NON profit ROD SHOP DALLAS TX. would it work?

I was thinking of a ROD SHOP to work on your projects that would work like a gym membership only not for profit. Just a shop that has tools most people would not have at there house, e wheel, power hammer, planishing hammer, power break, lathe, grinders, welders, space, a guys hang out. Place for dads to bring there son's 15 and up to start them at a young age how to behave and work in a shop. This would require a down payment plus monthly payment, to cover cost of rent, electricity, supplies and tools. We could use a badge in system like we use at work to unlock the door 24/7 access, it would also record who comes and goes. You could also kill the badge should monthly payment not be met. We could also have security cameras on the inside to watch the place. Maybe once a month hold a class to teach people like me some skills, pay some bills and get people motivated to work. has anyone done something like this, what are the pit falls? what are the good points?

 

Biggest problem I see is trying to get it insured, so you or the owner doesn't get sued when someone gets hurt.

 

I think it would be very tough. Who's going to monitor tools and supplies? Even as simple as putting them away when a guy is done. Not to mention that socket that gets lost under the back seat or rolls under a work bench and no one notices, until the next guy needs it.
What about liability insurance - I imagine it will cost an arm and a leg for that type of scenario, guy gets hurt using the equipment - it could get ugly, especially with minors involved. Or if a guy is welding and burns the place to the ground, and everyone else's stuff with it.
Just some things to think about

 

In a perfect world, maybe. I'm not saying it's impossible, but at the end of the day, the pros just aren't worth the cons of such a set-up.

 

As has been mentioned liability insurance would kill you, IF you could even convince a company to do so. Operating costs would also be very high. Running a shop isn't cheap. Most of the guys running shops struggle to turn a profit just doing business the normal way. You'd need a ton of storage space for all the "members" because they'll most likely all be on long term projects with no means to store them at home and bring them back and forth.

I love the idea and think it would be awesome just the logistics of making it work are through the roof. I know car clubs have done stuff like this before for members but letting any regular Joe in could kill it, especially with their kids running around the shop too.

 

There is always an idiot in the bunch that will screw it up for everyone. I thought about
the same scenario for when I get my new shop built, but I will probably only offer the
shop space to people I knew.. not open to the public.. Every time someone uses my
stuff, I always get upset when they give it back due to damage..

 

This type of thing only seems to fly when it gets tied to the arts.
http://www.thecrucible.org/home
In the Toronto Ontario Area there used to be do-it-yourself garages. $7/hr for the stall plus extra for using tools like torches, hoist, drills etc. Basic hand tools were signed out from a tool crib and you left your drivers license at the tool crib and did't get it back until you returned everything you signed out. One place even had a paint booth you could rent for something like $10/hr, you had to book that in advance and you only were allowed 4 hrs per day. None of these places would allow cars to be left overnight.

 

No ....

 

I have seen this type of shop in the past, but none that seem to last a long time. The biggest expense and governingfactor is the insurance, so talk to a good agent that does auto shop business insurance. You may figure out ways to keep the tools from wandering off, and the supplies at a reasonable level, but the insurance will be the first hurdle.

 

Following that link... I need to take up sculpting.! I did do two belly
castings of my wife though, when she was pregnant..
So I guess I'm already my way.

http://www.thecrucible.org/gallery/faculty-gallery/444

 

check MyBay Automotive in Denton
hope this helps

 

yeah i figured insurrance would kill the idea. my original thought was you could sign a waiver that you know how to use the tools and if you got hurt its your own fault. problem would come if the place burned down and people lost their cars.... hand tools like wrenches and stuff was thinking people could bring their own tool box.

this was just a thought os i
guess my idea of the kinkos of metal shop is out the door. guess i will have to start sculpting or painting and become ARTSY FARTSY.... thanks for the link above..

 

How's about a storage facility, for cars only, with a shop space where tools could be borrowed/rented? Make bank on the storage spaces, and give a break on the shop space.

Or, no separate space, just loan tools and such for tenants to use in their storage space. Maybe that gets you away from the liability issue.

The next step is a reality TV show combining everything, including auctioning off unpaid storage spaces.

 

There are building materials that are much less likely to burn, like concrete bricks, tin roofs, etc.

 

how is this any different than a car club that has an actual place?

 

When I was in the Navy some decades ago, some bases had "hobby shops" where guys could bring their projects in and fix/work on them. You had to check out tools and equipment and a full time employee was always around to keep tools from "walking away" and try to keep injuries to a minimum.

There were some pretty strict rules and "skylarking & grab-assing" was not allowed.

 

That's basically the only way to do it, just like a golf club charges membership plus green fees it could be done with membership plus "storage fees" and rentals like golf carts only it'd be tig welder rental or whatever.
It is a cool idea so if your serriuos then i would look into local bylaws etc. to see how it could be done.
I used to rent a 20x25 storage unit where the official rules were that you couldn't work on your stuff but the guy that owned and rented the units just said " I can't see what you're doing when the doors closed" there were all kinds of different trades and hobbyists in the place.

 

if everyone in this world was a good guy yes, but not in this world. i LOVE the idea. but its very such a far reach.

 

Well a lot of guys have a non-profit shop already. I know that a few of my friends are always coming by to work on their stuff(come to think of it we are all non-profit, we always spend more than we make) at my house/shop...My shop is bigger than my house.....Dang, I have a great wife. How many of you guys can say that.
So in a way many of us gearheads do have access to a non-profit shop...just ask my wife she can see just how much money us gearheads spend....."You can make a small fortune racing, you just have to start with a big one and know when to stop"

 

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

 

seems like a while ago there was a thread about this same thing, only as I recall the guys were actually going to do it.

seems like once a month here someone busts a cut off wheel and cuts thier face, then there are they guys not smart enough to use jack stands. I'd give something like this six months before you get sued over someone elses stupid move or the whole place gets cleaned out by one of the customers late at night.

 

Someone beat you to it...

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/aos/2364657654.html


A quick Google pulled that up, so I'm sure there are others.

 

I think if you want to do it, you'll find a way.
I'm not so sure I would want to leave my stuff someplace that other people had access to it. Stalled off with at least a fence, maybe.

Also depends on the price of admission. It has to make economic sense to your patrons and provide you with a profit. Profit depends on your fixed costs, and then variable costs. Non profits can't operate at a loss.

My nephew is into the whole skateboard scene, he was telling me about these converted Wharehouses into Indoor skate Parks, elaborate ones. I told him it will never be profitable , never going to make money, too much expense, liability ect. The food stand generates the majority of profits.

 

The'' non profit''part is a shure thing.

 

it would definately be hamb friendly only. you wouldn't be able to pull in with you 89 maxima and want to change the brakes. oh well was just a thought. as said before. back to regularly scheduled programming.

 

I run a non-profit construction company....not by choice LOL...i think it would be a cool hang out

 

Interesting idea...up here in Denton someone bought an old service station with garage bays...well you can rent bay space (not sure on cost or durations). Pretty damn neat idea...you may want to check them out...I believe the place is called MyBay and if needed i can grab their phone number on my way home from work tomorrow

Edit - I found their website: http://www.mybayauto.com/rates/

 

adidasink.. thanks for the post. someone had mentioned them earlier. i was thinking more of a metal fabrication shop than i was a mechanic shop. but combined that would be cool. I was thinking welders, plasma cutters, drill presses, work tables, e wheels, just a place to make stuff happen!! again i have no idea how much warehouse space cost or insurrance would be. was just an idea i had.

 

this is along the same lines:

http://www.garageoasis.com/index.php

 

We are doing it right here in Grapevine Texas. Its called the clubs garage. Find a club, that is what they are all about (the real ones anyway).