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mrmiji
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# Posted: 16 May 2012 10:11pm - Edited by: mrmiji
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I've been looking at these with the possibility of setting up a shelter under some oak trees out at the ranch. Since I needed a shed at the house as well, it seemed the latter would be a good place to start.
I read the reviews online at Lowe's. Some folks indicated ease of assembly with one guy indicating it only took him two hours and by himself...that the instructions weren't good...that kind of thing.
Well, I'm 7 hours into construction with some minor assistance and I'm only two thirds complete. I want to go on the Lowe's site and state that I completed it in 37 minutes while intoxicated and I'm a blind paraplegic. I didn't find the instructions that bad. It all seemed reasonably organized. I liked the complete tool requirement info helpful with the box knife being the most important tool. See, if you attempt to assemble this on anything other than an absolutely level surface, you'll need it to cut your throat.
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steveqvs
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# Posted: 16 May 2012 10:40pm
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I once put one of those metal swing sets up in the back yard. Box said 20 minutes install time! Took me 20 minutes to get it out of the box and 2 hours to put it up. I guess mileage varies on these sort of things!
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hattie
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# Posted: 17 May 2012 01:22am
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We bought a playground set to put up here. Hubby looked at it and said he could do it in a couple of hours. It took both of us the entire day (and a whole lot of cursing and yelling) to put it up.
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mrmiji
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# Posted: 17 May 2012 09:19am
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A buddy of mine asked me to come over and help him assemble his son's play set. It was a wooden kit and he knew I had tools. The enticement was he bought a bottle of Jack Daniels and we could "sip" it while we worked.
We did the cutting with the circular saw and then cracked the bottle enjoyed some Jack/Coke while doing the drilling/assembly/nailing. We finished the bottle before the set.
I did like the kit, though, and assembled one the next week for my daughter. For some reason, this one turned out better than the previous one.
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mrmiji
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# Posted: 17 May 2012 10:56pm - Edited by: mrmiji
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In the end, it took me 10 hours but some of the problem was having it within two feet of the house along two walls.
I've decided to purchase a 8 x 12.5 unit for the ranch. The one I just built has sky roofs and that's a good thing for a tool shed that's not lit but I won't want them out under the trees at the ranch where a branch could break them. The extra two feet are only 100 dollars more and one can purchase an 2.5 extension for an additional $225 that could take me to 8 X 15 feet which is a serious consideration.
Though it's still rather limited on insulation, they're reasonably sealed and would work well with a Mr. Heater and such. At 8 X 15, it's stretching out of the shed category and into the legitimate cabin size.
Essentially, I could put a small kitchen and storage near the entrance on the 8' end along with a couple chairs and a small table, two XL 7' cots in the middle and a sink and porta-pottie enclosed in the back. On the latter, a 12 volt fan ducting through the existing vent would be nice and an elevated water tank for various used would be great.
I think this would be great for around 9 months a year, skipping the hottest time of the year.
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steveqvs
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# Posted: 19 May 2012 09:20am
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Congrats on getting it put up! Sounds like a good deal.
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mrmiji
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# Posted: 19 May 2012 10:00am
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My wife has committed to building the 8 X 15 unit based on her perception of the one we just completed. And I mean "just" as yesterday I installed the kit they sell that provides additional structural support for extreme weather conditions. I was really impressed with the rigidity it provided and consider it a bargain. The whole package is quite reasonable particularly if you don't have tools. What sold Lori was the construction materials. Managing insects is a lot easier if you don't have material the can eat or live in. Further, it's going to be rot and mold resistant. Granted, it'll never be too attractive on the inside but this will work until we can build a more permanent construction.
During the construction, I was in direct sunlight and 80 degree temps. It was noticeably warmer and the floor gets flexible in the sun. These factors would not make the shelter suitable for year around use unless you lived in a mild climate such as western Washington or Oregon.
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