new shop planning

[vince dale]

I'm in the planning stages for a 24 x 24 shop and I hate having to step over power cords/DC pipes for the tablesaw that will be in the middle. One idea I have is to create a 6x6 U shaped trench in the concret floor with steel angle iron on the sides of trench and 1/4" plate steel on top and run power and DC pipes through it.

Good or bad idea?

[Malcolm McLeod]

I have been in lots of industrial facilities that use these types of 'trenches'. Some issues:
- how do you move (roll) equipment around? They are H#!! on pallet jacks and equipment carts!
- cleaning?
- water?
- weight? (I have seen 1/2" diamond-plate, or 1" open grid decking. 1/4" seems a little light to me, but may be fine in home shop.)
- level? How much angle protrudes above the finished floor level? What size angle? Will you shim the plates level to finished floor, or leave them recessed?
- construction? Existing floor or new? How will you (or others) anchor the angle into the concrete? (welded J-bolts / lag shields / etc.)

If new construction, might be better to run a DC pipe and a smaller pipe for electrical chase-way under slab..?

[vince dale]

Thanks for the insight Malcolm. Yes it will be new construction. My plan was to have the angle iron below floor level so the top plate is level with floor. It is mainly to prevent tripping hazards and my tools are not heavy and will not be moved aroundmuch. 1/2" plate might be the better option. Never hurts to overbuild. As far as attaching it I made a rough drawing of what I was thinking.

DC power conduit.jpg

[Jim Becker]

You can also fabricate your slab with recesses for the plates to rest on and eliminate the angle iron and that can be stronger over time. Leveling compound can be used to bring the plates "perfectly flush after the pour is cured...

This is a good solution, although it requires careful planning to account for the required depth of the space for dust collection purposes since you don't want to restrict yourself to just 4" drops in most cases.

As an alternative you can also do ceiling drops for both DC and electrical, the latter using special strain relief pigtails. This method is a bit more flexible over time as your shop evolves and your machinery changes, too.

[Marty Tippin]

As an alternative you can also do ceiling drops for both DC and electrical, the latter using special strain relief pigtails. This method is a bit more flexible over time as your shop evolves and your machinery changes, too.

That's what I'm doing, overhead 6" DC drops and 220 outlets in the ceiling for several big tools that are out in the middle of the shop. I use shop-made extension cords from the 220 outlets (I use SJOOW cable and twist-lock outlet connectors) down to the machines and use Kellems grips (available online from Zoro.com and elsewhere) for strain relief. This arrangement allows me significantly more freedom to move the machines around than if I had the wiring and DC pipes in a trench under the floor.
2016-01-05 18.34.58_Medium.jpg

[vince dale]

Thanks Jim for more options. I'll have to think over the recess (rabbets) option. Sounds promising. Though the ceiling drops would be more versitile, I can see myself hitting it with a long board or it getting in the way. Kind of a kluts at times and not looking out for things to trip over. Thus why the trench in the floor option.

[glenn bradley]

I designed with my tablesaw right side near the wall. I consider the end of my fence rails to be the end of that space. I don't need to walk around my tablesaw to use it but, not everyone works the way I do.

I keep an open area at the center and feed tools from the outside edges. Some tools like planers and sanders are on wheels and move a little bit one way or the other depending what is being done. The open central area is for assembly. This may be worth considering.

[Malcolm McLeod]

Your diagram is novel approach compared to what I've seen in industry. Typical is to spin the angle 180*, so that it forms the rebate. This leaves you to figure out how to anchor the angle into the concrete. It also makes leveling floor/angle/plate a challenge.

[Bryan Lisowski]

If you are building the shop from the ground up, I would think putting an electrical run and DC run under the slab would be best and easiest. If you don't want to do that the other option is make the ceiling height a foot higher and do a raised floor over the slab. This would allow some more flexibility if you wanted to change the layout.

[Mike Heidrick]

Love that pic Marty. Inspiration for me bro!

[Jim Becker]

I'll have to think over the recess (rabbets) option. Sounds promising.

The recess method is pretty easy for the slab because you just configure the form for the trough to be slightly shorter than the slap surface and put a horizontal board on top to create the rebate on the edge.

[vince dale]

I designed with my tablesaw right side near the wall. I consider the end of my fence rails to be the end of that space. I don't need to walk around my tablesaw to use it but, not everyone works the way I do.

I keep an open area at the center and feed tools from the outside edges. Some tools like planers and sanders are on wheels and move a little bit one way or the other depending what is being done. The open central area is for assembly. This may be worth considering.

Thanks Glenn. I considered this but the run out table will also be my assembly area and on the right side of the saw will be a open wall that will store sheet goods.

[vince dale]

Lots of great ideas. Another way to skin a cat.

@Marty. Great looking shop. Wish I could get that ceiling height for the DC. Because of local bylaws I'm limited to overall height at the peak of 4meters, 13ft, unless I go with a varience. With a 4/12 pitch this gives me approx 9ft ceiling. It's hard to give up ceiling height.

@ Malcolm. I have the choice of welding the lower angle to the desired recess or cutting vertical slots in both and inserting a Jbolt into the slab at pour which will give me some adjustability. The top Angle Iron will be pushed into the concret at pour and be flush.

@Bryan. Running DC under the slab had been considered but for maintence, replacement/plugged, I came up with the idea of a trench.

@Jim. That sounds like the easiest solution. Quick and simple. KISS principal.

Thank you everyone. Lots of great ideas.

[Jesse Busenitz]

Vince, I just built a new shop last summer and ran several trenches in a 40x80 pad and am loving it. I will say go over you layout really good. I spent countless hours moving equipment around on paper(make a small scale of your shop and tools with paper) and so far everything has been great! Basically I split the 80' into 3rd's and than the middle pad into 1/3- 2/3. One of the main trenches I don't really use now but will allow for expansion/different configuration. I used the same method as Jim an formed a rabbet, and than put down 3/8" plate, which I can drive my forklift over. I put in an 11"x 11" trench and I ended filling that up in one section with 8" DC, an air line, and several runs of conduit, But that was only in a short stretch, everything else had room to spare. I love how there are few obstacles hanging form the ceiling, and I can add electrical, air, etc. about anywhere in my shop without dropping another run from the ceiling! I also built most of my DC gates on the floor so I can open/close them with my foot. All of this added quite a bit of extra work, but it my opinions has been well worth it! I will try and post a few pics later. Jess

[Jim Finn]

I have a 13' x 23' shop that serves me well. I seldom use plywood so handling large sheet goods is not common for me. I have all my benches and equipment positioned along the walls except for the table saw. It is on wheels and is in the center of my shop. To solve the dust collection and elect cord problem to the table saw, I built in an out-feed table for it that is also against one wall. The dust collector is outside and all my six inch duct runs along the wall on the floor. This shortens the total duct used, by a lot, by not having to go up to the ceiling and back down to the equipment or to the dust collector itself. The duct to the table saw and the electric cord for it run under the out-feed table to the saw. I co not ever have to step over a cord nor duct in my shop.