Shop layout ideas

taxpyer · November 24, 2009, 04:43:04 PM

I am finishing a new shop 30X60. It's divided into three 20X30 bays. Does anyone have any good ideas about bench/work space layout that will help me avoid the old "damm I wish I hadn't put that there" thing.

enjenjo · November 24, 2009, 07:37:30 PM

I would set up one for dirty work, welding, grinding, ect. One for bodywork and paint. And one for clean work, final assembly. As an alternate to bodywork bay, you could set up that one with you machine tools. And a hoist in the final assembly bay.

Leon · November 24, 2009, 08:37:48 PM

I wouldn't build in a lot of workbench space, it just collects junk. Build a couple benches on rollers that you can take to the area you're working in. One heavy all steel one is good for welding, and one that has a wood top with a replaceable masonite cover is good for just about everything else.

unklian · November 25, 2009, 12:10:00 AM

Don't make the benches too deep, definite junk collectors.

Lots of shelves up high, compressor outside, lots of electrical outlets.

Maybe look on the garagejournal.com board for ideas.

taxpyer · November 25, 2009, 03:58:23 AM

How about Ideas for the messy parts washer we all have stuffed into the corner?

Quote from: "taxpyer"I am finishing a new shop 30X60. It's divided into three 20X30 bays. Does anyone have any good ideas about bench/work space layout that will help me avoid the old "damm I wish I hadn't put that there" thing.

oiler · November 26, 2009, 11:00:08 PM

I just finished a 32x40 shop and i went with a 16 ft bench on one side wall and 2 rolling benchs 3x6
works good for having a bench in the far bays without taking up permanent room
ditto on the Garagejournal website Ions of ideas there
Jeff

Charlie Chops 1940 · November 26, 2009, 11:28:50 PM

You guys are all wrong about benches...gotta have lots of them, with shelves underneath...where else ya gonna store all those precious rusty car parts, among other things? I believe in lots of them, and keeping them full - LOL.

Charlie

Carnut · November 26, 2009, 11:37:52 PM

Yes, one does need lots of work bench space.

wayne petty · November 27, 2009, 03:27:04 PM

just a question... planning on using all 3 bays for cars?

or just having your tools and equipment along the back wall???

having most work benches on wheels is a great idea... but one with a vice on it.. needs to have solid legs for pounding on... perhaps you could rig up some trailer tongue jacks with wheels on it... to be able to live them to move them around... or a crossbeam on each end with some kind of flange or washer under.. so you can jack up the work bench with your floor jack to move them around.... perhaps designing the work benches with crossbar at the height of a HF moving dolly in mind..

i am hoping in the next few months to get my own shop up and running.. i am so tired of working outside or in other peoples shops...

GPster · November 27, 2009, 04:54:30 PM

I'm going to change mine tomorrow while my son and son-in-law are here to help. This is my first garage and due to variuos reasons it was built 16' x 32'. I figured that 16' was wide enough for for a car with some room to work around it and I'd have 16' x 16' at the head of the garage for my work benches and the overhead heater and room to work on projects that were smaller than a whole car. Because all my tools and spare parts were supposed to be neatly stored I went wild buying shelves. I have about 32' in length of 1' deep metal shelves 60" high starting at floor level. It would cut my width down to 14' but with a shelf for everything that would be enough room to get on all sides of a car. Now I have 3 rolling toolboxes that when they're where you need them there's hardly any room to get around them to what you're working on. I'm going to tear my shelves out and apart then re-construct them. I'm going to fasten them to the walls and hang them from the ceiling so that I have free floor space. Then can push my rolling tool chests clear to the wall. I'll make the shelves double thickness (2') so that the things that I use all the time can sit near the edge of the shelves and the stuff that I'm storing can be on the back of the shelves near the wall. One other suggestion, make the bay that you work on cars in the center bay. When I want to stand back and admire my work I have to push it outside. I can't see the whole side of a car with only a couple of feet to back up and look. You'd have a visual advantage if you had a bay on either side to back into so you can judge your work. GPster

UGLY OLDS · November 27, 2009, 06:23:44 PM

I too agree on NO horizontal spaces what so ever... They only collect trash & "things" ..... :?

Charlie ..Those "precious rusty car parts" belong in the house ..Preferably in a bedroom closet ...Less chance of the getting Lost or "injured" there..

The "Extra" precious rusty car parts ALWAYS go under the bed for safekeeping ......

BUT :!: My vote goes to Carnut for the best "permanently mounted" bench grinder I have seen to date ...

You can even work "all around the wheel" if needed....

Bob.........

taxpyer · November 28, 2009, 05:16:32 AM

Carnut I loved your pics. I too have ended up with the same thing in my shop for years. I sure appreciate all of the suggestions everyone has made and believe me I am going to implement most all of them.
This 60 ft building is divided into three bays two for automotive and one for crafts/woodwork(my wife and I have planned this). I have three projects

:oops: a '47 willys Cj2a, a '57 willys PU, and a '23T pickup so one bay will be for parking mainly but I am excavating another 20' area at the end of the building for covered parking outside. Should have power hooked up by Xmas, all wired now, then insulte and finish. Locked up and wired I'm into it for about $25,000. I have done everything myself except place and finish the concrete.

Quote from: "taxpyer"I am finishing a new shop 30X60. It's divided into three 20X30 bays. Does anyone have any good ideas about bench/work space layout that will help me avoid the old "damm I wish I hadn't put that there" thing.

Uncle Bob · November 29, 2009, 08:58:25 AM

When you think you've figured enough electical outlets, double the number. Same for plumbing air fittings to the walls, though not quite as critical as the electrical (the outside, protected compressor is an excellent suggestion). You didn't mention height or if there's space overhead. Overhead decked area always comes in handy for storage of "long term treasures", the "someday I might need that" sort of stuff. Also lots of light, again, twice what you at first think is a lot. The older you get the more it helps.

This will be more controversial; I like the painted floor I did. I used the Rustoleum kit you can buy at any big box retailer/home center. I put it down after the concrete had cured, and followed the prep directions. It's been down for 7 years now without any of the usual problems other folks have posted up that they've had. It's put up with automotive paint spills, solvent, acid splatter, welding slag, brake fluid, coolant, oil, and so on. All of which wipe or mop up easily, especially if done soon after hitting the floor. It's resisted dragging heavy stuff over it as well has steel wheeled equipment/tools. I've gotten a couple discolored spots, but not too bad. It makes sweeping a dream, and helps discipline me to keep a cleaner work space. I went with light grey and I think it reflects a bit of light which helps.

Other niceties; clocks, thermometers, music, heat and vent, and of course a refreshment refrigerator. Maybe even a computer for internet access (I use the one in the garage as a juke box, there are sites that have large catalogs of stored songs from all eras).

Grandadeo · November 29, 2009, 11:30:30 AM

My shop is 24' X 40' with 10' X 12' in one corner lost to an office area with 12' of floor to ceiling shelves to hold all those treasured car magazines that I hardly ever look at, a TV with satellite hookup for sirius radio, and an A/C unit. The other 10' X 12' behind the office is where the work bench, welding table, drill press bench grinders, polisher, etc. are located. I put a 220 outlet there, plus on at the other far end wall, and one by the overhead door at the driveway. Have an overhead door on the back wall also that really gets a much needed breeze going through the place in the summer.

Tomorrow I will be starting an expedition into the shop to find the floor, the work bench top, etc. and get ORGANIZED then get back to work on my '48 F-1 Panel. My question to all of you is how to plumb my air system to get dry air. Plus the best material to use in the process. That's the one thing I never got around to doing. Currently just running a hose off the compressor with a water separator that does not do very much good when using a lot of air. I'm sure this has been discussed here in the past but I'm looking forward to all your input so I can finally do this the right way and run lines around most of the garage with a few outlets to plug hoses into.

Lee

papastoyss · November 29, 2009, 11:41:38 AM

Quote from: "taxpyer"I am finishing a new shop 30X60. It's divided into three 20X30 bays. Does anyone have any good ideas about bench/work space layout that will help me avoid the old "damm I wish I hadn't put that there" thing.

Pegboard! I put up 2 4x8 sheets along 1 wall & hung up things I don't use a lot such as tow straps, c clamps levels.\, body work vise grips, things that take up a lot of room in my tool box.