Shop Layout

How you layout your shop space is largely indicative of what your space actually is so these are more just rules of thumb.

Purchasing vs. Building

From an organizational standpoint, purchasing used racks, shelving, benches and the like is better in the long term. While building those things can be beneficial in the short term because it is immediate and can cost less initially. In the event you expand and need to upgrade, the thing you bought a long time ago is an asset you can now sell. If you built it the likelyhood that someone will want to buy some old 2x4s or customer welding is unlikely.

Volunteer Workstations

These are basic stations consisting of the most common tools and a work stand. The more of them you can fit, the better.

Master Mechanic Workstation

There is usually only one of these. Here you will have a complete set of tools including those that are expensive and easily damaged.

Cash Register

If you are dealing with money at the shop, you will want one. Depending on how your staffing works this should be located next to the Master Mechanics Workstation.

Wheel Storage

If you have overhead space -- use it! Hang wheels and tires from the ceiling using bicycle hooks. Use a adjustable high reach hook if necessary to get them down.

Bike Storage

You will have to deal with four types of bikes:

• Untouched Bikes: just donated
• Project Bikes: in progress
• Finished and/or Consignment Bikes: done
• Customer Bikes: the one they rolled in on

Having a logical seperate between these is important. This can be done by different colored tags, or different locations in the shop. Possible ways to store these bikes are:

• Bicycle display racks (aka Bicycle Display Fixtures)
• Bike Hooks

Part Storage

This can get crazy. Most likely you will end up with large bins of parts. You should provide a place nearby where customers / volunteers can rummage through the bins and not cause an inconvient mess.

Metal Recycling

If you don't have the ability (truck) or the volunteers to recycle the metal. An easy solution is placing an old dumpster labeled 'Free Scrap Metal' in both english and spanish outside of your shop. There are people that go around looking for scrap steel metal to recycle for money, it isn't that much so let them do it. Aluminum has a better rate, so you may want to do that yourself.

For liability reasons, make sure that there are no working parts in the dumpster. I know it is sad, but you can get sued if someone takes something out of your dumpster and gets hurt trying to use it. So all frames should be cut with a hack saw and all wheels should be taken apart.