# Layout idea for metal & woodworking shop of serious amateur



## dodgeram2500

Hello Everyone,

This is my first post . I have been watching this forum for a long time with a great pleasure. I am a mechanical engineer with a master degree and I also graduated from fitter & machinist job high school. Meanwhile I have never worked as machinist. I am very interested in machining and woodworking.
I have an intention of building a new house in medium term with a shop which is suitable for serious amateur. Main components of my hobby shop will be as follows and there will be seperation between shops; 

*Metal* *Shop [purpose; engine, prototypes, telescope parts etc.] :* 16"X40" gunsmith's metal lathe, 9"X49" vertical mill w/ power feed , Drill press, assembly area

*Welding shop [Purpose; like in metal shop]* (or corner) :argon welding and arc welding tools

*Woodworking shop [Purpose; fine woodworking and garden furnitures] :* 10" sliding table saw, 12 " planer/jointer, storage areas, dust collector, and assembly area etc.

I have always searched an idea in order to fullfil my shop dream in the forum but I could not find suitable one. I would be grateful if you suggest me any idea (layout of shop, size, height, house basement or barn style apart from house)? on my project.

Best Regards,


----------



## lennardhme

Hi,
if you are  purpose building a workshop & intend doing both wood & metal work I suggest you seperate the two entirely. Wood dust will get everywhere, dust extractors not withstanding. Thats the only way I am happy doing both types of work, but I'm at it every day. For occasional use you may be able to combine them, but it sounds like you are planning some serious work.
cheers,
Leonard


----------



## dodgeram2500

Leonard,

Thank you for your comment. My workshop will be in a barn or in a basement. But they will be totaly separated each other against any cross contamination.



lennardhme said:


> Hi,
> if you are purpose building a workshop & intend doing both wood & metal work I suggest you seperate the two entirely. Wood dust will get everywhere, dust extractors not withstanding. Thats the only way I am happy doing both types of work, but I'm at it every day. For occasional use you may be able to combine them, but it sounds like you are planning some serious work.
> cheers,
> Leonard


----------



## ShopShoe

dodgeram2500,

Where are you located, climate-wise?  Can you locate your shop so some of you larger wood projects and welding can be done outside in good weather? Even with separate areas and even indoors, big doors and smooth floors make it easy to move things around. Movable benches and storage units can help.


----------



## starnovice

As to whether it should be a barn or basement depends on your working habits.  My shop is attached to the house and I really like it that way.  If I get tired it is a short walk into the house to watch some tv or something to relax.  I think if my shop was a barn where I had to put on a coat and walk out into the rain/snow to get to it I would not go out there very much.

One of my friends built his house when he was preparing for retirement.  He designed the shop as the basement first.  He has separate areas for woodworking, welding, machining, and grinding.  He restores motorcycles so he also has a large area for assembly/dis-assembly.

One thing to incorporate in your design is provisions for an overhead hoist.


----------



## mygrizzly1022

Hi  
In the interest of marital harmony, if that is the case. I would suggest a &#8220;Serious wood/metal &#8220; shop and all the dust noise and smells would be better suited to an adjacent building. Considering you appear to have a choice, in my view you would be happier long term with a free standing man cave.
My wife and I are in the process of relocating and she has made it clear as to where my shop will not be. I currently have a very nice separate shop and even though we are downsizing she insists that I have a separate smaller shop. Which of course I think is a great idea.

Regard&#8230;..bert
I


----------



## dodgeram2500

Hi ShopShoe,

Thank you very much for your interest and comments. My location is going to be north side of Turkey very near to Bulgaria border. I can say that I live four seasons. I do not think to use outside of the shop because in this way I will limit myself for mostly summer or spring time projects.





ShopShoe said:


> dodgeram2500,
> 
> Where are you located, climate-wise? Can you locate your shop so some of you larger wood projects and welding can be done outside in good weather? Even with separate areas and even indoors, big doors and smooth floors make it easy to move things around. Movable benches and storage units can help.


----------



## dodgeram2500

Hi Starnovice,

Thank you very much for your reply and comments. As far as I understand your shop and house are at the same elevation (no basement)?. 





starnovice said:


> As to whether it should be a barn or basement depends on your working habits. My shop is attached to the house and I really like it that way. If I get tired it is a short walk into the house to watch some tv or something to relax. I think if my shop was a barn where I had to put on a coat and walk out into the rain/snow to get to it I would not go out there very much.
> 
> One of my friends built his house when he was preparing for retirement. He designed the shop as the basement first. He has separate areas for woodworking, welding, machining, and grinding. He restores motorcycles so he also has a large area for assembly/dis-assembly.
> 
> One thing to incorporate in your design is provisions for an overhead hoist.


----------



## dodgeram2500

Hi Mygrizzly1022,

Thank you very much for your reply and comments. Is your current seperate shop adjacent to your house or not?




mygrizzly1022 said:


> Hi
> In the interest of marital harmony, if that is the case. I would suggest a Serious wood/metal  shop and all the dust noise and smells would be better suited to an adjacent building. Considering you appear to have a choice, in my view you would be happier long term with a free standing man cave.
> My wife and I are in the process of relocating and she has made it clear as to where my shop will not be. I currently have a very nice separate shop and even though we are downsizing she insists that I have a separate smaller shop. Which of course I think is a great idea.
> 
> Regard..bert
> I


----------



## starnovice

dodgeram2500 said:


> Hi Starnovice,
> 
> Thank you very much for your reply and comments. As far as I understand your shop and house are at the same elevation (no basement)?.



Yes. My shop is my oversize 2 car garage.  I do both wood working and metal working.  When woodworking the metal working tools are covered with old sheets.  Everything is on wheels so I do position machines where I need them.

BTW my friends shop is a walk out basement.

Pat


----------



## dodgeram2500

Pat,

I have just searched for what the meaning of "walk out basement" is. Since my house to be built onto the sloping terrain I will have a walk out basement (day light basement). 



starnovice said:


> Yes. My shop is my oversize 2 car garage. I do both wood working and metal working. When woodworking the metal working tools are covered with old sheets. Everything is on wheels so I do position machines where I need them.
> 
> BTW my friends shop is a walk out basement.
> 
> Pat


----------



## starnovice

Sorry, I was going to clarify.  My point was that is how he gets his equipment and supplies into the shop. He actually has two double wide garage doors he can open.

Once he designed the layout for the shop he then designed a house to go on top of it.

He is a clever person.  All of the columns that support the ceiling have water plumbing inside of them and they are completely sealed to act as auxiliary air tanks.


----------



## mygrizzly1022

dodgeram2500 said:


> Hi Mygrizzly1022,
> 
> Thank you very much for your reply and comments. Is your current seperate shop adjacent to your house or not?


 

Hi 

Yes my shop is adjacent to my house and it is heated so I can work in it year round.

Regards........ bert 
.


----------



## dwilcox53

Morning

I would just like to say that what ever size you are going to build your shop build it bigger if you can afford it.


----------



## Entropy455

Ive never heard someone say, I wish I didnt have so much floor space in my shop.

Or I wish my shop ceilings werent so tall.

Or Ive got way too much room for machinery, and tool storage in my shop.

Or I made my concrete slab too strong.

Or my shop is too accessible for loading and unloading machinery and supplies by truck.

Or my shop has an excessively large electrical service.



Point being  build your shop with a lot of square footage. Build your shop with tall ceilings. Build your shop with a thick concrete floor. Build your shop to be easily accessible by truck. And build your shop with an electric service worthy of powering the largest of welding equipment.


----------



## dwilcox53

there is always a blow hard on these sights it seems. I tried to put my two bits in the local blow hard had to but in, if I wanted to say that I would had said it. good by guy. I will not be back


----------



## Entropy455

I've never been called a blow-hard before - not even during my years of submarine service.

Before you decide to leave for good, please consider that just because my posting appeared under your posting &#8211; it was in no way directed at you. I was not critiquing your comments. I was simply putting in my two cents - and that's really all it's worth - two cents. Thus there is no reason to get bent out of shape. In fact, we appear to be on the same page regarding garage construction opinions.

One major difficulty within message forums likes these, is that it&#8217;s very difficult to determine a person&#8217;s tone and/or body language through text. Because of different writing styles, it&#8217;s quite easy to take someone&#8217;s comments as condescending, offensive, abrasive, etc. even when there was no intent whatsoever for this to happen.

Some people agree, some people disagree &#8211; very rarely do people go out of their way to be jerks. And when that happens, the board moderators take care of it.


----------



## Tin Falcon

Mr Wilcox. 
I think if you hang around a bit and take time to read you will find this to be one of the most welcoming  and friendly forums of its kind. People here respect one another and there views. All are entitled to there opinion as long as it is said in a respectful manner. 
IMHO I saw no disrespect in the "offending" post it is all good. 
Tin


----------



## dwilcox53

Sorry, I guess I was the jerk this time. Where I was originally going with this is I have a small machine shop/ wood shop/ welding shop and so on and so on. I just added on to enclose a CNC mill. It is now 18' x 32' I think and I wish it was twice as wide. Thanks for inviting me back in.


----------

