Garage / Workshop

[Highbeam]

I'll assume this garage is seperate from the daily driver garage.

I would add to the above that I want a sewer hookup to the large utility sink with both hot and cold water at the tap. The floor drain should also go to sewer. The greases and such would be bad for a septic without some sort of greasetrap. Grade the interior slab to the floor drain and the driveway approach away from the garage.

If I was filthy rich, one bay would have an in floor hydraulic lift.

Each of the 2 openings would have double wide rv height doors that roll up above the entrance so as to avoid all the rails and linkages of a standard residential door. Alternatives would be a standard door hung snug to the ceiling when opened.

1 heat source. Something fun like recycled oil or wood pellets. Maybe a woodstove. Well insulated for sound and temperature. One large variable speed exhaust fan to blow out the heat in summer and the fumes from whatever chemical project I have going.

10' ceilings at the lowpoint.

Excellent idea with the pull through door in the back and the loading dock. Drain the loading dock to the storm system.

Remote mounted large capacity air compressor with plumbed in air lines.

Finished sheetrock interior painted gloss white. Excessive flourescent light fixtures. Baseboards sealed to allow floor washing.

No shelves, all cabinets or closets to keep dust off of things. Possibly plexiglass doors so I can see inside.

110v/20 amp outlets every 8 feet along walls 3' high, and 220v 50 or 60 amp outlets 1 each wall close to work bench for welding. Full RV style hookups (no sewer inside) on one wall perpendicular to door. RV sewer dumpstation just outside of garage.

Seperate corner room with storage above ceiling. Inside a full bathroom and fridge/sink/ microwave/washer-dryer and hide-a-bed couch. Clean room of sorts to store gear in the open to dry. Mirror on the wall to get metal out of eye and help decide if the head wound is worth calling ambulance. Phone by mirror.

Smoke detectors. fire extinguishers.

Hose bib beside each door on the outside. 3/4" copper line to hose bibs.

Covered walkway to main house. Outside lighting.

I also like the idea of a covered carport but it seems hard to picture. At least a long overhang in front of the doors.

Oh one more thing, 8' concrete sidewalk all around perimeter against foundation.

 

[Camstyn]

Here's my messy shop.. It's got a crappy wooden workbench, lots of cabinets(behind me), dim lights, painted floor, a furnace(!!!), lots of other people's crap stored inside, and I found a dead rat under my bike stand last week! I flipped it and maggots came out, I had to zap them with brake cleaner before they got away.. :p

 

[JuliusPleaser]

Great ideas, but you guys are missing the most important element:

A competent mechanic - preferably a female. :cool:

 

[Smit-Dog]

Originally posted by Okiewan

• 1 RV door in the back, (drive thru)
• Large compresser OUTSIDE in a "closet" on pad
• Radiant heat floor

Excellence ideas! The garage at our cottage had the drive-thru double door set up for snowmobiles, and it was the only way to go with sleds.

As a kid, we had a large compressor in the furnace room in our basement, with a line running up to the garage with a few outlets/jacks. Never heard the compressor cycle on, and always had compressed air. The garage also had gas heaters hung up in the corners of the ceiling, hot and cold running water, and a large center drain with the floor pitched towards the drain. You could wash and wax the car when it was 20 degress outside.

My buddy built a house with radiant heat in the basement. It has a seperate hot water tank that heats it. Before finishing off the basement, his little kids played on the bare cement floor in their bare feet - always toasty warm. It also radiated up through the ceiling and actually helped heat the whole house.

 

[MX-727]

What a timely thread. It's an instant classic and needs be archived pronto. :thumb:

I'm in the process of planning the workshop for our place. My plan is a 40' x 100' clear span metal building. One end will have a large rolling door for the large equipment (tractor, bulldozer, etc.) I'm also planning a couple of roll up doors on the side. At the other end, I plan on walling off two 20' x 20' clean rooms, one for the wood shop and the other for the machine shop, although, I think I'm going to have to increase the machine shop, since that's where I'm going to do the most work. Plus, I'll have to add space for the bathroom, washer/dryer. The apartment (kitchen and office/office) will fit above the shops.

For the washer dryer, a small stacked, apartment style unit would be perfect and take up minimal space.

 

[Tony Eeds]

Originally posted by Highbeam
If I was filthy rich, one bay would have an in floor hydraulic lift.

If my info is correct, these are not too expensive if you get one from a demo contractor that is pulling down a gas station. Just a thought.

Now for the real questions ....
Type of superstructure?
Type of foundation? Keep in mind that at slab on grade doesn't work everywhere and a basement is tough if you want a concrete floor. There are some engineering issues to work out.
What does it look like? Is it a simple metal building? Likely not if you have to drive by it to get to the house.....

In any case you get the picture.

Back to the interior.

Get em some sizes for (or photos of) the various "unique" things you mentioned. Or even links to some equipment web sites. I have been surfing some gas station equipment web sites for stuff.

Keep the ideas coming .... I'll start laying out some floor plans. I'll figure out some way to post them.

Tony
Parts washers

 

[Smit-Dog]

Originally posted by Thump
...My floor was epoxy coated by Armor Deck. It is solid non-skid and not a paint. This stuff is about 1/4 inch thich and is gunned on like they do the inside of a pool. Best investment I ever made bar none.

Hey Thump -

Do you think that the Armor Deck product would work well applied to the wooden floor of an enclosed trailer? I've put on a few coats of polyurethene enamel, but have noticed that a few gas/oil drops have eaten away at the paint, right down to the bare wood.

I'm trying to find something that will hold up against gas/oil, with some grip to it. I tried www.armor-deck.com for more info, but the link is dead.

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

 

[Timr]

what Okie said is important.

2-story with loft. Upstairs is where you put your desk, with computer, TV with sat hook-ups, fridge, beer keg fridge, pool table, couch with pull out bed, and leather recliner.

Basically, call it: "Manland" It's a house for man that's 85% garage/workshop 15% liveable space. Most importantly: It's a place where YOU can be Master of your domain!

Oh, BTW, I plan to start building mine after I finish remodelling the whole house for my wife. That should be in about 1.5 years from now. :whiner:

 

[VintageDirt]

:thumb:

 

[MrLuckey]

Uhh Wes - this is going to be a TEXAS garage... you have to start thinking a little bigger. I was thinking about something like this but with the RV pull through bay added onto either end.

 

[VintageDirt]

You're right Eddy. I forgot we were dreaming.

 

[Hucker]

This would never happen, but hey you gotta dream right?

I'd make sure that I had 1 tonne(or similar) hoist, on a nice long "I" beam that could easily be moved from end to end. It comes in handy at my buds shop for bike repair, or car repair. Or if you just want to work on that heavy object at a more comfortable level.

Fridge for sure, and definetly a Internet connection ( I'm a geek).

I'd also want a "pit" so I could work on my car, change the oil without having to invest in a huge car hoist..

Black and white checkered floor. No idea what its going to be made out of, but it sure looks neat.

Lots of light, 220v and 110v service, mig/tig welder(Remember the hoist? great for moving the welder around the shop).

It would be heated(both floor and normal). Either with a water system or a bigass heater. Wood burning stove would be cool to.

And last but not least, a couple of Hooters calenders, or some dirty posters :) (keep the women out, no offence ladies)

 

[WR 250]

Definitely a seperate building away from your home. That way you can work as late as you want, make as much noise as you want, and have all your buddies over and not bother your wife. A seperate building also adds an element of safety in case there is a fire.

My shop was just put up this fall and now I have to do the interior finish work, wiring and heat. Here are some things I did and learned:

24' by 36' wood frame construction, 10' walls, one window, 4/12 pitch sliding metal roof with no penetrations, on a monolithic pour concrete foundation equipped with a floor drain that daylights to the outside.

16' by 8' garage door equipped with 4 small windows.

Water service. Will add an on demand hot water heater in future

Oil fired Monitor stove for heating

Phone and cable lines plus a mini fridge

Large breaker panel to allow for more circuits if needed. 240 V outlet for welder to be located next to garage door for better ventilation.

100 amp service. Screwed up here and had to upgrade my meter/pedistal since I didn't spec it large enough the first time. DOH

Already have the florescent lights, need to put them in.

Yard light front of building equipped with photo cell.

Extra long eves for covered outside storage. I didn't do this because of space and eve height considerations but it would have been nice. A carport off the front entry would be sweet along with a paved driveway.

This is my dream shop. I finally was able to buy land and build it! Now I just need to get the interior work done and I will be very content. :yeehaw:

 

[biglou]

Did anyone mention a Dyno yet? :thumb:

Here's my work hole. Not too shabby. It gets the job done:

 

[IrishEKU]

Man do I miss that 250 MXC!

Lou thanks again! If you ever want to sell it I want it! Whoo Hooo!
Can I ride it again some time? I didn't foul any plugs.... :)

 

[justql]

if you've ever seen Guy Coopers shop thats the one I want. Really nice facility with a parts room upstairs that is better equiped than most dealers. A hardware store downstairs that is better than most hardware stores. A profesional quality paint shop. Lots of room. Lots of new KTM's as well. ;)

 

[yz250roost]

I'd also take one of those DRN radial arm saws that I've been hearing about.

 

[MrLuckey]

Wes, at the very least we are spending Tony's money :)

1 important thing I left out is that I would love some kind of pull down (or across) screen system so I could work with the doors up but avoid bugs, leaves, etc!!!

 

[OnAnySunday]

Originally posted by VintageDirt :
"On second thought, the whole thing is more like Dan Tanner’s house in that TV show “Vegas”. You know the one where he just drove his car right in to the kitchen. Yeah that’s the ticket."

Yea i remember that show!
I used to watch it just to see that car.
Although im not sure if you can call a fire engine red '57 T-Bird a "car".
Sorta like calling Hercules an average joe. :think:

 

[Tony Eeds]

Originally posted by TTRGuy
Wes, at the very least we are spending Tony's money :)

I'm going to offer these to anyone wiling to pay for the cost of copying them when I am complete, so it's your money also. :moon:

Originally posted by TTRGuy
1 important thing I left out is that I would love some kind of pull down (or across) screen system so I could work with the doors up but avoid bugs, leaves, etc!!!

Is the Cali in you talking?

 

[326mx]

Well since I am dreaming... I'll have everythin plus a few ideas of my own.

1. A In Floor lift to put the bikes on and set them say 8 feet up and then it will have detachable controls as well as its own breaker circuit as to keep them from being stolen.

2. One of those emergency showers scientists have with a parts rack, as well as a pressure washer, with a large simple green sprayer... boy am i dreamin.

3. heated floors.

4. 20 foot ceilings... I want my place to look like a Sam's store on the inside...

5. Flueorescent lighting everywhere.

6. a sort of rubber epoxy floor like they put in elementary school gyms now, checkered of course.

7. a sort of large bin with 5 inch walls with one wall that you can take on and off so you can put your bike in and then work on it without worrying about losing parts, also on a in floor hydraulic lift.

 

[Chili]

My dream garage is very simple. It's a garage attached to my house that has Eric and Rich on permanent standby with whatever tools they deem necessary :)

 

[Tony Eeds]

I found one to go with the Plano Texas starter castles ...
Doors are a bit short, but that will be easy to fix. We'll just make them two stories tall like the front doors of all the houses.

 

[bclapham]

dont forget fire protection and also a security system! maybe an extra special insurance policy would also be required.

maybe also a computer controled bar coding system to have an inventory control to keep check of all parts and tools. (very cheap, we have them for chemicals) this would be rigged up to an outside back up so even if the computer got stolen, you could make a simple printout for the police and insurance.

dedicated storage facility for all chemicals and also maybe an extra storage bunker for the supply of race gas.

 

[Danman]

How about a CAT 5 run to hub and a PC so you have the high speed bandwidth for technical and moral support of you Buds here at DRN! :thumb: At the very lease a beat up old PC for you Parts #'s CD. You could scan the shop manuals for all your project bikes as well.