Perhaps time for a new round of ideas. I have found that placing outlets just under the front of my workbench keeps me from working around my electrical cords. GCFI are mandatory by code for a garage, but you need only purchase one per outlet string. Simply wire the GCFI as normal, then wire the rest of the string using the "load" terminals from the first GCFI. I would like an electrician to step in here, as this is only how I understand the books I have here. Painting the garage area white helps more than you could believe with lighting. That, and using fixtures without reflectors. I cut the reflectors off of mine, rather than buy new. Worked a treat. Metal benchtops are great. I had mine bent by a local shop using 18 ga. Now I can weld by simply grounding the bench. The vise is then 'live', and stuff can be welded by simply placing it on the bench. And oil can be simply wiped off, while also providing for rust prevention. Spend the extra day and paint your shelving. Looks a lot nicer. Also, if you're clumsy like me, round off the corners. Looks better, is safer. Anyone else?? Cosmo
You can never have enough lights, insulate, insulate, insulate, and build it with security in mind if you can. There are already a couple good threads on security. And of course, it can nevr be big enough to hold all your crap.
For this, I just screw a power bar to the front of the bench. Also, run a pipe from he air compressor all the way around the shop (about waist high) with a chuck every 10 feet or so. Gives access to air anywhere in the shop without having 50' of hose all over the place. Can also put one through the wall to give outside air access without opening the door. Put a ball valve on the inside. If you do alot of filing or that sort of thing, build your bench so that the top of the vice is at or just a shade below elbow height. This allows you to work on the vice without stooping and, if filing, makes it easier to keep the file flat (more control). Fluorescent lights (T8's or, better yet, T5's) mounted 2/3 to 3/4 the way up the wall on the bottom of shelving brackets will put them at about a 45 degree angle and will go along way to eliminating shadows under a vehicle. Put a shelf on top to store things you don't need everyday. Don't use standard T12 flourescents, get T8's or T5's, the difference is literally night and day.
Ground Fault Circuit Interupter Bascically, it trips its little internal breaker before you get a nasty shock if something goes wrong. Code requires them in bathrooms too.
PS: I also like the painting tip, white paint really brightens up a shop. I used a high-gloss latex, it cleans easier.
http://www.epoxy-coat.com/ I used this stuff to do the floor in my shop. I did it in gray. Makes clean up easy. I also painted the walls bright white
I have those metal halide lamps (tallish ceilings) and like them better than flourescents, but the newer gen flour w/electronic ballasts are a big improvement. I agree with all been said except for bench tops. I use 2 layer of 3/4 plywood and the reason is that a hammer or anything won't bounce. It absorbs. I put a rusted out pice of junk on the bench to crack apart and it will get he full impact of a hammer blow because of those wooden tops. Something that people will call dangerous but i've done for ages is to let my vise 'float'. It isn't bolted. I support the front with a piece of 2X3 box tube so it can't tip over and i can move it wherever on the bench and keep it all the way in the back until i need it. It is just as easy to hook the ground to it as a metal table when i use it for welding. It is a big vise, over 100lbs, i wouldn't do it with a small one. Now, i have more than one vise and approx 30' of work benches so maybe the floating vise wouldn't work for you but it is something to think about.
I wasn't aware that gcfi is required for a garage. I just did mine a couple of years ago with outlets all over the place and no gcfi (garage has separate 200A service with 100A breaker for my TiG, 50A for MiG, 30A for compressor, and outlets on the rest). City inspector signed off on everything before I closed up the walls. As for paint, oil-based paints will clean a lot better and are a lot more durable than any latex.
I have a 1 bay garage that happens to have a full basement( old old structure). the basement is my work shop and all of my outletts are overhead. some of them are dedicated just for the lights( plug in shop lights) the rest can be used for anything. i did the same in the garage portion too plus some on the wall. we wired the dedicated lights circuits to a on off switch. while not I deal, beats the extension cord from the hous that I used for like 5 years. ditto on the white paint...killz worked great on my basement shop walls
One other thing i did and i'm not sure i'd do it again, but i am glad that i did it - if that makes sense. I covered largest bench in lineolium tiles. I used blackish and grayish heavy tiles to cover the bench, they are about an 1/8" thick, the front edge of that bench is finished with 2" angle aluminum X 1/8" thick, the tiles butt to it, they are heavy duty and durable. The only regret is that carb cleaner can get to the glue under the tiles and loosen them up. The bench that i did that way about 20yrs ago has a couple loose tiles and maybe the edges of a couple others have curled. They would be perfect if i quit spraying carb cleaner on parts while the parts sit on that bench. Having said that, it is a great surface to work on esp if you are doing fabricating. You always have a 90deg right angle and a perfect straight edge to work from.
Metal Halides used to be the way to go and are very good. The new T5 flourescents have pretty much replaced them as they are cheaper to buy, cheaper to run and just as bright. They also don't require warm up. A big problem with the MH is that, when warm they take A LONG time to come on so most people just leave them on all day. If you have a power flick your in the dark for quite awhile waiting for them to come back on. I also prefer a wood bench top (however, I have a separate steel welding table). Mine is made from 2-2X10 and 1-2X8 IIRC but the 2 layer plywood would be better. I may put a layer of plywood over mine.
If you use the GCFI outlets it just trips that part of a circuit. Will not loose power to everything. Much easier to reset one of those than going to breaker box. Also, a electrical cord with automatic rewind set up comes in real handy. For hand wind up electrical cords best to buy the ones that have breaker type set up them. I have found it best to have wood, metal and vinyl surfaces to work on. Do not have to real long, but helps with what you are working on. Having heavy rubber mats on floor along work bench will help you last longer. A tall swivel stool is good for saving your back too. Hanging lights directly over work bench, grinder, etc are a plus. Insulation, which I do not have now, would help in most any type of weather. Using a coverted barn and large car port. As for air lines running thru out shop search here and other sites. Need to be able to bleed off/capture moisture in lines. Gene Winfield's shop is more of a basic set up like us common folk use. Most can not afford fancy places like those on TV and in magazines. Have fun.
I also painted my barn/shop floor and it is one of the best things I have ever done. Really brightens up the place and oil and stuff just wipes up. I feel better working there and it makes routine tasks more fun. I used light gray.
Be sure to read the instructions on the GFCI when you install it, there is a limit to the number of outlets you can install after it. Also, you can wire them so that the downstream outlets are NOT protected, so be sure to pay attention and take your time. GFCI's are required outside or around any area that can be wet, such as the bathroom sink area and kitchen.
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS! Mount one near each door so there's always one within arm's reach as soon as you enter the shop. And a first aid kit too. Mine is next to the cup-holder. Beer and band-aids kinda go together...
i'll add a simple one or two...........ummm 8 if you have windows in your garage doors install can lights(or others that clear the open door) directly above where they are so when the door up the lites shine thru watch office supply .... for cheap tall lateral files they hold mucho weight have good access and seal tight without much door/drawer swing incramped spaces run your welder outlets as close to the big doors as the factory cord will allow that way welding odd stuff can be done at the door entry (so your project does not have to move out of the way) don't hide the gfci outlets behind anything wire them in a bunch/ row by the breaker box nothing worse than moving a big pilostuff to reset the most used outlets something to watch for these days i found used bank teller drawers (15 of em for 40 bucks a piece) for under my work benchs the best locking weight/tool carrying drawers i ever had ifn yer buildin a shop think southern exposure for all natural light put all freezable chemicals in one or two places in boxes that can quickly be moved to a warm place so ya don't have wrecked frozen chemical messes surprise ya ..... warm oil hang/pile lots odd steel /metal suff near your heat source so it holds the heat longer carbon monoxide alarms too
We have GFCIs all through the shops here at the school, and they die on a regular basis (won't reset). I learned from an electrician friend that "hospital grade" GFCIs are much better quality than the standard ones you get at Homie D. I use them in my own shop. Also, if you happen to get lucky and find a dropped coil of aluminum sheet at the metal salvage yard, it makes a great splash board for behind machinery. Keeps the walls much cleaner and helps with the lighting. You can see it in the background of this crappy old photo.
If you plumb the air lines around the shop i like to put a drop leg below the quick coupler with a valve on it so you can drain any water in the line and you have a water trap below the coupler
OK, while out there I recalled a few other things that I have done that work: Christmas tree light winders for test leads. Made my own cabinets, to fit my stuff. Easier than you think, and the most sophisticated woodworking tool I have is a VERY old Craftsman tilt-table (yes, tilt-table) table saw (1948, FWIW). Did it all on that saw - dados (moved the piece over one kerf at a time until it fit), drawer edging (cut almost through, left a kerf-wide piece, then a rabbet and a deeper cut on the inside of the mate). MDF for shelves, Plexi for dividers. Might use thick plexi for shelves next time, better to let light through to see stuff. And paint all your equipment the same color: looks very professional, even if its super old crap, like my table saw Cosmo
some great ideas for sure. Another small treat is to run a separate electric circuit for your shop radio...AM radio (think ball games) gets a ton of static from florescent lites on the same circuit
Lots of lights, lots of outlets, electrical reels on ceiling, ran air line all the way around gargage for ease and flow, lots of shelves, insulate a lot, Modine Hot Dawg heater, Light color walls and ceiling, used can light for task and flouresent overall, wired for 4 stereo speakers, 2 fire exts, welder outlets at opposite corners of garage, ceiling fan, exhaust fan, floor drain, outside electrical and air outlet, storage in attic, pull down stairs to attic, trap door in attic floor for getting large items in attic, alarm system, cable for TV, phone lines.
My bench (16') has double-layer plywood on top of a 2x8 frame... but the flush sides meant no easy clamping. Got a HD piece of angle iron (each leg about 4" & about 1/4-in thick- 12' long) and bolted it flush with the top but 'sticking out' like a shelf, so I can clamp whatever down (& ground to it). I angled each end @ about a 60 angle to avoid gouging myself repeatedly.
Well after 30 years (retired now)I finally got my dream shop pretty much almost done ! I have two sides . The clean side and the dirty side ! Just about done with the dirty side finishing the spray booth now ! The clean side is done ! The first pic is the clean side and the next is the machine shop and the last is the spray booth on the dirty side !
for the lights definitely get the t8 or t5 there just as bright but cost half as much to run, split plugs on the bench are nice too not as much nusent tripping.
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