Machine shop building question

S

skeetlee

Active member
This post probably doesn't belong in this section but I thought maybe some of you fellas could help. We are underway on my new machine shop. The poles and trusses are up. metal sheeting goes on tomorrow. The new building is a 32'x36' pole barn with 10' ceilings. This bigger shop is a real blessing for me, and I really want to build it right from the get go.

I made two major mistakes in my little shop I have now that I do not want to repeat. The first mistake was a painted concrete floor. I am a concrete guy by trade, and I don't know for the life of me, why I painted that perfectly troweled floor grey. I absolulty hate it!!!!!!!!!! The new shop floor will be sealed with a good floor sealer and no paint!!!! This is an easy one to correct.
The second mistake and the real reason for my post is that I am at a loss for what material I want to use to sheet the inside walls. I thought originally I would use white metal barn siding. I think I would like the bright clean look of the white metal siding, but I realize it wont be worth a hoot to build any type of bench or shelving up against it. Simply because of the protruding ridges ever foot running vertically. My current shop has 7/16th" OSB sheeting, and I am just not a fan. Oil splash from the lathe seems to stain the white paint, and it doesn't reflect the light very well. I would really like to come up with an alternative other than the OSB painted white. Of course money is also a concern, but not a major concern. Well as long as I don't get stupid crazy.
I seen a wood shop one time that had some type of fiberglass looking sheeting on the walls, and I think maybe this would be a good fit. This sheeting reminded me of what you might see inside a refrigerated semi truck trailer. I don't know what this sheeting is called or even what it would cost? I am going to look into it though.
I guess I am just curious as to what some of you fellas might have used in your shops. Any feedback or input would be interesting. Any other little tips or tricks for a new machine shop would also be appreciated. Perhaps running conduit in the floor for electric? I do not want my lathes up against any outside walls, and I really don't want to drop the wiring down from the ceiling either? Little stuff such as this. Thanks as always. lee
 
shop walls

I would just go with the 7/16ths corn stalk board and paint it white and put metal where the machines are going to be or put milkhouse board behind them
Wes
 
When I did my clean room area

I used MDF .500 thick. I have been very happy with the results. It has been up there for 15 yrs now ( man, time gets away ) I thought about OSB, but I did not like the rough finish. The MDF looks like sheet rock after painting.

Richard
 
I'm planning on insulating, rocking then using FRP wall board (like this: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbrande...0-FRP-Wall-Board-MFTF12IXA480009600/100389836) at the bottom 4' (5' if I can find 5' x 10' panels) and painting the top of the walls for the machine shop side. On the welding/fab side, I'm thinking about doing the same but using either galvanized sheet or stainless (price depending) on the bottom 5'.

One thing to think about, especially when starting from scratch is resonating machine noise.
 
Lee, a bunch of Radio Shacks are closing up. The panels they use are great with or without the hooks. Go to you local "shack"...look at it, and strike up a conversation with the manager. He probably knows where there is a bunch that can be bought cheap....although he may know "nothing about" a bunch of stores closing. ;)
It looks a lot like this...
post-hangerz.jpg
 
I work in a white tin lined shop right now, HORRIBLE idea, looks great on paper with better lighting and easy cleanup and maintenance but every noise is magnified, I lost my hearing on one ear for a few days when I wacked down a bolt on a loader bucket, I was wearing ear plugs and ear muffs but it was the first time I'd done that job inside. Even mundane stuff like a drill press or band saw are loud.
 
Sheetrock, finished smooth and painted with semigloss, with FRP in the areas where oil splash would be a problem. Run the rock, and paint up past where you ceiling will be and then install your wall angle, wires and insulated T bar ceiling. With a 10" ceiling I would hang my light fixtures to maintain the integrity of my insulation. Piece of cake.
 
Shop walls

I have had a completely different experience with steel barn siding used as an interior lining than that of 'bigngreen'. Ten years ago i built my shop with 6" wall studs, blown-in cellulose insulation (14" in the ceiling), 1/2" wafer board on the walls covered by Menards barn siding, walls and ceiling. No noise issues at all from internal noise from machining, metal working or exterior noise coming in (when doors and windows are closed of course). As far as the rib issue, they only intrude .750", my benches fit good enough for me. I am very careful where I mount things to the walls though, a misplaced hole doesn't heal well:( In the ceiling there are two or three extra screw holes that i plugged with white silicone, you would be hard pressed to find them today.

Heat is radiant in the floor with water heated by an energy efficient natural gas water heater. The first winter, my gas bill was only slightly more than when I heated the house alone, but with an extra 1000 sg ft. Rick
 
from the peanut gallery...
most of us wish we had your problem....

32' x 36' shop....OMG!
 
FWIW, plywood sheathing on the walls makes for a stronger building. I presume you will be using surface conduit for wiring. Send some photos!
F1
 
Rick Johnson said:
I have had a completely different experience with steel barn siding used as an interior lining than that of 'bigngreen'. Ten years ago i built my shop with 6" wall studs, blown-in cellulose insulation (14" in the ceiling), 1/2" wafer board on the walls covered by Menards barn siding, walls and ceiling. No noise issues at all from internal noise from machining, metal working or exterior noise coming in (when doors and windows are closed of course). As far as the rib issue, they only intrude .750", my benches fit good enough for me. I am very careful where I mount things to the walls though, a misplaced hole doesn't heal well:( In the ceiling there are two or three extra screw holes that i plugged with white silicone, you would be hard pressed to find them today.

Heat is radiant in the floor with water heated by an energy efficient natural gas water heater. The first winter, my gas bill was only slightly more than when I heated the house alone, but with an extra 1000 sg ft. Rick
Click to expand...

Simple difference between yours and a previous poster- in his place nothing there to dampen resonation so acts as a big sounding board- your dense pak ins. is the key
 
You might consider applying Coroplast plastic sheets over OSB, or not depending on stud spacing, in the dirty areas. Smooth and easy to clean. Thicker material makes great target holders. Tek Supply has a 14 or 16Mil wall covering for agriculture buildings that's up to 12' high. You could apply in the same areas over OSB. Pretty cheap as well.
 
You might want to look at the fiberglas panels that used to be put on the walls inside milk parlors, they may still use it inside milk parlors I don't know I have not been in one for a long time. I do now they use the panels on the walls of some public bathrooms because it cleans up so well. I would use this in areas wear the machinery will splash oil on the walls.
 
wadebrown said:
You might want to look at the fiberglas panels that used to be put on the walls inside milk parlors, they may still use it inside milk parlors I don't know I have not been in one for a long time. I do now they use the panels on the walls of some public bathrooms because it cleans up so well. I would use this in areas wear the machinery will splash oil on the walls.
Click to expand...

The stuff on restroom walls is FRP paneling.
 


there will be a 10' roll up door here on this offset. the back corner here will be the new shoot room. probably 12x12 or so. I will also have my office in this space.



the last window on he right is my current machine shop. the two other windows are my current shooting windows. the new shoot room will have one single bench for myself. I plan to build 2 new benches outside as well.



Just another view of where my shoot room and office will be. No walk in door. I want my office and shoot room to be secure.




this pic shows where the main machine shop will be located. I wont know what to do with all this space!! LOL!! Ill post more pics as the project progresses.

in the last pic you can see my current shoot room behind the small window. also there will be a walk out door on the back wall facing the berm. I will pour a pad in this area for two concrete shooting benches. shooting from inside is ok, but there are days it will just not work. outside is always best. Lee
 
Last edited:
Speaking of shooting from inside to out...If the shop is heated, in cool weather mirage is freakin' brutal at times.

Nice place Lee! I'm sure you'll enjoy it.. and having a range at the shop, with a loading area, is priceless! It's a huge leg-up on what most have to deal with for quality practice, testing and load work. Don't ever take that for granted.
 
Last edited:
The mirage is brutal thus the reason I'm building some outside benches. Having the range right outside the shop is truly priceless. I offer my good fortune to most all the shooters I know. Most everyone are welcome. Lee
 
Last edited:
Do they still make that green fiberglass stuff with the pebble finish? It's been years.
F1
 
All you gotta do is turn a small fan over your barrel pointed outside and the mirage goes away while the window is open. Bart has it that way and he shoots every day from the inside
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top