Ideas garage shop space benches heat and lighting

M

MarkM

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Trying to get to a full rounded shop with more equipment to buy. I am turning a garage into a shop. Just recieved my lathe and made a few benches so I thought it might be a good thread to pass on some ideas about what we have done and what we hope to do in our somewhat limited space in our home garage.
The three benches actually was one bench and had to make some space and try to figure a way to be functional knowing there is at least a mill and a bandsaw on the horizon. The benches arent done there functional now. Need tops on them some shelves and some granite for a layout area. I plan on using fire rated curtains along the truck and also to separate the grinders and welder from the machine tools.
The garage itself is fully insulated but needs some more added and walls to be painted and a drop door at the top of the stairs to keep heat in the lower level. It s a bit cluttered right now having just recieved my lathe. I plan on adding a 220 heater plus a toe kick heater on the bigger bench close to the floor facing the lathe. It could take awhile to complete but thought it might be fun to pass ideas around while I work on things. I have to admit it isn t going to happen over night. Just too busy with many projects on the go. Moving forward is all I am concerned about. Here are a few pics. Its a bit messy for now but happy the way the benches worked out

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MarkM said:
I apologize to the forum and moderators. For some reason I ended up posting this thread twice. For some reason when I added the pictures my ipad froze and had to edit to add the pictures and ended up posting twice. Could someone tell me how to erase the first thread without the pictures.
Click to expand...

No harm done. I got it all cleaned up.

Looks like the shop is coming along very nicely. Nice Job!
 
Thank you Randy! I am on holidays now but when I get back I have to wire the lathe up. Dig a 140 foot trench for 220 power from the house then a vfd for the lathe. It doesn t take long to eat up funds. Probably everyones biggest challenge to keep things in perspective and not use that credit card.
 
You can't have too many lights or too many electric outlets. Most of my lights are still fluorescent all incandescent bulbs have been replaced with LED. My ceilings and walls are "V groove" pine. The pine was a local product that I was able to purchase at a very good price. The pine is varnished. The pine is nice because you can screw stuff in anywhere. Over time (10 years) the pine has gotten significantly darker, while attractive looking it has made the space darker. Someday (in reality probably never) I will paint the ceiling white to lighten everything up.
 
Clueless newb. I have to say it was hard to type your avatar name and then I grinned realizing all in good nature. I see your not far from me at all. I have really thought about the use of wood around the shop to help combat condensation with our winters and being close to the ocean. Never thought about the fading of the wood. Pretty much set on the farenheight 5000 220 heater with just drawing 26 amps at full load and a 110 toe kick heater. Would really love to put a wood stove in but I think insurance would be too much of a hassle. Any thoughts on heat out there. Going with a 60 amp breaker. Since I can only run one machine at a time it shouldn t be a problem. I wonder if there is anything I could do with the concrete floor. Something to stand on and get off that cold concrete in the winter.
I am not quite sure what I will use for tops on the benches. I want a smooth seamless top. Something other than metal. The bench grinder top comes off so I can go in the house if need be to use the Tormek with its wet stone. Will have to store the wheels inside to keep,them from freezing and cracking.
 
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My shop is a 24'x24' 2 car garage with 2x4 walls so only 3 1/2" fiberglass insulation in the walls.. I have about R32 in the ceiling (3 1/2 + 6 1/2) the heater is a 45K BTU propane heater which is a bit expensive to run but keeps it toasty warm. I also have a couple of electric box heaters that I typically use just to knock the chill out in the spring and fall. I don't heat the shop when I'm not using it. I have some floor mats where I stand (lathe, table saw, work bench) they are cheap from Harbor Freight, not great but ok. I also have runner of cheap carpet about 6ft long out to the door to try to minimize tracking swarf into the house.

One nice thing about the concrete slab floor is it stays cool during the summer.
 
nice start, but I see a huge problem there; You are parking a vehicle in your shop!!! Consuming valuable space that could be used for more tools and machinery.

Agree with other comments, I put six banks of 4' LED's across the garage. Adequate, but if I were to do it again, I'd put in one more bank. They don't put out much heat and don't use much electricity.
 
I don t have much choice with the vehicle. Building an expedition vehicle and won t be complete for a few more years and hasn t seen any weather as well for a few years. It will be a work truck after a six month trip once I am set up to do mobile line boring to get out to the sites. It s a mess right now. Once the clutter is gone the grinders will be going under the stairs and figure I have atleast enough room for a mill and a horizontal/vertical bandsaw and possibly a surface grinder where the press is now once it s cleaned up. Ya it will be tight but plan on adding caster wheels on what I can.
 
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