Year after year, Mark Schnell had trouble with the control panel for his new grain dryer: The company would replace the computer board, but “then the following year, same thing,” he says. “Maybe it was the radiation heat off the bins – I couldn’t put my finger on it. I figured, I keep everything else inside, why not this?”
He designed a shed to give the well-sealed control board extra protection. His friend Jeff Ebenhoeh, a professional carpenter, helped Schnell construct the building. The once-annual difficulty with the panel is now a distant memory.
With everything sealed, the building keeps out rodents, too. Cuts made for conduit were resealed with rubber. Before he closes it for the season, Schnell blows out the space with a leaf blower, wipes it down, and closes up the three doors.
Schnell’s father, Larry, inspected the structure and commented, “That’s not just a shelter – it’s a dollhouse!” recalls Schnell.