So, discussions with SWMBO have got to the point where she wants a consulting room to do private practice (she's a psychotherapist/counsellor) and that means converting the front section of the garage so she can have an external entrance and the back section would, if we go ahead, become a utility room with an entrance from the house.

I can't extend the garage back any more cos of the boiler house and also it would raise issues with neighbours on that side as it would cut out their light into their kitchen. So option has been mooted to build a new brick n block workshop at the back of the garden. This is ideal, it would be screened from the house by an existing laurel hedge and could be around 6.5 x 3.5m internal. With some careful planning I can get everything I need in there... including my 3 bikes. A rough floor plan is:

Click image for larger version.  Name: workshop.JPG  Views: 620  Size: 66.2 KB  ID: 6518

So, any thoughts on this layout, the construction of the workshop, etc.? Very early days yet... budget exists but isnt infinite, I reckon it can be done for about 3.5-4k if I'm clever with purchasing...

Secondly, that raises the issue of having to get rid of the old 'British' lathes and stick with my Warco as there won't be room for all of them, plus I can't see me ever getting round to finishing the refurb on any of them in the near future. Anyway there won't be room for anything much bigger.

And then that leads to the mill question... do I keep the Warco MD30 and CNC it as was planned but look at options to convert from a round column to a square column, effectively building something in the vertical using some heavy box section (concrete fill?) and big supported rails (has this been done before?). If I went that route I'd need to get the table dovetails remachined as they are not perpendicular at the mo by about 0.6mm in X across the Y travel. But then again the mill might need to go into storage while the garage is cleared so that might be a time to ship it somewhere and get the work done (and get it converted to ballscrews at the same time). Alternatively I sell it and by something else thats inherently more CNC-able or is already done... an X3 or similar...

Further thoughts appreciated...