Art & Inspiration Time to re think my work space

The past 4-5 years I've been working out of my portable garage which maybe has one more winter left in her.
What have you guys been using, shed wise, as a work space in a pinch? I was thinking an 8'x10' probably enough for my work bench and a little storage while being able to stand upright and setting down right where the hot rod is sitting

 

If the frame is still in good shape. You could probably just sheath it, in prefinished metal paneling. Like what you would see on the side of a modern pole barn. I'm pretty sure my local HD. Has a generic selection of that paneling, in stock. Of course it wouldn't really be " portable " at that point.

 

you have a 12x16 work space there now. You will need at least that because that is what you are used to having. If the town lets you have a real shed that is the smallest you need if you can afford it. Harbor Freight sells those portable sheds like you have for about $400

 

Lowes and Home Depot have some decent-sized sheds available. I didn't pay attention to the price, but it could be worth looking into.

 

Get creative. Re sheet it with patio corrugated panels.

 

I thought about recovering it but the frame has some damage and we get high winds in the winter

 

I'll bet a little bracing and that could be cured

 

If you want an 8by 10, that ain’t big enough for any hot rod I’m used to working on.

 

If I were in need of a shed I’d look at those Amish Sheds. A neighbour bought one and they delivered it in pieces and put it together in a day.

 

Your property looks like a shipping container would be perfect.

 

Couple of em.

 

Could, not sure if the city would bless it

 

Just buy another 10' x 17' portable garage. They're only $200. Mine housed the roadster for 6 years before I tossed it. I built a wooden platform to get it off the ground and even put it inside a car capsule for the winters.
https://www.harborfreight.com/10-ft-x-17-ft-portable-car-canopy-62860.html

 

I bought a nice portable garage, 12x20 for $6200 and it's real nice with a roll up door even. I thought it was a good idea anyway.

 

The wooden sheds also come as a U-Build-It kit that includes everything but the labor.

 

If that is a workspace what do you use for heat in it up there in MI?

 

Alpaca socks and coveralls. I try to keep the small/ interior projects for the winter time so I can work on them in doors

 

A buddy of mine just built a pretty decent garage out of 10 foot long pallets he got free from a furniture store. Are you allowed to build a permanent structure? Last time I was at my local junkyard they had a pile of steel sheeting set aside to buy by the pound. Had screw holes in it already but not so bad you couldn't work with it.

Unless you're forbidden from doing so by the city, I'd be looking into building some kind of permanent structure, with insulation and siding. 15x20 as an ultra bare minimum, so you can get the car inside, off to one side and have a narrow workbench and toolboxes along one wall and still move around in there.

I like to think I don't have enough space but I guess I need to be way more grateful for what I do have.

 

A big advantage to the shipping containers is the fact most if not all cities where permitted are considered portables so are not taxed as permanent structures.

 

I'd love to build something like that, but that's a lot of money for me right now

 

We did this to one of these about 10 years ago. Bought a bunch of used metal roofing/siding panels and installed them. No additional bracing was needed. It's handled wind storms and at least 18" of wet snow and is still going strong.

 

What are you complaining about? At least you have a back yard. LOL.

 

My buddy got a bunch of free wooden garage doors from a place that installs garage doors and built a shed out of them.

 

Technically speaking i really don't have a back yard it's all front and side yard. Our house is on the corner right up against the property line. I guess fifty plus years ago it would've been at the center of the property when it was all farm land

 

In the 70's a hippie dude built a "portable" 1 room dwelling from mahogony shipping containers for far-east import motorcycles, bolted together with a carpeted dirt floor.

 

Cool!

 

Hello,

Living in that area is not the warmest during the winter months. The structure you have provides a car to go inside, but little else in room to work on a specific space or at least have a nice worktable. Those cloth structures provide shade and when closed, some dust protection. But, as far as warmth and protection during a snow storm, whoa!!!

So, talking about $6000 range, here is one I happen to find, but a steel side structure that gives you 20 ft of length for all roll in car work space. Even with the garage door closed and the big radiant heater pumping to fill up the space. Room for a worktable, storage shelves or cabinets, as well as floor work space for mechanical work.

But, forget the wooden plank walls suggested, the same cloth side curtains for sun protection and not much else. You will be spending money on various construction techniques that will leave you with another cold, hardly any room to work, and a flimsy overall protected space.

The metal wall is single thick, but like all metal walls, insulation can be added for extra warmth. If the structure is solid, such as the one above photo, then you have plenty of room and security. The plus factor is, with the door down, you have room to work and store your car inside, protected from the elements... YRMV


Jnaki

Our old back yard garage we fixed up to work on our 40 Willys Coupe was a 1x6 wooden plank wall on each side. It had windows until we took out the window wall to install our own lifting garage door opening. That allowed the worktable, storage shelves and floor storage for larger parts, as well as being able to roll the Willys Coupe inside to be able to work on it during bad weather, rain, or cold nights.

The wooden walls were 1 inch thick, but provided little insulation for us. we had to get a large heater to allow us to stay out there late into the evening. At least the garage door was able to be lowered and inside, with the heater, we could work on the Willys Coupe.

 

Look into a Menards pole building. Even a small one with a gravel floor will be worlds better than a tent structure. Concrete can be added later.

Menards has, or had at one time, a kiosk where you could do a rough design and get a cost estimate.

 

How is it that when I tried a "Garage in a Box" it only lasted a month. I see them all around that have been up long enough to rot the cover off. You guys have all the luck. Actually, it was a micro burst in my back yard. It broke the anchor cables ! Freak thing, I guess.

Mike

 

^^^^ Yep, this was my experience too. You say you have wind in the winter but your tent has held up well. That’s great. Mine (from Costco) lasted about a week, in a fenced yard, attached to my concrete driveway. I put the same one up at my Dad’s place and it lasted for a couple months before it got “dis***embled” by the wind. I won’t do that again.
I’ve been looking at 12x20 carports to put alongside my shop - around $1600. Could be enclosed.
You need to go to city planning and find out what they will let you do, then look around your neighborhood and see if anyone else has done something that might work for you and not attract inspectors. In our area they are pretty strict about temporary structures because they can fly in strong winds and cause damage to other people’s property, but they don’t seem to roam around looking for violations.