Drum roll please, here is my shop

[Ben Cadotte]

Pic of the building from the outside. 24' x 140' long 8' ceilings. The end to the left as you look at it has a partition wall 60' from the end. So that is the end I am using as the shop.

http://www.cadottephotography.net/images/big_barn.jpg

Now you need a little imagination as the pic is the before moving in. So will need your imagination to place tools in there.

http://www.cadottephotography.net/images/West_end_of_storage_building.jpg

Already added a new sub panel on the dividing wall. The building has its own 200 amp service. But its at the far end. So I added a 24 space 100 amp panel just for this shop area on the dividing wall. I have added 12 sets of 4' shop lights for more lighting. I added electrical on each of the posts in the middle, 4 outlets 1-20amp circuit, 1-15 amp on each post.
Added a 30amp 220 on the first post you see. Couple more power circuits on the door wall. Still need to finish that wall, and run outlets on the long wall to the right.

Both pics are from just after we bought the house a year ago. Didn't move in for another 5 months as we really had not planned to buy a house quite then. But couldn't pass it up with the big storage building, oh and she liked the house I think.

[Jude Tuliszewski]

A 140 foot long shop......:eek:? Excuse me I need to get my drool bucket.

[gary Zimmel]

That is going to be one serious shop.....

[Ben Cadotte]

The other 80' is divided in half length wise. Half with the windows in the pic are then divided into 7 storage units. Other half just long area. Previous owner or before must have tried to make extra money by renting storage units. The long section I have 3 jeeps in there, and there is still room for the one my wife drives daily, plus maybe 1 more.

There is an attached 2 car sized garage with just a single 1 car door. Wife has claimed that one.

[Peter Quadarella]

I would go broke trying to fill such a shop with tools. :D

[Tyler Howell]

Nice shop !!!
Enjoy

[Ed Falis]

What are you going to build in there - C130s?

[Rob Russell]

WOW!

My biggest concern about a shop that big would be laying out the work areas efficiently. It would be way to easy to just plop the machines and work centers in without thinking about workflow. You've got room for lumber storage, machining - even a finishing space with lots of great space to layout your work areas.

Congrats on the purchase!

[Ben Cadotte]

Nice shop What part of the country are you in:confused:

Fixed it.

Located in Eddington Maine, which is just down the road from Bangor Maine.

[Tyler Howell]

Fixed it.

Located in Eddington Maine, which is just down the road from Bangor Maine.
How are the temps in your area. is insullation and heat going to be a concern:confused:
Still a great space!!

[NICK BARBOZA]

Fixed it.

Located in Eddington Maine, which is just down the road from Bangor Maine.

thats right down the road from me!! i thought that scenery looked familiar! it looks like a great sized space with plenty of room to grow. I'm jealous... enjoy!

Nick

[Ben Cadotte]

How are the temps in your area. is insullation and heat going to be a concern:confused:
Still a great space!!

The walls are insulated, or at least in the ares I can see / check. The ceiling is not. This winter I am using 2 - 30,000 to 80,000 btu convection heaters. They take the chill off and after a couple hours bring the temp up nicely. I do most of my work in the one end 24x60 but its not totally closed off from the rest of the building. So do get heat loss not just through ceiling but to the rest of the building somewhat as well. Also the overhead door is just a cheap metal one, not insulated. So it needs work, but so does the house. Basically I split my off time between house projects and shop projects.

The house is a 100 year old colonial with no insulation in the walls. So as it starts to warm up, its going to get a serious interior make over. So I am just trying to get the shop going enough it will be of use for the real project. The House! Next winter I will go back and work on the shop again. As there is no way I will get the shop projects done by spring. :D

[Ben Cadotte]

WOW!

My biggest concern about a shop that big would be laying out the work areas efficiently. It would be way to easy to just plop the machines and work centers in without thinking about workflow. You've got room for lumber storage, machining - even a finishing space with lots of great space to layout your work areas.

Congrats on the purchase!

Originally it was a 2 story chicken barn I guess. They had a fire and basically took off the 2nd floor walls and roof, added a new roof, poured a concrete floor (poorly at the one end), and added a couple overhead doors. The biggest pain is even though its only 24' deep, it has a beam and posts running down the middle. This was to support the old 2nd floor, which they left in after tearing down the upper parts. So have the posts to work around. But a previous owner took out 2 posts in the shop end. So there are 2 spots of an open 20' x 24' area. I have the table saw in the middle of one. My last shop was at the house we were renting. It was 16' x 25', so I am not complaining the least about the posts.

One nice thing it has a new metal roof and will be good for years to come. Only real issue building wise is the concrete floor in the far end (right in the picture). They poured it too thin and has cracked and moved some. Probably a 24' x 24' area that needs to be redone.

[Ben Cadotte]

thats right down the road from me!! i thought that scenery looked familiar! it looks like a great sized space with plenty of room to grow. I'm jealous... enjoy!

Nick

House came with 3 acres so lots of room. There is a foundation in the middle where a traditional barn used to be. I would love to rebuild one there and use it for gardening and keeping lawn equipment (what I am telling the wife) really for lumber drying and storage :D. Really nice thing, is having lots of room but only 10 min from town. The in-laws bought 12 acres about 7 min away in Eddington as well. Nice mainly wooded lot with an open slooping front with a decient view of a pond and mountain. Really great lot to build their retirement log cabin on. I would say the back 9 acres or so are covered with hardwoods. So future plans call for some of our own milled lumber. He has plans for a walk out basement / garage under the cabin, and he is going to put his shop in there. Basically 2 car stalls and the rest for a work shop.

Right now he has 1 of the storage bins full in my long building and starting on another. I think his plan is to slowly move stuff up to the storage building so their final move wont be so bad. Every time he calls I ask how much room I am going to loose. :D:D I don't mind as I currently have the room, and he is a master plumber and has helped out quite a bit with the house already. Just need to run plumbing out to the shop for a small bathroom.:)

[Ben Cadotte]

I would go broke trying to fill such a shop with tools. :D

I never had to worry much about that in my last 2 shops. When I was in high school and first 2 years of college, I used a 16' x 19' shop off the back of my parents garage. When I went away for last 2 years of school I ended up selling my tools as I knew they would just sit around and rust. When I first started working I moved around quite a bit (4 moves in 8 years). So I could not set up shop. The I finally settled down and rented a house. Set up shop in the garage 16' x 25' and was happy to have it. I bought my tools local so mostly craftsman and average type tools.

Now that I have room though. Day dreams of cabinet saws, and panel saws, a shaper, a real good quailty lathe, a bigger jointer, full sized planer, and even a portable band saw mill. Unfortunately my wallet can't afford one of them let alone all of them. :) My wife would kill me if I bought a new cabinet saw first, instead of the 100 or so sheets of drywall or insulation we will need for the house. :eek:

So, I have to fight the I want it now, and be practical. :rolleyes:

[Peter Quadarella]

Good luck Ben, and keep us posted. :)

[Chris Padilla]

Oh, to be out in the country!! However, wifey won't hear it...city girl to the core! :(

Nice space!!

[Glenn Clabo]

Only one comment...YOU SUCK!
Kidding of course.

However, you can bet that someday I'll come down to see ya. That is just too cool.

[Ben Gastfriend]

OOOOH! OOOOH! Now you have room for that lathe with 140 feet between centers! That's what I'd do if I had the money, anyway.

Nice shop, can't wait to see finished pics!

[Ben Cadotte]

Oh, to be out in the country!! However, wifey won't hear it...city girl to the core! :(

Nice space!!

I know what you mean. Spent 5 years in 5 story condo. I need some room to spread out. Luckily my wife likes a nice big yard. And really 10 min to town is not bad at all. Small town though. Has most everything you can need. 2 borgs, 2 lumber yards, couple hardware stores, decent woodworking store, cheapy china tool store, even a discount place that sells fasteners real cheap by the pounds. What else could anyone want. :D:D

[Aaron Koehl]

OOOOH! OOOOH! Now you have room for that lathe with 140 feet between centers! That's what I'd do if I had the money, anyway.

Nice shop, can't wait to see finished pics!
For the next time you need to turn bridge pilings... :D

[Ben Cadotte]

For the next time you need to turn bridge pilings... :D

I was thinking of making a shop made wind turbine if I had a lathe that big. 130' pole, and say 80' blades. I don't think my town would make a big deal over a home made one that big. :eek: :D:D

For the powerhead I would just duct tape together about 120 alternators off junk cars. :D "Spare the duct tape spoil the job" Red Green :D

[Bill Wyko]

OK, My shop will fit in the corner of one corner of your shop(12x20) I can only give you this advice......wear comfortable shoes for walking from one end to the other.:D

[Tom Mock]

thats right down the road from me!! i thought that scenery looked familiar! it looks like a great sized space with plenty of room to grow. I'm jealous... enjoy!

Nick
Hey Nick,
I read your reply and I had to go back and look at the picture again. What scenery? It only shows a tree and some grass. That sounds like something us Oregonians would say to each other.

Made me smile! Thanks

[Joe Mioux]

I know what you mean. Spent 5 years in 5 story condo. I need some room to spread out. Luckily my wife likes a nice big yard. And really 10 min to town is not bad at all. Small town though. Has most everything you can need. 2 borgs, 2 lumber yards, couple hardware stores, decent woodworking store, cheapy china tool store, even a discount place that sells fasteners real cheap by the pounds. What else could anyone want. :D:D


Oh man, do you have it bad!:D

Ben, the first thing I thought of when I saw the original post was "old chicken barn" Since the second floor was removed, did the carpenters install trusses for the new roof? If so, you might want to get an engineer out there and see if you could remove all the old first floor support posts.

Just a thought.

BTW, congrats on the new shop!!!

Joe

[Ben Cadotte]

Oh man, do you have it bad!:D

Ben, the first thing I thought of when I saw the original post was "old chicken barn" Since the second floor was removed, did the carpenters install trusses for the new roof? If so, you might want to get an engineer out there and see if you could remove all the old first floor support posts.

Just a thought.

BTW, congrats on the new shop!!!

Joe

I have not looked to see if they used trusses. Either way they did it the roof is still on top of the second floor joists. So I would have to pull the second floor out and lower everything back down. Not worth the trouble.

Now in the not so near future I think I am going to take down about a 40' length of the building and rebuild it. I would like taller walls for an area to work on my Jeeps with. Would be nice if they were trusses as the only thing I would have to do is build new wall and reuse the trusses. House needs work first. At least a good effort so wifey is happy. :D