bldg a shop

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Hey guys, I have a concrete slab in the yard appox 8x12 I'm going to build a shop for myself.  Of course I wanted the gorgeous prefab Amish bldgs that start around $1600 Hubby says, "No, weld one" so, my question is what size sq tubing should I use for the posts? We are going to pour concrete & secure them.  I say 2-3 in. but he thinks 1.25 is plenty.  I want 6 posts, 3/4 of the bldg will be inclosed then the other 1/3 will just have an over hang.  We moved to NC successfully and have been busy renovating a home from the 40's.  I am going to open my Hobby Shop in Oct.  I had no idea how much work or how stressful this process was going to be.  Great thing is I moved to an area that has Harbor Freight stores.  I also lucked out on having a large locally owned Steel Supply literally across the hwy from me.  I'm going to go check out their drop yard and order my metal next week.  In my shop/store I will do custom welding (art as the old timers call it) stained glass, beaded jewelry, knitting, scrapbooking, have a play room available for tots.  Also going to serve coffe & lattes.  I'm trying to get local artists to let me display and sell their work.  Next month I'm taking some pottery classes and hopefully will network with that group.  This all grew from I graduated school, bought a welder and wanted a portion of the garage to call my own.....Laura MM 180Chop SawDewalt grinderhelpful husband
Reply:You're going to do all that in a 3/4 or 2/3 enclosed 8X12 building ?? I must be doing something wrong because a 24X24X8 is too small for my stuff and still be able to do more than 1 project at a time.Good Luck !! Sounds like you landed in a good spot, keep us informed.Anything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT
Reply:Depending on how tall you go, IMO, 3" or 4" 1/4 wall square tube would be plenty stout. I used beams on mine, but then I went up 16' at the low point. Attached Images
Reply:I guess it's kinda better then a shed but not a real "shop" design.  I keep telling him I need to go to 3 in sq but he insists that once I make the rectangle frame to include all of the support bars we'll put the walls and roof up and it will be soooo sturdy and strong.  I planned on going 8 ft high.  I made him the workbence in my post pix and he thinks I should use that 1.25 for everything.  We are going back and forth.  Guy at steel place said same as me 2 or 3 in would be fine.  I really need a place to weld that is out of the wind, it's very breezy here.  Plus a place to lock up my stuff.  There is no garage on this lot we just bought.Last edited by pinklilly11; 09-16-2007 at 01:17 AM.Laura MM 180Chop SawDewalt grinderhelpful husband
Reply:Originally Posted by olddadYou're going to do all that in a 3/4 or 2/3 enclosed 8X12 building ?? I must be doing something wrong because a 24X24X8 is too small for my stuff and still be able to do more than 1 project at a time.Good Luck !! Sounds like you landed in a good spot, keep us informed.
Reply:This is very interesting pinklilly, I need to replace my little Arrow brand 10' x 9' metal welding shed. Those things are really flimsy. They don't really have a frame at all. The siding IS the frame. Do you have a set of plans that you're working to or are you making it up as you go along? There are lots of plans around for wooden sheds but, I've never seen any for metal ones.Dave
Reply:It all depends on how you plan to build it.  I build small buildings like that all the time.  For a building that size I would use no more than 2x3x1/8 and probably 2x2x1/8 galvanized with 26ga metal siding, but as I stated it all depends on the design you plan on going with.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:Pinklilly11,I just looked at an advertisement for "Versatube" metal building kits, in the Sunday paper.Looks like just what you're after, at a hard to beat price.
Reply:I need to check those bldgs out.  One of my guys told me to get the metal carport things and build around that.  We were planning on using wood for the walls, but now that I think more about it is that a bad idea? It needs to be fairly strong since we do live in a hurrican region.  I hate to have the bldg knocked down in a bad storm, all my stuff lost and I promise it would only happen when he's gone to Iraq.  That's the way it always goes.  I'm not going off of plans.  Just a design we came up with.  (when I say we, I mean he )Laura MM 180Chop SawDewalt grinderhelpful husband
Reply:The carport idea is not a bad one.  The standard ones are 18'x21'  That would let you wall up your slab portion and have some shelter around the sides for storage etc.  Some of those manufactures can build one of those to your deminsions also if you just are set on the 8x12.  I just caution you to keep in mind that 8'x12' is not very big.  Once the wall is up, and your tools are inside then you might find you won't have room to move around. especially if you are working longer sections of material.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:You can get those car port packages with walls and doors. Part closed off and part just a roof no problem they have them all. Even windows and overhead doors. Can't hardly buy materials for the price that they will assemble it on your slab. Get the basic package you like and do the lighting, insulation or whatever yourself.
Reply:Another option would be to make the whole building out of wood and then use steel liner panels like Don (DDA52), put in his shop. It would be fairly easy to insulate too. This is what I have been planning on doing.Dave
Reply:Originally Posted by pinklilly11 It needs to be fairly strong since we do live in a hurricane region.  I hate to have the bldg knocked down in a bad storm, all my stuff lost and I promise it would only happen when he's gone to Iraq.  That's the way it always goes.
Reply:Thanks everyone, Do those of you that live near National Welders Supply find they kinda blow you off? I don't know if they don't take me seriously or treat everyone like this.  I called the guy in at one place to get gas, he told me he won't deliver to me but does to the steel co across the road, he told me to call another guy in the next town, I called him and he said to call this other guy, so I called the final guy and he can't give me gas cause he gets it from the 2nd guy and they won't deliver Monday.  So, I drove to the 2nd place and he finally gave me some gas.  Says he might deliver to me or I can pick it up at the 2nd place.  NWS has shut down almost all of the local guys.I think I got some good stuff at the drop yard today.  They're scrap is bigger then our supplier in Ga.  It's so cool.Laura MM 180Chop SawDewalt grinderhelpful husband
Reply:Laura MM 180Chop SawDewalt grinderhelpful husband
Reply:what part of nc do you live in? i live in hamptonville about 30 miles west of winston-salem. maybe i can give you numbers for local suppliers if you live nearby.
Reply:I'm in tiny little Hollyridge just between Hampstead and Jacksoville.Laura MM 180Chop SawDewalt grinderhelpful husband
Reply:Why not just frame it with wood if you are going to side it with wood?Me!