Posted by Dan Sawatzky on May 02, 2003
D. BernhardtAs Jay mentioned below we are going to build a new shop/studio very soon. It will be another dream come true for Janis & I.
It's kind of funny really, but after almost 15 years in the heavy construction end of the sign industry I'll finally be getting a proper shop. In 30 years of being in business and having a crew of over 20 folks at times we have never had a shop bigger than our two car garage. For the last three years I've only had a single carport of our rental house. Most of the bigger work was done on our customer's sites.
It's not that I've not always wanted a shop... just that other priorities were more important and pressing.
The timing and opportunity have finally coincided it seems. We are in the process of purchasing 1.5 acres in a quiet farming community near here. A 1500 square foot shop and 700 square foot studio will give us ample room to continue our work in style at long last.
It will all have a funky theme of course... sort of a European/slightly cartoon feel... think of Beauty & the beast kind of look. Heavy timber and stone... somewhat aged and bent. Around the grounds will be our very own operating grand scale railroad. Its gonna be fun and a work from the heart.
There is a very old farmhouse on the property now which will give way to a new house with the same themed look over the next few years.
It should be a fun project that will keep me out of trouble for some time to come.
And once the new studio/shop is set up we hope to host a little informal and fun get-together for our letterhead friends. We'd combine it with a golf tournament at Giggle Ridge of course (our very own adventure golf nearby) It will be the first ever "Letterhead Challenge" - a combination of two cool things I'm passionate about.
www.giggleridge.com
www.imaginationcorporation.ca
-dan
Dan Sawatzky - Small Area???:-)Congrats Dan....am trying to do the same thing right now....am having a devil of a time finding the right lot though. What i can,t figger out is how you manage in that small area...i mostly alone need-want what your dream shop will be!
RoderickThe new shop I describe above will be the largest space I have worked in.
We looked for almost 8 months to find this perfect place, and in fact bought it from a friend before it hit the market. Got a good deal too I believe.
While I used to have a very large crew (up to 22 folks) we have downsized a great deal since then. When designing I work alone, and the 700 square foot studio is going to be heaven after being stuck in what I affectionately call my dungeon for the last 3 years. I miss the windows in the house basement where I am presently. And its a LOT smaller than that.
The 1500 sq ft shop should work out fine for the crew I anticipate of up to 5 folks at busy times. But most of the time it will be home to myself & a helper, maybe two at most. We will also have a large paved work and storage area just outside the shop for when the weather is nice or to push finished prefabbed pieces and get them out of the way. There's room to store out three trailers and a huge boneyard out back.
And I have lots of modular shelving to organize things. A 14' ceiling will alow us to go vertical with these units.
The whole idea of having a shop is to spread out the work over longer periods and as a result keep a smaller crew busy full time instead of spiking it with a whole bunch of employees for short durations.
The new shop will be heaven after operating out of the carport garden shed and storage trailer I currently have!
-dan
Congratulation on the shop project. Justkeep in mind you will fill any space you have so... make sure you make it tall enough too put a full size loft in at some point . It's a wonderful thing and the scale works very well.
Roderick
Doug again
Dan Sawatzkt - Never big enough!Hi again Rod and Dan, I,m mostly into carved wood and the shop needs to reflect that in the wood working requirments. A table saw may be a small item but the darn thing needs at least 12ft. in front and behind...not to mention a 16ft. work table...paint cabinets...spray booth...dirty area...sheesh....come to think of it...i,ll need 3000 ;=)BUT...i can imagine how thrilled you must be to finally arrive!! A friend also adviced me to over build size wise...it,s alot cheaper now than later.
D. BernhardtI have no doubt that once I'm moved in I'll wish the shop was bigger. Like you say there is no such thing as too big... only too small.
But there is a limit to everything and budget is ine of them.
I have all kinds of tools, table saw, lathe, jointer, bandsaw, three welders, benders, and tons of hand tools and benches.
I do plan to mount wheels on some of the ones that aren't aready that way. This allows me to 'work' and create a mess in the center of the shop while storing things around the edges.
I have two 12 doors planned into the design across from each other in the center of the shop. A greenhouse is lined up on one of them allowing me to expand out that way if I need to.
If things are just too small in the future I can always move the greenhouse and expand out that way with a new wing... thank goodness for acreage!
I already see the need for a second builfing nearby to store the ride'm lawn mower, parade float & my hot rod.
There's never enough room. But a spanking new shop with a 14 foot ceiling is gonna be real nice compared with what I've survived with up to now!
-dan
Okay...confession here...last fall moved from a rented space i,d been in for about 13years (1800sq ft)to a very very small spot (about as you described..maybe less) and it,s making me crazy. It,s in a small town near the big city Ottawa and was part of a plan to live a little differently. Slower and cheaper. Have as you been wanting to build my own and now can at least financially manage this...prob is finding the right lot. Am looking for something to eventually live near as well. Have the dream spot in mind too. A little creek or krik depending where you,re from loft upstairs that over looks the bulk os shop. Wood floors up there and radiant floor heating down. Bank of windows for one wall and looks out on trees and Krik! No wonder I can,t find the lot!!! although there was one just like it sold before i got there. Got fingers crossed and are for you also. Keep us posted as to progress and might be great to post progressive photos!
Good luck !
Denver Chapter of the Letterheads