Barns and shop layouts

[Pks]

In the process of designing my new barn, I have been closely following the various posts regarding the Workbenches etc. Reading through it all, it dawned on me to start a thread about the layout of the shop and machine storage areas.

I'm thinking of where everyone puts their benches with respect to where the sink is, where the arc welder and gas welder are and where the drill press got located, where the air compressor went and where the windows are located.

Thus far I have determined that my needs dictate a: 30 x 40 foot pole barn with a 10 foot ceiling. Light attic style storage for garden hoses would be nice too. I also would like to have a phone, reference area for manuals, computer (I have an online parts manual for the Bota), sink, hot water, shower area and extra hot and cold water faucets for washing machinery. I intend to leave room for a future drill press and large grinder and arbor press. What else have you people found useful in your shops? Oh, I suppose a vacuum cleaner is in order too.

Reading therrien's post got me to think about more head room over the auto repair portion of the shop.

Here are some of the assumptions:
30 x 40 foot barn.
split the barn into 4 bays, each being 10 feet wide and 30 feet long.
roof peak is along the 40 foot barn length
trusses are parallel to the long axis of the 10 x 30 ft bay

My thought is to have standard trusses (horizontal bottom cord) span the 30 ft. These would allow for some light attic style storage. But these trusses would be used only over 3 of the 4 bays. The single 10 foot wide bay would have trusses that rose upward in the center allowing for increased ceiling height. That would allow a little more headroom for lifting a car on a hoist.

I don't know the name of the truss style that rises upward in the middle, but that type is visable in the top photo of Bill's link.</font color=blue>

Does anyone know if that mixed truss idea would work out well?

Peter

 

[s1120]

<font color=red>30 x 40 foot barn.
split the barn into 4 bays, each being 10 feet wide and 30 feet long.</font color=red>

If you are going to be working on things here, you may do beter with an open layout. You can never have enuff room around you when you are working on something.

I am also thinking of a 30x 40 barn. Mine will be open, except for a 10x20 bay closed off for a clean room. This will be used for painting and stuff.

 

[Bill_in_MI]

They called the trusses "raised chord." On my 36 foot width it gave me an extra 3 feet at the peak of the ceiling. In other words the walls are 12 feet and raise to 15 at the center.

Your post is very relevant. The barn is done...but I am really having a tough time figuring out where to locate everything for the best layout. I'll keep watching here.

 

[Bill_in_MI]

I forgot I was gonna comment on the mixed trusses. I don't know why it would not work out as long as the roof pitch matched. You would have to add some nailers on to the horizontal truss at the transition point and do a little extra ceiling trim-out work to cover the peak at the transition...but it should look just fine. Not a bad idea in my opinion.

 

[RMulkey]

Here is the Barn I just finished. (This is the California wannabe-farmer-who-lives-in-a-place-with CC&Rs kind of barn). It is 53'wide, 42'deep, 16' ceilings. The doors are 12'w X 14'h. It has a clear span with no posts. The entire frame was covered with shear wall to pass local building codes for earth quakes. I am still building a saparate 30' x 50' shop that should be done in ~1month.

Here are some sugestions:
- The mixed trusses should work fine just make sure they have the same load rating, span, and outside pitch.
- I would leave the walls open between at least 2 stalls including the shop area so you can expand temperorarliy while you work. Also 4'x8' sheet goods can be a pain in a shop with 10' ceilings. If buget allows, consider going to 12' in the shop.
- Mount LOTS of windows high on the walls to let the light in and not interfear with benches and wall cabinets.
- If you are going to store a big trailer, consider using 12' wide doors.
- Lots of power connections 20A for 110V, 15A-50A 220V for compressors, dust collection and a welder.
- Phone, desk, and computer locations are great. You may want to enclose them to keep them a little cleaner over time.
- Washer and dryer for rags, shop sink, shower, are great ideas.
- Floor mounted electicals for the machines can keep cords from tripping you. Hubbell makes some great sealed floor boxes with brass plated steel covers that you can drive a tank over.
- For machine locations, The goal is to walk or carry heavy stuff as little as possible. Lumber storage should be located where you can back up to it with your truck. Tablesaw and Radial arm saw should be as close as possible to the lumber racks so you don't need to move the heavy sheet goods or long stock to far. Jointer and Planner next to tablesaw since you switch back and forth a lot. The band saw, drill press, lathe can be just about anywhere but they need LOTS of light. I grouped them together in my currnet shop but will have more room to spread out later. Electirc Welder should be located near the door so you can work outside or inside. Use 1/2" Copper pipe for air connections with locations near the doors and at your work bench. Shove the compressor out of the way but keep it inside to keep down the condensation. In addition to a work bench, I use a assembly table that is 5' x 9' with adustable hight from 16" to 48". Pipe clamps and glueing clamps near the assembly table. Store hand and light power tools in drawers near the workbench or assembly table. Finishing should be done with little to no saw dust. A plastic curtian on tracks from the ceiling makes a great way to temporarily isolate a finishing area.

Hope this gives you some ideas.
-Roger

 

[RMulkey]

Sorry, Here is the picture.

 

[smilingreen]

Niiice...Verrry nice!!!! I wonder if Santa Claus would bring me one of those for Christmas if I promised to be a good boy/w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif ?!!

 

[RobS]

Wow, great looking barn there Roger! Sounds like you've put a lot of thought into it. I'll be watching this thread as I have some design work on my barn complete but it will have to wait until after the house for actual construction... maybe long after /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Gatorboy]

Roger,

That is a pretty steep hill right next to your barn. Do you have any drainage problems when it rains?

 

[Robert_in_NY]

We just finished a 30'x40' barn with 12' ceiling and attic trusses. The attic trusses puts a room 14'x40'x7' upstairs that the guy will use for storage. We added a 6'x6' overhead door upstairs for moving large items and there are two end doors 10'x10'.