New Space

[Arbalest]

Here's my new workshop. It's taken a while to get this done since we moved but it's nearly ready now. I'll soon be able get my stuff out of storage and get some machines back together again!

[dsquire]

That is going to be a very nice shop. Looks like lots of natural light in the day time and plenty of strip lights for night time. All that along with the light colours will make it nice and bright. A lot of the lads are going to be wishing they had a shop as nice as this. (Myself included).

The time that ti took to build it was definitely worth while. Thanks for shareing with us.

Cheers 

Don

[b.lindsey]

Yep...I jealous for sure. Very nice digs there Arbalest!! Please keep us posted as the machines go in as well!! 

Bill

[fumopuc]

Hi Arbalest, as Bill already said, I am yellows too. Is the power installation still under construction ? I can see one electrical socket only.

[Kim]

Very nice space Arbalest! Can't wait to see it filled with equipment! (and I'm betting you're pretty excited to see that too ).
Kim

[smfr]

Oooooh nice shop! 

Simon

[Roger B]

That's a good looking workshop    I am eagerly await the fitting out pictures   

[Arbalest]

We went for a pre-stained finish in Blue-Grey which is very nice and saved us the job of rushing to get it painted outside. We both like the colour so we'll be going over it in a clear finish when I get a minute. It did however make the inside very dark so I decided to give it three costs of "Ash White" on the walls and ceiling to brighten things up. I also added a layer of plywood on the floor and painted it grey but it was a bit dark so I went over it again in light green floor paint. I've put in some more double sockets today making a total of five which I think should be ok. The electricians will be wiring everything up within the next week or so. Floor area is a little under 5 metres by 3 metres which I'm hoping will be enough, the garden couldn't really handle anything bigger, nor could the budget! 

[Twizseven]

Looks a great space, nice and light.

I have just checked and I have 12 doubles spread around in my workshop.  One small bench has 6 doubles, four at one end and two at the other. Plus several machines are permanently wired in to single or three phase supply.  I still run out of sockets sometimes, they are not always where you want them.  The bigger bench only has two doubles and I really need to put a couple more in.  I would put three or four doubles across the back of a workbench so as not to have cables stretched across equipment.

Perhaps as my wife says, I should get rid of some equipment. Perhaps three lathes is too many??

Have fun filling the space up.

Colin

[Allen Smithee]

Perhaps as my wife says, I should get rid of some equipment. Perhaps three lathes is too many??

BURN THE BLASPHEMER!!!

 

AS

[Don1966]

Bet you have been anxiously awaiting to get in there with you equipment. Very nice setup and looks to be accomadating.

Don

[Arbalest]

I've been very patient Don, things will start to get more exciting though when my machines come back at the end of the month! Added some guttering yesterday and the builder is due next week to reinstate the path and patio. Added a picture of the outside to the OP.

[sshire]

Wonderful space although I suspect it will look much smaller with the machines. Can't wait to see it kitted out.

[Arbalest]

Updated OP with provisional layout. 

[Arbalest]

Next question. I used to use a fan heater in the old workshops (garages) in winter but now thinking maybe I should get an oil filled radiator and leave it on the "frost" setting to keep rust at bay. Or, would I be better off using the fan heater as required and buy a small dehumidifier instead?  Don't want to spend more than necessary on running costs! 

[Jo]

Dehumidifiers are expensive to run: I know I have got one. They also freeze in the winter if the air temperature gets too cold

Oil filled radiators are very nice and give good background heat. Personally I have solar power so my aim is to use all the free electric that comes out of the sky to heat the workshop while it is available so the last thing I need is a thermostat to stop using the available (free) power so I use a fan heater with the thermostat wound up so that it does no come on until it is very, very warm  .

And I aim the fan heater at the larger machine tools to warm them so that they act as large storage heaters 

Jo

[mikemill]

Arbalest

The most efficient heater is a small gas portable gas heater run on propane found on ebay, my one has a high and low setting I put it on high for about an hour the back it off to the lower setting and keeps a very comfortable temp, my workshop is around 30 x12ft, no problem with humidity as with butane. Thats a nice space you have built, but it soon disapears as you fill it wih kit!!
Mike

[Jo]

no problem with humidity as with butane.

(Propane) C3H8 + 5O2 ---> 3CO2 + 4H2O  

Jo

[Ramon Wilson]

Hi Arbalest - speaking from the experience of my own situation oil filled radiators are the way to go. Virtually everyone who visits the workshop for the first time remarks on how nice and warm it is!

My wood walled and floored  workshop - 14' X 14' which has an extension to one side 14' x 8' is heated by two of these radiators - one in each area. The walls are insulated with rock-wool covered with hardboard as is the roof. The windows are double glazed.
The 'seven finned' heaters whose output is 1,2 or 3KW have never been used on anything but the 1KW setting and except for the warmer months they are run all the time at the same setting - I do not use the frost setting nor have ever required the need for auxiliary heating. This way the temperature stays, within reason, stable around 60-65 degrees so the heaters are not having to 'work' constantly to heat air that is then allowed to cool only to be reheated.

Efficient? Cost effective? I can't honestly say but I do know that the 'Chancellor', who believe me keeps tabs and controls on such matters noticed a real difference in bills when these replaced the two tubular 260 watt greenhouse heaters that were on all the time without thermostats and they did require auxiliary heating on colder days. I like to be comfortable while I work - not wrapped up in several layers to combat low temperatures so these have completely done away with that situation. I don't know what the exact cost is but I see it as part of the cost of participating in the hobby - not much fun if you can't use it because it's too cold or cost the earth to heat and reheat large volumes of air but I do use my workshop every day.

One other benefit of keeping the temperature stable is that rust is never a problem either - the only thing that exhibits the faintest patina is steel stock under the bench which has not been touched for years and the small blocks I use as packing on the mill - again something that is not used with frequency. The lathe, mill, drill and surface plate are never affected.

After singing their praises at our Boat Club two 3KW heaters were bought last year. The 1920s concrete building is not the warmest of places but since fitting them the club room is always warm first thing - not like before when two fan heaters would struggle for ages to get the temp up creating loads of condensation.

As you can no doubt guess - I swear by them

Hope this helps you some

Ramon

[Arbalest]

Thanks for your thoughts folks, think I'll have a look at some oil filled radiators!

[Arbalest]

Some progress!

[Roger B]

Coming along nicely    How will you cope with swarf and oil on your nice new floor and walls (and maybe ceiling!) 

[Arbalest]

Compared to the rough concrete floor of my last few workshops it should be a bit easier to sweep clean.

The head is now on the mill with enough room to open the cover and remove the drawbar. There is however no room left to fit a riser block in the future so I'm now thinking it may be better to move the white cabinets in the picture to the right and move the mill to the middle of the end wall. Can't make up my mind though. I don't have a lathe big enough to make a riser and not sure I can afford to buy one. I do rather like the mill in it's present position as well. I had planned to take the hoist apart for storage after moving all the heavy stuff, I suppose I could put it all back together again later if I need it ... Decisions, decisions!