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 Post subject: small "shop" setup
PostPosted: November 21, 2017, 11:06 am 
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Joined: November 13, 2017, 7:35 pm
Posts: 49
Ok, I'm to the point that I need to start thinking about how to setup my "shop" if you want to call it that. Currently I have a 12x24' shed with 7' walls. I would use my garage but since I married into the house I'm in, the wife bought one that the garage was converted into a small apartment that we rent out. Its nice having a few extra hundred bucks a month, but I think I would rather have a full garage. So instead of having a garage like a normal car guy, I bought a 12x24 wood shed with the heavy duty floor and extended walls. Right now it is disorganized and a mess with both random car parts and stuff from inside the house.

I have wired in a couple of 4' florescent lights inside for lighting that work OK, but will add more. I am insulating and wiring it for both 220 and 110 over the next couple of months. I have all the hand tools that will be needed, welder, grinders, engine hoist, engine stand, room outside for a donor car or two and most important this time of year a heater! Over the turkey day break I plan on doing a bit of organizing and building a nice work bench our of some 2x6's that I got from work. A bench grinder is on the list of stuff to get as is a small drill press. I would like to get a compound miter saw with metal blade, but for now I will be using thin cut blades on a grinder. What else would you have to have knowing space is at a minimum? What could I do without?


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 Post subject: Re: small "shop" setup
PostPosted: November 21, 2017, 1:06 pm 
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Joined: January 1, 2012, 12:44 pm
Posts: 588
Location: Boise, Idaho
I'd suggest a 4 to 5" vice instead of the bench grinder. The hand-held angled grinder that you have will do and will be useful for more tasks if you add some floppy sanding discs.


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 Post subject: Re: small "shop" setup
PostPosted: November 21, 2017, 4:29 pm 
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Joined: November 13, 2017, 7:35 pm
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I picked up a small vice from HF a while back that I plan on installing on the bench. I tend to favor flap wheels over grinder disks. less noise and cleaner imo.


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 Post subject: Re: small "shop" setup
PostPosted: November 21, 2017, 11:27 pm 
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Joined: June 8, 2010, 8:02 pm
Posts: 621
Location: White Rock, BC, Canada
If your shop needs to include your storage stuff, I would add shelving and cabinets to any dead space available before getting started. Watch craigslist free section for kitchen/bathroom cabinets. They work great as shop cabinets. If you have a small rolling cab toolbox, take the casters off and use it as part of your bench-top support. Very solid and locates in a good spot. You can see mine in some pics on this page if it helps:
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=9291&start=30

Also watch craigslist, or your local used-building supply place for furnace blowers for use as a ventilation fan. I usually only pay $50 or so for a huge CFM fan and decent motor. Small shop=bad air very fast.

Also, as always a GOOD fire extinguisher (large enough to be useful) located at the exit door.

12x24 is nothing to complain about. I've worked in smaller.

Cheers.

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 Post subject: Re: small "shop" setup
PostPosted: November 22, 2017, 8:37 am 
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Joined: September 22, 2005, 8:12 am
Posts: 1879
Location: 4AGE in S.E. Michigan
Depending on the type of roof, you could look at adding a few 2x4 across the joist for over head storage to help conserve space. It would be ideal for tubing, and smaller boxes. Also look at milk crates. They could be stacked 7' high.
Dave W


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 Post subject: Re: small "shop" setup
PostPosted: November 22, 2017, 2:03 pm 
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Joined: May 27, 2006, 9:46 pm
Posts: 1954
Location: BC, Canada. eh?
If I had to choose the shop tools I couldn't live without, I guess my compressor/air tools (primarily, die grinders) would be at the top of the list, along with my (several) 4 1/2" angry grinders.

My most-used angle grinder has a 1 mm carbide cutting disc on it, which I use for cutting, well, everything, from steel to stone. It cuts through steel like butter, and I buy the discs about a dozen at a time. I also have an angle grinder fitted with a flap wheel, and another with a coarse sanding disc (when I REALLY want to remove material quickly).

As for my compressor, I use it every single day. There are endless tools available (cheap, too, if you're judicious, or if you have Harbor Freight...which we don't in Canada). An example would be an air riveter (got one of those, too) - not only does it make riveting ridiculously fast, every single rivet set is perfect. And, you still have one hand free to hold the workpiece with. My die grinders get used every single day, too. I have one fitted with a 2" twist-on for attaching sanding discs, flap wheels, etc. Another, I have fitted with a rotary file, which makes short work of enlarging holes, shaping holes, etc.

In getting a compressor, bigger is better. I have a 60-gallon, 2-cylinder single stage, which keeps up with every air tool I own, and then some. Keep your eyes peeled for used ones - I got mine from an auto shop that bought a much larger one. IIRC, I paid $150 for it. With limited space, I'd mount the compressor outside with a cover of some sort, & plumb an air line in through the wall.

Just some thoughts....

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http://zetec7.webs.com/


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 Post subject: Re: small "shop" setup
PostPosted: December 30, 2017, 11:49 am 
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Joined: November 13, 2017, 7:35 pm
Posts: 49
well I'm just about at the end of my shop build. so far I have wired in 10 120v outlets, lights, a 220 outlet for the welder which is getting converted from flux core to shielded gas today. My 8' workbench has a shelf below it for storing bigger parts and my welder. It also has 2 shelves above it for storing smaller items like oil, grinding discs, cutoff wheels, etc. My toolbox is the bigger red harborfreight tool cart with the side stand. I don't have much room around the build table on the sides but I cant really expect much from a 12x18' work area. This is why I am building a cutting table that will be attached to the wall and will fold down out of the way when it isn't needed. All my steel will be stored above the work table suspended in a chain loop attached to the ceiling. Out in my car to install this weekend hopefully is a 8' long 220v baseboard heater that will be wired in. Hoping the baseboard heater will be able to keep the temp above 50 all winter long and will allow me to crank the temp up to 60is when I want to work in the shop. I will try to get some pics today or tomorrow. It feels good getting to be this close to being done. Wanting to get started on my actual build here in the next week or two.


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