shop layout with Neanderthal CAD program

[Frank Nadell]

No CAD program no problem, use what you have. I am having lots of fun laying out my shop with a ½” = 1’ model. My computer aided my design so yea it’s a CAD design. HeHe
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[Thomas Wilson]

Like it. You need some scaled boards and sheets of plywood.

[Lisa Starr]

I like your layout method! Is there an overhead door into the shop somewhere? I see the man door in the left wall near the bottom corner. I think all 3 plans have potential, but could use some tweaking. Is there room to put the saw in the middle with the J/P backing against the right side? Also, could you put together a "pod" of tools (Disc Sander, Mortiser & Edge Sander) to free up some wall space? You don't have any cabinets or shelves in the plans. What about hand tools, hardware?

[Jim Becker]

That's actually a really good technique to visualize things without having to develop the skilz necessary to do it up in SketchUp or similar. It also can be quite a lot of fun!

[Kevin Jenness]

No CAD program no problem, use what you have. I am having lots of fun laying out my shop with a ½” = 1’ model. My computer aided my design so yea it’s a CAD design. HeHe
475821475822475823475821475822475823

The saw on left plan is good in that it leaves open space for staging and assembly, but it boxes in the bandsaw and leaves too little room on the operator's end of the saw.

With the saw on the right, the disc sander will get in the way if you are ripping sheets against the fence - it could go on the back wall. The jointer/planer could come away from the wall and the mortiser could go next to the lathe if the wide belt and j/p were angled. The bandsaw would be better placed in the center of the short wall.

The third plan could work but the passage around the saw is tight. I prefer to leave the center as open as possible.

Are you going to have a cutoff saw? Where will you store materials, and do you have a convenient path to the saw? I like to associate material paths with the machines to make sure of clearance in use. Table heights can be modified and feed-through machines skewed off-axis to make things work.

[Dwayne Watt]

Many an architect's designs have been modeled using the same or similar methods as did you. That was, of course, until 3D modeling software truly became affordable.

[Frank Nadell]

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I like your layout method! Is there an overhead door into the shop somewhere? I see the man door in the left wall near the bottom corner. I think all 3 plans have potential, but could use some tweaking. Is there room to put the saw in the middle with the J/P backing against the right side? Also, could you put together a "pod" of tools (Disc Sander, Mortiser & Edge Sander) to free up some wall space? You don't have any cabinets or shelves in the plans. What about hand tools, hardware?

Hello Lisa, thanks for the reply. I got the building from a local church that wanted it gone for them to build a new church. I had a house mover move it to my property, photo of it leaving its old home and one coming to its new home. At one point it had a 16' garage door but that was later replaced with a french door and two sidelights, that is what is on the north side (lower wall of my model). I like your idea of putting machines in pods, I have been playing around with the model and have a few interesting configurations. Handtools and cabinets are planned to the left and right of my workbench. A lot of my handtools are in a wall mounted 2 door cabinet. I have another garage and a full basement in my house so I hope to keep the seldom used things elsewhere. Thanks again.