Chapter Log

Step 0 -
Status: Not Started 
Est Time: 0.00, Actual: 0.00
Est Cost: $ 0.00, Actual: $ 0.00
Date Completed: 00/00/0000

Step 0 -
Status: Not Started 
Est Time: 0.00, Actual: 0.00
Est Cost: $ 0.00, Actual: $ 0.00
Date Completed: 00/00/0000

Step 1 - Identify New Build Site
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 30.00, Actual: 40.00
Est Cost: $ 10000.00, Actual: $ 16800.00
Date Completed: 08/22/2005

In 2004, I moved to a new home. While we're very happy where we live now, I made a big sacrifice when it came to the Cozy. There simple is no place to build here - there is no garage at all, and only interior door access to the (small) basement. For various reasons, the back yard is also out. I came very close to giving up my build dreams, and selling the project to a prospective builder.

I could never quite shake the dream, though. I started flying lessons, thinking that would help offset the loss, but they only made me long for the skies even more. I started researching other projects, trying to find things that I could build quickly, and with limited environmental control. I even (gasp!) considered buying a spam can!

What gave me the needed kick in the pants was John Slade, to whom I'll be either eternally grateful (assuming I ever finish the project). John has been considering starting a builder support service, and I asked him if he would be willing to help me out. He was.

The first thing John did was convince me to find a local build site. When it comes down to it, my REAL problem is that my build time needs to come during breaks during my work day (I work from home). Once the work day is done, I'm a daddy and a husband, and don't have time left over to build. I had briefly considered renting a space, then discarded the idea because I didn't think I'd get much done if I had to leave work and drive to the build site. I never considered doing BOTH there.

This is exactly what I'm doing now. I'm renting an industrial space, about 800 sq. ft. for $700 per month, and moving both the plane and my business over to it. In this step I've included the cost for two years' rent. It's pricey, but there are some advantages:

1. It's cheaper than building a garage (not that we have the space anyway).
2. I can write off the rent as a business expense.
3. The space is much larger than most garages - 20' x 40'. I could actually work on the Cozy with both wings attached.
4. The unit is literally 5 minutes from home.

There are also some disadvantages. The two key items are:

1. Two years' rent on this unit adds 30% to my build cost estimates. Fortunately, since it's deductible, the impact is somewhat reduced. If nothing else, this will be incentive to keep me moving if/when I start to get distracted.
2. The garage door is only 8' x 8'. You need 10' or more to push the bird through on its wheels. I've done some modeling and I believe this is possible to do ONCE OR TWICE by removing the gear and pushing it through at an oblique angle, but this definitely needs to be an infrequent event.

Step 2 - Prepare New Build Site
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 40.00, Actual: 28.00
Est Cost: $ 500.00, Actual: $ 485.07
Date Completed: 08/30/2005

Paid:
$55 - Town of East Lyme, business use registration
$55 - Town of East Lyme, garbage can
$375.07 - Home Depot, materials

Whenever there's action, everybody wants a piece. East Lyme is apparently no exception. They even wanted me to pay a fee for signage, despite the fact that I have no clients in this state, and am unlikely to given my business model. And let's not forget the fact that property taxes pay for trash removal here. $55 for a garbage can isn't exactly competitive. Oh well.

Fortunately, I already had some supplies to begin preparing my new office. I'm reusing some left-over bamboo flooring from a home renovation project to make a "pay for the plane" work area. I also had a left-over shelving unit, nothing fancy but it will hold a few supplies.

For the floor, I'm laying down peel-and-stick vinyl tile. This stuff is dirt cheap - I found a set with a decent pattern for only 49c per square foot. It provides more insulation than paint, is kinder on the feet, and looks a lot better. More important, if I drip any epoxy during layups (which I'm bound to do sooner or later), I won't have to spend hours cleaning up the floor when I terminate my lease. I bought two extra boxes just to have some to spare.

There's very little else to do here. The unit already has provisions for heating and cooling. Unfortunately, there's no broadband access yet, so I can't work full-time from the site. However, the landlord is working hard to arrange for this, and I have a 90-day out clause in my lease against this issue not being resolved. The rest is out of my hands - all I can do is cross my fingers.

Step 3 - Build New Jig Tables
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 6.00, Actual: 8.50
Est Cost: $ 120.00, Actual: $ 120.94
Date Completed: 07/06/2005

I'm using a very simple design for my jig tables, with two solid-core doors as work surfaces. These make great work surfaces because they're made from an MDF core with a face veneer. This yields a very flat 32"x80" surface (I am using two end-to-end for my jig table) for only $40. There are two bases, each of which is made of 2x4 lumber. I made dado cuts for all of the joints, which produces a rigid base that has no racking.

You can also see many of my clamps stored conveniently on the table legs.

Step 4 - Build New Epoxy Box
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 2.00, Actual: 1.50
Est Cost: $ 0.00, Actual: $ 88.04
Date Completed: 09/07/2005

I built a new cloth box in a fashion very similar to my old box, with a few enhancements. I replaced the rigid, metallized urethane foam with pink styrofoam, which is more durable and insulates just as well. I also made the box larger to accomodate an epoxy pump (previously I had used a digital scale). This should make me more productive. I still assembled it using duct tape, which produces a surprisingly durable and rigid box. The front is mounted on pegs, allowing it to pivot down out of the way.

To heat the space I installed a Goldenrod, an air-drying heater rod that is a bit safer than a light bulb (and doesn't constantly expose the epoxy to light). I also bought two digital humidity/temperature displays, one for the shop and one for the hot box.

Step 5 - Build New Cloth Storage
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 4.00, Actual: 2.50
Est Cost: $ 40.00, Actual: $ 10.00
Date Completed: 07/02/2005

Last time I went all out making a huge cloth box, and even though I used 1/2" plywood, it was heavy as sh**. It was also clumsy to use. The lid dropped down to make a cutting area, which seems like a nice touch until you have to cut large pieces. It was rough, and annoying to use.

This time I applied the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid). I just need something to get the job done, and the setup you see below does this with standard closet shelving brackets. This produces a dual-use storage area - the cloth is mounted on closet rods, and the shelves can hold extra rolls of cloth, scissors, measuring tools, and etc. I'll mount another pair above the current two to provide storage for peel ply and plastic, and I can pull the plastic down to keep dust off the cloth.

For the cutting table I reused a work surface I had built a year ago. I initially planned to use this for the plane, but since I built new jig tables I didn't need it any longer. This is just a sheet of hardboard on a sheet of plywood, and like the jig tables, the base is built from 2x4 lumber (the only cost of this step). I'll marked cutting lines on the table at some point.

Note that this produces a HUGE cutting surface, and can serve double-duty as a utility workbench when it comes time for chores such as wiring.

Step 6 - Build New Office
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 4.00, Actual: 2.00
Est Cost: $ 120.00, Actual: $ 69.00
Date Completed: 09/08/2005

Doors to the rescue, again!

As previously noted, I'll be working from the build space during the day, so I'll need an office space in which to do that. I use a great deal desk area for my business operations, but fortunately my monitors are all fairly light. This means hollow-core doors are just fine - rigid and flat, but lighter than the solid-core doors, and even cheaper ($23 each).

I used two doors laid end-to-end against one wall to make my desk. The back of each door is attached to a rail screwed to the wall studs, and the front of each is supported by a set of oak stairway railing spindles acting as legs. This provides a surprisingly sturdy (and, if you stain and finish the birch or luan veneer, attractive) work surface for peanuts.

For the floor, I dry-laid some extra bamboo flooring that I had from a previous home improvement project. I won't glue or nail it to the floor - I'll just let it float. I don't mind a little movement, and this stuff doesn't really warp as much as some other woods would when laid on concrete. It's only temporary.

I looked at walling off the office, but there are some problems with this. First, the heating and cooling is provided via a single wall-mounted combination system at the other end of the unit. Second, this would separate me from my monitors while working on the Cozy. Finally, it would require a building permit, and a licensed contractor. It's a lot of hassle.

The air handler has good filters on it, and moves a lot of air. I'll beef it up with sub-micron filters, then use fans near my office area to blow dust away from the computers and toward the air handler during high-dust operations. Fortunately, since I'll be using peel-ply frequently, I have less need to sand.

Step 7 - Purchase Remaining Tools
Status: Completed 
Est Time: 4.00, Actual: 6.00
Est Cost: $ 500.00, Actual: $ 789.37
Date Completed: 08/30/2005

Purchased:
$86.78 - MyPaperMart, 4mil plastic sheeting and 80 ga. stretch wrap
$14.53 - ToolsForLess, decimal-graduated tape measure
$49.99 - AllBrands, Dritz electrical scissors
$63.50 - DryTheAir, Thermo/humidity gauge and heater rods for cloth box
$221.25 - Harbor Freight, Rivet gun, wire stripper, clamps, other misc tools
$49.95 - Aircraft Spruce, Extra set of M drawings
$134.40 - eBay, Oscillating spindle sander
$10.99 - eBay, 40 ft. 22 ga. nichrome wire
$92.99 - eBay, Smart Tool digital level
$64.99 - eBay, Medo vacuum pump

Paying rent on build space is great incentive to experiment with ways to improve productivity - anything that looks like a useful tool is probably worth buying if it's not too expensive. I spent some time browsing other builders' comments and made a list of useful items to have. I probably ended up wasting money on shipping costs by buying from so many vendors, but there were so many odd items to buy I really didn't have much choice. Hopefully this stuff will all end up being useful.

The only items I believe I'm still missing at this point are some items related to specific steps in specific chapters. For instance, I may need a few extra drill bits for specific steps. I'll purchase those with the steps they relate to.