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Perfect shop

Started by shortlogger, November 22, 2014, 01:42:50 PM

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shortlogger

I'm getting my stuff together to build a new shop and it's been my experience in the past when I build something I always see where I could had done it better when it's finished . So I'm looking to glean a little advice from the guys who are already in their shop and see where they would make changes given the chance .
I'm looking at going with a 26x36 on a slab with 10' 2x6 walls . It will be mostly for wood work but I will also need room to pull a tractor or truck inside for repairs ( maybe not too often ) does that sound big enough ? Any good advice on layout or setup ?
1 Corinthians 3:7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase . "NKJV"

mesquite buckeye

What machines will you have in there and will they be shuffled to do work or would you want them all available all the time? How much lumber will you store inside?

How much of a packrat are you and how much stuff is just going to "end up" in there? Don't ask how I know this.

I'm sure I didn't think of something. That is another way the space fills up... :-\
Manage 80 acre tree farm in central Missouri and Mesquite timber and about a gozillion saguaros in Arizona.

Den-Den

I think the "perfect" shop is one that is paid for and gets used.

A few suggestions:
*  Plenty of outlets, located slightly more than 4 ft above the floor.  A sheet of plywood or MDF will not cover them up.

*  An I-beam to run a trolley mounted chain hoist on; will help unload heavy tools

*  A door wide (and tall) enough to get your tractor in.

*  Electrical service bigger than you need right now; will save big bucks later when you need to add power for a new tool.
You may think that you can or may think you can't; either way, you are right.

red oaks lumber

my cabinet shop at home is 32 x 64 10' walls, wish it was alot bigger :)
the experts think i do things wrong
over 18 million b.f. processed and 7341 happy customers i disagree

thecfarm

I would go up with cement or blocks on the sides. This way the water won't be splashing up on the siding from the rain.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

scsmith42

Have a separate room for storage and supplies that is easily accessed from the main shop.  Keep the shop space dedicated for tools and work space, and install both heating and air conditioning.

Set your compressor up outside of the main shop for noise control.  Same thing with your dust collection system.

Allow plenty of room to maneuver around equipment.
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

Don_Papenburg

Add  10 or 20 foot to the length if you plan to pull the truck or tractor in for repairs.  Put a wall between the repair  and wood shop
Frick saw mill  '58   820 John Deere power. Diamond T trucks

whiskers

my 30x40 has 10' walls, the next one will have 12'. Then i 'll say, should have
went 14'.https://forestryforum.com/board/Smileys/default/undecided.gif
many irons in the fire.........

VTwoodworker

I do not have the perfect shop mostly because it is too small.  I am a hobby woodworker and when I originally built my shop I was into mostly small newer machines.  Since then I have been working on upgrading my machines by replacing them by old bigger machines.  My shop is 22'x24 and it was all I could afford at the time.  I really wish that it was twice as long.  I do not like mixing parking or mechanical with the wood shop so I made the doors small enough so I could not get riding mowers etc into the shop.

I vaulted the ceiling to 12' in the center.  This is much better than 10' when swinging plywood.  I designed the shop to have the table saw in the center and put dust collection and power in the floor to the tablesaw.  I wish I had spent the time and money to put more dust collection in the concrete floor.  I have insulated it really well so I heat it in the winter full time so the machines and supplies do not freeze.  I am also glad that I put lots of windows in the shop as well.

If you are limited in what you can build now, I suggest that you situate the shop better than I did so you could add space in the future.  I don'tthink you can have too much space so build what you can but build it well.  I suggest at least 100 AMP panel and place plenty of outlets.  My perfect workshop would have three phase, which I hope to acheive soon with a phase converter.

If possible situate far enough from the house or neighbors so you can make noise when you want. 

Good luck on the quest for the perfect workshop.

Wayne

shortlogger

I like all the ideas so far they are pretty much Where I was going already that confirms them for me .I will have a table saw , band saw , joiner , planer and radial arm saw and who knows later . I already have a lumber barn and a storage building near where the shop will be . It sounds like I might want to think about going a little longer , I might think more about going 50' or so, keep the ideas coming .
Thanks guys .
1 Corinthians 3:7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase . "NKJV"

shortlogger

I would love three phase I may try to come up with a big motor from work and build a rotory phase converter that would give me more options on buying tools .
1 Corinthians 3:7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase . "NKJV"

Don_Papenburg

A shop ,like a machine shed wider is better . You can add length relatively easy . You need space so you are not bumping into machines as you walk around .
My shop now is long enough to run 24' stick through the planer but to tight to walk back past the jointer with them .  It looked huge when it was empty and it was twice the size of my other "shop" . 
Frick saw mill  '58   820 John Deere power. Diamond T trucks

Larry

With a floating slab use #4 rebar and don't even think about fiber or screen.  The rebar will keep it from moving when it cracks.

Heat and air conditioning...especially air conditioning are nice.  It can be done cheaply with good insulation.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

redprospector

My last wood shop was 40' x 50'. It had plenty of room...for about a month, then I was trying to figure out how to add on to it.  :D
1996 Timber King B-20 with 14' extension, Morgan Mini Scragg Mill, Fastline Band Scragg Mill (project), 1973 JD 440-b skidder, 2008 Bobcat T-320 with buckets, grapple, auger, Tushogg mulching head, etc., 2006 Fecon FTX-90L with Bull Hog 74SS head, 1994 Vermeer 1250 BC Chipper. A bunch of chainsaws.

starbits

One thing I have considered for my next shop is to put 3/4" pvc in the concrete spaced side to side every 5 feet.   Then when I move machines or add a new one it is a simple matter of running a chalk line to find the closest pvc point and drill a hole through the concrete to the pvc pipe.   Then run the wires to one side to a trough and down the trough to the breaker box.   Power close by no matter where the machines are or how many you accumulate and no power cords dangling from the ceiling or running underfoot.

Starbits

hackberry jake

I like the idea of running pvc in the concrete. I have power ran to a lot of my machines overhead. Which is way better than tripping over extension cords but still looks cluttered and makes it harder to swing lumber around. Mine is an insulated 24x40 and if I had it to do over again it wouldve been at least a 30x50. A wood stove and a wood shop go together like peas and carrots. Most of what I heat my shop with is cut-offs and miscellaneous scrap from woodworking. I have one garage door on each 24" wall. This is nice when it's hot out because I can open both doors and get a breeze through the shop. My biggest tips would be plenty of lights, plenty of outlets (240 volt outlets as well), plenty of insulation, and plenty of room.
https://www.facebook.com/TripleTreeWoodworks

EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

SawyerBrown

When I start something like this, I lay it out on graph paper, using little strips of paper/cardboard to represent the area required for given machines (or furniture or whatever).  For example, your table saw might require 8' of width and 10-12' on both ends (depending on how long of boards you think you might be cutting), so make sure you've got that much room allocated; or can move it where you need it if necessary.  Lay out all your machines to make sure they all fit, including additions/upgrades later. 

I think in my ideal shop the bigger/stationary machines would line the walls (where you have easy access to power and vac system), and the smaller tools and work space in the middle.  Cabinet counter tops also make great off-feed tables if built at the right height and maximize the use of space.

Also, have you thought about a "clean room" for staining/finishing while you're creating sawdust elsewhere?

Just some thoughts ...
Pete Brown, Saw It There LLC.  Wood-mizer LT35HDG25, Farmall 'M', 16' trailer.  Custom sawing only (at this time).  Long-time woodworker ... short-time sawyer!

clww

I would add don't skimp on plenty of overhead lighting. Painting the walls white helps out, too.
Many Stihl Saws-16"-60"
"Go Ask The Other Master Chief"
18-Wheeler Driver

mesquite buckeye

Quote from: Larry on November 23, 2014, 08:00:28 PM
With a floating slab use #4 rebar and don't even think about fiber or screen.  The rebar will keep it from moving when it cracks.

Heat and air conditioning...especially air conditioning are nice.  It can be done cheaply with good insulation.

Remesh is also a good solution and easier to lay out. 1/4" rods on a 4" spacing are around $70 for a 7 X 20 sheet. This stuff makes a really strong concrete.
Manage 80 acre tree farm in central Missouri and Mesquite timber and about a gozillion saguaros in Arizona.

woodweasel

Heres mine, just got it dried in. 42'x50', with 8'x12' on back side for head. 30'x50' enclosed, with 12' shed. I'm wiring it for 200 amp service smiley_beertoast

  

  

  

  

 

mikeb1079

im currently setting up shop in the neighbors barn, it's 28' x 32' w/ 10' ceilings.  i plan on doing exactly what you described:  setting up a woodshop but with a bay for working on the mill and vehicles.  i shouldn't complain but i will:  it's too small.   :D
that's why you must play di drum...to blow the big guys mind!
homebuilt 16hp mill
99 wm superhydraulic w/42hp kubota

bigred1951

my stepdads garage is 50'x100' so pretty big but they fill up with stuff fast. Still have plenty of walking room and some spare space here and there. Im not sure on the ceiling height tho, it does have electric in it but the original guy who owned the property and built it just put an underground line running from the house so if you try to run a table saw or anything to much in the shop it likes to blow fuses and such.

SawyerBrown

I think that's a Murphy's Law thing: no matter how big you build it, you'll find a way to fill it up with more stuff.  Especially if you're a pack rat and can't stand to throw anything away.  SawyerBrown's New Year's resolution: get rid of everything that hasn't been used in 2 years or more.  That includes an old 1982 Honda CB900 Custom, a Cub Cadet mower, and a Bachtold weed mower -- get 'em running and get rid of 'em!  Mrs SawyerBrown would call that "a good start".   :D
Pete Brown, Saw It There LLC.  Wood-mizer LT35HDG25, Farmall 'M', 16' trailer.  Custom sawing only (at this time).  Long-time woodworker ... short-time sawyer!

MattJ

One comment I would add is that there is no such thing as the perfect shop.  As soon as I get my next "perfect" layout done I see something I want to change. 

That being said, flexible utilities as a few people mentioned is great.  I ran my electrical around the perimeter using wiremold.  It's cheaper than conduit, robust (metal) and you can move outlets very easily and change service as needed.  The size I used was around 2"x4" in cross section and easily handled five or more circuits of sheathed wire.

I also agree on white paint.  I used exterior high gloss white superpaint to make it easy to clean or wipe down. 

If I had to do it over I would add a beam overtop where I could have a hoist from.  That would be helpful for heavy projects or servicing the tractor, etc.

I also made my counters around the shop cantilevered (i.e. brackets connected to studs, no legs) which makes it easier to store items under the counters and also to sweep up under them.

Last I would make it with the ability to get lots of natural light.  Mine is a 2-car garage and with the door closed its dark. 

Hope this helps

mesquite buckeye

How about a gantry crane? Then you can move equipment and any heavy stuff any time anywhere you want. ;D
Manage 80 acre tree farm in central Missouri and Mesquite timber and about a gozillion saguaros in Arizona.

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