Shop Requirements

[Mike Armstrong]

I?m about to remodel my home and that includes adding on an attached garage (shop ). Living in So. Cal. the available property space to build on is limited (read: the large spacious shop I really want aint gonna happen here) so the dimensions of the garage will be 20x22ft. I?m still in the planning stages so what I need, knowing this will be a shop specifically for building a kitplane such as an RV (-12?), is what kinds of things I should be telling the contractor to include in the construction. I would like this shop both wood and metal kitplane construction friendly for the option of selecting different kit projects in the future. I?m not needing a list of shop tools (yet) as much as what needs to be included in the construction of the shop itself. I would really appreciate advice from those that have homebuilt as to what kinds of things are a ?must have? or ?nice to have? for the homebuilders shop to have built in such as,

1) Sound deadening materials in the walls and/or roof? (riveting noise ect.)
2) Electrical requirements? (access, machine/tool, arc welding ect.)
3) Ventilation? (paint, chemicals, sealants ect.)
4) Lighting? (overall)
5) ?

What would you include in the construction of your shop if you were to do it all over again? What is the one thing or things that you wish you had already built in? Thanks


Mike

[Mike S]

Dream list---------$$no object.

Electric outlets every 6' all walls, also two ceiling pull down reels.

Air compressor outlets every 12', also two ceiling pull down reels.

Cordless phone, with hands free headset.

TV-big flat screen, Stereo, computer displaying through TV------able to be seen from project area as you look at a post and compare your work.

Lighting-------Lots!!! Zone switched.

HVAC., and forced ventilation for smelly jobs.

Built in vacuum, outlets 2 or 3 each wall.

Insulated "drum" roll up door.

Refrigerator.

Bathroom------at least a place to wash up before going in house.

Central floor drain.

Epoxy coated floor.

I am sure I missed a few, but here is a place to start.

Mike

[Mike Armstrong]

Nice! Thanks Mike, thats the kinda stuff I need to see 'dream list' or not.

[captainron]

Always build a garage and a half; i.e., build a 1 1/2 car, 2 1/2 car, etc. garage.
That extra 1/2 space is great for storing stuff like mowers and such when you're not building planes in there. A single, wide garage door is obvious. If it's a metal door, then insulate it well (noise!). You can't have too much lighting! A dedicated 240v, 20 amp outlet for a good (read 60 gal or so, oil lubricated) air compressor. Another dedicated 240v, 20 amp outlet for a welder would be nice, but you could alternate it with the compressor outlet if you had to. A compressed air system consisting of a water separator, pressure regulator, lubricator, connected by 1/2" copper piping. Make sure to sweat all joints in the copper piping system-don't use compression fittings. Have plenty of taps for air before and after the lubricator, as some tools require lubrication and some don't. Have dedicated air hoses for both the lubed side and the un-lubed side to avoid contaminating parts with oil when you're just trying to blow them dry after prepping them for primer and such.

[RVbySDI]

Here is a list of items I have in my shop. If you are willing or able to do any of the work yourself then costs can be kept down. Of course when it comes to electrical and such your ability to work on anything will depend on the code laws in your area.

• In my shop I set up a separate 5x10 "air compressor" room that has a full walk through door that can be closed to minimize the noise. This room currently houses a 60 gallon 7 HP compressor with plans to put a dust collection system in the room as well.
• I do not have air plumbed currently but have plans for a main air line to be plumbed through the wall of the compressor room. The lines will then split out to various locations in the shop. I have heard that the typical pvc pipe sometimes used for air compressor plumbing can have explosive failures so I plan to plumb using regular air hose overhead with several retractable hose reals in various strategic locations throughout the shop.
• I have a full bathroom with corner shower, sink, toilet, hot water tank. This was a must have as the closest bathroom in the house requires walking through the entire length of the house to reach. Not good when you are covered with dirt, etc. and need cleaning up.
• Electrical outlets are set on both sides of any window and door and are spaced about 8 feet apart throughout the shop. I also set separate electrical zones up for the outlets so that there are blocks of outlets (say on the left side of a window) that are on a different circuit than the next outlet (say the one on the right side of the window). By doing this I can be sure that I will not overload one circuit if I have multiple items running all at the same time in the location I am working.
• In most climates a good source of heat for winter is necessary. My shop does get very cold in the winter. By having a heat source you can spend the long winter months working in a warm environment. I currently have an old fashioned floor furnace burning propane that is adequate. However, it does have an open flame so that is something I must always be conscious of concerning the use of flammable materials in the shop when it is in operation.
• The opposite of the heat in the winter is a means to cool the are in the summer. My shop is insulated which I consider a must but it does take some type of air circulation to allow for a cool shop on a hot day.
• As has been mentioned before make sure you have lots of light. This is something you can never have too much of. Even so you may still find yourself working in a corner of your shop that you wish you had more light in. Plan for plenty of overhead light but also plan for some means for portable lighting.

Just a few things I did. Hope that helps.

[java]

OK... I'll chime in. I have a two car garage, slightly smaller than you're guess as to your eventual shop size.

I'll second the suggestion for lots of electrical outlets. If I were building new, I'd also install 220V (compressor and/or welder... if you weld).

I'm not sure you need that much in terms of compressed air outlets. If you think about it, most hoses are 50' which will let you go corner to corner in your space and back again. May be some slight convenience factor to have more than one, or hose reel from the ceiling.

With a smaller space, you'll also want to economize on how much room you take up with "non-airplane stuff." Even if I wanted to put a refrigerator or a bathroom in my shop, I'd have to move the airplane out to do it . Having a wash tub in an attaching laundry or mud room is handy for cleanup though.

Make sure you have a network outlet (or go wireless) and leave room for a computer so you can check VAF while working .

Give lots of thought to shelving and cabinets, and/or mezzanine space if you have the height. There is a lot of "stuff" that needs storing in between building on it, as well as supplies, tools, etc. Make allowances if you want to hang parts from the walls (as I've done with my wings).

I also have some cushioned mats on my floor. A couple days straight standing all day on concrete has a surprising toll.

Think about where you'll put your plans and building manuals. If you can keep them off working surfaces you'll have more room for work, but if you have an extra desk it takes up limited floor space. Another candidate for on the wall.

Start working on SWMBO now to keep garbage bins, recycle bins, empty bottle storage, etc. someplace other than the shop

[john kelley]

In Illinois I would highly recomend radiant floor heat, not sure how critical it is in Ca. If you are doing woodworking plan for dust collection ducts routed in the slab. We did this in my brother inlaws shop. Think of a 7" "dado" in the floor with a 1" rabit at the top. Then ron power and duct work to tools in the dado. Drop a 1 x 8 into the rabit so you can walk or roll equipment over the opening. Obviously you need to know where you want to place the table saw / jointer / planner etc.

John

[Mike Armstrong]

Thank you fellas, great information, I appreciate it. As far as the size of the garage (shop), 20x22 is unfortunately the maximum I can legally sqeeze onto my property. Luckily, I also have a large shed (not big enough for a shop) in my back yard that I use for storage and lawn stuff so I should be able to use the garage only for shop purposes.

[Mike S]

Originally Posted by Mike Armstrong

Luckily, I also have a large shed (not big enough for a shop) in my back yard that I use for storage and lawn stuff so I should be able to use the garage only for shop purposes.

If possible, put the air compressor in the shed. You will appreciate the quiet.

As to a previous post, 50' air hose--------they get caught in/on everything.
I use as short a hose as will do the job--------more air flow, less mess, and less frustration. Same idea for electric cords.

Stay away from the coil type self retracting hoses---the ones that look like a giant spring. The airflow is lousy.

Whoever mentioned the rubber mats is right on.

By the way, get a good air compressor. Upright tanks eat less floor space. 220v is more efficient than 110. 60 gal would be my minimum recomendation.
Search this site for more good info on them.

Mike

[flynwx]

Let me add my $0.02. Make sure you get lots of outlets in the garage that are on a dedicated circuit. I have owned several houses in California where the garage outlets were wired through a GFI outlet in the far corner of the house. The outlet may be six feet from the electical panel, but there could be 100 feet of wiring to get there. (In one house, I couldn't use my table saw until I added a circuit.) The outlets can typically all be on one circuit. (Check for code compliance!) If you are working alone, you will probably use only one tool at a time. I recommend putting the outlets 4 or 5 feet off the floor. You could put a bench against that wall and still use the outlets. Someone mentioned a 220v circuit for an air compressor. I added a 30 amp line to drive my 7 HP 60 gal compressor, but that's a little overkill. For lighting, I recommend adding outlets in the ceiling that are wired through a switch(es). You can hang 4 foot shop lights wherever you want and plug them into the switched outlets. That also makes it easy to add or move lights if necessary. Air lines are a nice idea but probably not necessary for the size of your shop. If you add an oiler, make sure you keep track of which hoses you use with oil and which are dry. I just oil the tools before use them so I don't worry about the tool, and I don't worry about spraying oil on the part I just cleaned. A utility sink is wonderful. Even if there is a sink in the laundry next to the garage, having a dedicated sink in the garage can "promote domestic tranquility." The plastic utility sinks available at the Temple of Orange and other home centers are good, but there are some really nice stainless utility sinks available. Consider getting a sink that has a drain area on the side. Also, consider putting the sink where you have about 6 feet of clear wall space to one side. You could build a drain tray that drains into the sink. But, if the sink is bound by windows or doors on both sides, you'll have no place to put it. In my last house, I added a sink in the garage. I put in a kitchen type fixture so I got the spray nozzle on a retractable hose. I also added a utility fixture at knee cap level so I could slide a 5 gal bucket under it. The utility fixture was threaded to accept a garden hose. Gosh, I miss that sink!