Help with shop layout

[Brad Ridgway]

I'm a newbie - hope these sorts of questions are ok here...

I have a 20x30 outbuilding (block constructions, 16' garage door on the front), side door for access and windows on two sides. However, I took the back 11x20 and made that my home office - so shop is down to 19x19ish factoring in walls...

I currently have the table saw centered right at the big garage door opening (so i feed boards from outside), i have the jointer, BS, DP, DC (a 1.5HP delta) all surrounding the table saw, so they can feed off a single 20amp 240V drop (jointer is actually on it's own). i felt cramming the tools along walls would not be useful (esp when trying to process longer stock), but all are mobile.

Opposite the garage door, i have cabinets / storage lining the full length of the back wall with a cutout in the middle into which i can roll my router table (or eventualy miter saw station any other tool if i wanted the countertop for addition support)

I can try to get a pic if it helps tonight, but i warn you it's a mess! I'm trying to get it ready so i can start some real projects instead of just shop furniture.


Anyway, i also have a 45 gallon compressor currently against window and butted up to one end of the counter. Just seems like a huge waste of space. Been reading past posts where people have put them in sheds, etc. Anyone made a slab and a dedicated structure for this along an exterior wall? I'd love to get both the Comp/DC outside, but worry about the elements, rust, etc. As i'm in florida, i'd have to poor the slab high enough to make sure rain wasn't a factor and the walls/top would have to be solid. And i'm not too sure the DC (rated 1250cfm) would do well at longer distances unless i piped with metal which kindof hurts my mobility factor... (i don't have a lot of attic room above to run the pipe and with 8' ceilings, i really don't want to lose the wall/ceiling space inside to do so.

thx in advance
-brad

[Rob Bodenschatz]

If you subscribe to Fine Woodworking's website, check out "A Shop Built Around an Island" by Alan DiVilbiss:

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/FWNPDF/011181042.pdf

Alan's shop is designed such that all the dust-makers are in the center of the shop, along with the dust collector. I've always liked that design is your space lends itself to that. I'm probably breaking some sort of copyright law but here's a photo from the article:

61721

Just an idea.

[Don Bullock]

Rob has a great idea. The Fine Woodworking website has a much information on shop design. I highly recommend it to you, but it is a site where you have to pay an annual fee.

My favorite shop for a small space like Brad's is the Roll around shop where all the tools and many of the cabinets are on wheels.

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/subscription/Workshop/WorkshopTour.aspx?id=22880

[Mitchell Andrus]

I'd make a much larger overhang - for clamping.

[Brad Ridgway]

Ya that's pretty much what i have done, although it's not all in/on a nice cabinet containing like that pic - wow!. So far i'm pretty happy (except for the lack of assembly space - the driveway has been my assembly table by default.

also, I'm currently planning to spray outside on clear days and hope for the best (or finish elsewhere if brushing)... Was kindof thinking a rollaway awning mounted on the overhang above the door could give me shade, etc. Is that the area you were referring to Mitchell by larger overhang? I think my deed restricitions would prevent permanent modification that put the builing line closer to the street, but the awning might be a workaround.

[Jim Becker]

One issue with that FW arrangement is the inflexibility it brings to the shop environment. Different projects require different space arrangements and that island approach just doesn't accommodate that very well. IMHO, of course. It can also be cumbersome if you want to replace a tool with something different and it's not the same size, etc.

My recommendation is consider infeed/outfeed needs for the "big three" (TS/J/P), keep things mobile and keep lesser used tools in a "tool coral" to maximize space available for things like assembly and finishing. Keep work surfaces at about the same height for easier material handling, especially where there may be overlap of material paths. Avoid larger, permanent constructions and locate machinery such that there is logical flow for the kind of work you do as well as how material comes in the door "rough" and leaves as finished work.

[Rob Will]

I have some reservations about that "shop island". In a small shop it is important to have EVERYTHING on a mobile base. I would try to plan for a power drop and DC port 50" or so to the right side of your TS blade then work the jointer and planer up to that post as needed. Other tools would live close to the perimeter wall most of the time. Remember to include lots of deep drawer cabinets (old lateral files?) and save one corner near the big door for wood storage. You might find a lazy suzan style nail bin out of an old hardware store that would fit nicely in one of the back corners. A good place for jars of fasteners, small power tools etc. JMHO.

Rob

[Rob Bodenschatz]

Yeah, I've always been intrigued by the island idea but I don't think it would work for me either. There are some good ideas there, though. I could see how it could work for some. Especially if you have a separate area for assembly/bench/finishing etc. It's almost like a single power tool workstation. One thing it's good at is keeping your DC runs short. But then again, you need to deal with the close-up noise.

For a more mobile solution, check this out:

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/FWNPDF/011167070.pdf

Bill takes mobility to an extreme in that article. Everything is on wheels and it's all at the same height so he can mix & match pieces to form outfeed tables and supports. A lot of his components fit under the bench. There's a video along with the article.

Here's a preview:
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EDIT: Missed Don's post referring to this same article. Sorry for the repeat info.

[Mario Lucchesi]

Keep things where they are for now and focus on building a few different kinds of projects and move the equiptment as needed. That was you will find that you end up with a tool placement that meets your needs and work style.

Just a thought.

[Mike Wilkins]

No matter what you do with the other tools in your shop, moving the air compressor and DC to an outside shed will be a big plus. These guys are big noise producers, and running connections through the wall is not a problem.
I built a 4 X 8 shed addition on the long wall of my 16 X 24 shop for the DC and gained lots of real estate inside the shop. I don't have a big compressor (yet) but that is where it will go. Be sure to insulate the walls of the shed with batts or soundboard if there are neighbors nearby, just to maintain some harmony with the neighbors.
Good luck and watch those fingers.

[Rob Bodenschatz]

Mike, do you have a picture of that DC shed? I am considering doing the exact same thing on the back of my shop.

[Brad Ridgway]

Second that Mike - would like to see...

However, i've been thinking, what if i took a corner of my 11x20 office which is on the other side of the wall opposite the large door. I don't think i want to give up 4x8 but maybe 2.5'/3' x 6/7'.

I would never have either the DC nor compressor on when i'm in the office, so this is a not issue... The block walls should limit the neighbor noise issue and i can just build a 2x4 frame or something around them... The wall between the shop/office is 2/4 stubs with drywall and r13 insulation in it, not sure how much it would muffle from shop side, but better than nothing!

Question1: even though the DC bag is rated at 1 micron, i'm assuming i do not want it blowing out into the office. So if i fully enclose, can i vent with a small A/C vent to the shop? Same vent to get air for the compressor?

Question2: if i go this route, i would rather not make the enclosure permanent (just in case i decide i need the space or want to sell... but also because i'll need access t change filters/oil/drain/etc) So could i just put some foam on the sides/bottom where it meets the existing walls, carpet and base board?

the

[Roy Harding]

In my last shop I built a "tool island" based on the Fine Woodworking article.

It was superb. I'm currently building a new shop, and will incorporate the tool island again. It's a great way to get maximum benefit from a small space - and the benefits of having your dust collector central to your main dust producers can't be overemphasized.

The "tool island" gave me HUGE outfeed/infeed surfaces for all my major machines. I used melamine as a top surface - it gave me a very "slidy" surface. The only drawback to it was that huge surface just begged to have "stuff" placed on it. I spent a lot of time clearing it off when I needed to cut/drill something big. That's a self-discipline problem on my part, though (I need my school shop teacher around to yell at me to put tools away when I'm finished with them).


Roy

[John Ricci]

(I need my school shop teacher around to yell at me to put tools away when I'm finished with them).

Roy

Guilty as charged:rolleyes:! I have "put everything away" sessions of my own, just so that I can find things.

J.R.

[Brad Ridgway]

btw - here's my current layout and the thinking to move compressor in the office...

http://home.cfl.rr.com/bridgway/shop.jpg