Suggestions New shop: layout and tools

[nolanola]

Hello.
We bought a CNC router and rented a separate shop for the "dirty" production: cnc machine, a small paint booth (HVLP system), a chop saw, a track saw, two working tables.
We are going to produce dimensional letter signs and cabinet signs.
I think an aluminum welder is on the short list.

What is missing? How would you recommend to organize the space?

Thank you.

 

[2B]

is your drawing to scale?
Where is are the door(s)
for us we keep our all of our saws on the long edge of the room to allow plenty of room for the lead edge especially on the over sized cuts.

you have an abrasive chop saw, then you need to look into a multi-use cold cut saw.
you need an air compressor and a shop vac to clean

hopefully the paint booth is fully enclosed and stays that way as you do not want foreign material in the air when painting

 

[Gino]

I think the door is that big grey box at the bottom. Must be a small garage or something, he's renting.

 

[nolanola]

Yes, the door is the grey line.
No, we don't have the abrasive chow saw, I was hoping to cut aluminum with a carbide-tipped saw blade.
Yes, we have a small air compressor and two shop vacs: one is connected to the CNC machine.

Thank you.

 

[Gino]

You might wanna consider an alarm system and surveillance cameras.

 

[2B]

a TIG or spot welder if you are only doing aluminum.

an auto feed MIG with an Aluminum Spool for metal & Alum welding NOTE: we found for thinner aluminum it is easier to weld with a TIG or Brazing

yes renting a location like that will needed more security

 

[henryz]

If you are going to start making dimensional letters. You will need a finger brake - Tin Knocker 99, foot shear, 8ft minimum hand brake, maybe a Ruoff V-notcher, air compressor. I'm sure you know the rest and a lot of dedication along with some hair pulling.

 

[a77]

Not to hijack but for paint booths are most sign shops going with a open faced paint booth? Do you build your own or buy kits?

 

[nolanola]

We will start with flat cut PVC and Acrylic dimensional letters.
I am going to build a paint booth like in this video:

But will use coroplast and banner material for the walls.

 

[Sandman]

I hope you don't plan on using lacquer or paint thinner based paints in that booth. Those fans are not explosion proof.
I don't know what you mean by a track saw. If it is the same as a panel saw, you might want at least 12 feet clearance on either side of the saw blade for ripping 10 foot panels. If you mean the piece of aluminum you lay on a panel and run a skill saw on it... never mind.

 

[GAC05]

What kind of fire codes do you have to deal with back there?
We just went through getting an occupancy permit for a much newer brick and steel building and had a hard time with the approval. 25 years or more ago we could set up in a building like yours but not now, no way.
Dust control is going to be a big problem even with a booth. Might want to build a room to put the booth inside.

Good luck with the new shop.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[nolanola]

Yes, I mean the piece of aluminum for the track saw.
I am not familiar with the local fire codes. Th "paint booth" would be 6'x10'.
I like the idea to build walls for the paint booth. I will just use drywall.

That's a good warning about the fans.
Thank you!

 

[henryz]

The dry wall will not last, you are going to want to clean it up. But by the sounds of it you want to built a $100 paint booth and that's what you'll get. If that's the case why not get some workhorses and some wood to paint them out side. You have plenty of space.

 

[Gino]

Don't know the laws down your way, but that booth for commercial conditions would close you down as soon as your insurance company inspected it or OSHA. That is not a spray booth.... but a plastic barrier to protect things in your shop from over-spray. A spray both is completely enclosed, with explosion proof lights, outlets and walls which would hafta meet a fire code. Also, you cannot allow paint mist, fumes or over-spray to go out into the atmosphere. You need charcoal and water filters and then some.

That thing looks like it's down in his basement and if he wants to kill off his family, that's on him, but once you go into a rented area for commercial use, the game changes.

All of your other tools and things in your shop, pretty much meet code, but as for that booth, if ya get away with it, good for you, but you are causing harm to anyone within a few hundred feet. The air.... is not your filtering system, remember that.

 

[nolanola]

After Marlene pressed that disagree button I am not building the paint booth anymore.
I just found a used one for $2000.

Thank you!

 

[Marlene]

After Marlene pressed that disagree button I am not building the paint booth anymore.
I just found a used one for $2000.

Thank you!

just didn't want you to blow yourself up