Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch agri shop
A Stellenbosch agri shop needed a tidy, practical fabrication bay for farm repairs, quick builds and hands-on learning. This fit-out shows how we set up a reliable, safe workshop flow.
The yard and their fabrication needs
This Stellenbosch agri shop sits on a fruit farm just off the R44, with a busy yard handling tractors, vineyard sprayers and seasonal trailer repairs. Their crew is a mix of long-serving hands and younger operators, with TVET learners joining for short stints during term. They needed a fabricating bay that works for heavy farm kit, but can also handle basic sheet work, gates and the odd bit of stainless or aluminium. With a mix of planned repairs and emergency breakages, the owner wanted gear that could keep up with harvest season chaos.
The main workshop had old benches and loose oxy-fuel gear. Most jobs happened wherever there was space. Measuring gear and clamps would go missing, especially when pressure rose or during after-hours fixes. Safety storage was patchy and they had to improve compliance for both Occupational Health and Safety Act and farm audit checks, especially around welding and cutting.
Setting up the new bay and layout
We started with a TorchBay Station to create a clear cutting and hot work zone. The bay includes spring-return hose reels, a labelled tip rack, PPE rail and spark skirt, keeping hoses tidy and hot work confined to one spot. We grouped a BenchMaster Pro with a ClampRail System and a GrindDeck Safe to the side, so weld, grind and prep areas have their own footprint and power outlets.
A Layout Table XL, fitted with a square fence kit, stands against the north wall under the best window light. All measuring tools stay in a locked MeasureKit Fab case, with shift log cards to track use. EarthBond Kits provide proper welding returns, with clear bay tags and clean contact points as required by General Safety Regulation 9. ScrapRack Lanes and a Consumable Cart keep off-cut, plate stock and welding discs organised and off the floor.
We used thickness tags, tip board labels and kanban cards throughout to help staff and new learners get the right gear quickly, even when the farm is buzzing.
- TorchBay Station for hot work
- BenchMaster Pro with ClampRail System
- Layout Table XL for marking and assembly
- PPE Station Bay near the entrance
- ScrapRack Lane and Consumable Cart for tidy storage
What we tweaked after the first harvest
After a busy fruit harvest, feedback pointed out a few things. The first was bay creep: clamps, discs and measuring tools would still wander off to other sheds during rush jobs. We added extra kanban cards and fixed a second lockable case for the most-used squares, fillet weld gauges and callipers. The team also hung extra thickness tags and a tip board near the TorchBay for quick checks before cutting.
Coastal humidity brought early rust on clamp screws and unpainted bench edges. We swapped to our oil-black finish on all bare steel, and left a tip with the foreman to keep a can of light machine oil handy every Friday. Some learners would forget to chain up the gas bottles after a shift, so we hung an extra sign and put bottle brackets right at eye level, following SANS 10019 for safe cylinder storage.
Lessons for other farms and small yards
A set-out, modular bay saves hours every week, especially when there are mixed crews or short-term learners. Having a clear TorchBay for hot work and a locked case for measuring gear keeps safety high and stops arguments when tools go missing.
Local weather matters: Stellenbosch winters are damp, so keep an eye on rust and add oil where needed. Tagging consumables and putting up recipe cards for routine jobs makes it easier for new hands to do things right without waiting for supervision.
If you want to see the gear in person, book an appointment at our Tyger Valley showroom. For setup advice or to plan your own bay, send us a message through our contact form and we’ll walk you through options that suit your yard and crew.
Primary gear: TorchBay Station. See also jobs and shopfloor.
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