Building your workshop

This is for you young guys out there. Make a plan on aquiring your tools, land and building for your workshop early in life before you get too involved with a woman and kids. I don't know how many guys I've know who had big plans for a piece of land and a large workshop only to get married and find out that everything now is a trade off. Sure you can build your shed but she's going to want something in return like a bigger house. If you need a piece of equipment she's going to need a new car or bigger diamond. I made a plan 30 years ago on what I wanted to have in place when I retired. Every chance I had to buy any of the little stuff like air tools, lathe and milling tool holders I did. I didn't have any of the machines but I bought stuff I knew I'd need when I did buy the machines. My milling machine was in storage for 8 years before I retired. Since I worked in machine shops and could use the machines there in the off hours I didn't need it at home yet. I figure I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars over time but now that I'm retired at a somewhat young age I have what I need. Now that being said I've had two wives, two children, three granchildren and now a long time girlfriend but my plan was number one always.
I just thought I pass this bit of wisdom on as I sit here in my shop with all my toys thinking about what I going to play with today.

I am 34 years old and am doing that exactly. Not married and no kids, just a girlfriend with a clock ticking that i hear about on a regular basis....I will likely have to compromise at some point. Since I don t think I iwll ever have every piece of gear I want, I am trying to get all the basics in order. If I have a shop and it is half full, she wont notice as it gets fuller over time. She is pretty supportive all in all.
Hey OM, just curious if you have ever figured out how many tools you could have bought with the money you had to spend getting rid of the first 2 wives?

coreya3212 said:

I am 34 years old and am doing that exactly. Not married and no kids, just a girlfriend with a clock ticking that i hear about on a regular basis....I will likely have to compromise at some point. Since I don t think I iwll ever have every piece of gear I want, I am trying to get all the basics in order. If I have a shop and it is half full, she wont notice as it gets fuller over time. She is pretty supportive all in all.
Hey OM, just curious if you have ever figured out how many tools you could have bought with the money you had to spend getting rid of the first 2 wives?

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Well the first wife died so that didn't cost much but the second one cost me about 50+ grand to be rid of 10 years ago. One forth of that went to the lawyers. The good thing about most states is that what's yours before your married is still yours after. Your right about them not noticing if your toys multiple. Just keep your area messy and piled with boxes. When I bought stuff I had it delivered to work and and brought it home when nobody was around.

OldMachinist said:

Well the first wife died so that didn't cost much but the second one cost me about 50+ grand to be rid of 10 years ago. One forth of that went to the lawyers. The good thing about most states is that what's yours before your married is still yours after. Your right about them not noticing if your toys multiple. Just keep your area messy and piled with boxes. When I bought stuff I had it delivered to work and and brought it home when nobody was around.

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One thing I can add is that when you build your shop try to build it bigger than what you think you need. I thought I would have plenty of room in my shop for what ever projects I came up with, but I did not concider all the projects that my 2 boys would bring in. Right now I have to fight for space to do my stuff. This fall I plan to double the size of my shop and then the boys can have their own.

OldMachinist said:

Well the first wife died so that didn't cost much but the second one cost me about 50+ grand to be rid of 10 years ago. One forth of that went to the lawyers. The good thing about most states is that what's yours before your married is still yours after. Your right about them not noticing if your toys multiple. Just keep your area messy and piled with boxes. When I bought stuff I had it delivered to work and and brought it home when nobody was around.

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Sorry OM, I hadnt considered passing in my attempt at humor.
No problem with messiness in my shop. Always looks like a bomb went off.

Skiddy, start hiding there tools and parts.... might limit the invasion. HA. I guess if they behave like me to my father, there tools and parts are probably yours anyhow.

coreya3212 said:

Sorry OM, I hadnt considered passing in my attempt at humor.
No problem with messiness in my shop. Always looks like a bomb went off.

Skiddy, start hiding there tools and parts.... might limit the invasion. HA. I guess if they behave like me to my father, there tools and parts are probably yours anyhow.

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No apology needed corey we were seperated at the time so the end was near ether way.
I'll second the build it bigger. Just remember that to work on a full size pick-up it takes about 16' x 25' and then you need the storeage space for tools and equipment. I'll be adding on again this summer to get all the stuff I don't use all the time out of my way(pressure washer, portable air compressors, generators, shop vac and all those plastic cased power tools) and to have a seperate room for the grinders and sanders(surface grinder, bench grinder, disc and belt sander). I need to keep all the dust and grit they produce off of the lathe and mill.
Here's more to add to the list needed things.
More electrical service and outlets than you think
Running hot and cold water(running to the house to wash your hands gets old)
Lighting (lots and lots)
Floor drain in the service area(melting snow and mud off of what needs fixing has to go somewhere)
Exhaust fan(welding fumes are no fun)
These things are nice but not a must have.
Stereo
Fridge
Computer with internet

OldMachinist said:

No apology needed corey we were seperated at the time so the end was near ether way.
I'll second the build it bigger. Just remember that to work on a full size pick-up it takes about 16' x 25' and then you need the storeage space for tools and equipment. I'll be adding on again this summer to get all the stuff I don't use all the time out of my way(pressure washer, portable air compressors, generators, shop vac and all those plastic cased power tools) and to have a seperate room for the grinders and sanders(surface grinder, bench grinder, disc and belt sander). I need to keep all the dust and grit they produce off of the lathe and mill.
Here's more to add to the list needed things.
More electrical service and outlets than you think
Running hot and cold water(running to the house to wash your hands gets old)
Lighting (lots and lots)
Floor drain in the service area(melting snow and mud off of what needs fixing has to go somewhere)
Exhaust fan(welding fumes are no fun)
These things are nice but not a must have.
Stereo
Fridge
Computer with internet

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Ditto on all those suggestions. I did them all except the computer and the Exhaust fan. Computer I can live without, i run a laptop so in a pinch its no prob. I kick myself on the exhaust fan everytime i weld or even start the bobcat.
To add a few extras, ceiling fans, reversible with speed control is good forpushing heat down in winter etc...
-toilet is a plus

I tried to post s few pics but i don think it worked. I couldnt find them....
PS- I like this shop talk forum!

coreya3212 said:

Ditto on all those suggestions. I did them all except the computer and the Exhaust fan. Computer I can live without, i run a laptop so in a pinch its no prob. I kick myself on the exhaust fan everytime i weld or even start the bobcat.
To add a few extras, ceiling fans, reversible with speed control is good forpushing heat down in winter etc...
-toilet is a plus

I tried to post s few pics but i don think it worked. I couldnt find them....
PS- I like this shop talk forum!

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I use a laptop with wireless connection to the house it just comes in real handy when you need to look up or order something. When I had to walk to the house everytime to use the computer I would put it off until later and a lot of times forget what it was I needed.
I do have a couple of ceiling fans and a wall mounted 36" fan. I find the fans are real helpful to keep the insects away if I have the big door open.
I'm in a rural setting on 72 acres with the nearest neighbor 1/2 mile away so a toilet for me isn't needed. I can just walk outside for that. But my girlfriend thinks I should have put one in and a shower to rinse off after mowing. The shower may come with the addition this summer but a toilet requires someplace for the waste to go. My sink just drains into a drywell that I put in and I make sure it's only used for washing.

OldMachinist said:

I use a laptop with wireless connection to the house it just comes in real handy when you need to look up or order something. When I had to walk to the house everytime to use the computer I would put it off until later and a lot of times forget what it was I needed.
I do have a couple of ceiling fans and a wall mounted 36" fan. I find the fans are real helpful to keep the insects away if I have the big door open.
I'm in a rural setting on 72 acres with the nearest neighbor 1/2 mile away so a toilet for me isn't needed. I can just walk outside for that. But my girlfriend thinks I should have put one in and a shower to rinse off after mowing. The shower may come with the addition this summer but a toilet requires someplace for the waste to go. My sink just drains into a drywell that I put in and I make sure it's only used for washing.

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I forgot about one more real important thing you need. Fire Extinguishers
I have a 10lb class ABC dry chemical one mounted on the wall next to each exit door and class A water one that I keep close when I'm cutting or welding. Can't have all the toys go up in flames. The volunteer fire department is 15 miles away with a reponse time of 30-45 mins.

OldMachinist said:

I use a laptop with wireless connection to the house it just comes in real handy when you need to look up or order something. When I had to walk to the house everytime to use the computer I would put it off until later and a lot of times forget what it was I needed.
I do have a couple of ceiling fans and a wall mounted 36" fan. I find the fans are real helpful to keep the insects away if I have the big door open.
I'm in a rural setting on 72 acres with the nearest neighbor 1/2 mile away so a toilet for me isn't needed. I can just walk outside for that. But my girlfriend thinks I should have put one in and a shower to rinse off after mowing. The shower may come with the addition this summer but a toilet requires someplace for the waste to go. My sink just drains into a drywell that I put in and I make sure it's only used for washing.

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I need to look at doing that too, but what does worry me is I'm sure the laws over here are if you live together for 6 months or more, she is entitled to half. I know it shouldn't matter but i don't want to risk loosing half of what i own. I don't have a great deal, but its more than other friends the same age have.
I'm 30, and i know i should be gathering up more goodies, but i still think i need to look at a house with a decent amount of land before i do that.

Tazza said:

I need to look at doing that too, but what does worry me is I'm sure the laws over here are if you live together for 6 months or more, she is entitled to half. I know it shouldn't matter but i don't want to risk loosing half of what i own. I don't have a great deal, but its more than other friends the same age have.
I'm 30, and i know i should be gathering up more goodies, but i still think i need to look at a house with a decent amount of land before i do that.

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Yikes, 6 months I'd have lost alot of stuff over the years with laws like that. You would have to keep track of the time and kick them to curb every 5 months. I went thru quite of few live ins before I found a good one. From the sound of the things you talk about I think you have a good start on toys.

OldMachinist said:

Yikes, 6 months I'd have lost alot of stuff over the years with laws like that. You would have to keep track of the time and kick them to curb every 5 months. I went thru quite of few live ins before I found a good one. From the sound of the things you talk about I think you have a good start on toys.

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OM what did you use for your dry well. Right now I use a 5 gallon bucket with a lid and camper chemicals for #1. A sink and a wall mounted urinal would be nice and easy to install in the new shop. I was thinking of burying a 55 gallon plastic barrel with holes in it. or did you just do a small drain field.

Skiddy said:

OM what did you use for your dry well. Right now I use a 5 gallon bucket with a lid and camper chemicals for #1. A sink and a wall mounted urinal would be nice and easy to install in the new shop. I was thinking of burying a 55 gallon plastic barrel with holes in it. or did you just do a small drain field.

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For the drywell I dug a hole 4' square 8' deep and filled the bottom 2' with 1 1/2" clean gravel. Then I took a plastic 55 gal. drum and cut the bottom off and drilled 3/4" holes all over the bottom half of it. I put the barrel in the hole and connected my drain line to the larger bunghole and left the plug in the small hole. Filled the hole with more gravel to cover the bottom 2/3 of the barrel and back filled the hole. Make sure you follow normal plumbing procedures and put in a vent stack so your drains work properly. I don't know about running the urinal drain to one though. Normally drywells without a septic tank are for grey water only.

OldMachinist said:

For the drywell I dug a hole 4' square 8' deep and filled the bottom 2' with 1 1/2" clean gravel. Then I took a plastic 55 gal. drum and cut the bottom off and drilled 3/4" holes all over the bottom half of it. I put the barrel in the hole and connected my drain line to the larger bunghole and left the plug in the small hole. Filled the hole with more gravel to cover the bottom 2/3 of the barrel and back filled the hole. Make sure you follow normal plumbing procedures and put in a vent stack so your drains work properly. I don't know about running the urinal drain to one though. Normally drywells without a septic tank are for grey water only.

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I live on a 4 acres. Neighbours are not too nosey. Off my hose and garage, there is a parking pad with a septic dump meant for your RV so you can empty into your own septic system with out having to go to the dump place. I dug a 10 foot deep hole and put a plastic drum, sealed with a sewage pump in it. Treched the discharge line up towards the house till I hit that line from the RV pad to the septic and tied in there. So plastic shop drum pumps to the RV dump line that graity feeds down to my septic tank. It was a long run so I just had to make sure I set the float switch on the sewage pump right so the back drain did not turn the pump back on. I would lkely not have been allowed to do this had the MD known. they want you to get a permit for septic modifications, I didnt tell them though. OM is right, regardless of where you drain to , a vent stack is a must.

coreya3212 said:

I live on a 4 acres. Neighbours are not too nosey. Off my hose and garage, there is a parking pad with a septic dump meant for your RV so you can empty into your own septic system with out having to go to the dump place. I dug a 10 foot deep hole and put a plastic drum, sealed with a sewage pump in it. Treched the discharge line up towards the house till I hit that line from the RV pad to the septic and tied in there. So plastic shop drum pumps to the RV dump line that graity feeds down to my septic tank. It was a long run so I just had to make sure I set the float switch on the sewage pump right so the back drain did not turn the pump back on. I would lkely not have been allowed to do this had the MD known. they want you to get a permit for septic modifications, I didnt tell them though. OM is right, regardless of where you drain to , a vent stack is a must.

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ok thanks. Maybe I wont have a urinal. the stack would give it away.

Skiddy said:

ok thanks. Maybe I wont have a urinal. the stack would give it away.

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You'll still need a vent stack for the sink or it will just gurgle until it empties.

OldMachinist said:

You'll still need a vent stack for the sink or it will just gurgle until it empties.

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Yeah your right. on to plan B

Skiddy said:

Yeah your right. on to plan B

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Skiddy, same thing here. I ran my vent pipe out and down through my soffit. I used a floor drain and painted the chrome strainer cover to ematch my soffit color. Cant even tell its there. Just a idea if it may work for you.

coreya3212 said:

Skiddy, same thing here. I ran my vent pipe out and down through my soffit. I used a floor drain and painted the chrome strainer cover to ematch my soffit color. Cant even tell its there. Just a idea if it may work for you.

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now theirs an idea.