Building a shop in the garage

[Steven Shelby]

We moved into our new home back in April. Now that the weather has cooled, I am no longer camping every weekend, and the temperature is such that I can stand to be in the garage for more than 10 minutes, it's time to build my new shop. After weighing the options carefully (most of which involved blowing out walls in our nicely finished basement), I have decided to build a "roll-away" shop in our 24x24 2-car garage that will be designed to provide plenty of working space when the cars are out and plenty of parking space when it's time to put the cars away.

I have seen a couple design ideas for this type of shop online and in mags. Obviously, every shop is different depending on tools and on needs. So I plan on taking several of the plans and adapting. What I am really looking for from you all is some guidance regarding potential pitfalls, does and don'ts, clever space saving ideas that I would never have thought of... ya know... cool stuff like that. I previously had a small basement shop at the old house. But this is going to require portability that I didn't have to concern myself with in the old place. Your thoughts and suggestions are more than welcomed!!

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Steven,

It is wonderful to see you here!! (Steven and I both belong to the same pop up camping forum, a great place like SMC!) I am glad that you joined!

I have a shop about the same size as yours that is supposed to be a garage. It hasn't seen a car in a year! :) Many people do use a 2 car garage as a 2 car garage AND a shop, but the best I can do is to put all of the woodworking "stuff" in one bay and let LOML park in the other bay when it is really cold out or something like that.

Once again, welcome! I hope you enjoy your stay :)

Jeff (Symbasden)

[Jim Becker]

Welcome to SMC, Steven! If you have not done so already, check out both WOOD Magazine's Idea Shop #2 (http://woodmagazine.com/wood/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/wood/story/data/60.xml&catref=wd8) and a similar shop project that Norm did on the NYW a couple seasons ago. I'm not suggesting you duplicate, but there are some great ideas for using the space in the way you want to do. (Of course, relegating the cars to an "in the weather" existance would solve a lot of things...hee hee :D )

[Bob Winkler]

Welcome Steven,

Glad to see another New Englander in the Creek;).

You're right about lots of good articles on garage shops with moveable equipment. I've seen them, but since I have a basement shop, can't help you too much. I do use my garage for EZ-Smart sheetgoods cutting.

Here's my tips:
Lots of light fixtures
Lots of outlets
Plan on putting in shop air. I actually plumb my air to basement and garage, and use a 3-way switch so I can turn on the compressor from basement or garage. Great for all kinds of things.

Good luck,
Bob

[Bob Noles]

Hi Steven and welcome to SMC. Look forward to hanging out with you.

[Don Baer]

Hi Steven,
Welcome to the creek. I have a 2 car garage shop and everything is on wheels. That said LOML keeps her car outside as do I because when I'm doing a project of any size it gets to crowded to even roll the stuff away and not have probelms with the project. My next house will have a 3 car garage and I promised LOML that she can have 1/3...:D

[Andy Hoyt]

Steven - Welcome to the Creek. I know that you'll enjoy getting knee deep (or deeper/worse/better?) into this place.

We had a two-car garage at our two previous houses that never once saw a car. They were both totally devoted to being shops. The methodology that was very successful for me in this regard over the years was always to ensure that there was at least one Honey Do project in one stage or another of development in the shop at any given time. And I usually reserved the larger projects for the winter. Twenty two years like that and she never figured out that she was being "handled".

And our current place? I've now got a barn that's bigger than our house, and it's still all mine. Yup, no garage at all. Get's fun in January, but hey, that's what longjohns are for.

[Eddie Watkins]

Welcome Steven,
I used 2/3rds of a three car garage for years and could usually get 2 cars in it except, as Don said, when I was doing medium to large projects. Based on my experiences, Think dust collection first because the sawdust will not stay in the garage. With portable tools it will be harder to collect the dust but whatever you get will be less you breathe and track into the house.
Eddie

[Von Bickley]

Steven,
Welcome to "The Creek"...:)

[George Matthews]

I have a seperate two car Garage/Workshop and it's a very common strategy.
To accommodate a single car for the odd maintenance, I have most of the area on the walls below 4' clear for roll/drag away space in the middle of the garage. That means most of the permanent shelves are above the 4' line, which leave plenty of space for shelves and wood storage.

The most annoying problem is that it is rarely 'just the right' temperature in the Garage. That led me to seal and insulate the walls and garage door to make it reasonable ($$) to use a space heater (1200W) and an AC (650W) that keep temperature reasonable summer and winter.

If you do insulate/heat/AC, the neighbors will probably ask if your planning to move in?

[John Bailey]

Welcome to the "Creek" Steve,

You'll find that you are at the right place. What these guys don't know "ain't worth knowin'." You will be given the best advice there is.

John

[Steven Shelby]

Welcome to the "Creek" Steve,

You'll find that you are at the right place. What these guys don't know "ain't worth knowin'." You will be given the best advice there is.

John

I have to say that you've given me a very warm welcome. And, John, I am confident that I will learn more than I ever thought possible. Jeff is the guy who told me about this place.. Thank you very much!

Steven

[Mike Vermeil]

Steven,

My honest advice is to forget about parking cars in the garage. Like some others have said, once a project is in the works, moving things around enough so that one car can fit can be next to impossible. I tried that route for a year or so, but it's been at least 10 years now since an automobile has seen the inside of my garage. Save yourself the hassle and talk your wife into parking in the driveway.

Mike

[Scott Parks]

My recommendation:

If you have a miter saw.. Plan on building a countertop along an entire wall. Build the miter saw into the countertop in the center. Then, under the counter top, build roll-out compartments. The compartments should be the same hieght as your table saw. This way they can double as outfeed tables, assembly tables, etc... The roll-outs will then be home to all your other tools, etc.

Hope this makes sense....