How did you arrange your lathe in your shop?

[Joshua Dinerstein]

Evening Creekers,

I am looking at moving somethings around in my shop. I have gotten enough stuff going on in there that I am running out of room. A decent problem to have! (So much better than trying to get rid of the booming echo because it is empty. :D)

In my first house my lathe was up against the garage wall as close as I could get it. I still needed to park in there, put the lawn mower and snow blower in etc... In my new house it is out in the "middle" of my 3rd car bay. I really like it being nice and open and so very accessible, but I have to admit it takes up a TON of space in this current configuration.

By contrast when I got the first lathe, a Harbor Freight 34706, it was the only power tool I owned. It was soon followed by a drill press, grinders, sharpening jigs and workbench and everything tucked up against a portion of one wall with no problems.

I have since added the Mustard Monster, a granite top Ridgid table saw, and a Rikon 14" deluxe band saw.

I was trying to move around in there this last week while doing a few home improvement projects for the LOML and it was a real challenge. Honestly I have to do something about it.

Since turning is still very much the focus of my woodworking I am going continue to focus on easy access to the lathe and will be arranging everything else around it. I have come up with plans for where to put the rest of the tools, there was a helpful Woodsmith Podcast that I found, but I have to decide on how to arrange the lathe.

And I was just wondering what do you guys prefer and why? So the question:

The lathe specifically out in the open OR up against a wall?

I can see advantages to both. My lathe is easy to get too, easy to clean up around etc... being out in the open. But at the same time the shavings really fly where they used to just hit the wall and drop to the floor. Plus being closer to the wall means I could mount lights more easily than at present.

Anyway I was just curious and thought I would see people had to say on the question.

Thanks!
Joshua

[Bernie Weishapl]

Joshua I like mine out in the open. I can turn from both sides especially when undercutting lips on bowls. I am in the process of figuring out how to hang a shower curtain to contain the chips from flying everywhere.

[Mike Stull]

The table saw rules the shop. You need enough room behind and in front of your saw to typically cut at least 8' (which means 20') and 4' or so on either side. If you put it on wheels you still need to clear out the space.

I had enough room in my last 2 shops for the usual assortment and to set up a work-flow. I'm down to a lathe and a grinder now. I like to have enough room to walk all the way around the lathe and have the grinder set clear of curls but close enough to just turn and grind.

My wife is an interior designer and a shop full of tools meant an endless list of projects and little time to turn. I'm much happier now. She's adjusting.

[Jim Silva]

I agree with Mike in that the table saw trumps all in my shop. Have to have access all the way around it so everything else surrounds the walls of the shop.

To answer your question, my lathe is out in the open but about 4' from the wall allowing me to face the center of the shop with the wall at my back. This stems mainly from a compulsive desire to not have a heart attack when someone walks into the shop while I'm working on something delicate and scaring me half to death by saying "Hi" when I'm not expecting anyone to be there.:D (I may be a bit high strung...)

This also makes cleanup easy with access from all sides plus a wall behind me to hang tools on, shelves within easy reach and in my case, a window directly behind me bringing natural light onto the lathe.
May not work for everyone but seems to be the best layout I've tried.

J.

[Ryan Baker]

If I had the space, I would have the lathe out in the open. Since that will never happen in my shop, my lathe is along the wall. It used to be pretty tight up against the wall, but I now have it angled out (left end against the wall, right end away from the wall). I found that I kept bumping into the wall with long tool handles when doing certain cuts, like on the inside of a bowl, hollowing wide forms, etc. You need some space behind the lathe. The most important thing [for me] is to have some space at the right end. I spend a lot of time with the headstock slid down to the right, working at the end. I moved everything in the end of my shop to gain a couple extra feet at the right end of the lathe, and it is the best thing I have ever done there.

[John Keeton]

Another vote for the TS being the main player in my shop. My experience with the lathe is limited, but I have found a few occasions to turn from the opposite side of the lathe, and I like enough room to get behind there to pick up dropped items, and sweep. Mine is about 24-26" from the wall.

[Paul Atkins]

I'm ready to put the tablesaw on wheels so I can get it out of the way. I have 4 lathes against the walls and I need room for the other two in the middle of the room. Think I'm a little bit overbalanced? The only reason for the lathe out from the wall is for outboard turning larger than 18".

[Thomas Canfield]

My Powermatic sits in front and to the right of my table saw so that I can move myTS fence out about 24" and clear the motor on the lathe. I can move the lathe head for larger rips if required, and the lathe ways are the same height as the TS. I have 3 shower curtins in play at present: 1st behind, 2nd at end, and 3rd behind my back using 3/4" EMT conduit for rod supported by wire from ceiling. . The shower curtains really help to drop the shavings in a manageable area. I only wish I could find 8' curtains at a reasonable price and drop a few more shavings.

[Mike Peace]

My 3520 is toward the back of the shop facing the front so I can look up and see anyone coming in. The headstock is about a foot from the wall so I can use the knock out bar and the lathe is angled at 45 degrees in case a bowl flys off and hits the wall it won't bounce back at me. Puts me within an arm reach of the wall for accessories without having to reach over the lathe. I have room at the end of the lathe so I can turn or hollow from the end when I slide the headstock down.

[Gary Conklin]

My wife is an interior designer and a shop full of tools meant an endless list of projects and little time to turn. I'm much happier now. She's adjusting.

That was good for a laugh from both my wife and I, thank you.:D

[Richard Madison]

The lathe definitely out in the open for best access and clean-up, facing the door if possible to avoid surprises. Other stuff ok against the wall but facing the door when feasible, especially the table saw. I put 110 and 220 outlets in the ceiling (as well as the walls of course) to avoid needing any cords strung across the floor.

[Dick Sowa]

A truism with any shop, is that with time you will rearrange things...more than once. Once you get a reasonably efficient layout, you will tend to get used to it...till you get a new tool and need to rearrange again :)

All that being said...I agree with a couple of other posts. The table saw should be the driver for space layout. My 3520b is back in a corner, angled out from the wall so I can get behind it, and far enough from the corner that I can fit the knockout bar in the headstock. The corner gives me two walls to mount things on, including additional lighting. It also concentrates shavings better, so they aren't all over the shop.

[Steve Trauthwein]

Lathe in the center of the shop with 4'x6' pegboard behind it which holds tools, measuring devices, wrenches, depth gauges, chuck keys and etc.. Behind the pegboard is my Rikon bandsaw, drill press and Kennedy tool boxes. There is a grinder and a home made roll around behind me that holds chucks, sandpaper, tools that won't fit on the peg board, paper towels and many small wooden chucks. Two mini lathes back to back in another corner, one facing the wall with pegboard and one facing the end of a 12' work bench. Wood is stored on shelves around walls. All you have to do is move the cars out of the garage.

My table saw is on wheels and in the corner, rolled out when I need it.

Regards, Steve

[Greg Just]

I have my lathe centered widthwise in my shop about 4 feet from a workbench. I have pull out drawer on the workbench with supplies conveniently at hand. I'm perpendicular to the window just in case something goes flying! Having access to the rear is a real plus. I should mention that in the 4+ years I have been turning, I have rearranged at least 3 time and this seems to be the best so far. My Tablesaw is on wheels so I can easily move it around when needed.

[Tony Pridmore]

My lathe sits perpendicular to the wall with headstock closest to the wall. It's far enough away to comfortably use the knock out bar. There's a peg board and a vacuum pump hanging on that wall. It's a rare occurrence that chips fly in that direction. I also have a short freestanding cabinet with drawers left of the headstock. This gives easy access to the other three sides.

Behind me is a curtain to block the majority of shavings. I should hang curtains in a U configuration because there is probably a range of about 270 degrees where shavings and water spray fly, depending on the type of turning.

I like this setup, but have also been thinking about better placement. So far I haven't convinced myself that a different lathe location or orientation would work better in my garage/shop/studio.

-Tony

[Steve Schlumpf]

Basement shop with a full compliment of stationary power tools - so room is always an issue. The lathe is parallel and about 2' away from a wall - just enough room so I can walk in back of it for cleaning. The wall allows me to hang fixtures, lights, etc - all within easy reach.

[Reed Gray]

I have a 24 by 36 shop. I made an 8 by 12 ft. room for the lathe in the front corner of my shop. I can see out the window to see any one coming to the shop. Since I have a sliding headstock, the headstock end goes into a corner (no outboard turning. It is about 2 feet out into the room away from the wall, and I have a 30 inch bench on the opposite wall which has my grinder and tools. I built a short ceiling in my turning room at 8 feet, which left 18 inches or so open on top of it for lumber storage. If I had my lathe in the middle of a 400 sq ft shop, I could fill the entire shop with shavings. Having it in an enclosed room keeps the dust in, (what little escaper from my sanding hood), and contains the mess some what, though when the shavings do pile up, I have to step over them to get out the door. If I had it out in the main shop, I would have a rolling cart for my tools, and maybe another one for the grinder.

My table saw can not be moved with a big outfeed and side table, but my mini lathe is set up on it, and it can be easily moved. My other flat work tools are all mobile.

robo hippy

[Michael Mills]

My lathe lives in a corner, the only place for it. My table saw is on casters so that I can move it to the center as needed.
I had thought about the shower curtains but haven’t done that yet. Maybe, Rigid Foam Sheathing mounted with eye bolts/hooks to the ceiling or conduit. Very light weight and easy to remove and stack against a wall if they get in the way of other projects.
The main light is overhead. However I have a 38" gooseneck attached to the wall for the inside of bowls and finishing work. The gooseneck could also be mounted on a tool cart.
Mike

[Matt Ranum]

My shop is 24x24 and its configured in basically 3 rows. When you walk in the door which is in the corner, you have on your right the drill press, RAS, shaper, shopsmith #2 which is usually used as a sander/horozontal drill, bandsaw & air compressor.

Running down the center, facing as you walk in and to the right, planer with a 6' outfeed, jointer, and my tablesaw/ router table station which is on wheels and is moved often. Also makes a nice assembly area.

Then on the far wall, facing as you walk in is lumber rack, shopsmith #1( the good one) used mainly as a lathe then a "L" shaped counter/cabinet set that wraps around the corner. My bench sits just in front counter/cabinet. The grinder is right next to the lathe now on the counter/cabinet

So far I like this arrangement, I had the lathe in front of the window and was always worried about sending something through it but always ended up with the sun blinding me in the afternoons.