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Show us your shops!
- Thread starter slow-poke
- Start date
Can you elaborate?
ChazzC
Ultra Member
• 10’ ceiling (lighting will be more even, room for hoist - see next item - smooth wall & ceiling surfaces.
• Adequate structure to support worst case exterior loads plus a hoist beam & hoist over the areas planned for machines (and heavy equipment/tooling storage); get a Structural Engineer involved.
Foundations & thicker slabs under planned equipment/machine locations.
• Floor drains that go to an oil/sediment trap.
• Dedicated wash down area for equipment & parts cleaning,
• Dust & fume hood(s)
I always recommend Epoxy/Urethane/Polyamine floor topping, not a coating: toppings are 1/4” - 3/8” thick and will stand up to significantly more abuse than a coating (which is basically paint). Industrial need to be installed by a certified installer, who will also provide requirements for the concrete floor, vapor barrier and curing time (look what happened in DC recently when proper procedures weren’t followed).
Things that seem really logical to me but seem to have escaped many of the electricians that wired the houses I bought, is don't have the lights share any circuits with outlets, especially for a garage & workshop - this is a safety thing.
When your grinder/saw/ etc trips a breaker and you end up in the dark with your half finished project around you, that is when you wished the lights were on their own breaker.
When your grinder/saw/ etc trips a breaker and you end up in the dark with your half finished project around you, that is when you wished the lights were on their own breaker.
Doggggboy
Ultra Member
But I should be safe if I don't let invisible vandals with boxcutters in, right?
Understand from previous posts the limited lot space. From experience moving machines in and out of difficult locations with previous shops, suggest a poured concrete sidewalk/approach from street. Hopefully enough space for a small forklift and/or pallet jack and load. Concrete should make for easier rolling. Is there a fence on that side between your place and neighbour?
I have interlock at front and side of house and will continue this to the workshop overhead doors to form a continuous path. Only got 36" clear but can get just under 48" if I temporarily remove the window wells. The clear path is on my mind because I would need a forklift/pallet jack to move the lathes/mills from the front garage into the back once it's all done.
I'm planning on the 6ft pad outside the overhead doors as well. While it would be good to have this concrete using the same subs, I may have to go interlock because of "soft landscape" by-laws. TBD and will see what I can get away with!
Fence on all three side at property line.
Oh. You do have pesky by laws.
Are the neighbours on clear path side easy to get along with? Removable fence possible for move in, and replace by you after? Or are they by law gestapo?
Scrap steel plate can make for easier machine moving if needed.
Code allows you to mix outlets and lights, but you don't have to. My advice would be to have a bigger breaker box with lots of duplex outlets on their own breakers. Sort of like Kitchen wiring. This solves the lights problem and also gives you the extra amperage margin that machines often need.
Also, run both a full 30 Amp 220 circuit with neutral and a welding outlet without.
Tools are in high demand on the black market. A burglar alarm with camera(s) is not optional. I prefer hard wired circuits over RF. This should be installed during construction so it's buried and hidden.
Also need a small network in the shop. A buried underground-rated ethernet cable to the house is a good idea.
Ceiling is unfinished, same with the cupboards and airlines. I always say I won't but I always do this. For good reason of course.
I would suggest a dedicated circuit for any mag chuck on a surface grinder. If there is something else on that circuit that could pop the breaker things can get ugly quickly. I also won't grind when it is windy out.
Anchor points in the floor can be handy for moving stuff around.
I've never seen anyone do this, but it's a great idea! There have been many times I could have used an anchor. They could even be recessed threaded anchors that you can screw an eye bolt into so they are not a trip hazard.
Having slipped on polished concrete in an office building I would not have polished concrete anywhere.
Elektrishun
Ultra Member
Curious. What was the recommended base depth and install for the interlock for a vehicle?
15 years ago when I did mine I had 8-10 inches of base installed in 2 layers with tamping between the first and second. Heavy vehicle traffic is low since I only bring vehicles into the garage for repairs. I do park on the brick. It has held up very well.
Elektrishun
Ultra Member
I can appreciate your idea of future proofing.
I went a slightly different direction for my 240V outlets. Installed several NEMA 6-20 outlets with #12 AWG NMD90. All my current 240V equipment draws less than 12 amps so I installed 15 amp brakers. If I ever acquire a piece of 240V equipment that draws a higher amperage then I can simply swap out the breaker to a 20 amp.
As well, I have one device location pre-wired with #10 should I ever need it. So far, I haven't used it.