Our current collection of "hobby" tools will take up a lot of space! Plus some of it requires 3 phase electric. The list includes a laser cutter capable of accepting a full 4 X 8 sheet of plywood, various resin casting equipment featuring a heated pressure chamber, 2 sinker EDM machines, a lathe, MIG welder, torch, Bridgeport, 2 CNC mills and 2 plastic injection machines. 1 manual and 1 automatic. Plus a 3D printer to test prototypes. No metal casting equipment though.
It is simply impossible to move this stuff easily. I would like to be getting more mileage out of it. The laser is currently in storage awaiting me finding space for it. There is also a 5 axis CNC mill on order my friend is buying. My CNC are only 3 axis.
The problem is the 3 of us all work other jobs and finding time to get the full potential out of this stuff is almost impossible. I am 3D printing another tooling fixture and later will be making some more test burns with the EDM, but the other stuff is just collecting rust.
I already had a round of talks with my local zoning officer and I am not allowed to hire employees. I am allowed a "no impact" home based business. Meaning me in the shop without people showing up to punch a clock every day. I have 2 neighbors within sight who operate construction companies and have all manner of trucks and equipment going in and out all day. But they are "grandfathered" in I guess.
And local taxes make finding another building simply too expensive. Damn tyrants!!!