I have been going through this tutorial and video class on Sketchup on Workshop Addict trying to get an idea on where to put a lift and cabinets.

I am just learning sketchup, so it is not that great yet, but this seems to be a great way to design something and get a feel for space and how things will look.

Are any of you guys into Sketchup?

 

No that is to new fangled for me, my shop layout is truck is able to be all the way inside and out of the elements with the roll up garage door closed. And still get in and out the walk in door, easy access to 30 ft worth of work bench.

Be able to have both doors open and move around it out turning sideways to get by either door edge, have room around the front end to roll a tool cart, pull fender and tires with no issues.

I have a 30Dx40L shop, with a 12x40 lean too on the back. An enclosed concreted 30DX20L bay with walk in and roll up door. It has a 30' long work bench down the far end with lots old house cabinets with the doors off (cheap set up that works) and shelves underneath and in a 10' work bench to ceiling shelves set up in the middle.

And a another 3x5 work bench, 4x3 welding table along the back wall, more shelves, all together 4 windows and a 10 ceiling to be easily heated.

Have a HD open corner place to mount your vice you can get anything into it.

220 60 gal air compressor is outside of shop in back of the middle bay 10x10 storage room and I soft line the air in to the shop. That compressor is a loud one, so keep that in mind.

3 stack roller TB with hand tools is on front wall, air tool cabinet is on other close to front of vehicle, I have to have wood working tools in there too in a separate place.

Open face shelves/cabinets make for a quick location of needed items, all POL (petroleum, oil, liquids) should be on a fire proof cabinets or all in one area.

Insulated walls/ceiling and finished with painted white plywood or (white color metal, more durable). But a piece of metal siding spark guard behind any chop saw that has a wood wall behind it.

Botton line, line the walls with work bench space, shelves below and above, leave the middle open for lift. Big base tools (drill press, lathe, hyd press, band saw, chop saw, incorporate along the sides and leave the middle open for vehicle and roll cart.

And have fun....it is YOUR new man cave. Maybe not what you were asking for, but I just got to typing, lol

 

I have mine fairly close to laid out. I need to get my stationary tools on site to finish. I will have plenty of work benches. I plan to run them down both sides with storage under them. They will be outfeed tables for many of my woodworking tools. The longest wall will have a arm saw in the middle so I can cut 16 ft material on both sides. I plan a 6x8 assembly table also. It will be on casters with clamp racks & storage under it. It's getting close. We will be painting next week Then the tools will be setup.

 

personally don't really like sketchup (I gues I was spoiled by Revit and solidworks), 3d is cool as can be, it just didn't have enough "tools" in the free version (I was trying to build a texas parasol on it BTW)

But, if your just doing a floor plan, then try out draftsight, its by dassault systems (solidworks) and is similar to autodesk autocad, but its free.

I started school for CAD, but ended up dropping out to get a job to do a custody battle. really cool stuff though.