Shop Gloat (What I lack in Size I make up for in Enthusiasm)

[Graham Skinner]

Well Guys here it is :)

Like I said what I lack in size I make up for in enthusiasm :D.
I have enjoyed seeing a the pics of your shops, so I thought that I would show you a couple of mine ( looks messy because it is messy but I am working on it slowly;) ).

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The pride of My tool collection (this week:cool: ) is my bandsaw.

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So there you have it, "My beloved work shop" if any of you have any ideas/photo's of single garage shops that maximize space, or any good idea's about the way I should go, I would be most gratefull to hear them.

Thanks for looking in, Regards...Graham...

[Bill Wyko]

What are your dimentions? I'm in a 12x20 myself. Can you say square peg round hole:D Looks like you have a handle on it though. PS, nice BS:D

[Graham Skinner]

Hi Bill

My garage size is 10' X 20' so is not quite as wide as yours, my ceiling is 7' but I lose about 12" of hight at the front of the garage because of the door.

Thanks for the reply...Graham...

[Dave Sinkus]

I am in a 3 car garage filled with 2 cars, so I get to maneuver around in the middle bay with bicycles and wagons and scooters, oh my :O (Sorry, Wizard of Oz is playing non-stop on TBX)

I spend a good amount of time rolling things around to get the contractors saw on wheels out to the front of the garage to blow some of the dust outside or move the jointer to blos dust out the front. The drill press is the only premanent power tool at the moment between 2 doors. For benches, the one with vices is behind a car for sawing planing, etc. Another is parallel to the 'open bay' for assembly, finishing. Wood storage is wherever I can find a spot.

I'm envious, I don't have a BS.

Good luck and thanks for posting the pics.

[Bryan Berguson]

My old shop was 14x20 and I really enjoyed it. I had a little pot bellied wood stove for heat in the winter and it was my own little space to do what I wanted. Current shop (34x34) is in my floor heated basement and as much as I like, I still miss my old shop sometimes. With kids upstairs, I have to be more noise and fume conscious so that limits my time down there. But then the heated floors in the winter are hard to beat, as much as liked the wood stove, constant heat is really nice.

Bryan

[glenn bradley]

I'd say you have a nice space there. You will just have better habits in putting your tools away as you go to keep space open than others with larger spaces. I'm in a 20 x 30 but the WH and laundry live with me. Fortunately my car has never seen the inside of a garage so it doesn't suspect. I could do with less and could of course do with more but, that would just make it a little easier, not especially better.

[John Kali]

Nice shop, and sweet bandsaw...I have tool envy!!!

I am new to woodworking and also have a small shop (one car garrage). I have a work bench that goes the entire length of one side of the garrage but still need to build one on the other side, so its only about half finished. I might take some pics of it when I get it completely put together and organized.

[Rob Will]

Nice shop Graham.

I would paint the walls white.
Build a long bench along one of the long walls.
Deep storage drawers below the bench, pegboard above.
Put your CMS inset into the top of that bench somewhere about the middle of the room. Needs a small plywood backsplash to control dust.
Lumber storage on the back end wall including a place for sheet goods.
Bandsaw and drill press on the opposite wall from the bench.
Table saw also on the opposite wall but near the door so you can roll it outside.
Any additional tools need to be benchtop style.
Shelving mounted on the wall between the new drill press and bandsaw locations.JMHO

Rob

[James Phillips]

Love the bandsaw. I am in the market right now and plan to get that saw. From what I have seen there are several improvements on that saw over the others. I also want the Granite top

[Robert Trotter]

I am envious. You have such a BIG shop.:eek: What will you do with all that space?

Robert
PS. Really. Yours is bigger than mine.:)
Have fun in it.

[Graham Skinner]

Thanks for those good idea's Rob, I would like to paint the walls at some point, do you have any advice about what paint to use (ei, water based or oil base is there a special paint just for this task?).

I ask because I painted the inside of some block built stables once with contractors paint and after a few months it was coming of the walls and making a dusty mess of the place:confused: .

Thanks again...Graham...

[Graham Skinner]

Love the bandsaw. I am in the market right now and plan to get that saw. From what I have seen there are several improvements on that saw over the others. I also want the Granite top


I love my bandsaw as well:rolleyes:.

When I bought the granite top model was not avalible, (still yet to see one in Canada), but I am not sure what the point is of haveing one on a 14" bandsaw??? "IMO" as band saw is not a precision tool realy!.
I think you would be better to get the iron topped band saw and with the money you save buy the riser block and a couple of good 105" blades to go with it.
By the way This saw has plenty of power to take advantage of the riser block.

Thanks for looking in....Graham...

[Bob Oehler]

Nice shoe box :o
I know the trials of a small shop. Mine is 12 X 16 and boy is it tight and cluttered. I posted some pic's here a few years ago. I've added some machines since then and I realy need to put up a few new pic's. Enjoy the band saw and keep us informed on how it is dooing. I am going to be looking for a bandsaw in a years (I do not have one now) and would like to know how the steel city stuff holds up after a few years under thier belt.

Got to run
Take care
Bob O. ;)

[Brian K McDermaid]

Excellent space... It's not the size of your shop but what you do with it!

My shop is 11x21

http://www.lostbyte.net/tmp/garage.jpg

http://www.lostbyte.net/tmp/shop2.jpg

My advice is to put everything on wheels and keep the middle open. That way you can rearrange for each project.

~Brian

PS. I have to stick my bandsaw in the corner so the other tools don't make fun of it. I've got bandsaw envy!

[Graham Skinner]

Hi Bob.

Maybe I will do a review of my bandsaw in a few months time (from the home user's point of view) it dont seem to be worth doing one at the moment as the saw is still pretty much brand new and new, but I would say that I am pleased with it up to now.

Regards...Graham...

[Tom Cowie]

Hey Graham,

Not bad. Tools have came first for me. I'm in a 12x16 with 8' sides and a small loft to store wood. I added a 12x16 deck on the front for wood working outside on the nicer days. I'll maybe build a bigger shop someday but for now it'll do.

I don't know what kind of lighting you have but installing four sets of 8' cold start fluorescent lights has worked great for me.

Tom

[Graham Skinner]

Thanks for the reply and photo's Brian.

Good advice about putting everything on wheels, and that was one of the selling points when I got my band saw (if I need the space I just click the wheel down with my foot and of I go:) )
Got my planer on a low level trolly, as I dont like having to drag it out and lift it up to bench level when I need to use it:cool: , when I get round to building a bench it will live under there.

Thanks again....Graham...

[Graham Skinner]

Hi Tom

Lighting is another thing that I have to address, as up to now I just work with the door open and have a small light bulb mounted on the wall, but that will have to end soon as winter is almost here and it's to bloody cold up here to work with an open door:eek: .


Regards...Graham...

[Rob Will]

Thanks for those good idea's Rob, I would like to paint the walls at some point, do you have any advice about what paint to use (ei, water based or oil base is there a special paint just for this task?).

I ask because I painted the inside of some block built stables once with contractors paint and after a few months it was coming of the walls and making a dusty mess of the place:confused: .

Thanks again...Graham...

Graham,
I think that depends on how much moisture is coming throught that block wall.....is this a basement?......is it dry?

I would lean toward latex products. The first coat might be block filler or some sort of dry loc product. The final coat(s) need to be semi-gloss latex house paint or latex floor and deck paint. These heavier bodied paints work well in a workshop environment and will make it easier to fill the voids in the concrete block.

Rob