Mainline Garage V2

[fabjunkie]

Mainline Shop 36x50

So we're a week out from moving into the new place and I've been working on the design/layout for the new shop. I've been playing with different interior layouts. The use for the shop will be fabrication and cars. I'm working on getting a plasma table and starting some side work with it. I've scaled back some of my ideas for budget reasons, but I'm looking at putting a 36x50x12 with 4:12 pitch. A single 18x10 roll up door and a single man door on the North side. Power will more than likely come in the SW corner as the transformer is in that corner of the lot and I'll probably just go with a second meter on this build.

I'm looking for input/advice from you guys on what layout you would go with and why or changes you would make from what I have here. Sorry for all the pics but I'm trying to narrow it down.

Things that will affect the building when it's built that I'm trying to decide to do or not are:
1. Bathroom. Just a small room with a toilet. I'll put a basin sink in the shop area. It would go in the NE corner of the shop.
2. Windows. I plan on doing a couple mini split units for cooling/heat, but am debating on having windows as well. Thinking doing a couple 4020 on each gable end. Top of window would be at the 8' level, so the bottom sill would be 6'. High enough to keep most eyes out and harder to gain entry through for the nefarious types.

Right now I've got 5 layouts. First pic for each is the cad drawing layered over the satellite image, second is close up from cad. The blue rectangles are pallet racks. I will build my workbench into these as well as have toolboxes, etc under them. The larger rectangle is the plasma table with a 48" pallet rack close by for material storage. There is currently a small workshop, about 20x18, that I will have my compressors in and use for either storage or an extra bay. The truck on the drawings is representative of the probably biggest truck I will have in the shop, my crew cab long bed. I will also have a forklift for material loading duties for the plasma table so I'm trying to keep working space for it as well as space for moving material in if I have a vehicle ******* on the lift.

 

[joe--h]

No idea what the cost is in your area, but here that second meter would cost $300+ per year for the monthly fee. Plus whatever power used.
Dig a trench, conduit and line only costs once. Leaves $300 for beer every year.
Joe H

 

[fabjunkie]

I need to wait until we're in the house to get the guy from the poco out to discuss options. So far I know that it's $225 for them to put the second meter in and it will be the same rate as the house, I forgot to ask about monthly meter fee. I'd have to go under the driveway to come off the house, upgrade meter socket, etc to come off the existing line. I know I spent well more than $225 to do it that way on the current place.

 

[fabjunkie]

Bringing it back up. I've been playing around in Sketchup to get a better feel for it. I think this is the layout I'm gearing towards. yes I know it's a Chevy car and a dually, but they were what I found in the online warehouse and they are close enough. I'm still debating on windows and bathroom. Bathroom will probably add $2500 to the build and I figure I can always pee outside and go in the house to drop the kids off. That covers the AC cost.

 

[fabjunkie]

Added a little more.

 

[fabjunkie]

So I guess it's time for an update. The shop is up waiting on the POCO to hook up the meter. I've got the lights and fans up running off an extension cord and have started hanging the OSB for the walls. Slowly but surely it's getting there. I wanted to be at this point months ago, but the weather kept holding off getting the concrete poured and slowed down erection a little too. Now it's so damn hot I don't want to do anything when I get home from work so progress has slowed a little. I didn't take as many pics this time but here's a few to catch up with where I'm at.

 

[bww_mnm]

Holy smokes. From sketch up to a finished product w no in between pics. That might be unlawful at GJ!

Shop looks great!

 

[fabjunkie]

POCO came out this week and hooked up the meter so it's running off it's own juice. Got a little help today and got most of the wall up. A handful more sheets and it will be done. Then I can get some pallet racking and start really getting everything moved in. My 2-post will be delivered this week so I need to get some stuff moved around so I can get it laid out too.

 

[fabjunkie]

Got a package today

Wanted to put where I ordered from. Bigboysgaragetoys.com. Scott was easy to deal with and prompt with answering the phone or returning calls. They had the best price on the new model with the screw pads, and there was no residential surcharge, although I do have a forklift. I would order from them again.

 

[fabjunkie]

And the lift is in.

 

[fabjunkie]

Well time flies and all of that. Figured I'd update for any who care. Between work and family there's been lots of time on and time off of getting the shop done, which it never is. I'll pick up where I left off.

Got the lift in and tested. We lined it up so that the right column is in line with the side of the 18' door. This leaves 4 feet to the wall and enough space to the left that it's not in the way for the rest of the shop.

After the lift was in, I started getting the pallet racking up and finishing the walls.

Scored a bolt bin on craigslist. Still need to sit down and start filling it up.

On the electrical, I decided to just put in what I need this time, all surface mounted, adding and changing as I go along. Before the slab was poured I buried a 2" run of conduit down the middle beam to run the wire for a sub panel. This puts my main in the middle of one eve wall and sub at the other end. Easy power distribution for the whole shop.

I did a big shop purchase last month and in preparation for it I needed to get my air set up. There is a smaller 20x20 building that is currently used for storage that sits 12' from the shop. After much deliberation, I decided to put the compressors in the other building so I don't have to listen to them. I did as many before me and built a dryer out of 3/4" copper. From there it exits the storage building and runs underground to the shop. I put several drain valves in the system and haven't had any water issues even with the unusual high humidity we've been having.

So that brings us to these pics here.

 

[fabjunkie]

So that brings us to the big purchase last month. This is something that I've been working towards for a very long time and I was finally able to make it happen this year. The design and layout of the shop and the last one were influenced by the anticipation of this.

A short 50 hour round trip to upstate New York and back Thanksgiving week brought me this.

A couple days over the turkey holiday to get everything run the way I wanted it and set up brings us here.

And the first real project which isn't done yet.