I'm in the process of building a 30' x 50' workshop. For those of you with shop space I'd love to hear the "wish I would of's" or things that have worked out well.

Could be anything. Lighting, organization, machine placement, ventilation, etc.

The major details are settled. The first 30'x14' is showroom and office, which leaves 30'x36' of open floorspace. The old shop will house the duplicator, bead blaster and Cerakote room (Keeping the dirtiest elements out of the new shop). Bluing is already in a separate shed.
I went with attic trusses so the upstairs will be for storage, shipping, and my kids' homeschool room.

Would love it if anyone here might have an idea that will save me a headache down the road.

Storage is always a problem in a workshop.

Shelves are great, but tend to waste space.

Think of what sort of storage you need, and either custom made or one of those kit sort of thing.

The ones that offer different size drawers, and cabinets.

They will save you lots of headaches storage wise.

For somethings which require special storage - for us, bullets we make - we made our own open cabinets.

We used 16mm open screw rods, 2 meters long.

We cut 12mm boards squares, to the size we wanted, and drilled holes at their corners.

This system lets you decide on the required space between the boards.

We pained the boards to match the colors of the store bought cabinets.

Looks very neat too.

Add another 20 feet they are never big enough.

Power and light. You can not have enough outlets, 120,220, and bright overhead lights. Flush power outlets in the floor are good or overhead drops, otherwise you end up tripping over cords. And plumb the place for air.
C.G.B.

You won't be sorry if you include a bathroom..yeah with shower, Plenty of air outlets with BIG compessor in seperate room..mine's in seperate detached shed.

Of course, air quality is so important.

Make sure to have the builder use house wrap in addition to the vapor barrier up top.

Absolutely 100% recommend in floor radiant heat. I love mine.

I am jealous you will have a homeschool room. I'm either in the house with the kids, or they are stuck on a work bench in the shop with me. Not conducive to when I need to be running parts! We couldn't do attic trusses, or a gambrel like I wanted.

Have your builder construct one side or end with the intention of being able to add on.

Spend the extra money, if you can afford it, on LED lights. My shop is less than 10 years old and over half the ballasts have already died. The time and cost to replace the ballast is more than the cost of a new fixture. I am slowly replacing them with LED.

I put outlets every 8ft on the wall. It is not too many.

I had the electrician run extra power to the attic. It has been a life saver making it much easier to run drops, a 50A run to the garage for a bigger air compressor, added this, added that.

100% put a bathroom in if you are able.

Saeed: Great advice on storage. I've found shelves to be less than ideal as well.

P dog: I wish I could add the 20ft, but I'm hemmed in by the required offsets from other buildings and an electric transmission line easement on one side.

cgbach: Would you plumb the air in the wall or over the Sheetrock? I plumbed the current shop on the outside of the wall and would definitely prefer the look of it concealed, but wondered about future leaks?

Duane: Great advice on the bathroom. I'm putting pipes in the concrete for the ability in the future but our state is pretty communist about septics. I can't add it to the house's and our soil won't allow a typical system requiring us to add a mound type septic system. Just isn't in the cards right now.

Fal: Ya, I'm excited to give the kids some dedicated space. My wife does quite a bit of work in the office, so to have them close by (and hopefully doing school work, Ha!) will be a blessing. LED's definitely sound like the way to go. Thoughts on layout of the lights and type? We'll have 10ft ceilings.

Thank you all for chiming in. Keep it coming! Any thoughts on ideal workspace and machine layout?

In Texas, we have to worry about airflow - might not be the case for Vermont - side airflow is awesome

Speak with your contractor about using a product like ZIP system for the roof and wall sheathing instead of standard OSB & house wrap. The cost is a usually a wash between standard sheathing + house wrap and is a definite step up.

I'd also discuss constructing the attic/storage space as a part of the "conditioned" space. Meaning that the roof & sheathing layer are are the airtight and insulated control layer (this is where ZIP system comes in) as opposed to a ventilated attic with insulation in the ceiling between the working space and the attic space.

Spunds like wood frame? Hmmm.... security is a biggee, especially these days. Puke steals a gun,commits a crime with it and now the victim of the burglary is (in some states) held liable.

My shop is a steel building with only two small windows...Will at least slow down a break in.

Steel roof with steel siding might be considered.

Doesn't take much to hook in another drain to existing septic...(Don't ask me how I know)

find a way to add a bathroom.

Not sure what code is in the land of woodchucks but I like my wiring NOT in the walls in the shop area. Exposed conduit can be quite adaptable when you want to move in new machinery or just play chinese fire-drill with your machines on a whim.

Steel interior siding isn't a bad idea in a welding/grinding room.

Ya, wood frame. I hear you on security concerns though. Fortunately were quite rural and I know my neighbors well. I'll be doing bars on the windows, guns are kept in the safe, and we have a security system. But at the end of the day there's still a risk.
VT just passed one of those safe storage liability laws you're talking about. Never heard of something so backward. You're the victim of a crime and then are charged with one.

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):
Spunds like wood frame? Hmmm.... security is a biggee, especially these days. Puke steals a gun,commits a crime with it and now the victim of the burglary is (in some states) held liable.

My shop is a steel building with only two small windows...Will at least slow down a break in.

Steel roof with steel siding might be considered.

Doesn't take much to hook in another drain to existing septic...(Don't ask me how I know)

Fortunately no code/inspections (unless adding a septic) so the exposed conduit can work. I like the idea of at least some of the electrical done that way for easy access. Probably will still bury the power to lights and 110 outlets.
Love the idea of steel siding for the welding/grinding area!

quote:

Originally posted by gunmaker:
find a way to add a bathroom.

Not sure what code is in the land of woodchucks but I like my wiring NOT in the walls in the shop area. Exposed conduit can be quite adaptable when you want to move in new machinery or just play chinese fire-drill with your machines on a whim.

Steel interior siding isn't a bad idea in a welding/grinding room.

Lots of good ideas here. I built my shop about 8 years ago, 40'x64' with a 20x20 basement. I surrounded the main great room with small rooms for storage, coatings, woodworking, bathroom, and office. Machinery and main metal working is in the central room. Having a "dirty" room is a great idea. Other things to consider:

Radiant heat is wonderful and needed if you get CNC equipment.
LED lights
10' ceiling with a roll up door so you can get the CNC machine in.
Super smooth concrete finish and sealed. So easy to clean.
Plenty of exhaust fans
Large windows at the work bench if you're not worried too much about security
Security system
Bathroom
Hot water
Plenty of power capacity for future equipment
Ability to add on easily

Enjoy your build

Include some island tables where you can lay out individual guns for assembly. Storage below. Build them on casters so they can easily be moved around. Raised edge banding to prevent parts from rolling off bench.

Light green floor color to highlight dropped parts.

If you are going to mount and dismount barrels, I recommend a dedicated steel tool post set in concrete to mount your barrel vise on. Braced on each side with steel angle. A hydraulic press would serve the same function.

Plenty of bins for gun parts!

Dittos on the bath and shower.

Gun safes or a hardened room to store guns.

Wireless security system.

I did a zig zag pattern with the lights that my electrician couldn't stop laughing at. He cussed me a few times because it took longer to layout, but once the lights were on, he was really impressed.

I would have places I used a sheet of AC plywood instead of sheetrock. It could be taped and mudded in, and painted. But, it would allow you to hang anywhere directly, without finding studs.

Great stuff Wayne. I'd love to see your shop someday.

On your concrete, did you use epoxy paint or some other kind of sealant?

For your exhaust fans, are you using the shutter type fans that mount to the wall, or a ventilation system with duct work?

Thank you!

quote:

Originally posted by Bitterroot:
Lots of good ideas here. I built my shop about 8 years ago, 40'x64' with a 20x20 basement. I surrounded the main great room with small rooms for storage, coatings, woodworking, bathroom, and office. Machinery and main metal working is in the central room. Having a "dirty" room is a great idea. Other things to consider:

Radiant heat is wonderful and needed if you get CNC equipment.
LED lights
10" ceiling with a roll up door so you can get the CNC machine in.
Super smooth concrete finish and sealed. So easy to clean.
Plenty of exhaust fans
Large windows at the work bench if you're not worried too much about security
Security system
Bathroom
Hot water
Plenty of power capacity for future equipment
Ability to add on easily

Enjoy your build

Great advice.

It's funny, back when I was in gunsmithing school I had an instructor tell me to always have plenty of screws, springs, and pins of all sizes so you never have to waste time looking for a dropped part. At the time that seemed wasteful, but I've more than come around to his way of thinking. Now if one of the aforementioned hits the floor and I don't see it immediately I just let it go. Then when I sweep it's like Christmas
The light green floor does sound a lot easier to find parts on though.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobster:
Include some island tables where you can lay out individual guns for assembly. Storage below. Build them on casters so they can easily be moved around. Raised edge banding to prevent parts from rolling off bench.

Light green floor color to highlight dropped parts.

If you are going to mount and dismount barrels, I recommend a dedicated steel tool post set in concrete to mount your barrel vise on. Braced on each side with steel angle. A hydraulic press would serve the same function.

Plenty of bins for gun parts!

Dittos on the bath and shower.

Gun safes or a hardened room to store guns.

Wireless security system.

quote:

Great stuff Wayne. I'd love to see your shop someday.

On your concrete, did you use epoxy paint or some other kind of sealant?

For your exhaust fans, are you using the shutter type fans that mount to the wall, or a ventilation system with duct work?

Thank you!

For the concrete sealer I used a product called Everclear. I applied it with a paint roller. It's pretty smelly stuff to apply so you need lots of ventilation when you do it. After eight years it is still looking good. Have your concrete guys finish the slab as tight as they can get it. I saw cut every 10' each direction and have never had a crack.

I have both duct systems and through the wall fans. I have vapor hoods over my welding bench and cleaning/boiling tanks with ducting to the louver style wall mount fans. I have a through wall fan in my "dirty" room. Use rheostat switches so you can adjust fan speed. I also installed a whole house fan to the attic to bring in the cool morning air and cool down the shop for the day.

Speaking of dropped pins, I finally got wise and put toe kicks around all my benches so they are sealed to the floor. You'd think the odds would be that a dropped pin would sometimes end up at your feet, no, they always go clear to the wall under the bench. Must be one of Murphy's laws.

I got my radiant heat system from Radiant Floor Company. I installed it myself and they give good cust service. They are in your neck of the woods, Barton, VT.

The radiant system is so worth the money.

I built my own shop 10-11 years ago, 36x60. I only went 10’ ceiling and wish I would have went 12, I have a wall separating two sides w/ an overhead door on the 26’ side ‘garage/home project’ area and my gun work area on the larger side. Two entry doors, one each side and since the doors are on the eve side, I did an offset peak with 4’ overhang. Less snow builds up on the entry side and the drip edge is 4 1/2 from the wall. Would do that again for sure. On my shop side the 36’ wall (gable end) has 3 rooms, reloading/shooting window, storage, and a dirty room. On the wall through the middle there is a bathroom and utility room. I did my own in-floor heat with an on demand water boiler (LP) and it’s efficient, works great. Leave it set at 64ish all winter. I built it myself except for the excavation and concrete. Did a ladder frame construction that was basically 4’ wall panels that was very easy for me to build and erect w/ minimal help. Inside walls are OSB painted white, exposed conduit for wiring which I would do again also. Very easy to pull wires, add/move things. Biggest problem I have is too much crap/not enough space!

110/115 volt duplex outlets in the wall, 3 to 4 foot off the floor, every 8 to 10 foot
Each wall on its own breaker

Overhead 110/115 volt duplex outlets inside the trusses, just the duplex cover will show like the walls, on their own breaker

220/240 volt overhead in conduit, with Junction boxes so you can either wire in direct or have a plug for each machine
Each 220/240 on its own breaker

I put in overhead air lines inside the floor/roof trusses
Used 250 psi plastic tubing and brass compression fittings with Tees that allowed me to have a drop down brass nipple with a quick disconnect coupler inside the shop
going on 35 years and no leaks

Smooth concrete floor, even painted if you like

Bathroom is needed of course

Sounds like you have the windows and bars taken care of.
My bars are 1/2" round hot rolled steel, in a 6" x 12" spacing, then welded into some 1/4" x 2" flat cold drawn that just fits inside the stud/wall frame for the window.
With 5/16" lag bolts every foot into the studs

James Wisner

If you have a choice you might want to think about the roof. If it is facing south, down the road it would be easy(?) to add solar panels. Of course it depends on where you are and utility costs, etc. Also south facing windows are good for natural light.
C.G.B.

Can hardly stress having a lot of electrical enough. I have a 120 receptacle every 4 feet, at 4 feet above the floor. Lots of circuits, 3 receptacles to a 20 amp breaker, with the first in the string being a quad with a GFI in one.

What I didn't do enough of, and I'd put one at least every 8 feet is 240 volt. With the availability and cost of VFD 3 phase inverters as it is today, having that option on machines makes access to 240 volt essential.

If you have 3 phase, substitute the 3 phase for the 240, but put in a few 240 for eqluipment that isn't 3 phase.

Another thing I didn't do is put my compressor outside; I'd like to do that but difficult because I don't have room to the property line.

Insulate the shop and seal it airtight, put in a heat recovery ventilator to bring in fresh air without losing the heat/cool from the space.

Install both air conditioning and heat. I keep my space at 68 degrees 24/7 in winter, 72 in summer, and really appreciate that. Because it is well insulated and sealed, I figure it costs me less than $20 a month.

Put in a lot of LED lights. If you can't see it, you can't work on it, and good lighting helps.

A small bathroom.