Build area tips and advice
- Thread starter Chris Matheny
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If you can, put some thought into how your going to isolate the noise of the compressor from the shop. Remote install out of the shop, soundproofed box in the shop, redo the air intake, etc. Lots of good advice on that on you tube, but do something to protect your hearing!
I have a 4 car garage. You might think that parking 2 cars in the garage (wife's fun car and her daily driver) would still leave me plenty of room for airplane building. You'd be wrong.
My #1 tip for airplane building shop space: don't ever give an inch. She'll take it and more.
My #1 tip for airplane building shop space: don't ever give an inch. She'll take it and more.
Only a few friends randomly stop by the shop. We are kind of out in the middle of no where so it keeps random visits down. People usually call or text to make sure we are here before dropping by. I also have amazing friends that leave more beer here in the fridge than they drink. A lot of customers tip a 12 pack or two when they pick up their vehicles. Guess that is the advantage to keeping prices fair for them.
My compressor is located in the adjacent building and only the slight flicker of the lights tell me its running, one of the best things I did when building my shop.
Another great tip if you do that is I installed a solenoid valve at the tank so when I shut my compressor off for the night it closes the valve at the tank so my little leaks around the shop do not drain the tank but just the lines themselves.
The wife and i have a 2 car garage at the house and the wife has 10,000+ sqft under roof for her horse training facility so she shouldn't encroach on me ever! My shop is around 3500sqft I am just alloting the area my renter used to occupy to build my plane. I actually measured yesterday when I was moving stuff and its actually 37X25 where ill be using so it should be plenty.
Really like my windows in the upstairs shop lots more than the basement shop, being in the house the Air and Heat and bathroom is really nice. Smelly stuff, (paint etc) is done on the porch.
Table saw, cutoff wheel is also on the porch. Still trying to decide where I will do the covering.
Table saw, cutoff wheel is also on the porch. Still trying to decide where I will do the covering.
I couldn't do it without the heat and AC. That's why I had to re-insulate. With the metal in my back and neck I can't handle working in the cold anymore.
The previous advice about soundproofing the compressor is probably important. Imagine you're really getting a lot of progress made, just charging along, and all of a sudden the wife comes in and says "The neighbors are trying to sleep... shut that !(#*$ compressor off and stop working for the night"
One thing I did is to re-purpose one of those 24 inch square rolling butcher block/wine rack things into a power tool center on wheels. On the top woden plate I have a small drill press, cheap combo belt and disc sander, cheap 1" vertical belt sander, and a small 2-wheel bench grinder. All facing outwards, the whole thing on casters. So I can roll that thing toward whatever part of the shop I'm working in (or whichever end of the airplane), and have several of the more common tools for fabrication are right there. The shelves below the little square table-top (the wine rack section) now has some plastic drawers where I keep drill bits, a power strip with all the tools plugged in, etc. Got room for a small garbage can at the base, and hooks to wind the extension cord around. If I had it to do over again I would have set it up with a charging station for my little Craftsman drill-driver.
One thing I did is to re-purpose one of those 24 inch square rolling butcher block/wine rack things into a power tool center on wheels. On the top woden plate I have a small drill press, cheap combo belt and disc sander, cheap 1" vertical belt sander, and a small 2-wheel bench grinder. All facing outwards, the whole thing on casters. So I can roll that thing toward whatever part of the shop I'm working in (or whichever end of the airplane), and have several of the more common tools for fabrication are right there. The shelves below the little square table-top (the wine rack section) now has some plastic drawers where I keep drill bits, a power strip with all the tools plugged in, etc. Got room for a small garbage can at the base, and hooks to wind the extension cord around. If I had it to do over again I would have set it up with a charging station for my little Craftsman drill-driver.
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Bill-Higdon
Well-Known Member
One of the Old Flying & Gliding Manuals from the 30's showed this idea but not "repurposing the wine rack thingy"
malte
Well-Known Member
I use a music holder for concepts, small drawings, manuals, Service Bulletins, etc. It has done great service in the workshop.
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Great ideas guys. I thought I had plenty of light but decided to add 4 large 10,000 lumen LED bulbs above this work area. These builds don't seem to get done fast and my eyes aren't getting any younger. The music stand would definitely keep me from walking back and fourth to my prints hanging on the wall. Thanks
I’m building in a single car garage. Cleanliness and organization are essential in a space this size(not that I’m particularly good at it). I like small tables on wheels. Keeping the floor clear is very important. Use overhead air hose and electrical reels. Lastly, nothing is worse than being environmentally uncomfortable in your shop- a/c or heat as necessary.
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Machine tools ? I use my small lathe a lot more than I thought I would, making drill bushings and other odds and end, siping large drill bits etc. Never drink anything alcoholic when using tools or machine tools , I still have all my fingers as a result, just my 2 cents......
Bill-Higdon
Well-Known Member
I learned when working with wire binding on prototype/low volume wire bonded electronics No Caffeine before doing it
Sounds like I am more prepared than I thought. I have a CNC mill, a 10X22 manual lathe, heat and air and I dont drink caffeine anyway. I have been trying to work on the organization stuff too.
