I chose to build a small enclosed compressor room in the corner instead of putting it outside. I figured condensation/water in the lines might be a problem in the winter months if it was outdoors. I also run a large air dryer, but I spray quite a bit.
A wall mounted exhaust fan is real nice. I have a large one that will suck the doors in LOL Real nice when running a car or anything paint related.

Now this is a Great thread! I hope no body derails it! Keep it going guys.

quote:

Originally posted by Curly1:
But my shop is insulated good and has a good sealed and insulated 14 x 14 roll up door.

Can you share a link to your insulated roll up door? This could provide the additional clearance I may need in the future.

Thanks
Dale

I live west of you in Abilene. I cannot imagine having a shop/garage without insulation. These 100 plus degree days would be unbearable without it. I have my compressor inside, and I only run it as needed. I don't use it for painting. I guess, based upon all the responses, I need to move it outside.

Insulate it and if I were doing one inside walls would be wood not drywall much easier to hang things and paint inside bright white to keep it well lit and add more lights then yo think as I get older the brighter it is the easier it is to see

Also depending on ceiling height consider a mezzanine for added storage and I would have sliding curtains or separate bays for done cars and project cars hate when I want to go out cruising and have to clean car because got dirty while parked and was working on something in shop

Screw compressor with an HF drive. Very quite.

Unless you're painting cars or sand blasting compressed air is nice but not the focus of a shop. Air tools are yesterdays news and aside from airing tires and blowing off parts you won't use much compressed air.

My brothers 40x60 we built a mezzanine about 10'x15 in the back corner. It's great to get stuff that you rarely mess with out of the way. He just built a 15'x40' lean to off the side also and right now it's mainly for his smoker, grill, catfish fryer. I just got the pad done for my 30x50 and i'm putting in a small 8' door on one end and will build a pony wall to enclose a 10'x10' space for my lawn stuff so the grass and junk dont get into the main shop. I'll build a mezzanine over the top of that space. Near the front corner of building I'm going to build a "dock". Basically a spot I can back my truck up to and offload stuff at tailgate level.

Scott

quote:

Originally posted by Little Chief:
Jim, have you had the opportunity to try out I30 dragway right there in Caddo Mills?

I have not been there in a few years, it was Redline raceway then. But I-30 will be the new home track, I still plan to race at XRP and the Motorplex now and then. Sitting out this year, unless I get the Camaro done in time to shake it down and maybe make 1 or 2 races.

Lots of good ideas, fellas. Keep them coming.
The mezzanine is another thing I have planned to add, to clear floor space and move the rarely needed items out of the way. Needing to get some ideas for that, I am thinking a free-standing 7 foot tall, 12 x 18 foot steel frame, down over Bay # 3 that I will not use often, (mostly storage). Decking would be grate style, for visibility and air flow above and below. Considering a design that could actually be relocated within the shop if I decide to later on. The bottom of the existing trusses are 12 feet above the floor, but I don't want to suspend a deck below them. My thought was to build it out of square tubing and angle steel, bolt it together, then weld it. Or should I not weld it, to facilitate any need to move it later? (Honestly, I am not thinking I will have any need to move it, but...) And I am not sure if I want to add a permanent stairway for it. One of those moveable warehouse stairs might be handy, since it could be stored out of the way.
I have a brand new 2500# winch that I want to use for a small elevator platform, so I won't have to carry heavy stuff up the stair / ladder. Could use some ideas on a design for that as well.

I saw online somewhere a gentleman built a mezzanine and had a rolling table he would put on his four post lift load stuff on it put lift up then slide stuff off table the table height was built so was even with mezzanine on lift

And I agree with comment about air I owned my own shop and now work in fleet shop and barely use air tools I love my Milwaukee cordless tools

quote:

Originally posted by FootbrakeJim:
A few months ago, I had the good fortune to stumble across a home on 3.7 acres, with a 140 foot long, flat concrete driveway, and a steel 36x60 foot shop situated about 50 feet from the house. It is located about 2 miles outside of a small town, (Farmersville, TX - Population 3300). I paid a bit more than I thought it was worth, but it was 100% move-in ready, properties like this don't come available often within 45 minutes of Dallas, and I got stupid money for my land-locked, HOA-controlled house in the suburbs, so I am really happy with the deal.
I got the elbow room and shop that I wanted, and she got her swimming pool.

I have been busy trying to make the shop into the best possible setup for our chosen sport/hobby, and that is the purpose of this thread. I know a lot of you guys race out of a rural home base, you know there are a lot of features and different things to be considered, and I am hoping to glean what info I can on what works, what doesn't, things you are glad you did in your shop setup, and maybe things you might do differently.
I will be asking some questions, and looking for your advice, and as always, every bit of it will be sincerely appreciated. Some of the stuff may not be unique to a rural location, but much of it will be. Thanks in advance for sharing your ideas and experiences.

Score Jim!!!

I realize cordless tools have surpassed air tools nowadays but I am old and bought all of my air tools before some of you were born and since I don't do this for a living, I'm not replacing them.... If you want to paint, use a blower tip, glassbead, seat tires, etc, then you are still going to need a compressor and I don't want to hear the thing!

Mezzanine is a great idea, I store a lot over my bathroom as it's built inside the building with it's own ceiling.
If you work by yourself or ever have DOA vehicles you need to get into the shop mount a winch between the bay doors. Use a pulley at the back of the bay and you can use 1 winch for 2 bays and pull vehicles in.

Another thing I will do when I build my own shop is put body shop chain pots in floor at four corners of lift like under control arms would be so helpful on so many jobs to be able to hook chain or strap to pull control arms or rear end down for suspension work as a third hand. I know there are ones that can be drilled into existing floors.

Insulation, first step!!!

So many great ideas, much appreciated!
It looks like insulation is the #1 recommendation, and for good reason.
I agree with the spray foam approach, I am open to recommendations for what specific foam type, and any other options or variables that might make a difference in effectiveness and also any issues to watch out for. I assume they can spray the ceiling as well? Obviously there are good contractors, and some not so good. I don't think I want foam sprayed over all of the wiring, I assume they mask stuff off, rather than just walk in with a hose and go crazy? What about the doors, hinges, roll-up door tracks, etc? Anyone had this done that can share the good, bad, and ugly from their experiences?

Also, the 3 roll-up doors most likely can't be insulated, and they will reduce much of the improvement from the insulation. I think it was Bruce and maybe Steve mentioned an insulated roll-up door. I have not seen one, but it sounds like a great idea to consider.

I have already installed 20 feet of shelving along 1 wall, but it is five 4-foot wide steel frame industrial shelf units like you might see in use at a warehouse, or possibly Lowes or Home Depot. Heavy duty, and they are bolted together and I secured them all to the frame of the shop, but they can still be unloaded and moved out of the way. The workbench is along the back wall, it is super heavy duty, wooden, mostly 4x4 frame with 2x4 bracing and 1 inch thick top. 28 feet long, but in 2 sections, and I can move them with my floor jacks. So I can get the entire walls exposed.

First step for air compressor is to install a cheap "turbo" muffler on the intake and route it through the wall to the outside. This will please 95% of users.
A bucks up unit will have an air filter mounted on the outside.

Not enough? Build a room around it with sound deadening insulation.