SFA: What's the Answer?
New Building? Decisions, Decisions.
akgranite
It’s been awhile since I’ve thrown anything at you guys, so here it goes. ’m building a new shop this summer and looking for some of the worst mistakes that have been made, and the best ideas that anybody has experienced: Trench drains, sumps and pumps; fab area ,splash; storage.
I have a poor-boy water system and need to upgrade to a better or build a better . Last week we dug the hole ,and with ole-man winter only weeks away up here in Alaska I have a lot of work to do. Thanks for any input. Alec
Andy Ross Premium Member
I just installed a jib crane and I left 2" clearance between the floor and the ceiling. The person I had come in to install it (after hours) didn't realize it was that close to the ceiling and shimmed it up too far (his reasoning was to leave space under it for grout). It was hitting the lights. I fixed it, but it was a little bit of a pain. Andy Ross Rock Solid Surfaces Kalamazoo, Mich.
Miles
Give yourself as much height as you can. Build it bigger than you think you need. Plan it around overhead cranes. Plan out your water situation, because it looks like water disposal could be an issue for you. Give free countertops to those people across the street or at least make really good friends with them. They can make your life hell. Our biggest mistake(s) has always been underestimating the space we need. We just bought a new building and rented out 25% of it. We are using the rest of it for a slab warehouse and are out of space already. When we bought our fab shop, we thought it would last us forever and we outgrew it in a year. It's a lot cheaper to overbuild on the front end, IMO.
bryce Premium Member
If i was building a new shop my first priority would be having a bridge crane that spanned the whole area (preferably one big enough to move machinery around if needed). New Era Tile & Stoneworks
Ken Lago Premium Member
If I were to build I would use jib cranes. Because I rent my space and wasn't allowed cutting the floor, I went with overhead cranes instead. Jib IMO is the way to go
akgranite
It's all good info. The shop is 7000 ft²and what I’m in now is 2300 ft² with a Yukon, Pro-Edge and a Wizard. With the increase in size it will end all the bottleneck problems I have now. I build 1-3 kitchens a week. The height of the fab area is 16'; the 2 jib cranes I have now are 14', so plenty of room for the low-profile LED lighting and shop doors we are using. I will keep you posted as it progresses.
Ken Lago Premium Member
Self-cleaning pits would be wise to install. Ken Lago
Steve A
Can you elaborate on that?
Ken Lago Premium Member
Guys its sooo simple its amazing. Most people haven't figured it out yet. On the SFA trip to Italy we were treated very well by our hosts and got to see how things are done elsewhere in the world, and that includes water-reclamation systems The Italians have better solutions and systems than the American counterparts; after all they have been there and done that before we were born. Any SFA member who wish to talk about this may feel free to ask me in the members lounge.
TedR
it is simple. Just use the exhaust from your diaphragm pumps to aerate the pit. Works great.
QuartzworX Premium Member
If you are going to use the jib cranes in the new shop, figure out where you are going to place them beforehand, and dig out footings for it before you pour your floor slab. Darin
Todd Luster Administrator
I would figure out any clearances needed overhead then bring my jib foundation out of floor to maximize the height of them as much as possible. This has also helped protect our crane bases.