Help in Designing an Unfinished workspace

Kyle Murphy

Member
Messages
129
Location
Tokyo, Japan
Dear All,

As I indicated in my introductory email I had a workshop up until 2007 when the building was torn down. On Thursday, November 11th, Veterans Day and one day after the all important, Marine Corps Birthday (I served '67-72) my wife and I closed on a second home up near Mt. Fuji (Lake Kawaguchi for those who are familiar with the Area.)

The house has a walk in Basement, completely unfinished. (I have attached pictures before the owner cleaned it out.) He is a mie daiku (fine carpentry for rebuilding temples) so, I think he built the house well. He never finished the basement because he got married and his wife did not like the area. So, he had to sell.

At any rate, I now have an almost 400 sq foot space (37sq m) with a 4 meter high ceiling. Right now, the door (256cm high X 273cm wide) iand the windows are not finished. I plan to put a shutter on the door and put the windows in. He has put wiring in (only 100v 50/60 cycle) This is shown in the pictures.

I want to do this right with a limited budget. Stu has suggested a wood floor and to paint the walls white. I am planning to prime them and paint white. The ceiling needs insulation and sound proofing. Suggestions? Other basic things I should do while it is still easy to do? Best wishes, Kyle
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Kyle I am glad you posted this and I am sure that you will get a lot of advice here. Once you get the pictures up we will all have a better idea of your space and what you have to work with, but we will need more info too.
For example what kind of woodworking are you planning to do?
What tools are you planning to have even if you do not acquire them right away?
I know from talking to you that you seem to be mainly interested in turning but that may not be your only need, I am sure that you will want/need to build some stuff for the new house. I also know about you bad knees, trust me you do not want anything but wooden floors and as it gets cold up there I would really look hard at radiant heating in the floors it really is wonderful.
Lots of lights on two or three circuits is also a great thing to have. Painting the walls and ceilings is also a really good idea, on those dark bleak gray winter days you will really benefit from this.

Can't wait to see the pics and hopefully in person on day soon :)

Cheers
 
Thanks Vaughn

Thanks Vaughn, You helped bring my blood pressure under control. I was getting so frustrated. Easy as pie with the software you suggested.

Thanks again.

Kyle
 
You're very welcome, Kyle. I spend a lot of hours on computers, so I know well how frustrating they can be.

Stu is the King of Small Shops, especially those with concrete walls, so I'm sure he'll have some more suggestions for you on yours. I agree with his suggestion for white paint, and wood floors are nice if they're in the budget. I've got concrete floors in my shop, so I rely on the interlocking 2' x 2' foam floor mats for cushioning in my main standing and traffic areas, much like Stu has in his.
 
Kyle I told you that tutorial that Vaughn wrote would set you straight :thumb:
Vaughn IIRC there is no floor in the space now only dirt. This is why I think a good wooden floor on piers with the proper vapor barrier and insulation, thick plywood and radiant heat would be the way to go. It would actually keep the whole house warmer.
Kyle besides the wood heat in your house what others source do you have?
Is it only electric or do you have LPG as well?
Cheers!
 
Kyle, congrats on your space. 400 sq ft in Tokyo? That's golden. I'll second the wood floor. It will reduce your fatigue and save any errant, gravity obeying tools. The heat and power concerns I cannot comment on as my native southern California 'sprawl' upbringing leaves me woefully unqualified to address your environment. That is a generous space and the planning sounds like fun. Enjoy the journey.
 
You should also be talking to Alex as he lives there and has a small shop too. Who's is bigger Stu? Your's or Alex's? Wish that I could be of some help but I am struggling with finding space in a 20x20 garage /shop. I couldn't imagine going smaller right now.
 
This house is not in Tokyo, it is up near Mt. Fuji.
Drew I think my shop is actually larger than Al's but I am underground. Al's shop has a grade level entry so he can, on a nice day open his garage door and expand his workshop a LOT. :D
 
BTW The Dungeon is 14' x 23' which is 322 sq feet, but again Kyle has me beat as he has 13' ceilings two windows AND a shutter to open at grade level again expanding his workshop greatly :thumb:
 
I agree with the wooden floors & if you can run electrical under the floor if your going to set tools like a table-saw out in the middle of the floor. Good insulation is important & plan for your heat source so you can wire or plumb for it in the beginning.

My shop is 13'5" x 24'5"=327.5 sq.ft.

I have found the we don't always us the area close to the ceiling & this makes a good place for a 24" wide shelf about a ft. or 2 down from the ceiling depending on the height of your ceiling. My ceiling is only 7'10" with the shelf 1' down from the ceiling. I have 2 8' shelves like this they store quite a few items up out of the way but easy get to.
 
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