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Building wooden worskhop
davidimurray - 16/8/17 at 02:22 PM

Just moved into a new house, only downside is that the garage is probably the smallest I have had in years. Everything fits, just, but can't really get around the mill and lathe to use them. However one of the conditions with the boss was that I could build a workshop in the garden for my machine tools, model engineering projects etc and use the garage for car projects (and maybe another motorbike ....)

I know you lot have got plenty of good ideas so I thought I would run my ideas past you lot and see what thoughts' and advice you all had.

Shed will be roughly 15foot x 7 foot. Will have double doors at one end of the long face (for getting machines in and out, one normally closed other used for normal access). Probably no windows for security. Pricing up shed it looks like I would need £2kish for what I want so looking at building my own.

Concrete base 4-6" thick. Ontop of that a wooden floor that I can fill with insulation to keep the floor warm. Is this a good idea or will it encourage damp? Also would like the shed as close to floor level as possible to help get things in/out - again will I suffer with water?

Machine are not that big - probably 1/4t max so looking at lots of cross bracing and probably double stacked OSB on the floor.

Shed itself then - pent roof, inside insulated, boarded with 12mm OSB and roof also insulated and boarded (spent too long in freezing workshops!) What sizes would people advise for timber and spacing of the studs and roof joists. Shiplap cladding around the outside, probably wrapped in membrane before fitting.

How does that lot sound - any tips or advice on construction greatly received.

Cheers

Dave

Doctor Derek Doctors - 16/8/17 at 03:01 PM

I have an 18x8ft wooden workshop that i bought 4 years ago. Very similar tothe layout ypu are suggesting.

The company i bought it from said that gravel was a better base than concrete as water drains away quicker rather than flowing under and doesnt get trapped there so the floor wont be damp or rot.

I would be tempted to hunt around a bit more for pre-made ones, mine was a little over £2k as it was a custom size, i remember though at the time a standard 14x7 was only about £1200.

Mine has lasted really well and is betterthan i expected.

Bluemoon - 16/8/17 at 03:15 PM

Might be worth looking at logcabin type i.e: Keops interlock?

David Jenkins - 16/8/17 at 03:30 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Doctor Derek Doctors
The company i bought it from said that gravel was a better base than concrete as water drains away quicker rather than flowing under and doesnt get trapped there so the floor wont be damp or rot.


If the lathe and mill are fairly hefty then a good concrete floor is probably a requirement. A properly laid base with a moisture barrier should stop all damp, but you'd probably need a few layers of brick above ground level to make that work. Without the moisture barrier then you will probably suffer with damp eventually. If they're just 'amateur grade' then a good wooden floor may well be enough - but it will have to be strong!

You will probably want good insulation and low-level heating to stop your machinery rusting in the damp winters.

Doctor Derek Doctors - 16/8/17 at 03:37 PM

I had a Myford Lathe in mine, the floor didnt break and it didnt go rusty. I have nver had any problem with damp at all.

TimC - 16/8/17 at 03:47 PM

If you decide not to do it yourself, I would recommend Mark at http://www.hensretreat.com - he's based in South/Mid Wales too.

David Jenkins - 16/8/17 at 04:18 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Doctor Derek Doctors
I had a Myford Lathe in mine, the floor didnt break and it didnt go rusty. I have nver had any problem with damp at all.


That's what I meant by 'hefty' v. 'amateur grade'! A Myford and stand will be fine on a decent shed base, but my Colchester Student would go straight through it. Similar for a Myford mill versus a Bridgeport. Years ago my brother had a Myford lathe in one of his bedrooms!

As for damp - I have a good-quality shed, but some of the garden tools show signs of rust unless I keep an eye on them. A plastic cover on the lathe with a low-wattage light bulb underneath is a simple solution to condensation problems, and insulation on the walls also helps.

davidimurray - 16/8/17 at 08:22 PM

Thanks everyone for the input. The machines at not big currently - Denford starturn lathe and Triac Mill. Triac is the heaviest at about 1/4t- heavy enough to need the engine crane to lift it onto it's stand. Hopefully a Myford 7 will follow. I am limited by the width of the passage down the house .... although could always HIAB something bigger straight over the fence into the shed
Really I am looking for something warm and cosy that will keep the machines and equipment in there nice and dry.

SJ - 17/8/17 at 07:16 AM

I've both bought and built one. The one I built is miles better and for the same money much higher spec, particularly the roof which was crap on the one I bought and needed coraline to make it right. For the frame I used 38mmx89mm timber from Selco and bought 19mm t&g from ebay, cut to the right length. I tiled the roof with Redland 39s.

Mine is on a thin concrete base, but nothing heavy will be going in it.

v8kid - 17/8/17 at 12:02 PM

Another consideration is heating. I used under floor heating with plastic pipes cast into the concrete floor and linked to the house oil boiler.

Totally condensation free and the concrete slab acts as a giant storage heater maintaining a constant temp (about 16C but it depends on how closely spaced the pipes are). It costs more to build as you have to incorporate solid slab insulation and DPC's in the floor slab but the pipes are standard plastic barrier piping coils from Toolstation. No problems supporting my Colchester.

On the wood structure I'd build a dwarf wall to sit the wooden frame on incorporating a DPC. That way you are above water splashes from the ground when it rains.

All above will take more time and probably another £500. but you pays your money and takes your choice

Cheers!

gremlin1234 - 17/8/17 at 12:18 PM

whilst your at the planning stage, its worth considering fitting a sink/basin