Energy Efficient Timber Frame Wood Turning Shop (built in 2011)

The following photos and brief descriptions show my wood shop construction and equipment. The building has a partial timber frame design with structural insulated panels (SIPs) to give great insulation. The largest expense was the in-floor (off peak) heat system, which required an enormous sand/concrete thermal storage mass and a lot of excavation. The in-floor heat is wonderful. My previous work space was a corner of a garage with a nearby wood stove. The floor was freezing and icy in the Minnesota winter but the air was hot. The space was shared with vehicles. I want to thank my neighbors and friends for helping with this project. You will see many of them in the photos. The finished building and some of its contents are shown first.  It is 20'x26' with a small utility room attached to the back. The utility room contains the electrical panels and a 60 Gal compressor. Please contact me if you have comments or questions.

​

There were two main motivations to build a timber frame style shop. First and foremost was that I met a young builder, Peter Jansen, whose love of timber frame construction got me motivated to consider the project.  His enthusiasm, obvious skill, and willingness to undertake the project at a reasonable cost was all I needed. I also had started teaching classes Turning Artistic Bark Edged Bowls and I needed a better space. I now have three variable speed lathes so the classes will be a much better experience for the students. The shop also has a small show room for my bowls. I have also installed a good dust collection system which will also help in the sanding process.