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Time to put Mid Devon on the map!

PostPosted: 04 Jul 2016, 09:31
by Malc2098
Hello there,

What an amazing forum!!! I've learnt so much already.

I retired a few weeks ago and so now I have the time to plan and build my workshop. PP has been applied for and the PO has been round said he doesn't see a problem with approval. The notice is stuck to the lamp post outside and it was in the local paper at the weekend.

Can't wait....with trepidation! :!:

Re: Time to put Mid Devon on the map!

PostPosted: 04 Jul 2016, 09:35
by Robert
Welcome to the forum :)

can never have too many build threads! As you have been reading here for a while you'll probably already know our spam trap goes away after 3 posts so keep going.

Re: Time to put Mid Devon on the map!

PostPosted: 04 Jul 2016, 09:49
by 9fingers
Welcome to the Haven Malc.

I retired about 6 years ago and so far it has been the best job I've had!

This must one of the best if not the best forum for workshop builds with lots of enthusiastic builders and followers and our resident architect to boot.

Once you have a few posts under your belt check out the photo posting process and get snapping as we love seeing photos here.

Bob

Re: Time to put Mid Devon on the map!

PostPosted: 04 Jul 2016, 09:52
by Malc2098
Thank you, Robert.

5.5 x 3.5 with roofed deck coming out as an 'L' at one end.

The garden slopes in two directions meaning a difference in height off the ground of about 0.5m on the low side. Neither duty PO nor BCO could give a definitive answer as to where datums would be taken from for height, so suggested I applied for PP. So, although I was originally designing it within PD dimensions, I decided to go for higher ridge than that permitted to give me the internal height. It will still be 1.1m from two boundaries allowing me to use timber wall construction and will give me a maintenance strip for workshop and fences.

Re: Time to put Mid Devon on the map!

PostPosted: 04 Jul 2016, 09:55
by Malc2098
Thanks, Bob.

I still can't get used to this retirement thing. It's been 48 years since I left school without a work break. Mission Control is still working but retires in a couple of weeks' time. So while she's working I do the shopping, cooking, washing and ironing, but when not doing that feel odd about not having to 'do' anything, which is how one ends up spending hours reading the likes of threads on this forum!!

Malcolm

Re: Time to put Mid Devon on the map!

PostPosted: 04 Jul 2016, 10:09
by 9fingers
I guess it took a good year to get used to being retired and I still miss the camaraderie of work colleagues.
I still meet them every few weeks for a pub night to keep in touch.
Due to health problems my wife has not worked since the late 80s so the only transition for both of us was me suddenly being around 24/7 in her domain.
We make a point of doing some things with our individual groups of friends as well as "together" things. We also do alternate weeks cooking the meals. I find for my projects those days when I can work up 6pm and just turn up expecting a meal on the table very useful and leave smaller odd jobs for the weeks during which I cook.
We have not had an argument yet!

I've just been looking at your plans. Do you have access to the next road from the bottom of the garden to get materials and machinery in? Otherwise it looks like quite a narrow gap betwixt house and garage.
Might even be worth temporary removal of a fence section? Just a thought.

Cheers
Bob

Re: Time to put Mid Devon on the map!

PostPosted: 04 Jul 2016, 10:14
by Malc2098
Yep, me and MC have got to sort out the home management arrangements when she retires.

There is no formal access from the top of the garden to the street behind, but a few years ago just after we moved in and after a gale or two, I had the fence replaced and the posts changed to slotted concrete posts. So for materials access to the site, I can slide up a panel or two, but I'll have to create some sort of ramp over the concrete gravel board; they're too heavy to lift up the slots.

Off out on shopping trip. Back later.

Malcolm

Re: Time to put Mid Devon on the map!

PostPosted: 04 Jul 2016, 11:55
by Andyp
Hi and a welcome from me too. I have added your location to our members map (see top right of the home page)

A workshop with a deck sounds rather posh. What use will you put the workshop to when finished?

Not quite retired myself (well in the sense that I am not drawing a pension) prefer to say I am on a sabbatical looking after house and home until the kids finish school (by which time I will be old enough to retire ;) ) and can honestly say that I have never worked so hard in my life.

Time to put Mid Devon on the map!

PostPosted: 04 Jul 2016, 12:55
by Rod
I retired at 60 but got "headhunted" ( that does sound grand? ) for a job on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link working in London for two days a week.
Which made the transition really nice.
Fully retired 5 yrs later but still do a bit of Consultancy work whenever that comes along.
We share the housework in that I do the cooking, washing up (loading dishwasher ), gardening and some cleaning.
I also help with the shopping too.
Lots of hobbies and do lots for the kids and Grandkids.
There's never enough time?

Rod

Oops and welcome!

Re: Time to put Mid Devon on the map!

PostPosted: 04 Jul 2016, 13:07
by Malc2098
Thanks, Andy and Rod,

I've left myself open to a little consultancy work and have done some since retirement, but I hope not to depend on it.

I moved down to Devon from the Home Counties with work about 9 years ago. I had an integral garage/workshop before I left. I had studied WW at school in the 60s for 7 years up to A Level and so over the years have collected mostly cheap tools and machines. They've been put to use on DIY projects in several houses now since the 70s but the brick garage here is built into the hillside and the builder in 1968 pathed the edge of the house level which means that several courses of the garage above DPC level are in fact underground and my tools and machines are turning tandoori tan in there.

Before moving down I made trinket boxes and supplied my two older sisters' cottage industry of quilting and bespoke needlework for their craft fairs and exhibitions.

I also went to evening classes to build guitars and have built two, one a Telecaster copy and the other Martin acoustic copy, and that one, although playable, is still not finished! But it sounds better than I could afford to buy. So, I'd like to carry on supplying my sisters and also making more guitars.

And grandchildren have just started arriving and of course Grandad's shed is essential life learning for any new generation!

Malcolm

Re: Time to put Mid Devon on the map!

PostPosted: 04 Jul 2016, 14:24
by Malc2098
I'm sorry the avatar is a rubbish photo, but it's the only one I have of the telecaster copy I made.

Re: Time to put Mid Devon on the map!

PostPosted: 04 Jul 2016, 14:29
by Andyp
That is some avatar and some skill required in the making without a doubt. I look forward to seeing a wip in the future of how you go about building one from scratch.

Re: Time to put Mid Devon on the map!

PostPosted: 04 Jul 2016, 18:24
by Malc2098
Thanks, Rod and Andy,

I think I'd like to do a WIP for a guitar, but walking round the garden just now, I tried to articulate how I did it, and it's harder to put into words than you think. But after the man cave's built, I'll give it a go.

For those interested, an electric guitar like the Telecaster starts with two bits of wood and it's reasonably simple to construct, after all, that's what Leo Fender was seeking to achieve. There's only one joint and the rest is shaping. Then there are plenty of setup videos on the net for a builder/player to follow.

An acoustic guitar, well, that's another matter! That requires engineering!! I really enjoyed making the acoustic and I nearly cried when I heard its sound after I first strung it. It was lovely.

Due to 'circumstances', it's been in a guitar case with me around the country for about 10 years staying dry and cool waiting for me to finish off some imperfections and to lacquer it. I've had a friend who is a far more accomplished player than me jam with me with it and he really likes how it plays and sounds. So that made me really feel chuffed!

Re: Time to put Mid Devon on the map!

PostPosted: 04 Jul 2016, 19:19
by Mike G
Welcome Malcolm, from a fellow Devonian. I was brought up on the edges of Exmoor. South Devon doesn't count, :lol: ;) but I'll accept the Tiverton just sqeaks in to god's own county. I've an aunt in Tiverton, so we made it a stop on our Land's End to John O'Groats bike ride a year or two back. Anyway, enjoy your time here, and I look forward to seeing your thread on the forthcoming build.

Re: Time to put Mid Devon on the map!

PostPosted: 04 Jul 2016, 20:32
by Malc2098
Mike G wrote:Welcome Malcolm, from a fellow Devonian. I was brought up on the edges of Exmoor. South Devon doesn't count, :lol: ;) but I'll accept the Tiverton just sqeaks in to god's own county. I've an aunt in Tiverton, so we made it a stop on our Land's End to John O'Groats bike ride a year or two back. Anyway, enjoy your time here, and I look forward to seeing your thread on the forthcoming build.


Thanks, Mike.

However, I can't count myself as a Devonian. I come from God's own county, Middlesex. It even has its own queen, Russell Grant! http://www.middlesexfederation.com

Malcolm

Re: Time to put Mid Devon on the map!

PostPosted: 12 Aug 2016, 11:06
by TrimTheKing
Bit late with my welcome Malc, but…Welcome!

I'm 3 pages behind with forum threads so catching up...

Cheers
Mark

Re: Time to put Mid Devon on the map!

PostPosted: 12 Aug 2016, 12:04
by Malc2098
TrimTheKing wrote:Bit late with my welcome Malc, but…Welcome!

I'm 3 pages behind with forum threads so catching up...

Cheers
Mark


Thanks, Mark. No worries. Everyone's busy at the moment!

Malcolm