It’s been a year in the new garage/shop

Janderso said:
That reminds me, I was suppose to call and up our contents coverage. Look at the money you guys have in your shops. Unless you have a supplement to your standard fire insurance you will only receive your content coverage limit if you are lucky.
You settle with your insurance, there is dwelling A, dwelling B, extended living and content coverage. If anybody want s to ask me questions please PM me.
In our case, we had to take $130,000 from our content money to buy the house. (There was such a high demand on houses after the fire, the prices went up 20% plus). That left our content replacement funds short by that amount. We did OK considering all my tools and machines were purchased with what was left in our content coverage.
Is that clear as mud?
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Jeff,

I'm glad things seem to be on the up-and-up for you. I really can't imagine what a ride the past (almost) two years have been like for you and the folks up there. I live in Minneapolis these days, but I lived in the Bay Area for about a decade, including during the 2018 fire season.

Recently I've been taking a home inventory to make sure I've got my ducks in a row in case of a catastrophic loss. Specifically, I've been taking a bunch of photos and building a spreadsheet with information and descriptions of my big-ticket items.

Well, I'm working on my shop right now, which has a lot of big-ticket items.

The main reason I'm doing this is for insurance purposes. And I know you're not an insurance agent or anything like that, but you've probably got more experience in this area than just about anyone else on this site (unfortunately).

I've got a pretty standard policy. Other than Dwelling A and B coverage, I've got Personal Property coverage that is supposed to pay out immediately the Actual Cash Value of the lost items, and will eventually pay the Replacement Cost (i.e., new) if you actually purchase a new replacement.

That brings me to things like my Bridgeport (which I know you had). Mine is a 2-axis CNC Bridgeport, which was born about 30 years ago, but is frankly in excellent condition --- ways still show flaking, no peck marks in the table, yadda, yadda, yadda.

So am I to understand that insurance would pay out (say) $5,000 immediately in the event of a catastrophic fire in my shop, and would permit me to buy a brand-spanking-new 2-axis CNC Bridgeport or equivalent at (say) $35,000?

If you don't mind my asking, what was your experience on this front? I notice from your photos that you've got a nice looking (though used) Sharp as a replacement vertical mill, and similar story for your other equipment. Did the topic of buying brand new equipment come up in discussions with your adjuster?

Many of us, myself included, buy our stuff at auctions and estate sales at a hefty discount. Purchasing brand new replacements of the tools, machines, and measurement equipment in my shop would cost a petty penny compared to what I've paid for it all.

Anyway, just curious about your experience if you're up for sharing.
 
I did end up increasing our content coverage in our new home by $75,000. It costs $63 a year for the extra coverage. With the extra money, it gives us a cushion for the shop inventory.
Your $35,000 CNC/Bridgeport unless specifically covered under a seperate rider would come out of content. I was told any one machine, diamond ring, stereo system, would limit out at $2,000.
When you look at your Dwelling replacement amount, our content coverage was 56% of that number.
You just have to decide if it's enough. They will allow you to increase your coverage. When they bid policies, they don't add extras to be competitive.
Jraut, regarding the $5,000 payout, your carrier will provide enough money for initial expenses, clothes, toiletries, a hotel etc.
Your Policy will have Dwelling A, Dwelling B, Contents and a consequential budget.
Our consequential budget was $85,000. That is for living expenses while the home is being rebuilt. We didn't use very much of it.
It's great you are planning. I hope you never need it.
 
I like your new layout with one exception. I like to do my welding as much as possible out on the driveway or just inside the garage door. I would swap the lathe and the welding table. That would also help to keep the mess from welding out of the interior of the shop. Just a suggestion.
 
Looking good and it seems to me that you have to work in a new space for awhile before you get that aha moment and tweak it to make it flow better. FYI - moving does not get any easier with age.
 
mickri said:
I like your new layout with one exception. I like to do my welding as much as possible out on the driveway or just inside the garage door. I would swap the lathe and the welding table. That would also help to keep the mess from welding out of the interior of the shop. Just a suggestion.
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That is a good idea. Thinking through the tooling and shelving layout, hmm, that may just give more room too.I've been consolidating. I got rid of two stands to give up some floor space. One was my Baldor tool room grinder and the other is my buffer wire wheel.
I have to find a place for my new Delta 14" metal wood band saw. It's on a moveable cart that sits and locks with a foot lever

It's not the welding so much for me it's the plasma cutter and grinding. I would love to direct those sparks outside. I usually lay things on the floor and point outside.
Small shops can be challenging.
I have been thinking of selling the big mill for something smaller.
 
Janderso said:
That is a good idea. Thinking through the tooling and shelving layout, hmm, that may just give more room too.I've been consolidating. I got rid of two stands to give up some floor space. One was my Baldor tool room grinder and the other is my buffer wire wheel.
I have to find a place for my new Delta 14" metal wood band saw. It's on a moveable cart that sits and locks with a foot lever

It's not the welding so much for me it's the plasma cutter and grinding. I would love to direct those sparks outside. I usually lay things on the floor and point outside.
Small shops can be challenging.
I have been thinking of selling the big mill for something smaller.
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Indeed, the more grinding I do, the more I am aware of the fire hazard from sparks. I'm considering making a 'blast shield' using a couple of pieces of 24" x 18" plywood joined by a piano hinge. Stand it up in a 'V' so that it catches the grinding debris.
 
mickri said:
I like your new layout with one exception. I like to do my welding as much as possible out on the driveway or just inside the garage door. I would swap the lathe and the welding table. That would also help to keep the mess from welding out of the interior of the shop. Just a suggestion.
Click to expand...
Besides the dirty grinding tools, I also place my wood cutting equipment near the roll up door, and roll machines out into the driveway as needed when weather allows. Surface grinder and other gritty equipment all live in a corner that has a clear curtain that can be pulled around them help keep the grit out of the other machines. Just getting started on building a new shop in our new (to us) home, got married and sold both our houses to get a fresh start, the new shop will use the same ideas...
 
Have you broken ground on the shop Bob?
How's the new home coming along?
 
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