New shop!

440shorty · Sep 25, 2011

After three years of storing my parts, cars, and tools 90 miles away, I am finally moving to a shop that is 8 minutes from work. This is a "build" thread of the move and set-up of the "new" shop.

The old shop I rented was 18.5' X 36' and the new one 18' X 30' so I've lost 6' of depth. I need to trim the fat off the pile!

Here is what I'm starting with. The landlord says I can make use of the benches, shelves and cabinets there as I see fit. The doorway on the right opens into two more bays that I am not renting, and are vacant right now.

What do you think?

440shorty

Snake Farm · Sep 25, 2011

Looks huge compared to mine

Congrats on getting a workspace closer to home.....it make all the difference in the world.

Charley Davidson · Sep 25, 2011

Snake Farm said:
Looks huge compared to mine Congrats on getting a workspace closer to home.....it make all the difference in the world.

I couldn't agree more, I live at my shop about a 40' extension chord away[cl

Congrats.

sgtpontiac · Sep 25, 2011

Nice place....should work out well...

And absolutely....have a place that you can get too is the way to go....my barn is about 75 feet from the house.....even in the snow, I can get there before the feet get wet...lol.... good luck with the new place CD....[cl

Toad · Sep 25, 2011

Dude, I dig it. Looks like a real old time auto shop, congrats! [cl

Toad

Torch · Sep 26, 2011

a 4 foot deep shelf all the way across the back would be enough room to put every loose part from a project. can build it free standing using lumber and framing connectors just like building a deck. every storage unit I rented i put one in.
here is one cut down to store my extra axles over my ac unit

it's pretty small now but it was one of the end frames for an 8' deep by 12' wide shelf. I couldnt stand under it but I parked under it and stored stuff next to the car under it.

Once the deck is in it has no where to go and did not need attached to the walls of the bay.

you could put an extra brace in the middle since yours is wider but I'd actually put in 2 braces leaving enough room between them for the nose of a car so you could still pull in all the way under it

donsrods · Sep 27, 2011

My first shop was about that size and you would be amazed how much you can fit in there. That will make you a nice shop.

You might want to spend some time theft proofing everything. We run chains through stuff, double padlock the doors, and have ADT alarm systems installed too. There is always someone out to get your stuff, and anything you can do to slow them down helps.

Don

Bonehead · Sep 27, 2011

looks great, it would look better with a really cool project car in the middle.

Old Iron · Sep 27, 2011

440shorty said:
After three years of storing my parts, cars, and tools 90 miles away, I am finally moving to a shop that is 8 minutes from work. This is a "build" thread of the move and set-up of the "new" shop.

The old shop I rented was 18.5' X 36' and the new one 18' X 30' so I've lost 6' of depth. I need to trim the fat off the pile!

Here is what I'm starting with. The landlord says I can make use of the benches, shelves and cabinets there as I see fit. The doorway on the right opens into two more bays that I am not renting, and are vacant right now.

What do you think?

440shorty

Good deal findin the shop close to home [cl
Might consider gettin 10 or 15 gal. of cheap white paint and cover the walls and ceiling with it before you move in.
It'll make it brighter and will save some work not havin to move stuff twice

Jim

440shorty · Sep 28, 2011

Incoming!

Thanks for the input everyone!

I wanted to "prep" the shop, clean the floor, etc. but with a time crunch to move out of the old shop, and with an offer for help (thanks Bruce!) the first major load arrived. This space is filling up fast.

Also, I had stalled a little big waiting on the electrician, but could no longer.
There is electric, but it needs to be totally redone from the service drop down.

We brought two engines, a workbench, a run-in stand, a rear, and a bunch of parts. I've also been bringing parts from home. I need to get busy and use up some parts!

440shorty

440shorty · Oct 1, 2011

Tire Rack

So I noticed some carriage bolt heads in the wall, and looked around the corner to see a narrow shelf bolted to the other side. A little work, and now I have a tire rack!

The first pic is of the shelf on the left in the adjacent bay. The landlord said I could make use of whatever is there, so I had enough materials to make the rack.
The second pic is under construction, the third it's done, and the last, full.

I like how I reused the same holes through the wall, and how it makes use of the dead space over the cabinet and pegboard.

440shorty

Old Iron · Oct 1, 2011

440Shorty, this shop was a Godsend to ya and it is lookin great [dr
I'd be latchin on to the other material too

Jim

440shorty · Oct 7, 2011

Pallet Rack!

After a couple more loads of stuff, the shop was filling up. But I have a pallet rack!

First picture is the load of transmissions and engines and other stuff that hit the floor, along with the pallet rack.
The second is the pallet rack set up;
The third shows the pile of transmissions off the floor, on the rack, and out of the way. The ones under the rack are on carts.
Still lots more to put away.

440shorty · Oct 13, 2011

Repairs

Today the landlord came by with the electricians to rebuild the service from the service drop down. Soon I will have good, reliable, safe electric. Then the roofer came too to check out the leak. Progress!

Meanwhile, I was able to work on the engine for the truck. Pics to follow over in the build thread.

440shorty

justsomeguy · Oct 18, 2011

Just curious, what's the goin rate on a place like that?

440shorty · Oct 26, 2011

rent

Rates vary widely. Location, market, size, lot size all factor. This garage is part of a larger building that has two more larger adjacent bays, and a fourth separate bay inside a fenced lot. This garage is located in Baltimore city, but in an industrial zone. It is only 18' x 30', has no heat, and only two parking spots outside. There is a lavatory in the building next door, and I have a key for that. So, this one is cheap - $350/month. I gave up a cheaper alley garage that was slightly larger - 18.5' x 36' - but had no outside parking, no heat, and no lavatory, and was located 90 miles away from me in Hagerstown.

Good luck finding an affordable garage to work in. And I am already missing that "extra" 6 feet!

440shorty

justsomeguy · Oct 26, 2011

Man... I have a machine/fab shop that I am a co-owner in. It's around 7k sq/ft but there is ZERO extra room. Therefore I am building my ratrod in my 12x24 single car garage. I would love to have 18x30 to work in. I would gladly pay $350/month for a space like that if it was a couple minutes from my house.

I've been looking for something close by but can't find anything that meets my distance or monetary criteria.

440shorty · Jun 26, 2013

Lift

Update - about a year after the last post...

The garage did fill up, and more shelf space added. In November '12 the workspace went vertical too!

440shorty

New shop!

Help Support Rat Rods Rule:

Well-known member

Attachments

Ol school snake charmer!

Well-known member

Older, Wiser and Still Buildin'

Well-known member

Extremely dangerous with a torch!!!

Well-known member

Skull Master

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

justsomeguy

Guest

Well-known member

justsomeguy

Guest

Well-known member

Attachments

Similar threads

Join the conversation!

Join today and get all the highlights of this community direct to your inbox. It's FREE!