I am looking for suggestions about designing my first small shop for work flow. I am thinking about using the trolley listed in the tools section of TFG website to move around the wood. I am wondering how big an area that I will need for storage of the wooden beams? Also how big of an area I would need for indoor work area? I have all of the power and hand tools to do the work. I want the use the tool shed in Jack Sobon's book as a learning project for myself. I will be looking for a space in April. Would someone be able to give me suggestions? Or tell me how you designed your first one man shop? Thanks, Eric

I have a 24x36 shop that has had 5 working together at times. I also have a 2 acre yard that helps a lot for longer stuff. If using a trolley, maybe you would want a flat entry from outside to inside so you can roll timbers into the shop. I think my main suggestion would be to keep the maximum percentage of floor area clear. You may well need to use the area under your shelves for timbers. And, it's a lot nicer working outside than in, IMO.

Outside in the shade, may I add.

Tim

clear span with a bridge crane.

along that line,
anybody have hoists in their shop? Are they necessary?

We have two heavy timbers, and a 18' hardwood pole(5-6" dia).
The pole sits across the two timbers..... wait a minute....



There, better than words I hope. We found a hoist neccessary last year to scribe some 25ft 6x live edge hemlock crucks.
The hardwood pole can be rolled with ropes that are looped around the end, and a come along can be hung anywhere in between the two beams.
Very effective, fast and cheap, but does not move timbers around like a bridge crane. Good for lifting, spinning, scribing, and hanging co-workers who are misbehaving by the short and curlies.

Doors at both end of the shop for a drive thru. Timber framing is mostly about material handling.

Mike

Amen on the material handling. If you have outdoor storage for timber, and you're a one-man shop, then you really don't need a space much larger than what you need to spread out a few timbers on horses. My first one-man shop was 12x24. That said, you can never have too much space in a shop! This is all assuming square rule. Whole different ball game if you're going to be scribing. Working outdoors is a joy, if a little impractical.

All good ideas here, so far. Our shop has many of these, except the outdoor storage. That's due mainly to our urban setting.

We have the overhead bridge with hoists, and drive-in loading dock (trucks can park under the bridge). But we're a 4-person shop, so we can justify the expense. CB.

It is about much ado about material handling…

Overhead cranes yes, are a requisite for a scribe shop, one framer can put in or remove most any piece into any layup without disturbing the layup or others making drops or connecting ticks…

But they make sense for any kind of timbershop. It is just the healthiest / safest and lowest cost labor-wise way to move big heavy stuff. They save both backs and budgets.

I’ve had the great fortune to travel for timberwork with some frequency for some years now, and work in and pass through a whole bunch of shops, and I’m always a little puzzled how infrequently I see shops fit out with bridge cranes ???

You don’t have to rent or luck into a dream space like Clark, (though I am envious) most any space can be fit out with a crane engineered to pick the heaviest average stick in any likely frame with a decent failsafe added. Clark what is the capacity of that monster ?

They simply make sense, and can be super simple -







This one swings full length sticks (30's & 40's) for every frame.

Oh man, I should have one of those! Is two ideal one on each side or will one down the middle do? Nothing wrong with dreaming.

Tim