Dan Nyberg has seen his share of shops and shop designs. And over time, he’s been involved in working with farmers on installations and upgrades. As sales trainer for Morton Buildings, he has insight into key areas for keeping your shop running smoothly.

He ran through design ideas in a recent video presentation during a session on Farm Progress 365. In his discussion, he shared insights on topics that might not always be top of mind when thinking about your shop. And he offered tips on lining up work in the shop.

“There are two main reasons for having a shop; the first is saving money on repairs,” Nyberg said. “The second is having equipment ready to go in these increasingly narrow seasonal windows.”

The well-designed and stocked farm shop helps keep machinery moving when you need it. But have you considered the shop itself?

“Check door rollers and make sure they’re easily operable and easy to operate,” he advised.

In addition, those big overhead doors have a lot of moving parts. Nyberg said oiling the rollers and tension springs will keep those doors opening easily.

In addition, check weather seals. “Given the lineal feet of overhead doors, there’s a huge potential for heat loss,” he said.

Beyond that overhead door, check seals on walk-through doors and windows to keep heating costs down.

Safety matters

“You want to think safety as item No. 1, and it has to be all through the shop,” Nyberg emphasized. He offered a list of key tools to have on hand and advice about a few of them:

Fire extinguishers. When was the last time you checked them? “You need to have a minimum of two and ensure that they are functional,” he noted, adding that fire extinguishers can be recharged at a fire service store, instead of buying new.

Face protection. For personal safety, Nyberg recommended a pair of safety glasses for each person working in the shop — along with some extra pairs when someone misplaces theirs.

Face shields are necessary, too. “If you’re doing some grinding, you’ll want a face shield. Those glasses won’t be enough,” he said.

First-aid kit. “That’s a piece of equipment you hope you never need,” Nyberg said, adding it’s still essential to have a kit in the shop. “When was the last time you checked it?” he asked.

Exhaust fan. If you’re running equipment in that closed shop, a working exhaust fan is necessary. Nyberg said they’re easy to install and just opening a window isn’t enough.

The location of the fan matters. “You don’t want that fan just above a window; the fan will just recirculate the air in place,” he said. “You want that fan on the opposite side of the shop from a window, so the air will wash across the shop and clear out that exhaust.”

For more tips from Nyberg, watch the video. From timing repairs to prepping for a new season, his experience in working with farmers and shop design has built a solid set of tips to check out.