New shop! Almost

[Roger Rosenberger]

Hi all.
It's been a couple of years since I've posted on this forum or worked on any instruments. I posted pics of my Peckycaster back in August of 2012.
A few things have changed since then. I was let go from my project management position after 28 years, very unexpected. After not finding similar work (or wanting to jump back into that fray) I started my own construction business. We sold our 4 bedroom house (after all we are empty nesters) and moved to a smaller house with more garage space and land. I am now in the process of building a second garage/shop so I can get my tools set up again.
I certainly look forward to tinkering with guitars and building again when I have time. Plus having a space for those occasional custom wood working projects for clients. It will sure beat my old basement shop!
The new "garage" may never see a vehicle parked inside but I could if needed. A couple more weeks and I can start moving my tools out of my wife's garage into here, and she can finally park inside again.
Any good shop layout ideas?
Here's what it looks like today, from the kitchen window. It's 22'x26' and will be insulated and lined.

[David Falkner]

Looking very good! I'm using our two car garage and it's great having it but I really wish I had a stand alone like you're building. Will it be climate controlled?

[Randy Roberts]

Roger,

I also have a wife parking in my "shop". I envy you, being able to start from scratch and set this up the way you want.

If I were in your shoes, I would be thinking about adding a small add on room/closet, with it's own footings etc., and acoustically insulating it from the main shop room, to house the dust collection, compressor, and any other noisy stuff.

I'd also look at Mario"s air filtering system using the space between the studs in one of the walls.

However many electrical outlets you have planned... triple it. And lights, way more lights, you aren't getting any younger you know <g>.

And mark your studs when you hang the drywall cause you'll be hanging a million things from them.

And I'd maybe rethink the sidewalk choice, you may have to replace what you went with every ten years or so ... you may want to look into concrete?

[Peter Wilcox]

Congratulations! I can't suggest how to lay it out, but one helpful thing I did was put a bench and most power tools on wheels. My shop is in the converted 3rd bay of the garage - I have a concrete pad in front and I can roll things outside in good weather to have plenty of room to work on larger projects.

Be sure to tell your wife that although you're moving your tools to the new shop, you'll still need part of her garage for wood storage.

[Roger Rosenberger]

Thanks for the comments.
I will have still half of the attached garage for storage.
Those "sidewalks" are just scraps of OSB I threw down so I didn't end up with 6" of mud stuck to my boots. Lots of clay in my soil.
It will be heated and possibly AC later.

[David Falkner]

We had a one ton Gree mini-split installed in October 2013 and it has been fabulous! It's a high SEER unit, 22 if I remember correctly, and it's been on continuously since then. Our electric bill has not changed at all, so that's a good thing. At full capacity it uses less current than my wife's hair dryer! We insulated our two car garage and I keep the unit at about 65 in the winter and 80 in the summer, though I may change it slightly from time to time. The best part is the humidity stays in the mid 40's so no rust on my tools, no changes to wood, finishes dry with no problem or blush, etc. We never park cars in there so it's a dedicated shop.

[Dennis Weaver]

I was seeing a wood stove. You can even feed it your trimmings, shavings and wood dust. Of course if you get a chair next to a wood stove then forget about getting much done after that.
Since you're going "all out" maybe a small 4 by 5 spray room booth? Where do you live? Where I live you could forget the "possibly" under AC. Shoot the summers are nasty humid in NJ. Bird bath outside a window you look out at the work bench.

[Roger Rosenberger]

Dennis, I live in central Illinois so our weather can be extreme too. Hot and humid summers, cold and dry winters and everything in between.
I'm planning on a wood burner (barrel stove) with an electric backup. I've also considered the small split units with ac and a heat pump. Around here I would need to supplement the heat pump on the colder days. I've also looked at designs for a rocket stove style wood burner made out of an old propane tank.
The spray booth will probably just be a curtained off area.

Randy- Yes plenty of outlets. I have conduit run under the floor so I can power some of the bigger tools without running cords from the ceiling or across the floor.

[Gordon Bellerose]

If I could make a suggestion, it would be to install a good exhaust fan/system in your spray area.
If you are planning to use any oil based finish, or nitro, in my mind it is necessary to have an explosion proof fan also.