# Very small and crowded



## frankly2 (Apr 9, 2022)

My shop is small, 9 X 15 outside measurements. 2 X 4 construction and insulated with pitch roof.
Crowded is an understatement ! Do have carport but need to keep it clear and tidy due to neighbors.
Have been making and repairing small things in the shop. 
As seen in pic’s, shop is messy and crowded, and only have room for one person to work comfortably. 
2 makes a crowd ! 
I spend most of my days out here playing with my toys !
Retirement is still Great ! Love my small toy box !
Notice the coffee maker on my desktop ? Love my coffee !


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## markba633csi (Apr 9, 2022)

Cozy is good when it comes to man-caves


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## DavidR8 (Apr 9, 2022)

Looks awesome!
That's about how big mine will be when I finish re-arranging the mess


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## jcp (Apr 9, 2022)

Intimate comes to mind!   Good job on machine layout in a very compact space.


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## woodchucker (Apr 9, 2022)

Nice, the coffee machine and desk gotta go if you want more room. put the coffee machine on the wall, Get a big mug with a covered top to keep the metal out, unless you have iron deficient blood.  put the computer on the wall as well, and gain some space back... that's just a little too cozy  ... now get to work...


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## mmcmdl (Apr 9, 2022)

Nothing else needed . A coffee pot and a Hardinge . Doesn't get any better than that .


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## graham-xrf (Apr 10, 2022)

You give me hope. 
9' x 15' = *135 sq ft.* If that's the outside measure, then you will have less inside. For me, when things get that close, an extra three inches can feel like acres!

I am also limited for space, but I have more than you. Inside measure, there is 20 sq m, which translates units to be *215 sq ft*, or roughly 12' x 18'. Right now, it has a bunch of machines still in their shipping crates stacked along one side, except for the pillar drill in the corner, also new, but with it's shortcomings. Also a walk-behind mower, and a garden waste shredder, which are soon to be evicted!

BUT.. the big difference is that the South facing side of my shop has two big picture-windows, looking out over countryside. I will have to get creative in providing vertical surfaces to hang shelves, etc, to stash all the stuff one needs, all around. We may soon be back to woodwork, for making French cleats soon.

From the pictures I have seen of many shops HM members have, space-wise, they can be palatial. Some are 30' x 20'. Sure, it's space for more (and bigger) machines, but it gets to the point one needs a separate coffee-maker on each end!


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## Janderso (Apr 10, 2022)

Small shop with two lathes. 
Looks like a happy place to be.


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## Papa Charlie (Apr 10, 2022)

Certainly an efficient use of the space. Well laid out and organized. Nice job.


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## b4autodark (Apr 10, 2022)

Well done friend, enjoy it!


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## rabler (Apr 10, 2022)

Thank you for sharing. I envy the organizational skills to work in a small shop like that.  I know the arrangement of things takes time to work out.

I'm guilty of the palatial sized shop space as @graham-xrf calls it.  Unfortunately I've had to give up coffee. But small workspaces like this remind me what my grandfather, a machinist, accomplished at home in a tiny space.  It is his accomplishments, skill, and willingness to share his insights that inspired me to retire from an engineering desk job to actually making things.


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## Brento (Apr 10, 2022)

Love seeing how others shops are.


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## WesPete66 (Apr 10, 2022)

frankly2 said:


> My shop is small, 9 X 15 outside measurements. 2 X 4 construction and insulated with pitch roof.


Did you build your shop, or was it existing?  How about heat, is it usable year-round?


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## woodchucker (Apr 10, 2022)

rabler said:


> Thank you for sharing. I envy the organizational skills to work in a small shop like that.  I know the arrangement of things takes time to work out.
> 
> I'm guilty of the palatial sized shop space as @graham-xrf calls it.  Unfortunately I've had to give up coffee. But small workspaces like this remind me what my grandfather, a machinist, accomplished at home in a tiny space.  It is his accomplishments, skill, and willingness to share his insights that inspired me to retire from an engineering desk job to actually making things.


it was palatial until you started realizing the mammoth size of  your machines... it may look tight as time goes on.


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## FOMOGO (Apr 10, 2022)

Nice space. Looks like your getting things done, and that's what we're all after. Cheers, Mike


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## sdelivery (Apr 11, 2022)

A little slice of heaven


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## IamNotImportant (Apr 11, 2022)




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## Steve-F (Apr 11, 2022)

Nice!!! I wish I had that much room to play with


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## Doug Gray (Apr 11, 2022)

Your shop looks cozy, like mine. I have to step outside to change my mind!  
Enjoy your shop time!


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## frankly2 (Apr 11, 2022)

WesPete66 said:


> Did you build your shop, or was it existing?  How about heat, is it usable year-round?


Yes, I built the shop, well, not the labor part of it, but the design.
I heat it easily with a small electric space heater. The shop is well insulated and holds temperature easily day after day.
Right now it’s snowing outside but cozy in here ! And the heater is set on the lowest setting ! I try to keep the temp at 70 f in order to keep machines comfortable to the touch !


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## frankly2 (Apr 12, 2022)

Shop looks a little better when it’s cleaned up and things are put away ! !


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## rabler (Apr 12, 2022)

woodchucker said:


> it was palatial until you started realizing the mammoth size of  your machines... it may look tight as time goes on.


I already have trouble keeping track of everything, so the current construction is the upper bound on my shop space even if budget was unconstrained.  And it's a lot of space to clean up!! I'll just have to take inspiration from @frankly2's organization if I'm going to acquire more.  Maybe  I can even offer to help @mmcmdl with his collection


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## frankly2 (Apr 13, 2022)

Janderso said:


> Small shop with two lathes.
> Looks like a happy place to be.


It’s true, it’s a very happy place to retire, along with such fun toys !


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## frankly2 (Apr 13, 2022)

rabler said:


> I already have trouble keeping track of everything, so the current construction is the upper bound on my shop space even if budget was unconstrained.  And it's a lot of space to clean up!! I'll just have to take inspiration from @frankly2's organization if I'm going to acquire more.  Maybe  I can even offer to help @mmcmdl with his collection


When you are in such a small space keeping it clean and putting things where they belong after use is very necessary and essential to a machinists mental health ! Not being able to find your tooling is going to drive anyone nuts.
Especially after a person has made the effort to make proper places for the essential tools.

Looking for my glasses and finding them hanging on my nose and ears is always a ”wow they are where I put them last” realism. Just like finding a tool where it belongs or so you thought.

What the heck did I do with those calipers ? Oh cra… I left them on all night, now the battery is dead ! Where the He… is my coffee cup ? ? Oh no ! I put in the desk drawer again !

please don’t use me or my shop as any example of organization ! !


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## rabler (Apr 14, 2022)

frankly2 said:


> It’s true, it’s a very happy place to retire, along with such fun toys !





frankly2 said:


> please don’t use me or my shop as any example of organization ! !


Organization that makes the shop owner happy is what matters!


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## Janderso (Apr 14, 2022)

rabler said:


> rganization that makes the shop owner happy is what matters!


There are many levels of, organized


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