building a garage

[firstgenaddict]

I am planning a new work shop and garage and have been thinking about layout and flow between machine tools, presses, welders and separation of work areas and vehicles being worked on. 
It's always a good idea to have an area separate to store vehicles whether with walls or with full length curtains helps to keep debris, chemical splashes, spills from getting where they shouldn't. If planned for and it never happens I figure it is cheap insurance...

Flow work areas from cleanest down, ie don't put polishing your car next to grinding on a frame/welding.

I second the tall work areas/benches, one of the best things I have seen is an electric scissor lift table, smaller ones can be had for as little as a few hundred dollars.
 
It is always a good idea to have a fire extinguishers hanging in the center of a RED BOX or a Red Arrow indicating location. ESPECIALLY If you have others in your garage who are not familiar with where you keep safety equipment.

Remember*** You can never have too many electrical outlets or air disconnects.

If you have blasting cabinets etc with cyclones/vacuum dust collectors place them in the external air compressor enclosure as well, your ears will thank you for the reduction in DB.

I thought 3000sqft was enough but now I'm thinking more...

[jmcbeth]

Don't forget to add the incadescent desk lamp because the 12 bulb flourescent just isn't getting the job done. 

LOL. That's the night light for the security cameras.

[bergy]

Wow - looking at all of the great ideas - I wish that I had waited to build my building!  A few somewhat uniqe features of mine - Clean Burn waste oil boiler that heats the building through hot water coils in the concrete floor.  Clean Burn unit & compressor & media blast cabinet are located in a seperate mechanical building.  Work bay has a work pit that is also heated with floor coils & ventillated.  Upstairs is an apartment for guests, missionaries, etc.

[bergy]

more

[mickeystoys69RSSS]

Love the stone work and metal roof. Some of these garages are bigger than my house. Of course that is relative as my current attached garage is three bay extra deep is bigger than my first apt at 780 sf.  Maybe some day I will have a seperate workshop, but for now I am happy with just having the car in the garage. I will have to save this thread for future reference when I do build a shop.

[dannystarr]

Bergy, nice shop and car indeed. Would love to have info on the cars. Maybe just a couple lines each about them. No VINS or anything, just always fun to see what fellow car guys have.

As far as compressor location.... At my last place I had the compressor in a fully insulated room 100 feet away. Then I ran pipe to the shop area in 1" type "L" copper. Compressor could kick on anytime and I never heard a thing. I used to forget sometimes and leave it on. So I wired a very small appliance bulb off one of the 110Volt legs. And mounted it in the little window. That way when I was done and walking into my house, I would see it.

[68camaroz28]

1st class and well done Bergey! Can I be a guest or car missionary? 

[Everett#2390]

I would at least, have a frig in the floor plan...

[bergy]

Can't you see the "Coors Light" on the refrigerator door?  Under the Ford sign.

[69Z28-RS]

A man that has an apartment for visiting 'pony car missionaries'..  must be a man who has everything! 

Gary

[bergy]

Any members who want to stop by are always welcome.  I love to talk to "car guys" & the refrigerator always has a a few beers in it!  Cars in this building are:  3  copo Camaros (one Yenko), Plum Crazy Hemi Challenger, 427/400 Corvette,  MIV AC Cobra (in SAAC registry), Z11 bb Pace Car, & Mustang GT convertible (daughter's first car).

[69Z28-RS]

sounds like 'pony car Heaven'...  there's no wonder you have to have a place for 'visiting missionaries'..
so where are yuo located Bergy?       realize there's a ton of us that would love to see your cars if you're close enough..
Gary

[bergy]

Lancaster, PA area - best to contact me through email.

[DeanZ10]

NICE!  You must be the head guy in the Amish Mafia??? LOL

[69Z28-RS]

Bergy,
Thinking about your 'garage building' layout.. and I really like it.   Seems you have built it to have a one-car working space with a lift, separated from the clean 'storage garage' area.    and your storage area allows any one of up to 7 'pony cars' to be removed or put back without disturbing/moving any of the others.   I really like your approach; dirty area separate from clean; take out one car without moving others.. and basically garage 8 cars in a very nice 'envelope'.    I'm thinking of potentially duplicating your arrangement.  I'd love to have the dimensions of your building..  if you wouldn't mind sharing it?
Thanks,   Gary