New Shop

I've just had a 26X36 metal shop built and I'm wondering how to best outfit the shop to start rebuilding some A's, B's, and C's. Nothing large. I rebuilt a 100 that belonged to my grandfather but it was not ideal. I didn't even have so much as a chain hoist. To the right of the 10X12 shop door I built a 15 foot workbench but I'm scratching my head on where to put metal shelving, peg boards, etc. What would be your primary consideration in outfitting a shop?

I would put in a good chain hoist on a geared trolley that runs on an "S" beam that runs the length of your shop. That way you pull your tractor under and can move all the heavy stuff out of the way safely. That would be my primary consideration.

Well, the list is long, but here are things I used the most. heavy bench vice, acetylene torch set, shop hoist (either cherry picker type or I beam trolley type as Tom posted), various size brass hammers and drift pins, engine stand, and last but not least, air compressor.

The list goes on and on. equipping a shop is a journey, NOT a one stop effort. I am still buying tools and have been for 40 years..........

On the layout, keep scratching because only you will know what works best for you. Plus, you'll end up completely rearranging it at least once in the next year or so.

Add a little at a time, as the need arises, rather than trying to anticipate ALL you needs up front.

Yes, the rearranging was what I've been trying to avoid. I've even considered putting my metal floor shelving on casters or dollies so I could just roll them around whereever I needed them. Thanks everyone for your comments.

Casters are the way to go. Make sure they are good quality and heavy duty.

I have a very similar shop...28x36. Double garage door on the 28 foot South wall. I had the garage door installed closer to the West side for arranging things and access from my alley. Along the East side, I have the walk in door, a 12 foot workbench with a vise, my rolling tool box, and a bead blast cabinet . I have pegboard over the workbench for storing various things. The North wall has some old kitchen uppers and lowers with a small countertop for storage. Also has the 110 wire feed welder cart, a drill press, the miscellaneous wood and iron pile, a rolling welding table and the engine stand and cherry picker in their stored positions. Along the whole West Wall and part of the North Wall I built hanging shelves from the ceiling down...three shelves about 18 inches to 2 feet between each one. Under them on the floor is storage for miscellaneous parts etc... in the SW corner by the electrical box is a kitchen stove and 220 welder. The SE corner has a refrigerator and TV and coat rack. Lots of open space to fit tractors like yours....I currently have an H, an A and a 200 in there with room to spare to work on other stuff...

If you want to make your head spin with ideas, go visit the forums at garagejournal.com

Randy

I built a 36 by 60 shop. It would be plenty big enough if I had a second building of that size just for parking tractors in.

(quoted from post at 05:42:55 09/04/14) I've just had a 26X36 metal shop built and I'm wondering how to best outfit the shop to start rebuilding some A's, B's, and C's. Nothing large. I rebuilt a 100 that belonged to my grandfather but it was not ideal. I didn't even have so much as a chain hoist. To the right of the 10X12 shop door I built a 15 foot workbench but I'm scratching my head on where to put metal shelving, peg boards, etc. What would be your primary consideration in outfitting a shop?

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I have thought of the idea of having a large sturdy workbench I could get to from 4 sides made from either steel or wood (heavy duty being the key). Then mount or weld a truck type reciever hitch socket to the bench and build mounting plates for various tools such as a bench grinder, vice, small drill press, tabletop extension, and you could make a mounting plate for various components of the tractors when rebuilding them such as the touch control unit. By doing this, you could have a place to mount different tools and be able to remove them to keep your area "clean" and maximize space. Something like this picture.....

I worked in an experimental fabrication area for 25 years, and the thing I miss the most here at home is a GOOD HEAVY DUTY drill press. Don't scrimp there if you don't already have one. Yeah, the mill and lathe I miss sometimes, but I miss the HD drill press most of all.

big vise, which also means your bench it's attached to must be
immensely strong and bolted to everything/everywhere.
When mounting your vice and bench grinder, leave enough room around it to do big, long things.

working on tractors, a overhead beam and trolley, or a gantry
will save you a lot of time.....and keep you alive...(failsafe sling when using jacks)
Even with a gantry, a cherry picker is needed too on some jobs.
You can't have too many floor jacks either.

I like multiple toolboxes rather than pegboards, because of moisture, dust, paint overspray, but that's up to you.

2 or 3 stage lighting. normal banks for puttering, another circuit for working, and/or another circuit for 'brighter than day' painting/etc light.

Oh, and most things you have to fix don't run.....
A winch to get them in there is handy. I don't have drive-thru doors, and didn't want to drill my concrete. So I set a post in concrete outside the back wall, made a hole in the wall for a cable. mounted a winch on wheels inside....drag em in.

I almost forgot. 8" (or larger) bench grinder. twisted knot wire wheel on one side, and a stone on the other. Don't leave home without it!

I added a 36' X 28' extension onto an earlier 28' X 60' enclosed building used for tractor and implement storage. The new extension being well insulted is heated and air conditioned so it is useable year around. I put in an explosion proof vent fan unit from Grainger for paint and flammable fume extraction to the outside. I used several individual metal storage shelf units from Lowe's with extra shelves along one wall for shop storage of supplies and parts along with my moveable tool storage chests. I have a good solid heavy steel worktable which can be moved around along with another smaller lighter weight table for laying tools out being used along with light assembly work. Both of these can be moved to the vicinity of the tractor being worked on. I also have an abundance of lighting and an air compressor for painting and air tools in the area. I have the other heavier floor and bench mounted tools in the larger building and use this extension building when repairing or restoration activities and for heated tractor storage during the winter. I have restored both a Super C and Farmall 240 in the new building now and found it very useable. I think you will find an engine hoist and good adjustable splitting stands suitable for the smaller size tractors you noted as adequate for your needs. Of course you will need some jacks, cribbing and adjustable stands as well for supporting and lifting various tractor components. An engine stand will be helpful if you do your own engine rebuilding.
Now for what is missing in my work area - a sink, bathroom and running water. Everything else including a refrigerator is available in the work area or the larger attached building. I can literally disappear to the building for the day except for potty breaks which require a trip to the house a hundred yards away. HTH, Hal.