Relocating my shop 3,000 miles...

[Mike De Luca]

Hello gentlemen,

I just found this site and have been enjoying all the threads. There is a ton of knowledge here and I'd like to be a part of give and take.

I've been a contractor for 30 years in San Diego and just recently moved to North Carolina.

One of our parameters was a basement for a shop to do woodworking and tinkering with my motorcycle....

Anyway, so this thread will chronicle the build of my shop with very limited funds (thanks to the real estate market crash). Mostly, I'll be using what I already own.

I mostly build cabinetry for house storage purposes and some occasional furniture pieces. I'm also generally the guy that people bring stuff to that needs fixin'... which I enjoy. So the shop is multi-purpose and not necessarily a woodworkers shop to the degree that I see some in this forum (nor will it ever be).

Over time I will be finishing the basement but first is the shop.

Here it is as we bought the house:





Framed the shop and my future office.



I've now got the entire basement designed and am running electrical. Decided on two 20 amp circuits (one on each side of the shop with 4 outlets each, a 20 amp 220 on a switch for the Unisaw, possibly a separate 20 amp 120 for the compressor which will be in a utility closet... which brings up my question...

I'm thinking about running 1.5" conduit from the compressor closet to the shop through which I'll run a flexible airline to a Cox air hose reel.... Used to have pvc OMG... and don't want to run copper or galvanized... Is there a problem doing it this way...

Glad to be here and I'll keep up this thread as I progress. I've thoroughly enjoyed looking at the other shop threads...

Mike

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Welcome to the Creek Mike! We'll enjoy observing your progress. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[Gary Lange]

How long a line are we talking about. I have a short line from my tank to the hose reel which I think most systems have so if it isn't real long then you should be alright. With it being enclosed in the conduit it will make it easy to replace if necessary.

[Keith Outten]

Mike,

Welcome to SawMill Creek and to the East Coast
.

[Don Bullock]

Welcome to Sawmill Creek. Your move from San Diego to North Carolina will be quite a culture shock, but you'll find the people there to be very friendly. I grew up in Maryland and Virginia and now live in San Diego.

Your basement looks great. You'll find having large windows to be a big asset for your basement shop. I have many fond memories of working with my dad in his basement shop.

One thing you'll need to plan for in South Carolina that wasn't needed in San Diego is an adequate dehumidifier, especially in a basement shop. The dampness and humidity will rust your tools very quickly without one. If you divide the basement into rooms you may need more than one. I trust that you checked out the the basement to see if it stays dry during heavy rain. One thing I remember about living in the South was wet basements. Some in our neighborhood would actually flood. You may need a sump pump just in case.

[Mike De Luca]

Welcome to the Creek Mike! We'll enjoy observing your progress. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Thanks Ken... its going to be fun.

How long a line are we talking about. I have a short line from my tank to the hose reel which I think most systems have so if it isn't real long then you should be alright. With it being enclosed in the conduit it will make it easy to replace if necessary.

Its only about 15 feet give or take. The hose reel then will kick in and give me range. I just want the compressor out of the sawdust zone and behind a wall for noise.

Mike,

Welcome to SawMill Creek and to the East Coast
.

Thanks Keith... glad to be here.

Welcome to Sawmill Creek. Your move from San Diego to North Carolina will be quite a culture shock, but you'll find the people there to be very friendly. I grew up in Maryland and Virginia and now live in San Diego.

Your basement looks great. You'll find having large windows to be a big asset for your basement shop. I have many fond memories of working with my dad in his basement shop.

One thing you'll need to plan for in South Carolina that wasn't needed in San Diego is an adequate dehumidifier, especially in a basement shop. The dampness and humidity will rust your tools very quickly without one. If you divide the basement into rooms you may need more than one. I trust that you checked out the the basement to see if it stays dry during heavy rain. One thing I remember about living in the South was wet basements. Some in our neighborhood would actually flood. You may need a sump pump just in case.

Hey Don... thanks for the advise.

I've waited until now to get started. We actually took occupancy in March of this year. We've been through a couple of gully washers, the humid summer, and the cold.

The basement is bone dry now that I extended the AC condensation line away from the house... not bad. Back in June the humidity shot up and we got a line of mold growing about 6" above the floor. We picked up a 70 pt. dehumidifier the next day. It was reading 80% OMG. Set it for 55% (I understand that 60% is the sweet spot) and it took several days and about 5-6 gallon dumps per day to get it to the target humidity. Got tired of the dumping so I plumbed it to a basement drain (future bath) and now it just runs in the background. At first it was running about 80% of the time, but now it hasn't run in about a month and rests at 45%.

I've thought about air flow after partitioning off the basement and my plan is to use louvered doors everywhere except the shop (for dust control). I'll leave the shop door open when I'm not working there. The dehumidifier will be centrally located and has been handling the entire basement so far. Once the concrete cures another season and I zero-perm foam the block walls that are in grade, the humidity should drop dramatically.

I have to tell you that my tools were rust magnets back in San Diego, but since running the dehumidifier, nothing rusts. I'm happy with the conditions down there now and have decided to move forward as money and time allows.

I'm trying to run RG6, Cat5e, and the basement electrical home runs out to junction boxes for future framing. The cost of wire has skyrocketed. I'm thinking of running a 12" wide, 1/2" thick baltic birch (BB) plank around the perimeter of the shop ceiling to allow for future access to the panel... will run the same BB around the panel for future access as well.

I'm thinking if I back the edge of the board and the adjoining "J" channeled ceiling drywall that it will pass fire code. They only require 1/2" rock here and fire taped... and a fire rated door from the shop.

I really need to take some recent pictures...

[Gary Lange]

I would think that 15' enclosed and without being exposed to anything that would damage the line it should be fine. I would check it for drying out though. I personally would run copper tubing that 15' and be done with it then all you'll have is a short lead to the copper from the tank and another from the reel to the line. Then again how about installing the reel in the room with the air compressor and running the hose out through the wall or is it to far away from the shop?

[Dan Hintz]

Only two circuits? If you plan on doing any real woodworking, you're going to want significantly more than two circuits, and expect to add in several 240V circuits as the equipment gets bigger.

[Mike De Luca]

I would think that 15' enclosed and without being exposed to anything that would damage the line it should be fine. I would check it for drying out though. I personally would run copper tubing that 15' and be done with it then all you'll have is a short lead to the copper from the tank and another from the reel to the line. Then again how about installing the reel in the room with the air compressor and running the hose out through the wall or is it to far away from the shop?

I make ugly sweats... What would I use, 1/2" or 3/4"? Might be worth the trouble...

Only two circuits? If you plan on doing any real woodworking, you're going to want significantly more than two circuits, and expect to add in several 240V circuits as the equipment gets bigger.

I don't... I'll have a lighting circuit, one 220v for the TS, one 110v for the compressor, and two 20A circuits for outlets. Like I mentioned, I'll have an access panel around the perimeter of the shop that I can run a new line if need be. I've had my shop set up like this for 25 years and it has been fine.

Of course, I don't have dust collection equipment, or any 220v equipment other than the TS... I'm hellishly good with a plane and a belt sander... but then I'm old...

[Scott T Smith]

Mike, welcome to NC and to SMC. What part of the state are you in; I'm about 30 miles SW of Raleigh.

RE the size of your copper, 1/2" should be adequate for most woodshop tools. If you were running air impacts or sandblasters that used a lot of CFM, then I would suggest 3/4".

Sweating is fairly easy as long as you follow the basics. Clean the tubing and fitting well, use a good quality flux on both, and apply the heat about at the base of the fitting's socket - not at the opening.

[Mike De Luca]

Mike, welcome to NC and to SMC. What part of the state are you in; I'm about 30 miles SW of Raleigh.

RE the size of your copper, 1/2" should be adequate for most woodshop tools. If you were running air impacts or sandblasters that used a lot of CFM, then I would suggest 3/4".

Sweating is fairly easy as long as you follow the basics. Clean the tubing and fitting well, use a good quality flux on both, and apply the heat about at the base of the fitting's socket - not at the opening.

Thanks Scott... I didn't say I couldn't do it... just aesthetically challenged joints...

Sounds like 1/2" should be okay... I'll have to find the end fittings... I suppose Lowe's will have them...

Now I'll have to return the conduit...

Edit to add: I'm in Hickory...

[David Helm]

and don't overheat the fitting.

[Mike De Luca]

and don't overheat the fitting.

I wonder if you learned that the same way I did...?

[Gary Lange]

We all learned it that way. If your going with the Copper why not run 3/4" just in case you want to run more CFM you'll have the capacity and won't have to worry about not being able to.

[Jim Becker]

Mike, welcome to SMC and the eastern side of the country! Looks like you're going to have a very nice shop area in your new home.

On the air line, in the long run, I do believe you'll be much happier with the copper than flex. Don't forget to slope it and provide for moisture traps. A few extra fittings will pay off over time. A short flex hose to connect to your compressor will isolate sound and provide for an easy disconnect. Don't forget a cut-off valve at the compressor so you can work on your system without draining your air, especially if you have a larger compressor.