Basement workshop help....

[no1herenow]

I have the go-ahead to build a workshop in the basement ;-) Up to this point I had always considered a separate building (i.e. barn, that is insulated & heated...). Gives the New England look, and the footage can be large.... But the expense is also fairly high.... So.. Looking for suggestions/guidance/plans... I have some ideas, and am handy with construction, electrical and plumbing (finished my last house TO CODE, and it was only 50% built by others) I will take a look at some books on Amazon.... I have some rough ideas. I enjoy woodworking and metalworking (the tractor maintenance will be in the garages....) My biggest concern is that I can only get a finished ceiling at 7'6" (this assumes dropped ceiling, and 2x4 sleepers with foam insulation in between, and 3/4" wood flooring.... I would like 2 separate rooms, one for woodwork, one for metalwork (and somewhere for dust collector, large compressor and big motor for virtual 3-phase)..... I have drawn up a few plans on 3D architect, but they are based on my (limited) creativity. I understand about having the table saw having a large open area around it, and would also like to have a lot of cabinet and shelf space... I have the electrical capacity to drop two 60-A sub-panels (according to the electrical inspector), so I don't think that power is a problem. I have been researching external air exchangers, to mitigate dust with a collector (external) without impacting oil-fired appliances in other parts of the house. The area I have to deal with is about 36' by 70', with the remainder of the basement for other rooms. So.... guidance? A (realistic) wish -list would be ideal ;-)learning from others is the best way..... (ideas on workbenches, storage areas, etc would be helpful too!)

[Edwin Pawlowski]

You are referring to approval by the building inspector, right? I shudder to think that your wife keeps your testicles in a little box and just lets you use them on holidays.

Unless you are working on large items, that should be plenty. Or course, you won't be able to stand an 8' lenght of lumber on end. That is a very nice way to have a shop floor. Warm and easy on the feet.

You can always put the big tools on wheels. Mobile bases abound and are not too difficult to build yourself. You also want a large outfeed table for the saw.

External is ideal, but as you point out, that 1100 cfm DC will be pulling that much heated air from the house. How about a partitioned area instead? DC's are not lous so that is not a concern. Stick it in a corner and make a partition framed out with 2 x 3s and covered with filtering material. It will be beneficial health wise but not suck out the heat.

The area I have to deal with is about 36' by 70', with the

Damn, that's big.

You may want to post to rec.woodworking also. Some of the guys have web pages showing their shops and layouts that will give you plenty of inspiration.

[Brynk]

Keep in mind, running an 8 ft board on a table saw requires a 16+ foot room

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Nah, I did it in 15' 11 1/2" once. Damn, that was scary.

[willshak]

On 1/2/2005 7:37 PM US(ET), [e-mail] took fingers to keys, and typed the following:

I am wondering how long it will take before that permission is rescinded. I would reconsider that separate workshop. It may cost more to build initially, but it will probably be much cheaper than the alimony payments later. If you insist on building the shop in the basement, the only suggestion I have is to not build anything so large that you can' t get it out the door. Oh, and build those cabinets so they can be knocked down easily. You may have to remove them and put them in a separate workshop, or to your new bachelor quarters.

[willshak]

On 1/2/2005 11:26 PM US(ET), Edwin Pawlowski took fingers to keys, and typed the following:

You can do it in about 10' of space. Have 2 guys hold the work steady while you drag the table saw underneath from the back to the front of the work. :-)

[John Hines]

A good storage area is needed. I made a T shaped (or it would be,but it has more arms) holder, by running some 2x down from the rafters, a foot or so from a wall. The arms are above 4', so that sheet goods can slide in behind, and small pieces rest in front. Long skinney stock, and pipes go up in the arms. 2x on the floor, so stock doesn't sit on the cement.

[no1herenow]

I know you guys are just teasing me.... but I DO like to talk big-ticket items over with my spouse... we both have expensive hobbies, and I at least give the courtesy to let her know that I what I am up to... (for instance, she does let me keep a heavy-barrel 50 bmg, on a tripod, in the living room ;-)

insulation in

Not being able to put 8-footers upright is a pain.... I agree. I was also thinking of radiant-floor heat, as the traditional forced-hot-water baseboard fins get really dirty.

I had wanted to have all the tools stationary, so that I can wire them under the floor (also started looking into routing the dust collection ductwork under the floor, say through 2x10 metal ductwork, but then if they clog... that would be a trick to unclog them

collector

Good point... I found a few articles on building these.... Also putting an electrostatic precipitator in the workroom may help too.

;-)learning

Thanks... a lot of good posts there!