Hello Everyone,
This is not so much a problem as it is a poll. I have moved into a new house and I am having a difficult time deciding where to locate the shop. First option is a space in the basement. The area would be 12’x50′. That was the only good news. The bad is no windows or exterior doors, 7′ ceilings, and a narrow stairwell to navigate. The second option is one bay of a two car garage. This space is 12’x25′. The good is that there is tall ceilings, an exterior entry door including the overhead door, and plenty of light. The bad is that everyone will see my tools when the door is up.
I have the normal tools, tablesaw, planer, jointer, bandsaw, and drill press. A small pile of walnut, and a new bench that is about 30″x60″.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
Replies
My first reaction was: narrow stairwell to the basement? Go with the garage. If you can move the car out while you work, you have a nice open workspace.
and www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
If you use sheet goods I think you would start hating the basement option pretty quickly with the low ceiling and difficult access. Do you think you would be able to move the machines down the narrow stairwell?
Not sure what the weather is like in the winter in St. Louis. Is the garage heated? Would it need to be? I imagine there is no way to negotiate you taking the entire garage space?
What about electrical and lighting. Are both locations suitable?
Would it be practical/possible to split your shop in two locations? For example, you could do assembly and finishing in the basement as well as storing your lumber there. Maybe there are other aspects of your work that could be moved to the basement without the need to constantly access the machines in the garage.
Just brainstorming here, not sure any of this is useful to you ;-)
Edited 10/8/2009 8:03 am ET by Senomozi
Bothe locations are suitable for electric and lighting. I am leaning towards the garage space. I do like the idea of possibly using some of the basement for storage of wood and misc. supplies.
I looked at some other posts about heating a shop and there are plenty of opinions on that. I'll have to do some research.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Regarding the heating issue. The following link explains the number of BTUs you need per square foot, assuming the place is insulated: http://reviews.ebay.com/How-many-Btu-s-do-I-need-to-heat-my-home_W0QQugidZ10000000002054258At nigh I keep the shop at 15C to save energy with the drawback that in the morning all the machine surfaces are cold to the touch, hence a little uncomfortable (for me anyway). After adjusting the thermostat to 22C it takes about an hour for everything to become comfortable again.
Any way to build access to the basement from outside. Bilko hatch door and stairs?
ASK
I've thought of that. I got an estimate to cut a door in the foundation walls. Included was the excavation of the soil. That exceeded any cost I would have in the garage space by triple the amount.
Dovetail,
My shop is in the basement. Sometimes I long to see daylight.
I'm very much thinking of adding a window. It would be cheaper than excavating for a door.
I wonder if I could get it wide enough to get sheet goods through it. I don't see why not. Hmm. I'm thinking of a frame made for the purpose, able to take some rough treatment.
Wow, I think it could be done.
I carry wood down, but usually I cut it to rough dimensions in the garage, and that makes it much more manageable.
All that being said, I'd go with
1) a separate shop on the property.
2) basement.
-jonnieboy
The obvious solution is to build a 30'x60' shop building in the back yard. "I'm only doing this so you'll have more room to park in the garage, Dear." ;-)
I'm in the northern suburbs of Chicago, and I had the same decision. Eventually, I want to live on more property where an outbuilding is an option...but 'til then I went with the basement for a few reasons, one of which you stated. I did not want my tools visable every time the garage door was open. Plus, there is so much in and out traffic through the garage, and it's such a collector of clutter anyway, I just had visions of my santuary being turned into a cluttered space that would have to be cleaned and organized every time I wanted to get to work. Before I know it, it would be sharing space with bikes, lawnmower etc, etc. The potential for theft really helped bring things indoors for me. There are obvious limitations to the basement, but I managed to get my SawStop Cabinet Saw, Powermatic Lathe and other full-size equipment down a full flight of stairs without a major problem (though carrying the SawStop down the stairs right after I just paid 4K for it was a little nervewracking). My space is even more limited than yours 13' x 26' as I have a workout room and a craft room for my wife down there. Though my shop is pretty packed, I have it pretty efficiently organized...EVERYTHING is on wheels.
I am just a hobbyist, and so I like to have my shop as a place where I want to go to escape. Tools are all out in the open (not really an option in the garage) and the shop is more set up for comfort and efficiency rather than security.
The garage is certainly an option, and even a better option for many people, but for me, it was basement all the way. One risk to the basement, however, is flooding, an obvious DISASTER for a shop. Depending on the water table etc in your area, it is more or less of a real threat. I upgraded my sump pump and got a top of the line battery-powered backup system as well, but it is still something I think about when I am away.
For me, I can finish the room the way I want, and don't have to worry about heat, theft (unless of course someone actually break into the house and goes into the basement) and little hands ( have the shop on it's own subpanel with a lock, and a lockable entrance door).
If sheet goods are something you use a great deal, you could probably get a cheap contractor's saw and keep it in a corner of the garage for cutting things down to size.
Good luck with whatever you do.
Thanks Joe. Just when I had my mind made up about the garage. You bring up some good points. The sheet goods is occasional use so that is almost a nonissue. I am at the top of a hill so the water is a nonissue as well. I guess my main concerns with the basement are the dust into the house and the noise I'll be making when someone is trying to relax.
It's really a personal decision. I have a pretty robust dust collector and air cleaner, which is a must, and noise can be a factor. I just didn't want to share my shop space with the garage...or have to worry about things walking away. I like to hang out in my shop whenever I can...which with little kids is often only for a few minutes.
Where is your subpanel? Do you need (or forsee the need for) 220V power?Chris @ http://www.flairwoodworks.com and http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
The panel is in the basement. I am a remodeling contractor by trade and I have a few electricians that owe me some favors so the electric work is no problem.
If you are going to limit yourself to one bay of the garage you could build a wall down the middle between the bays, so that you keep the lawnmower and casual visitors out of the shop.
One downside to a garage is that if you get a lot of humidity, you may have a rust issue. I'm in a basement and I run a dehumidifier down there, which is workable. You can't do that as easily in a garage. The low ceilings are a bit awkward, so you have to think about how to turn around long boards. Also, in a basement, expecially in a house with forced air heating and central a/c, dust collection and an air filter is critical. As for noise, I bought a bunch of rolls of insulation and stapled them between the joists of the ceiling and around the ducts to reduce noise. Of course even my planer can't hold a candle to my son when he cranks up the volume.
Good advice. I have a small shed in the yard that houses the mower and other misc. If my garage is well sealed with insulated doors and has a small ac/furnace, why couldn't I run a humidifier? I am going to go with the garage as the final location.
I will have some storage in the basement, but most everything will be in the garage.
I have a two year old son and am very familiar with the decibel level that he puts out compared to my planer.
"--two year old---decible level---planer"
No contest; planer comes in second every time, right?! LOL
Enjoy!
Mack"Close enough for government work=measured with a micrometer, marked with chalk and cut with an axe"
Both, of course!!
Set up the big sawdust makers up in the garage and handle all the fine work and finishing in the basement.
Easy peasy!
For what it's worth. I built my shop beside my house. no connection for dust, noise, smells and fire.
Radient floor heat, 10 foot ceilings, plumbing. 1080 sq ft 1/4 leather work and 3/4 wood work and don't own any trucks/ cars deserving a garage. I don't want a smelly oil dripping beast in the shop.
As for the theft issue, touch wood I am in a place were I don't worry to much about it. But do understand your concerns. when I lived in the big city I lost a lot to break in's and finally put steel in the door frames, window bars and alarm also motion sensing lights.
I had the luck to get a big lot at a cheap price in 97, minimum zoning/ building codes so I could do what I wanted. The old carp house on the lot was recycled into the shop, I only paid for the foundation, shingles, stucco and entrance and garage doors.( meets ada specs}
I have a great passive solar house and shop. My shop oasis, kids only with permission and only the wee Colleen can enter unrestricted. Sort of anal but I don't like suprises while working with screaming carbide chucks whipping around at many RPMs. and tools getting used and not put back GRRRRR.
Any chance you can add on the back of the garage? or put a screen up while the garage door is open?
Sounds like a nice space you have. Adding on is not an option. I have spent the weekend scaling some drawings of both places. I have also scaled the big tools. I will see how the tools fit in each space and go from there.
Graet advice from everyone on here. I love the input.
I had a basement shop for probably thirty years and was ever so happy to get out and into a dedicated 24 by 40 shop. Thinking of your situation and security, why can't you lock the garage door shut (assuming you have double doors) and then enter through a side door. Or if you are moving big stuff, move the car out to carry the stuff in or out. I have had a couple thefts over the years so now I have a security system and motion detectors and observation cameras. The durn thing misfired one day and within the minute I called the security company to tell them it was a false alarm. After hanging up the phone I opened the door to go outside, I greeted a highway patrol in my driveway. He had to have been within a couple miles from the house when he got the call.
Edited 10/15/2009 6:04 pm ET by Tinkerer3
Ralph definitely has the right idea---and the rationale to go with it!! LOL
I would stay clear of the basement if at all possible. Your only issue with the garage was the fact that your tools would be in plain sight when the door was open. A borrowed sign "Protected by ADT" (or similar) and "Beware of Dog" can be surprisingly effective. You could even go as far as fabricating some sort of screen that would let in light but block the view.
I'd opt for the garage!
Regards,
Mack
"Close enough for government work=measured with a micrometer, marked with chalk and cut with an axe"
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