Looking for Garage tool layout ideas

[kent_323is]

Hey guys,
I have a new garage as part of a new house build we finished last fall. I'm finally getting all of the extra moving boxes out, and the floor is mostly open now.
I've got a 100A sub panel in the garage, so far the only circuits I've hooked up is a 50A breaker for the stick (arc) welder, an older Lincoln 250A.

I'm attaching a pic of the overall size and layout. It shows the sub-panel, existing outlets in green, and future outlets I want to add in yellow.

The left side of the garage is for our primary vehicles, a mini-van and an extended cab truck.

The right side will be the main work area with all of the tools.

Primary tools, currently have:
more focused on metal working and fabrication. Will be doing work on vehicles and various projects.
Benchtop Drill press
6x48" belt sander
1x30" belt sander
110v MIG welder
250A Stick welder
44" benchtop toolbox on rollers
table saw
small vertical bandsaw (benchtop)
Small air compressor, larger one planned in future.
benchtop wood lathe
Wood miter saw

Future tools:
abrasive chop saw
small mill (9x36 single phase)
small lathe (10x30 single phase)

Ceiling is 131" tall, as I wanted it tall enough for a future car lift, either 2 post or 4 post. Ceiling is already sheetrocked, but needs to be insulated.

Doors are 18' wide and 8' tall, insulated.

Questions:
What additional circuits should I add now? Walls are open, and will be insulated and sheeted in the future.
Ceiling doesn't have insulation yet, but will after I do some of the electrical.

What are recommended locations for tools and storage?
I would like to have ventilation for the welders, so a semi permanent location for them would be nice.

I'd recommendations for a temporary setup that doesn't involve attaching anything to walls, as I want to leave those free for easy insulating and sheetrocking, hopefully to happen this winter (2017/18)


Side note: I have a large shop that is 120miles away, and that's where I do the large fabrication projects. Vertical mill, lathe, tube bender, MIG & TIG welders, tube notcher, forklift, drill press, etc.

This garage will be focused on vehicle repair/restoration, small metal fab projects, and smaller wood projects. I have 2 small (24x36) sheds (red) on this property for storing the tractor, lawnmowers, snowdozer, motorcyle w/sidecar, snow blower, & storage for ****. These aren't insulated and don't have concrete, so not ideal for shop work.

 

[RWorth]

stupid question, are you commuting 120 miles?

Eric

 

[superskaterxes]

as many outlets and shop air hookups as you can get. Receptacles are cheap and you can never have to many.

 

[xyster101]

I would do more outlets. Do a duplex box with a total of 4 outlets. Make the left two one circuit and the right two another circuit in each box. That way you can run two heavy duty things at once right next to each other.

Personally I like to do my welding work near the garage door. Allows me to toss grinder sparks and welding fumes out the garage door easier. Plus if it is nice out, I can weld outside for better lighting and no fumes to breathe. So I would put the 220v outlet near the garage door, not hidden in the back where things can be lit on fire easier.

I have a 25x50 shop with 32 outlets on 4 circuits, overkill? Nope. Outlets are cheap.

I would also put a few outlets in the ceiling for not only garage door openers but a few pull down outlets. I have two pull down outlets from the ceiling in my shop.

I would put your compressor where you want the arch welder to go. Then you can easily run air right down the middle of the shop ceiling and put a retractable reel on the ceiling.

Not sure if you are HVAC this place, but a water spigot near the garage doors is great feature for washing cars. You could do hot water also.

What about lighting? I would wire up at least 2 circuits for lighting. Then you can turn on half the lights if you are just "grabbing" something or if you need to work on the other lighting circuit.
What about switches for outside lights?

As for work surfaces, I like a bench bolted to a wall that is at least 8' long with a long power strip on the front for tools. I also like a power strip on the wall above it for chargers like drills, flashlights, stereos, etc.
Wire a circuit to a switch that controls lights right above the workbench and an outlet. Then you can flip the switch which turns on the lights and the stereo in one shot.
Take a 4x8 sheet of ply and put it on a heavy duty 4x4 frame and big casters. Make it the same height as your tail gate so it is easy to pull material right off your truck onto it. Or you can cut sheet goods with half the material on the truck and half on the table. This can me a movable work surface with some bench machines under it that you can lift up and set on top. Put a outlet strip on the side of this table. Move it and then plug into your pull down outlets located on the ceiling.
Large machines can go against the right side wall.

Plan on more lights then you want. Get LED. I put 30 4' long LED lights in my shop and it was BRIGHT the first time, now it is just right, but still a few dark spots.

 

[jetnow1]

I put a duplex outlet on each side of the stud every 4 feet on different circuits. Maybe a bit of overkill but it is easy to bury an outlet behind materials or tools. As stated outlets are cheap to run if the walls are open. I have had a garage with minimum code wiring- never again. As stated an outlet for the welder near the door is handy also, though that one is not that cheap to run.

 

[kent_323is]

stupid question, are you commuting 120 miles?

Eric

Good question. I actually work from home for a large corporation, and that keeps me closer to the garage. I go to the big shop every couple of weeks and work on projects. Having time in-between helps to plan the projects and buy parts.

At some point I would move equipment down, but that's not happening until this garage is organized and fully functional. Some of the big equipment I have in the shop is 3 phase, so that adds a level of complexity.