What size should the shop be?

[swatkins]

A friend of mine is looking to build a new shop. It's in the planning stage right now so everything is open.. The shop will have a two post lift..

Main uses of the shop will be for working on tractors, repairs and restoring cars...

He has a shop that is 80 foot deep by 30 foot wide now and one of the problems is having access to the lift.. Have to move things around all the time and that is a pain :(

[blksmok]

Sounds like the layout is more of a problem than the size. If he made a shop 60' wide (4 15' wide bays, two with lift, two without) and 40' long, the overall size of the shop would be the same, but it might work a whole lot better... Does he need more room or just a better layout?

[Fingers]

Deep shops like the 30x80 suck unless you have a door on each short wall and park the vehicles to one side at an angle keeping the through way open. The 2 post can be one of those parking spots. But 30' makes it tight to pass through.

I have a 30x40 with two doors offset on the long side. That make two bays with some machine shop space to the side. Tall bay is to the left and has the two post lift there.

[swatkins]

Sounds like the layout is more of a problem than the size. If he made a shop 60' wide (4 15' wide bays, two with lift, two without) and 40' long, the overall size of the shop would be the same, but it might work a whole lot better... Does he need more room or just a better layout?

Both.... The layout of present shop is set because it is in the middle of a long commercial building.. We were thinking about a 80 x 50 with doors on each side.. The price of steel is going up weekly and the size is now becoming a concern...

[Schwinn68]

always better to build it bigger the first time. It's amazing how fast a building fills up.

[TheBac]

as big as you can afford.

[BackNBlackTJ]

Mine goes up this January... 40x60... and I just bought a 2 post. I sat down with the measurements of all my large tools (and clearances around them) re-arranging them on a measured out sheet of paper to determine not only the shop size but the best layout. Material racks on one side, welders and workbench nearby, open lane from one the roll up door to the 2 post, open lane at one end of the shop for with roll ups on either side so I can pull the trailer straight through. Space down the middle for the break, drill press, shear, and eventually a small mill.

40x60 ended up being the biggest I could afford, with room to grow and move around in.:thumb:

[blksmok]

Sounds like a perfect place to have a housewarming GTG. ):h:thumb: Let us know when the party is. :D

[BackNBlackTJ]

First large tool that's going the the place once power is on is a Fridge....



Ummmm.... beer :thumb:

[James Hess]

HAhahaha ^ that is funny. priorities man i like it. :thumb:

[hondarider552]

First large tool that's going the the place once power is on is a Fridge....



Ummmm.... beer :thumb:kegerator?):h

[gardnerteam]

There is no such thing as too big a shop. Build just slightly bigger than you can afford today, because tomorrow it will be too small and cost a lot more. Everyone is correct that wisely thought out configuration for your needs is probably the most important thing. I could use about 100,000 SF. Unfortunately I married for love and not money.