Currently my workshop consists of a single garage bay and is shared by the household trash/recycles. I will be taking over the adjacent garage bay and have the opportunity to finally spread out and layout a good work area. So I figure I would post here and get some suggestions and brainstorm ideas.
The 2 bays will be utilize for lawn garden tools (rakes, shovels, lawnmower) and my tool collection. I will need some open floor space for larger projects and some bench area for smaller projects. The larger stationary tools like table saw, planer, joiner, compressor etc. will need a home and I plan some sort of a miter saw stand. Storage for misc. millwork is a must too. I envision most smaller tools having a home on shelves or stored under a large bench. Any suggestions, plans, layouts or pictures would be great.
Replies
I feel bad busting your enthusiasm, but even the extra bay aint gonna help that much. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
Advice, get your table saw on wheels. Try to connect another tool to it (router, planer, etc) to maximize your table top space while keeping the tool usage space low.
Wood magazine just had an issue on small shops, some good ideas in there.
Last thing, can you get rid of the lawn stuff with a shed of sorts? Seperating your worlds will help. Keep the woodworking in one space, yard stuff in another, and kid's toys (if needed) elsewhere.
Joe
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It might help if you mention whether or not your "new" garge bay area will be doing "double duty" ( such as for parking an auto) or is it now designated solely as a workshop space? Reason I say this is because you can set up shops many different ways...utilizing mobile carts and such so to move your tools out of the way when parking your car...or simply arranging various stationary tools and cabinets in a convenient way if space is to become a dedicated workshop. Which is yours?
Davo
This space will be dedicated to workshop, garden tools and household trash/recycles. No cars on a regular basis but I would like the option to pull one vehicle in occasionally.
Got my TS, BS, planer, DC, and router/cabinet on rollers. Hook my 12" disc and BS up to the shop vac, which is on rollers. When it's nice I roll everything out under the double car-port where I park my truck and car. Chop saw is against the back wall with cab storage under it.
I use old hollow-core luan slab doors shot with poly or lacquer for glue-ups and assembly. Stick'em on folding saw horses. When you're through, stack'em agaiinst the wall. Have a roll around sheet goods rack too.
Put tarps down and spray outside under the car port. When bugs are bad, I use some bug netting strung around one bay. Got a couple hundred feet of air hose so the compressor stays put.
Make as much stuff easily moved (on wheels) and make all your tops, table saw top, work bench, miter saw bench, etc the same height if possible.
Instead of shelves use cabinets or somehow enclose the shelving. Any horizontal surface will collect dust and therefore adds to your cleaning.
Throw out small scraps-You will need them only after you stored them for ten years and you have filled your new space with wood scraps. Hi, my name is Bruce and I have wood scrap saving issues.
Best of luck
Bruce
Ditto what the other guys have been saying about putting your tools on wheels.
Will add - don't overlook the ceiling. There's lots of storage room up there and with a few ropes and pulleys, it's readily accessable.
What we gain in grip, we lose in touch. R. Kipling
I have used a perimeter loft in several shops. Almost any shop can benefit from one.
These shops have ranged from regular drive-in garages to 10'-ceiling commercial sites.
Usually, you'll place a miter/sliding miter saw along one wall. I you can dedicate this space permanently, you'll be better off, but if not, you'll make do.
A loft over this chopsaw space can hang as low as 7’, leaving room for a continuous strip light under it -- excellent for lighting the saw cut.
The loft’s 2x4 “joists”stick straight out from the wall. No bond, the plywood top deck and 1x4 bottom slats will keep everything straight enough. Three courses of bottom slats will give you excellent, high-visibility storage for cutoffs. Hold the back one at least 6” off the wall.
If you have a high-ceiling shop, the loft will give you a place to store cabinets while they’re waiting to leave the shop -- stick ‘em up there as soon as the boxes are built,
and they’ll be out of the way, while still being handy to take measurements for their face frames.
Try to dedicate at least one section for work, as above, and on the other side of the shop you can use the loft to keep lawn chairs, coolers, etc out of your way.
AitchKay