since i'm semi-poor(ish) my shop build is on hold..

i have back patio thats 12x25 that runs along the back of the house. i'm thinkin about building a more permanant roof over it with a ceiling fan and some lights.. throw some slats in the fence even though nobody lives behind me.

things that would suck:

semi distant neighbors could hear me late at night ~ 3-4 houses away.

theft, all little hand tools/portable tools would be locked up in my tuff shed at night. plus my dog barks if anything comes around..



thinking about a 220v plug for the welder, a steel bench with vice, a 80 gal compressor and maye a drill press that would all be mounted/bolted to the cement along the house..

being poor sucks.. anyone do this?

Some of the older car dealers in Phoenix have outdoor service departments :laughing:
Must really suck when the dust and wind invade their toolboxes :laughing:

I say go for it, sounds like it will give you somewhere to play with your project. Dave

I wouldnt consider mine an outdoor shop, I am able to put all my tools back inside, but the project sits outside 90% of the time. I did this at first cause it wouldnt fit in the garage, now there is just no space.
In the winter it usually doesnt get any progress, unless we get a few 50* days

I've considered that it would be nice to have a "porch" to the shop to do some of the dirtier tasks - or when it would be nice to have some more fresh air but still have a roof over my head.

It sounds like if this is the only option for you that you can make it work. As you say, the security thing is an issue. Plus not being able to just close all the doors and walk away without having to put everything away...

I've been working off my 12 x 17 carport for 8 yrs now.
I have a 8' work bench with a vise on one corner & shelf above.
I also have a homemade steel locker that I put all my power tools in when not in use.

It is tight & I spend alot of time rearranging to make room for the task @ hand.

well i have room for ~20x20 shop but it looks like it's gonna be put off a while now..

the thing that got me thinkin about it was the long beach airport it's pretty much a run way and a porch..

as long as i can keep it dry it wont be too bad. winters here have highs around 40* maybe 50 a few days a week and considering i came from salt lake where the highs are in the teens for months i think i can handle this..