Pictures of a Doghouse for Model A Engines
 

I just finished this today. My garage is small and full, and I needed someplace to store my Delco Light Plant and a Model A engine. If I remove the Delco, I think it has enough room for 3 Model A engines. Storing parts under those cheap plastic sheets just doesn't cut it. This is so tight it's even mouse proof, but I may put some mothballs in to keep insects out.

I don't think any community has rules against having dog houses, even though it has no door. I got about half the materials free out of a dumpster from a local house remodel, but the things I needed to buy still cost me about $100. I used 3 hinges so I can tip the roof and sides out of the way to work on the engines.

I included a before picture of the Delco I bought off ebay. I used diesel fuel and a soft paint brush to clean it up. It came out good enough to leave it as a survivor, although I may have to repaint the gas tank and the intake tube after I straighten the dent.

I built it on some plastic milk crates, but a nice flat cement pad sure would have been better.

Re: Pictures of a Doghouse for Model A Engines
 

Necessity is the mother of invention. I like it.

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Re: Pictures of a Doghouse for Model A Engines
 

Can you keep condensation out? Cold heavy metal parts like to "sweat" when the weather turns warm and humid after a cool spell. Hopefully you've got that 'doghouse' tight enough, but I've seen some nasty rust when containers like this are opened after a few months or years. Seems like stuff stored just under a roof with open sides will just get mild surface rust but something kept in what looks a weather tight container will still get condensation that never evaporates, just keeps rusting deeper and deeper.

Re: Pictures of a Doghouse for Model A Engines
 

Maybe a vent in the gable?

Re: Pictures of a Doghouse for Model A Engines
 

I thought what a great idea when I first saw it. But then I had second thoughts, what if my wife decided to put me in the Dog House, and there isn't room for both me and the Bar Fridge.:eek::p:p:p
Seriously Tom, it's a good idea.

Re: Pictures of a Doghouse for Model A Engines
 

I wasn't sure if air tight or vented would be best, so I decided to try air tight first. I'm going to put a piece of bare metal in it to see if it gets rusty.

It's plywood fully painted on the inside, fully covered on the outside with thin tar paper, then covered with vinyl siding. This was my first experience working with vinyl siding, so I tried a few different ways to cut it, and found a fine tooth saw blade installed backwards in the table saw works best.

Re: Pictures of a Doghouse for Model A Engines
 

A friend's Dad built a small bunkhouse on skids, disguised as a large ice fishing shack, on his lake lot near Walker.

Re: Pictures of a Doghouse for Model A Engines
 

Thinking outside the square, how about adding a handful of silica gel desiccant? Or rice?

Re: Pictures of a Doghouse for Model A Engines
 

Hang a dessicant pack in there and have no worries. :D

Re: Pictures of a Doghouse for Model A Engines
 

A metal cutoff saw blade that is wore down to around 12 inches, installed in a table saw works great for vinyl siding. A toothed blade can break siding if its a cold day in the fall, even installed backwards. You have to use a bushing on the arbor as a cutoff blade has a larger hole.

Re: Pictures of a Doghouse for Model A Engines
 

If you run a saw blade BACKWARDS, is it sorta' SELF SHARPENING?
Bill Curious

Re: Pictures of a Doghouse for Model A Engines
 

NEAT-O IDEA!!!! If there is ventilation needed, how about some soffit vents like on a real house. Wish there was room for a microwave and refrigerator!

Take Care.

Re: Pictures of a Doghouse for Model A Engines
 

add 2 screened vents , one near the bottom and one up at the top somewhere to prevent condensation forming on inside of walls, roof ( approx. 1 sq. inch / 1.5 sq. ft of floor area).

Re: Pictures of a Doghouse for Model A Engines
 

Before I add vents I will try this for a while and see how it goes.

Last night it rained, and now my beautiful white roof looks like someone threw dirt all over it.
I didn't realize rain had so much dirt in it.

Re: Pictures of a Doghouse for Model A Engines
 

Be sure to place a vapor barrier on the bottom to stop ground moisture intrusion.

I'm thinking if you close it up when humidity is low you'll be fine as built as it sounds like you've got it pretty well sealed up.

Re: Pictures of a Doghouse for Model A Engines
 

Just a thought............I built something similar for my koi pond bio filter. I lined it with 2 inch bead board (Styrofoam) FWIW it has never frozen in 20 years.

Re: Pictures of a Doghouse for Model A Engines
 

It will get pretty warm inside from the sun and since warm air expands, it will find a way out or make a way out. Then when it cools off in the evening, air will come back in bringing moisture with it. And a muggy summer day in Minnesota has plenty of moisture!