Hello all, long time reader and fan. I've been working in the industry for 7 years now. Started out as a general machinist after trade school at a large company, left to work for a job shop for 5 years, and currently a lathe supervisor at a production shop. I am looking to start a part time side business I can do in the evenings. Job shopping and small production runs would be the model of the business. Lots of agriculture, auto, industrial work in the area. This is something I've been thinking about for 4 years but have been busy with life. I'm now married with a kiddo on the way in our own home. Ideally I'd like to build a pole barn, but the way our property is, it would be very small and expensive to build (lots of hills). Family friend has a garage and offered to rent it out. Has oil/coolant drainage, 3 phase power (would need wiring hookups), bathroom, and small office. As a family friend he offered to let me use it for storage as I gather equipment at $200 a month, once I'm up and running, $1500. I will have pictures below. The end goal is to start a full-time business that will support my family eventually. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading!
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Starting a small shop
- Thread starter DavisMT
- Start date
- Replies 90
- Views 6,546
john.k
Diamond
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2012
- Location
- Brisbane Qld Australia
Simple......get your own place x1000.............you will end up in a dilly of a pickle when you fill the space ,and then you have to get out on 7 days notice,while trying to keep your day job.
EmGo
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2018
- Location
- Over the River and Through the Woods
$1500 a month ? For a two-car garage ? Either I am way out of touch or with friends like that, who needs enemies ?
alek95
Aluminum
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2022
1500 would be a heck of a deal in most parts of California.
Really all depends on the location.
@OP: Seems like a good place to start off at but probably will need to change locations once you get a bit established.
Ox
Diamond
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2002
- Location
- West Unity, Ohio
What on Earth is "oil/coolant drainage"? 
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Think Snow Eh!
Ox
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Think Snow Eh!
Ox
Comes out to 11.25 per square foot annually, pretty reasonable for the area imo. That's only after I've been in business for a bit as well.
Haha it has a drain the length of the shop that I can dump coolant into as it all goes into a collection reservoir at the end of the building the rest of the motor oil and such goes into. This is a auto mechanics shop for the rest of the building, sorry if I didn't mention thatWhat on Earth is "oil/coolant drainage"?
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Think Snow Eh!
Ox
EmGo
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2018
- Location
- Over the River and Through the Woods
So now it's a commercial building, probably in a business district, not a two-car garage at someone's house. Okay. Slightly different animal ....
alek95
Aluminum
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2022
If you look at the photos attached, it is quite clear that its a light industrial/commercial space, not anyone's house.
EmGo
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2018
- Location
- Over the River and Through the Woods
Ja, I was just looking at the thumbnails and reading his description. One more step to take ! Sorry, op ! Your friend is lovely
Bill D
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2004
- Location
- Modesto, CA USA
The cost seems high for Gieune Bassu. might be okay in some parts of Europe and USA.
Bill D
Bill D
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2004
- Location
- Modesto, CA USA
Saw you signature and I have to say that I know nothing about rents in Malta.
Bill D
Bill D
Build on your own property if at all possible.
1. It's up to your friend when to charge rent, that may be as soon as you gross $1,500 a month. Then you're working for nothing.
2. Flexibility with a family. You can walk out a 9:30pm and throw another bar in the lathe to run some of the night, or early on a Saturday morning.
Side note- you may not be able to mix coolant and motor oil, I know our local disposal guys wouldn't be happy with that.
1. It's up to your friend when to charge rent, that may be as soon as you gross $1,500 a month. Then you're working for nothing.
2. Flexibility with a family. You can walk out a 9:30pm and throw another bar in the lathe to run some of the night, or early on a Saturday morning.
Side note- you may not be able to mix coolant and motor oil, I know our local disposal guys wouldn't be happy with that.
MwTech Inc
Titanium
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2005
- Location
- Fishersville VA
Floor drain for oil collection???? You're kidding right??
That was there to wash the floor and probably dumps into a dry well....
It is not there to dump raw oils, coolant or antifreeze into.........
That was there to wash the floor and probably dumps into a dry well....
It is not there to dump raw oils, coolant or antifreeze into.........
EmGo
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2018
- Location
- Over the River and Through the Woods
I'm going to second this ... if it works out and the shop supports you until Old Age Like Us, when you quit if you've rented you've got nothing. A closing machine shop isn't worth squat.
If you used the money to buy the building, you've got a retirement fund.
Everyone I know who bought the building, when they went to quit, they were okay. The renters had maybe a hundred bucks after the auctioneer was finished, whoopee.
You're not thinking that way now but later on you will.
EmGo
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2018
- Location
- Over the River and Through the Woods
Luxury ! But while we're giving advice, I'll toss in another one : find a specialty that not many people do. Gears, cams, thread grinding, tiny, oddball, something that's out of the ordinary. Otherwise you're just running in the middle of the pack, working your ass off to stay in one place.
BT Fabrication
Stainless
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2019
- Location
- Ontario Canada
you arent purposely supposed to dump coolant and oils in a floor drain......... still supposed to collect it, they all just go to the regular sewers still, some have a small trap for oil seperation, but only enough if its a couple drops on the surface and not gallons of it......
