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Soon, Soon, first build date approaching

RVswede

I'm New Here
Hi All!

8 years of time since my interest in RV started and now building one is in range.

My house is beeing built and the garage will be 6*8 meters, sole purpose is room for building an RV-7 and housing 2 motorcycles (perhaps other stuff depending on my resolve in letting others in the family intrude i MY space)

Now the question,

What should I build and prepare inside the garage?
workbench of course but other smart tips anyone

/regards
John in Sweden
 
Hi John and Welcome!

I'm getting prepared as well so I can't speak from experience yet but here's a few points if you hadn't thought of it yet:

- insulation/heating if you want to build through the winter
- good lighting
- I plan to install an air line along one wall with air quick-connects every few feet so I can plug in an air tool anywhere along the garage.
- storage for parts, tools, etc... Keep yourself organized.
- Music or TV is nice.

Cheers,
 
Hello John,

My detached garage/shop is located in the back of the lot here, too far away from the house for my Wi-Fi Internet Hub or Wireless Phone. I ran a Phone Line and Cat 5 Internet Cable as well as TV Coax (Satellite Dish Network). TV is always on a Music Channel unless I’m using the VCR-DVD to watch an instructional video (Fiberglass 101, From The Ground Up, GeoBeck etc.). But I have to confess, with all these entertainment distractions in the shop, I spend a lot of time sitting out there fondling my parts rather than building ! In addition to the usual tools/storage etc, you might add

• Phone Line
• Cable TV
• VCR - DVD
• Computer WWW Internet

Good luck there,
Paul
 
Lots of lighting, lots of outlets, I wish I did a built in shop vac of some kind.
 
Thanx Guys,

Cat6 cabling in place, planning for at least 7 fluorescent lights in the roof. New T5 ones that come alive directly. is 7 too much for a room 6 by 8 meters?
(19 by 26 feet) 3 of them above the workbench.

My electrician actually asked me if i was going to perform surgery in my garage, pretty funny.

also planning on a long Eaa work bench along one of the walls, with a part of it on wheels.

one 4 way outlet in the middle of the roof seems practical too.

isolation and heating is also planned, Sweden can be really cold.

any good suggestions on holder for plans?

/John
 
I agree with lighting. You just cant have enough. I have 3 double T5 fixtures and I wish I had more ceiling to put one more in.

I installed cabinets and countertops on one wall. Very handy for storage and working.

Dedicated work space. If you are constantly moving your project to make room for the car, or kids toys it gets to be a pain.

Tables. I have two. One a cheap folding type and one that I build from these plans. Some people put them on wheels, I didn't. Electrical outlets where your tables are. Enough air hose to get to the tables.

Storage for your inventory of parts that you haven't started working on. I use my attic for the metal stuff. Containers to put your rivets in.

Heating / Air Conditioning. Depends on your tolerance. Riveting while your fingers are numb cant feel good.

A good shop vacuum cleaner. I am constantly vacuuming something up.

As far as plans go, the cheap folding table is perfect for laying down the plans on 1/3rd of the table. The pages I'm not working on get put on top of my cabinets until needed.

I came to this realization about my situation. Avoid spending time and money on things that don't directly get your plane built. That's just me, though.

Good luck and let us know when you're building.
 
60 gal air compressor outside of shop with filter and water separator for air tools. Then a dessicant drier on a tee fitting just for painting. Two separate pres regulators for squeezer and then everything else.

Bandsaw, drill press, sander and bench grinder/scotch brite wheel all on one 4' X 4' table.

Beverage fridge.

Ventilation fan with high efficiency filter for collecting dust out of the air during cold months when you can't take the mess outside.

Fire extinguishers, first aid kits.

Dvd/small flat screen. Only used mine for training videos and occasional movie. Keep it off most of the time because i am usually making to much noise and it just slows me down. I do listen to the radio down low.

All other replies were very good advice and tried not duplicate much. Good luck with the build.
 
There is a saying that applies here; "You can never have too much power or too much lighting." I would also add that you can't have too much air.

I'm about where youre at... putting the finishing touches on the work shop and about to order the empennage. The little bit of work I've done in the shop so far has me very happy with the choices I've made.

An overview of my work space; http://www.n251rv.com/workshop/
Compressor info with some great links about piping choices and orifice flow calculations; http://www.n251rv.com/2011/08/14/compressed-air-piping/
Furnace... be sure you get enough BTU's per square meter; http://www.n251rv.com/2009/10/24/furnace-and-garage-doors/

Did I mention you cant have too much power? :)
 
Great tips!

Thanx everyone for the great tips.

after ordering and build start in Nov i will probably have some tool organisation and tool management Questions.

/John
 
Garage door mounted...

Closing in on Electrical wiring of garage, one of the best things with new house is that i get to choose where to place everything.

Yesterday was the day of a lot of cursing, tried to install a garage door with little success. have read the manuals over and over today so giving it a go in a couple of ours again. Used up all my bad words yesterday.

flying wise i am waiting for renewal of the little white note we in sweden call flying certificate so i can go flying again. Only renewal of the paper not the rating..

What are your wiews on tools (i know dangerous question)
What is considered must have when starting and what can be added when ordering the 2nd kit, wings?

Fly Safe.
/John
 
Congratulations on finishing your new house and shop.

Go ahead and order the tail kit and a start?s tool kit from any one of the vendors. You will quickly find out you need more tools and unless you buy out someone?s shop, you will continue to purchase more and more tools, even after you are flying.

The thing is simply to get started.

Best of luck and keep us updated on your progress!
 
-220/240 Volt Plug near where you plan to put your compressor and where you would put a welder if you ever go that route.

-Air hose piping installed now will go a long ways as well.
.
 
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