How much space do you need for your hobby?

MKP

MKP

Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Messages
150
Hello all,

I have a desk job where I stare at the computer for 8 hours a day. So I am thinking about picking up a hobby where I can work with my hand -- in this case, knife making. I think I will stick with stock removal for now. I am also in the process of moving from the East Coast to the West Coast and is looking to rent a place. So here are the question.

How much space do I need?

Is one car garage more than sufficient?

Does it matters if the place is a single house, condo with a detached garage, or townhouse with attached garage? Do I even need a garage?

How much noise does a grinder make? And would the neighbors complain?
 
I have heard of a closet size Shop 8' wide.
Storage shed size shops.
Garage and 2bay Garage.
And full blown dream buildings with plumbing and 440 electric.
I have myself 1/2 a basement and 1bay attached garage.
Just starting out a sturdy work bench and a 1 bay garage would work fine.
Noise is weird thing. My neighbours bed room is only 75' away from my trip hammer. I show them the utmost courtesy like finding out when her husband is working nights or is her baby sleeping. The lady says that the hammer sounds like somebody is knocking on their house.
Both also said that there is no way Wendy and I are moving just to lower the noise level.:thumbup:
Take care of relationships and some times it might work out better than you would think.

I have learned that when I plan I always could use more room.
 
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I prefer a detached building

It makes it easier to keep dust out of the house.

Basement in the same airspace as the living space is a no go for me.
 
1 thu 10 is right on the basement dust.
My air system though thought out still is not really enough to handle the load. The different types of machines and vents I have cost money to maintain and run.
Some day I will build a dream shop but I won't hold my breath.
 
"Need" and "could use" are two very different things. You can shape a knife from scratch on your computer desk with a couple C-clamps, a file and a cheap cordless drill (done that). And you can fill a 16'x32' detached, insulated, heated former garage with benches, cabinets, tools and materials (done that, too, and like it much better). It's entirely up to you.
 
I work in a detached shed, no heat etc, which sucks in winter but it's still plenty of room (until I start gathering bigger tools).
 
More room than I have. :cool: I have the 16x32 - 2 bay garage and it is stuffed full. But you can do it on your computer bench as was stated earlier. It just depends on how deep you want to get into the hobby. A small area with that has a sturdy bench and access to a oxy/acet torch would be a great benefit. Unless you are sending your blades out for HT. If you are then no torch is required. Just some good files and sand paper and a way to attach the blade blank to the bench.
 
Hey, I'm the the same boat as you (kind of). I work a white collar job all day and when I come home I can't wait to get out in the shop. We recently moved our shop form a corner of a larger building into a "large shed" structure. I think its about 11 * 6 or so, 9 foot ceiling. That is plenty of space for me to have all of the tools as well as a nice "clean area" for finish work. A single garage would be plenty if you're just starting out.
 
I work in a crowded garage full of woodworking tools, and have to move the two vehicles out and in every time I want to work in there. Planning a revamp in the spring though so I don't have to drag out tables and benches to work on every time though... I'm being granted 8 feet of bench space for drill press/hand-sanding/bandsaw and a 4 foot wide grinding area on the side :D
 
For me, an L shaped bench along one wall of the garage - 18 linear feet of bench space, total, including kiln, grinder, mill/drill, portaband, and hand tools. Works very nicely for me.
 
I'm just a hobbiest maker and have an eight foot long workbench in my attached garage where most of the work is done. Dust and stuff gets all over the car and everything else in the garage when I'm using the belt grinder on handle material. I have no idea if anyone can hear the grinder in the house or not, but it makes less noise than my shop vac.

I suspect that I could do what I do in a lot less space by putting machines away and taking them out when needed. Yea it would be a real pain but if that's what had to be done, then so be it. I also suspect that I could double my space and it would end up being just as cluttered as it is now. If you want to make knives then just start doing it.

- Paul Meske
 
Thank you to everyone for their guidance or advices.

I plan to buy at least three major pieces of equipments: a grinder, a bandsaw, and a drill press. No heat treating for me. I plan to take baby steps. I know that some people make knife with files and minimal equipment. I love working with my hand; but not that much. It is rather pointless to stare at a computer screen all day making good money and not indulge myself a little.

Until recently, I would never thought of doing this. For the longest time, I always thought that knife making takes extraordinary skill. It is for someone who is gifted and talented, not me. I still think that knife making is an extraordinary skill, but believe it is more achievable than before. So I gather up the courage and will take a plunge at this.

Anyway, much will still depend on my house hunting. This is the first time I purposely look for a place with a garage. Most of the time, the garage will have a car in it. I plan to take the car outside when I work, then drive it back in when I am done.
 
Nice! I say go for it. I used my garage for a while. It worked but I ended up tracking dust and worrying about my furnace pumping that bad stuff into my house. I got a smallish 8x14 shed in the backyard, ran electricity, and it is awesome. No more taking up the whole garage, way less worry of tracking and dumping dust or fumes into my living space.

I think making a knife isn't that hard, making a knife to the standards of skilled/experienced makers is something else.

Jason
 
While I spend a lot of time in a friend's bigger shop, I CAN make an entire (small) knife in my own shop/basement.
most of my knife-type work happens in 1/4 of the basement, so that's about... 15x15ft, but 2/3 of the wall space is taken up with household infrastructure.
The heat-treating area is in a separate corner on wire shelves - about 6sqft? - but lacking a proper heat source, I don't heat-treat at home yet.

-Daizee
 
I have a 16X16' shop behind my house,could use twice as much but I'm happy for what i have.
Stan
 
I'm building a 12x24 shop at the moment. One room is 8x12 for grinding and drillling and the other 12x16 for finishing work. I feel it will be good for the next few years of full time knifemaking.

I made a few knives on my porch with a clamp on vise... I still think that would be fine for the occasional knife.

I think size has a lot to do with production goals and methods. I feel in my new shop if I felt the need I could hire a helper but more than 2 people could get crowded quick. I also don't have room (or a slab) for bigger euipment like mills and surface grinders but that is fine for now, I may never need that type of gear. 12x24 is great for now! :D
 
I use a Steelcase desk (60" x 30") and a small (12" x 12") platform for my drill press... so all told 13.5 sq ft.
 
My shop takes up most of a 2-car garage but you could certainly get started with less room. For me, a smaller work space requires working on fewer projects at a time, and better organization/cleanup. Not necessarily a bad thing when you're getting started, it probably teaches good work habits. Keeping the steel and abrasive dust off your car and out of your house is worth devoting some thought and resources towards, though. It can become a problem.
 
I made knives at one house we had with a bench in the one car garage and the grinder on a movable base. When ever I ground I would roll it out in the drive-way and shut the garage door down. Worked great as long as weather cooperated but your drive will turn a rust color from the dust. I just used the water hose and rinsed out into the grass.
Latest move and the last now I have a seperate building one room is 25 by 40 and the other is 15 by 25. Person who owned it previously was a cabinet and upholstery person. Has 220 and 110 outlets everywhere. Big window air conditioner and propane heater and very very well insulated. Both rooms has an overhead door as well as mandoors int each room.
 
I have an 8'x16' shop trailer. I'm building a smithy outside that's around 8'x8' for my forging/heat treat.
I'd love more room, but that's not happening anytime soon.
 
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