Shed as shop

[bigarm]

My wood shop is small and pretty filled up.  I recently purchased a Grizzly 0766 lathe and while it fits I have been considering buying a premade wood shed to house just the lathe.  I would leave the other woodworking equipment in the current shop.  Has anyone used a shed for a shop?  Did you use it as is, put it on a foundation or concrete slab or something else?  The one I am considering is a 10 x 12 Old Hickory Shed.  Apparently they sell in 15 or so states.  

[wtnhighlander]

My wife's uncle has his entire shop in a 14'x14' shed, similar to what you describe. I believe he constructed it on site, though. It is on 8" treated pilings, with the floor joists starting about 16" above grade.

The only concern I would have with a pre-fab shed is the floor system. The units sold in my area usually have 2x6 or 2x8 joists, and require extra support to prevent sagging.

[toddclippinger]

Locally, if the sheds are pre-fab'ed they have a floor system but it is not much, just as wtnhighlander described.

They are intended to be delivered onto a level, flat piece of ground to offer full support under the shed. They just dump them off a tilting flat bed truck and drive out from under the shed, dropping it into place. 

The best thing to do is have some road mix or gravel delivered, leveled, and compacted to provide a flat surface. This will also create a drier area for the shed to sit on compared to sitting on the ground. Both the gravel and road mix will drain better than dirt. Road mix is sand and gravel which will compact super tight if you spray it with a bit of water when compacting.  

Otherwise, if you can pour a pad and build on top of that. The local services in my area that offer pre-fab sheds also will build on site. They go up fast and still are pretty economical since that is what they do all day, every day. I have had clients ask me to build sheds and I can't compete with the level of efficiency and volume pricing the shed builders get on materials. 

Julian Martinez II from 5x30 Woodworking works from a shed. 

 

[-MattK-]

check out Tim Yoder - youtube woodturner - he has a lathe in a shed.  A big one, too - he had a Stubby lathe and now he has a Robust.  I think he has shop tour videos on youtube.

Personally, I'd really want my lathe on a concrete slab - you need that solid support under it.

[treeslayer]

i built mine back in '89 bigarm, 10X12, wish i could have built bigger but thats all code would allow. i would add +1 to cement floor, much nicer and will last forever. also consider where your power will come from, do you have to put it in underground or overhead? and how much power will you need, 110 or 220? i have 110 in mine, comes in underground. i put motion lights on the outside and a small panel inside and ran a bunch of outlets, plus i put in a window in case i ever want to put in an air conditioner. and depending on where you live if its on bare ground you can put it just about anywhere on your lot, but if cement it probably has to meet some kind of city code