Workshop Build

[John Isgren]

I thought I would go ahead and start a thread to cover my workshop build. We just built. 70x100 barn and I was “granted” a workshop space of 12x26. This shop will be a combination workspace that will be mostly hand tool focused, but have sheet good/cabinetry capabilities as well as light metal working.

On the end of the shop is a 8x8’ insulated, roll up door and the entrance is through the powder room.

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The barn is up and this is what the shop looked like initially
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To the right is the apartment and the ceilings in the shop are 11-16ft so I will have lumber storage above the apartment.

i did build a small bench to get started with
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Last weekend the main focus was to get the power meter and disconnects installed and ready for the power company to inspect. Passed yesterday so we should have power in a couple of weeks.

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[Mike Manning]

Looking good John! Looks like you're gonna have a nice new shop!

[William Fretwell]

John,
if you are going to be using sheet goods you will need to move the table saw off the wall. It takes a large infeed area, a large side support and off take table. I have such a set up and it’s huge. My side support reaches almost to the wall but as the power conduit and dust conduit come under it that works well. You won’t be able to walk in circles in that space.

First position the table saw on the plan, then the dust collector near it on the wall. Then add the other large tools to the plan. Make scale cutouts for the plan it really helps.

Do you need sheet goods storage? I would try for that just outside the shop as your space is tight. Mine is an 8’ high wheeled monster, the wheels would work if there was 4 of me!

You may have to butt the main bench end up near a side wall. The assembly bench needs to be freestanding to work around it, mine is on wheels also; that I can move.

[John Isgren]

All of the power tools, including the welding table will be on rollers. The drawing is to scale and the tools are shown in their storage positions. If needed they can be rolled out to the middle of the main barn alleyway.

This will be mostly a hand tool shop, and the sheet goods will be one-off type projects and I don’t want to store any. My plan is to break down panels with my circular saw with the Kregg guides out in the barn.

[William Fretwell]

Wheels and extension cords are not appealing, especially when dust collection is involved. I too break down things with a worm drive saw but not panels. The proportion of hand tool space and machines is similar! I enjoy the hand tools and just use the machines.

Breaking down panels you will collect off cuts. Some storage is inevitable, and you will use them.

You certainly have a flying start with machines.

[John Isgren]

Actually I don’t have any machine except the Ryobi tablesaw. The rest is just layout for power right now.

[JimA Thornton]

How big is your workbench John? My shop space is 11 x 22 with a nice collection of machines. I might be able to add some input.

Jim

[John Isgren]

How big is your workbench John? My shop space is 11 x 22 with a nice collection of machines. I might be able to add some input.

Jim

The current one against the wall is 24”x7’. The one in the middle will be 30”x7’.

I am really keeping the machines to a minimum to have for one off projects. I have a small Ryobi table saw and a small Ryobi suitcase style planer and I will purchase a bandsaw.

[JimA Thornton]

The current one against the wall is 24”x7’. The one in the middle will be 30”x7’.

I am really keeping the machines to a minimum to have for one off projects. I have a small Ryobi table saw and a small Ryobi suitcase style planer and I will purchase a bandsaw.

If you turn the main bench 90 degrees and then work (stand) between the main bench and assembly bench (what I call my back bench) you have a handy place to store all the junk that ends up on the main bench (at least that's what happens to me). My table saw (Unisaw) and jointer are in the middle of the room and I use the main bench for an outfeed table for my table saw. I wish I had that extra foot of width that you have.

[Jim Foster]

Several considerations if you have not considered

1) Finish area. This is the bane of my shop, no area that can be used for finish. while still doing other dust creating activities
2) If you do not have a tablesaw yet, and mostly handwork is assumed, I would consider just the band-saw and a panel saw, like the festool its competitors that have good reviews. If I was redoing my purchases, I would try really hard to skip the tablesaw
3) Space always becomes an issue, if you do not have a jointer and planer yet, and plan on more than a tabletop planer (which are very nice for what they do), I would consider a combination machine.

Good luck, looks like a great start!

[John Isgren]

I have a small Ryobi tablesaw and Ryobi benchtop planer. However, at some point I will get a Unisaw, 15” planer, and 8” jointer from my father so my layout is based on that. Right now the only machine that I am purchasing is a 17” bandsaw.

As far as finishing, I usually only have one project going at a time, but the shop is attached to a 2 bedroom guest apartment that I could use when no one is visiting.

[Tom Bender]

Hi John
Congrats on the new shop.

Consider never getting the jointer. It is a space hog and you can get by without it.

Good move making a bench centered shop, where you can work all the way around the bench.

Consider using your main bench for assembly, you will want to get all the way around a piece when assembling it.

Consider a small but tall second bench, mine is 41" high and 24" x 24" I do a lot of close work there.

My dust collector is a Dust Cobra. It has a smaller footprint. It is a crossover machine between collector and shop vac.

Can you install anything outside your 12 x 26 space, compressor, dust collector, storage?

My shop got much better when I built my tool cabinet. 17 drawers, mostly shallow but each configured for the tools to be held. It cleared the walls and floor and misc storage cabinets, opening things up.

[John Isgren]

Really can’t put too much outside shop. I though about mounting dust collector out side, but now am considering conditioning the shop so that is not practical. I already have a small 1hp dust collector so will set that up with a Super Dust Deputy and garbage can.

[Bill McDermott]

Josh, Great fun. You must be very excited. Here's a few things that come to mind.
- try to define a specific reference height for horizontal surfaces. That gives you something to work with when building and buying things. E.g. I am tall and use 36".
- for example, the rolling table saw / infeed / outfeed table issue is solved if you make it all meet at the same height as your workbench, assembly table and saw horses.
- get your wiring done and hang your walls. I went French cleat with mostly 2' x 4' panels and love it.
- spray everything with inexpensive white paint (walls and ceiling) after roughing in.
- LED lighting is unpleasant in the living room but makes it real easy to see detail in the shop.
- install Dricore 2' x 2' floor panels from the home center. They are great and provide the vapor barrier, some insulation and comfort and are easy to maintain.
- get a great cyclone dust collector and arrange things so you can just drag a 4" hose to your machines when and where needed. Do pipes only if and when needed.
- dart board goes on the wall between the drill press and welding area, right?

Great shop space.

[John Isgren]

Good day in the shop! Power company came by and hooked me up! No more generator. Ran 3 of my 120 v circuits. Next up lighting!

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[John Isgren]

More progress. All of the interior electric is run.
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Oh, and the bandsaw came in

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[Kris Cook]

Good on you John. I am a ways behind you but will enjoy seeing your progress.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

That is going to be a great space. 12x26 is a very ideal shop size- not too big, and not too small. I have roughly 12x14 and I would love to have that extra 12' to add power tools. I now have a 30' long space for power tools but it's not on site and I wish it were.

[Richard Jones]

Is that a disconnect or is your power coming into it directly?

Sorry, didnt look back far enough. All good.

[John Isgren]

Is that a disconnect or is your power coming into it directly?

Sorry, didnt look back far enough. All good.

Thanks! I am learning about NEC as I go. Fortunately I have a couple of master electricians looking over my shoulders! Even though we do not have any inspections out in the country, I am sticking to code in my build.


320 amp meter base with 2-200 amp disconnects on out side of barn. Each disconnect feeds a 200 amp panel: one in the shop and one in the apartment. Finally the shop panel feeds a 100amp sub in the feed room.

In the shop there are 4-240v/30amp circuits for the power tools, the dust collector is on switch in the middle of the room. All 10ga wire. For the the 110v system, all circuits are 12ga (20amp) except things like the air compressor where I still ran 10ga. The welder is on a 240v/40amp circuit with 8ga. I have 5-120v circuits including a reel from the ceiling.

[John Isgren]

Shop Update

Now that I have been working in the shop I have modified my plans a bit. Biggest change is I no longer am planning for a powered jointer I really like my #7! (I did run 220v power if I change my mind)

Second major change is the work benches. The old legs that I am using just are not sturdy enoungh, the cheap Woodriver vise is terrible, and finally the bench is way too low (I am 6’6”) What I am planning now is to use the top I made and convert the bench on the wall to a Joinery Bench. This will be a Paul Seller style English bench with a Veritas twin-screw vise. This bench will start out at 46” tall. (Easier to lower as needed)

The bench in the center will be a hybrid with “Roubo” style on one side with face vise and plane stop on one side and a Nicholson style edge planing set up on the other, including crochet. Inspired by Third Coast Craftsman’s “Perfect Bench” This bench will be 40” tall which will match the height of the tablesaw and welding table to give me outfeed options. Both bench will have planing stops and holdfasts.

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[John Isgren]

I have 2/3 of the lights up, going to be very nice once the 3rd strip is in.

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These are 8 ft commercial fixtures, each with 4 - 2200 lumen LED tubes. Design is based on the lighting sticky above. I wanted at least 100 lumen/sqft with a loss factor of 0.5.

[John Isgren]

Lights are done. Incredibly even, bright light!

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[John Isgren]

Insulation

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And walls

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[John Isgren]

1 French cleat wall, 2 more to go.

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[Reinis Kanders]

Nice workshop.
I am similar size to you and my main bench is also 40", my joinery bench is very similar to what you are planning, but 44" high, 46" might be too high.


Shop Update

Now that I have been working in the shop I have modified my plans a bit. Biggest change is I no longer am planning for a powered jointer I really like my #7! (I did run 220v power if I change my mind)

Second major change is the work benches. The old legs that I am using just are not sturdy enoungh, the cheap Woodriver vise is terrible, and finally the bench is way too low (I am 6’6”) What I am planning now is to use the top I made and convert the bench on the wall to a Joinery Bench. This will be a Paul Seller style English bench with a Veritas twin-screw vise. This bench will start out at 46” tall. (Easier to lower as needed)

The bench in the center will be a hybrid with “Roubo” style on one side with face vise and plane stop on one side and a Nicholson style edge planing set up on the other, including crochet. Inspired by Third Coast Craftsman’s “Perfect Bench” This bench will be 40” tall which will match the height of the tablesaw and welding table to give me outfeed options. Both bench will have planing stops and holdfasts.

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[John Isgren]

Nice workshop.
I am similar size to you and my main bench is also 40", my joinery bench is very similar to what you are planning, but 44" high, 46" might be too high.
I figure that I will start with 46” and can always cut it down if needed. Hard to stretch the legs later.

[bill epstein]

When I worked from an 12 x 20 storage unit I placed the workbench across the O/H door opening with the table saw directly behind. Sheet goods slid right off my truck onto the table saw height workbench which was a real back-saver for working alone.

[John Isgren]

Walls are in and I will finish up the cleats and paint today.

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Bought a small rolling toolbox to use as a sharpening station. It will get a larger wooden top when I rebuild my workbench. Until I build a tool cabinet it also holds all of my hand tools, except my saws and drills.

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[Tom Bender]

Hi John
It's coming along nicely. Wish I had your high ceiling.

You will soon find that all your tools will slide to the back of the drawers. You might want to turn your chisels around so they hit with the handle end, and get that rasp out of the way.

How did you come by that collection of moulding planes?

[John Isgren]

How did you come by that collection of moulding planes?

I weak moment with Patrick Leach’s vintage tool list....

[John Isgren]

Workshop build out complete!

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Current bench area with sharpening station. Once I build my main bench this will be the Joinery bench.
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Saw benches and clamps
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Storage until i build build a tool cabinet
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Hand tool “apprentices”
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Small metal working area - still need to put welding table together
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Now i I have a bunch of tool holders to build for the French cleat walls.