25 May, 2014

Investigating my options. I may have to move my shop...

First things first, I want EVERYONE reading this to understand this is not a complaint, in many ways this is actually preferable to the attached garage situation. So if I can beg your indulgence, let me lay it out here.

Without going into too much detail, we have an extended family member living with us that is on permanent disability. Long story, but this family member WAS married, and his wife decided when he got sick to bail out on him... She still has his stuff, and we need to put it someplace...

Combine that with the fact that our Saturn is getting OLD, and honestly, we want to eventually replace it with a car that would be worth keeping in a garage.

With that said, and with an offer from within the family to help fund a shed, assuming the HOA is agreeable to a variance from my C&R to get the size shed I need, I am giving serious consideration to what I will need to do in order to lay out my shop in a 12x16 shed.

I am giving serious consideration to an Alpine Portable Buildings 12x16x13 Gambrel Roof building with 6' sidwalls. The size is just about right, I need to determine the window layout, figure out if they would side it with Hardie siding trim it with Hardie Trim, and use Hurricane rated windows etc... that best works for me, but this looks about right.
I am already in contact with my Homeowners Association working on what I have to do in order to get a waiver from the C&A to get this built, I have plenty of precedent however I am unsure if those builds were off the books and I am stirring up a hornets nest for about a dozen of my neighbors or not...

I know several things that MUST change if I go with this...

#1. The wide table kit for the BT3100 has to go. I need space enough to walk around it. I need to remove about a foot of table saw to make this work.
#2. The current workbench would need to lose 12" of overall length, same thing as the saw.
#3. The current, cheap, but very, very functional Chicago Electric 12" sliding miter saw has got to go. It takes up too much space. I am not sure if I am going to want to go with a slider with forward facing rails like a Hitachi, or even a *gasp* Festool Kapex. Now long time readers of my online writings know, that unless I win one in a tool giveaway, a Kapex isn't going to happen. For one thing I have WAY better things to do with my money than buy a Festool. Sure they are nice but dang they are spendy! Chances are better than good I will likely go with a Hitachi C12RSH, keeping my Diablo blade thank you very much!

Other space utilization considerations need to be taken into account.

#1. The walls, since this isn't "living space" or attached to it, can be covered in plywood / OSB or similar material, No more worrying about where a stud is to mount something to a wall
#2. The loft ceiling voids will be empty. Chances are I will make my clamp storage happen there and recycle the materials used for my current rolling clamp cart.
#3. My need for the over the base drill press storage cabinet will be MUCH more pressing.
#4. An honest review of what I need to do to design and build a full on proper table saw workstation, taking the sliding miter table, routing, work holding, and storage functions into consideration, along with providing proper ducting for dust collection.
#5. To free up floor space, 29 gallon air compressor, and dust collector / separator need to be housed in the loft, along with materials storage.

Sheet goods are going to remain a problem, and will likely be housed in the garage and broken down before they come to the shop.

This move, IF it actually comes to light, will allow me the following advantages.

#1. Dedicated shop space, no need to worry about LOML putting her potting stuff on my jointer ever again.
#2. It's large enough to get all my tools (mostly) in and work the projects I want to work, while being small enough to fit on my lot easily, and be affordable to insulate with expanding foam insulation which provides superior insulation properties.
#3. Allows me to separate my automotive tools from the woodworking tools, and allows me to bring the car into the garage to work on it.
#4. Discourages the casual "whatcha doin?" drop in visits that stop work in progress all too often...
#5. Huge increase in available storage space, not in the shop itself, but overall...
#6. Ability to have vehicle in the garage without having to move everything.

There are several distinct deal killers that I need to overcome and they are...

#1. Written variance from the HOA.
#2. Permits from the city. The spot in the lot that I want to put this in will also require.
#3. Moving existing POTS line from a diagonal run across the back yard, to a straight through easement through the yard. I would happily pay to have it moved, but that leads to the next problems...
#4. Finances to pay to make a big shed appropriate for a shop, insulattion, HVAC, electrical etc...

I am not sure which way this will go, but with any luck, and some fenagling, I might just end up in a 12x16x13 gambreal roof shed with loft storage!

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