Thread: I'm thinking about starting a share shed in Sydney's inner west

It's an interesting exercise, moving into the new shed from my two small existing sheds.
I have had reluctant assistance from my 19 and 21 year old girls. They take it in turns to spend half an hour with me in the old sheds where I decide what things are 'shed worthy'. They then put them into the new shed for me to deal with later.
It's a bit like a tide that comes in and deposits stuff in the shed. I then clear it till the next tide.
I remember when we moved to this house 20 years ago and I brought everything from the old place thinking I would sort it out and get rid of stuff when I was in the new place. I didn't.
I figure this time that anything not deemed 'shed worthy' can get tossed or given away. And I accept the inevitability that not long after I throw something out, something I have had for 30 years, I will find a need for it.

Attachment 499153

Originally Posted by scottbr

... Attachment 499153 ...

Gremlins with this one, Scott; I could not open it.

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

Gremlins with this one, Scott; I could not open it.

I'll try again.
Shed mess.jpg

Fixed, in 5 minutes !

Oh, how I wish I had so much space, and a lovely smooth and level floor.

Yes, I like that floor. It's very level and painted in 4 coats of epoxy - 4 because I didn't like the the initial colour and repainted it.

Originally Posted by scottbr

Yes, I like that floor. It's very level and painted in 4 coats of epoxy - 4 because I didn't like the the initial colour and repainted it.

did you do the coating your self? rough price on what it cost I'm still unsure if I want to do this to my garage.

Originally Posted by havabeer69

did you do the coating your self? rough price on what it cost I'm still unsure if I want to do this to my garage.

I asked a similar question to a "coatings chemist" - I think that was his professional qualification - and he empasised that the cost was in the preparation and the labour, not the coating. He recommended either:

• two pot epoxy, or
• "factory floor paint", a tougher version of paving paint, and designed to have fork lifts driving over it all day every day.

"Toss a coin."

I went with Berger FFP and, apart from the limited choice of colours, am still quite pleased.

Originally Posted by havabeer69

did you do the coating your self? rough price on what it cost I'm still unsure if I want to do this to my garage.

Like Graeme, I did a bit of research on this.
At either end of the scale, there is the paving paint option or getting an epoxy finish done by someone who specialises in that sort of thing - they would do if for car showrooms and people with very fancy garages with flash cars.
I went with a DIY option in the middle.
PPG make industrial coatings. The product I used, Amerlock 400, is something used mostly for metal, but it's fine for flooring. It's a two pack product - get the longer hardener. Can't remember what it cost, but it wasn't crazy.
I hired a concrete grinder and ground the floor. Boy, was that a bad job. Worth doing, though.
If I did it again, I would thin the first coat more. I think that would get a better finish.
Mine has been down for about 6 years, but has not had hard wear - it's about to.
This is it:

PPG AMERLOCK 400 | Protective Coatings | PPG Protective & Marine Coatings

paint.jpg

The racks for storing flat stuff are done.
I'm going through the exercise now of working out what is 'rack worthy' and getting rid of the rest.
Like most people, I keep too many off cuts. There are some I recognise from a reno I did in the mid 90s on a house that we sold ages ago.
Any flat stuff I can't accomodate on those racks goes.
Wall storage next.

Rack 1.jpgRack 2.jpg

Done.
I threw out a bit of stuff. It was hard letting go, but I was tough on myself.
Horizontal racks next. I made a good start on them. Looking forward to culling some more stuff.

Rack stocked..jpg

Horizontal rack is done.
I welded the verticals at either end in my other shed and did the middle ones in situ - the only way to make sure they lined up perfectly.
Now I need to decide which bits of timber from my old shed are 'new shed worthy'.
Horizontal rack in progress.jpghorizontal rack.jpg

Scott
Well done on having a vision for a community-minded enterprise that will bring you much joy, creativity and new friends as you head into retirement. No doubt there are financial risks and other pitfalls in such an undertaking, but more and more our inner cities are bereft of opportunities for community expression through crafts like woodworking or ceramics, and after a lifetime of work, these are important nourishment. So when all the business planning, financial advice and spreadsheet modelling lay out the options, I hope you find a path to success.

Thanks Charlie.
There is no turning back now.
Lockdown is affording me time to work on the shed. I'm looking forward to a time when I can work IN the shed with other like minded people.
Any income is a secondary consideration to building a community.
With the ceramics studio already on site and the Airbnb upstairs, it's going to be an interesting place for locals to hang around.

The weekend's project....
I made the thing with drawers to hold stuff.
Used the formply offcuts I had from the bench and cupboard.
For the drawers, I had a bunch that I bought from a place in Sydney called Reverse Garbage. They take donated goods and sell them. These drawers were ex-high school science labs. Solid 1960s Department of Education ply construction. They just needed cleaning up.
The runners are just 25mm angle - had a couple of lengths hanging around. I fixed them to the sides with 16mm screws and waxed the drawers where they slide on the angle.
On the other side of the unit, I put some shallow shelves.
This thing will be for small jobs (not always wood related) that I'm always doing. I'll probably put a cutting mat on top.
I'm pleased with how it turned out. When that inevitable and terrible day comes and I have to downsize, this will be something I'll take with me.

Drawers 2.jpgDrawers 2.jpgDrawers 1.jpgDrawers 3.jpgDrawers 4.jpg