What if you can't put it all in one shop space.

[Tmate]

I live in a house that requires me to spread out my shop equipment in multiple locations. For example, my horizontal bandsaw and milling machine are too heavy and awkward to move into my basement. My garage isn't big enough accommodate anything more other than my cars, bandsaw and mill. My basement can handle my other shop equipment, but not my welder or CNC plasma table (too messy, a fire hazard, and insufficient electrical service). My preference was to do my welding and plasma cutting out of sight of my neighbors.

I ended up doing my cut-off work and milling in the garage, my welding and plasma cutting outside my basement door under my deck, and everything else in a basement shop area.

I imagine that I'm not the only one who has faced such obstacles or even greater obstacles. I heard of one guy who wanted to put an 8 ft. tall mill in his basement with a 6 1/2 ft. ceiling. His wife ended up getting a new kitchen island. It would be interesting to hear what challenges others have faced.

 

[rabler]

I deal with the multiple shop issues. Woodshop, metalworking, storage, and space for working on vehicles. 4 different buildings, one of them about 1500 ft away from the others. You end up replicating basic hand tools. And no matter what there is often something you need from the other space. Sorry, no real magic answers. More space just means more things to keep track of. I gave up on keeping vehicles in enclosed storage, overhead open sided covering for the more important ones.

 

[Bone Head]

The obvious answer is to put up a dedicated building for metal working and re-claim the garage for vehicles. Not everyone can do that.
What would e the chances of building on to the front of your garage? Make it deep enough for cars and your shop tools?

 

[Tmate]

I'm fairly happy with my present set-up. I was thinking more of trying to stimulate a discussion of how others have overcome the various obstacles they were faced with.

 

[Aaron_W]

I have stuff spread all over. Machine tools in the basement, where it is climate controlled,
I have a semi enclosed carport for grinding and cutting, the large wood working tools are also kept there because they are messy.
Welder is stored in the basement but welding is done outside.
I have a spare bedroom in the house for cleaner stuff, my drafting table, computer, model bench, and a small paint booth. Have not made a decision yet on if the 3d printers will be staying in this room or going to the basement.

 

[wachuko]

We bought our house in Ocala because of this….

I have amazing neighbors where we live in Orlando… How great you ask? Next door neighbor gave me the single bay garage to keep the VW bug and a motorcycle…

And the other next door neighbor kept one of my project cars in his garage….

So in Ocala we have a smaller house, where we plan to eventually retire to, but with a bit more land to build an additional garage and try to consolidate all my projects and tools in one place…

 

[Karl_T]

My winter home has a one car garage. It becomes the shop when we are there and the car is banished to the outside. I mounted all the machines on skids so a pallet jack slides right under. Move them out into the room and wa la - machine shop. Some things like the hydraulic press remain stuffed in a corner except the day they are used. Also have several rolling lista cabinets for tool storage, they roll into the house entry way when we are gone. Put three large steel cabinets in the third bedroom for shop storage.

I built my main work table over the washer and dryer. Bit high for best comfort but got to make use of every square inch.

Even with all this, I am constantly moving things around to make room to work. I mounted one work table on wheels and plan to mount the roll in bandsaw on wheels to make it quicker and easier to move around.

One planned project of this year is to get a real quincy air compressor with the model 325 air pump. It will live outside when we are there. Have not asked the boss yet, but i plan wheels for it and roll into the main house entry way when we leave.

here a shop pic from the web camera

 

[talvare]

Well Tmate, my first suggestion for you to gain some more shop space would be to ship that ugly black car to me and I'll dispose of it for you.

Ted