Being evicted

[EDK]

SWMBO has decided that I should have a "yard barn" for my reloading and other activities...and vacate the spare bedroom for a sewing room/guest bedroom.

Suggestions on what size I need? I'm thinking 10 by 12 with a similar covered area to cast under in warmer weather. Inside I will have a STAR lubri-sizer, a LYMAN 4500, 2 550B DILLONS and a ROCKCHUCKER set up on one end; plus an exhaust hood over a LEE pot and my LYMAN 20 pounder at the other end. Work bench wrapping most of the room, with storage shelves and possibly peg board.

The tax return looks like enough to cover the project. I'll either buy a manufactured shed to be delivered. Or my favorite step son is between jobs, going to school GI Bill, and various National Guard duties...pay him what the other one would cost and help him a little.

Suggestions and pictures of what you did or want to do requested.

[Tomhorn]

This will be your man cave. Dimensions should be the same as the main house plus 1 square foot. Don't forget the heat pump and hot tub.

Mark

[Blammer]

you need 24' x 24' with a 10' ceiling and an attic. at a minimum

[wiljen]

1/2 scale model of the Taj Mahal should work nicely.

[missionary5155]

Good afternoon
If I have learned one thing about work areas... It is far better to have too much room to start with. Once it is built it is 100% more costly to add on than to just have "added on" with the origonal construction. You will never regret having EXTRA room.
Mike in Peru He is Risen !

[mold maker]

The ready made bldg. won't necessarily have standard distances between the studs. They can be a real dog to insulate and panel.
If you build it, use standard construction measurements and as said above, extra space will always be used, while too little is a PITA to live with.
I built mine with a steep barn shaped roof, and a 1/2 loft for storage. It's cooler in the summer, and helps to keep the floor uncluttered.

[timkelley]

Make it big as you can afford.

[oldhickory]

I have a 12'x15' summer kitchen with attic as my loading/casting operations domain, it seems roomy enough, but I can always use more cabinet space it seems.

[oneokie]

Make it at least twice as big as you think you need. Minimum. Electrical recepticles every 6'.

[tonyb]

Check out the already made buildings 12x24 should be plenty big. Reloading bench, recliner, tv, small fridge and sound system.

[Tom Herman]

you need 24' x 24' with a 10' ceiling and an attic. at a minimum

Yes, this needs to be your man cave.... I've looked at a bunch of houses with garge/shops, and decided that a 24x36' building is a minimum for me (radios, guns, and one vintage car). Go for a 12' ceiling.
Prices here (SW WA) for a standard sized 24x40' building run aroun 20K... That's with setup, full insulation, a garage door, man door, and window(s).
YMMV...

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

[HeavyMetal]

Once upon a time I had a home with a seperate garage ( 2 car) and a 24x15 foot room on the side. Two doors one into the garage and one out to the yard.

Set myself up pretty nice out there, so much so that the little woman, bless her soul, got jealous! Shoulda been there the day I told here she'd have to call on the intercom before she busted in on me while I was working!

After that I never did get any complaints about where I set up my work shop!

Run the intercom idea past her and find out how quick that spare bedroom stays yours!

[docone31]

If I might make a suggestion,
Make certain it has an hard floor! This way, an office chair with wheels can be used. When I am reloading, I scoot around constantly.
Also, make the benches so in your office chair, they are at eyeball height, rather than looking down on them. It makes reloading for me easier to control. I do the same with my jewelers bench at the shop, and our house, which is the shop also. If you cast there, make sure you do indeed have plenty of room.

[clodhopper]

I built my man lair 8'X17' 9'celing. Bench is wrap around one end 22' inside edge.
22' of cabinets custom built to go all the way from 24" over the bench to the celing.
Seprate casting area in another corner of the garage... Less than two year after moving my equipment into new loading room it's to small.
If you want stuff you gotta have a place to put it.

[uncle joe]

I tend to agree with the missionary from the south. It will be much cheaper to build a little large now than to find in a few months you need just a little more room. even if you just build the roof and add under it later would be better than not having enough room.
UJ

[Char-Gar]

My lair is 20 X 20 and that is ample space for a large reloading bench, a work bench, a lathe, a drill press, a bench grinder, two gun safes, two book cases, desk, casting bench and storage. I have shelves, shelves, shelves. Oh yes, and Murphy the shop cat.

This is my first perminate private shop space and I am in heaven. In my working life, I lived in Three countries, four states, nineteen different towns and cities and 22 houses. The last home before this I owned was 1970. My wife has been living here for five years. We bought it three years ago and I have been here since June 1, 2008. This place is mine all mine, and with a paid off mortage.

[l-weinrich]

Check your local building codes, here in the UP anything over 12x12 requires a building permit that means proper foundation with concrete footings below frost line etc.

[jawjaboy]

I had this built 5 or 6 years ago. 24' x 30', and I could use bigger right now.

[Bret4207]

Doesn't matter how big you make it, it'll be half again too small. Whatever size you make it- wire it right, plan for plenty of light, make sure it's DRY and plan for heat-A/C-humidity control if you can. The TV's, beer coolers, girlie posters, recliners, etc are unimportant. A urinal of some type or at least a handy corner or tree is important. A couple good 5lb fire extinguishers or several 2 lbs are vital.

[SharpsShooter]

I did a 12 x 12 with 8' ceiling and attic, insulated, paneled, heated and cooled for $3800. I have two 7' x 30" benches that are lag bolted to the floor and rear wall so they do not wander away and lots of storage shelves under each. Hard floor to make the office chair roll nice and LOTS of LIGHT. You must have light.

SS