Thoughts on setting up new shop

[Shawn Anderson]

I now have my dream shop (or as close to it as I may ever get). I am just waiting for the cabinet maker to get out of it (another month giving him time to find a new shop). And am excited that I am now a home owner. The shop is 30x40 with 14ft ceilings and a 12ft tall door, insalated toung and groove walls and ceiling. Also has a 12x 40 lean too atached. Any tips for making the most of this space? May have just scored a 2 post hoist used for $900. What about floor coatings? Hard line for air tools, is it worth doing?

[Bamfster]

I personally like a hybrid on the air lines .... a hard line up to retractable hoses in the ceiling. Mine is divided in 1/2 .... dirty work on one half and clean work on the other. I also have a dedicated welding area with all flammables as far away as possible.

Just my thoughts ....

[stage1scott]

[Shawn Anderson]

Good point will add them tomorrow

[TheSilverBuick]

Just don't do what I do and spread my disasters all over the place

[DanStokes]

Go for a mezzanine! (Hopefully, pic attached). It's free space (other than the cost of materials) and pays back HUGE. Mine's 30x40 but without the lean-to. However big it is it'll soon be too small! It's amazing how quickly it can get crapped up and I'm still trying to dig mine out.

I like black steel lines for air - remember to add condensate drains at the ends. You can run copper nowadays but if anything goes flyin' (like a bolt from the rotary wire brush) and they'll puncture pretty easily. I'm in the process of running black steel for fuel to my hanging furnace (I'll post pics when it's done) and will go ahead and run the airline overhead while I have the scaffold set up.

Congrats!
Dan

[squirrel]

I just loaded up my truck with another ton of scrap....trying to make room around here!

I have hard air lines in the shop, if you route them thoughtfully they will help dry and drain the moisture from the compressed air.

I also have a small sub shop for doing grinding/welding stuff, in a corner with some partitions, keeps the nastys away from the cars.

The tough part is keeping from filling up the shop with crap.

[Monk]

Frig for beer

[racingsnake440]

I have hard air lines in the shop, if you route them thoughtfully they will help dry and drain the moisture from the compressed air.

Any hints?

[Paul Whalen]

The tough part is keeping from filling up the shop with crap. Amen brother...

[Huskinhano]

Don't forget fire extinquishers and a cabinet for flammables!

If you use 1/2" pipe for air lines, to save a lot of time cutting and threading, get yourself a electrical conduit bender for 3/4" EMT/ 1/2" rigid and bend the pipe. Easy to do, they come with a little guide on bending to get it right. Not only can you do 90* bends but saddles to go over other obsticles. I'll tell you how.

[squirrel]

Any hints?

Run the lines near the ceiling, slope them for drainage and have several drains, and have the air outlet for painting be on the other end of the shop, so it has to travel through plenty of pipe so all the moisture will condense before it gets to the air gun.

[Shawn Anderson]

Here are some shop pics, they are bad pics taken with a phone and also highlight my finger.

[DanStokes]

Nice finger! Now I'll give you MY finger!

But seriously, the shop looks great. Whats the white stuff in the pics? Seems to be messing up your pics - maybe a camera problem?

Dan

[Shawn Anderson]

It is the shop I never thought I would have, there is a cool older guy (72) building cabinets in there now going to give him some time to get a new place.