Couple Shop Questions

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jleiwig

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Monroe, Ohio, USA.
I'm probably going to start redoing my "shop" area after the holiday. I'm wonder if there are pros (other than not having to bend over) or cons to moving the outlets up to waste high level or not?

Also, I'll probably have a 10x11 area of finished shop space once it's all said and done. I'm planning on putting at least 6 2 tube flourescent shop light fixtures on the ceiling. Enough? Too Much?

And as far as the epoxy floor coatings. Any preference? I know that Rustoleum makes one and I think I've seen a couple different ones out there as well. I had thought about laminate wood flooring, but with the way I drop stuff I know I'll kill it in short time.
 
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I have all my outlets in my Garage up high it keeps me from bending and away from any spills and moisture...they are also all 4 gang outlets to cut down on surge strips.
Duraclad has some nice floor finishes although mine is concrete. Be sure that you look at the finish carefully cause some get slippery as ice with saw dust or liquid on the floor!!!
 
I would add that your lighting seems sufficient, but the more the better. As far as the floor finish I can't speak from any sort of experience, but it seems to me that that would be a product in the category of: you get what you pay for.
 
I am moving my outlets to above workbench height. One reason is to decrease the lost distance on some of my sanders. I'm also loosing all the lights in the ceiling and replacing them with outlets then just plugging the fixtures into those. This just give more versatility to the space.

On flooring, I'm in a basement and want to get off the concrete. This is what I'm going with. http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 not cheap, but should reduce the cold feet.
 
I work in a car port with apposing sides open that I have managed to partly close up with benches and shelving. I aquired some exsersize mats that work great under each of my work stations
 
outlets above bench height makes it much simpler, also add a couple in the ceiling for your dust collector/vent system.

you can never have too much light.

BJ's has rubber floor mats (anti-fatigue, about 1/2 inch thick, edges join) If you buy the colored ones designed for a kids playroom, they cost about a third of the price of the ones sold for shops or garages (same material, just marketing) and they are black on the back if you want to flip them. great for a softer floor and they also save things when you drop them! they come in an eight pack i believe, and you can do your whole floor for about $0.50 a foot.
 
Russianwolf said:
I am moving my outlets to above workbench height. One reason is to decrease the lost distance on some of my sanders. I'm also loosing all the lights in the ceiling and replacing them with outlets then just plugging the fixtures into those. This just give more versatility to the space.

On flooring, I'm in a basement and want to get off the concrete. This is what I'm going with. http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 not cheap, but should reduce the cold feet.
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Mike,

I have the interlocking rubber floor mats throughout my entire shop. Not sure of the brand because my wife picked them up at Big Lots or The Dollar Store at a very good price. I don't have the cold feet issues but can tell you that this stuff makes 10 hours on my old feet in the shop much more comfortable. Another advantage is that if a square gets destoyed (not sure how it would) you can simply pull it out and lay another tile in.
 
when I built my house I put all the outlets in the shop at 48in. that way I can and did build cabinets all the way around and not block an outlet.
 
Here is something to think about that usually is not mentioned. The AC! I built out my shop with cross ventilation with windows north and south, and doors east and west. I think my mistake was to put the AC in one of the windows. It seems to pick up much more dust than if I had it up near the ceiling. Not sure if it makes lots of difference and maybe some here has some experience with it. Just a thought.
 
I put my shop electrical outlets at 48".

My shop is a two bay 28X36 with 2 of the 8 foot dual flourescent shop light fixtures, one over each bay. These were the high power lights instead of the normal ones, purchased at Menards. Maybe I should have went with four, but it does lite up pretty well.

Concrete floor with the Rustoleum epoxy floor covering. I went with the "industrial" type of this vice the regular shop floor epoxy they offer. Then I have the interlocking foam pads in those locations where I spend time, basically in front of each machine and work benches.
 
djwood1 said:
I put my shop electrical outlets at 48".
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I put all of mine at 48" also, only thing I didn't do that I now wish I had.. I put plugs all around the shop at 4' intervals.. one on every other stud... wish now that I had doubled the number of plugs in the main work area... I often have to unplug one tool to plug in another... I may still fix that.

I only put up 4 lights, 2 tube x 4' shop lots... need at least 2 maybe 3 more in a 12 x 24 shop.
 
I have my plugs above bench hight. I was able to get several 5 foot 20 amp plug strips with 10 120 plugs from old busness computers. They have rocker switches and a 20 amp reset. I most often only use one tool at a time so load is not a problem.
Mark
 
My shop is 16' X 32' with exposed roof joists at 11'.
All outlets are high on the wall at about 48" and each is a Quad box.
Most are on separate circuits.

I put in 6 X 8' two bulb fluorescent lights.
The lights are on 4 switches: each end light on it's own switch; each middle pair on their own switch.
Two switches at the east end; two at the west end.
Transome windows made of plexiglass all around the shop: 3' tall (at 8' - 11').
This way, I get lots of natural light and when I only need to light an area, I only light that area.

One thing I'd do different wrt the lighting: use the more expensive ballasts that don't hum!!!
It's going to cost me almost $300 to upgrade when I can afford to but I should have done it up front.
Don't skimp, the noise isn't worth it.

Have fun.
 
GaryMGg said:
My shop is 16' X 32' with exposed roof joists at 11'.
All outlets are high on the wall at about 48" and each is a Quad box.
Most are on separate circuits.

I put in 6 X 8' two bulb fluorescent lights.
The lights are on 4 switches: each end light on it's own switch; each middle pair on their own switch.
Two switches at the east end; two at the west end.
Transome windows made of plexiglass all around the shop: 3' tall (at 8' - 11').
This way, I get lots of natural light and when I only need to light an area, I only light that area.

One thing I'd do different wrt the lighting: use the more expensive ballasts that don't hum!!!
It's going to cost me almost $300 to upgrade when I can afford to but I should have done it up front.
Don't skimp, the noise isn't worth it.

Have fun.
Click to expand...

Home Depot used to have a very cheap shop light that came with a sun park sl15 electronic balast that does not hum and has no cold start issues. I used to overdrive them for seed starting in the winter. However I believe they have changed the ballast, but it still is electronic, so they should still avoid the hum issue.
 
I put all my outlets at 48" as well. No bending and they don't get buried behind something. I had four 4' fluorescent fixtures in my shop and wasn't happy. There always seemed to be a ballast or lamp going out. I replaced them with 6 screw in fixtures and 100W equivalent fluorescent bulbs and a pull chain on each one. Works great. I can now light the whole shop if needed or only the area I am working in. I also have lamps on movable arms at each workstation for extra light when needed. You can never have to much light.
 
I know couple guys who have used the Rustoleum epoxy floor product and have NOT had good results within a years time. Peeling and flaking have been the problems. Part may have been due to floor prep, but I have the product that Lowes sells, I think it is made by ValSpar. A little over a year and no peeling or flaking. Make sure yo do proper floor prep according to the directions. The product I used has its own acid wash.
 
rjwolfe3 said:
Menards has a sale on basement floor epoxy but don't remember the brand. Worth checking into if you have one close to you.
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Thanks Rob,

I'll have to look into that. I love making a trip to Menards. Compared to the HD and Lowes we have here, it's the Holy Grail of home improvement stores.
 
I have had good luck painting concrete floors with Epoxy based paints .... right up until I tried to do my own. :frown:The problem is efflorescence on concrete. http://concreteconstruction.net/industry-news.asp?sectionID=710&articleID=233348

Test an area first before doing the whole floor.

This year I moved my turning into the basement for the Winter and covered the floor with anti-fatigue mats like this http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00918471000P?vName=Tools&keyword=mats
which I found on the cheap at a local Job Lots store. Sure makes it nice when I drop a chisel.

I aslo am trying to establish an area of wall space where I can hang various tool holders/sheves etc. via french cleats, creating a modular system that can be altered and developed as I go along.

Good Luck !
 
Lenny said:
I have had good luck painting concrete floors with Epoxy based paints .... right up until I tried to do my own. :frown:The problem is efflorescence on concrete. http://concreteconstruction.net/industry-news.asp?sectionID=710&articleID=233348

Test an area first before doing the whole floor.

This year I moved my turning into the basement for the Winter and covered the floor with anti-fatigue mats like this http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00918471000P?vName=Tools&keyword=mats
which I found on the cheap at a local Job Lots store. Sure makes it nice when I drop a chisel.

I aslo am trying to establish an area of wall space where I can hang various tool holders/sheves etc. via french cleats, creating a modular system that can be altered and developed as I go along.

Good Luck !
Click to expand...

I currently have a piece of white peg board that is 2'x6' on the wall. It is framed out from the wall with 1x2 furring strips along the top and bottom. I will probably be switching to more of a modular cabinet design based on the shopnotes sliding door cabinet in issue 77. The peg board is just not sturdy enough for my tastes.
 
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