Replies

1. 
   larryscabnuts | Nov 17, 2007 07:49am | #1

   Andy I have seen museum grade furniture come out of shops your size. Best advise I can come up with is try to keep hand tools in cabinets off the floor and mount your machines on casters so you can park them out of the way.

1. 
   andyfew322 | Nov 17, 2007 07:59am | #2

   yeah I probably should build cabinets, i have a whole power tool station that i just switch out the tool&y

1. 
   larryscabnuts | Nov 17, 2007 08:24am | #3

   Shops are like a lot of things. You just fool around in your shop and make it so it suits you. All shops are very personalized. Also read all you can to gain ideas and then hone your skills by DOING. Remember sometimes there may be a half dozen ways to do something and none of them are wrong. ALWAYS keep an open mind and learn as much as you can.

2. 
   calvin | Nov 17, 2007 02:53pm | #4

   Before you build anything try to figure how one tool can help another-Height of table saw top and mitrebox.  Rips that can be caught by the mitre platform give you outfeed w/o a separate unit.

   Those of us that have to move our ''shops'' to a customers home run into space problems all the time.

   Best of luck.

   A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.

   Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

   http://www.quittintime.com/

    

3. 
   oldfred | Nov 17, 2007 05:09pm | #5

   Andy, check out this site:   http://www.shoptours.org

                                                                                

1. 
   andyfew322 | Nov 17, 2007 09:14pm | #6

   Thanks i got some good ideas

1. 
   andyfew322 | Nov 17, 2007 09:15pm | #7

   Any pics of your shops? even if it is not small

4. 
   FatRoman | Nov 17, 2007 10:08pm | #8

   Andy,

   If you haven't seen the article on small shops from FHB recently (Jan 2007), you might want to find the issue or sign up online to read it.

   http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuilding/how-to/articles/small-shop-survival-guide.aspx?ac=ts&ra=fp

   There are some nice tips on organization in there.

5. 
   Redwood Curtain | Nov 17, 2007 10:36pm | #9

   I've spent the last 4 years with an 11 x 15 shop and can turn out good work in that space.  Someone else said that all the decisions are individual, and I agree, but here are some general concepts to keep in mind.

   1.  Make as many things as possible serve multiple purposes.   I've built every surface I can at the same height so that, for instance, the outfeed stand for my tablesaw also serves for the planer.

   2.  Wheels.  Put everything you can on wheels so that they are easy to move around.  In limited space you can't afford to dedicate footage to any one purpose.

   3,  Go high for storage.  There are many items you need infrequently - I ran shelves at 6'-6" around the perimeter for these items.

   4.  Clever storage.  I doubt I have more than a couple of square feet of wall space that doesn't have something hanging from it.  That also helps to keep things clean - you'll be more likely to put soemthing back where it belongs instead of letting it clutter your surfaces.

   5.  Work clean.  If you don't constantly clean up after yourself you'll soon be overwhelmed by stuff in your way.

   6.  Be brutal.  I have a desire to save every interesting piece of cutoff wood "just in case".  Now most of that stuff ends up in the woodstove because it's just in the way.

   I have stolen and adapted many ideas from magazines, the web, etc.  Keep your eyes open - there is always something out there that someone else has already thought of.  Good luck.

1. 
   Jim_Allen | Nov 18, 2007 08:57pm | #13

   I used to pitch the stuff into the fireplace too and I then could rationalize that it was serving a useful purpose. I tossed things like grandma's broken rocker....furniture....basically everything! FKA Blue (eyeddevil)

6. 
   doodabug | Nov 18, 2007 02:19am | #10

   My shop is a small basement shop

1. 
   BobKovacs | Nov 18, 2007 02:48am | #11

   Dood-

   What do you have on the floor?  Looks like masonite or something, with the seams taped.  I'm assuming that it's to soften the concrete floor for your feet?"Brilliance!! That's all I can say- Sheer, unadulterated brilliance!!" Wile E. Coyote- Super Genius

1. 
   doodabug | Nov 18, 2007 08:08pm | #12

   That is just painted squares on the floor. I use carpet samples where I stand for foot comfort.

7. 
   Engineerguy | Nov 19, 2007 10:59am | #14

   Andy, if you haven't had a chance to see this guy's shop layout, take a look.  At least it should give you some ideas.

   http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/Workshop/WorkshopTour.aspx?id=22880

    

   " If guns kill people, a spoon made Rosie O'Donnel fat!"
1. 
   andyfew322 | Nov 20, 2007 02:43am | #15

   yeah i do want something like that. probably going to overhaul my workshop soon.