New Setup

[tandcfox]

I have a lot of questions and I'm sure there are many posts like this so I'll dive right in. I am contemplating starting my own small shop at my home either a 4x4 table or a 4x8, I will primarily be making artsy stuff with thinner steel, maybe 1/8in but wouldn't mind the ability to cut a little thicker or cut aluminum. I have a 50x75 shop with 12 ft joists and it isn't insulated and doesn't have ventilation. I have 220 running to the shop and I will have water if it needs it. Also I live in northern Missouri so the summers are humid and 90 degrees and the winters are 10 degrees most of the time. If you need any more info I'd be happy to let you know.

So my questions are: 1. Would I just need to insulate the building? Or would I be better off sectioning off some of the building and heating/cooling it? 2. Do I need to run ventilation from the building to outside or is it a big enough space to just work in, or if I section some off could I just let it go back into the large portion of the building. 3. Used vs new? Are there a lot of advantages to buying a new table and plasma unit. 4. Any recommendations for quality, reasonably priced tables or plasma units are appreciated.

Thanks for all of your help this seems to be a great forum and I look forward to all of your input.

Travis

[Granite]

This isn't a permanent solution....but when I bought my machine it sat in an unheated shop, Pittsburgh area. The water in my table froze. A fish tank/aquarium heater was enough to keep the water above freezing for the remainder of the winter.

I didn't have ventilation either. The water table took care of most of it. But if you are running the machine a lot, you will know when its time for ventilation.

[JohnnyC]

i put a exhaust fan in my shop yesterday after hacking all evening after cutting all day