Dream shop size?

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 9:23 am

Suppose you had the money to build, equip and heat/cool a woodshop any size you wanted... How much shop is plenty and how much is too much regardless of your funds?
My own wishes may be a little more space heavy because I want to build either an ultra-light travel trailer or a self contained ultra-light mini-van conversion this spring. If I had an above ground shop with high ceilings and a big door I could be doing it right now.
I'm actually pretty happy with my woodshop the way it is but I never thought when I walled off this 24' X 40' space in my basement that I would be wishing for more space.

I did sacrifice a 3' x 24' strip off of the whole south end for big shelves to hold our Christmas decorations (and it takes every inch of it even tightly packed). I had originally planned that space for lumber storage. I do have a couple of spots outside of the shop room that I can take for lumber storage on wall racks and of course I do have a lot of barn space where most of it is stored / piled now. I just want as much of it as possible in the basement so it will be the same temperature and humidity and fresh stuff will dry more quickly.

I'm thinking a 40' x 60' would be a nice size.

Anything much bigger would call for the golf cart...

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WmZiggy · Post by **WmZiggy** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 9:43 am

When I built my machine shed to house my Deere tractor in 2002, I made it 12' x 15'. It houses the 535, garden tiller, JD 1032 snow blower, and hand implements. I even have a small beer fridge in there. I keep it heated in the winter. In any event, when my neighbor hit me up for making it "too small", I told him it makes me keep it organized and clean.

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The bigger you build it the more you will fill it. That seems to be the rule of thumb.

My shop is 20' x 20' and that seems to be enough for me; I seldom pine for more. So much depends on what you are going to fill it with; The size of one's tools is a big factor, of course. Also, to run vacuum is less costly if the space is more compact - 4" or larger lines are expensive and the more footage requires a larger motor.

Fine WW ran a special editions recently on shop design. You might look for that. Check online.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 11:18 am

My shop is approximately 20'x20' (two car garage) and it is adequate but if I was going to build a new shop I would likely double that area to something in the range of 30'x25'.

I would also program in some sort of clean room for finishing.

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 12:31 pm

[quote="WmZiggy"]When I built my machine shed to house my Deere tractor in 2002, I made it 12' x 15'. It houses the 535, garden tiller, JD 1032 snow blower, and hand implements. I even have a small beer fridge in there. I keep it heated in the winter. In any event, when my neighbor hit me up for making it "too small", I told him it makes me keep it organized and clean.

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The bigger you build it the more you will fill it. That seems to be the rule of thumb.

My shop is 20' x 20' and that seems to be enough for me]

I go with this posters attitude. The bigger you make it the more junk you will fill it with. A small size makes you stay organized. Ask any sailor if you have limited space you learn how to maximize it.

I know I could and would fill any size space given me. That is why I make my shop in the garage with the standing rule both cars go in every night unless there is an ultra special reason for having them stay out. Even then I find my wife will pack the back of my pickup with junk if I don't watch her.

fjimp · Post by **fjimp** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 1:35 pm

Three years ago I built a 20 X 25 foot shop. It is air conditioned and heated 24/7. Every time I wish for m. Jimore space I take a look at the cost of maintaining what I have and am thankful for building a more than adequate shop. Would I make changes, certainly the shop really doesn't begin to resemble its original layout. Each change has positives and negatives.

WmZiggy · Post by **WmZiggy** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 4:26 pm

Ed in Tampa wrote:I go with this posters attitude. The bigger you make it the more junk you will fill it with.

It's so true, Ed.

I got to thinking what I did right with my shed, even if it doesn't function as a WW shop. I insulated the heck out of it, storm windows and a thermal blanket on the inside of the roll-up door. I can keep it toasty warm inside with one electric/oil circulating heater. It is easy to heat. Second, I built that with a wood floor. That insulates. I would love to have a wood floor in my WW shop. Easier on the feet and legs, and warmer.

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 10:23 pm

I was headed out the door as I finished the first message in this thread so I cut it a little short.
We went to the Indianapolis Home Show and as has been the case for some years now I was disappointed to not see Shopsmith there (but I do understand) but I always look for them anyway.

This home show has about doubled in size over the last 6 or 8 years. Lots of walking... Happily I was able to walk the whole thing, which was in 3 connected large buildings at the state fair grounds, without getting tired.

One reason that I "wish" for a bigger and taller building with a big tallish door is some of the kind of stuff I like building. I do enjoy making small items and furniture items but I really also like making much larger items some of which are more carpentry than fine woodworking.
I mentioned a 40' x 60' woodshop which was, as I had mentioned, was a "wish shop" based on having "what ever money was needed to build, equip and heat/cool it".

As a more practical matter I think that an about 36' x 36' with a 12' ceiling and a door about that high and 10' wide would serve all of my more rational wants.

Here is one example of one of those simple projects. We call it a gypsy wagon. I made it some years ago so we could haul my 1947 Farmall Cub tractor to tractor shows and then lower a bed in place and sleep in the same trailer during the show. I enjoy a bit of whimsy in such things. It is actually built on a complete trailer I own that was built in a welding shop in Colorado for hauling calves and ponies. The "box" is bolted down and is quickly removable if I want to. I needed a pretty stout trailer since the little cub weighs 1800 pounds. I also have a Massey-Harris Pony tractor that will fit in it. It has turned out to be handy for hauling all manner of things especially if you need to haul something during a rain that needs to stay dry.

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Gene Howe · Post by **Gene Howe** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 7:45 am

My shop is 26X36 with two more 8X16 attached sheds.
The shop is plenty big....if I could get rid of all the machines and cabinets.
Ideally, I'd like a 50X50 shop with a second level above. I'd also like the $$ to build it.

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 8:32 am

robinson46176 wrote: I did sacrifice a 3' x 24' strip off of the whole south end for big shelves to hold our Christmas decorations (and it takes every inch of it even tightly packed). I had originally planned that space for lumber storage. I do have a couple of spots outside of the shop room that I can take for lumber storage on wall racks and of course I do have a lot of barn space where most of it is stored / piled now. I just want as much of it as possible in the basement so it will be the same temperature and humidity and fresh stuff will dry more quickly.

Quoting myself here.

We did some soul searching yesterday and I talked my wife into us moving the Christmas decorations to the first floor... I am glad to be gaining that 3' x 24' space back in the shop but my prime reason is that I truly worry about her (actually both of us) carrying so much stuff up and down the stairs twice a year. First we bring the stuff up in several big batches then the empty totes and boxes have to go back down. After Christmas the empty containers (hundreds of them) all have to come back up to be packed then all of it has to go back down to the shelves. That is a lot of stair climbing which we don't mind but the increased trip risk of all that going up and down while carrying sometimes heavy and awkward loads is just not something that we want to plan into our coming years. We have teen grandchildren that live very very close that often help but they are reaching the age where they will soon probably be moving away.
This rather extreme Christmas decorating is something that is kind of important to both of us and we want to keep doing it as long as we can. We kind of started getting into it when we first opened our store and brought it home when we retired.

We do very little outside, not even lights this year but the lights may be back next year. The inside of the house on the other hand tends to look a bit like the north pole.

That 3' x 24' area in the woodshop will probably be wood storage but even my lumber storage is on wheels so anything is possible. I "REALLY" love having everything on wheels so I can just move stuff around on a whim... (and I do).

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WmZiggy · Post by **WmZiggy** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 8:41 am

You do good work. It's a nice looking trailer and I bet you have to keep it neat and organized - no space for junk!:D