15 business ideas for mini workshops and home production

What products can you create or repair with your own hands, working at home or in the garage? In this collection we will continue the topic of business in the format of mini-workshops.

The events of recent years, taking into account self-isolation due to coronavirus and the trend towards remote work, have made many people think about looking for ideas for making money from home or in the country. In your comfort zone, you can work alone not only with a laptop in your hands, but also, in fact, with your own hands, for example, by organizing a mini-workshop for repairing something or a small production area in the garage or in a spare room. Previously, the portal already published a selection of mini-productions at home, but now we will continue the topic.

Workshop of gingerbread boards and figured rolling pins

In recent years, such a household item as a rolling pin has changed significantly. On Instagram you can find hundreds of examples of so-called shaped rolling pins - with floral patterns, cat patterns or even images from Star Wars. You can create such rolling pins using a CNC machine, by gluing sawn plywood onto a wooden cylinder, or by modeling and printing the pattern on a mold using a 3D printer. You don’t have to limit yourself to rolling pins—the assortment can include gingerbread boards with unusual gingerbread molds.

photos of works from Instagram page @lubimova_com

Ventilation installation

Ventilation in the workshop can be built into the wall or roof.

1. To install supply or exhaust ventilation, it is enough to install a fan. Ventilation system in the wall - having selected a wall for the fan, place it against it and outline it with a pencil. Then drill through the opening and make a couple more of the same openings along the outline line. Afterwards, hollow out a hole on the wall to the middle, both outside and inside. Insert the pipe into the resulting opening and cut off the excess length. Then use the rear flange to mount the fan into the pipe and mark the openings on the wall for the flange. Then drill them, install plugs there and secure the fan with screws. Make a hole for the protective pipe and wire, connect the wire to the fan. All that's left to do is put a cover on the fan, plaster the groove and attach the damper. The cable can be connected either to a power outlet or to a junction box.
2. To install supply and exhaust ventilation, it will be necessary to install an entire system. The main element is a monoblock installation . It is installed either in a specially designated ventilation room inside a house or workshop, or from the outside, mainly on the roof. Fastening is via special lugs on the monoblock body. Air supply from and to the building is provided through air ducts, which are located under the ceiling of the premises; the path for the air duct is selected depending on the installation of the air supply and exhaust points. To do this, windows are cut into the walls, similar to those described above, for laying the air duct. Attach the air duct to the ceiling using punched tape. To ensure multi-precision supply of fresh air, air distributors that branch the air channel; air the air duct; for this, a hole of the required size is cut out in the air duct with a knife or grinder and the grill is glued to the sealant.

Of course, describing the installation of ventilation is easier than installing it, so you will need a qualified specialist to help, especially if you have to work with glass.

Handmade watch

Many popular and quite budget ideas can be found using hashtags on social networks related to the manufacture of handmade watches. Some works are real works of art, but there are simpler examples that you can create yourself without much effort. To get your imagination going, you can simply search for watch blanks on the Internet or do-it-yourself watch kits from China. Another option is to take a closer look at the surrounding natural materials and household items. Perhaps you will see unusual hands in a grapevine, or the basis for a future dial in an old children's plate. Social networks like Instagram are perfect for presenting finished products; in the future, you can also launch an online watch store.

photo of work from Instagram @kodzu_art

Calculation of ventilation air volume and channel cross-section

The vast majority of motorists do not bother with calculations - they studied the diagrams on the Internet, watched a video and installed air ducts from Ø100 mm in-house sewerage pipes. If you want to delve deeper and calculate the parameters of a garage ventilation system, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the requirements of regulatory documents:

1. Air exchange inside the boxes is regulated by the regional document MGSN 5.01-01 “Parking areas for passenger cars.” Paragraph 3.17 states: the minimum air flow rate for 1 car is assumed to be 150 m³/h, or a double renewal of the air environment is provided.
2. Departmental standards VSN 01-89 put forward the following requirement for inspection pits: the exhaust ratio from the ditch must be 10.
3. Air exchange standards for storing vegetables are prescribed in clause 8. 1. 4 of document NTP-APK 1.10.12.001-02. The volume of inflow and exhaust is 3.5 m³/h for every 100 kg of potatoes and 7.5 m³/h per 100 kg of other vegetables.

Reference. The air exchange rate shows how many times within 1 hour the influx renews the air environment in the volume of the box.

The progress of the calculations is easiest to show using the example of the garage shown above in the drawings. We preliminarily determine the internal volume of the room - 95 m³, ditch (6.6 m³) and cellar (12 m³). Further calculation is performed as follows:

1. According to MGSN 5.01-01, we multiply the volume of the box by a factor of 2, we obtain an air flow of 95 x 2 = 190 m³/h. The figure meets the minimum requirement for 1 machine 150 m³/h.
2. The exchange rate in the pit is assumed to be 10, the amount of air is 6.6 x 10 = 66 m³/h.
3. Suppose 400 kg of potatoes and 200 kg of other vegetables are stored in the basement. We calculate the ventilation air flow: 3.5 x 4 + 7.5 x 2 = 29 m³/h.

Comment. A tenfold exchange in the ditch must be laid when constantly carrying out repair work from below the car (as in a car service center). Under normal conditions, a twofold renewal of the air environment is sufficient: 6.6 x 2 = 13.2 m³/h.

Knowing the costs in each garage compartment, it is easy to find out the cross-section of the supply and exhaust air ducts using the formula:

• F – channel cross-section in square meters;
• L – inflow volume (flow), m³/h;
• ʋ — air flow speed in pipes and grilles; with natural exhaust, it is recommended to take 1 m/s.

For an ordinary garage, where the ditch is used periodically, we include in the calculation the minimum costs of 150 and 13.2 m³/h. We sum up these values ​​and determine the cross-section of the ventilation duct: F = 163.2 / 3600 x 1 = 0.045 m². Using the formula for the area of ​​a circle, we find out the diameter of the air duct - 240 mm. With a slight stretch, the use of two plastic pipes Ø150 mm is allowed.

Example: a grid measuring 230 x 230 occupies 0.053 square meters. m., and its open cross-section is only 0.02 square

The figure 0.045 m² also shows the required flow (live) cross-section of the supply grille, which is approximately 50% smaller than the actual dimensions of the product. This means that we take a cross-sectional area of ​​0.045 x 2 = 0.09 m² and, by selection, find out the dimensions - 0.3 x 0.3 m or 300 x 300 mm. This grid is too big, it is better to make 2 openings in the wall and install two grids with dimensions of at least 150 x 300 mm.

The size of basement air ducts is calculated in a similar way: F ​​= 29 / 3600 x 1 = 0.008 m². The diameter of the pipe will be 0.1 m or 100 mm. For details on the nuances of installing ventilation in a garage and the passage of pipes through the ceiling, see the video:

Smartphone repair shop

Today, almost every person has a smartphone in their pocket. The breakdown of a gadget has become akin to a disaster, and the demand for such services is very high. Therefore, you can do repairs at home, accepting orders without having a workshop on the first line of houses. As a rule, 10-15 square meters are enough for work, and about 50 thousand rubles will be enough for tools and equipment for repairs. The spare parts and components themselves are usually purchased in China. Even if you open such a business as expected, that is, with registration of an individual entrepreneur and renting premises, the investment will amount to about 150 thousand rubles and, with proper advertising, will pay off quite quickly. You can read more about opening your own phone repair shop in this article.

Production of furniture for pets

One of the trends of recent years is unusual furniture for pets. These are all kinds of booths, beds, running wheels, slides, scratching posts, cat hammocks and much more. The production cost of such products is small (usually within 1-5 thousand rubles), and large premises for a workshop and warehouse are not required. The abundance of new products in this industry is amazing, but in an effort to surprise the buyer, we must not forget about the animals themselves. So, for example, cats usually like closed spaces, tunnels, hills, and the ability to watch from a shelter from additional windows. The main thing in this area is to choose your niche and your style. For example, you can specialize in creating wooden houses and castles for rodents, where the competition is not so great.

Machines for rotary drawing of metal

To implement the technology, the following types of machines are used:

• Pressing and rolling machines for rotary drawing of metal.
• Rotary forging machines.
• Round cutters.

On manual lathes, molding is performed by the muscular strength of the worker. Used to produce unique products or especially small series. For medium and large series, pressing and rolling (rolling) machines with numerical control are used. Hydraulic or electric drives, controlled by a controller according to a program loaded into the central CNC unit, allow precise control of the force and direction of the clamp, as well as the direction of movement of the roller, including the most complex curved trajectories

Such machines ensure absolute identity of products in a series, which is especially important for jet engine parts and other high-tech products

Scheme of forging on rotary machines

Rotary forging machines allow you to form conical-shaped products from pipes by crimping the pipe with a special tool - a forging die. The peculiarity and main advantage lies in the unique ability to produce products that have:

• the length is many times greater than the diameter.
• along the length, the diameter and opening angle of the cone can be repeatedly changed.
• knurling of stiffeners is required.

Round cutters

Circular cutters are designed for cutting rolled sheets into flat pieces in the shape of a circle or ellipse. Also used are both manual and electro-hydraulic.

Microwave oven repair

Repair of small equipment, such as microwave ovens, can be done both on-site and at home, buying broken equipment and then reselling it. 20 thousand rubles will be enough for all the necessary tools and consumables (soldering irons, brackets, screwdrivers, multimeter, soldering station, etc.). Another 10-15 thousand rubles can be set aside for paid advertisements on sites like Yuly and Avito. If you do not take into account the costs of acquiring repair knowledge and transportation costs in investments, it is quite possible to start working in this area with 30-35 thousand rubles.

Air exchange in the inspection hole

The ditch intended for inspecting the underbody of the car needs to be ventilated. The reason is moisture penetrating from the ground through brick or concrete walls, plus water flowing from the car. If the top of the pit is not covered with boards, the scheme described above will do; you won’t have to modify anything:

1. Due to its greater density and weight, the cold flow tends to sink down, displacing warm air masses. Some of the air from the supply holes moves to the bottom of the ditch.
2. Mixing with the internal air, the influx heats up and becomes lighter. It is pushed upward by the next portion of the cold air mixture.
3. Once in the range of the hood, the air is carried away by the draft of the vertical channel and is discharged outside. The principle of operation of ventilation is illustrated in the diagram below.

The pit is successfully ventilated if you do not cover it with boards.
In practice, a different situation is more often observed: the pit is covered with boards, moisture is not removed from there and condensates on the inside of the boards. The wood is rotting, the iron corners of the ditch frame are being worn away by corrosion.

The correct solution to the problem is to lay an underground air duct of the required diameter under the screed, leading from the pit to the street. There are 2 options for ventilation in the pit:

• the pipe is connected to the supply wall opening and lowered to a height of 15-20 cm from the bottom of the ditch;
• a separate exhaust air duct is laid from a hole under the floor and rises vertically to the roof.

Installing a supply pipe into the pit is the most affordable way to arrange ventilation.
In the first case, we supply fresh inflow directly into the ditch, in the second, we suck out moist air. The resulting convection flow will cause air masses to seep through the cracks between the boards. Both options work equally well. It is usually more convenient to organize an inflow - the pit is always located closer to the gates and inlets.

Note. Laying an additional air duct with a poured screed is not easy - you will have to chisel the concrete and dig a trench. It is easier to open the pit and dry the wooden panels in the summer. But at the stage of constructing a garage, it is better to develop and implement a design for ventilation systems in advance.

Plastic pipes for internal sewerage are the most practical solution for arranging natural air exchange in a repair pit. They are cheap and create minimal aerodynamic resistance to flow. Additional convenience is the use of ready-made elbows and tees.

The plan shows that with such a scheme it is necessary to use 2 supply grilles located on the facade of the building

Backgammon workshop

One of the options for your own mini-business is a specialized carpentry workshop for the production of unique backgammon. All the basic “recipes” are on YouTube. If you want to develop such a production, you need to think about ways to give wood an antique look (for example, firing) and find those types that will look expensive after processing. You also need to try to choose decent fittings and hinges, and most importantly, find your “trick”. Or chips. For example, some craftsmen build NFC chips into them and integrate them with mobile applications so that players do not forget the turn order. You can post your work on social networks and on bulletin boards such as “Avito” and “Yula”.

photo from Instagram page @nardishki

Installation of equipment

When installing equipment, it is important to correctly install fans, air ducts and exhaust devices so that they do not cause inconvenience while working on painting the car. The fan is usually mounted:

• on the roof of the garage with the organization of its protection from precipitation;
• on the wall of the room;
• in the wall opening.

It is rational to stretch the air collector along the walls or under the ceiling with the organization of point drops. During the installation of boxes, attention should be paid to measures that reduce vibration and noise levels. For this purpose, spring suspensions, flexible inserts and noise-absorbing elements are used.

Production of wooden flowerpots

Wooden flower pots are a fairly easy item to make and can sell for a high price. Simple outdoor flowerpots are created without professional tools and from the remains of timber and clapboard lying around after renovation. On the Internet you can find examples of how to make flowerpots using firing, treating them with an antiseptic and water-based varnish with dyes. Naturally, to speed up the work you will need at least a circular saw and grinders, but there is nothing super complicated in the technology.

Painting based on foam plastic

An interesting decoration is obtained if sufficiently dense foam acts as the base. This material is distinguished by its plasticity and elasticity, for which it is valued in home crafts. For a painting that will elegantly fit into a child's room, you will need the following materials and tools:

• fabric scraps, the color of which corresponds to the picture selected for production;
• foam sheet of the required size;
• copy paper;
• PVA glue;
• soft simple pencil;
• scissors with small blades;
• a flat spatula used for patchwork, or other sharp object needed to press out the contours of the design;
• seam ripper.

Algorithm of actions:

1. On the foam plastic, straight lines are marked from all edges at a distance of 15-25 mm from the edges. The resulting rectangle is pressed with a spatula.
2. Copy the picture onto polystyrene foam. The contours of all the details of the pattern are pressed using a spatula.
3. A larger piece of fabric matching the tone is applied to one of the fragments, pre-lubricated with glue.
4. Using a steamer, carefully press the material into the pre-pressed contour.
5. Tuck all ends inward. The result should be an element with a smooth surface without distortion of the pattern.
6. Fill out the entire drawing one by one. For the finished work, a fabric frame is made, also tucking the ends of the textile into the pressed outline.

Very cute and soft paintings made of fabric and foam plastic will appeal to the whole family

Basket weaving workshop

The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “basket” is an ordinary basket in which “mushrooms and berries” are carried, or simply food and things. But the scope of application of baskets is much wider. You can weave unusual laundry baskets, make urns, or start a small business weaving basket houses for pets. The vine can be either purchased or collected in places where willow grows (and not necessarily with your own hands - you can negotiate a low fee with local residents). And if you have a plot of land, you can try to plant cuttings yourself. Preparations are usually cut either in May before flowering, or already in August, when the shoots have grown. There are not many tools in this matter. Usually this is a carpenter's knife, a metal spatula and rope. The workspaces are also small, although it is better to spot a storage area in advance. You can learn this business both for free through video lessons and from live teachers. Here, as they say, there would be a desire. For example, the desire to type two words into a search engine - “wicker weaving courses.”

Beneficial combination of both methods

A combined ventilation system is based on the use of both methods of replacing air masses at once. It involves automatically turning on artificial draft when a dangerous level of accumulation of flammable vapors, toxins and dampness is detected.

It is also possible to configure the system to start at certain intervals.

Making kites

You don't need expensive materials to make kites. Usually these are wooden slats or metal tubes for the frame, paper or fabric for the “body,” as well as fishing line, fasteners and a winder for “connection with the ground.” Finding tutorials on how to make your own kites is not difficult. As your experience grows, you can find your style and gradually raise the price tag. Kites do not need to be sold, but can also be rented out, for example, for wedding photo shoots.

Prerequisites for corrosion

Due to the fact that the garage is actually on the ground, the air humidity in it will always be high. This means that the car body, its electrical wiring, and electronic parts will be destroyed under the influence of dampness. It will corrode the automotive components purchased in reserve, promote the spread of fungus, accelerate the rotting of wooden rafters, and destroy the metal body of the garage.

Workshop of wood products

If you live near a body of water, on the banks of which you can find a lot of driftwood - that is, bog wood turned in water, you can use this material to create handmade products. The shape of the finds will best tell you what exactly to create. Sometimes the end result may be an unusual, but necessary stool in everyday life. And sometimes flexible and intricate branches can give you an idea for a sculpture of some sea creature or some wall figure in the form of a fish or bird, which would be an excellent gift for fishermen or hunters. By the way, if you have an echo sounder, you can not only produce, but also search for stained wood for sale, because it is quite expensive.

Photo from drevologia.ru

What to choose?

Under what circumstances should supply, exhaust and supply and exhaust ventilation be installed?

Forced ventilation

Supply ventilation is provided by supplying fresh air into the room. It creates increased pressure, displacing exhaust air that is removed naturally - through openings, leaks in enclosing structures or technological hatches and openings.

In most cases, an influx is needed to dilute the released harmful substances to a possible concentration. It is provided by a fan that supplies flow inside through a duct system.

Exhaust ventilation

Exhaust ventilation removes the waste stream to the outside. It is produced by a suction fan; air is drawn in using air intake grilles and a system of air channels.

Due to the active removal of air flow in the room, a reduced pressure occurs, which is compensated by inflow through openings, leaks or other openings. The hood is used to select and remove released pollutants with guaranteed efficiency and prevent the spread of unwanted components inside the building.

Supply and exhaust ventilation

A supply and exhaust ventilation system is the most common option. It is capable of supplying a certain, pre-calculated amount of air inside and out.

This allows you to set the necessary air exchange modes and organize low or high pressure indoors as needed. The performance of the supply and exhaust lines must match each other so that it is possible to create the most comfortable air exchange for people and technological processes.

Creating people from fittings and pipes

One of the popular gifts for men recently has become the so-called pouring men (or dispenser men) made from fittings and plumbing pipes. Sometimes you can see something similar, for example, lamp men in the steampunk style, in all sorts of loft establishments and bars. What is especially surprising about this idea is the process of transformation: when several rather inexpensive materials suddenly turn into a unique gift that can cost 5-7 thousand rubles, or even more than 10. If you google the topic, you will see that similar gifts are given to representatives of completely different professions. There are already football player dispensers with balls and waiter dispensers with trays, border guard dispensers with border posts and traffic police dispensers with traffic police batons on the market. If your city or town doesn’t have such an idea yet, then perhaps it’s your turn to implement it.

Under what circumstances should supply, exhaust and supply and exhaust ventilation be installed?

To choose forced ventilation, you need to know what it is intended for and what harmful factors are found in your room that ventilation will eliminate.

Air conditioning in apartments and private houses is a special case of forced ventilation.

Suitable for apartments and workshops such as art and framing.

Disadvantages: does not provide complete air recirculation. More expensive in maintenance and initial cost than exhaust ventilation. Does not provide a microclimate for large rooms. Does not remove harmful substances.

Suitable for workshops associated with hazardous production.

Disadvantages: does not provide complete air recirculation. Does not provide a microclimate for large rooms. Does not remove harmful substances.

Suitable for private homes and all types of workshops.

Disadvantages: More expensive to maintain and initial cost than other systems. Energy consumption is higher than other systems.

Handmade boxes

A popular business idea among both men and women is the creation of handmade boxes. The box is a small-sized product, so you can make it at home, working, for example, as a business in a garage. Boxes are made from wood, plywood, jute, cardboard, stone - and they all have their own subtleties and wisdom. To begin with, you can buy ready-made blanks from Aliexpress or the Crafts Fair and practice decorating, and then you can fully master the entire production technology. As in any field, it is advisable to create a unique selling proposition. For example, a business in unusual wooden boxes is suitable for those who live near unusual types of wood.

Metal drawing and its types

Setting up a workshop with your own hands
The main types of rotary metal drawing:

Step molding

A sheet blank in the shape of a circle is fixed between the mandrel and the support. The mandrel must match the internal configuration of the product. The drive begins to rotate the blank, and controlled forming pressure is carried out by a special passive roller driven by the rotation of the blank. Pressure is applied in both longitudinal and radial planes. The roller presses the metal against the mandrel and moves along a complex curve, either towards the edge of the blank or back.

The clamping is carried out in several passes, in steps. At the end of the treatment, a series of smoothing movements of the roller are carried out with reduced pressure to obtain a high-quality surface.

Projection - One-Pass Molding

Extraction is carried out in one pass. The roller moves parallel to the mandrel, depending on the angle of its installation, the wall of the blank is thinned more or less, its material moves under the influence of the roller in the axial direction.

Projection - One-Pass Molding

The method is characterized by efficiency and dimensional accuracy, as well as a high class of the resulting surface.

Rolling with or without mandrel

In this case, the outer diameter of the workpiece is reduced with a simultaneous thickening of its wall due to the redistribution of the material. Rolling is carried out towards the center, in several passes.

Rolling with or without mandrel

As an option, the part is formed by individual segments of the mandrel using a roller with an offset center. Cutting, additional profiling or flanging are carried out as final operations.

Combined

For parts with complex configurations, stepwise forming, rolling, profiling and cutting are used together in various combinations.

Making plastic trees

The abundance of plastic waste always makes us look for ways to reuse it. One way to use empty plastic bottles is to create plastic trees and plants. That is, palm trees, pine trees, tall cacti, and so on. All you need for the job are the bottles themselves, brown and green, stakes, wire, scissors, screws and a little imagination. There are plenty of master classes on creating such trees on the Internet, and some craftsmen go further, creating colored monkeys, parrots and other fauna from plastic. You can offer your products through online bulletin boards and working to order. In rural areas, rumors about new craftsmen spread quite quickly.

Which fans to choose?

Selecting fans is a serious task, the solution of which is determined by the configuration of the workshop, the number of compartments, additional rooms, and rooms. A complex and extensive duct system requires a powerful fan that can overcome the resistance of the ducts. In this case, the best option would be to use radial (centrifugal) ventilation units. They have high performance and at the same time are able to create sufficient pressure for the air duct system.

Open workshop

When choosing a workshop idea, you can go from the inside out and offer people an open workshop where they can work themselves. Essentially, this can be called renting out a workshop, but if you approach the matter more creatively and offer clients more space, a variety of tools and machines, then your startup can be called a craft coworking. In this case, you can also act as an intermediary between artisans and people who want to receive training from them or attend a master class. Of course, an open workshop should look neater and more visually appealing than a regular open workshop.

Mikhail Semynin

(c) www.openbusiness.ru - portal of business plans and guides for starting a small business
09/22/2021
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Process flow chart

Let us consider in detail the algorithm for arranging natural ventilation from sewer pipes. As an example, we take a conventional garage with a total area of ​​20 square meters. meters.

Step 1. Calculations.

For every 10 sq. meters of room area should be at least 15 cm in diameter of the channel. Accordingly, for a garage of 20 square meters you need a channel with a diameter of at least 30 cm. But if you make several exhaust holes, then divide these 30 cm by their number.

Step 2. Draw a diagram of the location of the ventilation holes.

To simplify the process, we offer you ready-made options that may well be suitable.

Step 3. Create an opening into which air will flow.

This is done with a hammer drill - just count at least 10 cm from the floor.

Step 4. Make an exit.

It is best to do it on the opposite wall - with the only difference that 1 cm this time is counted not from the floor covering, but from the ceiling.

Step 5. Install the pipe. It can be metal or plastic and must extend above the roof at least 30-40 cm.

Step 6. Fill any voids between the pipe and the wall with sealant. This will prevent condensation and the spread of dampness.

Step 7. Place the deflector on the pipes.

This is a simple device that will significantly speed up the movement of air back and forth through the pipes. In addition, it prevents precipitation from penetrating the pipes.