Small shops

[Brian Keith]

Im looking for some new ideas and am not happy with my current layout so people with small shop(15x15) can you post some pics, basement shop would be great.Thanks

[Thomas Knighton]

15x15 is small? I'm having to put on together in a 6x6 space, so I'm eager to see what others have come up with myself :D

Tom

[Billy Chambless]

15x15 is small? I'm having to put on together in a 6x6 space, so I'm eager to see what others have come up with myself :D

Tom


I think around here, anything less than an acre is considered "small".

[keith ouellette]

I think around here, anything less than an acre is considered "small".
Most of us are just stuck dreaming.
My shop is 18X24 and it feels very small. It was the biggest I could afford to build and (don't take this the wrong way I'm glad to see there are others here who don't have shops as big as my house.
A lot of it depends on the size of your tools. I read an article about small shops that had everything in the middle of the room instead of being at the walls. I am looking for it now to see the layout.

[Bill Huber]

Well mine is only 12x16 and I would say that is a little less then an acre.

Moble bases and flip stands.

Here is the shop layout.
http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/image/85312083

From one end to the other.

http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/image/81915322

http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/image/81915321

There have been a few changes after those pictures.
I now have a flp stand for the planer
http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/image/89705420
http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/image/89705417

The gray drawer cabinet has been move to under the clamps and a bigger router table was added.
http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/image/85895627

I do all my sheet cutting in the garage, and really long boards.

[Jim Becker]

I think that one of the biggest "mistakes" we all make is to assume our shops have to have a "layout" at all. The "secret to small shop success" is...flexibility. Frankly, the same applies when you have a more spacious, umm...space...for your woodworking. Every project is different, so being able to easily reconfigure to meet the requirements of a given project is a most helpful thing.

Obviously, we all need to make some basic decisions about where power will be available as well as dust collection drops if the system is piped in, but even in that, we can maintain some flexibility with a little planning. Outside of the largest stationary power tools (proverbial big iron) almost any tool can be mobile. So if you're not using it, get it out of the way. Pick a corner as your tool coral and park gear that is not in use there. That can free up a lot of floor space for actually working.

And this includes assembly and finishing. If your tools are mobile, you can have a knock-down, multi-height surface that's functional, flexible and...gone when it's not in use.

Be careful with built-ins, especially in a very small shop. Even storage can and should be mobile to a certain extent. Consider a French cleat system so you can make adjustments over time for things hanging on the wall.

Do all these things and a small shop will work just fine. It's harder to work on multiple projects simultaneously in a small shop, but most folks don't do that anyway, especially in a hobbyist situation.

[keith ouellette]

Nice looking shop Bill. Is it always so clean and organized or did you clean up for the picture. Mine is always a mess.

[Chuck Lenz]

My shop is a detached double stall garage that we still park our vehicles in. My tablesaw, thickness planer, and edge sander are all on mobile bases and get pushed up against a wall when I'm done for the day.

[George Bregar]

Nice looking shop Bill. Is it always so clean and organized or did you clean up for the picture. Mine is always a mess. look closer. There is actually some sawdust in this shot ;) http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/image/89705417

[Thomas Knighton]

I think around here, anything less than an acre is considered "small".

Heh, even I consider mine microscopic :D

Tom

[Todd Franks]

Brian,

I'll echo Jim's sentiments. I'd suggest making everything mobile and adjust according to the project. Even though I have 435 sq ft in my basement shop, I consider it small because it is the most messed up 435 sq ft to use for a shop. It's got 13 walls, a narrow hallway, 3 doors, an egress window, and low ceilings. I've never really found a layout I've been happy with. I'm currently redoing my DC system and attached is my latest layout goal. Fortunately, I had the foresight to put casters on everything. What I've discovered is that I'm constantly rearranging. If I'm doing a cabinet project with sheet goods then the planer and jointer are just in the way and I need lots of setup and assembly area. An end table requires that I use almost every tool but never simultaneously so I bring it out from the wall, then push it back when I'm done. If I'm ripping down a long piece of base trim I need to angle the table saw diagonally to get the clearance needed on the infeed and outfeed. Flexibility is key. I've also installed a french cleat system, so when I tire of a particular layout, I can easily move the wall mounted items along with the free standing tools.

[Lee Koepke]

my basement shop area is about 17 x 24. Thats what I have been working on all week. I have a couple of things to do today / tomorrow before the games, and then I will post a couple of pictures.

I used one long wall for fixed cabinets that tie into my cabinet saw. The rest of the three walls are "fluid" pending the next generation machines.

[Bill Huber]

Nice looking shop Bill. Is it always so clean and organized or did you clean up for the picture. Mine is always a mess.

I have found with a small shop I need to keep it cleaned up or I just can't use it. Also with a small shop it is easy to clean up and get organized.

The one thing that I think I have learned is that if there is a place for everything it is so easy to put it back there. Which also makes clean up really quick and easy.

But you really wouldn't want to see it today, I have 2 different projects going on and the saw dust is everywhere.

[Bill Huber]

look closer. There is actually some sawdust in this shot ;) http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/image/89705417


Let me get the vac turned on.....:D

[Bob Noles]

Brian,

My shop is 12X17 and I can say that a small shop will make a better man out of you. You are welcome to ponder around at my photo site below to see if there are any ideas that can help. I am in the middle of a major re-arrange and will post some new pictures in a few days so check back.

http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m292/bnoles616/Shop/?start=all

[Lee Koepke]

Brian,

My shop is 12X17 and I can say that a small shop will make a better man out of you. You are welcome to ponder around at my photo site below to see if there are any ideas that can help. I am in the middle of a major re-arrange and will post some new pictures in a few days so check back.

http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m292/bnoles616/Shop/?start=all
nice shop.

What part of metro ATL are you in ???

[Bill Wyko]

I'm up in a cabin it Pine AZ right now but when I get back I'll post pics of my 12x20 shop. I'm packed in tight but it's pretty user friendly. What kind of work do you do? I do mostly small stuff so I don't need much bench space.

[Brian Keith]

I was wrong about the size of my shop, even smaller at 10x16. I have never been happy like I said with the layout and in the process of putting everything on bases which does help.

[David G Baker]

look closer. There is actually some sawdust in this shot ;) http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/image/89705417
George,
I get more sawdust on the kitchen floor when coming in from the shop.
Neatness is not one of my strong points but putting things back from where I got them is a necessity of life when you start to age.
That is one neat shop that Bill has, think we could talk him into organizing our shops?

[Stan Smith]

Wheels are the way to go for sure. I started in a garage with everything on wheels. Then built a 20 x 24' shop. Then moved and shop is now in a 1-car garage--Yep, it's on the wrong side for me to put my DC and compressor outside, too. My main workbench is also on wheels. I bought a couple of those heavy duty wire shelves from Costco (on wheels). They really hold a lot to help out with the space. I bought a lot of Stearlight plastic drawers for all the small stuff. I kept my 51" Jet ts and have to roll it back and forth to use the built in router. I bought 4 of those Rigid fold up stands at HD and use them for 4x8 sheet cutting in the other part of the garage. I have them hanging on the end of one of the shelves. We all find ways to "make do" when we have to.

[Daryl Upole]

Before I built my shop, I read a bunch of books. One of them was a Fine Woodworking compilation of many small shop ideas. Here it is on half.com

http://product.half.ebay.com/Small-Woodworking-Shops_W0QQtgZinfoQQprZ5971994

I used lots of ideas for my corner garage shop until I built mine.

[John W. Willis]

10x14 yard barn, mobile bases and plenty of planning and even then I feel like I'm dancing with the machines.

[Brodie Brickey]

I quickly snapped some pictures, and its really a mess, but here goes...

This is a 17 deep by 13 wide 'shop'. I've got a lathe, bandsaw, 8" jointer, 2 HP DC, cabinet saw, PM 3520 lathe, bench top drill press, grinder, 3 HP router w/ table, miter saw, DeWalt 735 Planar and (2) Triton lumber rack wall systems.

Its a small area to keep so much stuff. I have to shift things around a little. When I've got it all cleaned up, its not too bad. There is actually a lot of space in the center. The Christmas projects kinda got out of control...:o

What I Did:

My table saw has the full rails on it. Its a Delta 2 HP cabinet saw from the 90s. Its stationary.

I picked up the Triton Lumber rack from WoodCraft for 50% off when it was on sale 3 weeks ago. It really freed up the space. I was able to free up (not that it looks it right now) the right side of the table saw which usually stored my wood on the table and the router table.

Along the wall every 4 feet or so is a set of double plugs. 220 on one side, 110 on the other. The 110 alternates breakers every four feet. There are also two drops close to the floor. The 220 is on the same circuit except two plugs which are on another circuit. The intention was to have a dedicated DC or compressor line if necessary. The walls around my lathe and the main wall are insulated & covered in cdx plywood. This way I can mount to the wall without finding the studs for small stuff (The lumber rack is lagged to studs).

When I started laying this out, I wanted to put everything on wheels. It didn't work out for me. Partly because the floor in this 1920s Model A garage is not completely level. Ever tried moving a 450 lb jointer over rough 'terrain', I don't recommend it.;)

I settled for getting everything as much as possible on the same level. When I'm cutting full plywood sheets, I bring in an outfeed support that provides the safety for properly controlled sheet goods.

My dust collection includes a separator, everything is 4" sewer pipe. I can open and close the gates to control the collection.

Here's a link to a posting on the turning forum about another portion of the setup.
Drill Press, storage, and grinder Setup
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=64978

Things I'd like to do:

Build proper storage under the table saw.
Build a counter cabinet along the wall under the lumber rack to use for the bandsaw and miter saw.
Incorporate the router into my tablesaw wing.

[Scott Coffelt]

I have a 325sqft shop, I have things pretty mobile, but also have some fixed things. I have my cabinet saw and a outfeed cabinet in the middle (fixed). What I found was I worked many different arrangements to find the right mix. Even with that I can only so so much. I have a ton in my shop still. I find that the ket thing is to think about storage in everything I build and also to think vertical. The one thing i lack in voulume is wood storage, but still have quite a bit. I am ucky and can store 4-5 sheets of sheet goods along a wall next to the front of my truck in the garage, which helps. I found a lay out that worked best then hard piped my dust collection, I still have mobility with several tools that just do not work in a fixed location. Assembly is another issue, as I have to use my outfeed table for it, but when I plan for it I can get many of my cuts done before I assemble. I have some floor space to move the assembly too.