New Workshop

Hi all - Moving house soon, so de-lurking to ask for help with constructing a workshop at the new place. Have googled the groups and found lots of useful stuff (mostly American) but still have a few questions.

It needs planning permission as it's a conservation area, but the house is not listed even though it's a 250+ year old thatched cottage.

Workshop primarily for radio controlled model aeroplane and helicopter construction/maintenance/storage, plus household DIY and probably acquisition of a lathe (and mill?) to try some model engineering. Probably roughly single garage sized, to go alongside the existing block/render/stone faced single garage. Would be for all year round use - most model building done in the winter when weather too bad for flying.

1) From an insulation/usability point of view would I be better with a log cabin type building with 44mm thick interlocking 'log' walls or a traditional shiplap type shed that I then line with insulating foam and ply/chipboard/plasterboard?

2) Is a 19mm t&g floor on pressure treated bearers man enough to take a small lathe (Myford type)?

3) Is it worth the effort and expense of a full concrete base or are slabs on compacted hardcore adequate?

4) How do I best insulate the floor while avoiding damp seeping up?

5) How do I work out how many/type/size/wattage fluorescent fittings to give adequate lighting for detailed modelling work?

Will lay plastic tube (drain pipe or similar) underground to workshop with power cable and strings to pull other services (phone/network/TV aerial/etc) through if needed and allow for more power/sockets than I think I need.

TIA, David

Reply to
David Williams
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If you can afford the former, go for it.

Yes. But are you sure that you might not like a mill, one day? I use a (computer controlled) mill for so much more than I use a lathe and for a mill, size (esp mass) helps.

I'm surprised that you consider the latter easier or cheaper than putting in a concrete slab. LOL, you can put in extra reinforcing ready for that mill... But, unless it is only going to be temporary, I'd get the mixer going.

Proper concrete base with dpc and core insulation built in.

I don't use fluorescent for detailed work, only halogen. I have one double fluorescent for general illumination and individual positionable lighting at each work point. Two on my lathe, two on the mill, six on the electronics workbench, etc. Most of them are switched off, most of the time.

Watch out for mice and rats. Not only will they use it as a subway, they will eat cables. I fitted large cross-section 3 tray trunking around the interior walls of the workshop - so it is easy to move sockets or add new ones.

Good luck..

Reply to
Palindr☻me

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