Rookie Shop setup/direction

[Jerry Olexa]

As winter approaches , trying to plan/set up my humble shop. Currently have tablesaw, drillpress, mitersaw. planer , etc in garage and router table, band saw, biscuit joiner, clamps etc in basement. I like to cut sheet goods and "rough" work upstairs and in the nicer weather, open the doors. Also do all sanding in the garage. I like to do the precision work and gluing in the basement. Had gas heater installed in garage (insulated) last year . All this to say:
1. What about 2 shop areas? Make sense or Not?
2. I want to install a DUST system and of course, don't want to do both areas ,at least initially. Where/how should I?
3. Are tools in right areas? ( I imagine tool locations will dictate DC location)
4. Is there a better way?

Want to know how you "experts"feel before I start erecting walls, doing electrical and buying a Dust Ctrl system. Now in planning stage. You advice is valued! I'm open to your ideas. Thanks in advance! Jerry

P.S.Tyler, I will do pics when shop is more presentable (promise)!

[John Miliunas]

Just MHO Jerry, but I'd really think about consolodating the two shops, especially if you're concerned with dust collection/control. My vote would go to the garage, seeing as to how you now have a temp-controlled environment out there. You list your router and BS among your current basement tools. Wow...Even with a decent DC system, when I fire up the Laguna to do some resawing, there's still a fair amount of fine dust getting airborne and floating in/around the saw. Without a DC, I'd venture to say you kick up a fair amount with the router table, too! :) The tools you already have in the garage all have their issues with proper dust/chip collection. That said, I think I'd definitely go the garage route and maybe hang on to the basement workspace for some finer assemblies and even water-based stains/finishes. :cool:

[Jim Becker]

I think that John has some great advice, Jerry. I'll add one additional thing for you keep at the forefront of your mind relative to your shop...do everything with flexibility in mind. Needs change, even between projects, so don't lock yourself into a very specific arrangement. Keeping that in mind, I'd also suggest you stick to the garage given it's "conditioned". It also reduces the noise influences that you would have to battle relative to the basement, although putting a bench room down there for hand work isn't a horrible idea nor is the idea of finishing with water-based products.

By flexibility I mean embracing mobility, especially for tools that don't get used constantly. I do that in my own shop...the DP and various sanders and even my router table get pushed out of the way unless I'm specifically using them. That leaves more space for moving material though the "big three (J, P & TS) as well as assembly. Figure out and arrangment that works "most of the time" and take advantage of the mobility to adjust for special needs. That's a good practice, even in a very large shop!

And do invest in a decent dust collection system. If you can't do a "super duper" system, pick a unit that has decent performance, move a short hose to the machine in use (and the DC if necessary to keep the hose short) and update the filtration to the best you can find...

[Frank Pellow]

That's good advise from John and Jim.

I am retaining the basement area that was my shop even after my new shop in a separatre building is fully operational. The will be two or three workbenchs in the basement and I envision doing some assembly, some "clean work" with smaller power tools tools attached to my Festool vac, and painting/staining/polishing in the basement shop. All big tools will be in the new shop.

[Gary Max]

I set mine up so that everything (almost) rolls. I have a DC at each end of my shop---I do not use dust gates and hard pipe. I am running one flex to each machine as I need it. Like John said there is always going to be a certain amount of sawdust that is going to get airborn. I have found that this makes it possible to keep my hose's short and I am only drawing from one machine at a time.

[Chris Padilla]

Jerry,

I'm stuck in my garage for a shop: I have no basement and no room on my property to grow (except for down). Most of my crap will be on wheels. Maybe it is no fun but you really should carefully and to scale draw up your garage and the tools in it and carefully think about how you position each tool to do its job. Can any pieces have designated spots they always go to? Do other tools need moved around depending on the task?

[Boyd Gathwright]

Jerry,

…. The following link on SMC is my installation of my DC of 3-23-04, which you may find helpful in as far as possibly offering you some ideas for your situation.


http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=61636#post61636 (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=61636#post61636)

If you are interested in the DC and or the blast gates, you can use the SEARCH feature of SMC with my name “Boyd” and that will bring up most of my posts and other shop arrangements including the blast gates.
<O:p</O:p

…. Just being helpful.

<O:p</O:p

Boyd :)


.



2. I want to install a DUST system and of course, don't want to do both areas ,at least initially. Where/how should I?
3. Are tools in right areas? ( I imagine tool locations will dictate DC location)
4. Is there a better way?

Want to know how you "experts"feel before I start erecting walls, doing electrical and buying a Dust Ctrl system. Now in planning stage. You advice is valued! I'm open to your ideas. Thanks in advance! Jerry

[Steve Clardy]

Go to Grizzly Industria's web site. There is a small free program there down loadable. You can use it to lay out your main shop.
As for two seperate shops, maybe use one for storage and finishing.
Keep all the cutting and assembly in on shop.

Steve

[Jerry Olexa]

Thanks guys! All great suggestions! Agree on mobility, Just about all my tools are on wheels. Temp control in garage is not the best. In Illinois , gas heater doesn't really heat the space on really cold days, Your ideas make sense and I will use. Leaving on a 5 day trip in AM to Michigan and will be thinking about this as well as eventual choice of dust collector.
At this time, thinking non-cyclone ( prob 2 units). Honing in on 1 to 2 HP units of Jet, Delta, Penn State and even Hbr freight 2 HP @$150 (!)all of which would be upgraded w .5 bags and adding a 2nd stage. Will use flex pipe to start and run 1 machine @ time and evaluate. Your ideas are most helpful. As Jim well said, flexibility is a key issue. My shop is always in transition depending on project I'm working on. I probobly overdo that. I'm trying to add some order to the chaos! Anyway, woodworking is to be enjoyed and I am a work in progress as well as my shop. Thanks again. Jerry
P.S.So.. who do you think makes the best non cyclone 1HP-2HP DC?

[Boyd Gathwright]

.... At this point, I would go with the 1 micron Grizzly with 2hp. I believe it to be better than the Jet. See link.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/item.cfm?itemnumber=G0548


Boyd ;)

.


Thanks again. Jerry

P.S. So.. who do you think makes the best non cyclone 1HP-2HP DC?

[Tom LaRussa]

1. What about 2 shop areas? Make sense or Not?

Jerry,

Put all the electron murderers -- plus the DC -- in the garage and save the basement for your real tools. :p

[Tyler Howell]

Jerry, The reason for my up grade was a 1 HP just didn't have the umf to draw through a second anything be it stage or tool. Pulling the hose to any tool worked fine but not enough steam to get a good draw on the blade guard. Unless it is a dedicated DC 1.5 HP at a Min of 1100 CFM would be my next venture.:o
PS Jet Kicked some serious dust butt around here.
PSS We want pictures Now:mad: . So we can properly evaluate our plans your future shop!!:rolleyes: :p

[Chris Padilla]

Folks,

Please keep in mind that for DC, the HP of the motor is practically useless information and not something to get hung up on.

What you REALLY want to know is the diameter of the impeller. If you are going from one DC system to another and the diameter of the impeller doesn't change but the HP double or triples...guess what? Your suction will NOT be improved...it will be the same most likely.

You see, all these motors turn at the same 3450 rpm. After the impeller size, you'll want to look at your plumbing size. More often than not, 6" is a miniumum size ducting you should consider or at least, that should be the size of your main duct. Next, get some nice filters for the exhaust air.