I have a new workshop. Ideas?

I just moved to a new house. I have two areas available for workshop space:

1. A room in a partially finished basement. It has a bar running down the middle. The bar is 12 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 3.5 feet high, with shelves underneath. The bar is attached to the floor by a multitude of screws running into the concrete. The screw heads are all stripped, so it's not going anywhere. I plan to use it as a desk / workbench. The rest of the basement has walls dividing it into laundry, bathroom, office, etc.

2. A shed, 10 x 19 feet. About half of it is taken up by bikes, lawnmower, garden tools, etc., but the rest is mine to do as I please with. It is unheated, but does have electricity.

How would you make use of this space for rocketry?

Sounds like shed is storage for things like fiberglass tubes or whatever will not be affected by weather. Also a place to cut / sand things you would rather not do indoors. Rest in basement workshop so you have some comfort.

Location / weather play into this quite a bit.

Greetings,

Definitely 'dibs' them right now, then sort it out later!

If the basement has heat and electricity, that should be your main build area - this'll be the most comfortable place to build. Is temperature a consideration when painting? Maybe paint in the shed (winter?)

Make it yours: the bar sounds like great storage, how 'bout lighting? Would be nice to have plenty. TV / Chromecast makes the time fly by!

Hope there's not much traffic thru there tho?!

Good luck!
Pat

So far, I've hung shop lights over the bar, moved my power tools to the shed, and started putting things under the bar. My rocket stuff is behind the bar, which diverts traffic out of that area. I have additional shelf space around the corner, in the laundry room. I'm planning to build some shelves for the shed, then sort out which things get stored in the shed, and which things in the basement. I'd like to install a vise, but the landlord was very specific that the bar is not to be altered in any way, so I can't drill holes in it. I'll protect the surface with cereal boxes opened flat.

This part of the basement isn't heated, but it picks up some heat from the ductwork and floors overhead, so it won't freeze, and is reasonably comfortable if you dress warm. Should be great in the summer. The former tenant had a habit of starting projects and not finishing them, so the shed has insulation on two walls. I might finish the insulation job, so even without full-time heat, a radiant electric heater or a heat lamp would make useable shop space in three seasons, and on winter days that aren't too cold.

Get all the space you can. If you can close off the basement area with a wall you could keep traffic down. Is there access to get fresh air in and "smelly" air out, you don't want chemicals going up into living spaces? Houses are very rarely air tight and it could be bad for family to get "gassed".

basement = "model train room" !!

wish we had basements..

Not sure what materials you're working with, but it's best to use epoxy at 70°F or warmer.

Wherever you can, make a large work table with access on at least three sides. My 6'x5' table has been the most used tool in the shop.

dk54321 said:

Should be great in the summer

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It will be the coolest part of the house ! My boy uses a space heater in the basement and it works pretty good in one room, fairly quickly.

An unheated / un-cooled shed sharing space with bikes, lawnmower, etc. is not good building space. I'd use the bar.

Basement = Mancave = Workshop = Rocket research center.

Just make sure you got a good bolted down bench vise....they always come in handy. As well as ample plugs, sounds like you got lighting, then shelves....neven can have too many shelves

Any ideas on how to bolt the vise down? I'm not allowed to drill holes in the bar.

Any workshop threads I should read for ideas?

Hmmmm no holes eh? clamps or JB weld lol put the vise on a small workbench you make or buy. Workshops are things created by the user, for the users needs, so I would say it all depends on what you do & use it for.

Make your workbench out of a kitchen countertop Here in the length you need use 2x4's for the frame. You can get the counter top at LowesDepot real cheap. You can also make the height exactly what you need. You can mount anything or spill on it and no worries.

I rarely use a bench vise for anything. Last applications were holding copper tubes while I soldered end caps on them for ejection charge wells.

cavecentral said:

I rarely use a bench vise for anything. Last applications were holding copper tubes while I soldered end caps on them for ejection charge wells.

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I use my vice for everything. Right now there is a dowel clamped in it that is holding the MMT while the glue on the fins sets up. It does work well holding copper pipe while soldering. The last time I used it for that, it was a new hot water heater installation. It was a life saver. Only had 4 joints I had to solder in place, the rest were done while things were clamped in the vise.