Uncertain times with my little shop

[ossaguy]

I have my little shop at a storage facility,that has electricty and a cement outdoor pad that I do my turning on.It's worked well for me,as I have most everything on carts,and they allow me to do my woodworking there.

So on Sunday evening,I stopped over there to do some work,and to my suprise,as I drove through the complex,I saw several roll-up units with the doors all wrecked.I turned the corner to get to mine,and found my roll-up door trashed.Then I smelled the stink of smoke..........

I found out that there was a fire in the center of the complex of units,( mine is on the end) at ten o'clock that morning,and the fire dept rolled in,and instead of just cutting the locks,they used axes and prybars to totally destroy about 7 units.

Luckily,they didn't flood mine with water,so nothing got wrecked.But I had to move everything I have to the other end of the place,in the middle of a long hallway,that has no power.

So for now,I've been grounded.It sounds like it will take forever to get them to fix mine,and the smell is so sooty you can't believe it.The unit that burned had floor-to-ceiling boxes of rubber gloves.More smoke than anything.

I've been working on my craft for almost 5 years,so I'm going through withdrawl........It's driving me crazy even though it's been just a couple days.It will kill me to not be able to finish up the last batch of pens I've been working on.

I just hate not knowing what's going to happen!

Thanks for letting me rant...& wish me luck?


Steve

 

[Cmiles1985]

Best of luck to you with this bump in the road! At least your equipment didn't get ruined... Hopefully you can get set back up with some power and adequate space soon!

 

[Jim15]

Sorry to hear this. Hope it gets back to normal soon because I like looking at your great looking pens.

 

[randyrls]

Steve; Can you use an electrical drop to get power? Is seems to me that the owners should cut your rate.

 

[ossaguy]

Steve; Can you use an electrical drop to get power? Is seems to me that the owners should cut your rate.

I think I'm going to try doing that on the east end of the complex,but then I'll be out in the main parking lot.I know there is an outlet I can get to with a ladder on that end.I hope something turns out good.

Where there's a will,there's a way!

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Edward Cypher]

That sucks! Best of luck and I hope they get yours fixed and aired out soon.

 

[bobjackson]

Good luck and hope you're back in your unit soon.

 

[Joe S.]

Start casting until you get a shop again? :biggrin:

 

[Edgar]

Bummer! Glad your equipment & supplies are ok though.
Here's hoping you're back at it real soon.

 

[ossaguy]

Start casting until you get a shop again? :biggrin:

I plan to use the off time to make a light box so I can work on my photos.That should take my mind off of it a little.

I bought the white background the other day,and have the white tee shirt material.Just need to get the pvc and lights now & hoping that will work out.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[HamTurns]

How about investing in a portable generator?

I don't know how close you are to the outside (were the generator would need to be while running), but that may work for you.

I hope you get back to turning soon.

Tom

 

[glen r]

I'm sorry for your inconvenience. I don't know why firemen always need to use their axes to gain entry to a structure. I've seen instances where they destroyed a carved front door that the Owner had left unlocked when he ran out of the house because of a kitchen fire. He was outside when the trucks arrived and told the first firemen going to the front door that it was unlocked. Fireman's rule to gain entry - Use the axe to break down the door and smash every window that they can reach.

 

[ossaguy]

How about investing in a portable generator?

I don't know how close you are to the outside (were the generator would need to be while running), but that may work for you.

I hope you get back to turning soon.

Tom

As a backup plan,I have held onto my little 40x48 HF trailer,that if they ever pulled the power I could have the equipment mounted on it and tow it down to some dead end road and do my work there with a generator.

I'd still have to store the rig,and that size of a unit costs around 200+ a month,so I'm not sure that would be affordable.

As it is now,I wouldn't have room for even a generator...It's maxed out.

So I'm hoping for the best.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[ossaguy]

I'm sorry for your inconvenience. I don't know why firemen always need to use their axes to gain entry to a structure. I've seen instances where they destroyed a carved front door that the Owner had left unlocked when he ran out of the house because of a kitchen fire. He was outside when the trucks arrived and told the first firemen going to the front door that it was unlocked. Fireman's rule to gain entry - Use the axe to break down the door and smash every window that they can reach.

Yeah,it didn't make much sense.The landlord was livid.He showed me where they cut off a lock,and all they needed to do was just slide the latch to the left.......but they instead they just killed and twisted the roll up from the outside.

I just wish I was there at that time of day like I was the day before,but I was in church.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[mark james]

S..T! Now I'm going through withdrawl... Can't get my weekly fix of your pictures to guide me to loftier projects.

This is going to be real bad!

Please get up and running again, this is painful

 

[rkimery]

Just don't give up. You'll be back in business soon!

 

[ossaguy]

Just don't give up. You'll be back in business soon!

Things are looking better.I moved to a new locker on the other end of the complex that except for one unit,is all the way on the end.

It was a challenge to make it all fit,as it's slightly smaller.Everything fits in only one way loke a puzzle! I still have to find a solution to store the wood pieces I've collected.

There is a power outlet right above that I will just need to use my ladder to plug in my extension cord.

The other hard part was having to clean every piece before putting it in,to get the smoke smell off.I guess I needed the spring cleaning anyway....

The next thing I need to do is to fabricate/weld up a mount to be able to hang the 4 ft shop light inside it.You cant alter any of the tin walls or steel beams,so the challenge is to come up with something that fts into the channels of a big I-beam about 12 feet up.

So I'm hoping it can work.I don't think they will ever be able to get the stink out of the other units in the burned building.Those rubber gloves really stink! They think it was arson,and the suspect has disappeared from the face of the earth.I hope they get him!

Thanks guys,
Steve