Shopsmith Forums

"I am getting closer to being able to have a shop built. The site is about 350 feet from the transformer/meter. What size of underground cable would be needed to deliver up to a 200amp service in a 2-inch conduit?"

You would normally use an aluminum cable from the meter to your distribution panel. You could use something similar to the attached cut-sheet. Of course you would have to comply with any local codes. I also checked out the voltage drop and it shows that you would experience around a 7 to 8 volt drop in a 350' run. That of course would probably be worse case scenario. Of course that also depends if I took the correct formula and the correct resistance out of the NEC code book when I did the calculations.

Alan Loibl

200 amp service for that distance is really expensive. I would believe 100 amp service should handle any shop. Heating and cooling (50 Amps) would be half the load. Otherwise you can only operate a of couple machines at the same time (50 Amp).

frank81 wrote:In a pole barn? You'de be better off with a ceiling and a wood burning stove.

Yes in a pole barn. You will have nice even heat and don't have to worry about any fumes causing a fire. I put it in mine in 4 zones and use our outdoor furnace to run it, BIL has it in his shop and he uses a water heater to run his. If I was to build another one it would have heat in the floor

hiramelu wrote:Greetings, all!

I am in the process of planning and budgeting for a new pole barn shop building for retirement woodworking. I have a varied collection of Shopsmith tools. I would appreciate experienced advice regarding suggestions for features/considerations in the new structure. My setup will allow for the installation of a 100 amp electrical service. Any advice or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Carefully calculate the exact size you need...then quadruple it.

Would it make sense for you to build it tall and set up a second story floor for materials, supplies, less commonly used tools, etc.? Add an electric hoist something like a dumbwaiter setup to make it easy to move heavy and large stuff up/down.

Make sure you thoroughly insulate the building.

Do consider everything that you could possibly be simultaneously running to calculate your electric needs and consider having enough spare for down the road. Heating/air, large dust collector, large air filtration unit, lighting, refreshment refrigerator, computer, etc., plus one large draw tool for each person that could be working simultaneously. Also, as others have said, at least one 240V line if possible in case you need it down the road for a large lathe or whatever other big machinery.

I see you're from Americus. I worked with Randall Redelfs, who is from that area, when he was stationed at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City. Good kid. Believe his folks have something to do with the Co-op or similar there. I lived in/around Yates Center from ~76-83.

Good luck and have fun,
Roy

sawmill wrote:Yes in a pole barn. You will have nice even heat and don't have to worry about any fumes causing a fire. I put it in mine in 4 zones and use our outdoor furnace to run it, BIL has it in his shop and he uses a water heater to run his. If I was to build another one it would have heat in the floor

Our winters are different down this way. We don't get as much snow and ice as Michigan, slightly warmer, and insane winds. You have to build to protect from the wind, and by the time that's done you're pretty efficient and don't need much in the way of a heater.

The other reason to just use a wooden stove is money. If you're building a pole barn 350' from the house you're not spending a fortune. Any heat source that needs hooked to the house involves running lines or taking away from the power coming into the shop. As opposed to a cast iron wood burning stove which is a dime a dozen in this area, cheap to feed, and free to maintain.

And you won't spark any fires from fumes. I do my fiberglass and resin work in a partioned off part of a barn with a stove running as hot as I can get it 5 feet away. I use some very hazardous materials and never had a problem. And I've worked in a factory that was almost all fiberglass work and know the OSHA regs so don't expect a problem.

hiramelu wrote:Greetings, all!

I am in the process of planning and budgeting for a new pole barn shop building for retirement woodworking. I have a varied collection of Shopsmith tools. I would appreciate experienced advice regarding suggestions for features/considerations in the new structure. My setup will allow for the installation of a 100 amp electrical service. Any advice or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

The electrical issue has been satisfactorily worked out.

Now the issue is to decide between post-frame construction with floating concrete slab floor; or, a standard frame construction above a concrete slab floor with footings? What are the pros vs cons between the two construction modes? There is a limited budget for a 30x50x10 building.

Please HELP as Advice is needed from fine folks having been there and done that.

For setting up a new shop it is very important to make a decorated front of shop. The different design on door and shutter make the look of shop aggressive and attractive.



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