Is that a 1-1.5 car garage? Just curious how much room I will need when I move next if a shop isn't available.
I'm working out of exactly half of a 2 car, so a 1 car garage basically. The back of the one row of benches sits right on the expansion joint that divides the slab down the middle of the garage.
This was my third attempt at a setup. I can say for sure in a space this small, the only way I've found it to be completely usable for me, is to set up as a single aisle down the middle.
I tried a couple other setups, with an island, or with a tee, so that there were separate grinding and machining areas, and it was absolutely terrible. The first setup I had was so bad, I couldn't even step foot in my shop, without getting injured just trying to move around... let alone try to do even the simplest task. I still have unhealed cuts and bruises on my elbows and ankles, from 2-3 weeks ago.
This is just a temporary measure, but I'm not sure what the timeline is on a "real" shop, so I needed to make sure it was as usable as possible. So far, with the limited work I've been able to do in it, I can say that although far from roomy, a single car space is definitely enough, as long as you don't have any full size machine equipment.
Start talking Bridgeport, surface grinder, etc., and I'd say 2-car minimum.
People sometimes bag on the mini-mills and lathes, but I purchased them specifically because I didn't know where I would be landing in the end. I'm really happy I made that decision, because anything else just wouldn't work in the space I currently have available. Good dust collection and as much as you can on casters/wheels, is also pretty important IMO.
:emot-yarr:
