painting and can be drilled and sawn like wood – perfect! It is also made of 100% recycled plastic so good for the planet. That was the good news, the bad news is...

I stumbled across a possible cladding material for the out-of-sight sides for the workshop, called ecosheet. Light, completely waterproof, hard-wearing, does not need painting and...

workshop cladding
Timber

Timber

I finally got around to ordering the timber and it has arrived, but due to a combination of the bad weather and other things keeping me busy, it remains stuck on the drive. The shopping part is definitely the low point of shed building, and this particular episode was not any different. To liven things...

I finally got around to ordering the timber and it has arrived, but due to a combination of the bad weather and other things keeping...

workshop cladding
EPDM Rubber Roof

EPDM Rubber Roof

I got an hour or two this afternoon to stick the roof cover down. I am using a roofing material made from EPDM which is a synthetic rubber. It can be bought in large sheets and is glued down – there are two main manufacturers selling in the UK, Classic Bond and Firestone. Firestone seems to...

I got an hour or two this afternoon to stick the roof cover down. I am using a roofing material made from EPDM which is...

workshop construction
Roughly Weatherproof

Roughly Weatherproof

a minor milestone has been reached and the workshop is now more-or-less wind and rain proof. Bob arrived with the replacement window on Tuesday and helped me fit it. It turns out there is a right and a wrong-way for a modern glazing unit to face – apparently one of the surfaces is ‘low emission’ and...

a minor milestone has been reached and the workshop is now more-or-less wind and rain proof. Bob arrived with the replacement window on Tuesday and...

workshop construction
Dry Roof

Dry Roof

lovely day today but since I haven’t got much I can get on with I faffed around silicon sealing the windows and doors. Finally got the roof dry. I should probably be shopping for plaster boards & soffits etc (yawn)....

lovely day today but since I haven’t got much I can get on with I faffed around silicon sealing the windows and doors. Finally...

workshop construction
The Weather. Again

The Weather. Again

a brief pause while I wait for Bob, of Bob Best’s Windows fame to deliver my new window unit (next week I hope). I explained my amateurish mistake while breaking the old one, and he said sagely: ‘it does happen, mate’ which made me feel better about the whole thing. The other important step...

a brief pause while I wait for Bob, of Bob Best’s Windows fame to deliver my new window unit (next week I hope). I...

workshop construction
Windows and Doors

Windows and Doors

I have turned what should have been a simple job into a bit of a palaver. Things started off fairly comically when I did a trial fit of the window frame and found out it was 25mm too short. Panic! I had just about come to terms with the fact that I had somehow failed...

I have turned what should have been a simple job into a bit of a palaver. Things started off fairly comically when I did a...

workshop construction
Weatherproofing - breather membrane

Weatherproofing - breather membrane

The weather here is going from bad to worse, but earlier today I dashed out in a quiet spell to try and fit the window frame only to get caught in an unbelievable hail storm – some of the hailstones were about 1cm across and they were hammering down – I really needed to stay out long...

The weather here is going from bad to worse, but earlier today I dashed out in a quiet spell to try and fit the window...

workshop weatherproofing
Putting on the roof

Putting on the roof

Finished off the walls by fixing the structural posts and beams in the near corner (these will frame the window and door). A post is needed to support one corner of the roof.  When I did the drawings I arranged it so that the post sat directly on the sub-frame inside a cut out in...

Finished off the walls by fixing the structural posts and beams in the near corner (these will frame the window and door). A post is...

workshop construction
Erecting the Walls

Erecting the Walls

There was a welcome break in the weather between Christmas and new year, and we ended up with a couple of sunny days in which some construction work could be done. Happily the two clear days were in succession and coincided with my brother staying over, so we got a lot done. I am eternally...

There was a welcome break in the weather between Christmas and new year, and we ended up with a couple of sunny days in which...

workshop construction
Speed Square

Speed Square

we continue to enjoy rain and wind of biblical proportions, but I managed to get an hour or two on Saturday to cut the remaining osb splines. The weather forecast looks grim for the near future so I have revised my plans and now will attempt to get the walls and roof up in one...

we continue to enjoy rain and wind of biblical proportions, but I managed to get an hour or two on Saturday to cut the remaining...

workshop construction