shop-talk
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: converting my barn into a workshop

To: Conrad <conrad@conrad.uk.net>
Subject: Re: converting my barn into a workshop
From: Rush <jdrush@enter.net>
Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 00:10:39 -0500
Conrad wrote:
> I have reclaimed alot of the bog and made good hardstanding leading to the
> barn so I can get the digger, dumper etc down there. I've now started on
> digging the barn floor out for concrete.

I'm guessing hardstanding means compacted gravel? Sorry, not a word I've
heard used in the US
 
> I have a 3-tonne 4 post lift to go in, and if possible I also want to dig a
> pit to work under farm/plant stuff that is too heavy for the lift. I dont
> want to commit to the location of the lift so I need to do the whole floor
> strong enough to take it.

Pits are outlawed in many parts of the US without a means of evacuating
gasoline vapo[u]r. The danger is that fumes are heavier than air and
will collect in the lowest places, leading to explosion. I believe that
three sided pits are legal since the fumes can escape out the open wall
and disperse.

> I have been planning on a worst case of 8 inch hardcore and 8 inch of
> reinforced concrete, but that is going to cost a lot and is based on my
> having no idea what I'm doing. Is there a standard spec for this sort of
> thing that I should work to? I will probably mix the concrete myself as I
> cant see a readymix type truck getting down there - what mix (weight??)
> should I aim for?

Here in the US concrete is graded on strength in pounds per square inch.
3000 psi is typically the strongest widely available. But I can get my
hands on 3500 and 4000 from bulk suppliers, as should your read mix
supplier. AFAIK there is no downside to using the strongest grades other
than price and supply. If I remember my cement manufacturing, the higher
strengths are gained by merely grinding the cement to a tighter powder
size standard.

> I'll leave it at that for now, but I have a huge number of questions to do
> with the proposed inspection pit, lifting gantry, the fact that a river runs
> very close by etc. is that the sort of thing you guy talk about in here?

Keep 'em coming. We can all learn.

I think the extra quote marks on the team.net address you used is what
prevented the others from replying to the list. Check your address book
for extraneous quotes.

Jon Rush

///
///  shop-talk@autox.team.net mailing list
///  To unsubscribe send a plain text message to majordomo@autox.team.net
///  with nothing in it but
///
///     unsubscribe shop-talk
///
///


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>