Dream farm shop offers easy access, open space

Jan 25, 2024

Street Fighter 6 World Tour Mode review: how does it stack up as an RPG?

Oct 31, 2023

Revolutionising Manufacturing: How IoT and AI are Driving Industry 4.0

May 14, 2023

Montana Tech Prof on Need to Ramp Up Rare Earth in US

Jun 07, 2023

NOTED: Supply Chain Highlights

Sep 26, 2023

3 Ways to Increase Your Warehouse Efficiency

Send your inquiry

SUBMIT

May 13, 2023

Dream farm shop offers easy access, open space

Slideshow: Almost everything in this functional farm shop can move. March 27,

Slideshow: Almost everything in this functional farm shop can move.

March 27, 2023

What features do you value most in a farm shop? If you can answer that single question, you can build an efficient, affordable farm shop that makes your days easier and less stressful.

"We wanted enough room to get more than one big piece of equipment in at once, and we wanted a shop big enough to unfold our planter," Troy Furrer says. "You may work on something and find the part you need is a week out. If the machine can't be moved, that space is committed. You need enough space to work around it."

Troy farms with his dad, Don, and son, Josh, near Wolcott, Ind. In 2021, they built a new 100-by-150-foot farm shop to replace the 40-by-80-foot shop that served them for years.

"My big thing is being able to move stuff around, so we don't have to drag things to the shop tool, or we don't have to drag the shop tool to the repair job," Josh says. "Put everything you can on wheels or casters. We’ve got toolboxes, even a big, heavy welding table on casters. Mobility is a big deal to me."

When it's time to get the planter tuned up or the combine ready, the Furrers pull the machine into the shop. Then, using a forklift, they move a parts rack with whichever parts they need out of the loft that sits over the gathering area at the front of the shop.

"They’re stand-alone parts racks, like at implement dealerships," Troy explains. "The big thing is that they’re on wheels. We simply roll them over to the planter or combine, and we’ve got most of the parts we’re going to need next to the machine."

They keep the mobile parts racks equipped with parts they need most often for routine maintenance and repairs.

"Once we’re done, we put them back in the loft," Troy says. "We just store them next to the other parts racks until we need them again."

If they can't put something on wheels, they figure out another way to get it close to where they will use it, Troy says. For example, for compressed air, there are reels with air line hoses coiled onto them at strategic locations round the shop. Lines run underneath the floor. They’re accessible inside small, enclosed areas by designated support beams.

Electrical outlets are also easily accessible at various locations around the building.

Walls are 20 feet tall on the sides, with 28-foot clearance in the middle. If they need access to areas higher than they can reach, they move a mobile lift into place. They bought a used lift, and it's already proven to be handy.

"Nearly everything in the building was used or repurposed," Troy says. "Some of it we had; other things we picked up from other people or at sales. Even the stairway sections came from another farmer who built a shop and had sections left over. All we had to do was install them."

A two-story 30-by-70-foot area on one end of the building serves as a meeting space, kitchen and gathering spot for family and church functions.

"We didn't really need an office because my wife keeps our books, and it is beneficial for her to have that at home," Troy explains. "What we needed most was an area to gather as a family for celebrations and parties. Our family is large, and we didn't have a good area to meet. We also make it available for church events."

The Furrers also needed a conference room to meet with suppliers and others, Troy adds. They turned a portion of the upper loft into a conference room with a window overlooking the shop.

While Josh made sure toolboxes were on wheels, he also wanted a quality, well-equipped workbench near the front of the shop. When installing it, they used half-inch stainless steel DuraPlate panels for the walls above it.

"It has a mirror-like effect," Troy says. "You can see what's going on behind you without turning around while working on something."

Coverings for the small enclosures at the columns where air is located are also DuraPlate, but quarter-inch and made of aluminum and metal. "It's extremely hard and durable," Troy says.

In-floor heat keeps the shop warm, he says. They had in-floor heat in the previous shop and other buildings. "It's a warm, dry, comfortable heat and very efficient," Troy says.

They don't have air conditioning, but one central fan near the shop ceiling helps circulate air.

"It's one reason we went with a steel-frame building," he adds. "Costs were similar, and we knew that fan would need lots of support. The other big reason was clearance. We wanted as much open space all around as possible."

Blog

Dream farm shop offers easy access, open space