Shop Layout Redux

[James A. Wolfe]

After looking at my options and checkbook, it has been decided to alter the shop plans. Instead of a 24 x 48 pole barn, we're going to stick build a 32 x 40 barn/workshop. A net gain of 128 square feet in footprint but the new plan includes a loft above so the 300 sq. ft. or so originally slated for storage is now mine again. Look over the new layout and let me know what you think.
Thanx,
Jim

[Michael Sobik]

Looks awesome! Your loft is as big as my whole shop :)

[James A. Wolfe]

Michael,
So far, it's my make believe shop. Right now, all I have is a big flat dirt spot back the driveway. ;)
Jim

[Jim O'Dell]

Michael,
So far, it's my make believe shop. Right now, all I have is a big flat dirt spot back the driveway. ;)
Jim

Yes, but make believe shops always have the best equipment and are set up to perfection!! :D Jim.

[Chris Padilla]

The projects that come out of a make-believe shop also grace the pages of FWW magazine every month!! ;)

James, why the change? What are/were the cost differences?

[Ryan Cassidy]

Looks great! The only things I might mention are:

Stairs - Can you insulate under the stairs and maybe drywall them? This will help significantly in lowering the noise of the compressor. I did this with mine and it made all the difference.

DC - Can you put in an exhaust fan that exhausts externally there as well? This might help keep that room a bit cleaner and remove all that micro-fine dust from clogging your air compressor etc.

Just a few minor thoughts. It all looks awesome!

Ryan

[James A. Wolfe]

Chris,
The biggest difference was in materials cost for what we were trying to accomplish. We want shop space of around 1200 sq. ft. with a storage/living space above. Pole barn was my first thought but the second story option added significantly to the projected cost. I found a distributor of barn plans( http://www.barnplans.com ) that offered exactly what I was looking to get. I took a sample materials list for a barn/shop shell including a half loft and sent it out for bids. To compare, Wayne Pole Buildings quoted around $18,000 to erect a similar sized building. The materials costs for the "stick built" shell is around $5,000. Since I work cheap, even adding additional costs like equipment rental and temp labor, I'll get a lot more bang for my buck. The aesthetics are another big deciding factor. Living in the country, it's not unusual to see a barn near a house. A big, blue steel cube, not so much.
Jim

[James A. Wolfe]

Ryan,
I agree that the area under the steps will need insulation and sheetrock. The exhaust fan won't go in there but I plan on having a louvre or window so the all exhaust is vented outdoors in warm weather. In cold weather, the return air will be sent back to the shop via a baffle and filter box to catch the dust. The air compressor will draw air from outside all the time, again through a filter box setup. Much quieter that way.
Thanx,
Jim

[Bill Arnold]

If my shop is any indication, you'll change your layout as you build your shop. I expanded an existing shop on the property we bought to end up with a 36' by 24' space on the bottom and 16' by 24' upstairs. I tweaked the layout for months before actually starting the addition. When I started internal construction, I made a few more tweaks. As I've continued, I keep making changes based on 'real world' situations. Don't be surprised if you do something similar. The major items are placed as I planned, but some of the cabinets and smaller tools are in different locations from my original drawing.

[Anthony Whitesell]

I might try swapping the Jointer for the DP and the Planer for the Bandsaw, then rotate the Jointer/Planer 90 degrees around the post. I think that might increase some elbow room as well as align the infeed side of the planer and jointer with the lumber table and table saw.

I'm not sure I would want my DC and my air compressor in the same cabinet without some solid division between them. The DC is "acquinted" with collecting saw dust which I would not want to have clogging up the air compressor.

[Rob Damon]

One thing else you might consider is putting a utility sink on the shop side of the wet wall common with the bathroom. It doesn't add much cost, because the wall already has water and sewer and vent pipes. I did it in my shop and it sure comes in handy having a deep sink in the shop, as well as when you work outside, you can just come in and wash off your hands.

Rob

[James A. Wolfe]

Anthony,
The layout has the jointer and planer on the same side of the shop as the miter saw station. A lot of times, the first stop after the cutoff saw is the planer or jointer. They are angled to allow 8 feet on both the infeed and outfeed. If I swap them with the DP and BS, they would infringe on the 8 foot radius around the table saw. I appreciate the separation issues but the AC intake will be plumbed from outside to separate it from shop dust and to quiet it down.
Thanx for the input,
Jim

[James A. Wolfe]

Rob,
I like the utility sink. The bathroom sink just turned into a utility tub. I'll keep it in the bathroom since the whole shop may not be used in the winter so I can keep a little electric heat in the bathroom to keep things from freezing.
Thanx,
Jim

[Art Mulder]

First, seems to me like you've got tons of space in that plan. Hard to go wrong.

Seems like the wood storage is pretty far from the main doors. That's a long ways to lug the stuff in from outside. Don't most folks prefer to keep their lumber close to the main entrance?

Ditto the stairs to the loft. They're completely across the shop from both of the doors. Was that on purpose? Do you want to have to cross the shop when going up into the loft? If it's going to be living space, then I think you definitely want to put those stairs beside the door. Or am I misunderstanding something?

...art

[Wilbur Pan]

Just a few thoughts:

1. Out of the machinery you have, the miter saw is going to be one of the heaviest dust producers, so you might want to locate it closer to your dust collection.

2. Put the lumber rack closer to the door that you will be bringing the wood in. It looks like you'll have to bring in lumber, move it across your shop, then as you break it down and start working with it, you'll be moving it back across the shop.

3. Longer workbench. You have the space.

4. Move the workbench to a wall, and then put a window there.

[James A. Wolfe]

Art,
The stairs are able to be placed anywhere but I was getting greedy with floorspace so I wanted to tuck them into a corner. The living space above is for future possibilities. The original plan was a 48 x 24 building with the rear 12 feet walled off from the shop and dedicated to storage. That's how the stairs ended up there. I'll think about space usage before I nail them down.
Thanx,
Jim

[Brian Willan]

After looking at my options and checkbook, it has been decided to alter the shop plans. Instead of a 24 x 48 pole barn, we're going to stick build a 32 x 40 barn/workshop. A net gain of 128 square feet in footprint but the new plan includes a loft above so the 300 sq. ft. or so originally slated for storage is now mine again. Look over the new layout and let me know what you think.
Thanx,
Jim

I would be inclined to put the office and bathroom on the opposite side of the drawing such that they are under the loft floor. I would also move the lumber rack so that it was closer to the double door entrance for easy of unloading. Carrying lumber to the back of the shop and around obstacles would get old rather quickly.

Hopefully you can orient your building to get good daylight. If not consider adding some skylights or windows on the upper portion of your walls. The placement of your tools with evolve and change over time so don't sweat it. Dust collection runs also need to be considered too.

Good luck with the build.

Cheers

Brian

[James A. Wolfe]

Let me address a couple of more suggestions:


The location of the wood rack was intentional. The bi-fold doors and empty space in front of the tablesaw will allow me to back my pickup into the shop area. If I move the saw using a mobile base, I can get all the way inside and close the doors making it real easy to unload.
My work flow seems to mostly be to take wood from the rack, cut to rough length at the mitersaw, move to the planer or jointer, on to the workbench for layout, etc.
the original plans had a loft over the rear half or the shop. This plan has a complete second floor so the office/bathroom are "under roof".
The workbench drawing represents what I currently have and won't stay against a wall. I like 4 side access to the workbench so it will end up out on the floor.
The tablesaw, workbench, assembly table, outfeed table and all counters will be the same height so I can use any combination for whatever the situation calls for.

I'm loving all the input and the thought that you guys are putting into this. I appreciate all the suggestions.
Thanx,
Jim

[Tom Clark FL]

Jim,

Congrats on your new large shop. Since everyone is providing lots of ideas for you think about, here is a link (http://www.tomclarkbooks.com/tomclarkbooks.com/Shop_Cabinets.html) to provide a few more thoughts.
I was lucky enough to do something like you are about to do 10 years ago. Finally having a large shop is wonderful after years of having everything all cramped together.

By the way, planning your dream shop is almost as much fun as having it, so enjoy this time to the max!!

Tom

[Wayne Cannon]

I, too, would consider putting the lumber storage area closer to the door. Of course, that might require flipping your floor plan, as your table saw, chop saw, and band saw are now conveniently placed and oriented with respect to the wood storage.

My lumber storage is immediately inside the door, but my sheet good storage is at the back of the shop. It's a real pain sometimes to maneuver full sheets around work-in-progress staged between the door and the lumber storage.

[Don Bullock]

After looking at my options and checkbook...

It's amazing how that happens. ;):D

Your new plan looks good. I understand your placement of the wood rack. For my new shop/garage I've decided to do the same thing. My longest uninterrupted wall is across the shop from the garage door, but I plan on backing my van into the shop to unload when necessary. My plywood storage, however, will be just inside the garage door.

[James A. Wolfe]

After getting some bids from a couple of contractors, wood storage isn't going to be a problem. I won't be able to afford any! ; )

Jim