Shop ideas to consider

[WinterDeere]

Safer and better than a lift! Actually just a well made pit would be fine. I've heard things like fumes can be dangerous but and exhaust system would be fine.

I remember asking about installing a pit in my prior shop, about 20 years ago. They’re apparently illegal here, but whether a local or state thing, I don’t know. Fumes were cited as a primary reason, but you never know when code enforcement guys really understand all the reasons behind a given item of code.

 

[ultrarunner]

Illegal here too…

On of the old time alignment shops had to add ventilation with spark proof fans… etc.

Pits were the poor man’s lift.

My friend was not to be deterred… he built his pit outdoors on a downslope.

Works well and no ventilation issues.

 

[EddieWalker]

The quick oil change places all have pits. I always thought a pit would be ideal in a shop, but there is a magnetic draw to walking into them and breaking your leg, so I'm afraid to build one.

 

[WinterDeere]

The quick oil change places all have pits. I always thought a pit would be ideal in a shop, but there is a magnetic draw to walking into them and breaking your leg, so I'm afraid to build one.

At least some around here have full basements, and just appear to be pits when viewed from above. Same hazzards apply, which are manageable.

Then there's these guys:

Auto Service Pit System - Pit Systems, LLC

The Auto Service Pit (QuickPit) System is a concrete-lined, sealed, full-service automobile service pit system that eliminates the need for costly and

pitsystems.com

 

[CliffordK]

The quick oil change places all have pits. I always thought a pit would be ideal in a shop, but there is a magnetic draw to walking into them and breaking your leg, so I'm afraid to build one.

I'm sure there are trip hazards in a shop. But, that is one of the reasons to install the lift kit as shown in the previous videos. It isn't fool proof. When you have the lift down and are working, somebody could always stumble in. Perhaps add emergency tape around the hole too.

I'm surprised there wasn't also a discussion about ventilation with that pit lift kit.

 

[Creamer]

I suggest a floor that has a slight slope toward a door for easy washing out/cleaning. As we all know flat floors are not flat and one that has a small natural drainage is very handy. I did it in my 40 x 60' shop and I do still have one place that holds a little water but the rest drains nicely.

 

[dodge man]

I haven’t read all the responses but a couple of thoughts. Your work bench height. If you are doing more delicate work, say soldering wires, you want it higher, say closer to chest height or a little lower. If you are doing something like trying to break a bolt loose, you want it lower, closer to waist height. I have a fairly long bench, roughly 12 feet and have it higher, I wish I had built half of it lower.

I will echo comments on a lot of outlets on tge work bench. I have two boxes that have 4 outlets for a total of 8 plug-ins and with battery tools becoming popular it’s barely enough.

 

[WinterDeere]

I suggest a floor that has a slight slope toward a door for easy washing out/cleaning. As we all know flat floors are not flat and one that has a small natural drainage is very handy. I did it in my 40 x 60' shop and I do still have one place that holds a little water but the rest drains nicely.

I really hate my garage that has this feature, it creates more problems than it solves, in my case. I actually have two 2-3 car garages, one with a center drain in each bay, and one with the floor sloped toward the doors at 1" per 10', and would never do another sloped floor in any garage I own. Center drains are just way better, for several reasons.

The primary trouble with the floor sloped toward the doors is:

1. The way most builders want to handle the slope at the side walls, and most particularly each corner of the building on the same (front) wall as the doors. Because most builders usually want a level sill, esp. if prefab, this forces the floor to slope up dramatically between corner of the door and corner of the building. A 30' deep building may have 3" of drop from rear wall to the door, but then the same 3" of rise over just 2 - 4 feet from edge of door to closest corner of the building. This makes placing equipment, benches... anything along the side walls a total nightmare.

By contrast, a center drain for each bay cuts all slopes in half over the long run, and creates no short runs between the door and leveled sill all the way around the building.

2. Draining water toward the door will cause your door seals to freeze to the concrete on cold weather, and then tear when you try to open the door. I've had this happen repeatedly, where I've just given up on one door in particular. That creates a problem with heating, as my heat pump can't really keep up against a leaky door in very cold weather.

There are of course other solutions to this problem, but a center drain prevents the problem altogether, by draining all vehicle water away from the door.

3. A center drain allows you to direct water anywhere you want, even capture it if you want, versus just draining it out onto your driveway, where it can ice up in winter.

 

[ultrarunner]

I haven’t read all the responses but a couple of thoughts. Your work bench height. If you are doing more delicate work, say soldering wires, you want it higher, say closer to chest height or a little lower. If you are doing something like trying to break a bolt loose, you want it lower, closer to waist height. I have a fairly long bench, roughly 12 feet and have it higher, I wish I had built half of it lower.

I will echo comments on a lot of outlets on tge work bench. I have two boxes that have 4 outlets for a total of 8 plug-ins and with battery tools becoming popular it’s barely enough.

My bench was built by the previous owner circa 1960 and it has several practical features.

The entire length along the back is a commercial metal power strip so plenty of outlets.

The entire L shaped cabinet bank also has overhead cabinets with 8' under cabinet lighting.

The entire back wall is pegboard and it's the old kind which is very dense and hard.

The entire top has inset hardboard the can be replaced but so durable never needed to replace.

The height of the work surface is higher but the original owner and his boys were 6'4 and 6'6 tall respectively.

 

[EddieWalker]

I have a client that is getting bids to build a big shop with an one bedroom living area to the side of it. One of the things that he didn't think about is what it would cost to finish off the inside of the building. He wanted to go with metal and bubble wrap insulation on the ceiling.

I went over the numbers with him on what it takes to frame the inside of a metal building so he can have plywood walls on the inside, and then what his options where for maxing out his R value for insulation in the ceiling. If it was an existing building, then he would just have to deal with it, but since it hasn't been built yet, he has two choices.

In my opinion, if you want to finish off the interior walls, and you want the most insulation possible in your ceiling, then stick framing with wood trusses are by far the most cost effective way to build a shop.

 

[MossRoad]

I like to do electronic and delicate work on a bench I can sit at. I don't want to stand. Sitting allows me to rest my elbows on the bench, which helps me steady my hands.

A nice, lit, magnifying glass on an arm is pretty handy, too.

 

[ultrarunner]

I like to do electronic and delicate work on a bench I can sit at. I don't want to stand. Sitting allows me to rest my elbows on the bench, which helps me steady my hands.

A nice, lit, magnifying glass on an arm is pretty handy, too.

This is the setup at the new place... the family removed all the shop benches, etc before I bought but they left the electronics bench in the far corner...

It's sit-down with magnifying lamp on a swing arm along with several analog meters, power supply, iron holder, etc.

I've been here since 2017 and still finding things... being that it was an estate selling there was no one to ask specifics and there are light switches that remain a mystery...

In fairness, shorty after I bought I moved back to moms place to proved care so I was only a daily visitor to my new place...

The other day I opened a island kitchen cabinet and was surprised to find a full kitchen mixer.... 7 years and didn't know it was here...

 

[bigtiller]

I agree with WinterDeere on the floor drain. I'll never recommend draining water under the overhead door.

Workbench, I like having two of them. The first one is against the wall and any size. The second one is 4'x8' and placed about 42" away from the first one.

This lets me work on all 4 sides. And it is big enough I can have 2 or more small projects going at the same time.

Also, if you have a table saw, and if the bench height is 1/2" shorter than the saw, you can use it as a run-out table.

 

[CliffordK]

I agree with WinterDeere on the floor drain. I'll never recommend draining water under the overhead door.

I've thought about drains some. I think I'd rather have a flat/level floor with no drains. Easier to align stuff if the floor is flat.

I don't want to tie a shop drain into the septic tank. If it came out of a car/truck/tractor/whatever, I probably don't want it in the septic, and don't want to drain it onto the neighbor's property either.

I can do some washing outside if necessary.

 

[JethroB]

I have found these rolling carts to be great. Sturdy & inexpensive at around $110 on Amazon or at Harbor Freight. I’m making a top for one to use as a rolling workbench.

Also brush seals around corrugated rollup doors working well to reduce drafts and critters entering. By JaCor:

 

[ultrarunner]

I like those carts because they are light and inexpensive... paid $88 pre pandemic.

That said, I let a friend borrow one and he set a 3/4 hp water pump in the middle of the top shelf and left it there... the shelf cracked.

I added a some scrap plywood as a shelf liner after that.

The concentrated weight over time was the reason it failed...

 

[bigtiller]

I've thought about drains some. I think I'd rather have a flat/level floor with no drains. Easier to align stuff if the floor is flat.

I don't want to tie a shop drain into the septic tank. If it came out of a car/truck/tractor/whatever, I probably don't want it in the septic, and don't want to drain it onto the neighbor's property either.

I can do some washing outside if necessary.

Most of them drain into the sump pump in the basement or a dry-well. I think the town folks are plumbed into the storm sewer.

 

[MossRoad]

This is the setup at the new place... the family removed all the shop benches, etc before I bought but they left the electronics bench in the far corner...

It's sit-down with magnifying lamp on a swing arm along with several analog meters, power supply, iron holder, etc.

I've been here since 2017 and still finding things... being that it was an estate selling there was no one to ask specifics and there are light switches that remain a mystery...

In fairness, shorty after I bought I moved back to moms place to proved care so I was only a daily visitor to my new place...

The other day I opened an island kitchen cabinet and was surprised to find a full kitchen mixer.... 7 years and didn't know it was here...

That's a hefty can opener!

 

[cj7]

I may have missed this amongst all the great ideas.... but

A rockin sound system to listen to your favorite tunes!!!

 

[BravoXray]

I have found these rolling carts to be great. Sturdy & inexpensive at around $110 on Amazon or at Harbor Freight. I’m making a top for one to use as a rolling workbench.
View attachment 857314

Also brush seals around corrugated rollup doors working well to reduce drafts and critters entering. By JaCor:

I have four of those in my shop, and I use them a lot.