Garage as a workshop. What to be aware of?

D

Don Nguyen

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Oct 4, 2011
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I'm using the garage as a workspace. Right now it's only drilling, sanding, other little things, and soon grinding. What are some things to consider for when it's in a garage, where cars will be parked, and people will be living through the closest door?

I eventually want to start heat treating using a kiln, and I also would like to have a welder at some point. Is the garage an appropriate setting for either of these?

What else should I know? Thanks!
 
I'm running out of a garage at the moment, and I typically just pull the cars out when I grind to save them from the metal dust. If it's warm enough, I also open the garage doors to help with getting all the dust out. I think a garage is a very appropriate setting for it, if you can keep the dust down and away from the door. The kiln and welder shouldn't be any issue, if you have enough voltage/amperage.
 
The garage will work but fire safety is utmost importance! I don't weld in the garage, I don't grind inside and I don't forge in the garage. All this goes outside a spark can lay for along time under the right conditions and smolder into a fire! As for the cars I have lived here about 17 yrs. now or longer and their has never been a car in the garage. It was my woodworking shop before I started building knives. I always back the cars away from the garage. Hot sparks eat through clear coat and the next thing you know you you got rust spots and they stick to mirrors and mess them up. Don't ask how I know. The grinder leaves black on the concrete and it will rust as well.

Is ideal to work out of the garage probably not but it beats depending on the ole Oak tree out front! As far as someone coming out from inside the garage while you are working they need to understand that they may place themselves and or you in danger by doing so. I sure do miss my 30"x14" free standing workshop I use to have at my other place. But alas the place was sold and here I am doing with what I got!

And as for room well I don't think you ever have enough. I have a bad back as well as limited room so everything is pretty much on wheels, were it can be rolled around or outside as needed. Ideal to use the garage no, but it will work, and I forgot to mention tracking all the dust back into the house, as well as Mama complaining about the entire situation, ideal well,................................ Oh I forgot to mention I have fire extinguishers sitting at each entrance as well as on the forge itself!
 
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Make sure there is plenty of clean air circulating. I keep a box fan blowing out the window and a furnace fan blowing out the opened garage door. Fumes from cutting/welding/quenching will most certainly build up so be prepared for them

It also helps to have some sort of mat to wipe your feet off before you go into the house. I keep a pair of Crocs at the door to slip on when I go out to work and slip them off when I go in the house. Of course you should also wear proper footware when you forge. Make sure you sweep often so you don't accidently track sanding dust in the house.

I also keep several fire extinguishers nearby. I have one by the grinder and one by the garage door (near the forge)

Use a good cabinet to keep all of your poisons in (acids, epoxy, cleaners) and little hands out.

Jason

Be sensitive to others in the house who may be sleeping. Just the other night my red headed wife came to the door at midnight and nicely explained to me that my hammering woke her up at midnight. She was so sweet and pleasant... as I'm sure we have all experienced before.
 
I open the garage door and wheel out my grinder. I grind under the garage door and have plenty of ventilation. Just put a matt and bucket under the grinder to catch all the dust :)

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jawilder said:
Now there is two I have experienced before. I have a bathroom 5 steps from the back door. So when it's time for a pause I run inside and while I am standing in front of the porcelain throne is usually when I realize just how much black grinding dust I have tracked in on the near white bathroom floor. I keep telling her I am going to tear up the floor and put down black, to which she usually replies it almost black now, in that sweet considerate tone she has!!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek:

Oh and waking here hammering, oh we have been down that street before and then I went down the street to retrieve my hammer!:grumpy:;):D:D:D Oh but she tells me she still loves me!:cower::cower::victorious::indecisiveness:
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...you wouldn't believe the stuff I have put into a garage...
 
When using your garage as a shop beware of cheap casters! Buy good locking wheels up front.
 
Dixieblade57 said:
Now there is two I have experienced before.

I have a bathroom 5 steps from the back door.

So when it's time for a pause I run inside and while I am standing in front of the porcelain throne is usually when I realize just how much black grinding dust I have tracked in on the near white bathroom floor.
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Don't use a white towel.

Even if you wash super well, the towels leave tell tale marks..
 
Might want to check with your insurance agent about your homeowners policy. The last thing you want is to have the worst happen, only to find out that the equipment you're running nullifies your policy--forge, welders, grinder, etc.

Otherwise--do you plan to work at night? I used to have my stuff in the garage, and would work at night after my wife went to bed. Now the kids' bedrooms are above the garage, and the sound carries right into their bedrooms.
 
NStricker said:
Might want to check with your insurance agent about your homeowners policy. The last thing you want is to have the worst happen, only to find out that the equipment you're running nullifies your policy--forge, welders, grinder, etc.
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That's a good advice. They are usually ok with most of it as long as it is a hobby and not a business. But they still might be wary of the stuff that can go BOOM. ;)
 
Patrice Lemée;10681673 said:
That's a good advice. They are usually ok with most of it as long as it is a hobby and not a business. But they still might be wary of the stuff that can go BOOM. ;)
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Not here.... you don't EVER want to mention that you are a knifemaker/blacksmith with a kiln or forge or grinder, PERIOD. You will not get insured and you will not get a mortgage. I know this for a fact. You're fine if you are a welder or have a kiln for pottery but knifemaking is not even listed as an industry. Wally Hayes has a shop 100m from his house and almost lost his insurance and mortgage.
 
I can only speak for Ontario and Nova Scotia, Canada. I hope somebody can tell me different... this is one area I wish to be wrong about.
 
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