Shop layout

[3RRL]

Is your shop a "personal" shop or are you going to have to meet some kind of manufacturing business code?
For a personal shop I'd use schedule 40 pvc although, like you said people frown on it. So you'll have make a personal decision on safety in case you smash into it. But that's what I use... get several water traps too. Also go to at least 3/4" or 1" is even better. It increases the storage capacity of your tank by a lot. If you're not going inside walls, hang it way high and feed runners down (attached to the wall) to where you can plug in quick diconnects like this:



This is in my crummy little garage shop and only 1/2" line and I wish I'd used 1" instead. I even have an air line next to my desk!

 

[3RRL]

For your own residential type garage / shop you don't need 3 phase commercial power. 220 single phase will work fine.

Unless he has 3Ø machinery in it...

 

[schmism]

Unless he has 3Ø machinery in it...

ever seen how easy it is to find a lebond lathe with a non 3 phase motor?

ever try to get a bridport end mill with a single phase motor? (that wasnt 240/480)

you know I can pick up HUGE 2 stage air compressors off of craigs list for pennies on the dollar because they have a 3 phase motor and one one wants to deal with it. (i see them about once a month in my local version)

Its nice to punch the green on button on the magnetic switch and listen to the 3ph cabinet saw "jump" to life instead of it slowly spin upto speed with a reg 220 capacator start.....

ya for YOUR little "shop" you might not need 3 phase... but id dont have just any "little" shop



and whats up with 1/2" sec 40 pvc pipe pressures. Last i checked it has it clearly "stamped" on it "pressure tested to 600psi" ??? Ive been running 130 psi in it at my current shop for 5 years with narry a problem. (other than i hate air systems with leaks, and dont have enough water drops...)

that and its hard to feed a cabinet sand blaster with 15cfm at 90psi through a little 3/8 rubber hose tacked to the wall

 

[schmism]

This is in my crummy little garage shop and only 1/2" line and I wish I'd used 1" instead. I even have an air line next to my desk!

btw i figured out a while ago drop your airlines off with 45 deg fittings. it releaves a bunch of stress on both the fittings and the hoses.

 

[gordon21]

It may sound nitpicky, but make sure a work surface is on the proper side of any machine you are running. If you are right handed, the flat work surface needs to be on the right of the drill press, vise, etc. Otherwise, you will spend a lot of wasted motions always crossing over with your body or arms.

Think of a 3' wide grill in a restauarant or backyard. If you are right handed and the only work counter is on the left side, you will always be reaching over the hot grill or else doing the 2 step shuffle back and forth. Wasted effort and sometimes a safety issue with too many repeated motions.

 

[InlineDieselFan]

The reason I asked about electrical is I do not want you to make the same mistake I did, the height of the plugs are to low.

I told the electrician my work bench would be about 40 inches high, I came back down a fww days later and my plug ins were 41 inches up from the ground. Now with some more planning and time to start building the benches I would like to have the bench at 42-44 inches, right in the middle of the plug in.

Again I would stress lay out pieces of cardboard or something on the floor to where you think you want to place items. then make notes of where to put a plu and how high, where to put air and how high, etc on down the line.

also as mentioned you are about to spend alot of money!!!

three phase would be nice, but my PUD (public utility district) would not let me run 3-phase. I told the engineer my plans forthe house and shop, and he then set-up everything for two 320 amp panels. One at the house and one at the shop. He siad the only way to go 3-phase is if I was a business then I would be charged business rates for the running of the line from the road to the transformer between the shop and house, instead of about $4,000 it would have went to 1bout $12,000.

When the electrical inspector came out I found out I was not allowed to have two 320 amp panels, but since the PUD guy authorized it to begin with he had no problem.

steve

 

[schmism]

No electrial inspections were im at...

I meet with an AmerenIP "engineer" at my property the other day to talk about options.

She said the best option would be to run primary (12KV) in the conduit i put in underground and set a new padmount transformer on the edge of the building.

That would allow me to have a single 600amp 220v meter base and allow me to split off from there with the various services.

we only have 2 wire primary in my area (ie they dont have 3 phase on the pole)

 

[IslandManMitch]

I started out with a 24'x24'x12' high shop and ran out of space. I replaced it with a 48'x60'x12' high shop and 2 years later I am out of space again. I would have liked to have gone higher but due to hurricanes wind load rules I would have had to have interior walls. I don't think a man with "stuff" can ever have a building big enough. I have 200 amp single phase service because I would have to pay more than the building cost me to have it run to my shop. It would have to come from the hi way several miles away. Then I would have to pay commercial rates with a minimum of like $600 a month whether I used that much or not. No doubt three phase equipment is cheaper to use and buy. Yes I do have a single phase Le Blond but I paid twice as much for it as I could have bought one in three phase. I ran 1" sch 40 for air lines in the insulated walls. I used 1/4" plywood painted white for interior wall covering. I used drywall screws to attach the plywood that way I can remove it if I ever need to repair, replace or add to what is in the wall. My 110 receptacles are at 48" above the floor so it was easy to notch the plywood to go around them. If you have to remove a pole for a large door just add a load bearing header.

 

[JamesH]

If you are going to pour a concrete floor you should really consider putting the tubing in for radiant heating. One of the advantages of radiant in the floor over forced air heat is that the floor acts as a heat sink. When you open that big door and let all the heat out in the winter the floor can bring the temperature back up much quicker than a forced air furnace can bring it up where it is starting almost from scratch.
Connect that up to one of those outdoor furnaces and it makes a great way to heat. The furnace can burn wood that is cut off the property and can also heat the house and your hot water when the house is done.
Is the shed insulated? I looked at my options and plan to have a poly something or other sprayed onto the inside of all the outside walls. It does a great job to provide a air tight barrier. They recommended to me about 3". They quoted me about $2100 for my 30'x40' metal shed, but that does not include the ceiling.
Looking forward to hearing more about what you end up doing, I am also working on my shop.
Regards,
James

 

[CurlyDave]

Consider putting some plumbing in there. At a minimum, a big laundry-type sink. In sort of order of usefullness next up would be a toilet & a shower.

When I build my shop, I am going to have room for an old washer & drier. Greasy coveralls and shop rags get washed in the shop & my wife keeps them out of her nice new machine. A closet big enough for one or two changes of clothes might also be nice -- come back into the house already clean.