Garage for Power Trac and Shop

Marks481 · Dec 9, 2007

woodlandfarms said:
It kills 3 things...

Yep, I would agree with that. In the winter, the cars bring in dirt, sand, snow, mud, salt... all things you want nowhere near your cast iron woodworking equipment. Woodworking, even with a great dust collector arrangement, tends to settle fine dust everywhere... it is alot easier to keep horizontal surfaces cleaner when there is no car parked over the top of them.

The floor of my garage gets incredibly dirty in a hurry, while my workshop floor stays clean...ok, clean with a light layer of fine sawdust

. I shared a garage with a car and my welding equipment, and didn't like it. My car got dirty, using the garage bay required me to clean up BEFORE and AFTER using it for assembly. I never tried putting my woodworking equipment in with a car...

woodlandfarms · Dec 9, 2007

My FIL Built a very cool and cheap central vac for his woodshop with just PVC...

BobRip · Dec 9, 2007

Tim_in_CT said:
Yep, I would agree with that. In the winter, the cars bring in dirt, sand, snow, mud, salt... all things you want nowhere near your cast iron woodworking equipment. Woodworking, even with a great dust collector arrangement, tends to settle fine dust everywhere... it is alot easier to keep horizontal surfaces cleaner when there is no car parked over the top of them.

The floor of my garage gets incredibly dirty in a hurry, while my workshop floor stays clean...ok, clean with a light layer of fine sawdust . I shared a garage with a car and my welding equipment, and didn't like it. My car got dirty, using the garage bay required me to clean up BEFORE and AFTER using it for assembly. I never tried putting my woodworking equipment in with a car...

I don't really plan to have cars in the shop, except during maintenance. I have the lift in my present garage and and trying to decide if I should leave it there. It's Ok where it is, but I can only raise it about 2 feet before the truck hits the loft.
I will have both metal and wood working in the garage. Some tools do both. I may put the metal tools in the car section and the wood working in the other section with the common tools in the middle.

These comments are really helping me solidify my design. Thanks very much to all.

I am going to look at wood stoves this week. I am torn between the wood stove (I have 9 acres of woods and give away wood every year) which takes up floor space, and a propane heater, which cost to operate, but takes up no floor space and is easy to use. I think what I will do is put in the wood stove and if I get desperate for space or tired of handling wood, I would pull it and put in the propane heater. The wood stove should pay for itself in the meantime. Should I get a catalytic converter?

RegL · Dec 9, 2007

BobRip said:
Toy, my wife has given me a limit of two out bulidings. I already have two tool sheds, but I "hid" one behind the other. I had better build this one big enough.

I am planning on a 9/12 roof pitch and a stairway up the back to access it. That should give me a room about 12 X 48 feet. I hope that is enough.

Thanks for the comments.

Build big barn. Than you can hide more tool sheds behind it.

3238dpw · Dec 9, 2007

Bob here are some ideas for heat. When I build my building I will do some of this

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/111147-solar-heated-shop.html

$350 Solar Heating Thermosyphon Collector

THIS $30 SOLAR SETUP HEATS A 30 X 40 WORKSHOP FOR FIVE HOURS OR MORE EVERY SUNNY WINTER DAY

Bob999 · Dec 9, 2007

You might want to consider using the high output (HO) flouresent fixtures--they have higher light output per foot of bulb and they start down to zero degrees F, while standard flouresent fixtures have problems below 50 degrees.

I have a 40 by 40 outbuilding with 12' ceilings. I have 8 eight ft HO 2 bulb fixtures and find it provides a good general level of lighting--but not adequate for close work.

ponytug · Dec 9, 2007

Bob,

Put in a tile stove in a lean to outside- that way you can burn cold air, radiant heat into the room and keep the surface temperature below easy ignition of volatile fumes.

They take longer to heat up, but they put out a nice radiant heat all day.

On the workshop: Definitely put a wall up between woodworking and metal working. Fire danger, rust spots appearing in water based finishes, etc.. You don't need the agrovation.
You probably don't want quads- you will be tempted to put too many items on the same circuit, unless you charge a lot of cordless tools.

For the vacuum collector-use heavy wall PVC Sch. 40 or so. The lightweight stuff will collapse.

All the best,

Peter

Gravy · Dec 9, 2007

On the central vac plumbing - the stuff in my house looks like PVC conduit. Sch 40 pipe should be fine.

For a divider between metal & wood working - how about one of those roll-up doors like the mini-storage places use? Or a clear strip door. Or even a fire-retardant fabric like a welding blanket. It shouldn't need to be insulated.

You've got a lift? I'm SOOOO jealous! After 20+ years of being able to work on my cars on lifts, getting out of the mechanic biz has a downside. I HATE jackstands & creepers...

Dave (AKA Gravy)

BobRip · Dec 9, 2007

The pipe used for central vac is so cheap there is no need to substitute something more costly. I kinda like using a good shop vac. It has a larger hose and is not as likely to clog when big stuff is picked up. I will probably run some tubing for a central shop vac. Another good point.

BobRip · Dec 9, 2007

BobRip said:
The pipe used for central vac is so cheap there is no need to substitute something more costly. I kinda like using a good shop vac. It has a larger hose and is not as likely to clog when big stuff is picked up. I will probably run some tubing for a central shop vac. Another good point.

Compressed air is good too.