Semi-new member with a blank canvas

Hey Gang,
I'm semi-new in that I apparently registered back in 2007 but I don't remember doing so However, I do have a crappy memory...

Back-story
Due to growing kids we out-grew our 1200 sq.ft house on an 8000 sq.ft lot. In the prior house I insulated the spacious 2-car garage, re-wired it (lots of outlets), put in a 240v line for my air-compressor, lots of T8 lighting that work great in the cold weather here in upper Oregon, simple but VERY sturdy wood shelving and work bench. It was so nice having a place to work on my air-cooled VW.

Then I met my other half.

Garage space suddenly became scarce. Then kids. Though my VW always got a garage space, the other space barely held her Passat and my Goldwing. When I got my Porsche 914 (and later sold it due to lack of work...hey, it gave me two house payments), and later a Ducati, the Passat went outside and the bikes stayed in. Doing any kind of maintenance really tested my patience due to a lack of elbow room.

The missus and I finally got tired of no house and garage space. The lot size was fine for the kids to run around on and we had a TuffShed for storage (loved it, highly recommend 'em). We waffled on saving money and improving our current place -- which included seriously expanding the garage! -- or else buy a 'new' place and take on a bigger mortgage and hope to God neither of us becomes part of the unemployment statistics.

Our criteria was more square footage for her, property for me big enough to build a shop on OR have a shop already built. After a couple months looking on our own time along with having a real estate agent, we found a place. Told our realtor and she got the process moving.

In September we had our 'old' house completed for renters and moved into our 'new' house. 3000 sq.ft. of 1968 funkiness, so it sounds like a lot but it's a tri-level and kind of sectioned up so it doesn't seem really that big. The lot is 4/5 of an acre with a big garden shed (it could hold a car and then some, it also contains the pump house for our well) and A 36'x36' SHOP!!

Current day
The shop has a cement floor and R-13 insulation. It came with sheet rock and insulation for the ceiling, I just have to install it. Electrical is done though I modified it a tad, including adding a 240v circuit for my air-compressor. Lighting is 8' HO T12...apparently nice to have (aside from the humming) from what I've read so far from the Lighting & Electrical forum on here. There is a thermostat in the attic space that turns on a ventilation fan and it also came with a big ol' shop gas heater...uhm, just needs fuel piped to it

Money is tight and my shop needs finishing. Right now I'm still trying to figure out how to finish it, there's so many ideas and ways. For example, I like the idea of having the electrical circuits outside of the walls -- never thought of that before even though I've seen it at other professional shops. I dunno, many options. It needs to be a functional garage as well, not something that only holds toys. I love German cars and Italian design so was thinking of having one wall for each nationality. Uhg, what to do...

Here's what I have to work with. Excuse the messiness but we're still 'moving in' to our house and getting things organized -- we're both engineers with Type A personalities





My first task will be sheet-rocking every thing then from there...open canvas.

Looks like a great start!!

Congrats on your bigger shop! Whichever way you go, I'm sure you'll have a blast. Enjoy!

Nice squareback! Oh yeah, nice building too...

Toby looks like a great new shop . I notice though you seem to be running out of room already and I am a Helpful kinda guy . I would be willing to come out there and bring the type 3 back here and store it for you so you have more space .


Rick

Hey Rick,
That's what I like about VW nuts, they're so helpful! I'd rather lend you our Bus because: 1. The motor need rebuilding and, 2. My parents were the original owners of my baby so I'm kinda DEEPLY attached to her, being that I was a toddler when they bought it.

Thanks for the offer

Great space. Any pics of the outside?

Ive got a similar sized shop (35x40) and it will hold 7 cars + office/bathroom. Granted that is for storage, at least one needs to go outside to work on something, but the point is, you have alot of space if you organize it. Have you looked int pallet racks? I highly recommend them, especially if you have project cars and all the parts associated with such.

-Jeff

I'd love to have a shop that size! Looks like a great start!

I didn't even see a garage in the pictures. All I see are the gorgeous modes of transportation you got there! Love the squareback and bus, and that Ducati is ok too!

You're off to a great start with a large blank slate. I love the high ceilings and large doors. Keep us updates as you make progress.

That's an awesomely huge shop man. Once organized and finished, it should serve you well!

Great starting point, Toby. When I moved to Auburn 8 years ago, I was like you, looking for a house with enough land to build a shop or already had a shop built. I got lucky and found a place with an existing 25x50 shop with a 12 foot ceiling. It too was like a blank canvas and after wiring, insulation, sheetrocking, painting, etc. I had a place to call my own. Good luck with your journey to creating your own space.

JSBriggs said:

Great space. Any pics of the outside?

Ive got a similar sized shop (35x40) and it will hold 7 cars + office/bathroom. Granted that is for storage, at least one needs to go outside to work on something, but the point is, you have alot of space if you organize it. Have you looked int pallet racks? I highly recommend them, especially if you have project cars and all the parts associated with such.

-Jeff

Click to expand...

One of my buds had a VW shop and we made extensive use of racks for parts, good idea!

Ask and ye shall receive... <edit> The pictures are linked from my Facebook page which is why the copyright symbol is there cuz I didn't add it AND this picture was taken in July or August of this year!</edit>


In relation to the house. Looking west from the south east corner of the lot (yes, we're in town):


The small shed to the left is the 'garden shed' for lack of a description. It houses the well and filtering system, the rest is open storage. Could fit a single car in there with room to spare if there was a garage door on it. Wife gets to FINALLY park her car in the attached garage so loading & unloading the rat-pack (our kids) isn't such a chore during the wet season (Sept thru June)

Air_Cooled_Nut said:

the wet season (Sept thru June)

Click to expand...

I grew up in Tigard. I know all about the wet season. I have a certain fondness for PDX, and its a nice place to visit, but....

Im looking forward to see it come together. Looks like you have enough height for a lift somday as well.

-Jeff

Tigard?! I went with an American babe from there for a while. Met her in California, where she lived with 5 of her friends, 10 minutes from Santa Monica Beach. Drove her Suzuki Samuri from Tigard to LA once - brutal ride!!

I love the size of your shop. You could organize that between bikes and cars!

nice place and I dig Vw's as well

Nice!

I'd say that next you want: sheet rock, cabinets, good lighting and maybe a lift.

Jack Olsen said:

Nice!

I'd say that next you want: sheet rock, cabinets, good lighting and maybe a lift.

Click to expand...

Maybe? No, WILL now that I have something larger than a garage! That has been a dream for years. Aside from $$ I need to get the right one that can handle rear-engined beasts <grr!>

Right now my time & money is fixing up the house for my Trini Girl. A happy woman is a happy life. Thank goodness I'm damn good with my hands, keeps expenses down and the quality high

Nice space! I'm a big fan of having the wiring in conduit mounted to the wall surface. Mostly because tools and equipment have a habit of following me home, meaning additions/modifications to power the new stuff. Now is definitely the time if you're thinking of heading down that path.

Graham08, after seeing a few workspaces with such set ups it is appealing. Something I'm considering. Right now the whole OSB/plywood/sheetrock debate is raging through my head...uhg. I will paint whatever I get. Oh, and I do like peg board. Did that in my last garage and loved it. Turns out my renter likes it as well

That's a great looking shop you have there! I wish I still had a big one like that. I'm now squeezing a complete auto machine shop into a 20 x 20, plus a out building for the cleaning equipment. You can do a lot with a space like that!

I can't figure out where you're at by looking at your pictures, you say you're in the city but with a well and that large lot, you might be out here by me?

I see a lot of people that seem to be near by, what area are you in? I'm in Clackamas/Happy Valley.

Mm

any progress Toby? I know it takes a long time to get something going... ive been in my house for a year... i figure it will take me another 3 before im settled with the garage lay out

Ditto on needing some updates. I'd like to see some more pics of the Squareback.

Good luck, Toby, and keep us posted!

Sorry about the lack of updates...nothing much to report on. Looking to get a tiny bit of work done on the interior walls.

Kevin54, about my Squareback -- lost my engine on the way home after climbing Pikes Peak.

Mmfh, I live on the west side, next to Beaverton.

I've got 3 VWs in need of repair and as a computer contractor the time between contracts consumes the savings I have made so the shop is the red-headed step-child when it comes to finances I'm looking for full-time work or a 6-month+ contract, one of those would really help me get some progress.

Finally got 14 sheets of plywood, sanded on one side, several months ago off Craig's List. I think 3/4" or dang close to it. As recommended here I'll paint them before I mount them.

Two weeks ago I got 10/2 wire off Craig's List for 1/2 the cost of buying it from a big box store -- I got lucky (and was patient), 10/2 isn't a common wire around here it seems. Last weekend I got the main 30amp breaker and main wiring installed (goes from box, up wall, over ceiling) and the right leg installed. The left leg is next after I get over my cold. This circuit will be for an eventual lift on the right side (cement was poured deeper on that side), just nice to have outlet on the left side. Then paint the plywood and install it on the lower 1/2 of the shop.

Got a nice scrape on my shoulder blade when running the wire down the wall. I mis-calculated my last ladder rung so the ground was a bit further than I thought. When I hit the ground my band-saw stopped me from falling over completely but in exchange I donated some blood to it

Slowly but surely...

Great collection!