Building out a work shop

[WideAWAKE]

So as soon as the county signs off (4-6 months as we move quick around here haha!) I’ll be pouring the foundation and finally getting my workshop up and running.

30x30 with 12ft walls.

So, the question is what are the things that make your work shop an enjoyable place to be??

Successful shelving??

I know for certain I will have an area with my lathe and mill set up, a bike stand (or two) to work on projects.

The back 10ft will have a loft 7ft up for general storage.

I would like to have a 10-12ft work bench on wheels that will live in the center of the shop and another work bench running 20 or so feet across one side wall.

Hit me with any and all tips or ideas??

I’ve spent the last 5 years working out of small little barns/sheds so it’s time to set it all up proper.

 

[Mailman]

It sounds like you’ve got some good ideas rolling already. You can never have too much bench area, lights and plug ins. Sounds like you’re going to have a nice big shop. I also had a wall of storage cabinets built which I really like.
Some other things I really like are,
pegboards,

You can hang an amazing amount of stuff on your walls. Walmart makes a good and inexpensive wall storage systems and they also sell inexpensive metal racks.


This may have been one of the best things I did. I went into my attic space and added some metal bracing straps and installed a lifting ring in the ceiling, then I bought a chain hoist. This thing was a revelation for me. It makes lifting heavy motors absolutely effortless, by yourself.


Good luck with your garage, keep us posted with photos!

 

[Jim]

First off.... you suck. My house has only marginally more sq ft than your shop will have.

What Bob said. I just recently put pegboard in my garage. I'm still in the organizing stage with it, but I already love it.

Like me, you're a painter. Wall off a nice paint room. A dirty room my be a nice addition too.

And stereo... and wet bar... and....

 

[WideAWAKE]

MM - a hoist is a great idea!!! That will definitely be going on the list!

Jim - my house isn’t much bigger than this workshop will be haha but the upside of livin in the country is we got some space. And the main reason for the big work shop is I currently have a 12x16 shed I use for building surfboards and paint work/dirty work but as I got back into motorcycles it is now filled with bikes and I can’t work in there. I have projects lined up that need to be built but I can’t do em while it’s a parking lot haha.

I have peg board in my shaping shed and I very much like it.

The new work shop will be a steel building so I’ll have to work out a way to hang it.

But that did get me thinking… an area to clean (parts washer and a proper blast cabinet a some point).

I can finally get my welder properly set up too. It’s buried in a shed.

Will definitely have a stereo - wet bar may get me in some trouble haha.

 

[Mailman]

One more thing I love having in my shop, is a laundry sink. The perfect place for washing up when you’re all gunky!

 

[Downeaster]

1. What MM said about outlets. Way too many is just about enough.

2. Light. Figure out what you need, then double it. LED is the only way to go.

3. Ventilation. This is one place I wish I'd paid more attention to in my shop. Welding smoke, fumes from cleaning solvents, stanky varnished gas, etc.

4. ROOM!!! I'm enough of a klutz that if there's anything within 6 feet of me, I'll trip over it or whack an elbow on it. I was limited by the existing building or else I'd have a minimum of 25% more room.

5. Retractable air hose and power cords. No matter how many outlets you have (See #1) you will eventually find a need for an extension cord and the retractable sort is more likely to be properly stowed when not in use that that 50 footer you're always tripping over (See #4)

Just a personal note: Be SURE you want a rolling bench/table. I've been there in the past and hated it. The advantage of being able to move it was more than outweighed the the fact that it moved. Particularly when you didn't wan it to.

 

[WideAWAKE]

1. What MM said about outlets. Way too many is just about enough.

2. Light. Figure out what you need, then double it. LED is the only way to go.

3. Ventilation. This is one place I wish I'd paid more attention to in my shop. Welding smoke, fumes from cleaning solvents, stanky varnished gas, etc.

4. ROOM!!! I'm enough of a klutz that if there's anything within 6 feet of me, I'll trip over it or whack an elbow on it. I was limited by the existing building or else I'd have a minimum of 25% more room.

5. Retractable air hose and power cords. No matter how many outlets you have (See #1) you will eventually find a need for an extension cord and the retractable sort is more likely to be properly stowed when not in use that that 50 footer you're always tripping over (See #4)

Just a personal note: Be SURE you want a rolling bench/table. I've been there in the past and hated it. The advantage of being able to move it was more than outweighed the the fact that it moved. Particularly when you didn't wan it to.

Great insight.

1 and 2 - I will have a receptacle every 6ft per code. I plan to install some basic lighting, work out my layout and then fine tune it.

3 - it’s coming with a roll up a man door and windows on all sides. Might need to think about an exhaust fan. I’ve built a few exhaust systems at a few surfboard factories I helped build. Good point!

4 - 30x30 is about as big as I can go dollar wise, that’s why I opted for a higher roof to be able to build a storage loft in the back. If I could go bigger I would!

5 - I had been thinking about that. I ran a carbide grind shop about 10 years ago and we had the tank plumbed with hard line around the whole building and drop down hoses. Would certainly be nice! Have to track down a decent compressor. My lack of space has had me bound to a small 10gallon.

As for the table. I definitely want something I can access from all sides. The moving it isn’t the big part for me. It’s access. My original idea was some sort of retractable/removable castors. I definitely want it solid when not being moved.

 

[WideAWAKE]

One more thing I love having in my shop, is a laundry sink. The perfect place for washing up when you’re all gunky!

That is what my wife is most looking forward too. Haha. Scrub down before entering the house.

 

[40north]

Unistrut makes a 450 lb capacity rail and roller-travelers. I suspended this with three hoists such that I can "fly" more than 800 lbs from one end of shop to other. Lotta work to hang, I used six 2x12's and 1/2 " allthread. Strongbacks, and so forth. If interested I'll take pictures. See Unistrut catalogue..it's online.

I put up LED lamps in brooderhouse reflectors (Tractor Supply) and added lights until I got to whatever lumins is specified for detail work. (Using antique light meter)

Best!

 

[Downeaster]

 

[halfmile]

It sounds like you’ve got some good ideas rolling already. You can never have too much bench area, lights and plug ins. Sounds like you’re going to have a nice big shop. I also had a wall of storage cabinets built which I really like.
Some other things I really like are,
pegboards,
View attachment 242529
You can hang an amazing amount of stuff on your walls. Walmart makes a good and inexpensive wall storage systems and they also sell inexpensive metal racks.
View attachment 242530View attachment 242531View attachment 242532View attachment 242533

This may have been one of the best things I did. I went into my attic space and added some metal bracing straps and installed a lifting ring in the ceiling, then I bought a chain hoist. This thing was a revelation for me. It makes lifting heavy motors absolutely effortless, by yourself.
View attachment 242536View attachment 242537

Good luck with your garage, keep us posted with photos!

Bob what you have is the Garage Mahal.

 

[Mailman]

Bob what you have is the Garage Mahal.

On a tiny scale!

 

[willis]

The loft is a great idea. With 12’ wall that gives you a ton of storage above your head. Make the most of it. 30x30 sounds big but fills up fast. Anything you can do to give yourself more floor space is a bonus. And a hoist to get big stuff up into your lift would be a great idea.

 

[WideAWAKE]

The loft is a great idea. With 12’ wall that gives you a ton of storage above your head. Make the most of it. 30x30 sounds big but fills up fast. Anything you can do to give yourself more floor space is a bonus. And a hoist to get big stuff up into your lift would be a great idea.

Yeah I don’t think I’ll have a problem filling it haha.

All the hoist/wench ideas are great. I never thought serious about a big one but it’s on the list now.

My dad has a few hand carts left from his old shop that have little and crank crains on em that I will take possession of as well.

Like this, just a little more worn in haha.

Phase 2 will be to build a 10ft lean-to that runs the length of the shed to provide outside cover for things that don’t need to be indoors but just covered. My hoarding of old growth redwood haha.

 

[Grimly]

So, the question is what are the things that make your work shop an enjoyable place to be??

Shelving, racking, lighting (can't have too much of that), insulation in the walls and roof and doors that shut tight and are draught-free. Electric sockets every few feet, a compressed air ring main around the ceiling corners, with drops at strategic locations where they'll be most needed.
Ideally, compressors outside in their own house, but upstairs if needed (keeps noise down).
Last, but by no means least; a decent sound system.
I've not bothered putting my old TV in there as it would just distract me.

 

[WideAWAKE]

Shelving, racking, lighting (can't have too much of that), insulation in the walls and roof and doors that shut tight and are draught-free. Electric sockets every few feet, a compressed air ring main around the ceiling corners, with drops at strategic locations where they'll be most needed.
Ideally, compressors outside in their own house, but upstairs if needed (keeps noise down).
Last, but by no means least; a decent sound system.
I've not bothered putting my old TV in there as it would just distract me.

I have thought a 50” screen would be nice to have to put up webpages/manuals while doing work.

My mother in law works at a fancy hotel on the beach here and they get rid of/upgrade their tvs every few years.

 

[Jim]

I have thought a 50” screen would be nice to have to put up webpages/manuals while doing work.

I don't have a 50" screen, but I do have a computer out in the garage/workshop. It's worth it's weight in gold for working on bikes and such.

 

[40north]

Dunno about what's right for you, but I made a paint corner with suction through furnace filters, plenum, blower to poptop duct . It's screwy because everything was salvage, and I had to do a lot of sheet metal layout/weld/bend. It was worth the trouble. sprayspray. Next modification is going to be fire sprinklers in duct... weldweld ain't very far from sprayspray... I doubled the cheapest filters from the boxstore. Work bitchen.

 

[motormike]

I'd avoid the rolling large bench...takes up a lot of floor space.... The H/Frieght lift works well with a Red Line tire clamp... just like the Handy clamp.... get a hard top mechanic cart.... with drawers... Overhead air.... plenty of lighting.... electrical plugs above work bench..... on all the walls...... floor shelfs.... big enough to hold plastic bins for the project you're working on.... small air compressor.... small fridge to keep sodas cold and a brewski or two for buddies. I attend a last Thursday of the month garage get together at a buddies garage. Break out a large folding table.. chairs... chips...munchies.... lots of tire kick'n BS.

 

[ThatXS650Guy]

There are lots of garage/workshop set-up tips here: Garage Journal. You'll also find our old XS650 friend Coconut Pete hanging out there.
I have an 1,100 sq ft. garage but am slow-motion building a 22x19 steel building for storage.