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Thread: Thoughts on a new workshop

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Carlyle IL
    Posts
    2,183

    Thoughts on a new workshop

    Since my wife and I have sent out last kid off to college last fall, we (ME) are tired of living in a larger house with 1.5 acres of grass to mow. That acreage is in addition to 3.5 acres that i have to maintain. So we (me mostly) have decided to move into my parents old house which is on the same property as my greenhouses and flower shop. My dad died in 8 years ago and the house has been empty since then. I keep the utilities running and overall the house is in pretty good shape.

    The house is roughly 1800 sq ft mid century brick ranch house. three bedrooms, one bathroom, kitchen, den dining and living rooms and an attached one car garage.

    We are going to update the house by adding a master suite, new master bath, remove a load bearing wall, open the living room to the kitchen and add a new two car garage. Also the basement is unfinished, Anna (aka Mrs) wants to have that fixed up to a game room, TV room, I want to have a space for my audio system and we will take the old kitchen and move it downstairs. My parents renovated the kitchen in 1995 and installed cherry cabinets. In the 20 plus years, the wood has become very handsome so I hate the idea of getting rid of them. Having a second kitchen isn't the a bad thing as it could serve as overflow cooking space for holiday gatherings and also work as a canning kitchen. The basement will also have a third bedroom and bathroom.

    Anyway, and to the point, the old garage could then be used as a dedicated workshop. The problem I have is that the old garage measures 12x26. So I am looking for ideas and thoughts on that space.

    Some of you may remember what I have as far as equipment goes but those of you who do not know here is a quick list.

    Sawstop ics with long extension table
    Mini-max fs30 jointer/planer
    Mini-Max MM16
    16/32 drum sander
    Nova 1624 lathe,
    Delta miter saw
    Delta bench top delta drill press
    Oneida 2hp dust gorilla
    router table
    workbench
    Festool saw, sanders, domino, vacuum, etc
    some hand tools
    a couple sharpening grinders
    a 50-60 clamps that are wall mounted
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    Vortex! What Vortex?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Modesto, CA, USA
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    9,876
    I would place an I-beam 12+' long just inside the garage door so a chain hoist can be used to unload heavy machines from a truck or trailer. It has to far enough inside so the open door does not interfere. Put an extra 2x4 on each side of an existing stud and run the beam so it sits on top of the old stud. That should be enough for 1500 pounds or more. I would design the beam for 2000 pounds to be safe.
    Bill D.

  3. #3
    I would stretch the two car garage at least another dozen feet and take that 12 feet for the shop so it's an L shape and almost doubled in area. You're gonna need it.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,675
    No question...I'd add on to the existing garage space to create a shop that is more in line with supporting your excellent tools with space to actually use them. A "one car" garage, which is what you effectively have there, isn't going to work very well for that in all honesty. You may actually want to check cost of a dedicated building vs adding on to be sure you have all the details for any decision making.

    BTW, I sure hope that when Professor Dr. SWMBO and I get to downsize in a few years (maybe...) that we can find a rancher like that!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Peter Christensen View Post
    I would stretch the two car garage at least another dozen feet and take that 12 feet for the shop so it's an L shape and almost doubled in area. You're gonna need it.
    There's no way you can fit all that stuff in a one-car garage, and still be functional. Try it, at least in mock-up form. You'll start to see the virtues of parking outside. Either that or converting entirely to hand tools. :^)

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Helensburgh, Australia
    Posts
    2,700
    Budget & space willing I would be building a stand alone workshop, all the noise and dust is then isolated form the main house.
    Chris

    Everything I like is either illegal, immoral or fattening

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Houston, TX
    Posts
    104
    I think it will be tight. I am currently building a similar sized shop. I am focusing on more of a hand tool shop, but am designing it for some machines that I will get from my Dad. My main concept is to put everything on wheels and store up against the wall when not in use.

    7D6EF03D-791D-4FA8-8E63-69D0FCBEAB9A.png

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    MT
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    698
    I am currently building a shop that will be 21'X24' inside dimensions. The new dust collector is going in the adjacent garage. The shop will be dedicated to wood working only. I have less stationary power tools than you and while I am fairly confident my layout will work I wouldn't want to go any smaller.

    I am currently using a small add-on room (11'X19') for a workshop. My band saw, and 15" planer are the only stationary power tools in there along with my work bench. My table saw is in storage. This space isn't a lot smaller than your proposed shop space. I am building two doors right now for the new shop, and am having to cut the sheet goods outside, and will likely do the glue-up in the house (don't tell my wife). My point being; you may be able to fit those tools in the space but you won't have much room to get anything done.

    Not sure how much flexibility in your plan but could you use the existing garage for one car, and use the two-car for a shop?

    Good luck.
    Regards,

    Kris

  9. #9
    You could probably make it work with everything on wheels but it will be cramped.

    My first woodworking job was in a skinny shop 16" x 36" with more or less the same equipment as you have, and there wasn't much room for assembly or finishing.

    Can you live with the existing one car garage and build a separate shop as Chris suggests?

  10. #10
    Going by your list of ad-ons and improvements to the old house, you are probably going to spend everything and more you get from the sale of your house on your dad's old house. Personally, I would build a new shop, sized at least 1200 square feet, as you have plenty of room.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Millstone, NJ
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    1,590
    Park outside use the new 2 car garage for big tools and use the old garage for finishing/storage. Get a remote starter for the wife.
    I sold my wife on taking over the garage by selling her on mobility on all tools and that I can move everything to one side if she needs to get car inside for a snowstorm. But that evolved into me just cleaning her car off after every snow

  12. #12
    Could you add to the greenhouse/flower shop part of your business? A bit farther from the house but you could write off the building as expansion of the business storage/tractor parking even if it is closer to the house. You tax laws may be different than ours and it may not be worth it.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Peter Christensen View Post
    Could you add to the greenhouse/flower shop part of your business? A bit farther from the house but you could write off the building as expansion of the business storage/tractor parking even if it is closer to the house. You tax laws may be different than ours and it may not be worth it.
    Here in the U.S.the IRS is very strict about not mixing business use with personal use re tax write-offs. Particularly in a "mixed-use" property like you describe, if there's _any_ personal use at all of something that's being declared as a business expense, that could be trouble during an audit. It's not worth it here (the likelihood of an audit may change in the future, but in any case this is a red flag.) I am not a tax lawyer, but I've seen a lot.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Carlyle IL
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    2,183
    Thank you for the thoughts.... I realize, prior to creating this thread, I was attempting to drive an square peg in a round hole.

    I think there are a few options.

    1: Down size my equipment

    2: Leave some pieces in the new garage, i.e. Lathe, Performax 1632 sander, Drill Press, Sharpening (Grinder, Tormek, Water Stones), Festool. Keep Tablesaw, MM FS30, MM16 bandsaw, Router table in workshop area along with some Workbenches

    3: Retain existing garage for Anna's car, and build a detached garage. I didn't mention it but I have a New Holland TC33 Tractor with loader and 6 ft Brushhog, a ATV, a zeroturn, garden tractor, three tillers, and other items which are scattered here and there.

    4: Get out of woodworking and sell all my equipment except some hand tools and Festool items.
    Vortex! What Vortex?

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Number four is NOT a good option, Joe...
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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