So far so good!
-As a clarification, I previously had my truck stored at a vehicle storage facility on a monthly basis, that very kindly let me work on the truck while at the site. Unfortunately the site had no water or power; I ended up buying an external battery bank(that also has an air compressor large enough for my truck tires, and a large jumpstarter), so I could use a drill to finish putting up the wall studs. I ended up sawing them by hand (saw used too many amps), hammered them in, and screwed through the metal into the studs from the outside. This worked amazingly. I was under a hard time schedule to get a lot done before it had to be moved, and my generator had to be grounded with a stake outside without rain or snow or damp soil. And it must have rained for a month. The bank was useful for the drill and air compressor, but I haven't used it much since. [Edit 12/12/18: Now that winter has arrived and I can't run an extension cord, this battery bank has become very helpful.]
If you're considering doing a project like this, but can't park it where you live, consider a vehicle storage place! Someplace that stores RVs, Semi-trailers, and the like is perfect for what you need. (And I bet you'd meet a lot of kind like-minded people like I did.) If you choose this route, I'd recommend a generator instead of a battery bank.
If you get one like this Yamaha ----> Yamaha EF2000iSv2 2000 Watt Inverter Generator, not only would it be more than enough power for your tools but a lot of people use this as their main battery supply for their home. [I'm going for a full solar setup and i've never used this generator, but this is the most commonly referred to generator for RVers and self-converters. The high price tag upfront is less than a solar setup - I'll be spending somewhere around $2500-$3000 for my full battery bank, with the same wattage capacity. But you'd have to buy gas for a generator which adds up over time, and they can be loud.] I thought I'd just add this information in before we get to the framing.
Wall Studs
- Wherever I nail in my studs, it must be into wood - not metal. The metal bends and vibrates and could shift my nails/screws over time. When I hammered a stud into the wall on one side (before I screwed into them from the outside) a stud would move on the opposite wall because of the vibration.
- These studs are going to be holding up drywall - that stuff is heavy! Anywhere I want to put drywall for my walls, there needs to be wood or something that I can screw the drywall into securely.
I would first hammer in the headers for each wall section until it was secure enough to sit up there on it's own. Then I put the bottom of the stud into place, and hammered in the top until the stud was snug against the metal studs. I used finishing nails to toenail them into the base plate and top plates. A lot of the headers went in closely. Some - not so much. I used a shim on the side in some cases to get them to fit tightly.
Each stud is 16inch on center apart. Drywall and insulation are usually designed for 16inch on center stud placement.
Some headers fit in weird - as long as they hold the studs in place and are flat against the wall then it's good!
The last of the studs towards the back ended up being closer together than 16 inches, so I put the stud in the middle to make it easier to find later on when I'm putting up the drywall. There was a metal plate sideways inside the wall - I plan to place the drywall perpendicular to each other on this middle stud. (Which is why I added an extra sideways header on top.)
I went to the outside and pre-drilled through the metal into the studs by using metal brill bits (these are very helpful.) I used self tapping screws - wood to metal specific screws - and screwed into each stud from the outside. (at least two, about three feet apart or so. I'm sure you could use any normal construction screw for this.)
I then covered the screws in clear waterproof caulking to seal them.
Floor Studs
Excuse the mess. The floor studs were easy enough to put in, but instead of making them 16inch apart on center, I decided to do 12 inches apart so the floor had the best structural integrity, and a less likely chance of squeaking or bowing over time. I countersunk my screws through the flooring studs so when I lay my OSB over them, it will be nice and flat. You don't want your screws sticking up at all. I put the studs face down so I can get the most height possible, but that means I'll have to squish my insulation in there pretty tight. We'll see how that goes pretty soon.
I'll be covering this with a layer of my waterproofing barrier before I put my 0.5 inch OSB down as my sub-floor. The printed side of the waterproofing barrier will be facing down.
Cutting the metal - almost ready to frame the door!
Cutting the walls to the outside is an intimidating part of this project, so I leaned back and forth on how I wanted to do this. [It would be unfortunate for you if it poured rain right after you cut that big hole in the wall.]
I was recommended (and was planning) to get a Sawzall to cut through the walls (which is thin aluminum, and construction thickness steel studs), but I watched some people online and thought about the power I need to cut through the steel specifically, so I ended up going to a pawn shop nearby and grabbed myself an Angle Grinder for $40, and I bought a whole pack of new metal cutting blades at the store for close to $20.
This tool is pretty loud, but it's fun and REALLY effective.
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| This is a 4.5inch Ryobi Angle Grinder without a guard or handle. That ducktaped item is my makeshift handle I made using a long machine bolt, sponges, ducktape, and a rubber washer. I tried to find a guard and handle online for this tool specifically, but they are no longer being manufactured so I got creative. |
When you cut through the aluminum it will send little bits of aluminum dust and shavings around while you're cutting, and it's agitating to the skin. It won't necessarily burn your clothes.. but when you hit the steel studs the sparks will start flying - and those will burn your arms and legs if it lands on you. If you ever took metalshop in school back in the day then it'll bring a smile across your face for sure.
When I was planning to cut the metal I worked very early, because I wore my motorcycle gloves (leather gloves, gardening gloves, ect would work great. This is just extra protection in case your hand slips.) Leather doesn't burn, so I wore my leather jacket when I knew I'd have to cut through the studs (and when grinding them down.) I also wore a full motorcycle helmet as a face guard when I was cutting the studs from the inside. Hopefully in your case you have a guard on your angle grinder and you won't have to wear a full helmet or welding face mask.
A 4.5inch grinder blade doesn't cut all the way through the steel studs from the outside, so I had to get back into the truck to finish off the last 0.25inch of the studs. This will inevitably fly flaming sparks all around the inside of the truck with all your waterproofing and wood studs. Don't worry though, those sparks won't catch on fire the studs. (but if you're pressing hard into the steel studs it'll actually melt the corners of the steel. Where those pieces fall will burn through your waterproofing, and your gloves if you happen to touch it. I kept a gallon of water next to me while I cut on the inside, and stopped every couple of seconds. And of course cleaned up anything that could catch on fire around me before I started.)
So lets recap - and add in some extra tips:
*Wear protective clothing (I know it's hot, but wearing pants and fire-retardant clothing is a must. Make sure you take breaks! And by the way, sunglasses were not enough eye protection for even the aluminum dust, let alone the steel sparks. (if you're anything like me you were thinking that would work. sorry.)
*Be aware of your surroundings and have water or an extinguisher available in case something starts to catch on fire.
*If you sealed your joints with rubber, it will burn while you cut through it. It won't catch on fire but it will definitely smell.
There were times where I felt I needed to get it done immediately but was uncomfortable and tired, so I decided to call it a day and finish the rest of that stud tomorrow. That is completely fine. Even if it happened to rain - unless it's raining horizontally - then your studs and waterproofing and such can handle some rain. (I covered the holes with an extra piece of waterproofing barrier to try to keep rain out before I finished them. It worked just fine.)
It's better for you to be safe than cut your hand or burn yourself. This is a great tool and it's very simple once you get the hang of it - it works perfectly, but this part involves hot metal and you just need to be aware of the environment and your limitations. But get excited! You're cutting the walls!
This post was quite long, but hopefully informative. Next time I will be talking about my door framing specifically, and my new window I put in!
Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you next time.
Sincerely,
Kelli
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