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.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: FootbrakeJim,

Best thing I put in my shop was a bathroom. If I can get my HVAC guy to get to it the next will be AC.

I just installed a mini split HVAC in my 30 x 40....best money I ever spent! Just controlling the humidity alone for the RV and race car was worth the investment, let alone I can now comfortably work in the heat of the summer and cold of the winter. Definitely recommend.

First question I have is about your Compressed Air setups. Shop is on a concrete slab, steel frame and skin. Not insulated. So noise is a factor. I am looking at several compressors, I don't think I need anything more than maybe a 20 gallon tank, probably 30G max. I do prefer oil-lubricated, piston-type compressors with good recovery rates. I would like recommendations on that and I also could use thoughts on the location/plumbing/piping/wiring.
The shop has 3 12-foot wide roll-up doors, and 1 walk-in door, all 4 are situated along one 60 foot long side of the shop. No windows. I have already designated the far left end of the shop, (I will call it Bay 1), as the primary working area, for servicing vehicles, and engine/transmission work, etc. The shop was poorly lit, with just 4 twin-tube fluorescent fixtures to light 2160 square feet. I have added 8 bright 5K twin-tube LED fixtures just to the Bay 1 space, so a spark plug change in there will be nearly like doing it out in the daylight. The far/deep end of that bay is where the workbench is, and tool boxes, engine hoist and stand, shop press, drill press, grinder, etc. So I really need compressed air at that left end of the shop. The circuit breaker panel is at the far opposite end, entering in the front right corner beyond bay door #3. There are just two 40-Amp breakers in the box. One circuit services all lighting, and the door opener on Bay 1, and couple of outlets on the workbench, and one near the walk-in door between Bays 1 & 2, (Everything in the shop). The other breaker feeds only a quad receptacle gang box in that corner, about 3 feet from the panel. I plan to put a shop fridge in that corner, and I am trying to decide if I should put the compressor there as well, and run air piping down the 60 foot span to the working end of the shop, or run 10 or 12 gauge Romex wire down the shop, and put the compressor in the work area.

So this is my question to you guys:
Compressor near the breaker panel? It would mean less noise down at the other end where I will spend most of my time, and no need to run the wiring, (although I think having more receptacles at the working end, Bay 1, would be a good thing). Or extend the wiring, and put compressor in Bay 1, which would eliminate the need for air piping. Would 75 feet of air pipe create a nightmare of much condensation and possible rust/contamination? Or would I just add a filter/dryer at the working and of the air piping? Looking for pluses and minuses of either configuration, and what works for you guys.
Thanks.
(Add note on the electrical - I may want to divide / balance the loads up, and extend both legs down to Bay 1, for supporting a stick welder, which I do not currently have, but could certainly make use of).

Eman and BG, those (Bathroom & AC) are 2 excellent ideas to begin with. There is no plumbing to the shop at all right now, but at least there is a half bath in the utility/laundry room of the house, and it has an entry that faces the shop walk-in door, so not bad. BG, what size mini-split did you go with? My 2 race cars and other projects will keep me mainly in a 36 x 40 foot area. Not even opposed to partitioning off the 1/3 of the shop at Bay 3 end, it will be mostly storage and parts that don't need much climate control.

Air compressor outside.

My "race shop" is only a 2 1/2 car garage but the best thing I ever did was to put the compressor in a small Rubbermaid shed outside against the back of my garage. Its on its own circuit so I just flip the breaker on when I walk in and the compressor goes on but you can barely hear it running.

Ok, two votes for locating the compressor outside the shop. I had not even considered that, but it is a really good idea. There is already an outside receptacle on the back wall of the shop. And it is right near the workbench. (It is fed from the same breaker as the rest of the shop, but I can easily swap that circuit over to the other breaker). Thanks!

Defiantly compressor outside, especially if it's a steel building with no insulation. Your ears will thank you for it. I plumbed mine with a dryer and run plumbing all the way around shop with quick connects every 8', gives me less air hoses running across the floor. I also ran electrical circuits all the way around with receptacles every 8-10' for power tools which comes in handy. If it were me and I could afford it before I got into adding everything I wanted being in central Texas I'd call a spray foam contractor and have them come spray foam some insulation in it. Then I could cool it down in the summer and make it comfortable in the winter.

My compressor is going to be outside my shop also. One thing I am doing is using mostly moveable shelving so I can keep everything clean and organized. I am using these.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/HD...-1/203846551#overlay

With these larger caster kits.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/HD...30260PS-2/203846483?

More good ideas, thanks Guys!
Curtis, my employer occasionally sells bunches of used racks very similar to those you posted, with casters, at many areas around the country.
They usually post them on the GovDeals auction site, and in quantities of 25-50. It is insane how little they get for them, like scrap metal value, maybe $25-50 for the entire lot. I keep telling the dudes they need to parcel them into several smaller lot sizes. Last time I told the guy who was posting 35 of them in Florida, he said it was too much work for the return. I asked him "How many people have a trailer that can haul away 35 of those? And how many people do you think will want or need 35 of them? Post 7 lots of 5, and I will buy 5 or 10, but I don't want 35". He just stared at me for a few, then walked away.

quote:

Air compressor outside.

x3 build a small cover over it
run air overhead and mount reels from ceiling with pull down hose,

I have a 60 x 100 shop with 2-40 foot storage containers. I will use one of the containers for storage and air compressor. The other will be used for painting or large sandblasting. I have a 16 foot wide by 100 foot covered car port attached to building and then the containers are other side of it.

I will be using a 4500 PSI high pressure breathing air compressor simply because I have it available and it puts out perfectly clean dry air. Will regulate it down and have a large low pressure storage tank for basically endless supply of really clean air.
With the compressor out in the storage container you will never hear it and my shop stays cleaner.
Right now I am leaning towards using the PEX type air lines inside my shop and I have 4 roll up hose assemblies. Plus I have a bunch of small diameter hoses I like to use in work areas.
The whole East side 100 foot wall will have shelving to the ceiling 16 foot and the bottom shelf will be set at 7 foot with lights and work benches / work stations under each section. Most of the working air and electrical will be located on that East wall in work areas.

One section will be set up with my grinder, drill press, sander, cutoff saw, and band saw. Another will be set up for clean table work, one section for my gun reloading, one section for sandblast cabinet.
Storage will be in storage containers or on shelves.

I use a bunch of the plastic roll around carts they are so handy. I also have 5 of the 6 foot tall 5 shelf roll around shelves that work great.

https://www.globalindustrial.c...art-5-rubber-casters

These are great to have around.

I have 5 of these. https://www.zoro.com/little-gi...m24486ph/i/G3911743/

At some point I will be buying a 4 post car lift to save floor space in the shop.

Jim, have you had the opportunity to try out I30 dragway right there in Caddo Mills?

Being its in Texas, before you Get too moved in get it insulated!!!

quote:

Originally posted by BG7X77:
I just installed a mini split HVAC in my 30 x 40....best money I ever spent! Just controlling the humidity alone for the RV and race car was worth the investment, let alone I can now comfortably work in the heat of the summer and cold of the winter. Definitely recommend.

What size mini split? Does it have 2 inside units. What temps do you keep it at? My 30X40 is fully insulated including the doors. Controlling humidity would be a major goal as rust on bare metal is a issue

quote:

Originally posted by Big Steve:
Being its in Texas, before you Get too moved in get it insulated!!!

I vote this too.

Insulation first, ac second... compressor outside, no pvc airline plumbing inside...

gonna add my second ac soon to my shop with a mini split..

I have the closed cell insulation. The good news is it makes the shop almost air tight. The Bad news is that it makes building almost air tight.
I do not even like to start up a car in there unless I have to.
Air Conditioning I use the 38 SEER 9,000 BTU Mini Splits. I have 7 hooked up and usually have 2 not even on. They do not use much energy at all and cool great. But my shop is insulated good and has a good sealed and insulated 14 x 14 roll up door.