On Sunday, July 22, 2018 at 1:57:42 AM UTC-4, -MIKE- wrote:
On 7/21/18 10:00 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
While you guys have been figuring out how to use SketchUp and bickering
about which operating system is best, I've been making sawdust. ;-)

I built this old fashioned way: with a tape measure and a pencil. Well, OK
a couple of tape measures and "Hey! Where the hell did that pencil go now?"

The loft along the back wall has been there for years. Everything else was
designed and built today, on the fly. The only "computer" involved was my
phone playing a whole lot of Allman Brothers, Stevie Ray Vaughan and similar
artists on a Bluetooth speaker. ;-)

https://i.imgur.com/0v44CJq.jpg

Pop Quiz:

There a single piece of wood that serves no actual purpose. It was added for
purely aesthetic reasons.

(It's not the short 2x4 on the upper right. That will be used to hang
seasonal yard equipment, e.g. brooms or snow shovels. I'll probably
finish off all the ends of the shelves in that section. It'll look more
solid/finished.)

OK, so where's unnecessary piece of "structure"?


I'm wondering what the plumbing strap is for.


While that was not included in the quiz, I'll honor the question. ;-)

It is nothing more than the suspenders, no pun intended. The belt is the
double 2 x 4 that supports the front of the loft. At the time of the build
(3+ decades ago) I didn't know enough to be sure that that would be enough
to support to the 11' loft without sagging over time or when I climbed on
top to get stuff from the back.

There is a slight bow in the strap and when I hang on the front of the loft
it does straighten out somewhat, but I can't say for sure if it has ever
actually been under tension.

It is probably unnecessary, but it's been there for so long that I've just
gotten used to it. Maybe as part of the garage clean up, I'll take it down,
but I won't throw it away. As soon as I do, I'll realize that I want to hang
something from it. ;-)