234 Square Foot Shop...

[Steven McLeavin]

Anyone ever work in such a small place? without wanting to kill yourself?:D It's only temporary, but I think I can make it work. If anyone has some space saving suggestions I'd appreciate it. But I do have access to a large deck right outside the door where I can cut plywood and other things like that. Thanks for any input!

[Mark Norman]

Depends on what yer making...for pens it would do just fine. for cabinets it would be a bit cramped.

[Bryan Hosford]

put everything on wheels, and put up a lot of shelves. small spaces can work fine, just need the space for what your working on. I wheel out the tool, do the work, put it back.

[Mike Henderson]

My shop is 10' by 11' (110 sq feet) and I manage to turn out furniture (see my web site (http://www.mikes-woodwork.com/mikes_projects.htm)). It's part of the third bay of a three car garage. When I work on something big, I park my car outside until I finish it. Only buy wood when you need it.

Mike

[Steven McLeavin]

My shop is 10' by 11' (110 sq feet) and I manage to turn out furniture (see my web site (http://www.mikes-woodwork.com/mikes_projects.htm)). It's part of the third bay of a three car garage. When I work on something big, I park my car outside until I finish it. Only buy wood when you need it.

Mike

wow you make all that in a 10 x 11?? makes me feel better!

[David Hostetler]

I am gathering information on space saving tips and tricks for small shops on another forum... bt3central.com search for thread #45691.

I just hope I can eventually finish my shop, but I have come to the realization that will most likely never happen... A workshop seems to be a living constanty evolving thing... (Add this, remove that, move this here, or there...).

What i Have figured out, is stuff to big to pick up, make it mobile on mobile bases except the lathe of course... I am working on elminating or at least creating storage in metal tool stands...

(My apologies to the mods... I must have missed that piece in the TOS...)

[Steven McLeavin]

cool, thanks David!

[Bob Noles]

I get by pretty good in mine which is only 12 X 17.

http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m292/bnoles616/Shop/

[Prashun Patel]

Anyone ever work in such a small place? without wanting to kill yourself?:D It's only temporary, but I think I can make it work. If anyone has some space saving suggestions I'd appreciate it. But I do have access to a large deck right outside the door where I can cut plywood and other things like that. Thanks for any input!

My new 'large' shop is about as big as yours. Here's my suggestions:

- put as many of yr big tools on mobile carts (including yr dc)
- If yr center is a tablesaw, look for ways to use the space under the cabinet, under the outfeed table, and under the right or left xt wings. You can make a double duty outfeed/assembly table. I also like keeping my benchtop planer under the table saw xt wing. I don't mind squatting and it actually makes outfeed support for it easier.
- Look for ways to use the ceiling for storage.

[Andrew Joiner]

My last commercial wood shop was 3200 sq'. I retired and thought I was done with woodworking. Got the bug again and build a 12x13' shop and I was in it 4 years. I now have a new 1200 sq' shop.

The good side of my small shop? The table saw was in the center and everything was 1 step away. Nothing was on wheels. No walking 20 steps to get a wrench. Small kinda forces you to be efficient. When a job was done it had to go out the door so I could move.

The best tips for small shops :
Keep all your storage up high off the floor so you have swing clearance for big stuff and floorspace to store and build things. Build your workbenches the same height as the table saw.
In fact it works so well I have the same concept in my 1200' shop. A work island of a table saw surrounded by workbenches. The (nice) problem with the big shop is my island is surrounded by more clutter cause I have room now!

[David Hostetler]

Bob,

Not meaning to steal this thread, but...

That is one SERIOUSLY nice shop you have in that 12x17. I have a 12x16 Gambrel barn on paper I am waiting on budget and HOA waiver for... I only hope and pray it comes out halfway as nice as your shop!

[Bill Houghton]

Don't have anything in the shop that's not earning its way, preferably constantly.

If I could just apply that lesson to my shop (121 square feet, 11x11 - and it holds the house and car maintenance tools, too - at least it's an improvement on earlier years, when it had a 21 cubic foot upright freezer in it), I'd have half again more room.

[Roger Jensen]

I have a 266 sq ft shop I use for hobby work (14x19). My #1 tip would be to build a separate shed/structure for storing lumber and sheet goods. They consume a huge amount of space in your shop. Here is the shop I built in my backyard:

http://share.shutterfly.com/view/flashShareSlideshow.jsp?sid=1AYuWzdk1aMnbA

I'm replacing the separate planer/jointer with a Hammer combo unit.

Roger

[Rick Gifford]

Well my shop is 11X20 so thats 220 sq ft. I wish it was eight times larger!

The cramped area does drive me nuts at times. Someday I will have a shop I dont have to re-arrange for each step of a job.

Better than my last work area, wich was only 5' X 7' - 35 sq ft. Just had a bench and a lathe. Benchtop tools I would move in and out.

Come to think of it, 220 sq ft isnt so bad after all :p

[Jim O'Dell]

If you want some ideas for a small shop, see this link and the video tour. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=41634 Stu used to be a member here, and I consider him to get the most per square foot. He now has a Saw Stop down there!! Jim.

[Geoff Potter]

I work in a luxurious 16x24 fully equipped shop. Organization is the key. Some tips:

Try to wall mount your DC.

If you are going to have cabinets, outfeed table, etc. make them all the same height.

Remember that you will be working with lengths of material. Leave space for swinging lumber around from machine to workbench or...

[Marc Casebolt]

This is probably not what you want to hear, but I moved from an 1800 sf shop to a 200 sf half of a garage, and it's plenty of room for me. What I did was to get rid of ALL my power tools (OK I have a lathe that plugs in).
The center of the shop is my bench, and is surrounded by storage for the hand tools.

I am doing this because of space limitations, but also because I find it very satisfying to do it. Perhaps you could eliminate, say, your jointer, chop saw, planer, maybe even table saw, and work on your hand tool skills now until you get more space. This of course depends on what you want to build, and if it is just a hobby for you it may work out.

I am learning so much now, and the hobby is more fun than ever.

Marc

[Von Bickley]

A small shop is better than no shop. My first shop was 10X16 and I was glad to have it.

[Bill Huber]

My shot is 12x16 (192 Sq. ft.) it is a shed in the back yard and I have not build anything to large it server me very well.

If fact it has some very good points, I can get to all my tools without walking but just a few feet. I can vacuum it up by standing in one spot.

Here is my 4 wall.

120008 120009

120010 120011

[Larry Edgerton]

I am moving from 9000 sq ft to just a bit under 2000 sq ft. :(

I will be learning how to be more efficient with space. Just another victim of our economy and the fall of the big three......

On the plus side I will no longer be in an industrial park. Instead my shop will be in a stand of mature hardwoods, with a screened in working porch, and right next to my house! This is exciting!

I have to take my hat off to you guys working in such small spaces. I would go stir crazy. The scale of my work dictates that I have a fair amount of space, and my claustraphobia demands it......

[Myk Rian]

Anyone ever work in such a small place?
That isn't small. I've heard of one fellow that works out of his bathroom.

I use half of a 2 car garage, about 200sf. Enough room for 2 benches, a 30" TS, jointer, planer, spindle sander, etc.

[Billy Chambless]

My shop about the same size as Bill's -- 10 something by 11 something. I get a lot done, using mostly handtools. The only stationary power tool is a bandsaw (and its dust collector). I don't use a lot of sheet goods, but when I do, I cut them down with a circular saw on the back deck. I've added a lunchbox planer that I haven't even used yet, but it'll be used outside, too.


Don't have anything in the shop that's not earning its way, preferably constantly.


I think that's a key for a small shop (and even a big one!)

[Gary Breckenridge]

My shop is about 250 sq. ft. When I built an 8 ft. boat it was kind of cramped. While floor space is at a premium I had to be a bit more creative with using wall space. Then it hit me: what about using ceiling space. My air filter is up there and many tools hang along the walls. Just make sure they don't clunk you on the head as you walk around the shop.:cool:

[David Hostetler]

Bill, Bob, & Roger...

All of you guys have some GREAT shops, with some excellent ideas shown. You should all be proud of your accomplishments in just getting those shops together, let along the work that comes out of them...

I love to see how others have solved the space problems...

I think Bill is as close to my paticular setup plan as any, but seems to have a very different approach to dust collection. Certainly understandable, but definately different...

I am not sure how to link Sketchup files here, But to give you an idea, I have plans that allow plenty of floor space, and space to handle materials while still housing the following equipment.

-Ryobi BT3100 with full wide table kit (72" right rip capacity, yeah kind of too big...). Router table as part of the extension wing.
-14" Band Saw with riser block.
-13" Ryobi lunchbox planer
-6-1/8" Sunhill benchop jointer
-Ridgid Oscillating belt / spindle sander
-Stacked vac / Thien baffle equipped separator can.
-HF 2HP DC.
-HF 12x36 lathe and tools.
-Northern Tool 15" 16 speed floor model drill press with mobile base, and foot cabinet for hand drills and drilling accessories.
-Cabinets for storage of all small hand, and handheld power tools, and tool accessories like bits, blades, small parts etc...
-Miter saw and stand.

The only thing I am NOT including in my shop plan is sheet goods, and large lumber storage. My garage will still house those materials. (I can't pull my truck in anyway, it's too tall and too long).

My plans include creating storage in otherwise dead space, like replacing the legs to the lathe, with a shop built storage cabinet, (With a sand filled torsion box for a base for ballast). , putting certain tools on wheels, and honestly, hauling certain tools, like the miter saw and stand, outside to wok on longer pieces. Thinking vertically by mounting the benchtop tools on identically sized plywood sheets, and pinning these down to the bench dog holes when in use, and racking them vertically when not will save a TON of floor space versus having a tool stand for each tool. Using a benchtop jointer, planer, and sander instead of larger floor standing models helps a LOT in that area as well. The floor model drill press came to me well used, so I am not going to worry about the little amount of floor space it eats especially since I am going to have storage betweent the foot of the DP and the table...

I'm sure other folks here have other very effective ideas for this as well...

[Rich Huhra]

Steven,
My shop is 10x24. In it are a Grizzly 1035 shaper, Grizzly 0593 jointer, Delta 12" planer, Delta DC, Craftsman 10" table saw, 10: RAS and a bandsaw. All this plus stored lumber and small tools. So far I've had no trouble building anything. I've built a grandfather clock, bookcase, mantle clock, a desk and lots of other things. Yes, it would be nice to have a larger shop, but if you are organized and keep everything in it's place a small shop can work. Good luck on your shop.
Richard

[Jerry Olexa]

My shop is 10' by 11' (110 sq feet) and I manage to turn out furniture (see my web site (http://www.mikes-woodwork.com/mikes_projects.htm)). It's part of the third bay of a three car garage. When I work on something big, I park my car outside until I finish it. Only buy wood when you need it.

Mike

Good wisdom from a qualified craftsman. Well said, Mike!!! I always believe its the man/woman doing the project not necessarily the latest, greatest, biggest space or tools..