My shop

[N8inks]

(I posted this over on the HAMB and Ryan asked me to post here too, I hope it's helpful)

This is the barn that nate built

this is the mouse that lives in the barn that... ok,

After I got the barn built I had all this great space to use and no money to organize it, so this is what I came up with. I thought I'd share it here because I know how frustrating it is to be tripping over parts and not finding the tools you need and this setup has really worked well for me and didn't cost me too much.

The back side of the barn has 20' ceilings. I originally wanted to get a big tool box and some of those fancy-pants chrome cabinets.. but that's a bit out of my budget. I did however have some leftover lumber.. so I built my workbenches out of that.

mostly 2x6s, some 2x4s and some mdf from home depot. I built the shelves like you would frame a floor with 16" centers on the boards:

After I got the benches built I still had a bunch of stuff on the floors and it was getting kicked around and tripped over, so I built a shelf:

The shelf brackes are about $1 each. The shelf blocked my light so I put those outdoor flood fixtures on the bottom side, they were about $4 each. I like them a lot better than flourescent, they're not as harsh and don't buzz.

pretty simple, but it works!

the woodstove keeps me warm too:

 

[arkracing]

Awesome

What size shop is it???

Is it just 1 half of the building that has a loft floor?

 

[rocco]

looks like a true hotrodders garage.

 

[N8inks]

It's 25 wide, 40 deep.. the loft floor goes from the front 25' back, so my main work area is 20' to the ceiling, in the back of the building.

thanks!

 

[Charles (in GA)]

No insulation?

Charles

 

[N8inks]

nope. maybe someday, but for right now it's not in the budget. It stays suprisingly warm when I have the woodstove really going.

No insulation?

Charles

 

[russlaferrera]

It's looking good, nice layout. Best of luck!

When you get some $$ the insulation will help with sound, heat in the winter, and keep cool in the summer.

 

[Sack]

Cool. Looks great.

 

[fefarms]

The garage looks useful and is probably working well for you, but

(There's no "nice" way to put this...)

You might want to have a word with the electrician and HVAC guy. I count as many as eight building code violations in the pictures.


NM cable "secured" with conduit straps instead of listed staples. No boxes for the undershelf light fixture connections. NM not fastened within 1 foot of each "box". Insufficient room in "box" for the number of wires entering and leaving. NM cable dangling in unfinished wall next to garage door, instead of being stapled to the building structure every 4 1/2 feet.

Insufficient clearance between the back of the woodstove and combustibles. Stovepipe not 9 inches away from rafters/sheathing. (Your metal shield allows a reduction in clearance from 18 inches to 9 inches, but it looks closer than 9 inches.) Stovepipe diameter reduced below size of vent in stove.

Some of these may not actually be issues (you could be using a zero clearance stove -- can't tell from the pictures, the stove manufacturer's listing may allow for a reduction in vent diameter).

I have to admit that what you have will probably work, and that I've seen a lot worse (in places not subject to inspection). I cringe the most at the undershelf lights. It's a creative and low-cost solution, but not something that others should copy, at least not without making some changes.

 

[arkracing]

You might want to have a word with the electrician and HVAC guy. I count as many as eight building code violations in the pictures.

I'm pretty sure that he IS the HVAC & Electrician. He did what was needed to get the garage to be usefull for the time.

 

[N8inks]

Thanks for the input. You may be right on the lights, i'll look into it.

As far as the stove goes, you're making a lot of assumptions from the photos. You can come over with a tape measure any time.

And yes, I did all the work myself and I'm confident it's safe.

The garage looks useful and is probably working well for you, but

(There's no "nice" way to put this...)

You might want to have a word with the electrician and HVAC guy. I count as many as eight building code violations in the pictures.


NM cable "secured" with conduit straps instead of listed staples. No boxes for the undershelf light fixture connections. NM not fastened within 1 foot of each "box". Insufficient room in "box" for the number of wires entering and leaving. NM cable dangling in unfinished wall next to garage door, instead of being stapled to the building structure every 4 1/2 feet.

Insufficient clearance between the back of the woodstove and combustibles. Stovepipe not 9 inches away from rafters/sheathing. (Your metal shield allows a reduction in clearance from 18 inches to 9 inches, but it looks closer than 9 inches.) Stovepipe diameter reduced below size of vent in stove.

Some of these may not actually be issues (you could be using a zero clearance stove -- can't tell from the pictures, the stove manufacturer's listing may allow for a reduction in vent diameter).

I have to admit that what you have will probably work, and that I've seen a lot worse (in places not subject to inspection). I cringe the most at the undershelf lights. It's a creative and low-cost solution, but not something that others should copy, at least not without making some changes.

 

[fefarms]

My apologies on the stove clearances.

For about $1 per lamp you can add some octagonal boxes to enclose the wiring connections. You don't need weatherproof boxes in this application. Get a bucket of those plastic cable staples at Home Depot and you can secure the NM cable along the bottom of the shelf.

Run around the shop and use some more staples to secure the NM wires to the sides of the studs, for example next to the door behind the stove. Keep the cable 1.25 inches back from the face of the studs in case you or somebody else ever finishes the interior walls. You should support the cable within 12 inches of every box (6 inches if the box is non-metallic and doesn't have a cable clamp) and every 4.5 feet along the run of cable. The support can be either a staple or by passing the cable through a hole in a stud or joist.

 

[Woffski]

Looks like a very roomy and useful garage. I do agree with the wood stove, i believe it could become a problem.

 

[C_F]

Well...aside from any code violations, nice garage! It definitely looks like a nice place to tinker.

 

[hrm2k]

cool garage.............and with an old hemi.........I Approve......
We did the same type of work benchs in our garage. We used masonite to cover the surface. Used countersunk screws to hold the masonite in place. When the bech gets to looking bad, take up the masonite, put new masonite down and a new work bench is in place.....
when will that hemi powered model A hit the street?

 

[N8inks]

Thanks. I'm hoping in the next year it'll be runnig.

cool garage.............and with an old hemi.........I Approve......
We did the same type of work benchs in our garage. We used masonite to cover the surface. Used countersunk screws to hold the masonite in place. When the bech gets to looking bad, take up the masonite, put new masonite down and a new work bench is in place.....
when will that hemi powered model A hit the street?