Need guidance on new shop

[Jim O'Dell]

If the HWH is a sealed combustion unit, it gets it's combustion air through the vent pipe set up, I'd think you would be ok. I agree that the dust in the area might make for a little more maintenance.
The Grizzly online tool for playing with tool location is a good one. I used it and also an easy to use architecture program to model my tool placement. Still redid things once I got them in the shop, but the basic design worked well. Lots of good information on shop set ups here at the Creek. Be sure to do some research if you haven't already.
Anxious to see what you decide! Jim.

[Lou Stags]

If the HWH is a sealed combustion unit, it gets it's combustion air through the vent pipe set up, I'd think you would be ok. I agree that the dust in the area might make for a little more maintenance.
The Grizzly online tool for playing with tool location is a good one. I used it and also an easy to use architecture program to model my tool placement. Still redid things once I got them in the shop, but the basic design worked well. Lots of good information on shop set ups here at the Creek. Be sure to do some research if you haven't already.
Anxious to see what you decide! Jim.

Jim,

This is the tankless HWH that is being installed:

http://www.takagi.com/index.php?prod...=103&page_id=2

[Kevin Presutti]

Lou,
Great looking shop! After you figure out your layout that works for you and you do sufficient electric for present and possibly future power tools lighting is the next concern. I am currently putting a new kitchen in my daughters house and have chosen to go with reflective lighting as she has a galley type kitchen getting the proper amount of light was a huge endevor. After finding some lighting calculators and suffient lighting recommendations (amount of watts, lumens, etc per sq. ft.) on the internet. I went with fluorescent lights which was the most affordable and economical to run. This posed another problem. Which tubes to buy? I assume you will be lighting you shop with fluorescent lights, which is where I am going with this. I read many things on this subject as there are many, many types of color and tone which are huge issues in regards to acheiving the light you need to have in the shop. After hours of research I went with 5000K (temperature) tubes, with a CRI (color rendering index) of 82. These tubes provide the closest thing to natural daylight and provide almost pure white light. Any lower temp (cool white-4100, 3200) things appear yellow, any higher 6500 things appear blue. I purchased from HD Lithonia "Instant On" strip fixtures, and Philips F32T8/TL850 Alto ll tubes and WOW! All the years in that house I've never been able to see that well. It is like having natural, true color light. Lighting is often overlooked and most seem to think they need more fixtures, not always the case. I think I paid $20.00 for a 10 pack of tubes, I don't even have all the lights installed, I have 13 total on 3 circuits, with only 6 installed and it is better than I could have imagined. If you choose these tubes you definately won't be sorry! Best of luck on your project, I hope to see some photos as you progess.

[Lou Stags]

@Jim: The HWH and panel are on outside walls. There is open air behind both.

@Shawn: I wish I had more natural light, but unfortunately that is what I am stuck with. The lighting that I am having the builder do in the shop area amounts to 24 total 4 foot flouresent tubes (spaced evenly throughout the shop). I hope that is enough to get me started realizing I may need to add more as I go.

@Kevin: Thanks for that info on the lights! I will definitely look into them and at that price, the DW will definitely give her approval. I just moved from WNY by the way. Lived there my entire life until 6 months ago. I plan to thoroughly document every step of the shop build and I am certain I will have a lot more questions as I progess. Can't wait for the house to be completed so I can start working!

[Sam Layton]

Abby and shop plugs 029.jpg
Lou,

I used twist lock plugs to plug my table saw, planer, and jointer into the ceiling. The cords just drop down to the floor between the machines. My dust collections duct also drops from the ceiling providing dust collection for the three machines. You can get wire reinforcements to go on the plugs for drop cords. Mine drop between the machines and have never been a problem. I could secure them to the dust collection duct.

Two plugs are 30 amp 220, one is 20 amp 220, and one is 20 amp 110. All of my 220 plugs throughout the shop are twist lock plugs.

Sam

[Lou Stags]

Lou,

I used twist lock plugs to plug my table saw, planer, and jointer into the ceiling. The cords just drop down to the floor between the machines. My dust collections duct also drops from the ceiling providing dust collection for the three machines. You can get wire reinforcements to go on the plugs for drop cords. Mine drop between the machines and have never been a problem. I could secure them to the dust collection duct.

Two plugs are 30 amp 220, one is 20 amp 220, and one is 20 amp 110. All of my 220 plugs throughout the shop are twist lock plugs.

Sam

Sam, did you run the DC in between your joists? Is there living space above your shop?

[Sam Layton]

Lou,

My shop is a stand alone building in my back yard. It is a single story, no living space above. My dust collector is located in the N/W corner of the shop. I ran the ducts along the west, north, and east wall. On the N/wall I ran it through the ceiling into the attic. Then, I ran it to the machinery that is located in the middle of the shop. The duct continues through the attic to the S/wall, and drops down.

I don't mind the ducts running along the walls next to the ceiling. However, I did not want it running in the middle of the ceiling. So the attic was the best place to put it. Because of the way the shop is constructed, it would be hard to drop it down on the E and W wall.

Sam

[Brian Tymchak]

Hi Lou, welcome to the Creek! A new shop!! Congrats. Ah, the fun begins!!

My shop is in a basement as well. I have 520 sq ft. I can only dream of having 10' ceilings though... My experience is that once I put a table saw in the middle leaving room for infeed and outfeed, and then a workbench with room around it, space got pretty precious. Mobile stands can be your friend...

The lally columns could present some issues for you with moving long boards in your shop. So, my first bit of advice would be to imagine about how you will work with large sheets of plywood and long lumber (8'-10'). I think this factor will have a large influence on where you position machines, having to allow for infeed and outfeed room. You may opt to break these down in another area (like the garage) before bringing those into the shop.

You may only have enough room for a single bench so when you layout your plans make sure you add a workbench with enough size to give you room to assemble, etc. Also, make sure you allow for some type of lumber storage. Sheet goods can take up quite a bit of space, even stored on a cart. (Here's where the 10' ceilings might really help you out allowing you go vertical with lumber and sheet goods.) Consider mobile flip-top stands for tools that you may use only occasionally. I have a drum sander that I plan to mount on a flip top cart with my planer. There was a recent excellent thread here on SMC with plans for a cart like this. This technique allows you to put 2 machines in the same foot print. While your walls are open, add more outlets than you think you need. You may consider using solid paneling of some sort vs drywall on the walls to give you more flexibility in wall mounted cabinetry, etc.

Good luck!

[Lou Stags]

Hi Lou, welcome to the Creek! A new shop!! Congrats. Ah, the fun begins!!

My shop is in a basement as well. I have 520 sq ft. I can only dream of having 10' ceilings though... My experience is that once I put a table saw in the middle leaving room for infeed and outfeed, and then a workbench with room around it, space got pretty precious. Mobile stands can be your friend...

The lally columns could present some issues for you with moving long boards in your shop. So, my first bit of advice would be to imagine about how you will work with large sheets of plywood and long lumber (8'-10'). I think this factor will have a large influence on where you position machines, having to allow for infeed and outfeed room. You may opt to break these down in another area (like the garage) before bringing those into the shop.

You may only have enough room for a single bench so when you layout your plans make sure you add a workbench with enough size to give you room to assemble, etc. Also, make sure you allow for some type of lumber storage. Sheet goods can take up quite a bit of space, even stored on a cart. (Here's where the 10' ceilings might really help you out allowing you go vertical with lumber and sheet goods.) Consider mobile flip-top stands for tools that you may use only occasionally. I have a drum sander that I plan to mount on a flip top cart with my planer. There was a recent excellent thread here on SMC with plans for a cart like this. This technique allows you to put 2 machines in the same foot print. While your walls are open, add more outlets than you think you need. You may consider using solid paneling of some sort vs drywall on the walls to give you more flexibility in wall mounted cabinetry, etc.

Good luck!

Some great feedback Brian. Thanks for your response! WOuld you happen to have any layouts sketched up of your shop as I would love to see it?

[Brian Tymchak]

Some great feedback Brian. Thanks for your response! WOuld you happen to have any layouts sketched up of your shop as I would love to see it?

Lou, I don't have any sketches now. However, I might be able to take a few hours this weekend and work something up. Would be a good reference for me as well.

...Glad you didn't ask for photos... I'd have to clean the shop up to do that ..

[Steve Kohn]

I set up my shop 4 years ago. I did a 30X30 addition on the side of my garage that I can still park a vehicle in. When I'm working on a project the vehicle gets pulled out into the driveway and that space becomes my assembly space, using 2 rolling carts. Some of the things I wished I had done differently or considered include the following.

The floor is concrete, I wish I had planned on some sort of softer and easier to clean material in the shop side. I do have the 3X3 foot interlocking mats on the floor but it's hard to roll machinery around on them.
My electrical outlets (some 220V and mostly 110V) are 52 inches off the floor (good) but are spaced every 8 feet (bad). As mentioned put your outlets every 4 feet.
All of my electrical is in conduit in the walls. I have since added a considerable amount of machinery to my shop which means adding the required electrical service has been a pain. If doing it again I would surface mount all the electrical.
Due to the aforementioned electrical service issues I have added multiple 220V drops from the ceiling. I also use twist lock plugs. It works well for me. I have added extra long cords on the machines to eliminate the need for extension cords. The plugs are hanging at 7 feet from the floor.
My compressed air system and dust collection are all mounted on the ceiling. I wouldn't change that at all. I considered putting dust collection in the floor, but decided that was too inflexible. IMHO that was a very good move.
I did not use drywall on the walls, but did on the ceiling. I installed 7/16 beadboard, painted white. The beadboard is screwed to the wall studs so I can remove it if necessary. This allows me to just drive a nail anywhere to hang things.
I also added a french cleat all around the shop. This serves 2 purposes: it acts as a moulding to hide the upper joint of the beadboard, and allows a very strong hanging rail for pegboard and cabinets.
I copied the idea from Norm's cutting bench, with the chop saw, removeable panels and radial arm saw. I did put drawers under it, and the storage is very valuable.
I wish I had a separate room for the compressor and dust collector, just to isolate the noise.
I also would love to have a separate finishing room. I do set one up in the shop, using sheets of plastic and some fans. It would be nice to have something more permanent.

Good luck, and remember that when you build a shop you're only just getting started. I look at the pictures from 4 years ago and there is no comparison to what that same space looks like now.

[Gary Breckenridge]

First get the lighting and electrical outlets right, 220 ? Get a bigger door. There are some online places where you can lay out a shop, look at a plan, change it and then print out the final plan. (Free) Close off potential dust drafts. And there is never enough storage in a shop; some of it should roll.

[Lou Stags]

Well - here are the final pics of "the shop". I am sad that I won't ever do anything in there. Hopefully the next guy enjoys it!

IMG_0499.jpgIMG_0500.jpgIMG_0501.jpgIMG_0502.jpg

[Mike Cruz]

Lou, it is going to be a knitting room...you know that, don't you?

[Rick Potter]

So........should we expect a book on building shops?