Shop size

[Eric Kettenburg]

I keep seeing references to multiple benches:  what is wrong with only having one bench?  I have one bench, @ 8X3 or so, with a vise mounted on either end.  I do everything with that.  I have another bench maybe the same size on the other side of the shop but it just seems to get things stacked up on top of it that inevitably get really dirty or dusty.  No vice, no real use.  About the only thing on that bench top that I use is a horizontal sharpening thingie, forget the brand offhand but I have it over there because it's the only place I could find a spare outlet.

Just to be contrary, I think a lot of oversize shops are over-thunk unless you're working on multiple multiple different things in there.  Isn;t Nicholas Hawk's shop preserved somewhere downstate?  I saw some pics, it looks pretty small and cramped.  If you're working alone, what more do you need?  (Pabst?  And a music player?)

Alternately, in a really big shop, you can get your steps in!

[Tommy Bruce]

My shop is inside half an outbuilding.  The shop size internally - considering well insulated walls for the shop portion only - is about 11' X 15'.  It's tight and dirty, but I like it that way.  I do have a very old sears bandsaw in the other side of the outbuilding, and a set of gas welding tanks.

I do have a couple of things crammed in the shop side that I no longer use and would free up some space, like a harman wood stove I no longer use and a weird old south bend belt lathe someone gave me that I have nowhere else to store.  So I just pile other things on top of them...

You guessed it, I am a proud society member:

LMAO!! I think I am too! Right now I have a cramped corner of the garage with horrible lighting.  I have a collection of my college aged child’s stuff that wasn’t even here when he lived here LOL!

After reading all of these posts, I think 12x16 or maybe 14x20 will be more than enough.   I’m just gonna lock it and keep the keys away from everyone else in my family 😁😁

[flatsguide]

Nice looking shop Smartdog. Like you I’m fortunate to have the space and don’t feel cramped. As someone mentioned make it larger than you think you need. You don’t know what you don’t know and you don’t know what kind of machinery you may want/need in the future. Two benches, one you can walk completely around and somewhat narrow, the other against the North wall that hopefully will have plenty of windows. Make that one narrow enough to be able to reach to the windows. Build them heavy, 2 of mine have double thick 3/4 plywood for the top, and stiff so they cannot rack. Plenty of over head lights. I have the new LED fluorescent type daylight type and they seem to be very good even though I have 85 yo eyes. Electrical service, Don’t wimp out on 110 V electrical outlets, 4 gang. Also 220 single phase. I wish I had 220 3 phase in my shop for my mill, lathe and surface grinder but I’m able to use a phase converter to run them from my 220 single phase. Also since you are building a shop a dirty room would be nice for your bench grinder, glass beading machine (cheap from Horrible Fright) air compressor, sink etc. I could really help spending your money, Lol
CheersRichard

[Eric Kettenburg]

One thing I would DEFINITELY recommend if you are building a shop from scratch, or converting a gutted space of whatever size from scratch, is however much lighting you think you'll need, TRIPLE it.  Especially if you are out of your 20s!

Add more outlets/circuits than you think you'll need also.

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

My rifling machine is over 12 feet long at the full pull length.  Add to that dimension room for the operator (me) and the tool needs a minimum of 16 feet to operate.  So my shop needs to be a bit larger than shops where the gunsmith does not make the barrels.

Jim

[Tommy Bruce]

One thing I would DEFINITELY recommend if you are building a shop from scratch, or converting a gutted space of whatever size from scratch, is however much lighting you think you'll need, TRIPLE it.  Especially if you are out of your 20s!

Add more outlets/circuits than you think you'll need also.

Lighting is definitely an issue in the garage.  I hope to have enough windows for good natural lighting but also good bulbs for evening work!

[snapper]

I think that there are some variables to consider.

What size of shop do you have room for?

What size shop can you afford and willing to pay for?

What do you want to do with your shop?

My shop is around 740 sq/ft.  I have a garage door on one end and it allows me to get my truck, boat, tractor whatever I want in there to work on as needed.

I wish my shop was bigger.....I  also store my riding mower in there, tiller, etc.

I also have 9' side walls.

I built my shop myself.  It has a 8/12 pitch and I did not use joist for rafters.   Instead, I used simple 2x6's for rafters, which gives me a clear span for an attic.   I have engineered I joist that are 12" on 12" center for the shop ceiling/attic floor covered with 3/4" tongue and grove plywood.   My side walls are all 2x6 as well.   I can store anything I want in the attic.

My shop is very well insulated and a 110 window air conditioner does a great job of keeping it cool.  I have a salvaged apartment forced air heater set up in the shop for heat.  I have it mounted on the wall about 3' above the floor.  No ducts, it just discharges below the unit on to the floor and I have never wished it was any different.

Fleener

[Blacksmoke]

Dave,  Your shop is a "dream "shop!!  In the beginning we all seem to start in a portion of a garage which is fine for the beginning - then when we get to build a shop of our own design -all $#*! breaks loose!!  The shop I had in S.D. was like that.
A separate building which was 35'X 30' complete with 10 windows and 4 skylights, 4 rooms including kitchen & shower.
200 amp service. electric and wood  heat.  Still wasn't big enough to get my rifling bench in it. So it remained in the double garage. Like James it is over 13' long before you start to use it. Then you need double that length at least.  Now I have had to move to W.Y. and reestablish in a converted double garage.  No rifling bench.!  Anyway some years ago I had the privilege to visit  the salvaged " Niccolas Hawk" shop on the "Henry museum property.  Tiny!  two people and benches and you could hardly turn around in it.  I was humbled to see it. One further item to mention are the ceilings - make sure that you have plenty of room over head - at least 9.5' for me. Longrifles are not called longrifles for nothing!  Hugh Toenjes

[Pukka Bundook]

My shop is like Herschel House'  shop.
If I can make a three foot open area on the bench it feels like I have lots of space.  Beams get in the way of barrels too.

[Eric Krewson]

I built an out building that is 28X30, half is for my tractor, 4-wheeler, garden tools, chain saws and such. The other side is a dedicated shop that I made initially for my bow making operation. I built the shop in about 2005, building costs in N/W Alabama were low at the time and I only have 19K in the shop building itself.

I have a permanent archery range and 50-yard rifle range complete with bullet trap alongside my shop.



The shop has plenty of outlets, both 220 and 110, it is well lit and insulated. I have a wall unit that will heat and cool but lately I have been heating the shop with 2 small 1500W space heaters. I have a dust collection system but put the dust collector in the adjacent tractor side to keep the noise down in my shop.

My 14X30 shop looked huge until I started filling it up with a variety of large power tools, when it is cluttered it is way too small but a good clean-up and it is just the right size again. I am continually adding shelves to keep stuff organized.

I made the workbench strong and heavy enough that it won't walk across the floor when I am doing some heavy drawknifing on a tough osage bow stave. Being a lousy cabinet maker, I bought precut drawer units from Lowes and built my workbench around them. The Goex cans date this picture, it was several years ago.

[Mike Brooks]

When I was in Davenport, I first had a shop in a corn crib. I had one of the side rooms you'd store bagged feed in. It was 21' X 7". I was making a lot of Hudson Valley fowling guns at that time and had to run the gun out the door and bring it back in again to switch it end for end at the bench. Had a short ceiling too, probably 6 1/2 feet. Those were the days!
 WAYYY back in Illinois I had a shop built on the end of my log cabin. I layed railroad ties on the ground to build walls on. Dirt floor 12 X 15. I was unbreeching a guy's gun with some heat and shot the window out when the load went off. He swore it wasn't loaded, just had a lot of crud in it. It had a little tiny cast iron woodburning stove in it. Very cold shop. Had to wear insulated coveralls and mukluks to work in.  Lots of fun.
 I had to bury an electric wire a couple hundred yards out from the house. I had to splice in a couple spots, I used some electrical tape and figured I had it licked. Every once in a while, the electric would quit, and I had to go to where the splice was and beat on the ground with a sledgehammer till I made a connection again. Had one outlet....Those were the days!

[Bob Roller]

My shop is cinder block and 16x20 and one work bench with 2 vises.Two heavy steel desks from a closed lumber yard with a lot of drawer space and a lathe on each of rhem.Primitive heat from a modern kerosene heater and a modern air conditioner for summer mounted in the back wall.Tools everywhere and 4 lathes,one V mill and two bandsaws,metal cutting both vertical and horizontal plus 2 drill presses.My first shop was an enclosed back porch and so small I had to go outside to change my mind.The horizontal saw and one drill press are from China .
Bob Roller
.

[taterbug]

couple things I figured out (what NOT TO DO), not related to size directly, but...

Do NOT use any sort of light fixtures on chains hanging down off the ceiling!  First shattered 48" flourescent tube and you realize how long those barrels are.  No fun being hunched up with your eyes closed waiting for all the shrapnel to fall.  Of course its impossible to get those fixtures now, but whacking a hanging LED fixture still makes me flinch!  And any damage to the barrel or stock makes me want to throw things!  Finally got most of them mounted to the ceiling and into dedicated boxes.

I have a REALLY hard time keeping other projects and hobbies out of what was supposed to be a dedicated gun building area.  And once those things creep in, its hard for me to get them out.  Maybe chalk it up to ADHD, i dunno.  pretty soon the other 'stuff' tries to take over.  Being nominated the 'fix-it' guy for 3 other households doesn't help either.  I have to be dedicated to keeping the dedicated area 'dedicated'.

[Eric Kettenburg]

I have a REALLY hard time keeping other projects and hobbies out of what was supposed to be a dedicated gun building area.

You can say that again!

[taterbug]

hehe!  Yep, every horizontal surface begs to have something piled on top of it.  And it that something also creates another horizontal surface, all's the better!

[TDM]

I have a split shop at my camp. A 17'x30' insulated and conditioned side for building, carving, and other projects. A door and 10'x10' roll up door connect to an uninsulated 15'x30' for power tools, welder, forge, and supplies with another 10'x10' roll up door to the outside. Roof extends another 15' over gravel. Meets my needs fine.

[Eric Krewson]

I often get asked " what is that slim table out in front of the bandsaw for? It is a glue up table for bamboo osage bows and for C clamp storage.

[oldtravler61]

   I guess I've spoiled myself. I never could make one dedicated space work.  When its real winter I work in my basement little shop. Mid spring weather we have a little 10x12 art/craft shop out back.No heat in this one.    So other projects or bigger ones are done in our 36x70 pole building. Which my son now has taken over for his lawn care business. SO that forced the wife an I to get a Amish prefab 16x24 building as a more dedicated shop. Nice thing about that is they built it to our requests. We are currently finishing the inside with insulation, heating and lighting. 
  Tommy you might just want to check this option out...depending on your needs .. Oldtravler

[reddogge]

Mine is directly under our family room and is 18x24. I have to go out the basement door and back into the shop. No A/C but I don't need it. A fan keeps it comfortable in the summer and a small heater in the winter. It does duty for carving decoys, fish, and shorebirds, gun building and gun work, fishing storage, bow storage, cedar wood storage for carving, household chemicals, and tools.

[JTR]

You guys have some really nice and spacious work benches and areas.
I'm a little more cramped and have this setup for about 30 years now. My bench is 8' by 3.5', and that's about it. I do have a drill/mill and a couple belt sanders on another wall, but most of the work happens on this bench.
Sitting on there now is my George Weiker Bucks county rifle, getting it's broken forearm repaired, and behind it is a Henry Wright, Jamestown rifle that needed a few things. This bench has seen a lot of guns come across it, some really fine ones,,,, and a bunch not so fine. But all worthy!
 

[bluenoser]

Man, I just HAVE to ask about that clock

[Tommy Bruce]

Thank you everyone for the responses.  I really appreciate the pictures (most of which I downloaded for ideas).  Hopefully this spring I can get it started!

[JTR]

Man, I just HAVE to ask about that clock

  It is a cool clock! I found it for sale on the internet some years ago for Christmas. It's the likeness of the Tachometer in a F430 Ferrari.
Here's one place that has such things; https://www.etsy.com/search?q=Ferrari%20tachometer%20wall%20clock&ref=search_bar

Here's what the actual tachometer looks like.

[smylee grouch]

Cool Clock-Cozy Shop   

[Habu]

To heck with the clock--check out the microscope!  I've been getting by with a binocular dissection scope for ~20 years, but after seeing that I'll never be satisfied again!

After a recent move I'm still setting up a new shop and study/library in a 24'x40' garage.  Since I do more antique restoration and cabinet work
than gunstocking, my stocking bench will go off to the side.