A friend said I could help him develop this old farm building into bow shop/knife making place and put up A range there as well. Pretty excited about it. Have to wait til spring though to get started.

He had a nice KOA recurve that he showed me as well

Nice!

Nice!

Gaur,that's a cool looking old place. Good luck.

Nice digs. Places like that speak to people. Go in and lose yourself to your trade. Nybubba

Nice. It has great potential. I'm picturing a bow horse set up to the right with a pile of yellow shavings around it, a few logs laying around, a bunch of osage staves leaning against the side of the shop, a fire pit, rustic camp chairs, yeah baby.

Go for it!

That'll make a fine bowyers and knife shop, congratulations ! Archery range too!

Wow, what a great place!

I like it. Good luck with it. Jim

Thanks all. Really exited about possibilities. Spring won’t come soon enough

Go for it!

I'm going off tack here. Gaur, who will own the building? Who wll pay taxes on it? Upkeep? Utilities? Overhead? Whos money is primarily going into converting it into a shop? Who's tools will be in the shop? Who will stand to benefit financially if the building is used to make something that is sold? What happens if your friendship tanks?

If you guys aren't just looking to have a good time making stuff in your 'hobby house' and are possibly looking to make some money, you better get that worked out -in writing- before anyone has hundreds of hours, hundreds of dollars if not way more, and a substantial tool array investment in the 'hobby house'. FWIW I've seen a number of friendships go completely south -including one of my own- on this 'good buddy' stuff. In fact I can't think of a single time it has worked out in the long run. NO WAY I suggest going in 50:50 with anyone on anything, no partnerships-been there done that- unless they are your biological brother, and even then that may not last. Just sayin. Good luck nonetheless.

Bob understand your concern. His place. He would pay for repairs. I would help with labor. I’ll move my tools there. It’s not a business. More a guys hang out hobby space. Not really worried about it

Well Gaur I'm a carpenter and have literally spent a good couple three hundred hours helping several friends out on their hobby house or shed or running fence, or helping them at work, for trade in hours and also 'just for buds'. Unless it is immediate family, I don't do that anymore and haven't for a couple decades.

Funny, when money gets involved just how that pooch gets screwed. If you aren't on the paperwork, and it is all "Yeah we gonna blah blah blah down the road.", that's probably not gonna get you a cent for your investment of labor, tool usage, vehicular maintenance etc. because something ALWAYS gets in the way.

My opinion is, do NOT do something like this with a friend. It just doesn't work out. I've seen it several times. Bad blood ensues. But good luck anyway Gaur. You deserve it.

Thanks Bob. Owner did repairs on the roof and reshingled it himself . I’m not planing to sink my money into it. But got offered to use the space with him. I currently have a little rental space but since we moved north 20 min I never get over there. Haven’t paid rent there as I traded labor to re roof it

Post a Build along on this deal!!

THAT IS COOL!!

Good luck has a cool vibe to it.

Will be a fun fixer upper.

Have fun Gaur. I like your work. I'm looking forward to seeing more of it in the future.

Now that's cool. In a world where I'm used to seeing shops go out, It's nice to see something like this. Looks like a great place. I'll second the build a long and I wish you guys the best of luck with it.

Cool place, I would add a covered patio on one side for working out doors, wish I still had my shop. Do all my work on a patio now.

Good idea Steve. Someone else I know is taking down a barn and they said I can take wood so I’ll try to get enough for posts, rafter and roof for that

I'll bet you are excited... couldn't happen to a better guy. I do agree with Steve 110% about an roof over work area on one side. When the weather is good the light would be so much better for bow building. I'm about to do this on my shop. Enjoy! Bob

Looks like a great idea Gaur. I do feel sorry for you though. I've lived in Minnesota all my life and I KNOW how fast Spring gets here!!

Gaur, are you staying stateside now? Made what was probably my last trip to Cambodia and Laos this year. Well, maybe!

Looks like a fun place to hang out Gaur. A group of us get together on Tthursday nights for self bow making. It turned into doing about anything you want to do night. I flint knap more than self bow make and others are making flint locks. Sometimes we decide to turn arrow shafts out on the Verita. Who knows what we will make on the next Thursday. One guy owns the place and anywhere from 4 to 8 guys will show up on any given Thursday evening. Been doing this for 5 years now and have never had an issue.

That is a cool old building. It look like it has loads of potential! And it must have a good foundation since it is still straight, level, and plumb. I hope it works out great for you and your buddy.

I do completely agree with Bob Rowlands. Different type of work, but I have helped and pitched in countless times when promised the moon and the stars by friends and relatives, but wisely expected nothing and was satisfied with that. And that is how it worked out. I no longer do that either. Life and decent health is too short to be hoodwinked into taking on other people’s responsibilities. Me and my various tools and equipment work at home unless hired to work elsewhere.

I still choose to help voluntarily, but not be loaded down with another’s responsibility. My reward is that I have helped someone and finished on good terms in good health.

Jon I want to make my own flintlock, get into flint knapping, make more of my own burlap duck decoys , forge knives, build canoes, Osage duck calls etc so Ryan and I were thinking similarly of having it be a place to do all that

Larry I started a non profit called In-Seine “full nets , changed lives”. And I’m traveling the world doing aquaculture projects and make it to thailand and Laos about twice a year. Haven’t worked in Cambodia yet . You could check Out my site www.in-seine.org. Bet your last trip was bittersweet. . Was in thailand from 1993 - 2013 as it’s a big part of me . Take care

Another barn outback for storage and bigger projects like canoes

That has FUN written all over it. Enjoy

Arlone. Yes MN winters are a hard pill to swallow after living in thailand so long. I think I will pour a few bags of concrete on the floor now and get moved in before winter

Don't let business technicalities kill the fun. You own the equipment he owns the place. Share the work and I bet fellow archers in the area will contribute time,for a place to hang out and shoot. That makes it easy to part ways should that ever be necessary. His expenses will be improving his property. Yours will be able to move out. Best of luck to you. I would love to be near or have that opportunity here. >>>----> Ken

Wow dude thats going to be awesome wish you were close to me. We need guys to rise up and become the new shops too. Old boys giving up to many in so many areas.

I always wanted to have a trad shop myself.

Moved the important stuff in today

Also brought my propane tank and cylinder heater. We are going to insulate some and get the floor poured to level it out so I can move in before winter

Nice, that is kind of the way my place started. Lots of TLC and yall will get years of enjoyment out of it. Pappy

PLEASE, PLESE, PLEASE....BUILD-A-LONG ( If Yuh can?) WANNA SEE-UM!

We looked at it more yesterday. Sunday it’s suppose to warm up to 52 so planning to pour some cement to level the broken up floor . There is an old foundation to the right and at one time there was a roof over that area. We figure it was the spot for a carriage and wood

It has a small cellar in it. Hard to believe people lived in such a small space but we figure it was the first house on the farm being there is a stove in it. Owner know who has the original stove and he is going to give it back to him

Pappy we don’t have the land there to hunt on though but it could be a fun hang out for bowbuilding/knapping anyway

That's a beautiful old place. Nice straight lines, looks solid. Have fun there, I'm sure you will.

You have some work to do Randy! It will be cool when youre all done and working inside.

Gaur, iffn this was local here in Southwestern Pennsylvania, I'd be offering help; it looks like plenty of potential.

Here's a thought: before you alter the dirt and get into possible landscaping, take a Metal Detector to that whole area...especially around the steps, walkways, doors, and the path to the other buildings. You might find some stuff that would enhance the total mojo of the site.....

Aloha & 73! Randy

Man, that house has potential written all over it. I agree to an extent with Bob R. But if you are very like minded with this friend, have known each other for decades, I believe it can work out. It takes give and take, and an attitude that getting along and working things out is more important than money, it can work. My brother and I have been friends for the majority of our lives and except for a two year “growth adjustment” have made it work by leaving the almighty dollar out of the equation. Maybe it’s easier bc he’s family.

Very interesting. It certainly has character.

How about an electric “Mathews” sign in the window.

Nope. Just some horns hanging on the walls. Keep the primitive look please.Love it. >>>----> Ken

Very nice!

Sounds like a total blast. Have fun and looking forward to updates.

Poured 35 bags of cement on the floor today

Picture is owner and his son

That's cool, thanks for the updates.

Winter is here in MN already

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