Have you ever felt like ripping it all out...

[Dennis McDonaugh]

and starting over? My 20X24 garage shop has evolved over time as I acquired tools and built cabinets and benches. It works well, but I can't help but think that I could really do something if I started over with a clean slate. It sounds like a lot of work and that has kept me from doing it so far, but I am really considering starting the new year with a splash. What do you think?

[Frank Pellow]

I think that you should do so.

When I used to have a shop in my basement, I once took two months to:

(1) Move everything out of the shop (into the rec room for storage which did not make the rest of my family very happy)

(2) Rewire, repair, repaint, and build some new benches, shelves, and cabinets for the shop.

(3) Move everything back into the shop again.

The revamped shop, then lasted me another 10 years -until I built a new shop building last year.

[Cecil Arnold]

I think you should go for it. You'll never know until you give it a try.

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

I took about three weeks last spring and did a major 'overhaul' of my humble shop. Mostly moved things around, put up cabinets and lumber shelves, and reworked the DC piping. Result was a lot more 'working room, and a period of several months that I actually kept it fairly clean. :) Unfortunately, the novelty has worn off....:D

Do it!

KC

[Ed Blough]

I have redone my garage shop at least three times in 27 years. Usually after a major tool purchase forces me to make room for it. I did score 15 feet of overhead kitchen cabinets from the neighbor last year that made me do my last remake.

[Michael Gabbay]

I've been very tempted to do a shop makover. Paint the walls and build some decent storage shelves. I hope to get better organized this year by building some floor to ceiling cabinets.

It's part of the evolutionary lifecycle. Kind like the "great flood" or the ice age depending on which theories you subscribe to. :)

Mike

[John Dingman]

Dennis,

Another vote for the redo. I did my detached shop twice and I was glad I did. Now that I have moved to basement shop and really started with a clean slate, I was able to get it just how I wanted it. It will be worth the effort to have it just the way you want it to improve your work flow.

Best Wishes,
John

[Tom Conger]

I am in the process of doing that right now. It is nice to have the ability to make almost anything you want to exactly suit your needs. My cabinets thus far have each been dedicated to a specific need. Last night was Sanding supplies, night before was Finishing Products, brushes, etc. Tonight it is Hardware. Just the feeling of having all my stuff off the workbenches and scattered around makes me feel more productive.

I am using some scrap maple veneered plywood for all of my door and drawer faces. It is starting to look better than our kitchen! :D

DO IT!!!

[Lee Schierer]

My shop evolved over the years and was getting to be unworkable with my present collection of tools and stuff.

I sat down at the computer and drew up the floor plan and also measured up the footprint of the major tools and benches. Then I arranged everything in the CAD program until it all fit and I had an arrangement that looked good on paper. I took it to the shop, threw out a bunch of stuff I had been saving just in case, made one new shelving unit and ended up with a new shop with plenty of room.

Now I just have to keep it that way. :D

[Bart Leetch]

Start here & download a free program called Shop Designer.

http://www.inthewoodshop.org/software/software.shtml


It allows you to size all the tools to match yours & make a floor plan & move the tools around to see what will fit where & how it will work out with out the hernia.

I use the bench tool for any tool not in the list & just size it the same size as the tool & label it. You can see what I mean at my web site on the first page.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Thanks for the encouragement, I think I'm going to give it a shot right after Christmas. Bart I downloaded the program and will get it up and running and see what I come up with.

[Jim Becker]

Yes, I've done it a couple times and would do it again...and may if I decide to move the wood storage "upstairs". I'd love to have more space for working. There is one thing in my shop that I can't practically move, although I wish I could and that is the cantilevered miter station. After a few years of usage, I'd prefer it on a different wall for better shop space utilization and to allow more light in from the big, big window. Them's the breaks... ;)