It's always good to see you post Jack and I hope all is going well with you. Those machines tell me that you're still in business.

 

Harry, always an honor to have you comment on one of my posts! Yes, I'm still in business and moving forward to a time when I do shop work exclusively and no more crazy customers with their Taj Mahal expectations. Or grungy disgusting work, or working outside in 0° (Fahrenheit) weather.....

 

Jack.
I am fortunate to use a garage that is attached to my home as a shop. I have seen some shops created from used shipping containers. They are weather resistant and in the USA are quite affordable. If I didn't have the garage, I would more than likely try one or more of these units. Some are even insulated. Just add a door and a couple of windows and some power, and maybe a source for some heat.
Dan

 

Maybe that's something to consider, but I have a pretty good size shop, 32'x44'. And we don't have much room on OUR property, so I rent space across the street.

 

My 12x24 shed-shop was hauled in via a large trailer more than a decade ago. If I had it to do over, I'd have gotten the 16x24 size. It is a pretty basic structure and sits on a crushed rock base. Insulated with AC and heat that takes about an hour to warm up. A skirt of redwood pickets sealed off the under floor, although I wish I'd also added some insulation under it. If I'd had the larger size built, I'd have used 2x6 studs to add R38 insulation, and had a concrete pad poured. I would also have had double glazed windows installed instead of single. I put foam insulation over the cheap windows because they were such a heat leak.

My wife had an electrician install an electrical subpanel, which now feeds whichever shed I'm in. The DC unit. Moving that outside really opened space inside--much more comfortable, cleaner and open.

I'm posting this because I sense a new shop is in your future. You won't believe how nice it is to walk into a warm and conveniently large shop. I guess you are in a commercial woodworking business from the comments. A decent workspace is a basic human right, to my thinking. Hiring someone to help you build it is a possibility, it's financing it that's the challenge for most of us. But the warm, comfy shop has outlasted the bill for it by a long shot, and if it's up to code, it adds value to your property should you move later.

 

I insulated mine and use a radiant tube heater and it allows me to work fairly comfortably even at a fairly low setting. If I have to glue or finish I turn it up for a while.

 

No more editing posts? I have misspelled words and it drives me nuts!

 

Jack, you need to get this. I am really bad at spelling and this helps me from being so dumb. It's also free. :smile:



https://www.grammarly.com/

 

Have instead of gave? If that's it I changed it.

 

My shop is so small, I have to go into the basement to change my mind. With winter coming on, I've decided to frame in the metal garage door and put insulation in it, then cover it with OSB. I plan on adding shelving that will help the space problem. The only fly in the ointment is the electrical wiring stinks.

 

I had the same problem in the garage, so laid in some NM (Romex) and hired an electrician to tap into the main box. Then I discovered the electrical outlets for the washer and dryer. Put in a 10 gauge short extension and plugged in both appliance and tool extensions. I never use both at the same time, and just drop the extensions near the tools where they'll be used. Simple, on breakers, cheap. With heavy insulation in walls and ceiling, it stays workable in there. I sometimes turn the gas fired dryer on to warm it up a bit. The steel roll-up door is now insulated with both foam and front and back layers of radiant bubble wrap. If I keep the door closed, heat sticks around pretty well. All that really keeps the heat down during desert summers as well.

 

Jack, good to see you are still around. Are you still in the barn that the snow came through the roof and covered your tools?

 

Mike, same barn, more tools, less room! I now have 5 tablesaws, not counting 2 jobsite tablesaws and 2 tile saws. So for shop saws I have a 12" Grizzly cabinet saw, a 10" Jet cabinet saw, a 10" Craftsman hybrid saw, a 10" Ridgid TS3650, and now a very much disassembled Robland E300 3phase saw. I have a 20hp phase converter and I hope next spring to get out there and get all this stuff up and running. I also bought a Seco 24" belt sander, again 3 phase so I've never seen this run either. I got good prices on these tools because they weren't running, the sander is supposed to, the tablesaw is another story. but they didn't give them away either. Anyways, I think it might be time to sell a tablesaw. The truth is I loaned the Craftsman to a friend whose saw died. It's an indefinite loan, but I want it back when he's done with it...... could be years. And the Ridgid was my first shop tablesaw, a gift from my mom who has since passed away, I won't sell that, so that just leaves the Jet, (I'll keep that 12" Grizzly).