My Shop Remodel/Upgrade...

[Parks 788]

I put up a thread/question several months ago about putting up plywood ( and a bunch of other stuff) around the bottom half of my 30x40 red iron shop. Since I'm starting the work on the project this weekend I thought why not post up my progress and what I'm doing. Maybe it will peak some interest for some and I can get some recommendations/ideas from others.

My parents are coming to stay with us for about 10 days starting Friday and my dad really needs a project and to stay busy when he's here so he'll be a big help and this type of work is right up his ally.

Still have some work to do to clear all my crap away from the walls, as you can see by the pics. One issue I noticed today when i got home from work. With all this rain, I noticed there was some moisture in the fiberglass insulation under one of the windows. Surely not a new leak and luckily no mold that I can see. It's gotta be coming from the window sill area. THinking of just cutting out that section of insulation under the window caulking the hell out of the window and putting a big square of 3" rigid foam insulation in it's place. You guys have any recommendations on this?

The pics show where I've taken off the corrigated metal off the bottom 4' around the walls. The second 4' band around wall that is a light seafoam green color is 3/4" plywood the prior owner put up to screw things to. Will be taking that off and safing for other project. I currently have 36 sheets of 19/32 plywood to put up vertically and will paint it all a light grey. After it's all up I'll build several long, 16'-20' work benches out of 2x4 and 4x4 material with 2x12s as the bench tops. Will also, on the other wall build some "attachments" on the wall to store my garden tools like shovels, rakes, sledges and brooms, etc. Lots of stuff to improve, but baby steps.

Here's the start of the shop remodel. Will post more pics and discriptions as I go. Feel free to chime in with opinions and recommmendations.

 

[beardking]

I have not tips or tricks. I just have shop envy.

 

[Dumpstick]

I want a concrete floor in my barn.

 

[Mr.Glock]

Nice! Dibs on the metal!

 

[Parks 788]

Nice! Dibs on the metal!

I will use some of it but not most of the estimated 50 pieces that I'll be taking off. I'm sure we can get a fair amount in your hands.

 

[Mr.Glock]

I will use some of it but not most of the estimated 50 pieces that I'll be taking off. I'm sure we can get a fair amount in your hands.

You better set it aside and keep it. You will use it sometime. Metal as well as wood has gotten pricey! Your shop looks great.

 

[Ahall]

High shelves, ladder accessible for stuff you never use and can’t part with

Plywood on top of the 2x12 benches
Smoother and replacible when shot
Nothing expensive or heavy just smooth and sacrificial

Also give the bench tops a generous front lip so you can clamp to them

Toe kicks trimmed to the floor on the work benches to keep a critical component from rolling under the bench and evaporating

Extra lights over the work benches

If you don’t have a 220 v plug add one near the door

Tie you biggest bench to the wall and put a stout vise on the corner

A barn door track on the bottom of the truss with a light hoist that runs in the track for lifting 300 lb class stuff onto the bench or out of the pickup bed. It will save your back.

 

[GeneW]

Nice!

Pegboard and a chit load of assorted pegboard hooks. Now I can find things and not go buy another.

Shovels and rakes and such: I bought a fiberglass ( I think it’s fiberglass or whatever it is) (Just looked on their website) and it’s a Franklin polypropylene rolling utility cart 36x24 inch. I also bought their hole saw kit. Drilled various size holes in the top shelf so those tools world slide in, upside down, and the top of the handle rests on the bottom shelf.

I really like that. Later I came back in with 2x2 wood and made a sort of grid for the bottom shelf so the shovels/rakes/hoes/brooms/painters poles/etc would stay pretty much straight upright and not get all cattywampus on the bottom shelf. Even holds a few sledges etc.

Pretty darn well organized that sort of tools.

Got a mini refrigerator (not the tiny ones) and now I have plenty of cold water and gatorades and some soda pop there.

I know it’s work but it’s so dang enjoyable to hang out in the shop and do whatever.

I went to Sams and got one of those heavy duty wire shelving units, with wheels, 6 foot tall x 4 feet wide x 18 inches front to back. Some things I want to put on it and be able to move it around and not be on built in shelves.

 

[Parks 788]

Nice!

Pegboard and a chit load of assorted pegboard hooks. Now I can find things and not go buy another.

Shovels and rakes and such: I bought a fiberglass ( I think it’s fiberglass or whatever it is) (Just looked on their website) and it’s a Franklin polypropylene rolling utility cart 36x24 inch. I also bought their hole saw kit. Drilled various size holes in the top shelf so those tools world slide in, upside down, and the top of the handle rests on the bottom shelf.

I really like that. Later I came back in with 2x2 wood and made a sort of grid for the bottom shelf so the shovels/rakes/hoes/brooms/painters poles/etc would stay pretty much straight upright and not get all cattywampus on the bottom shelf. Even holds a few sledges etc.

Pretty darn well organized that sort of tools.

Got a mini refrigerator (not the tiny ones) and now I have plenty of cold water and gatorades and some soda pop there.

I know it’s work but it’s so dang enjoyable to hang out in the shop and do whatever.

I went to Sams and got one of those heavy duty wire shelving units, with wheels, 6 foot tall x 4 feet wide x 18 inches front to back. Some things I want to put on it and be able to move it around and not be on built in shelves.

Those are some great ideas. A small dorm fridge is high on my list of things to get. I like the cart idea for the tools. GOing to have to check into that. You are right about the enjoyment of the shop. Even if I'm not working in there on a project I find myself going inside and sitting on my mechanics stool just sitting there or opening up one of my directors chairs and sitting; doing nothing but relaxing. Will be even better once organized and cleaned up.

High shelves, ladder accessible for stuff you never use and can’t part with

Plywood on top of the 2x12 benches
Smoother and replacible when shot
Nothing expensive or heavy just smooth and sacrificial

Also give the bench tops a generous front lip so you can clamp to them

Toe kicks trimmed to the floor on the work benches to keep a critical component from rolling under the bench and evaporating

Extra lights over the work benches

If you don’t have a 220 v plug add one near the door

Tie you biggest bench to the wall and put a stout vise on the corner

A barn door track on the bottom of the truss with a light hoist that runs in the track for lifting 300 lb class stuff onto the bench or out of the pickup bed. It will save your back.

I've thought about the plywood on the top of the 2x planks as well. if the 2x12s end up being pretty uneven I'll definately put plywood down. It's a great idea. THe garage in my old home had good used quality cabinetry that was sturdy as heck and we use good condition used 1.25" solid core doors with an Oak veneer on them. THey were the best garage countertop I've ever seen. The toe kick is a great idea. I tend to be clumbsy and drop things especially small things that like to bounce and roll under hard to reach into areas. I also have six 4' long LED flourescent-type lights that daisy chain together that will go above the work benches and rolling tool boxes. I had an electrician put in a 220V plug near one of the windows in the off chance I find a good deal on the biggest window AC unit I can find. THe work bench will be stout and anchored to the wall and will install my nice Wilton vise to it. I really miss not having use of it.

Love the ideas. Much Appreciated. Thank you.

 

[dennishoddy]

I bought some second hand commercial shelving to put "stuff" on. Make sure you anchor it to the purlons along the wall, as it can tip over and be dangerous if not secured. It's 12' high with 4 shelves that can hold anything put on it.
Your shop looks just like mine although I added wainscoating along the bottom 4' below the lowest purlon so putting objects against the wall didn't puncture the insulation seal.
Put some air conditioning in there. Even insulated, the summer heat is unbearable with the additional humidity. Mini Split or a simple window unit I did by adding an opening, cutting through the wall and using purlons as a frame.
Heavy vice on a sturdy table is a must, preferably anchored to the wall and floor for heavy use. Used mine today to form a circle on some flat plate with a torch so it will hook on the top rung of a vertical ladder going into a deer blind, making it into a 45 degree walk up with a hand rail. Not getting any younger and that vertical ladder sucks for spacing and ease of getting into the blind with a backpack and rifle.
Add a TV, bigger the better on a swiveling base so it can be turned. Have a 60 some inch in ours, with a good sound bar so you can watch YouTube to complete projects. (and watch hunting/fishing stuff while the wife is watching BS stuff in the house.)
Nice stereo for music or talk radio with speakers big enough to hear all over the shop.
Definitely a fridge for soft drinks, water and the adult beverage.
One more thing that I think is really important is to find an over the air TV antenna that works if you're only relying on Dish or Direct for your TV service.
Out here in the woods, we lose Sat TV when it rains heavily, which is when tornado's are possible.
Sometimes internet access is lost.
I keep antenna TV in the shop so as a last resort can monitor the weather with that method.
Eastern Ok doesn't have the issues we have in the North and Northwest, but they do happen.
Just a suggestion.
Probably the most important if you haven't wired it yet for electric is to put in 4X the number of outlets you think you will need and then add 2X that. Make sure it's 12 ga wire and buy 20 amp breakers/receptacals. You will thank me later.
Add at least two if not more large ceiling fans. During the winter when heating, you will need them to take the heat off the ceiling and distribute it evenly throughout the building in the reverse mode.
Summers to distribute the cool air in normal mode.
All done in my shop. Now my wish list of things to do.
I need outside electrical outlets to run 120V and 230V like a welder or 120 for battery chargers, lighting, or whatever.
Gutters to keep the rain water away from the entrance door and garage door.
Wish we would have put a shade cover in front of the building that faces SW to keep the evening sun off the building and provide a sitting area for the stereo to sit outside and relax.
I have a reloading area, a fly tying area, storage area, welding area with a lathe and open area to store the boat/atv's.