Need Help With Shop Layout!

[Wade Samuelson]

Greetings,

I am brand new to woodworking and am just laying out my shop. I have very limited space and need help deciding where to put my sliding compound miter saw. I have narrowed it down to either of two places.

Option One: Build a 5 1/2' bench between the freezer and the wall and put it on wheels so I can slide it out even with the entrance door when I need to cut long pieces (the wood would just stick right outside the shop while I cut).

Option Two: Put the saw in the corner of my workbench. It fits nicely, but I wouldn't be able to cut pieces longer than about 28 inches.

My intent is to build household items--shelves, toy bins, shoe bin for the back door, workbench for the other wall of the shop, and whatever else the wife instructs.

Anyone have any thoughts? Maybe even an Option Three that I didn't think of?

[Frank Pellow]

I am sure that you will eventually find the 28 inch restriction too limiting. So, go with option 1. Make sure that you can lock the wheels on your rolling bench.

[Jim Becker]

Option one absolutely. One of the most important design consideration for small shops (and one that works nicely for large ones, too) is to embrace tool mobility. When space is tight, you can pull out what you need to work with and get it out of the way when you move on to another tool or assembly process, etc. When you have lots of space, it lets you reconfigure things temporarily when you need to do something unusual or handle multiple project assemblies concurrently. Makes sense all around, IMHO.

[Rob Russell]

I think you'll find even 5 1/2' is fairly limiting in terms of what you'll find you want.

I'd build the mobile SCMS station and incorporate wings that fold down when not in use and and can be swung up and locked when you pull the station out of its cubbyhole. You could easily fit a 3' wing which would allow about 5 1/2' of support from the center of your SCMS station on each side. That's assuming a 5' station (2 1/2' from center to either side) + the 3' wing. That means an 8' board will have support past its middle point. You could make a custom stand sized to the height of your station to support the end of long boards (a riser block that sits on a sawhorse is a simple way to do this).

I'd also seriously think about dust collection. Chop saws/SCMS throw a lot of sawdust and you don't really want that sawdust all over your freezer and getting sucked into the freezer's compressor motor. Even if you do nothing more than a hood along the back/sides of your station to contain the sawdust and you shop vac it it later would be a good idea.

[Rich Konopka]

You might want to look at building a cart with fold up extensions. When you need it you pull it out and flip them up.

[Frank Pellow]

I agree with both Rob and Rich re the folding extensions.

Like Rob, I think you should plan how you are going to collect the saw dust now rather than after you are using the unit and find that you have the problem.

[Wade Samuelson]

Cool, thanks for the ideas.

I'll go with Option 1. The fold up wings are a great idea--I just need to make sure they fit through the people door! I suppose I could also buy a couple of those mobile free-standing supports. Are those a good or bad idea?

[Rob Russell]

I'll go with Option 1. The fold up wings are a great idea--I just need to make sure they fit through the people door!
Remember that the wings don't need to be as deep as your station is. There is no need to have the wings much deeper than the fence on your SCMS. A really slick design would include a fence built-in to the wings with a stick-on scale. That way you could have a stop block that slides along the wing for consistent length cuts when you have multiple boards. The scale would mean not measuring with a tape every time - set the stop block and chop. That's true, of course, for 90 degree miter cuts, with 0 degree bevel.

The point is to secure your SCMS to the station, or make it so you get exact repeatability when you put it back and let the station help with measuring. You'll need to come up with a way of locking the wings at a consistent height and even with the station top.



I suppose I could also buy a couple of those mobile free-standing supports. Are those a good or bad idea?
Assuming you have a sawhorse, you could make your own out of scrap cutoffs and without much effort. Won't look as fancy as the roller stands, but it'd be as functional. For the moment, I'd save the $ and put it towards dust collection stuff. Just my opinion, though.

[Frank Pellow]

...

Assuming you have a sawhorse, you could make your own out of scrap cutoffs and without much effort. Won't look as fancy as the roller stands, but it'd be as functional. For the moment, I'd save the $ and put it towards dust collection stuff. Just my opinion, though.

While I do not disagree with what Rob says, I have two roller stands and use them a lot. A friend of mine just bought a new design from Lee Valley (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?page=50231&category=51&abspage=1&ccurrency=2&SID=) and it is really good.

On the other hand, I have 4 sets of saw horses and they are all in use right now. Also, spending money on dust control is important, particularly since you are going to be located within your house.