Workshop Dreams

[Dieselman 63]

Hi,

I wondered if others like myself have dreams for a workshop that they think about whilst daydreaming or poring through online auctions etc and think 'what if?'.

My ideal setup (at the moment) would see me having a stationary steam engine linked to an overhead pulley system to run machines such as lathes, drills and grinders from. I would like the other tools to be powered by pneumatics. I know it'd be impractical as a setup and a steep learning curve, but in terms of preserving the past it would be fantastic. A small forge would be lovely, too.

What do other people dream of?

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Impractical , yes but it worked for fred Dibnah for a lot of years

Myself I'd have a barn with a mezzanine, a garage downstairs big enough to have decent working space round a LWB landrover, and the rest a fab/welding shop. Upstairs on the mezzanine I would have a machine shop set up and a bit of a man cave area with a sofa, tv etc. And of course a sound system that would wake god

 

[indy4x]

Every day

 

[selectedgrub]

Every day

And twice on saturdays

 

[james butler]

ive allways wanted to live in a warehouse with a mezenine floor to live in and the entire ground floor would be a workshop /garage with all my cars and bikes on show and a big fire pit in the middle with a chmney out to the open surrounded with old sofas
would be epic

 

[norlander]

ive allways wanted to live in a warehouse with a mezenine floor to live in and the entire ground floor would be a workshop /garage with all my cars and bikes on show and a big fire pit in the middle with a chmney out to the open surrounded with old sofas
would be epic

Done that more or less twice, you could get a barn with mezzanine for about 8K quid, so I got one and did that up, then I got an old bakery, one long building, and put in a mezz,
I almost went for an industrial sized unit with a single story house built inside it, but it was bought whilst I was thinking about it.

Theres a garage up for grabs just down the road from me, four post car lift etc, even got petrol pumps lol, but can't face moving again, but if I did, I would build a double ply insulated living space inside the unit and live in that.

Bit too content to move at the mo as in my current basha, my workshops are all part of the house, so I can walk through to em in me slippers with tea in hand if I want.

Also because I am thinking of making my upstairs space into a spraying "booth", its been a workshop, bar,fishing tackle/rod building den, home cinema etc etc over the years
but paintshop is mebbe its next incarnation





The two things I would get absolutley right if I started over again would be fume extraction and ventilation and heating, but having said that, I don't work for a living so if its cold in the shop, I just pack in.

One of the features of a mezzy floor is that it traps the escaping warm air, so in a big space it can be a warm retreat if the main space is a bit chilly, I used to have the bar under the mezzy, never needed any heating as there was sufficient hot air from all the blah blah blah.

 

[God mode restorations]

I dream about a nice sized work shop. I have a small shed that needs replacing now. But to be honest a nice sized garage would be a dream. Never been in a house that's had one . My projects are done the hardcore way. Out on the drive in all weathers.. I don't want lots of machinery. A lathe. Mill. Cold saw. Finger folder/pan brake. Everything I make is by hand. It's good but has its limits.

 

[addjunkie]

Years ago I dremt of a double garage, bought a house with one. Nice house great garage. But never felt happy there.

Moved to the sticks built the shed of my dreams, yes there is always compromise. but I do have a nice shed. A barn a byre and a nother big stone building, not even sure what its called. Just never quite got finished as there is always something else to do now we have land too.

I just dream of retiring now so I can take advantage of my dream shed.

If I ever build another it will have a polished floor and underfloor heating....lottery win pending

 

[Dieselman 63]

I did buy myself a pair of these lovely RLM Crysteel enameled shades. They were being sold as ex factory for use in commercial premises, all that industrial decor that is popular right now. I thought I'd rescue them from a fate lighting some place they were never made for and put them to work in my workshop! They're fantastic and light spills out of them.

 

[norlander]

I forgot to mention lighting as the other feature I would sort out before moving in.

 

[Rig Pig]

Whatever you build is never big enough, I would love a large insulted barn to fill with tools. I had to turn down a Tos FNK 25 for scrap money a while ago - too big for a garage size workshop

 

[Cobbler]

I would love a large insulted barn to fill with tools.

I insult my garage all the time, I think it's used to it by now.

 

[8ob]

Light, light and more light. The ideal workshop would be a huge greenhouse.

Bob

 

[Rig Pig]

I insult my garage all the time, I think it's used to it by now.

Mines blue when I get a tricky Job!

I hate auto correct!

 

[norlander]

You got me started now, out for a walk and it took me past the garage, noticed a supply of gas bottles to convert into woodburners/air pigs etc comes included
probably need insulting so I shouted " you Kawasaki snot green git" at it.

 

[norlander]

I forgot, talking of insulting garages, theres this one in the Loire https://www.google.fr/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x47fcd5ea48b8bd5b:0x53325237be709d48!2m19!2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i20!16m13!1b1!2m2!1m1!1e1!2m2!1m1!1e3!2m2!1m1!1e5!2m2!1m1!1e4!3m1!7e115!4s/maps/place/garage+bastard+france/@47.3848928,0.6723095,3a,75y,103.58h,90t/data=*213m4*211e1*213m2*211s59Tf2M6UjPfeaDq_yKog2A*212e0*214m2*213m1*211s0x0:0x53325237be709d48!5sgarage bastard france - Google Search&imagekey=!1e2!2smUegUnfqqTIs-aIHfoOHfg&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwipwfmit4rSAhXI1RQKHRjgD1AQpx8IaDAK

I used to ride past it with blokes from UK bike clubs, they usually wanted to take a photo/selfie, you have to ask as its illegal in France, every time I asked, the bloke would sigh, shake his head, roll his eyes and say OK.
The last time I passed, he told me he was going to change the name to Fumthing Bastard.
I made a point of dropping off a pack of coffee or six pack each time, only fair doos I reckons.

 

[pedrobedro]

I bet it's because he works on a lot of French cars

 

[dobbslc]

I usually shout at things in my garage when I've tripped over them as its too small now with all my stuff in it.
I saw my perfect workshop when I bought my lathe, it was an enormous stone building with enough space for about 6 cars. The guy hade a 4 post lift, all the lathes Mills, pillar drills you'd ever want in there.
He was working on a Jag E type and restoring a D type racer as well!
He also had "some old Bentleys in the other sheds"
This was all private not commercial! I'll never have anything like that

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Light, light and more light. The ideal workshop would be a huge greenhouse.

Bob

Ah, but then you'd have to employ 24-hour security otherwise it'd be a beacon in the night for all the thieving scrotes in the area and beyond.

 

[Burdekin]

For a hobby and based in the middle of Aberdeen my workshop is great, really can't complain. Would love to extend for a bigger area for a few cars, spray both and a flat upstairs. Doubt it will happen but I can dream.

5min cycle from home, 5min walk to high St, 2min walk to pub and corner shop and a 10min walk to the beach.