Hypothetically, If I were to have access to a 1,000 sq ft. facility zoned for manufacturing. What equipment would I need to house for glassing and shaping boards?
Thanks,
Gnar
Hi gnarly, not an industry professional, just an observer, but will share some thoughts.
i would give consideration to setting up separate areas for storage, shaping, glassing, painting, polishing. Framing partition walls is pretty quick and easy for a contractor or carpenter, not hard to DIY either, but get a pro for the elec.
there are a lot of good threads on setting up a shaping room. Dust control and lighting are big concerns here, as well as in the glassing / sanding areas.
In a setting like that I would think ventilation of storage areas, and fire safety esp. of storage areas, would be important. Worse thing for fire dept is to arrive at a fire in an industrial setting with volatile chemicals
Barry Snyder has put up some good pics of his facility, very professional, browse around and check out some of his pics.
Hope you’re getting great deal on rent, overhead is a killer for most small businesses.
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First check local fire codes and chemical storage regulations. Some will be a lot stricter then others
Think about how you would lay out the factory sanding rooms need a good vacuum system. a ventilation system might be required Of course a good compressor would be required.
First off, you don’t say where you are at. That’s always important for a comprehensive reply, but I’ll give you my 2c… First you need to do what everybody else posted, but that’s not all that’s important. There are many ways to actually build the frame of the business but you need to ask yourself what you want to spend your time doing, glassing and making boards or hanging drywall? What you really need to consider is what equipment you need to have if you want to be successful and do this for a living. First off is make sure the electrical is up to par. You need a sub-panel and 220-240 if you are in the US. Second is a very large air compressor, upright model. You would be suprized at the demand a small to medium size shop needs. Ask around your area, and visit a few shops if you can. Buy the best you can afford. Don’t forget all the gear that goes along with it, like oil seperators, etc… Next you need a good dust extraction system, you would be suprized as how much dust you need to remove once you get busy!! There are small systems out there that are used in the woodworking world that work great for board shops. Next I would look at heating/cooling. If you are in an area with fluctuating temps (like here in Cali) you need both. Your temp in the glassing room is super important for a product that is the same day in and day out. In the tropics, you need to cool everyone & everything down! I shaped a few boards in Costa Rica at a shack that had no air cooling or flow and by the end of the day I almost passed out from dehydration, even though I pounded water… You will need a good computer system to keep track of product as orders come in and orders go out. A good phone system with an answering system is necessary. Did you just miss that glassing order that would keep everyone busy for a month? By the way, don’t forget the bathroom, fridge, and display area… LOL There’s a lot to be considered in setting up a business and that is what you are asking about. Under-capitalization is what sinks most small businesses today. Most of the shops I am aquainted with have been in the same spot for quite a while because of good planning before-hand. Those that are gone had either too little or too much. I was a plastics plant manager for 13 years and supervised the construction of two others (one out of country) so I have just a bit of experience. Just my 2c…
Its a lot more than you think… and as Surfteach said. what area you are in is key.
1000 sft is pretty small. Space fills up fast.
Certain municipalities will only let you have a certain amount of chemicals on hand. We were limited to 30 gallons of resin in our first shop.
What volume are you anticipating on doing?
You can build a factory anywhere… I went through the long and expensive process of challenging the zoning codes in New Jersey to be able to open The East Coast Surfboard Factory and manufacture surfboards and SUPs less than 1/4 mile from the ocean, next to a school. You gotta know what you’re doing and be 100% professional, and have money to lose…
~Brian