The Perfect Size Shop

[Rob Will]

Lets say you are a serious hobbiest or part-time pro with full size tools like a cabinet saw, jointer, bandsaw and planer. You have some sort of dust collection system. You build cabinets and furniture, whatever turns your crank.

Let's say you have the space and you are building your shop all over again:cool:.....how big would it be?

Remember you are spending your own money, so what would you REALLY do if you could do it again? Plese pick the closest size.

Rob

[Anchor Sarslow]

I think I see rich people.. !

[Darrin Vanden Bosch]

I voted 30x40 as that is the size I am currently building but we'll have to wait and see if it is indeed big enough.

Darrin

[Paul Greathouse]

Rob

I built a 30X50 and the only thing I should have done different is, I should have went ahead and built the lean-to off the back of it at the same time that I built the shop.

I had about 3500 bdft of hardwood sawed after the shop was built and I now have the select stuff, roughly 2/3 of it stored in the shop. If I had the lean-to I could store it there instead. Once I can get the lumber out I will have plenty of space.

I recently built a full set of kitchen & bath cabinets for a small house in the shop. It was tight but doable. I was only utilizing about 700 of the 1500sqft. I don't have all the big machines I plan on getting yet. Just the cabinet shop basics so far (tablesaw, CMS, router table, planer, EZSmart table & guide sytem). I can see where everything will fit and still have ample room for assembling a full set of cabinets after the stored wood is removed.

[Jim Dunn]

I voted 24' by 30'. It seems to reflect the size of my shop with a little more wiggle room to get around the table-saw. (If I had a bigger shop then my wife would insist on more "clean" closets and I'd be back to the smaller size any way.

[Jay Jolliffe]

Well....I voted 30x40. The shop I have now is 30x22 with a full bathroom & closet with shelves to store stuff that I don't want covered with saw dust. Some time I hope to add on a room for spraying & to store wood so it would be about 16x16 to add on. It's amazing how small it gets when you start setting up machines, storing lumber & making work benches with storage. :)

[Thomas Knighton]

I voted 40x60 because bigger is almost always better (specific exemptions being proctologist's finger, etc.) :D

Tom

[Billy Chambless]

I voted 12x20 because a) that's twice the size of the shop I'm about to move into, and b) you said I'm spending my own money. ;)

With that said, though, for "semi-pro", I'd probably really go at least 20 x 28 in hopes of bringing in enough of other people's money to pay for it!

[Bob Feeser]

I voted 40x60. By the time you cardon off sections, you would have just the right amount of space. So what sections would I have?

A refinishing room separate from the dusty shop.
A room on the outer wall, with celotex insulation lining, not too big, that I could create my own airtight kiln in. My sawyer has such a room in his barn, he stacks green wood, turns on a blast heater to get the ball rolling, then leaves a couple dehumidifiers running. The heat from the motors is all he needs to cure the wood is what he says, and he does it full time.
Of course the main shop having plenty of room to move around, and permanent stations for everything. A couple of assembly tables that are boxed for perfect flatness. Also contains an air draft box/room for the dust collection, like we had in high school, with a shaker switch for the fan, and square ducts all the way to the floor everywhere, so you could even take pure dust pile sweepings and not have to use a dustpan. ( I had a neighbor who was buying those used from high school woodshops for about $300)
A separate section garage door accessible from the outside, that is not normally heated but with a blast heater available, for storing wood with enough room to store the portable saw mill.
An office and drawing room, that doubles as a showroom, and a place to store finish pieces to get them out of the shop before delivery. (I'm not sure how that would work???)
A bathroomWell that is it. I guess I don't dream too big do I ? :D

[Joe Mioux]

I said 24x30. I don't think i would want to pay more property taxes on it than that sized building. My garage/shop is 24x32 and has to be shared with loml vehicle. I like the space.

[Rod Sheridan]

I also selected 24 X 30, which is larger than my present shop.

Regards, Rod.

[Steve Rowe]

I picked the biggest because, wood, tools and machinery are not solids they are gases. They expand to fill all available space and conform to the containers in which they are placed. Hence, you can't possibly build a shop large enough.:D
Steve

[Al Willits]

I went with 30x40 as you said it was my money and that's about all I could justify, other wise I'd have gone with 40x60 and sub divided into a sanding, finishing/spraying and assembly room.
Prob use some sort of moveable wall system.
Also a small office for computor and sound system, and a bathroom too

Bigger is better...especially if you don't have to pay for it. :)

Al

[Jim Becker]

I picked 1200 square feet...I could live happily in that, but more space, at least for storage, etc., would be really nice to have if it could happen, even if on a second level as I have now. What I long for presently is a dedicated finishing room. But that isn't going to happen unless I put in an elevator or build another building to house the gardening tools, supplies and tractor...at least as far as Professor Dr. SWMBO is concerned... ;)

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I voted for 24'x30' as that is the size I have and I wouldn't want to put more money in it either in construction costs or heating expenses in our winters here.

[Rob Will]

I voted 40x60. By the time you cardon off sections, you would have just the right amount of space. So what sections would I have?

A refinishing room separate from the dusty shop.
A room on the outer wall, with celotex insulation lining, not too big, that I could create my own airtight kiln in. My sawyer has such a room in his barn, he stacks green wood, turns on a blast heater to get the ball rolling, then leaves a couple dehumidifiers running. The heat from the motors is all he needs to cure the wood is what he says, and he does it full time.
Of course the main shop having plenty of room to move around, and permanent stations for everything. A couple of assembly tables that are boxed for perfect flatness. Also contains an air draft box/room for the dust collection, like we had in high school, with a shaker switch for the fan, and square ducts all the way to the floor everywhere, so you could even take pure dust pile sweepings and not have to use a dustpan. ( I had a neighbor who was buying those used from high school woodshops for about $300)
A separate section garage door accessible from the outside, that is not normally heated but with a blast heater available, for storing wood with enough room to store the portable saw mill.
An office and drawing room, that doubles as a showroom, and a place to store finish pieces to get them out of the shop before delivery. (I'm not sure how that would work???)
A bathroomWell that is it. I guess I don't dream too big do I ? :D

Wow Bob! If we are going to have a "lumber drying section", maybe I should have offered a 60' x 120' just for you!;) Actually, I see your point.
My wood shop is 48' x 48' so I voted for 40' x 48' (but I don't bring wet lumber into that building at all, it dries elsewhere).
The main reason I did this poll was to help new members who are always asking the question: "how big should my shop be?". Everybody's needs, building site, and finances will be different. Hopefully, this will avoid one of our friends building a shop that is 50% smaller than what they really need. Regardless of the size, getting it right the first time would save hard earned $$ in the long run.

We live in a rural setting so buildings will tend to be bigger than many city sites will accomodate. Having said that, I have two good friends who have shops 24' x 36' and 30' x 40' respectively. Whether it is a basement shop, a single garage bay that you share with a car, or Bob's new 60' x 120' :D;)...........

I hope everybody can spend thier money wisely and be happy with the outcome.:)

Thanks for the discussion and have a great year!
Rob

[Rob Will]

I picked the biggest because, wood, tools and machinery are not solids they are gases. They expand to fill all available space and conform to the containers in which they are placed. Hence, you can't possibly build a shop large enough.:D
Steve

LOL........that's so true Steve.

Rob

[Peter Quadarella]

I just picked the biggest one on your list. If there was a bigger choice, I would have picked that one. Is it possible to have a shop that is too big?

[Lee Schierer]

25% bigger than you thought it should have been when you first started setting it up is the right size. :D It si sort of like clamps, no shop is ever quite large enough. One of the laws of life is that equipment will expand to fill the space available plus at least 10% more.

[Roger Bell]

The question is a lot like how much money do you need to earn to live a good life.

Naturally, the first response is some variation of "more". And there is certainly nothing wrong with wanting that or working towards that.

The real issue in both cases is how best to live with what you have right now and how best to make it for you.

[Thom Sturgill]

I picked 28x26 (about 1000sq feet) because that is about the area of the geodesic dome I plan on building.

[Rob Will]

The question is a lot like how much money do you need to earn to live a good life.

Naturally, the first response is some variation of "more". And there is certainly nothing wrong with wanting that or working towards that.

The real issue in both cases is how best to live with what you have right now and how best to make it for you.

I agree Roger.
I think what we are really trying to avoid are problems in planning a new shop - problems that in the end are inadequate or wasteful. In my case, I could have been more effecient with many things. For example: I built a pole barn thinking it would be less expensive. By the time I insulated the walls and nailed on some plywood, I realized that I had actually purchased more lumber than had I built a stud frame building in the first place. A few more dollars up front would have saved money and resources in the end. Insulation is another item that falls into that category.

In my case, my handicapped father was no longer able to visit the cold and often "greasy" farm shop. The new wood shop is clean, warm and dry. It separates the "oily" work from the "clean work" and it makes it possible for my dad to stop by.

Yes, we all joke about bigger is better and always will. All jokes aside, sometimes "a little bit bigger" and getting it done right in the planning stages actually avoids wasting resources. There are also other areas such as adequate lighting, an uncluttered floor and enough space to neatly store materials - that adds an element of safety. All things in moderation but in the case of wood shops, building a little bigger than we originally thought we needed usually helps.

JMHO,

Rob

BTW: I hope nobody took the question to mean that we should automatically tear down the old shop. It was intended to help new woodworkers and those planning on building a new shop to select the right size for thier needs.

[David Duke]

I voted 40x48, the slab of my shop is 32x46 (1472 sf), if the actual shop space were that big it would be great but..........................my actual working area is 850 sf. While I have room for all the standard tools and pretty good space for assembly it seems crowded especially when building cabinets. These take up a world of room when building a complete set and I always seem to be moving my truck out of the garage an storing the case work in there until I get everything built and ready to install.

As I said the slab of my shop is 32x46 with a work areas of 24x32 with a 10x11 entry into it which houses jigs and my spindle sander, the rest is divided as follows, a 10x11 office; 6x11 room which houses my DC, compressor and also has a urinal and sink; there is also a 10x11 store room which SHMBO uses to store Christmas decorations (I've tried to reclaim it but it ain't happening :mad::mad::mad: !!!!!!!!!!); there is also a 11x24 carport on one end with a 6x8 storage room in which I keep my lawn mower and gardening tools (I hope to eventually build a separate storage shed for this).

[Mike Williams]

My under-construction (but almost completed) shop is 34' x 40' - I hope it is going to be the right size!

[David G Baker]

I already have a 30x40x10 that is nearly filled, due to parking a fair sized John Deere tractor in it. I have an 18x50 building that has a 16x24 lean-to on it. 2 1/2 car garage that has my road vehicles parked in it. I am thinking of another 30x40x12 to park my tractor and yard maintenance vehicles, etc. Not rich, just have 5 acres and a bunch of junk accumulated over the years.

[Corey Wilcox]

I may be breaking with the group somewhat, but I said 20 X 28. My father in law built a large shop a few years back (30 x 50 w/10' ceilings), but never considered the costs of actually heating it during the winter months. He ended up putting in two woodstoves to try and generate enough heat to keep his fingers from freezing while he worked. Not only does he have to bring all his glue, etc. into the house to keep it from freezing solid when he's not actively stoking the fire, he lost all kinds of floorspace to the woodstoves. IMHO, a smaller shop, although tight on space, would be more sustainable in the long run.

[Louis Rucci]

I voted 30 x 40 as I had planned on building a 30 x 35 (1050 Sq ft) shop. Since I don't like to cut living trees down unnecessarily I had to reduce mine to 28 x 32 (896 Sq ft). Keep in mind that's the outside dimensions. After laying 3 courses of concrete block to raise the ceiling to 10', the inside dimension ended up being 26.5 x 30.5 (808.25 sq ft).

One reason I'm going the EZ way and would like a combination Jointer/shaper machine to save space.

Still need to sell my 6" joint and 15" planer first.

One thing that wasn't mentioned, how much of the work are we willing to do for the shop? In my case, I had my contractor complete the building and leave the inside work for me. So all the wiring, insulation, sheet rock, plumbing, etc will be done as time and money permits.

Louis

[Bob DiGiacomo]

It costs a lot of money to go huge. I have a 24 X 24, but I am just a hobbiest woodworker. I spent about $17,000 just for the building and now I am trying to justify "is it worth it to buy full size tools for a hobbie shop?" I guess it all depends on 3 things
1) what line of work your in
2) How much money you have
3) And how your relationship is with your wife.

P.S. I must be doing alright. My wife just ordered me a cabinet saw for my birthday.:D

[Robert E Johnson III]

I picked 1200 sq. ft. because that is the size I built, but loml says that she needs part of it so for know I use 15'x30' and a wall seperating the two bay garage. I do have a large door 6' wide to access the other side.

[Rob Will]

My under-construction (but almost completed) shop is 34' x 40' - I hope it is going to be the right size!

That sounds like a good size to me too Mike. My good friend with 40 years experience as a WW'r, carpenter, and general contractor just completed his 30' x 40' x 12' building (extra height due to tractor). It is the most efficient building I have ever seen. He must have counted the nails.

I have a few questions since we are often discussing his shop layout:
Where do you plan to store lumber and plywood? Will plywood stand on edge or lay down?

Rob

[Lee Koepke]

Like Bob above, I have roughly 24 x 24 for "shop" area, including wood storage and equipment. The remainder of my basement is dedicated to bar/game room, and pending media center. THEN my wife will pretty much condemn me to the lower level, and I may never see her again ...haha ...

Looking at some of the responses and my limited work thus far, an 'assembly/storage' area would be nice. If I were to make several pieces, then it would be nice to have room to store them before installation, etc.

[Stan Welborn]

I built mine 35X45, 1575 sq ft, because of a stupid restriction. I I had been able, it would be 35X60. Can't NEVER have too much room. Figure the biggest you'll think you'll need then double it. Never heard a man say his shop was too big. Course a lot can influence what size you go with. I know 20 years ago I'd have been thrilled to have been able to afford a 50 sq ft.

[Todd Crow]

My perfect shop would have a finishing room, so I chose 30x40. However space and finances won't allow for that so my new shop is planned to be 26x26. It will be connected to the current garage, so I can borrow some space in the garage when I need to.

For anyone planning a new shop I would recommend using Google Sketchup to layout their tools and get a feel for what room they want/need. There are models of every common stationary woodworking tools available on the 3D warehouse.

Todd

[Geoff Potter]

I voted 16x24 because that is what I have now. There is room for expansion but as I start to fill it with tools I realize it will be just fine. This is my first shop after a layoff from the hobby of 7 years so please don't rain on my parade. I will quote someone who said "I work wood in order to satisfy my tool buying habit"!!!

[Mark Rios]

Is there a choice larger than 40' x 60'?
















:D

[Bill Wyko]

I have one at home that's 240 sq ft and my business has 2400 sq ft. For my turnings, my humidors, small projects, a good cigar with my BIL and a smooth drink at days end I like my 240 sq ft shop. When it comes to big jobs and multiple people doing multiple jobs my 2400 sq ft shop is perfect. I'm lucky enough to own both. Don't tell my employees but all the good tools are in the shop at home:D

[Steve Clardy]

Voted 40x60.


Do it again, it would be bigger than my present shop.

Currently its 40x64, with a 16x64 addition.


I swear these tools and lumber must make babies of a night in here.;)
Shop is always full, no matter how much I throw out to get some room.

[Rob Will]

[quote=Mark Rios;736495]Is there a choice larger than 40' x 60'?

Oh yeah.
I just cut it off at that because:o......well because I knew that discussing MEGA shops would draw attention away from designing the average backyard shop, (and we would get a bunch of flak about it:o).

In retrospect, I probably should have spread the range out a bit with the first entry reading "smaller than..xxx" and the last entry reading "larger than..xxx"

Based on what we have seen so far, my poll could have been done better. If anybody want's to do a revised version, I think it would be great.

Or tell me what you think it should ask, and I'll do another one in a few days. If we do that, we can ask the mods to close this one.

Rob

[Greg Just]

:D30x40 - that would be 4x what I have now and that should be plenty big!

[Rob Will]

I may be breaking with the group somewhat, but I said 20 X 28. My father in law built a large shop a few years back (30 x 50 w/10' ceilings), but never considered the costs of actually heating it during the winter months. He ended up putting in two woodstoves to try and generate enough heat to keep his fingers from freezing while he worked. Not only does he have to bring all his glue, etc. into the house to keep it from freezing solid when he's not actively stoking the fire, he lost all kinds of floorspace to the woodstoves. IMHO, a smaller shop, although tight on space, would be more sustainable in the long run.

I can see that, especially in WI.
Did he put lots of insulation in the 30 x 50?
Rob

[Rob Will]

:D30x40 - that would be 4x what I have now and that should be plenty big!

I agree, it looks like 30 x 40 is turning out to be a popular choice.

Rob

[Brett Baldwin]

I went with 24x36 thinking of an outbuilding. If it were a basement shop then I'd say as big as the footprint would allow but if I'm going to build an outbuilding and heat/cool, light, electrify, and most importantly CLEAN a building, I don't want too much room to allow the chaos to consume me.

I'd love a huge shop with various sections dedicated to different pursuits but if I'm going to be paying for it, well, I guess I'll stay modest. If I win the Powerball, I'll give Jay Leno a call and see who did his shop.

[Michael Gibbons]

I voted for 24x36 only because 26x 36 wasn't up there. When I get around to building it ,it will be based loosely on the New Yankee Workshop. I have a 1/12 th scale model in the basement so I can get an idea of space. I also made scale machines to place in there. I'm figuring that the only machine that I won't have that Norm does is the wide belt sander simply due to cost. Norms shop also has a stairway and a doorway to the back.

[Rob Will]

I voted for 24x36 only because 26x 36 wasn't up there. When I get around to building it ,it will be based loosely on the New Yankee Workshop. I have a 1/12 th scale model in the basement so I can get an idea of space. I also made scale machines to place in there. I'm figuring that the only machine that I won't have that Norm does is the wide belt sander simply due to cost. Norms shop also has a stairway and a doorway to the back.

I would like to see a pic of that model. Wish I had done one.

Rob

[Steve Rowe]

My current shop is 26 X 36. At the time it was built, it was plenty big for me. Now that I have one of those big sliders, my shop is too small. You would be amazed at the wingspan and runway requirements for these machines. I even had to order a shorter slider from the standard configuration to provide flexibility on positioning in the shop. If I had gone the standard length, there would have been about 6" clearance at each end for the 26 foot dimension. I would love to have a wide belt sander but don't have enough room.
Steve

[Al Killian]

My biggest need for large space is that I do refinishing for side money. This is starting to pay for the shop. Right now in my basement shop I have a full bedroom set waiting to go into the garage for finish, which consits of a doublesize bed, dresser(6' longx3'highx2' deep) Mirror for dresser and two end tables.:eek: My shop is good size at 25'x 20', but pile in all this with tools and it is impossible to get anything done. This why my new shop needs to be huge. One floor 30'x65', two floors 30'x75'. The first floor will(if all goes right) will be a used furniture shop and a textile place for the lady freind.

[Mike Williams]

That sounds like a good size to me too Mike....I have a few questions since we are often discussing his shop layout:
Where do you plan to store lumber and plywood? Will plywood stand on edge or lay down?

Rob

Rob - I plan on storing lumber just inside the 6' x 8' entry door, and right across from the miter saw. I could also put more lumber storage over the saw if required.

I decided to go with vertical plywood storage - seemed like the best use of space. It will be convenient to the infeed side of the table saw. See the drawings below for what I have planned.

Mike

[John-Paul Murphy]

I have a carport 20 x 25 =500
A basement garage 20x 25 = 500
Part of a basement 30 x 25 = 750
Two trailers 8 x 16 ea =128 ea
One outbuilding 12 x 16 = 192
That’s about 2,200 sq/ft :eek:
The 40x60 is 2400 sf
I would barely have room to add any new equipment and a place to store / dry wood….:D
With a little planning :rolleyes:I am sure I could squeeze it all into the 40 by 60. If I had it all to do over I would definitely have one at least this size and I love the ideal of everything under one roof.
PS this would be for all hobbies ect.

[Gary Redden]

I voted for 24x36 only because 26x 36 wasn't up there. When I get around to building it ,it will be based loosely on the New Yankee Workshop. I have a 1/12 th scale model in the basement so I can get an idea of space. I also made scale machines to place in there. I'm figuring that the only machine that I won't have that Norm does is the wide belt sander simply due to cost. Norms shop also has a stairway and a doorway to the back.

I am going to build just about the same thing and size. The onlythings different is I will turn the garage portion of the plan 90 degrees within the same foot print. I will also make the biuilding 30 feet wide and not 26 feet as in the plans.

Gary

[Steven Wilson]

40x60 isn't big enough. You really need 40x120 and then divide that space into a 40x40 wood shop and a 40x80 shop. That should be enough to do a little metal fab, some foundary work, and work on rehabilitating that Airstream trailer you bought on Ebay.

[Rob Will]

Rob - I plan on storing lumber just inside the 6' x 8' entry door, and right across from the miter saw. I could also put more lumber storage over the saw if required.

I decided to go with vertical plywood storage - seemed like the best use of space. It will be convenient to the infeed side of the table saw. See the drawings below for what I have planned.

Mike

Looks good Mike!! :D.
I hope you don't mind but I would like to ask couple more questions.

Can you change the main DC line to be a bit larger and run all along the bandsaw wall? (less total pipe + more flow to bandsaw)
Can you get more room at the planer and jointer by putting them on mobile bases and storing them against the wall?
Can the planer and jointer hook up with flex hose from dedicated drops against the wall rather than from the ceiling?
Can you eliminate one of the doors between the kitchen(?) and bathroom(?) and make some of those doors swing "in" against a wall rather than "out" into the shop?Again, it's none of my business....but that's what we are here for (??)

Rob

[Corey Wilcox]

Rob,

He insulated all the walls and, after freezing for the first winter, added a good foot or more of blown in cellulose insultation in the ceiling. Once he's had the stoves both fired up to the max for a few hours it's nice, but still a lot of effort.

[Jim Andrew]

My woodshop is 26 x 50, and not really big enough. Also have a lean to and a bay for storage. I do park my pu in there at night, been thinking of moving it into the storage bay and putting a bench in that spot.

[Bob Feeser]

I appreciate the way you presented the thread. With the total square feet including an area to dry wood, that area, as well as the refinsihing area, and others I have cardoned off, are designed to have dividing walls. The kiln and wood storage area with a garage door accessible from the outside has ample breathing for curing wood, with a special section, wrapped in Celotex to act as a kiln.
Ok enough of this. The point I was really making is that bigger is better. In the words of my neighbor when I was preparing to build a shed. "Figure out what size you need, make it half again as large, and it still won't be enough." A friend took me with him when he ordered his shed, for use in a more rural setting than I have, and he is allowed 30x30 by township regs, but he bought a 24x30. While we were there I told him to get the 30x30. Now that he has it, he is kicking himself for not getting the 30x30.
If you go into Home Depot, they have a book for sale, sorry for not remembering the name of it, but in there they had a chart. It displayed the cost per square foot. Net result, the larger the square feet, the cheaper per square foot was the building and radically so. It is not that expensive in materials to build an empty box. If you are hiring someone to do it for you, then they are charging you labor and materials per square foot,then yes is it expensive, but if you are doing much of the labor yourself of framing it etc, then think big. It's a labor of love. I built an addition on my house, dug the footers, built he block wall, framed it all in pure cedar, 7/8" T&G cedar siding, and it wasn't very much when you are just paying for materials. I needed help when making the pour, but everything else I did alone. It is a labor of love. I wish I had the ground to build a large shop. My basement shop is 33x22 about 725 square feet. Actually I am very happy with it this size. Everything is a permanent station.
I understand your intent on the thread. Practicality steps into play. I turned it into a dream. Dreams don't have any limitations. :)


Wow Bob! If we are going to have a "lumber drying section", maybe I should have offered a 60' x 120' just for you!;) Actually, I see your point.
My wood shop is 48' x 48' so I voted for 40' x 48' (but I don't bring wet lumber into that building at all, it dries elsewhere).
The main reason I did this poll was to help new members who are always asking the question: "how big should my shop be?". Everybody's needs, building site, and finances will be different. Hopefully, this will avoid one of our friends building a shop that is 50% smaller than what they really need. Regardless of the size, getting it right the first time would save hard earned $$ in the long run.

We live in a rural setting so buildings will tend to be bigger than many city sites will accomodate. Having said that, I have two good friends who have shops 24' x 36' and 30' x 40' respectively. Whether it is a basement shop, a single garage bay that you share with a car, or Bob's new 60' x 120' :D;)...........

I hope everybody can spend thier money wisely and be happy with the outcome.:)

Thanks for the discussion and have a great year!
Rob

[Mike Williams]

Looks good Mike!! :D.
I hope you don't mind but I would like to ask couple more questions.

Can you change the main DC line to be a bit larger and run all along the bandsaw wall? (less total pipe + more flow to bandsaw)
Can you get more room at the planer and jointer by putting them on mobile bases and storing them against the wall?
Can the planer and jointer hook up with flex hose from dedicated drops against the wall rather than from the ceiling?
Can you eliminate one of the doors between the kitchen(?) and bathroom(?) and make some of those doors swing "in" against a wall rather than "out" into the shop?Rob

Rob - thanks for the follow-up questions. As it is still just a large open room, I have a lot of flexibility at this time. I'm probably a month away from taking the space over from the contractor - the big hold-up is electricity. I temporarily have 40 amps in the shop to run the boiler, some lights, and some outlets for the contractors. The 200 amp service is waiting for the public utility company to come out to make the switch at the house from 200 amp to 400 amp, so I can then have the 200 amp sub-panel in the shop.

The dust collection layout is only conceptual on my part, and I don't yet own a DC cyclone. When I get ready, I'll have Oneida give me a layout that works best for the system. I've shown 6" mains right now, but that could go up to 8" if necessary. I have 10' ceilings, so I'm ok with the mains running either along the ceiling or the wall. What I don't want is any flex lines on the floor that I would trip over.

I only have a 6" jointer and a lunchbox planer right now - what I've shown on the drawing is a larger jointer and planer. I still have to work out whether I want the larger equipment on mobile bases.

The "kitchen" is actually a combined finishing room / stained glass room (that's my other big hobby). I wanted the direct access from this room into the bathroom (toilet and large utility sink) to accomodate these functions.

The two doors from the bathroom and the storage / utility room do swing out into the shop, but swing into the 4' wide aisle I've left down that interior wall. I want to keep these doors closed whenever I'm not actually using them anyway, so I don't see this as a problem. I do agree the door swings are against normal layout.

Regards, Mike

[julie Graf]

is the basement of an old church. I live on the second floor - the old sancuary.

it's about 1000 sf of basement - plenty of space for the tools. it gets complicated when I start working on putting together projects though. i wish i had more space for a "work room" and a " finish room"

[Tom Clark FL]

I'm on my fourth shop, and after retiring to the country on a five acre lot, built the 40x60 shop voted for. The shop before was 30x50 and it was busting out the walls. You can see photos on my shop tour thread from a few months ago. It was also featured in Wood Magazine's America's Best Home Workshops that came out in June '07.

Reality check: I live in north Florida with a mild climate. The utility bills would be outrageous in the great frozen north, or the steamier south. The shop does have heat and air, but doesn't require a great deal of it…

Large shops are no longer just for dreamers. I am surrounded by neighbors with large shop buildings, and during a trip to Ohio this summer was amazed to see so many large shop buildings in backyards in the suburbs. Can't imagine what the heating costs would be during the winters though!!

If you live close by, glad to have you over for a visit.

[Rob Bodenschatz]

I hate this question but I'll play anyway. My shop is 24'x36'. I think it's a fine size. I was lucky in that I really couldn't even consider going bigger. While I live on a two acre lot, the most logical place for the shop is bounded by property line setbacks and the driveway. I probably could have squeezed some more width out of it but I didn't want to infringe on the space where we will be putting a patio. So, I guess you can say I went as big as I could. Here's a night shot:

78733

[Rob Will]

I hate this question but I'll play anyway. My shop is 24'x36'. I think it's a fine size. I was lucky in that I really couldn't even consider going bigger. While I live on a two acre lot, the most logical place for the shop is bounded by property line setbacks and the driveway. I probably could have squeezed some more width out of it but I didn't want to infringe on the space where we will be putting a patio. So, I guess you can say I went as big as I could. Here's a night shot:

78733

Great looking building Rob......and a perfect size. I lke the low eave height and steep roof line.

Rob