Technical So, if you could build the dream shop what would you incorporate

Big Ass Fan https://www.bigassfans.com

 

Don't skimp on the slab. Over engineer it. 6 inch insulation. 6 inch 6 bag concrete. Electric or water pipe floor heating.
PLENTY of mesh and rebar. You may want to get a D8 Cat some day to doze out a test track on the back 40 and you want to park it inside. MAKE A PRECISION DRAWING OF THE PIPES AND WIRING IN THE FLOOR.
This makes it very easy to locate safe places to drill the floor for machinery anchors.
Have the floor finished very smooth. Much easier to keep it clean. Have the surface sealed. Stops oil from soaking in.

 

If three phase power is available at a reasonable cost it will open the door to a lot of equipment that can usually be picked up fairly cheep. It should also cut down on monthly bills. Also a closed area for grinding & dirty work, a lounge area with a couch for when nothing seems to work the way it should.

 

Would rather have an old car dealership or large gas station/garage.
Our school system uses an old Chevy dealership built in the late 20s early 30s as their maintain dept. it would make a killer shop
But since we are dreaming, a friend of mine just purchased a closed Sams (Walmart) super center.
150k+ sqf
All climate controlled. He is in the process of turning it into a body shop. New LED lighting, 5 downdraft paint booths, with the latest welding and frame equipment.

 

when they built the new one in town here, I was thinking how neat it would be to buy the old empty WM building. But I didn't.

 

I'm building an enclosed 3-bay out the back of my son's home; it's high enough for a hoist and mezzanine floor with an additional open carport on one side. If needed I could roll the hoist out the door and onto the carport slab.

I'm adding roof insulation, light panels and whirly birds (Vents) as it gets damn hot down here here. None of that white stuff so underfloor heating wasn't even factored in or using epoxy floor covering.

However an outside work pad at the entrance is something I didn't do along with adding a shower and/or toilet however I thought long and hard but didn't go down that road; maybe when I downsize my own home? 1 x PA door with no windows. Plan where you want to locate or may need power outsets, switches and air lines. If you have a hoist you'll need power. Also make sure your have full height roller doors, you never know when you need to get something tall inside!

On my 2-bay enclosed at home I added a remote to only one roller door. There are no additional windows or PA door due to location in back corner of property adjacent to boundary. I had it rewired with 15amp power (240V) and thought about 3-phase (415v) however none of my tools require it. I have 2 x roller doors, one remote. No PA door or windows as I don't advertise what I may or may not have, or make it easy for others to see what's inside either. I strategically positioned a large garden at the driveway entrance to the property with trees for privacy and to minimise noise.

I upgraded meter box and ran HD underground cables from there to garage as well as adding a separate circuit board in garage. With the other build I'm having heavier cables run to the house so I've sufficient power so I don't overload existing circuits. Also use LED tubes and NOT flouresent tubes, way better lighting IMHO and have similar over your workbench, nothing worse than shadows!

Maybe a old lounge or bar and a fridge as well for fluid replacement, you don't want to dehydrate down there. A friend also has a BBQ in his man cave, just in case he gets hungry or others drops over.

How long is a piece of string? ALWAYS remember the 7 x 'P's, Proper planning and preparation prevent piss poor performance.

 

Dad gum Danny,
You did a really good job there.
A lot of good details there,,,,very helpful.
I’m still in my mid fifties,,,,but I already need a lift,,,,LoL

Tommy

 

One of my wife's uncles built a massive garage with a large leanto on each side for his tractors, boats, Willys, etc. Floor is heated, and the back section is walled off for about 10'. That is where he stores stuff in large wheeled cabinets, washroom, etc.
Someone I came across buying parts had the nicest setup I ve seen. It was about 30' x 50'. Dual bay doors. Had a hoist (make sure ceilings are high enough) as he had to mod the hoist, lathe, milling machine, English wheel, MIG/TIG machine, oxy cart, etc. Was enough room for 3 cars and still enough room to work around. There was a second floor, that served as a parts storage place, but could have easily been converted to a living space.
Not far from me, someone built their "retirement" home, which really is a workshop, with living space upstairs. Built it in a mobile home development out in the country. He has all the toys including his large RV, but he is missing a leanto to house all his toys.

 

My garage is nowhere near as large as yours but I put 2 duplex outlets every 4 feet on separate circuits,
as well as dedicated 220 outlets on each wall, and lots of lights. I have 8 4 foot double led lights in each
12 by 30 bay, As I get older I find I cannot have too much light. Only real regret is I failed to insulate the
slab, I built it as large as town would allow <with a variance >.

 

I'm on the poorer end of the scale so I built a $1500 Southern Lumber pole shed into a garage with a lift and machine shop but I have a few really neat cars with the money I saved.

 

something like this

http://thestablesmotorcondos.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Warehouse-Storage-Racks.jpg

 

If you are stick framing your building, consider using 2 x 6 exterior walls. For the added cost you get a much sturdier structure and the insulating factor is huge.

 

The shop I work in has floor heat, I am not impressed!
You freeze in the winter, broil in the summer, and it takes forever for the heat to recover if someone opens an overhead door in the winter, the shop is cold the rest of the day.

 

I have been looking for an old 2 story fire house . The only issue I have found is that most are in “city” environment . I like rural life . I have located my fire house , it has the old sand stone shaped, rounded opening , hard wood floors , huge living quarters up stairs , and pole for fast exit to the garage . Stairs are getting tough on the kicker knee anymore ! Only problem it sold for 23,000 at auction 7 years ago and today asking price is 375000, and it is straight across the street from city hall . I guess , the late night summer blast on the Harley , and my all American Pit Bull would be a thing of the past .

 

I’ve got a 34x92 shop it’s sectioned into 3 spaces one for my finished cars, other is working area and the end is storage. I’ve got heat in the working area wish I had ac but that will come later. Make sure you do a drive through doors very nice addition. Good luck with your build don’t matter how you build it there is always something you wish you would have done different

 

Since I am familiar with the area you live, I have a specific recommendation. I would be sure to construct a bathroom that would double as a tornado shelter. A poured concrete structure either inside the building or just outside but attached to the building and accessible from inside.

The big winds come calling now and then.

 

12 to 16 foot walls, 20 ft deep 2x6 construction for added insulation. 4 bays, 4 overhead doors, 1 bay would be isolated for the fabrication bay with frame, body jigs, overhead gantry crane, welder, grinders, you know for the dirty work. The remaining 3 auto bays would all have 4 post lifts for double deck parking. Heated office with shitter off to the side. Heated machine room for lathe, mill, drill press, etc. 3 phase power if available. everything plumbed for air.

 

I’ve always loved this set up


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I actually own my dream shop. Well the building anyway. Hopefully it will eventually get a loft and a cherry picker, insulation and a concrete floor. But its a big bugger and way more that I have ever actually owned before.

 

I built my dream shop about 15 years ago...then sold it with the house when I ended up moving. It was a 40x80 clear span I beam building with 12’ sidewalls and a loft/office area, bathroom, storeroom, etc. built inside. It was too big and nice actually and became a space to store more crap than I should ever have.

When I built my latest shop, I took a more conservative approach and just built a pole barn knowing that all things in this world are temporary anyway. I just made sure I had a tall enough shop that I wouldn’t have to dodge trusses with a car on the lift and enough room to store and work on a few projects. I have decided that the memories and the people along the way are more important than some Taj Mahal shop that I’m not taking with me out of this world anyway. But, you have been to my shop and know all this.

 

I would like to just evict Leno and take over his shop and setup.


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LOL I could not even afford the utilities in that shop not to mention the crew that keeps his stuff running or the insurance.

 

Yup, way too much work to upkeep that many!

 

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First, good suggestions all, and good luck on the build.
I would expand on Andy's idea and go with a traveling gantry over one stall. Maybe a well-modified 4-post lift as a base structure?
Reason being is that the overhead trolley crane offered by HF doesn't have the X & Y direction travel capabilities of a true gantry crane. Could come in quite handy for future (unknown) projects.

Roger

 

In all seriousness I built my dream garage a couple of years ago that serves as my assemble and clean area with Easy access and plenty of open space. I am going to add a lift to it, I also installed a series of D Rings in the floor so I can push a car out to work on it then pull it back into the garage with the winch. I added cabinets on the walls but also build shelves into the wall to utilize the full length of the wall for small components or parts to prevent clogging up my tool box or floor space, works nice and provides a ton of free space. Also installed ceiling and cross fans to keep the air flowing and reduce any condensation and also to prevent critters from getting into the cars since they hate the turbulence of the air across the floor. I may expand a bit and build a separate engine room next.


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I think the OP is asking about a shop for when he's retired. To me, that's quite a different shop than one that's used for making money.

 

50x100 cement block two story. Glass block windows, steel roof, 6 steel overhead doors with steel entry doors. full bathroom with massive walk-in shower. 3phase standby generator, building wired for 440,220,110. Exhaust escape ports with quick disconnect hoses built into walls. 1 drive on hoist, 1 arm hoist. two overhead swinging gantrys, sewer size floor drain. 15ft privacy fence topped with razor wire.

 

My best advice for you and anyone is do it as soon as possible. For 30 years I had an adequate hobby garage, insulated/heated/ac, too small 22'x24', but a lot was built and accomplished there. I prepared for my retirement, built a new house, dream garage, hobby garage in the beautiful Northwoods of Wisconsin, we owned this property since 1992. So I finally get the dream garage/man cave done, you name it, I got it, AND guess what, by this time ambition was waning, arthritis a big problem for me so I never did any of the complete builds I was planning, it's enough of a project just to keep up with hobby cars owned, but it is nice to have some room. AS time has passed by very little being done, now spending winters in AZ, I do miss my hobby/man cave garage, but time/money will not let me buy/build one here. So again IMO Do It Now ! Age with health issues can happen sooner than you think for yourself and spouse.

 

To be clear, this is my personal hobby space and never intended to be a money maker at all, more of a place to build my stuff and get my projects done in an orderly fashion. The recent component stuff is from word of mouth and people asking me to do small jobs for them, then their friends start asking for stuff etc.
I’ll take that comment out of my original post.

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