If you had an easy button

[Vernon Taylor]

What would you change or redo to your current shop?
Mine
Raise ceiling to provide more overhead Storage.
Overhead outlets with flexable cord to plug in machines which are on mobile bases.Lights on all tools BS DP etc.
Bathroom(shop is in seperate building)
I think this thread may useful to someone planning a shop.

[Norman Pyles]

Mine would be 4 times larger, with a Domino sitting on a Sawstop in the middle.

[Jim O'Dell]

Physically, about 30" more head room, and twice the size.
Equipment wise...Just transplant the Mini Max show room!! :D Jim.

[Ben Cadotte]

Have the size I need (sqft wise), maybe in a different shape (more square maybe). But I desperiately need more ceiling height. At least for a section of the shop. 8' ceilings but need about 12'. I am contemplating adding a 16' x 24' section for just this. But wife would get really upset as the house needs work as well. As for tools. I am not particular in brand. If Grizzly wanted to sponsor me and send a truckfull to my house. I would not send it away. :D:D I would be willing to wear a Jumpsuit all days with the sponsors patches and stuff.

Bathroom as well. Its about 200' with the nearest tree probably 50' :)

[Matt Meiser]

1) Bathroom in the shop, which would probably also mean I'd move my office out to the shop so that I would "go" to work every day and be able to come home and leave work out there.
2) Second building for storage of the tractor, implements, Mule, "stuff", etc. Big enough for the camper and trailer too. Then I'd use the existing walled-off space I have for that stuff as a metalworking/mechanical shop so that I could keep hobbies separated.
3) I'd actually lower the ceiling. I have a 12' ceiling which is about 2' high. Its occasionally nice, but adds a lot of volume to heat/cool, and working on stuff up there is a pain. I rented scaffolding when I installed the ceiling, lights, and ductwork. But now that's not practical with all the contents in there.
4) More windows. 2 + the one in the door isn't enough. I only started out with 1. I added the 2nd and replaced a solid door.
5) Floor drain. Though I'm not sure where it would run to since I have groundwater issues in the spring. I guess it would have to go to a sump pump.
6) Roll up door in the back of the shop instead of a sliding barn door. Keeps the pests out.
7) Larger "spray booth" I made it about 6' wide. Should have been 8'.

[Mike Henderson]

Much larger! I have 110 sq feet (10' by 11") now.

Mike

[Richard M. Wolfe]

1) Make it square. It (my backyard shop) is 12x30 and although it's not far a googleplex of trips from one end to the other adds up. That would also make it more efficent for window/door ventilation as well as for heating..

2) Have a dedicated space for a dust collector and well placed ducting and drops. There's also a "googleplex" of posts about dust collection on the forums of this site. At the time I built my shop (and it's not all that old - certainly not a WPA project :D ) I gave as much thought to dust collection as the average woodworker of the day.....not much. Dust collection for most shops consisted of a dustpan and broom.

[Harry Hagan]

Be adopted by an oil sheik
He’d set me up in a shop/studio/gallery on prime oceanfront property with a magnificent view
The shop would have state-of-the-art tailed and untailed equipment to work top quality domestic and exotic woods
Free classes for SMC members conducted by world-class craftspeople
Gallery staffed by beautiful blondes, brunettes and redheads
Fully furnished bachelor’s pad on the top floors
Don’t push that button yet……I’m still thinkin’

[Bill Wyko]

Add around 500 sq ft.:D(See workshops forum)

[Lance Norris]

Much larger! I have 110 sq feet (10' by 11") now.

Mike

Wow... 11" ~~ and I thought my shop was small. Seriously, Id add more room...and more tools...and more wood...and a tv...and a fridge. Dont need a bathroom, I have a chamber pot. I just have to remember to empty it every day :o:rolleyes::eek:

[Steve Clardy]

Yes.

Don't ever put the office at the main walkin front door. :rolleyes:

All the rocks, mud, dirt on shoes, dogs and cats and critters, and the cold wind comes right into my office when the door opens.

Put it farther back in. ;)

[Mike Heidrick]

I have about 1000sq now but store a 3320 Deere in there as well.

So here is my Easy/Wish list:
Need a new building.
Put in in-floor duct work.
Put in tons of 220V outlets by the ductwork drops.
Put in some in-ceiling drop down outlets.
Put in some drop down air hoses.
Flush mounted ceiling "bright" lighting.
Bathroom
Finish Room with blast proof exhaust
Minimum 10' roll up insulated doors or even big barn doors.
Panel saw setup by doors
Huge wood rack and sheet good storage
Put Air compressor and Cyclone in other building


I just need a nice 2000Sq Morton type building - Heated.

I am happy with what I have now. No complaints.

[jason lambert]

wow size matters to most people. For me, more space my 20x24 gurage with yard stuff tractor and a 7.5' celing is just not enought. Everything else I can add myself or change.

[Wilbur Pan]

I have a basement shop. This is what I would have done differently if I was setting it up again.


More 220V outlets.
More light fixtures.
Epoxy paint the floors.
Have some way of venting directly outside.
Add a sink.

I was going to say that I wanted more space for my 11'x20' shop, but then I read Mike's post above. ;)

[Per Swenson]

Hi everybody.

Simple,

10,000 sgft poured concrete slab.

easy.

Per

[Larry Fox]

For me, it would be;

1) A seperate building with about 1,000 sq/ft more
2) LOTS more windows - I like natural light
3) Wood floors
4) Radiant floor heat
5) A dedicated spray room with seperate drying area.

now.... where did I put that easy button, I would like to press it. :)

[Karl Brogger]

-In floor heat
-Epoxied floors
-Have overhead doors on on both ends and opposite of one another. A light breeze and a leaf blower would get things super clean in a hurry. Plus a nice cross wind just for fresh air.
-Use something other than fluorecent lighting. I hate the buzz and the high frequency flicker. Gives me a headache.

[Greg Hines, MD]

For my current garage shop:

1. Definitely better electrical system. I do not have any 220v tools yet, but that is one problem. The 110v circuit that I have certainly leaves a lot to be desired.

2. More space. And who among us has more than they need?

3. Slatwall on the walls, for cabinets and hook, etc.

4: A bathroom convenient to the shop. Perhaps with a shower too.

5. Over-the-garage-door storage loft, something that I am going to do in any event.

These are all going to go into the shop that I build someday, along with an area where I can set up a small forge and my other metal working gear permanently.
Doc

[Brian Dormer]

o More Money
o More Space (easy if you have money)
o More Time (easy if you have enough money to quit your day-job)
o More Tools! (easy if you have money and space)
o More Knowledge - Spend a year each learning from Norm, Tom Silva, Roy Underhill, Mike Holmes, Chris Schwarz, Marc Spagnolo and a few others. That should take about a decade all by itself.

Not necessarily in that order. But pretty much everything boils down to Money!

[J.R. Rutter]

Multiple DCs running in zones or work cells. Filters optimized for dust load for each area.

Way overkill to have 15 HP running on a single 4" run, which does happen sometimes even in production.

[Billy Chambless]

I'd make it larger with more windows.

[Richard McComas]

I think I'd be happy with what I go IF I WAS SMART EN OUGHT TO ORGANIZE IT.

[Doug Shepard]

I'd get a majic box installed. The kind where you put all your blades/bits in and pull them out 1 minute later razor sharp. That and a couple of the Tool-Time gals for helpers and I'll be all set.:D

[Steve Mellott]

My shop is 20' x 30'. If I could do it again, I'd make it at least 30' wide (instead of 20) so I could better fit a table saw with large side and outfeed extensions. If I was constructing the building, I'd include a dust collection system and electrical outlets in the floor.

[Greg Carr]

Can't think of anything. Mine is perfect as it is. :D

[Danny Thompson]

220v . . . .

[Mark Singer]

at least twice the size!

[Peter Quinn]

Heat in my basement shop would be nice, as 55 degree temp in the winter makes for cold feet and long days. 3' more head room would be great. The compressor needs to be plumbed properly. The ceiling needs some acoustical insulation to reduce the roar upstairs. A proper finishing area would be thrilling. I'd settle for a keg fridge and a lift system for the bilco stairs. Come to think of it I'd settle for a couple of grand in small bills and a case of round tuits.

[Terry Achey]

I just finished my shop around new years. It's 750 sf. (22' x 34') 9' ceiling with semi-gloss white paint and four 8' cold start flo lights. 5/8" drywall ceiling and 3/8" prefinished grooved panels on the walls. 220v outlets on two walls and windows on north and west walls. East wall has insulated OH door and a 9 window panel steel entry door. I wired for cable TV and plumbed H&C water w/drain for a slop sink. Also added a fridge.
two items that were suprisingly wonderful?


A fully automatic 61K btu Harmon pellet stove that maintains temp like a champ and requires virtually no attention. Haven't had to empty ashes since new years and it's been running the entire time.
a Cabelas 880lb capacity electric ceiling hoist just inside the OH door. The hoist was invaluable when uncrating and setting up my heavy tools by myself. My initial reason for installing the hoist was to raise my lawn tractor to access the blades and to hang deer for processing. I beefed up the truss structures to spreadd the weight over several trusses. Hoist can be had from Cabelas for a mere $100 and I can't tell you how many times I've used this for so many different purposes.What would I do (or did do) differently?

I would probably add a solid pane window or two high on the South wall to gain more natural lighting. I left this wall solid because I planned on mounting wood racks and storage shelves. However, the windows could be up at the 7' or 8' height and not steal rack or shelf space.
I found the concrete floors to be quite tiring after long hours so I added some inexpensive anti-fatigue mats from Sears. They interlock in about 2' squares and I placed them at my assembly table and other locations where I tend to stand alot such as the lathe. Cost only about $19 for enough to do about 8 or 10 sf. Great addition for my aching ankles and legs!I planned, saved and thought about the building project for several years and as it turned out, I couldn't be happier. well... I guess a heated floor would be nice :)

Terry

[Scott Haddix]

All of my tools would be perfectly dialed in. 90 degrees. Parallel. Crazy sharp. Mirror finish. The works.