Small shed thoughts

[Chris152]

I've not turned since before March 23rd last year - my lathe etc is in a shared workshop, couldn't go in there for a while, lost my mojo, and now don't really have access to the workshop any more. So, in an effort to get that mojo back, I'm thinking about building a small shed in the garden (just big enough for the lathe, extractor and sharpener) but don't want to make lots of noise (neighbours). My extractor (RP, bit like the CX300, but older - about 3'x1.5') sounds pretty industrial (actually, it winds up very much like one of those old air-raid sirens) so I'm thinking limited use of that and using natural airflow and my Airshield pro. I thought the shed would have a window on one side and the opposite side that'll open completely (maybe bifold doors, maybe a cheaper alternative). I like the idea of working outside completely, but live in Wales...
The lathe's quite heavy (Sorby RS2) so I think a concrete floor, which will help keep noise down, and to run a15' extension for electricity (both the extractor and lathe run fine on one at the moment, tho the distance is less - does that make a difference?).

SO, a 3' extractor, a 4' lathe and a small bench with shelf under for the sharpener and bits and bobs. I'm thinking 7' x 5.5'. Do you think it could be a decent working space?
Thanks for any thoughts/ advice.

psI know the bits will fit in, but what I'm wondering is if those dimensions would make an efficient and comfy working space.

 

[samhay]

My shed is about 10' x 5'. It would be big enough to put a lathe in if it didn't have much else.
I would run electricity out to it if possible. Having to rig up an extension lead every time you want to do something (including turning on a light in winter to find that thing you stashed in there) will get irksome.
If I was doing this, I would include a generous roof overhang/porch over the door as you will get rain driven in otherwise.
Other thing to note is that the smaller the volume of the shed, the less dust it takes to make the air unpleasant. I use an air filter, which has the bonus of being able to recycle the air very quickly (due to the small volume).

Edit - and I am now in the process of moving house, one of the reasons being so that I can have a bigger workshop.

 

[Sideways]

A bit small. 7 foot square would be a lot easier.
I used to have a record cl2 across the back wall of a single garage, so I'm thinking about the space that I was moving in while using the lathe, including a bit of bench space.
I probably wouldn't waste any of that on a dust extractor. Wear PPE and have a fan in the wall behind the lathe to pull the air out away from you while sanding.

 

[Chris152]

Thanks chaps.
Samhay - good idea to extend the flat roof as you suggest, predominant SW winds driving the rain here would mean it'd be like being outside much of the time without it. Maybe even some wooden decking on the open side to allow easy movement around the lathe with the doors open.
Sideways - That's my main concern, will it be big enough, even with an open side and some decking. I want to spend as little as possible as I plan to move house in a few years, but equally don't want to make something that's not good to work in. Before I moved the kit to the workshop, it was in my single garage but that seems to have been taken over largely with other stuff, maybe I should look there again before starting to build in the garden. Hm, decisions...

 

[Jameshow]

8x6 would be a standard size and give and internal size of 7,'6" X 5'6" internally.

This would be the minimum I would go for .

Cheers James

 

[--Tom--]

Put the stuff in the garage in the shed and reclaim the garage. I just built a small shed to fight the encroachment of what gets called the garage, but I call my workshop. Particularly if you want to use in the winter and are worried with noise.

 

[MarkDennehy]

I'm thinking 7' x 5.5'. Do you think it could be a decent working space?

Mine's 8'x6'.


It works. It's very crowded and that's even with the timber space outside. There are limits to what I can work on for ordinary woodworking, the desk/shelves I did last year were pretty much over those limits and it was a pain as a result. You wind up working on the shed a bit, tweaking storage and so on quite a lot. Regaining six square inches can wind up being significant
But, it does work and it's a lot of fun so if it's a hobby, yeah, it'll do. You'll find yourself dreaming of a larger shed instead of winning the lotto though

http://www.stochasticgeometry.ie/tag/shed/

 

[TRITON]

IMHO I'd opt for the largest shed you can fit on that plot. What's the highest you can go for without having to plant tall bushes ?. Make it that.
Can you dig down ?
Besides your lathe, there's likely to be a bandsaw, an extractor/s, sharpening bench, then all the other things, drawer units, cupboards for this that and t'other, storage of timber and board material and the space in a shed rapidly disappears. A large bench is handy to sit at with dremel doing details, and as its unlikely its just for turning, so having the space for a tracksaw to work in, is long term solution. Give yourself maximum options seeing this is building from scratch..

 

[Chris152]

Put the stuff in the garage in the shed and reclaim the garage. I just built a small shed to fight the encroachment of what gets called the garage, but I call my workshop. Particularly if you want to use in the winter and are worried with noise.

I'm beginning to think this is the answer, Tom - I already have a 'storage shed' in the garden and spent yesterday sorting that out and shifting stuff from the garage into it. I now need a skip for the stuff from the storage shed. There's now good space for the lathe in the garage, extractor would be a stretch given other needs in there. I'm only thinking to make small bowls and cutting sanding to an absolute minimum will be a good thing - with the airshield and the garage door open, and a pretty high volume LVHP extractor it'll be fine. It'll be nice to have the lathe home again

Thanks for your thoughts all, could have spent a lot of money and effort needlessly without them.

 

[Richard_C]

That seems to be the most sensible thing - if nothing else the garage floor will be much more solid than a shed unless its an expensive shed. I work in the garage and have a storage shed. If you don't mind bendng down a bit to get to stuff you can put wood mini-beams across the shed at wall top height (assuming its a pitch roof) and store long things up there. I hang as much as I sensibly can off the garage walls.

I too need a clear out, especially the garage. Space isn't 'free' even though it appears to be. If I fill this garage I will need to build a bigger shed which will cost me £x, so storing this (whatever) just in case is costing me £x - do I want to do that? Looking at the house and garage and shed, I bet more than 50% of what's in it hasn't been touched for 12 months+, I have too much "stuff": lathe more important than stuff, remove stuff.

 

[peterw3035]

As I start to empty my current shed/garage into a 10ft container it's surprising how easy it is to keep too much "stuff" particularly when you're a sentimental hoarder like myself

 

[Chris152]

Yes, my whole house needs some serious skip-filling to get sorted.
Happy to have it home!
Now i just need to turn something.

 

[--Tom--]

Nice

 

[Wildman]

best thought for a small shed is to build it bigger, ha ha

 

[peterw3035]

It's surprising how much stuff has a sentimental value when clearing out. It certainly encourages me to make better use of it all when it gets into its new home.