I signed the purchase order yesterday for my new to me garage, shop. My Closing date is Jan 15th. The barn is about 1500 sq ft with 20' ceiling height. The property is 6 acre’s so I will have a lot of room for expansion down the road. Here is photo: The first thing I have to do is put a new overhead door in the front, thinking about a 12 x 14 door, do you guys think this is big enough. I will also have to put in a bigger parking area and driveways. The property has well water but no septic and no natural gas. Thinking about propane or oil and small septic system with small bathroom. My office will stay in my home so all the space will be used for storage and maintenance. This will be my first shop set up so any suggestions on: Heat Compressors Lighting Plumbing for air Work benches Storage bins paint equipment Good vendors for shop stuff, Must have tools, etc. I know that I will be buying stuff as I need it and budget will allow. My goal is not to bust my checking account so I need stuff that will work but not necessarily the most expensive. I would like to make the shop usable as soon as possible but by no means complete, I will take a couple of years to do that.
Congrats on the new building! It will certainly make your life easier. 12 x 14 door is plenty. Mine is 10 x 14 and does fine, unless your really planning on some big equipment. As for heating, look into radiant tube heating, they can be set up for propane. It's basically just a steel tube with a reflector that runs the length of your shop with a burner on one end, and exhaust on the other. IMO much better than forced air. If it's not insulated, that would be the first step, then you could heat it fairly well with just a big kerosene torpedo heater. As for an air compressor, if you are doing painting and running air sanders, go as large as you can find or afford. At least 5hp with an 80 gallon tank. I would'nt go crazy with workbenches or tables, as invariably they just become junk storage and your doing your work in a spot that you shoved the junk out of. I moved into my new shop about a year ago, but up until now was to busy to do any work to it. I hope you can start sooner!
I would look into wood/coal for heat. My dad used to use natural gas heaters to heat his 40x90 block garage, but the bill would be about 800-1000 just to keep it at 50 degrees. Last year he put it a wood burner and it keeps the place at about 60 degrees. He uses mostly coal, but loads it up with coal and wood at night and it last until morning. This is the stove he has. http://www.hitzer.com/model82.html But congrats on the purchase.:thumbsup
I would go 14x14 for the doors make it wide an easy to get in and out and at least if you get a bigger machine you will not have to redo. Radiant heat is nice but you need it on all the time for it to work I would sudgest since you will not be there all the time to put some kind of hot air heat it fast to heat up and you can put it up when you need it and just keep it down when not there or off and have a sublimental unit for the water in the bath room.
Shop Door Quote: jmac: The first thing I have to do is put a new overhead door in the front, thinking about a 12 x 14 door, do you guys think this is big enough. Put in the tallest door that will fit your wall... You may need it in the future. Don't do like I did and build a shop with doors big enough for every machine I owned and then, a year later, buy a loader that was two inches too tall for the doors... Luckily I had room on one end to put in a bigger door. srs
That is a decent sized shop your probably going to want to insulate it if your going to put heat in it. Look into a used oil furnance not cheap but if you have a good supply of used oil man they put out a nice heat. As for doors get the tallest ones you can afford as you have to remember when that door is rolled up its eating into your ceiling space which you will need if you want to tilt the box up on your dump truck. What does the barn have for a floor ? How many amp electrical service ? Good Luck hopefully you get the place :thumbsup
I'm jealous... Good luck with it anyway. :thumbsup
Jeff should be able to answer your door question an how to modify one if it is to small. :bouncegri If you want tools that work decent but are not expensive then go to Harbor Freight. You'll get some good ones and you'll get some junk but for the most part their tools work pretty good. Don't be disappointed if you get something that doesn't work as on some things its kinda hit and miss. If something does stop working then just take it back for an exchange. Stay away from the 4" grinder. :spaz
Or how not to motify one.:wink2 It looks like Jmac has everything covered I'd recommend. I prefer overhead doors over sliding doors because of problems opening a sliding door in the winter after a heavy snow. Also a welder would be a good addition, and a BIG vise too. Possibly a sliding overhead chain hoist on an "I" beam if money permitted. I also never have enough heavy duty jack stands. I'd watch the paper for auctions. I like going to farm auctions. Alot of good used shop stuff can be picked up at them. If they're legal in Jmac's area, I'd look for a fuel tank for his equipment like farms have.(gravity feed, on a stand)
I forgot, if it doesn't have heat yet one of the first things I'd recommend getting is a "Reddy Heater"(or Nipco(?) A portable fuel oil jet heater:yup ). They're real nice for heating up a portion of the shop when working if it's cold. It can get you through until a furnace is installed. If you burn Kerosene they burn pretty clean, but if you run #2 they'll stink up the shop quick, and give you a headache. after you get the full blown shop heat the Reddy Heater still comes in real handy to have around for other things.
Thanks for the advice everyone! I do have a ready heater I think it is 115,000 btu, think that will be enough to get started. Would like to add a heating unit, I like the idea of heating the bathroom only when not using the barn. The well is gravity flow with 5 gpm flow as of last week. I have to take the second floor down and will use insulation from that and insulate the roof real good. The second floor is supported by steel beams so could use them over for some sort of lift and will need them for a header over the new garage opening. The first floor ceiling is now 9' and the second story is like 14'. The walls are block about 10' up then wood the rest of the way. The electric is somewhat new, breakers, line amps, but I will need 220 outlets. The garage door can be 14' tall so maybe that’s a good idea; don't want to do a "Jeff" if I can help it. Floor is concrete and in good shape. Was also thinking of a fuel tank to store farm fuel, I hear it is .50 less than over the road. I bought a stick and mig welder last year so have that. I do think that I need some sort of bench and big vise like Jeff says. Also need racking for tools, pumps, saws, etc. It is a done deal unless the deed has something in it I wasn't told about or some other big issue but the purchase offer is signed by the seller; I know not a done deal until closing. You really don't make money with a shop like equipment but if I can maintain my equipment to protect my investment that I have made in equipment than that makes sense to me. Also my wife and neighbors will be happy to see all my stuff out of my side yard. I was thinking of a bar, pool table, and big screen tv :thumbsup Any other ideas, after looking at the pictures of Dawn’s shop I got some ideas, he has a very nice shop. Any photo’s of others out there, especially inside. Thanks again
I use a waste oil heater and charge $1.00 a gal for the local shops to dispose of there waste oil. That way I get paid to heat my shop. I had to get a EPA # to transport waste oil but it did not cost anything. My shop is 1800 sq ft and insulated and I burn 1000 gal a year to heat it. The heater burns 3.65 gal an hour and puts out a lot of heat. it will burn anything from ATF to 55 waight oil. and #2 if I should run low. but does not pur out as much heat on fuel oil as it does on motor oil. The heater should cost around $5 to $6 thousand but I have made that back many times over. If the oil is not clean it requires me to clean the unit twice a year which takes about 3 hours to do it right. If you do not have a cement floor yet then I would look into putting tubing through the floor and buy a waste oil boiler, then heat the slab. That would be the cats meow. Insulation is the most important item you could spend your money on. no sence in heating the outside. Lighting, If you go with floresent then go with the high output ones so they work when it is cold. The inside walls should be painted white to reflect as much light as posable. It is like free light after they are painted white. Door should be atleast 12' wide but a 14' wide one would be much better. and at least 14' high. Install an electric door opener and save your back and also the door as it is less ware on the door. about $750 for the door opener for a 14' door. Aircompreasure? I second the atleast 5 hp and 80 gal tank. Bigger if you will have 2 people using air for body work of any kind. Do not skimp on your shop it will be the most important tool you will ever have. It is a very good investment. for ever $ you put into it you will get 2 dollars back when you go to sell it. Dwan
Thanks Dawn, if you look at the post before yours, your shop is what I would like to emulate. You also said that it is the best investment you can make, when you sell it. You could be correct but I hope I don't sell it till I retire. The work you did on your grader was great and that could not of happened with out your shop. That made you money and gave you some enjoyment (I hope), so that is the most exciting part to me, besides just being able to take care of my equipment like I should. I have not been able to do that to date.
Having a shop to work in is so nice. I look forward to working on projects in the shop more than anything else in life. I don't know if that's sad or not, but it's true.:bouncegri
Jeff, I don't know if it is sad or not either, but I think, wait I know, that I am the same way. :yup
My "shop" is actually 4 different buildings, or parts of. My 27'x54' pole barn, a two car garage/seperate shop, and a breeze way (doors both end) that attaches the house to the garage. I still don't have enough room though. Here's my shop(note: not as neat as Dwan's), my chain fall set up in the breeze way, and the barn.
Nice setup Jeff. Shops ain't sposed to be clean. If they were then you could find everything which would cut down on the time you spend in the shop.:nono
Thanks, but I think you're being too generous. I figured if I posted my work area as a base point, the truly "nice" shops could follow.:bouncegri Maybe I'll win the lottery, then I'll have the "dream shop" built.:yup
Jeff, that could be a show on Discovery. Win your dream shop, I want to be the first. Your shop is a lot better than what I have. I had no shop and was working out side. The best part is you still get alot done, like your dozer, and enjoy it along the way. Also very nice to have your shop next to your house, you can walk. I have to drive about 2 miles to mine. How often do you need a chain hoist?
door on my shop is 14 x 14. how i wish i'd have gone 16' wide. i made the mistake when we built our snow pusher for loader 13' wide. now when we come in at nite, if you're by yourself, tired...that only leaves 6" on each side. sounds like a bunch unless it's slippery, and you're tired
Dayexco, sounds like maybe you rearanged you door stops a little. :Banghead I will look in to a 16' x 14' door, a 12' x 12' insulated cost around $1500 installed, I will price out a bigger door with opener. I bet it will be $2000-$3000 bucks. Post a photo of yours inside and out so I can get some ideas if you don't mind. Thanks
It's not all that often really. Before I had a tractor with a loader, or a skid steer I used it more often. If you need to remove an engine from something it's nice. I was using it alot to remove my fuel transfer tank from the pickup when I needed to put the camper in the back, but alot of the same stuff can be done with forks on a loader. The hoist is just just more controlable. Trying to lift a car or truck engine out or put it in with a loader can be tricky.
Congrats on your new to you shop. Looks good in the photo jmac. There's nothing in the world like going back to the shop on a rained-out day to putter with iron to me. Especially when you have all the necessary tools and stuff to putter with... Before ANYTHING though, you need "the comfort zone." The couch, the table, the refrigerator, you know, the basic necessities.:thumbsup To start out for cheap, quick heating before you decide on a permanent system, I've always been fond of a used 275 gal. fuel tank believe it or not, with a door on one end and a thimble welded in the top for the pipe. They'll take a stinking 5 foot stick of wood, and if the door's big enough, you can stuff that thing so it'll go all night till you make it back the next morning. I've mounted racks on top for drying gloves, cooking, etc. They put out some wicked mean heat. Even better if you have a round 550 gallon tank, because they're thicker walled steel. (I have one in the back right now with this intention...) Depending on the budget, the chimney can be block of course, but for the time being, a 20' steel 12"-15" corrugated culvert pipe stood upright works out good too, with a thimble welded into it to accept your stovepipe.(Warning: Do not use plastic culvert.:nono ) If you do some clearing, bring the wood home from now on. Also, I've done a drip-tube setup in one that consisted of a drum of waste oil elevated with a 3/8 copper tube and a petcock to regulate flow. Weld a drop tube into the tank that's thick enough to withstand the temps. Mount some sort of flat plate in the stove floor for the oil to drip onto, and you've got another nice addition to your heating system. (Just don't do like we did one night after way too many Sam Adams' and throw an empty ether can into it, after saying, "watch this"...) You just might be a redneck after that.:nono