Shop Floor Layout

[scott kozub]

Need some opinions and experience on what to consider when laying out a shop. I will be running 220v and air throughout. No plans for a washroom as there is no water.

I have an old cinder block barn with 14 ft ceilings, with a 30ft by 42ft concrete floor and a 15ft by 42ft lean-too. The inside of the barn has 14ft ceilings. It's time to start sinking some money into the shop as the rood needs replacing, a corner of the floor needs mud jacking and its an eyesore.

I'm looking at having a concrete pad placed under the lean-too, the barn floor jacked and the roof replaced this year. Next year I'll clad it and fix up the inside. I'm just trying to work out some floor plans as I hoping to not handcuff myself in the future. I'm considering getting a sea container to store the toys but if can id rather do without. The shop is not heated so I want to build a dedicated knife room that I can heat instead of heating the whole barn.

I'm thinking that the lean-too portion will be a dedicated wood working shop. The main barn will be mechanics, welding and knives. Here's a list of things that have to go in the barn, things that will eventually go in and future hopefuls.

Current stuff
Tig Welder/plasma cutter, parts washer, sandblaster, grinder, belt/disk sander/ 80 gallon AC, table saw, miter saw, metal band saw, planer, drill presses (2), on and off road toys, tool boxes, shelving, various vises HT oven and dewar.

Future stuff
welding / fixture table (3x6 ish), dust collector, car hoist, wood band saw, 2nd grinder, forge, forge press. I don't forge but may want to try at some point.

Hopefuls (if the wife doesn't divorce me after this project)
Mill, lathe,

The idea is to have a somewhat small knife room that will house the grinders assembly table and storage. I don't like the idea of assembling in the grinder room but frozen epoxy in the winter sucks. I might partition off the grinders to keep the dust down from the assembly area. With a 14 ceiling, I want to have a 6.5 to 7 foot grinding room so I will have a short storage area on top. I guess the knife room would house the grinders, oven, dewar, vise, drill press belt storage, work bench and cupboards.

The biggest issue is the room needed for a car hoist (12x24) plus the room my car project is taking up. I also have a few motorcycles and lawn tractors. If I do get a sea can, they'll be stored in that. I may ditch the hoist idea in favor of more space but my car is taking up the room anyways.

Have a look at the floor plans below and let me know if anything jumps out at you.

i'm not a fan of the first one because it'll be a pain to get the mower out past the car and a 9 by 14 knife room seems a little too big.

the second looks good. lots of open space near the main door for the mower. 9x14 knife room again seems a little larger than it needs to be

I like the third option the best. It really opens things up and gives a ton of storage over the knife room and mezzanine. Also lots of open space for toys. A 5 x 10 knife room might be a bit small though to hose grinders, oven, dewar, drill press, storage and a work bench. If i ever do start forging, it'll be in the main shop.

 

[fadugleman]

Just going off the small amount of weld/fab experience I have I think the more access your welding table has the better. I would even prefer access to all four sides of the table for large projects. Depending how clean you keep your space The welding table could do double duty as an assembly table/workbench.

 

[scott kozub]

That's a great point. Tucked in the corner is probably not a good idea. I may have it rollers so I can pull it out when pretending to weld.

Just going off the small amount of weld/fab experience I have I think the more access your welding table has the better. I would even prefer access to all four sides of the table for large projects. Depending how clean you keep your space The welding table could do double duty as an assembly table/workbench.

 

[12345678910]

By all means, get the sea can. Get the stuff out of the way.

We have rented some for storage in renos.

They are fantastic and very mouse proof.


I say even if you have no permeneant water, put in a shop sink, hook up the water with quick attach fittings and a garden hose, permentant drain if you can before you concrete
hand washing, eye wash, burn quenching, other shop uses. It's handy

 

[fadugleman]

That's a great point. Tucked in the corner is probably not a good idea. I may have it rollers so I can pull it out when pretending to weld.

Get the best casters you can then. I fabbed up a few welding tables in high school shop to sell and always had some problem or another with the casters.