Tips on setting up a small garage shop

peripatew

peripatew

Joined
Jul 31, 2007
Messages
1,421
I just moved into a new house, and I'm currently working on the garage. I've got lots of floor and wall cabinets, and lots of shelving, but it's all pulled off the walls so I could remove the wood paneling, paint, fix and clean things. I'm trying tothink through what might be some good thngs to do to make a nice knife making area while everything is apart. I'll have a window in the middle of my work bench, so I'll have a box fan with filter right by the grinder to control dust...

But what are some things that you would want to do for a small knife making spot in a garage? I'm just doing stock removal now, with no heat treat yet.

I thought a belt organization system and a parts bin would be nice.

I know it's vage, but I thought I'd ask while everythings a mess.
 
Over the years, more than I want to remember, things that I always added after "completing" a shop were more lights than I ever thought I needed and plenty of power. Even in a small shop, put in several 220 and as many 110 outlets as you can. If you have the paneling off, now would be the time to run new circuits. You may not expand to the point of needing all of them, but will regret not having them if you do.
Chip Kunkle
 
I started with a small shop down my cellar some time ago.:confused::confused: Now I have a smithy outside and 3/4 of my cellar is a shop too.:D
In other words, plan it bigger. HEHEHEHEHE!!!
 
I like an epoxy painted floor, lots of light, plenty of outlets and lots of shelves. I also like another place away from everything, like a separate building or lean-to, for the air compressor, tumbler, phase converter type stuff so all the hot noisy stuff isn't in the shop with you.
 
I have a Two car garage shop Setup here. To me it was a good way to go. No over head and it works great. Please that the time and check my shop out, its on my website below. Good luck in setting up your as well. God bless and have a nice day. :thumbup:

Terry
 
Wiring, lighting and ventilation.....lots of each....

and over design the wiring....nothing smaller than 12awg

for lighting, and nothing smaller than 10awg for all else.

Added: The shop should have it's own breaker box.
 
keep any scrap wood you have, when i built my house, i saved all the scrap 2x's and ply wood, and built a work bench you could park a tank on. saved lotsa cash and the stuff that would have just sat on a shelf, or went in the burn pile went to good use.

and in case it hasent been said, there's no such thing as to many electrical outlets, and a sub pannel into the garage i thought was a good idea, so if i triped something, i didnt have to go in the house dragging all that dust and metal through the house just to reset a breaker. plus it made the runs of wire shorter and easier to do.

just my .02
 
aint much fuzz in penthouse these days......ah ,um, well , ah, thats what i hear anyway;)
 
Pegboard the walls in white pegboard, THat way you can store anything, anywhere with just a gross of hooks you can get online.
Chris
 
Power, lots of it and as many different circuits as possible. 110 volt quad boxes on 20 amp breakers every 4 feet 220 volt 30 amp outlets every 8 feet all at bench height plus 6 inches flourescent lighting on all walls and 4 feet in from all walls, continuous line of tubes will give you even light at your tool surfaces, supplement as needed. quad boxes in the ceiling on a 4 foot grid. Each quad box gets it's own 20 amp breaker. You do not want to need an extension cord ever, they are dangerous and give voltage drop which kills motors

-Page
 
In addition to all the great advice above, put all the tools you can on wheels. That way you can stash tools away when you are done, adjust where you want tools as your tasks change, move everything to the edge of the shop when you need to get something large in there. Example of things on wheels in my shop... quench tanks, forge, press, band saw, horizontal grinder, anvil, welder, welding table, small work table. Things like a solid, non movable work bench are important as well. if you have a tool that you do not have to lean into, put it on wheels.

Eric
 
+1 to all that's said above. I have an outlet above my workbench at every other stud and still have to unplug things occasionally to make room for something else. I wish I had more & better lights.

About the only thing I haven't seen mentioned, is I wish I would've insulated everything while the walls were bare, so it would be worthwhile to add heating or cooling now. This winter I probably would have spent a little more time out there if it wasn't freezing. :o

Also, my house is too small to have my own "man room", so that's what the garage became. Wish I would have actually finished the walls etc. just like inside my house so it seems less like a dungeon.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top