The Violin was hard but this is taking longer

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GRadem

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Oct 28, 2011
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44
Location
Minnesota
Building the violin project I posted was the hardest project but this is by far the biggest and longest project I have ever undertaken. I started building this garage / workshop 15 years ago after visiting England.
It has been an on again off again affair. I have collected and hand laid all the stone and the stone is 14 inches thick laid against a 6" insulated stud wall. The foundation is double 12" block to make the 24" wall thickness. In the past few years I've hired a high school age kid to mix mortar and keep me supplied with rock when I am on the scaffolding. It is about one month from completion and I have plans to finish it in June. It has been usable from the beginning but The stonework has taken a while.
 

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WOW, Greg, that is awesome! Are you a Mason by any chance? I can see where it has taken 15 years to complete. Anyone that can take a stick of stove wood and an old screen door and turn it into a piece of art such as you have, laying all that stone should not come as any kind of surprise. Beautiful work on both accounts, congratulations.
Charles
 
Holy cow! 24 inch thick walls! You are a patient talented craftsman.

Find a book, build a violin. Got to England, build a stone cottage. Wow.
 
I am not a Stone mason.. just thought it would be a nice building to have and the only way to be able to afford it was learn to do it myself.. Like the violin, I found three books on stone masonry read them from cover to cover. It helps that I try to keep a "can do attitude". When I started I thought it would only take 3 years though. My wife alway says to multiply the time I think a project will take by 6, so I guess if I finish in 15 years the project will be done early. The first bit of stone doesn't look as good as the last however.
 
Wow that is amazing. It takes a lot of talent to do this kind of structure and you should be very very proud of yourself...and Like they say, patience is a virtue...
I can imagine what your violin turn out like....good luck and fantastic work...
 
GRadem said:
I am not a Stone mason.. just thought it would be a nice building to have and the only way to be able to afford it was learn to do it myself.. Like the violin, I found three books on stone masonry read them from cover to cover. It helps that I try to keep a "can do attitude". When I started I thought it would only take 3 years though. My wife alway says to multiply the time I think a project will take by 6, so I guess if I finish in 15 years the project will be done early. The first bit of stone doesn't look as good as the last however.
Click to expand...

I like your attitude, Greg. I do remember when I thought similarly.
 
Wow the first couple of pictures look like they came staight off a post card! So what are you plans for this? Are you going to live in it or possibly make it a shop?
 
Derek.. It is my garage and workshop. I have separated the woodshop and metal shop. It would make a pretty interesting home though. I have made living quarters in the upper floor.
Our daughters all lived there between finishing college and their first jobs. The building is separate from the house and it gave them an independent place to live. I didn't want the space wasted with rafters so living quarters seemed the appropriate thing to do. I made the double doors in the photographs out of solid white oak. My dad has a woodmizer bandsaw and he and I cut the trees for lumber. I got all the stone for free as well as the salvaged bricks in the arches. I have very little money in the building.. just a lot of labor.
 
WOW! What a georgous building. That would make a beautiful home let alone a garage/workshop. Either way, that should last forever. Thanks for sharing.

Jim Smith
 
I'd like to consider myself a craftsman, but after seeing your violin and now your shop cottage I fear I'm more on par with a kid whittling a stick! Enjoy that new shop. Anybody that is willing to dedicate 15 years, absolutely deserves a shop that nice!
 
That is one of the most amazing buildings, built by it's owner mostly out of salvaged materials I have ever seen! Photos...we need inside photos!!!!
 
There were a couple of requests for photographs of the interior of the stone building I call my workshop. I will attach some panoramas of the metal shop and woodshop. I had too much issue with sawdust in the metal machines so this winter I took a little more of the garage for workshop area. My wife still gets to park her car inside! I will post a larger collection of photos in the workshop forum in the near future.
 

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Awesome!! What are the doors behind the buffer and the double doors behind the drill press...a paint shop?

You have a great workspace there and a great variety of tools...well done...thanks for showing
 
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Thanks for making me buy a new keyboard. Drool and keyboards do not go well together. After seeing your violin and the outside of the building, the inside did not disappoint me. Absolute quality all the way. Congratulations on seeing this wonderful project to completion.
Charles
 
Bomb shelter/workshop = AWESOME!!!

And smart move on getting some help to keep those stones coming.





Please tell me them photo's are from earlier this year....you don't still have snow right?




Scott (snow is a four letter word) B
 
Its been too nice of winter to still have snow! These photographs are from last week.
 

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