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One man shop growing pains
- Thread starter gnubler
- Start date
Boudica
I'm here for Educational Purposes
Congratulations!
gnubler
Active Member
Well bless your heart!
gnubler
Active Member
Don't start dropping turds so quickly. I'm essentially moving from a squatter's closet of an office into a grand cavern. Planning on putting casters on most everything so I can move things around easily. My new rolling substrate rack arrived yesterday, just in time.
The door is 12ft wide by 14ft tall (I think).
Scotchbrite
No comment
Congrats and good luck!
gnubler
Active Member
That's what I meant by sketching out a layout plan, and you pooped on me. I plan on building an enclosed office in it as soon as I can, not sure what size yet.
Has anyone else moved/set up shop and laid out an ideal floorplan? I was going to play around with it in Illustrator so I can move things around.
How much space should I designate for a vehicle bay, to keep everything not on casters out of that space?
Gino
Premium Subscriber
The place we're in now, we bought back in 2001 and we just paid it off, this past April. We were late paying it off, because of covid.
Besides moving into this place, we moved from our original shop in our old attic and basement, to a 700 sq ft shop, to a 4,000 sq ft shop, then to a 13,400 sq ft shop and now our present 10,800 sq ft shop, but 2,100 sq ft of that is a rental unit next door. While we could spread out like crazy in almost all of the places, this last one, I made boxes in Illy, representing all the equipment, cabinets, desks, counters, work stations of their sizes with needed real estate to maneuver around them comfortably and still have open work areas to create the best work flow, we could figure out. Since then, the walls have closed in on us, but it's still functional.
Your vehicle bay should have about 3' on each side of the largest vehicle you feel comfortable doing, so you have room for ladders, in case you hafta go up high. Our bay is 20' wide with about 2' tables going up & down the walls at one end for about 50' and substrate racks which stick out about 4' 1/2 way down and 2' wide shelves on the other side with lotsa tools and work stations. Our bays combines are 110' long.
Years ago, before the computers, I did the same thing on a graphed piece of paper and put all the pieces on cut-out pieces of paper and labeled them. Using the computer was soooo much faster and accurate.
Besides moving into this place, we moved from our original shop in our old attic and basement, to a 700 sq ft shop, to a 4,000 sq ft shop, then to a 13,400 sq ft shop and now our present 10,800 sq ft shop, but 2,100 sq ft of that is a rental unit next door. While we could spread out like crazy in almost all of the places, this last one, I made boxes in Illy, representing all the equipment, cabinets, desks, counters, work stations of their sizes with needed real estate to maneuver around them comfortably and still have open work areas to create the best work flow, we could figure out. Since then, the walls have closed in on us, but it's still functional.
Your vehicle bay should have about 3' on each side of the largest vehicle you feel comfortable doing, so you have room for ladders, in case you hafta go up high. Our bay is 20' wide with about 2' tables going up & down the walls at one end for about 50' and substrate racks which stick out about 4' 1/2 way down and 2' wide shelves on the other side with lotsa tools and work stations. Our bays combines are 110' long.
Years ago, before the computers, I did the same thing on a graphed piece of paper and put all the pieces on cut-out pieces of paper and labeled them. Using the computer was soooo much faster and accurate.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
No reason for an office area, if you're a 1 - 5 man shop. Hang a really neat banner from the ceiling from wall to wall and make the installation fool-proof and put up some make-shift walls with a sliding door. That'll cut ya off if ya need privacy for the bathroom or eating. Don't waste valuable workspace with unimportant things, especially, if they're not already in place.
gnubler
Active Member
Good ideas, thanks. Stacey - I was envisioning putting up some partitions like that and wrapping them with printed vinyl. At least have a "nicer" area with counter and chairs for the customers that come in.
My main reason for wanting an enclosed office is for heat. It's a slower time now in my area, and on days I'm not doing production I don't need to be heating the whole place with its 18ft ceiling. I called the utility company and got some monthly averages on this unit, but I'll know after a couple billing cycles what to expect.
My main reason for wanting an enclosed office is for heat. It's a slower time now in my area, and on days I'm not doing production I don't need to be heating the whole place with its 18ft ceiling. I called the utility company and got some monthly averages on this unit, but I'll know after a couple billing cycles what to expect.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
You might wanna do some more research on that. First, ya don't have 18' ceilings and when heat rises, that means a lot. Might wanna put 2 or 3 ceiling fans in to push the heat back down. If you turn you main heat source off and just heat a small area, it'll take quite a bit to warm that whole area and the surroundings to a workable temperature. Best to let it go to maybe 55º and put a small heater at your feet. I just turned the heat on in our place on Tuesday. I could see my breath and it wasn't bad. How many square feet is your unit and what BTUs is your heater ??
gnubler
Active Member
1200 sf, around 20ft wide x 60ft long. Maybe you're right...plus the cost of building an office is likely going to surpass winter heating costs, at least for year one.
I'll start with some partitions for an office area, keep everything modular until I figure out the ideal place for everything.
I'll start with some partitions for an office area, keep everything modular until I figure out the ideal place for everything.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
So, what's the longest vehicle you wanna tackle ?? That's how far your bay area should be. I'd say maybe 30'. That's room for a vehicle and get around both sides and front & back. When vehicles aren't in, you can utilize the whole shop for fabricating. Your printer/cutter/laminator should all be behind the closed off area. You don't want crap from having doors open, sawdust or other dirt getting into your equipment, if ya can help it. That area can double as you office if ya really need one.
gnubler
Active Member
Yes on 30 feet for rigs, and I can roll tables & stuff around when I'm not doing a vehicle. I have two helpers coming tomorrow to move all the big stuff. I LOVE moving...
The crackhead tenant beside me has already been in and out of the bathroom six times this morning (we share a bathroom/kitchen). Toilet never flushes. Having my own personal space at the new shop is going to be like paradise!
The crackhead tenant beside me has already been in and out of the bathroom six times this morning (we share a bathroom/kitchen). Toilet never flushes. Having my own personal space at the new shop is going to be like paradise!