Temporary Shop Space Ideas

[Mike Konobeck]

We are going to build a house and I would like to build the cabinets/built-ins but the problem is that we have to sell our current house where my shop is and live in an apartment while the house is going up. The house will be built in the northern suburbs of St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN. Since we have varying weather it would be nice to have a conditioned space. Any ideas for how to go about either renting an existing shop space (off hours) or being able to setup my shop temporarily? All of my equipment is mobile and fits in a 2 car garage space today.

[Rege Sullivan]

This assumes you have a means to haul it... I would set up a small shop in a 8.5 X 28 cargo trailer. 8.5 X 32 would be even better and if you get lucky you'll find one used. Once your new home has a dried in garage it will give you space to spread out a little even if only temporarily.

[Doug Garson]

How about renting one of the trailers used for construction site offices/lunchrooms etc. They would be insulated, heated and air conditioned.

[Gary Ragatz]

Would a MakerSpace be a possibility?

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...30.LmBartoVGCQ

[Jamie Buxton]

Commercial cabinet shops generally won't start building kitchen cabinets until the kitchen is complete enough to take as-built measurements. As-built measurements are often not the same as the plans. "Complete enough" usually means the house is framed, and often means the house is dried in -- that is, has a waterproof roof and walls. If your house is that far along, the garage should be usable for shop space. You may have to negotiate with the builder, who will want to be staging materials there. But since you're paying the bills, you have leverage.

An issue with this approach is that your builder may want the cabinets sooner than you can make them. His usual plan is based on the turnaround time of commercial shops. They have big machines and a whole crew of builders. You have one guy, small-shop machines, and you're probably holding down a full-time job too. I'm not saying this is impossible, but it is quite a challenge.

[Mike Konobeck]

Would a MakerSpace be a possibility?

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...30.LmBartoVGCQ

I just looked into that and it appears they are opening a new one close by which would be perfect! Thanks for the tip!

[Andrew Seemann]

I just looked into that and it appears they are opening a new one close by which would be perfect! Thanks for the tip!

There is this place in northeast Mpls also. I haven't been to either so I can't say what they are llke.

http://www.mplsmake.com