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Your basement window is a southern exposure I believe...so lots of direct light. Frosted glass or a frosted covering on the inside of the glass would help to reduce the glare of direct sun and give a more diffused and IMO more pleasant lighting effect.

Another idea would be to cover the outside window well with a frosted plastic dome designed for such applications. This will also keep the local rugrats from falling in the window well!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

It's the details, isn't it Mario! Those are really great tips, that most wouldn't think of. The OSB thing is really a good idea.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Good stuff Mario and JJ - Thank You!

I was also concerned that the window will just sheath cold air in the winter and yes it has a southern exposure too so direct sunlight will be an all day issue and a moving target.....

When I first saw the thing from the outside I thought that it looked dangerous to kids too. Is this kind of window a good idea?

Hesh,

As for permits, get them. If something happens and you don't have them, it makes it much more likely your insurance company will try to get out from covering you. Also helps a LOT when the house gets sold. The inspection guy could make a big deal out of it if you don't.

Seriously consider a bathroom. Most of the cost will probably add to resale value.

I had two egress windows cut in when I finished off 900 sq ft of our basement. Local code here required some sort of barrier around the window wells, like a garden border, plants or a low fence.

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Hesh,
This is Brad (Certified Code Enforcement officer). My "day" job is as a buiding inspector.

Although the codes vary from state to state,the reason that size window is there is so that when you finish the basement you have a second means of egress.
In NY in an unfinished basement you do not need a second means of egress
By code in NY you need a window with a net opening size of 5 square feet(in the basement) from a "habitable" (finished)space-5.7 square feet from a bedroom.
If the codes are simmilar in your state,then the builder (by putting in the proper size window)
did a very nice thing for his prospective customer.
In NY there is no code that I know of that would reqire a guardrail around the window well-because it is not adjacent to a"walking surface".

There are plastic "domes" that are made to cover those window wells. Keeps critter/leaves/snakes/children out, lets light in.

I'm with Grumpy on the drywall. Same problem for me. Have to find a stud every time I want to hang something. Wish I'd have backed it up too.
Also, think about creating a clean assembly area, and wall off a separate area for your machines and messy stuff like routing. If you are going to leave any exposed concrete think about painting it with one of those two part garage floor paints. I did that in my shop. It was a big job but I'm really glad I did. looks like a great space! If you are putting up storage cabinets along a wall those prefab kitchen base cabinets you get at Home Depot are cheap and work great.
Terry

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Good idea! The dome would solve the problem.

Hesh you are certainly getting the full benefit of experience, knowledge and know how here. Since I know little about electrical I will refrain other than to look out for my own selfish interests when I visit. I like Pat's idea above about putting a washroom in complete with a shower, nothing worse than having to trudge up the stairs when you need to. As for my selfish self serving needs -- will there be any space for a small wine cellar?

Terry, you're obviously forgetting who we are talking about

I used OSB with 2 coats of zinssers sealer (the thick white stuff) for my walls. Like the others have said, you always seem to need a wall to hang something.

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Hesh, have you ordered your white carpet yet? Here is something you might like. It would give you additional dust collection, and now that you have space, you wouldn't have to install a major system if you go to a larger machine. It boasts 1,000CFM with a 5" hose, and you can move it to whatever machine you choose. http://www.oneida-air.com/portable.php

P.S. I love spending Hesh's money!

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Hesh,

On second thought, I think you should combine the shop and bathroom, like you used to have, and make the bathroom 20' x 30'

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

You'll definitely need a fridge down there Hesh.

Purely for the HHG of course.

Bob

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

Let there be light! And lots of it! (everyone else already hammered it into your head to overdo the number of electrical outlets, so I'll hammer on light.)

My basement looked very similar to yours. I am finishing the other half of my small basement as a shop right now. I ended up with about 11' x 20' for a shop after I took half the room and then walled off the utilities (sump pump, air exchange, furnace, hot water heater) into their own little room to help me gain control of the RH fluctuations. (The other half of the basement is an office/AV room with big closets that hide my treadmill and my daughter's toys. Oh, and a mini fridge.)

I am putting 12 can lights in the ceiling. The lights are in groups, so I can kill the lights where I'm not working (but the room is small enough that it will never be dangerously dark as long as any light is on.) Can lights mean that a board is less likely to take them out. I'm using all the same type and "color temperature" of compact fluorescent bulbs, for uniform, pleasant light as well as the ability to take progress photos that are easy to white balance. I found that for me, a color temperature of 4100K (also called "cool white") is similar enough to incandescent light without the blue overtones of the higher color temperature bulbs. I bought these: Compact Fluorescent - 23 Watt - Cool White 4100k - Energy Miser #FE-IIS-23W-41

In addition, there will be a couple of other lights over benches, and magnetic (LED) lights I can use on the bandsaw and drill press.

The dozen 23W compact fluorescents will draw less power than four 75W incandescent bulbs, and will give off four times more light lumens. They will also produce a lot less heat.

If they were not so darn expensive, I'd put the dimmable fluorescent bulbs in.

Have fun Hesh!

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

Just don't break one of those twisty fluorescents. You'll have to get a haz-mat team in the clean up the mercury.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Congrats, Hesh!

Here's my tips (from a guy who's now planning to re-wire his shop after running into these issues):

1) Put in lots of 220 circuits. Someday, you'll probably find you need a separate 220 circuit for each of the following:
a. Bandsaw.
b. Dust collector.
c. Tablesaw.
d. Maybe a planer and/or a jointer.
A 220v tool is a great thing. There's no comparison. The tools have all the power you need, and they don't start sluggishly or anything else. It's cheap to put the circuits in now, and a pain in the neck to do it later. Sooner or later, if you have the option, you'll upgrade your tools to 220.

2) Put in a separate subpanel to make it easy.

3) Put your lights on their own separate circuit.

4) You'll want at least a couple 110 circuits just for tools, so you can run a couple at the same time.

5) For your 110 tool circuits, put outlets EVERYWHERE. Outlets are cheap.

6) MOST IMPORTANT ADVICE: GIVE EACH SET OF OUTLETS ON A GIVEN CIRCUIT ITS OWN COLOR OF OUTLET COVER. For example, if you have three 110 circuits, and three or four outlets on each circuit, use blue outlet covers for all the outlets on one circuit, white for all the outlets on the second circuit, and almond for all the outlets on the third circuit. That way, if you need to run two 110 tools at once (like a dust collector and a thickness sander, until someday when you buy 220v models), you know which outlets are which circuits, and you can easily plug your tools into separate circuits to avoid blowing a breaker.

Good luck!

Hesh
Its looking to me as though youve had plenty of responses about the electrical portion of your post already -
I just wanna say ALRIGHT!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! I cant wait to see the shop you setup in there,,,,, where are you going to put the toilet and vanity???
LOL
Cheers
Charlie

A really smart move would be to put in one of those service elevator things you see built into sidewalks next to buildings like banks and such, to haul those heavy tools down into the basement shop. Just replace the bulkhead stairs with it.



Congrats on the house Hesh! Can't wait to see what you do with that shop.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

As John and others suggested a sub-panel would be the most economical way to wire this kind of space. Typically one would feed a 12 circuit panel with between 60 - 80 amps from you main panel. Only one cable would be required from the service and all but the main breaker would be in the space you are using. From this sub-panel you you can distribute circuits as needed. You would not be limited to 60 of 80 amps of total breakers. In my shop I feed a 3 hp shaper, 3 hp dust collector, 18" 2 hp band saw, and 3 hp Unisaw as well as lights, outlets and a heater/air conditioner. I rarely have more than two of the large items on at the same time and have had no problem with tripping breakers.

PS I have an Unlimited Electrical Contractors license in NC and FL.

Steve

Hesh
I was thinking about that window there, that you seem dis-satisfied with,
Mabye it would make sense to make an alternate entrance into your shop there? Like those old storm cellars or cold cellars that have the barn doors (on the ground or slightly elevated on a frame) that open to reveal a staircase leading down to the shop?
You could even replace the stair idea with a ramp so that large pieces of wood and heavy floor type tools could be more easily transported into your shop?
Cheers Hesh - Im sure its gonna be awesome!!!!
Charlie

Just be sure they finish the work BEFORE the booze flows!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, Hesh, congratulations on the home purchase! I can see Sony having the run of the place!

No advice on the buildout as it has all flowed out from the others. I loved the comment about saving up for the white carpet to warm your toes in while building......

Sounds like maybe an OLF meeting place there in the future?

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Steve Walden
Aspiring Builder,
Bartlesville, OK

I forgot to ask, Hesh. Will there be plenty of parking available in your yard. YARD! - now you're gonna have to cut grass too!

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Hesh, I only see one way out of your shop, the stairway. Not that you'll ever need it but is there an alternate way out in case of fire? Building codes vary but around here we need two ways out especially for living quarters. A window big enough for a person to safely fit through is acceptable.

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Greg
http://garibaldiinstruments.com/

Thanks guys!

Greg buddy that screwy looking window is called an "egress window" and has a steel ladder built into the window well. It also looks like a kid trap and the others have pointed out that I have better do something so that I don't have some kid get hurt in it.

Waddy bro I have to put in a lawn myself. I am stubbornly resisting everyone's advice to contract it out because I really want to spend some time in the sun and doing some hard work. I also always loved growing things so it should be fun getting dirty and healthy.

Absolutely, when I get the place in order we will have a meeting of the midwestern chapter of the OLF at my new digs.

Right now I am really impressed with Arnt's new shop and want to make mine very much like his only with the addition of an office for my computer, desk, and sofa. I always had a sofa in my offices and it's great for mid day naps.......

Many thanks everyone for your very valued ideas!!!!

Oh I forgot that I had a question.

I understand that I want to use pressure treated lumber for the wood that contacts the concrete floor. Where I want to lay out the shop is already carpeted and I actually want to use the carpet in my shop..... At least it is off white this time.....

Can I nail the pressure treated lumber right on top of the carpet or should I cut the carpet back under the wood?