Waiting Area Ceiling Project

The waiting area ceiling project has begun. My friend Kevin is coming up tomorrow to help me with it and find a good buffet of course.   

As mentioned in the Talk it Up post last week or so the ceiling in the waiting area is going to black 3D panels, and 2x2 instead of the 2x4 in there now.  The articulating monster taking up a lot of the room in the back can come to the waiting area now that the double doors are in.  When it starts it runs pretty rich so the ceiling will get uglier than it already is so black panels were the way to go.  Plus the ceiling is going on 28 years old and with lighting changes and such over the years some of the panels are newer and some original.  Many years of carbon monoxide was the main culprit in the ugly non-white look.

I won't be doing any work in the shop till this is done, unless my legs get too sore from going up and down the ladder or wheeled steps, that's why I started on it today to sorta space that out some.  

I have a lot of plans in my head (scary I know) for when the articulating tractor is up front, there has been a grand plan from the beginning that will make things a lot better and easier to do around here.  Another part of this plan is moving the blaster and making a turn table with sealed and covered bearings to take the aluminum shot to put in it.  I just had another idea, maybe I could reinforce the top and hang them in there with a spinning hook, that may be even better and easier, we'll see...  I spend entirely to much time doing engines and transmissions by hand with wire wheels and grinders.  Once the blaster goes where I have planned I will be able to put them in the blaster with the forklift, that's the plan anyway...  I'll be able to do a better job in about 90% less time if this works out, and time is something I never have enough of...    

Anyway,,, I'll put up some pics of the progress on Monday.  

 

OK it's not Monday but Kevin called me a little before 7 this morning and sounded terrible.  He had a fever and was having chills.  He picked up something nasty from somewhere so it was me, myself and I today.  Everything happens for a reason.  

The ceiling I have now is all Armstrong rails + panels Made in USA but they were put up about 28 years ago.  The new rails are made in China of course, and they are made different, of course...    

Every one had to be cut down a little in the top while keeping the stop, and the holes in the main beams up there now all had to be widened like in the pic.  I started where the black panels are in the last pics to make sure everything stayed square, then did the outside and corners last.  No black panels there but I can go by the cut down ones for measurements.  All the original tiles are going back above the new panels to hold them down anyway and provide more insulation.  Only 8 more outer panels to go but the hardest part is done.  The last outer panels just need to be cut to 23-3/4", then all the other interior panels will be the same, 23-3/4" square.  Cutting these sure does make a mess though.  

I bet my calves will be screaming sometime soon from all the constant climbing up and down but I have plenty of Aspirin.  

 

This sure is hard and slow going for 1 person.  Just an extra set up hands handing things up would help a lot but at least it's getting done.  I'm adding a few more lights since the reflection from the white ceiling panels is going away.  I keep plenty of spares in the back so at least they will all be the same.  They were spaced around 7' in front of the counter but now they will be spaced at 4'.  It will actually be brighter on the walls, floor, and tractors when this is done so it will work out good.  The lights have been changed out a few times over the years and there's a small mess of connections and 12 gauge wire that's not needed with LED's so that's all being changed also.   

I'm surprised I almost made it to the halfway mark by myself today and would have if I hadn't done the light additions and rewiring.  Most of the time is spent widening the cross brace holes and cutting down the cross braces so they fit in the existing ceiling.  Cutting all the original panels to go on top isn't so bad, just messy.