Shop Ideas

[Iplayfarmer]

This is going to be a fun thread to watch. There have got to be countless ideas about the ultimate shop.

My input for now...

1) Plan for change and expansion: i.e. freestanding benches along the wall rather than anchored to the wall, tool stands on wheels, etc. Put in electrical service that is bigger than what you need now so you can add later, etc.

2) Run as much wire as you can initially: Including CAT-5, Coax, speaker wire, phone line, etc. the cost is minimal up front vs. the cost to add it later. In a shop a stereo system is a must, especially if you plan to spend much time out there. Additionally the other wire may be needed in the future for a security system, remote wireless stuff, computer, phone...and the list goes on.

3) Electrical Drops from the ceiling: I've always wanted to run my electrical through the ceiling and have drops coming down every so many feet. We've got this setup at the manufacturing facility I work at and I love it. It keeps chords up off the floor and out of the way of machinery.

4) Tall ceiling and pallet racking. Try to round up some old pallet racking. You can store tons of stuff on pallets 3 and 4 rows high and you can have access to it all with out having to move anything else as long as you have a set of forks for your FEL.

5) Office Space: Along with the bathroom and shower, have an area where you can put a desk, computer, and maybe even a couch or a few chairs. The ultimate shop would have this area closed off from the rest of the shop with sound barrier walls.

6) Chalk board: A neighboor gave me a chalkboard and insisted that I put it in my garage that I use for my shop. Reluctantly I did, and I have never regretted it. I write down quick thoughts about a project that pop into my head, I figure angles and geometry on it, I sketch out projects, and I make the list of supplies, etc. that I need for the next time I go to the hardware store. It is indespensible now.

7) Pop can vending machine: This one is just for fun, and it would only be in the ultimate shop. You can set some of these old can vending machines to a free vend and they keep the pop/beer/etc. at the perfect temperature. Plus there's a certain ambiance that it creates that just makes it feel more like the ultimate shop. An inferior solution, but still better than what most of us have, would be a small refrigerator in the office area.

 

[John Chappelear]

Bird, nice work bench and shop. Catman, I have projects that date back going on twenty years now. I've been collecting equipment, vehicles and building material for a long time. I plan on restoring a few old tractors in the near future and maybe a couple of old pickups for the kids in the family.

As far as the shop goes, it will be built by myself with a very small budget and a lot of good ideas. I have enough building supplies to do what ever they will let me get away here in Southern California.

I currently have a 25' x 60' cement slab. I hope to build a 25' x 40' enclosed shop with 25' x 20' shade area that also includes the over head crane/hoist
and outside work space. Where I live, shade is the most important feature.

Last week it was over 100 degrees outside.

I have in the shop now, a Case 450C Dozer, 2 Jeeps, Craftsman Riding Lawnmower, Heath 3 Wheeler and a dump trailer that I'm making out of a old travel trailer.

I really like this site, and the garage journal as well.

Thanks for the advice,

Chappy

 

[svcguy]

It's a bit late for this suggestion, but it has been a great help to me and may be worth mentioning for others. When pouring my slab, I poured an integral pit about 12 feet long. The pit is shallow, but allows me to use a creeper under any of my units. About 28 inches wide and 16 inches deep. I keep it covered with the grates pictured. Often when changing oil, I simply pull two sections in front of the vehicle, climb down and reach under. Pits are not allowed where we are, but even the building inspector was excited about my "drain" and is now considering one for his shop plans.

 

[CATMAN]

John, Do you plan to use air conditioning in the shop? If not, your building probably needs to have two larger equipment doors to provide a breeze thru your shop during those hot periods. My Dad's 60' x 75' machinery shed with a shop in one corner has one set of equipment doors on the south and the main equipment doors on the west. Both have concrete pads outside, when it is cool and sunny, work is performed on the south side. When it is hot, work is inside or on the west pad with the south doors open a little for ventilation/breeze. These are sliding doors so we can vary the openings. Just something to think about in your plans.

 

[John Chappelear]

Catman, I would be nice to have an air conditioned shop, but I'll might have to build a small room in one corner with an a/c so I can do small projects like carburator rebuilds, etc. I like the idea of big sliding doors so you can get larger projects in. I ran my Cat D8 14A for awhile yesterday but it would be too heavy for my slab, so I will continue to work on the heavy stuff in the field.
I move around with the shade during the day, our summers get intense here in the desert.
Does anyone have an idea for a work table? I'm buying a truck bed today (8'x24') and will be making that into a towable work table. I plan on making a bunch of 20' corral panels soon and like the idea of working on a big table.

Chappy

 

[have_blue]

I would like to get some ideas for
work tables, overhead hoists and vice stands.
Chappy

Chappy,

Will you use the shop primarily for metal fabrication, mechanical work, or wood work?

 

[John Chappelear]

Bob, I'll be working on all types of projects including those you mentioned. I also plan on some paint restorations as well. When I first posted this thread
I didn't think about everything a great shop would have in it, but see now that it could change over time. I would like to see how the fabricators have thier vices fastened to the floor or to a work table. I've seen some great ideas so far.

Chappy

 

[MrJimi]

Bob, I'll be working on all types of projects including those you mentioned. I also plan on some paint restorations as well. When I first posted this thread
I didn't think about everything a great shop would have in it, but see now that it could change over time. I would like to see how the fabricators have thier vices fastened to the floor or to a work table. I've seen some great ideas so far.

Chappy

John, don't fasten it to the floor, just make one of these and it's anywhere you want it to be LOL and very portable
http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/4100/sort/1/cat/500/page/2

 

[ctjstr]

By far the coolest work benches I've ever had are sections of bowling lane. Normally, if you can find a bowling alley being dismantled, someone will claim the lanes, then cut them down into about 10' chunks and sell them. I had three in my last shop, so 30' of bench space. Normally they are too wide, so I ripped about 4" off a side and turned it 90 degrees and used it as a back splash. Keep in mind that there are about a zillion nails holding each lane together and you'll go through lots of blades ripping them.
Another thing to keep in mind is that they're heavy. Each section probably weighs about 250 lbs, so it takes 4 strong men and a boy to mess with them.
Surprisingly another problem is that they will sag (across the width) if you don't support them. I used 1" angle iron screwed into the bottom about every 3 feet or so for extra support.
I use sections of 3/4" galvanized pipe for the legs.
Finally, they normally come out of the alley with the sides unfinished, so you need to trim them out.
They take a fair amount of effort to set up, but once you're done, they will make all your buddies drool.

I just moved from our old place and am just building my new shop, so they're sitting on the ground right now. When they're back up in place, I'll post some pictures.

As others have said, lots of outlets are great. Water on a garage type reel is nice. I've also plumbed air all over the place, both along the walls in in drops from the ceiling. In my last shop, I used copper water line for air, but I've used schedule 40 PVC and it works great as well.

I also use a fairly light grey paint on the floor. It makes it easy to clean, plus dramatically increases the reflective light when you're working on your back. The fancy epoxy stuff is nicer, but way expensive.

Dont' forget the fridge painted and made to look like your snap on tool box. Neighbors like that.

Impossible to have too much light. I had several 8' flourescents, plus several warehouse lights up high.

Although it doesn't look as neat as running everything in the walls, I ran everthing, air, power, water, etc outside sheetrock where I can get to it. Makes it so much easier to add things or deal with problems.

I also made curtains out of fairly thick plastic, so that when they drop down, they give me about an 8' by 10' paint spray booth. Just roll them up and tie them to the ceiling when not in use.

Big box fan mounted on the floor, blowing out through some grating I put in the wall. That way when I'm done welding or painting, I can get the air exchanged quicker. Also helps with cooling in the summer.

I've also got a piece of flexible metal dryer vent type stuff which vents to the outdoors. The other end slips over the exhaust of whatever equipment I happen to be working on to help the atmosphere in the shop. Use it for everything except race bikes we have.

Can't have too many small, kitchen fire extinguishers hanging on the walls.

Also can't have too many things that lift stuff. We have air operated table lifts for motorcycles, but we use them for everything, mowers, implements etc etc. I also wouldn't be without our old forklift. You can buy them cheap and they're great to have in the shop for all sorts of stuff. We have an old Hyster 3 wheel model that I think I paid about 1,000 for and its made life way easier.

I also plumbed in a wash tub type sink, that just drains into a dry well out back and hooked up one of those instant hot water deals. Has saved me countless whippings from a ticked off wife for messing up the kitchen sink.

I love building a new shop.

 

[cp1969]

Chappy, I didn't have an overhead hoist or a separate vise stand, but I made my workbenches that I liked better than any I've seen, but of course there may certainly be better ones, depending on your use. I used landscape timbers for the legs, 2 x 4 framing, and 3/4" particle board for the top and lower shelf. They were all assembled with 3" wood screws countersunk (drilled pilot holes first). Then I put cardboard on the top to protect the wood from oils. You can see my bench grinder and 3 ton arbor press on the workbench on the right, but my 4" vise on the left end of the left bench isn't shown in that picture. And of course, I liked having most of my tools on the peg board instead of in tool boxes.

bird, how tall did you make your benches? I have read in many places to make them 32" or so tall but that seems to short to me and I am not tall. Mine is 35" tall.

Your bench looks a lot like mine that I just built the only difference that I can see is that I rabbited the top frame to allow the 3/4" particle board to sit flush with the top of the frame and I mitered the corners. Why, I don't know; I guess I was bored. I am going to build at least one more, maybe two. But am starting to think that tall storage racks might be better--it seems horizontal surfaces just collect junk.

I am too ashamed of the mess in my shop to ever take a picture and post it. Your shop has something that mine does not have....room. In my shop, if I inhale deeply, then turn sideways, I can do a sidewinder-type maneuver to get to the back...in some places.