New Shop Dimensions

[MinotBob]

Well I have a problem that most people don't have. I get to start with a clean slate and set up a shop. Last fall I put up a 50X50 pole barn in Minot ND. This spring the cement floor goes in and this summer when I'm back I'm going to start building a shop inside the pole barn.

I don't know whether to make the shop 25X25 or 16X50. The square shop will require a special support beam to span the 25 feet and the 16 foot shop will not. That would be the only difference from a construction stand point

[Neal Moore]

If heating the shop in the winter is not a big concern I'd make it as large as is feasible. That way you could have a finishing area on one end and create sawdust on the other. 16 x 50 would be my choice.

[SharonW0111]

Depending on how many tools and wood you have I'd make it as big as possible.Is there room for a loft for wood storage? I am always looking at new tools and building a few that I need out of one thing or the other and you need a place to put them ..And you need storage space for supplies .Having a portion away from the sawdust for finishing is a super idea . and too consider what you will be adding in the future- you will need a place to put new toys as you acquire them ..and heaven forbid you have to be able to have a couple of old tools that you just can't part with when you get a replacement for the old one- I just can't get rid of a tool cause someday I may use it for something. I have a weakness for tools ( if you couldn't tell).

Sharon

[sheltiecarver]

Bob,
I wish that I had such large dimensions to choose between. In a much smaller shop, I find that a square shop seems to put everything too far apart. In a longer format, I can have a finishing area, one for sanding, and the main one with the saws etc for the cutting work. So I'd go for the rectangular one. Besides, 16 x 50 has more square feet than 25 x 25 .
Either way, sounds like you are gonna have a peach of a shop.
When will you be having the shop-warming party for all your scrolling friends?
Sandy
Is there a list for bringing the snax?

[GrayBeard Phil]

Bob:

I vote for the longer shop, even if the 16 foot width will feel cramped.

Assume you are going to rip a 12 foot long board on your table saw in the middle of a SD winter.

You will be standing about 14 feet from the spinning blade as you set up for the cut. When you are finished cutting, the board will extend 12.5 feet on the other side of the spinning blade. Rounding over the numbers: 14+13= longer than the deminsions of the square building.

Phil

[MinotBob]

You guys bring up points I had never though of. Good Stuff.

I have ordered a new Grizzly Table Saw and Bandsaw. So in a 16 foot wide shop I should have plenty of room to manouver the big wood.

GrayBeard Phil - Good point

Sharon - I intend to have the whole top of the shop ar storage area. So I shouldn't have to have stacks of wood laying around in the shop

sheltiecarver - I'll let you know what to bring and when to bring it.

Neal - As you can imagine heating anything in a ND winter can be challenging. I had another shop about 6 miles away that I had to sell. it was 16X34 and at time felt narrow. But it was pretty easily heated with a small propane furnace hung from the ceiling. Good insulation is the key.

[urband]

It's going to be HOW BIG???

Bob,
I am green with envy over all the floor space you will have. My shop is a cozy 12x14 and is jammed with LOTS of tools! As much as I would like a larger shop the small shop creates a certain discipline to keep things reasonably neat and organized. And I have just learned to accept that I cannot rip a board longer than 6 feet, and if I get plywood I have to get it cut into 2x4 foot sections so I can get it into the shop.

Enjoy building your new shop! I hope it has lots of windows. They make a big difference in the general feeling of the place.

Dan

[MinotBob]

Oh Man. I just looked at the pictures below and realized my entry door is about 20 feet from the side of the buliding. Suppose I could have an entry door into the shop from the inside of the larger building. You see I haven't actually laid eyes on the buliding yet. Won't go back to ND until July

[Simoli]

I would go with the 16x50 building. You will have more square footage and more importantly more wall footage. You could set up a nice shop where there are power tools on one end and hand tools on the other.

[MinotBob]

I think the extra wall space will be nice.

[lucky788scroller]

The entry through a second door on the inside is better for keeping your heat in in them cold Dakota winters anyways.I would think it should be easy enough though to install another entry door anywhere you want it. Dale

[MinotBob]

If I go with the entry to the woodshop from inside the polebarn I was thinking of going with double 3' french doors.

[minowevie]

Hi all. are shop is already 16x48 feet. still could be bigger . I love the long room. I have my side and hubby has most the rest.lol. I have my scroll saw and the band saw, and many differant sanding tools , small drill press next to my saw. with my own work bench on my side. and we have are tabale saw in the middale of the shop with a 8' tabale in front of the tabale saw. you can walk on both sides , easy to work on large projects. there is a set of 4x8 doubale french doors 8' tall. that will open , right in the middale of the one side. that way if we need to cut a sheet of plywood sidways. we can open the french doors. we normaly cut that out side though. the sides of the shop then has room on both sides for cutting long things . with the chop saw. and the plainers and the big drill press is there too. we have lots of cabnets. and small windows. don't wont it to be too easy for someone to break in. we have a swamp cooler on one side . and open a window on the other side for air to flow through. my husbond has a propain furnace on one end. and i have a small electric heater buy my saw. that scroll saw tabale can get pretty cold to cut on in the winter. so that works out fine for me.
we keep are tall wood in another place. standing up in a 6' wide,with pipes boltedto the wall for deviders. we never have enouph room. we are thinking of makeing a place just for finising . away from all the dust in the main shop. I wish I had my own band saw. just for resawing. as a matter of fact. wish i had my own shope . my husbond an I work alot in are shop an changing the blades on the tabale saw and the band saw can get tiring. like, I just bought a new band saw blade. 3/4 for my resawing my wood. $29.00.. and hubby , my sweet used it to cut plastic pipe that did not go over to well with me. well enouph said. long wended as uswall.
that new shop you have there is really handsom. Have lots of fun cutting out all you projects. your friend Evie

[MinotBob]

Wow Evie. Sound like you have a pretty nice shop too. I have the next 5 years before I retire to "fill" my shop.
Thanks

[Marcel in Longueuil]

Evie,

I'll bite: what's a "Swamp cooler"?

Curious,
Marcel