Don't forget to plan for new tools that you plan to add in the future!
Don't forget to plan for new tools that you plan to add in the future!
gary, just a few thoughts, 12-14ft ceilings, as much natural light as possible, seperate building for compressor and possibly d/c, 3-phase power if at all possible, no support poles or walls down the middle, if your location permits, one overhead door set at loading dock height and another to drive in. with more information advice won`t be so vague .02 tod
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN; I ACCEPT FULL LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY POSTS ON THIS FORUM, ALL POSTS ARE MADE IN GOOD FAITH CONTAINING FACTUAL INFORMATION AS I KNOW IT.
Thanks Ken.......My son is in the National Guard and going to North Georgia College and State University in the miliatery program there. He will graduate in a couple more years and be commissioned in the regular army........I'm proud of him also!
Tod that's a great thought on the loading dock and one I had already considered factoring in. My desire is to design the shop for building things that I will eventually sell. Start out slow andeventually work into doing it full time. My heart is in things like "Tresure Chests", Cabinets, Gun Cabinets, Hope Chests, tables, chairs, swings and projects like that. Once again...soon as I figure out how to post a pic I'll put some on. I have the land and space already picked out on the farm for the shop and about half the tools.
"Why, they couldn't hit an elephant at this dist--" -- The last words of General John Sedgwick
Well Gary you said that you were possibly looking for a barn look.
This is mine. It has a gambrell roof. The size is 28 x 40 with an 8' x 36 foot lead on the side, which is not a bad size because of the 2nd floor storage. I would advise you to include in your plans, a separate room for the dust collector and air compressor then another separate finishing room. I am going to end up turning my lean into these rooms in the future.
Following is a link to some outdated photos of the inside of my shop an a photo of the outside. Hope this sparks some ideas and I am sure you will get great advice from everyone here.
Garry
http://www.superwoodworks.com/Projects/ShopShots.htm
One thing to consider with overhead doors is that when they are open they will block any lighting that is above them and anything else like air hose drops, elec drops, and DC ducting. I think a better option would be double doors that swing out, or a sliding barn door type. Then you don't need to worry about accomodating the door in the inside of the shop. It is really nice to be able to leave the door open on a pretty spring day.
Larry J Browning
There are 10 kinds of people in this world; Those who understand binary and those who don't.
roll up doors are an option too.......02 todOriginally Posted by Larry Browning
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN; I ACCEPT FULL LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY POSTS ON THIS FORUM, ALL POSTS ARE MADE IN GOOD FAITH CONTAINING FACTUAL INFORMATION AS I KNOW IT.
Nice shop Garry! I agree with Larry on the swing out doors. That's what I've been thinking up to this point anyway. I'm going to try my hand at putting a pic in here of some chests I built for my three kids (getting mre like adults now) last Christmas. We'll see how well I do.
"Why, they couldn't hit an elephant at this dist--" -- The last words of General John Sedgwick
Originally Posted by Gary Stallings
saved from tylers thong, good job gary! .02 tod
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN; I ACCEPT FULL LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY POSTS ON THIS FORUM, ALL POSTS ARE MADE IN GOOD FAITH CONTAINING FACTUAL INFORMATION AS I KNOW IT.
Shop Designer
There is a program that you can get a free download of at
http://www.inthewoodshop.org/software/software.shtml
Called Shop Designer. I have used it for several years.
For a few tools not in the list I use the one the represents the bench & size it to represent the tool desired. All tools can be sized to represent the size of your own tools.
I have a floor plan of my little shop on my web page you can see it here.
http://bartswoodshop.freeservers.com/
There is one little pop up on the right side going down just close it out.
This program makes is possible to do away with the paper & cut outs of tools & taping things out on the floor.
I won't tell you how big to make your shop or to make it bigger by 30 percent or what ever. I'll say learn to organize & keep you shop fairly clean & make a place for everything & everything in it place. I work out of a small shop every day. Do I wish it was bigger. YES. Would I make it gigantic? NO. How big would I make it? 1000 - 1200 sq.ft. why? because I've learned how to organize & arrange a shop & know that just having a great big shop isn't the answer because if your not in the habit of good organization & keeping your shop clean you'll just have a bigger mess.
Besides that how far do you want to walk back & forth while working in your shop to accomplish the task at hand? You need the proper room around each tool to do the work & Assembly room to assemble the project at hand & a place to finish the project.
Last edited by Bart Leetch; 03-07-2006 at 10:40 AM.
I usually find it much easier to be wrong once in while than to try to be perfect.
My web page has a pop up. It is a free site, just close the pop up on the right side of the screen
Gary, I built a separate shop building two years ago and documented the project in the Saw Mill Creek thread: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=7769
I was fortunate to get lots and lots of great advice from folks here on Saw Mill Creek.
Subsequently, I put everything together in a journal and put the journal on a CD. You can see information about the journal in the thread: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=23882. If you would like me to send you a free CD, just send me your mailing address.
Very nice chests Gary! Building some almost exactly like them is on my project list but there are about 10 items ahead of them right now.Originally Posted by Gary Stallings
Hey Frank.........plan on spending some time on the chests.........round tops can be a bear but I like the look. If you need plans let me know and I'll lnk you up with where they came from. I would like a copy of your CD. I'd be very interested in reading it. I'll get my address to you.
Bart, that's what I'm trying to get down to. I do want a big shop but not so big that I'm walking my legs off from tool to tool. I'm sure that "ideal" depends on what you are going to do with it. Namely, from experience, I know I want a separate finish room, storage room, and another room for my compressor and probably the DC. My compressor is loud and annoying. I'm not up on DC units yet but I'm reading threads to get smart. Currently my DC consists of a B & DP... Other than that I love large assembly tables. I plan on expanding the table around my Unisaw also.
Now that I've figured out how to post a pic.....here's the house I built when I retired from the Army.
"Why, they couldn't hit an elephant at this dist--" -- The last words of General John Sedgwick
Yes, I would like to know where to get the plans. If I actually had some plans, the chests would likely move up nearer to the top of my project list.Originally Posted by Gary Stallings
Great, I hope that it proves to be useful to you. Others, have found it to be.Originally Posted by Gary Stallings
That is a very nice looking house Gary! I like doing the full range of woodworking from house building through cabinet building and it looks like you have the same interests (and skills ).Originally Posted by Gary Stallings
Frank.....I'll get the location where the plans came from this evening and post it.
"Why, they couldn't hit an elephant at this dist--" -- The last words of General John Sedgwick
Frank........I got the plans from ROCKLER at www.rockler.com ....it's called a Steamer Trunk.........hopefully this is the correct linkOriginally Posted by Frank Pellow
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...teamer%20trunk
Have fun.
"Why, they couldn't hit an elephant at this dist--" -- The last words of General John Sedgwick