Calling for Shop layout help

[Matt Allan]

Well I am FINALLY getting my shop in order after we moved earlier this year. Having trouble making up my mind on how to position some tools and mainly the table saw and dust collector. Would greatly appreciate any thoughts.

I have made a quick graph of it using grizzlys site and one of the ways I quickly threw stuff in the space.

I do not want to get crazy with the DC setup since I am not sure how long we will be in this house, I basically just want to get things decent right now. The only things I plan to hook up to it right now are the TS, Jointer, and a planer. But the planer will be on a mobile stand and I think I will leave that out of the way and maybe just have a flex pipe with a Y by the jointer and quick connect that I can throw on when I need it and close it when not in use.

Position of the table saw is my biggest question, how would you guys put it? Has to stay on the side its on in the picture due to lower ceiling on the other side because of all the ductwork. 2 Furnaces and 2 AC units, so that whole ceiling is 2 main ducts and 2 returns pretty much. Takes up a lot of space and I just don't feel as comfortable on that side.

I think I like it the most in the first picture, although I would be limited if I had to rip a 4x8 sheet of ply.. But don’t know the last time I didn’t break it down smaller first anyway.. And would be limited on the outfeed length more than if I turned it. Is on a mobile base so it would be that big of a deal as long as I had enough flex pipe give.

This pic shows the other way I was thinking about it. Would make the DC connection slightly easier though.

Would just like to hear some thoughts.. The other tools are just kind of thrown in places and the rest of the stuff can be put wherever. Got a lot of other stuff but that really isn't an issue right now. Need to figure out where the TS/DC is going first.

Greatly appreciate anyone taking the time to take a look..

Thanks

Matt

[Steve Clardy]

Matt. What is that by the center block wall? Something perminent?

My suggestion on tool placement. Always have your cutup tools close to your entry doors. Bringing material in and placing it or cutting it up is easier than hauling it to the back of the shop.
Place table saw , jointer by the side of it, and miter saw close. Those three items are most used when working up material.
Router tables and shapers can be farther away, as your benches.

[Matt Allan]

Sorry, I should have been a bit more clear..

At the top of the picture by the middle wall, I think that is what you are talking about.. That is a set of steps coming down. So kind of permanent :)

It is a basement shop, and those doors on the left are just other rooms of the basement. Shop can't go back there. Lumber will go in part of one of them and the other room the woman has claimed for...??? well it is out. :)

Only way down is the steps.

Thanks

[Steve Clardy]

Ok. Well that changes things. Maybe move your bench somewhere else and reposition your table saw closer to the wall where the miter saw is?

[Jim O'Dell]

I've always been one to want to have enough room to do sheet goods on the table saw if I needed to, so I would personally move the bench to the left top corner, move the miter saw against the stair well where the boards being cut would go through the doorway, then turn the TS 45 degrees to get the most room I could for it.
OR... put the TS along the top wall where you would have the length to do sheet goods, leave the miter station where it is, or move slightly to the right, place the TS to the right of the stairwell so that you would cut from the left side of the room to the right. Move the bench to the corner along the block wall by the 4' opening. In either scenario, if ducting was not going to pose a problem, I'd leave the DC where it is. I'm sure you will get a lot more ideas. It will allow you to play around with all of them and pick how you want to do it. Maybe print out a basic floor plan you already have, cut out the tools, and place them on a blank floor plan so you can easily move them around. A dab of rubber cement will hold them in place, but make it easy to peel up and re position. Have fun!!! I spent about 7 months playing with ideas for my shop that I'm rehabbing. When I settled on an idea and started, I still changed things around! Jim.

[Matt Allan]

I thought of that, but that puts my DC host pointing towards the doors and either a really long run to wrap around to the other side or it just being in the way..

I just can't seem to be happy with anyway I put it. Someone come up with a magic perfect answer.. Lets go. :)

[Matt Allan]

I think I like the table saw at a 45.. I didnt even think of that. I might go play with that right now on the mobile base..

No idea how I didnt even notice that while moving it around... :)

[Steve Clardy]

Get on the steps and imagine yourself coming down with a sheet of plywood. Then look things over to see where the closest place is to get it on the tablesaw and still have infeed and outfeed room.

[Jim Becker]

My one suggestion for the moment is to try and keep your "cutting/milling" in one room and use the other for assembly, hand-tool work, specialty tools like scroll saws/lathe, etc. For example, your jointer is in a different room from your table saw right now. Personally, I bounce between those two tools "a lot" and like having them close by to each other. Think in terms of work flow...very important.

[Jim O'Dell]

Get on the steps and imagine yourself coming down with a sheet of plywood. Then look things over to see where the closest place is to get it on the tablesaw and still have infeed and outfeed room.

I agree, Steve. The TS should at least be close, and have enough room at the bottom of the stairs to handle the wood you're bringing down. Best to plan on building a mobile wood storage cart that you can postiion there to facilitate moving multiple pieces down the stars. Maybe sheet goods on one side, and dimensional goods on the other. Jim.

[Bart Leetch]

I am assuming that both those doors go out.

Put the table-saw, jointer & planer in the room without the stairs I am assuming that what you are showing is stairs. Put the DC over by the door way so its easy to empty to take out. It looks like you have a ??? on the back wall thats a good place for it & a CMS or SCMS put a shelf over it for hardwood for the current project. Move the CMS or SCMS more over to the right & keep the table-saw further to the left so that if you need to cut something you can come straight from the other room & not have to go around the table-saw. Also move one of the shelves & put your plywood in its place. Out in the other room put your bench band-saw drill-press combination sander & all like tools that would be used for fine tuning & finessing your project as your doing assembly. Your DC runs will be shorter & simpler this way. I think since it sounds like you use a circular saw to cut sheets down it would be much easier to set your shop up this way & have the higher ceiling area for assembly. You could also put more lumber storage shelves on that right wall in the lower ceiling area. Keeping your table-saw, jointer & planer running in the same direction makes processing material easier too. Also keeping them in the same room reduces the amount of steps you take & how far you have to run DC ducting.

[Chris Giles]

Matt,
I agree with Bart. I know you said you were not comfortable with the table saw in the other room, but I can see no viable position for it in the room with the staircase. The TS, the planer and the jointer should be oriented in the long direction to handle long stock, for me 10' fore and aft of the blade keeps the tabls saw in the same spot. Cluster them for easy dust collection if possible. The tall ceilings are desirable where assembly happens.
Perhaps you could do something with the lighting to make the other room more inviting.

[Roy Wall]

Matt,

Is your Bench the same height as your TS???

To keep the TS in your preferred room...I"d put it on a mobile base. Then you could "wheel" it closer to the stairs and closer to the current "bench wall" as needed for sheet goods.

This may sound crazy, but if you DID NOT have rails on the last 3 steps or so..you could actually get the TS very close to the stairs as long as the TS ext table (height) still cleared any of the stair height).. (sort of an overlap). your footwork would be basically at the bottom of the stairs.. but leave room for footwork...

[Matt Allan]

Ok guys, I actually moved all the stuff around. Fine to see it on paper but a lot better to see it and walk around it.

I am not comfortable with the TS on the lower ceiling side at all, the ceiling is just too low and the lights would have to be placed on the outside edges of that room due to the 4 main duct runs because of 2 Furnaces/2 AC units right down the middle. Don’t think it’s a good idea to have the TS where I am not comfortable and with bad light..

The TS at a 45 degree angle like Jim suggested feels the best and everything is pretty close by. Ended up with the worktable in the same spot after moving it all over. It is the same height as the table saw so being close will be nice for infeed or outfeed if needed. I also have ~9-10 feet both ways on the TS to cut boards. Wouldn't be able to rip a full 4x8 sheet since with 4 feet I lose the distance going into corners. Although the saw is on a mobile base a quick turn would let me rip any length, just not a good spot to keep the saw in since it is in the way..

Even though the jointer is on the other side of the wall, it is only 5 or so steps away from the front of the TS to the jointer. Don’t think that’s bad at all.

Guess I need to start unpacking the rest of the stuff now. I am sure I will be back with a few DC questions when I get to setting up some pipe in a few days..

Really appreciate the replies and the advice.

[Bart Leetch]

I just gotta ask how high is the ceiling then the back room? :D

[Matt Allan]

with all the big main ducts hanging down perpendicular to the joists, it makes it a couple inches under 7 feet. That drop down is down the whole middle of the room. It feels like it is right on top of my head.