[Shadow]

I was looking at getting a new place to live with some land. As I thought about it, a large garage came to mind. I figured a 40' x 60' 3 car garage would be a good start. Each door being a 10' x 10' rollup door. Here is a little list that I though of to put in the garage. Please feeel free to add any items that are not on the list of thing that think should be in the garage.
I would only have a $10,000 buget for the stuff going in to the garage.


10,000 lb lift.
tools for use with the lift.
tranny jack
jack stands
oil draining caddy
brakes washer

other tools for the shop
120+ amp Mig welder
20+ amp plasma cutter
bandsaw
engine stand
engine hoist
parts washer 25+ gal.
tear down bench
large workbench
2 stage air compressor

 

[sewiv]

The father of a friend of mine built a 60x40 a couple of years ago. He spent about $80K on it. Just FYI.

 

[quiefinator]

my grandpa has a pit in his polebarn, it is the most amazing thing ever, i would strongly suggest it if you can swing it by any means, u have to watch code and what not, but seriously i could change oil in my sunday go to meetin' clothes

 

[Shadow]

The father of a friend of mine built a 60x40 a couple of years ago. He spent about $80K on it. Just FYI.

I'm sure he did. I'm just looking at spending the 10K on the list of items. The garage its self will cost more than that but we will see about how much more.

 

[Larston]

If you intend to get serious about it, make sure you have plenty of closeable storage, a good drill press, a sandblasting cabinet big enough to put wheels in, and another engine stand. A second engine hoist can be handy, too. I've got 24 feet of 4-shelf storage heavy enough to support engines and transmissions and I wish I had more. Storage gets used quickly unless you like stuff all over the floor. If you intend to fab, keep in mind that metal dust gets EVERYWHERE, especially with the plasma. A closed off area for cutting and grinding is nice and can be made with tarps. Make sure you have LOTS of light, it sucks to work in the dark and have to drag drop lights all over the place. If you're in a part of the country that gets cold in the winter, be sure to put heat in when you build. Space heaters just don't cut it, and you'll go broke buying propane to heat a shop that big with them. Three or four sets of jack stands come in handy, and make sure they're big ones, at least 12 tons (HF has them for cheap). Oh, and a killer audio system is a big plus, too :chili:

 

[sewiv]

Gotcha. Some day I'll learn to read.

 

[TTBlows]

I would only have a $10,000 buget for the stuff going in to the garage.

10x10 doors are good for most stuff, but if you're ever going to want to fit a motorhome go 12x12.

>10,000 lb lift. - - $3000
>tools for use with the lift. - - I'm gonna assume you're speaking of elevated drain pans, stabilizer "jackstands", tranny jacks, etc - $1500 easy
>jack stands - - cheap at HF, maybe $100
>brakes washer - - not sure what you mean here

>other tools for the shop
>120+ amp Mig welder - - with a shop like that you want a 200A MIG minimum IMO, figure $1700 by the time you get a bottle
>20+ amp plasma cutter - - way too small here also, 40A minimum. Cheapies are $500, Hypertherm/TD/ESAB will start at maybe $1500
>bandsaw - - $200 at HF, the sky's the limit for a serious one
>engine stand - - $100
>engine hoist - - $150 for a Homier/HF/Checker special
>parts washer 25+ gal. - - maybe $100 plus a pump and plumbing, the ones that mount on 55gal drum are cool.
>tear down bench - - build it, $200 in steel
>large workbench - - ditto, $200 to $800 in steel
>2 stage air compressor - - $800 minimum, $1500 for a nice IR. I really don't see the point of having a 40x60 shop and running anything smaller than an 60 gallon upright, and preferably 80gal. 17cfm minimum. A nice IR will get you in the ballpark of 25cfm, handy if you want to run 3/4" and 1" drive air tools........but you gotta plumb AT LEAST 1/2" air line, more for long runs.

So yeah, $10k will just get you there, not accounting for incidentals, extras and consumables.

Figure another $3k to wire it up with enough outlets and be sure to include plenty of 220V

I'd definitely do a lift rather than a pit. Pits are actually becoming illegal in some areas, and you can't disagree that they're somewhat unsafe... fumes can settle in there, you can be trapped in the event of a sudden fire, and you can always fall into one. I'd be real surprised if your homeowner's insurance would cover the accident if one of your friends fell in the pit.

 

[TTBlows]

Make sure you have LOTS of light, it sucks to work in the dark and have to drag drop lights all over the place.

So true. Cannot say enough about this. In a 40x60 you may want to partition it 'cause it's gonna take a lot of light to light that whole thing adequately. A white partition (wall) will reflect light rather than just letting it shoot off to a corner of the shop, casting shadows. Paint the interior white, it'll yellow from smoke and fumes but it still reflects more light than anything else. Nothing you can do about the yellowing IMO, it's a fab shop.

Maybe a mix of metal halides and flo's...........I've worked under both but the quality of light from fluorescent is preferred by me. I suppose that's largely personal, but I don't care to work under anything else.

Look into a trolley crane, too. That and a single engine hoist will probably get you by, and the trolley is unaffected by cords and hoses cluttering the floor.

 

[Dave's Bronc 90]

Think carefully about your door layout. For a 3 car garage I would consider at least 4 overhead doors, making one of the bays a pull through design. It's handier than you think. One of the best things I've added to my garage is a nice sink, I got a big used commercial restaurant stainless one. And since you're running water out to it anyway a small bathroom is nice.

 

[81Bronk36]

Oh damn I could talk all day on this subject. I
'll second the basin type sink and a toilet/hand washing sink enclosed.
If you compromise and decide to partition a section off for light/grinding maybe even welding as well, you could have one stall for all that.

Pull threw is nice, but you lose a LOT of wall space and heat (if thats a problem)

 

[sewiv]

Plan your rafters so that you can put the lift all the way up with a truck on it, and have the pad poured extra thick right where you are going to put the lift. Have the mounting bolts in place before the pour, as well. Saves drilling later.

 

[Green Gynt]

Radient Floor heat!! its the most effective, and confortable way to heat a building that large.
You don't loose all the heat when you open the doors cause the Floor warmed first, then everything in contact with it, lastly the air.

I would also suggest a way to partition off some areas, so your not paying to cool everything all summer. not to mention a way to have a "clean" room for paint etc.

An "outbuilding" for the Compressor or a well soundproofed and ventilated closet

 

[LNranger05]

Get sky lights or that clear siding (can't think of what it is called). THat will let in a LOT of light alone.

Brian

 

[quiefinator]

the reason i mentioned a pit b/c of the money issue, plywood covers work wonders and are very quick as opposed to setting lift blocks, def. agree w/ the heated floor, necessity in mich., also if u put the sink in the corner it doubles as a terlit, if you know what i mean

 

[blksn955.o]

being the "thrifty" guy I am....

I would look for used parts washers, presses (HF ones are not too bad though in price), drill presses, cabnets, and maybe find a buddy who works at a dealership and have him drop hints on used stuff...I know some people who have made out like bandits on some good stuff that just needed cleaning up and some elbow work.

My father-in-law ownes a snap-on franchise and takes stuff in on trade and looses his arse on the resale v. discount he gives. But those trade-ins from shops and workers can be gold for the hobbiest. So maybe stop buy a tool salesman and ask they may have something.

just giving ideas on ways to get stuff...

 

[DUNK]

If I were you.....I would just start off building a nice, well planned out building.

well insulated

good lighting....nothing against anything else, nut I would just put up lots of flouresencs....they are sheap to run, plus you can mount them on the walls if you pland to put a hoist in.

electrical outlet placement ....220 and 110

water plumbing....bathroom....hot water heater, washing your hands in cold water sucks in the winter cause that water can be really cold sometimes

Floor Drain or pit..can't do with out'em

Plumbing airline hookups and compressor

Shelving Lots of shelving....it sucks not being able to find stuff that you could have if you have just had a shelf to put it on

Benches....good sturdy steel benches, benches you can beat stuff with a BFH and not be afraid of it falling apart....Bench Grinders and Vices also come in handy ALOT!!!

Stereo...you can't work with out music

Good tools....hand tools and air tools.....buy good name brand shit....I bet I have atleast $20,000 into my tools and tool box alone, but I make a living with them....either way....broken tools suck ass when you can't them replaced when you need them

Locks on all doors yeah I know..Duh, but sometimes the only way to get anything done is by locking yourself in and you're ol' lady out:thumbup :doh0715:



You would be surprised how much money you spend just on that stuff. I could go on and on and on....just think of all of the necesary stuff first

 

[MikE2]

If your ordering a cuctom building, have them put a beam in for a rolling chain hoist. You will use it a million times.....

I'm having one built right now, a 36'x60' with a 22' high roof at the peak on a 49' x 66' pad. the hoist (1500 pound) is on a 40' track in the centerline of the building. Two 10' x 12' foot roll up doors on the front, and a 12' x 16' roll up on the side.

 

[Shadow]

Lightig will not be a problem. the radiant heat is a good idea. thanks.
here is the brakes washer.http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=91966
shelving also not a problem.
I'm mainly looking at the shop tools side of it first. Once I'm done with that list then I can figure out where to place them in the build and find out if the building needs to be bigger. I want every shop tool to have its own area so that it will not be moved. I prefer to have an area for the band saw, parts washer, lift etc. Each item will be bolted down in place and room around it for anything I need for that tool.

 

[Ralphenstein]

Screw insulation, just makes it hotter in the summer (If you don't have AC, if you do, def insulate).

Get a good 'ol woodstove...It'll burn you out.

My Paw in Law's got a beast of one in his shop, and you could bake paint off in there if you aren't careful.

 

[OX1]

40' x 60' , 3 car garage

Gees!!, you got some really big cars :toothless