The new shop/hangar is taking shape...

Fast Eddie said:

If you’re extending a brand new, purpose built, building... fire the architect....!

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Already did, but he woke up in my head again this morning...

Really, the plan started out to use roll-up canvas doors and I even had the tarps ordered. When I mentioned it to my wife, she said she'd pay for the materials to build proper doors, with a budget of $2K. (IF the tarps hadn't shipped yet). I was able to cancel the e-bay order, as it was done on a Sunday. So, when I went to cipherin' the BOM, I saw there would be enough money to kick it out an extra 10', freeing up a TON of wasted space where the tail of the plane tucks in. The rest was a no-brainer.

Architects can design buildings, but rarely account for the requirements of the mechanical/electrical systems. Their designs must be accompanied by engineer's plans with an engineer's seal.
Engineers can design all the mechanical/electrical/structural stuff, but sometimes are lacking in architectural aplomb. They cannot design buildings without an Architect's seal on the plans.
Architectural Engineers can do it all, and they do it with ONE seal.

Thankfully, I am out of the city limits, and the county doesn't require plans at all (even though mine would be approved with my brother's AE seal).

I worked from engineer stamped plans for 32 years outside ( pipe, pump house construction, maintenance, etc.) .... never did my “as builts” match up with stamped drawings , the Engineer could not actually draw the unforeseen shit you tend to run into during excavation of 200yr old Town works .... just saying , my stamped plans were always viewed by me as suggestions with the understanding it was on me to make whatever it was function .... on time within budget .... I have little hair left

Yep, those "As-Built" plans are CRITICAL for the record. My Dad taught me that on my first week, early November 1979. It stuck with me ever since.

Plumbers get to go first, because poop doesn't flow up-slope. HVAC guys get to go next, because air is more finicky than electricity when it comes to making turns, THEN the poor electricians get to figure out where to make their runs...

I must say, we had a VERY low number of significant "as-built" changes over the years, thanx to my brother designing the structures with all of the above in mind... (architects could care less, as long as it LOOKS good from the outside...

On ball fields they drag a piece of chain link fence behind a tractor. That might help smooth out your runways. Or keep them smoother when you get them flattened.

I have seen old bed springs used to, might be had for bargain prices ..... also have seen them used for cutting lilly pads for lake front homes .... the springs appeared to work well in both situations

swooshdave said:

On ball fields they drag a piece of chain link fence behind a tractor. That might help smooth out your runways. Or keep them smoother when you get them flattened.

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Ball fields have an UNBELIEVABLE amount of grading, compacting and re-grading done BEFORE they ever lay the sod and THEN they groom the billiard-table smooth dirt with chain link fence, sure.

Yep, AFTER I have the runways graded relatively smooth, I can keep them smooth with a similar setup. I have 300 linear feet of 5' cyclone fence sitting in a pile...

My master scheme to hoist the main frame didn't go as planned. Me and my buddy didn't have the mechanical advantage, even with a nice block and tackle, to hoist that sucker...


So, called in the Sky Trac; half-day rental, but only took a half HOUR!


My measurements were off by 4" on the left side pipe stop, so I lifted the left side 4" and welded in a new one-


Much better...


While I still had the Sky Trac, I lifted the bundle of roof R-Panels up onto the corner of the existing roof. I wish I had a half-dozen other jobs for it, but I sent it back. The driver of the hauler also has an MX, and a GT500! We'll be comparing notes later...