Lock, Stock and Barrel

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Gene Howe
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Location: Snowflake, AZ

Lock, Stock and Barrel

Post by Gene Howe »

We're moving. After 25 years, we're headed south. To a place in the desert outside of Marana, AZ. About 30 miles north of Tucson. Found a nice place with a 30x40 shop on an acre+.
All tools and, my precious walnut and mesquite are now in storage in Tucson. Our furniture will be moved to storage 9/29. We close escrow on our present place on 9/30. And, close on our new place on 10/7.
Can't wait to get into the new shop! Got a bit of minor work to do on the house. Should be moved in by 10/10 to start working. Probably won't be making much sawdust til sometime in November.
RFGuy
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Re: Lock, Stock and Barrel

Post by RFGuy »

Gene,

Just wanted to wish you the best on the move. Moving is never easy, particularly when one has a shop full of tools. Did it get too cold for you in Snowflake, AZ? :)
📶RF Guy

Mark V 520 (Bought New '98) | 4" jointer | 6" beltsander | 12" planer | bandsaw | router table | speed reducer | univ. tool rest
Porter Cable 12" Compound Miter Saw | Rikon 8" Low Speed Bench Grinder w/CBN wheels | Jessem Clear-Cut TS™ Stock Guides
Festool (Emerald): DF 500 Q | RO 150 FEQ | OF 1400 EQ | TS 55 REQ | CT 26 E
DC3300 | Shopvac w/ClearVue CV06 Mini Cyclone | JDS AirTech 2000 | Sundstrom PAPR | Dylos DC1100 Pro particulate monitor
bainin
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Re: Lock, Stock and Barrel

Post by bainin »

Both nice areas to be from and to become.

Certainly a bit warmer down by Tucson :)

Take it slow and enjoy the new shop space !
Gene Howe
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Joined: Wed Jul 26, 2006 7:52 pm
Location: Snowflake, AZ

Re: Lock, Stock and Barrel

Post by Gene Howe »

Thanks for the well wishes, guys.
RFGuy wrote:Gene,

Just wanted to wish you the best on the move. Moving is never easy, particularly when one has a shop full of tools. Did it get too cold for you in Snowflake, AZ? :)
Naw, we really love it here. But, after a few years of of our sons' griping about us being so far from decent medical facilities and, how they'd like us to be closer to them and our grandkids, we saw the wisdom in their thinking and, decided to pull the plug, up here. Now, we'll be less than an hour from both families as opposed to 5+ hours way.
Having lived just a few miles north of our new digs for 18 years, (Coolidge/Florence area) we're not relishing living in the summer's heat, again. It can be brutal! As you know.
Thinking of a mini split and more insulation in the metal shop building.
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algale
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Re: Lock, Stock and Barrel

Post by algale »

Gene

All best wishes for the move!

Al
Gale's Law: The bigger the woodworking project, the less the mistakes show in any photo taken far enough away to show the entire project!

RFGuy
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Location: a suburb of PHX, AZ

Re: Lock, Stock and Barrel

Post by RFGuy »

Gene Howe wrote: Naw, we really love it here. But, after a few years of of our sons' griping about us being so far from decent medical facilities and, how they'd like us to be closer to them and our grandkids, we saw the wisdom in their thinking and, decided to pull the plug, up here. Now, we'll be less than an hour from both families as opposed to 5+ hours way.
Having lived just a few miles north of our new digs for 18 years, (Coolidge/Florence area) we're not relishing living in the summer's heat, again. It can be brutal! As you know.
Thinking of a mini split and more insulation in the metal shop building.
Yeah, I finally broke down last year and purchased a 24k BTU, 20.5 SEER Mitsubishi mini-split heat pump for my garage workshop. It IS the BEST tool in my shop since I live in the PHX area. The space is a 3 car garage, though my shop is only one bay of the garage, so it is about half the size of your new shop. It does a good job cooling (or heating) my garage, but you may want to consider installing 2 mini-splits for that size shop. You can try to do it with one like I have, but you will need additional fans to get the air to circulate all the way across the shop. How well is your new shop insulated? My garage walls were insulated and I added rock wool (R-15) insulation in the ceiling, but I still need to purchase insulated garage doors next. Once I have some new garage doors I am sure I will be even happier with my Mitsubishi heat pump.

Unfortunately this past summer was the absolute worst here in the 23 years I have lived in the desert. Since the pandemic I have seen LOTS of storms and rain on the east coast, but it has been bone dry here. Without any monsoon storms we never cooled off here. I even had some cacti die in my yard from lack of rain...that is how hot and dry it was this past summer. :(
📶RF Guy

Mark V 520 (Bought New '98) | 4" jointer | 6" beltsander | 12" planer | bandsaw | router table | speed reducer | univ. tool rest
Porter Cable 12" Compound Miter Saw | Rikon 8" Low Speed Bench Grinder w/CBN wheels | Jessem Clear-Cut TS™ Stock Guides
Festool (Emerald): DF 500 Q | RO 150 FEQ | OF 1400 EQ | TS 55 REQ | CT 26 E
DC3300 | Shopvac w/ClearVue CV06 Mini Cyclone | JDS AirTech 2000 | Sundstrom PAPR | Dylos DC1100 Pro particulate monitor
Gene Howe
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Location: Snowflake, AZ

Re: Lock, Stock and Barrel

Post by Gene Howe »

The previous owner used the shop for an auto repair shop. When we first saw it, it was so full of vehicles and major parts like engines and transmissions that we couldnt even get fully inside. I could tell though, that the insulation was pretty ratty. It'll all need to be replaced. I'm debating whether to use sprayed foam or batts.
In our current 2200 sq.ft. home, we have two 24k units that do a fine job of heating and cooling. But, that's in Snowflake. I'm considering one 36k unit for the shop in Marana.
Whatever we do in the shop, it'll take awhile but, it'll be fun. The house stuff comes first. Happy wife etc. ya know.
RFGuy
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Re: Lock, Stock and Barrel

Post by RFGuy »

I don't think you could go wrong with spray foam or batts...just comes down to cost and preference. Here in PHX there are a lot of insulation contractors that install blown cellulose or blown cellulose with blown fiberglass in attics. It is cheap which is why people do it, but won't hold up as long as spray foam or batts which is what I prefer.

Yeah, once I get my garage doors insulated, I think the 24k BTU mini-split that I have will be more than sufficient for my needs. On our many days above 110°F this summer, I could only get it down to maybe 78-80°F in the shop during afternoons. It was bearable, but I was still sweating in the shop (a real pain when applying finish and you drip sweat all into it). One thing to keep in mind for your shop is do you plan to turn it on only when you are out there, or run it all the time? If you only run it when you are in the shop, then having a larger size HVAC means you have a quicker recovery time, i.e. it gets down to desired temp faster. For this type of HVAC application, having a larger unit can come in handy for this. For my shop, I contemplated installing one larger condensor unit outdoors and two evaporators in the shop to get a more even temp across the garage. It would have almost doubled my cost though, but would have been a better solution. I can mitigate it though by installing some circulating fans.
📶RF Guy

Mark V 520 (Bought New '98) | 4" jointer | 6" beltsander | 12" planer | bandsaw | router table | speed reducer | univ. tool rest
Porter Cable 12" Compound Miter Saw | Rikon 8" Low Speed Bench Grinder w/CBN wheels | Jessem Clear-Cut TS™ Stock Guides
Festool (Emerald): DF 500 Q | RO 150 FEQ | OF 1400 EQ | TS 55 REQ | CT 26 E
DC3300 | Shopvac w/ClearVue CV06 Mini Cyclone | JDS AirTech 2000 | Sundstrom PAPR | Dylos DC1100 Pro particulate monitor
Gene Howe
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Posts: 3219
Joined: Wed Jul 26, 2006 7:52 pm
Location: Snowflake, AZ

Re: Lock, Stock and Barrel

Post by Gene Howe »

It would be nice if their remotes would reach the unit from the house but sadly, they won't. I guess a trip to the shop to turn it on and back to the house for coffee may be the routine. Or, maybe there's a way to incorporate a timer? I'll likely just turn it up high when leaving for the day. Or, low heat in the winter.
RFGuy
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Posts: 2740
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2018 8:05 am
Location: a suburb of PHX, AZ

Re: Lock, Stock and Barrel

Post by RFGuy »

Gene,

Will you have internet access in the shop? The Mitsubishi mini-splits have an optional WiFi module and with it you can control it from a smartphone. The app also has the ability to set program schedules for when it turns the unit on or off. I believe other brands of mini-split have similar capability. As an alternative you can hook up a Mitsubishi wired/wireless t-stat or a traditional HVAC t-stat to control the unit. Some of the Mitsubishi ones have the ability to set a schedule, but they are expensive. Recently, I am seeing some alternative t-stats that use IR (same as remote) to communicate with the mini-split, but again these need WiFi access. Below is a link to one from Honeywell...the reviews aren't great so hopefully the next generation will be better. I actually never use my remote that came with the unit, but use the phone app instead.

https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-DC6000 ... B07B4JD9KH
📶RF Guy

Mark V 520 (Bought New '98) | 4" jointer | 6" beltsander | 12" planer | bandsaw | router table | speed reducer | univ. tool rest
Porter Cable 12" Compound Miter Saw | Rikon 8" Low Speed Bench Grinder w/CBN wheels | Jessem Clear-Cut TS™ Stock Guides
Festool (Emerald): DF 500 Q | RO 150 FEQ | OF 1400 EQ | TS 55 REQ | CT 26 E
DC3300 | Shopvac w/ClearVue CV06 Mini Cyclone | JDS AirTech 2000 | Sundstrom PAPR | Dylos DC1100 Pro particulate monitor
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