Please critique my small basement shop plan + questions

[Matt Schenk]

My wife and I moved into our new "dream house" last December. It was a short sale with lots of work needed, so I currently have the basement and shop gutted and will be putting it back together this fall. I'll be working under a strict budget as we're happily expecting our first child this winter! (more motivation to get as much done before the baby arrives) I've read dozens of posts in this forum gathering ideas and information and feel I have come to the point for peer review of my workshop plan.

Here's a link to the floor plan:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-i...an-8-21-13.jpg

The Shop Space
* Basement utility garage with garage door and walk-out access.
* ~14' x 21' but with an HVAC/utility closet taking some of that room. ~260 sq. ft. useable space.
* Ceilings are about 7.5' tall at best, but some parts have duct work or plumbing reducing the height clearance to ~6.5'.
* 3 full interior doors (plus 2 small access doors); 1 leading to den, 1 to hallway, and 1 to closet.

Small, but similar to my previous work space at our last house was which was in a detached 1 car garage that shared the space with a canoe, mower, bikes, gardening supplies, etc. This space will be for wood working ONLY, so should be a small upgrade for me.

I would love to replace the garage door with a roll-up type to save a lot of head room. Any experience installing these type of doors DIY?

Usage
I plan to make lots of cabinetry and built-ins for the house as well as lots of finish carpentry work and some furniture. I'll also be using this as my bowyer shop, making bows and arrows.

Storage
I will be able to use our 2 car garage and wood shed for lumber storage. Hopefully I'll have enough space in the shop to store project lumber (up near the ceiling). There should be enough storage in the work bench/cabinets to store small tools and supplies and all my stationary tools should fit.

Dust Collection
After lots of research but no real life experience, here is my plan: please point out any areas that could be improved upon

Use coupon to get the HF "2"hp DC, or find similar on craigslist. Construct a Thien baffle which would sit on top of a garbage bin. The blower would be mounted directly on top of the baffle and exhaust outside. The inlet to the baffle would be through the side. All ducting would be 6" s&d pvc, which will require modifying the HF unit (hoping to get a used Jet or similar to avoid modifications).

The main duct line would be around 3' off the ground so it could fit in and behind a workbench. The main line would run approximately 12 feet and terminate at my miter saw station. There it will split into upper and lower collection (maybe a hood for the upper and a "downdraft" table for the lower). The longest duct run would be ~25 feet.

Along the main trunk line will also be 2 or 3 wyes. The first will go down to floor level and attach to the main work station which will offer lower DC for the table saw and router tables, or would hook up to the jointer, bandsaw, or planer with flex hose. The second wye will head up, then run in a joist cavity until it is above the main work station. Then drop down to provide upper DC for the table saw and router table. I will work the details once I get the tools and work station set up. There would possibly be a 3rd wye off the main branch that would be a floor sweep.

Each main branch would have a blast gate, so only one machine would be serviced at a time by the DC.

I was thinking of removing the switch from the HFDC and hard wiring it into a manual motor starter located on the HVAC closet wall. This location is central to the shop and would probably be most convenient.

So, my major question is, would 6" duct be ideal? I know the HF unit isn't truly 2hp and has an ~10" impeller, but venting outdoors would help, right? Or should I just stick with 4"? Plus, if I go with 6" ducting, I can always upgrade the blower at a later date and not be choking it with insufficient air flow.

I also feel the need to explain that I won't have any problems venting outdoors, there is nobody anywhere close to me, no worries about heating & cooling, or sucking combustion gasses into the shop.

Finally, I will use the blower from an old air handler to make an air scrubber. This would be plugged into a receptacle that is controlled by a timer switch (switch located next to DC motor starter).

Electrical
My original plan was to install a subpanel in the shop, but I think I've decided to go a different route. The house has a main 200 amp, 40 slot panel and a 100 amp, 20 slot subpanel right next to it. These panels are about 20' away from the shop and in the basement. Although both panels are full, there are several circuits that could either be combined or completely removed (lots of 240v slots for baseboard heaters that we have taken out or don't use). So I think I can "clean up" the current panels and get what I need.
Here are the circuits I'm planning on:
* 240v #1: currently has an air compressor hardwired into it, but is only 1hp. Can put air cleaner (~2amps) and a small (up to 1hp) auxiliary 240v receptacle on this circuit.
* 240v #2: 30amp slot from old heater. Will become dedicated "big motor" circuit to run 3hp table saw
* 240v #3: a 20amp circuit for future upgrading
* DC circuit: A dedicated 20amp circuit for the DC. Either 240v or 120v depending on DC.
* Receptacles #1-3: 20amp 120v for shop receptacles (3 circuits). These will be arranged throughout the shop in double gang boxes in an alternating patter, for example: AB CA BC... Each circuit will have a distinct color of receptacle (i.e. circuit A will have gray recepts, B will be black, and C will be white). This way I can know at a glance which receptacle is on which circuit.
* Lighting #1-2: two separate circuits for primary and secondary lighting. At least one circuit will be in the main panel so if the subpanel is disconnected there will still be light.

I'll also plan to put receptacles in the ceiling and all recepts on the walls will be ~54" off the floor.
The lights will be controlled by 4 way switches, one at each interior door and one at the garage door.

Lighting
With all the obstacles in the ceiling, I'm not sure I'll be able to fit fluorescent fixtures, so I may just have to go with recessed can lights for my primary lighting and use secondary task lighting where needed. I may use a few receptacles with built in night lights so that I won't have to turn any lights on if I need to run in and grab something or walk through the shop.

Air
The house came with a nice air compressor under the basement stairs. It is plumbed to the attached 2 car garage and at one time was plumbed to this adjacent basement garage (but those lines were unhooked for some reason). I plan on rehooking or plumbing new copper lines and having 2 or 3 air drops in the shop. I can use these to run my brad nailer and will give future upgrade potential with air tools.

Finishing/Spraying
As with my old work shop, I don't have a dedicated spray/finish area. My basic plan is to open up the garage door and wheel it outside. If the weather is foul I can still have the door open and just have some fans blowing the fumes out. Not the perfect solution but I think it will do.


I could go on and on but I think this is a long enough post for people to skim over. If you have any advice, ideas, or changes you would make, please let me know.

Thanks in advance,
Matt

[ray hampton]

the trouble with a fan blowing the fumes out is that a wind can change direction VERY QUICK, a fan pulling the fumes out will help

[Art Mulder]

In what part of the country are you located, Matt? The milder the climate, the more often you can work with that garage door open and expand outward...
Are the walls already up? Just wondering if the actual shop footprint is already fixed.

Looks like you've put a fair bit of thought into things already.
Why is there a door in the top-right of the plan AND in the bottom (left of the freezer) ?? You don't want your shop to be a hallway to other areas, if at all possible.
I have no idea what a tillering tree is...

You have a lot concentrated around that TS workstation... I've never worked like that. But I have to worry that you'll end up having to continually move things in order to be able to use the saw, or jointer, or Router. As well, Jointers typically have the fence sticking out of the one side. Have you allowed for that in your plans? Another place for the jointer could be where that intercom is (along the wall) or by the corner (oriented 90 degrees to what it is now) where the air handler is situated.

Have fun, post photos!

[Matt Schenk]

In what part of the country are you located, Matt? The milder the climate, the more often you can work with that garage door open and expand outward...
Are the walls already up? Just wondering if the actual shop footprint is already fixed.

I'm in central Kentucky, so a relatively mild climate with chilly winters and hot and humid summers. I should be able to comfortably have the garage door open most fall and spring.

Most of the walls are up, so the footprint is as good as fixed.

Why is there a door in the top-right of the plan AND in the bottom (left of the freezer) ?? You don't want your shop to be a hallway to other areas, if at all possible.

The shop is in a corner of the basement. I added the door at the top-right for better flow and easier access for moving large objects in and out of the basement (the garage door is the only egress out of the basement, the rest of the basement is 6' below grade).
Here's a link to the rest of the basement floorplan, this may help when visualizing the space

I have no idea what a tillering tree is...

It's a jig used for tillering (making) bows. Here's the one in my previous shop.

You have a lot concentrated around that TS workstation... I've never worked like that. But I have to worry that you'll end up having to continually move things in order to be able to use the saw, or jointer, or Router. As well, Jointers typically have the fence sticking out of the one side. Have you allowed for that in your plans? Another place for the jointer could be where that intercom is (along the wall) or by the corner (oriented 90 degrees to what it is now) where the air handler is situated.

Have fun, post photos!

I guess I have always worked around a table saw workstation. I'm not saying it's the best way to work, just what I'm used to.
I like the idea of moving the jointer to the bottom wall. There would still be enough room to joint an 8' board. The only downside I can see is dust collection. How much fine dust does a jointer put out?

Thanks for the input!

[Don Jarvie]

Given your having a baby you may want to consider taking over the garage and forget the basement. First is the noise, kids sleep odd hours so you will have to either work around the naps or really sound proof the place. Second is dust. Even with good air filtration dust will still filter into the house. Third is the feeling height. 7.5 is low. You can fix up the garage to get some more head space but there's no where to go in the house.

If the garage is attached you can sound proof the adjacent walls which is easier to do. There's pros and cons to both but hopefully I gave you something to think about.

[Matt Meiser]

Not knowing what the outside looks like, any option to remove the garage door completely and replace with a wall and set of double doors? That would make for a more comfortable room and open up a lot of wall space.

[Prashun Patel]

If you can handle moving a hose, you'll do better to remove as many wyes as possible in favor of fewer drops from the duct that can be moved as necessary.

Alternatively, consider moving your mitersaw and floor sweep to a mobile shopvac also with a Thien baffle or mini cyclone. With respect to the downdraft, a lot of ROS's have excellent dust collection using a shopvac (appropriately pre-filtered).

[Matt Schenk]

Given your having a baby you may want to consider taking over the garage and forget the basement.... There's pros and cons to both but hopefully I gave you something to think about.

I have given this a lot of thought, but the deal was struck with the wife before we even bought the house that the garage is for her car and my mechanic tools and not for wood working.

Not knowing what the outside looks like, any option to remove the garage door completely and replace with a wall and set of double doors? That would make for a more comfortable room and open up a lot of wall space.

This is a very interesting idea that another friend mentioned in passing, but I think may warrant some deeper thought. Do I really need a garage door? Double doors and maybe a window could be a much better use of this space.

If you can handle moving a hose, you'll do better to remove as many wyes as possible in favor of fewer drops from the duct that can be moved as necessary.

Alternatively, consider moving your mitersaw and floor sweep to a mobile shopvac also with a Thien baffle or mini cyclone. With respect to the downdraft, a lot of ROS's have excellent dust collection using a shopvac (appropriately pre-filtered).

I would assume the best shop vacs would need the larger 2.5" hose? I have 2 vacs, but each has the smaller 1.25" hose. More things to consider!

[Stew Hagerty]

I think it basically looks like a decent plan. Just three quick suggestions. First, don't hardwire the DC to a switch that is 5' from the nearest machine and across the room from the rest. Get yourself a remote. I recommend the Long Ranger III, it works perfectly with my HF collector.

Two, I think your DC ductwork layout is just fine for the size of your shop and the size of your collector. Although I would suggest a Y running to your TS/Router/Jointer area instead of a T.

And Three, I built myself a downdraft table and what I found out is that unless you can move a lot of CFM's it isn't worth it. I just hook my ROS to dust collection and go to town. OH... And I do me that I hook it up to DUST COLLECTION, not a shopvac. In fact, I don't even own a shopvac. I pop a reducer with a 2 1/4" hose attached into the end of my 4" hose and it works beautifully. I use the exact same setup with a brush or a floor sweeper attachment for cleaning up around the shop. Now, I do also have a floor sweep ducted in over by my tablesaw (too far for my small hose to reach) which I use for taking care of larger piles of shavings after a hard day of handwork.

[Art Mulder]

I think it basically looks like a decent plan. Just three quick suggestions. First, don't hardwire the DC to a switch that is 5' from the nearest machine and across the room from the rest. Get yourself a remote. I recommend the Long Ranger III, it works perfectly with my HF collector.

Actually, the low ceiling height could be your friend. I have a WIRED long ranger on my DC, and the switch is mounted on the ceiling, right above my Tablesaw. The beauty of the Long ranger is that since it is a low voltage switch, I can wire up more switches in parallel if I want. Also, no remote to lose, and never needs batteries. Works for me.

The shop is in a corner of the basement. I added the door at the top-right for better flow and easier access for moving large objects in and out of the basement (the garage door is the only egress out of the basement, the rest of the basement is 6' below grade).
Here's a link to the rest of the basement floorplan, this may help when visualizing the space

....
I like the idea of moving the jointer to the bottom wall. There would still be enough room to joint an 8' board. The only downside I can see is dust collection. How much fine dust does a jointer put out?

A jointer mostly puts out shavings, not dust. The tablesaw is much worse for fine dust. So is a Sander. Planers and jointers, not so much.

Oh, and I meant the door in the top-LEFT, but it seemed like you grasped what I meant.

Are there no windows (for light or egress) in the rest of the basement?

On the jointer front... you've got pantry/counter on the other side of that wall. If you have a jointer like mine (where the fence protrudes almost a foot from the back of it) here is an idea: Make a hole in the wall, which sticks into the closet/pantry, and box it in, so that you can push the jointer much closer to flush to the wall. This will only steal a smidgen of space from the room on the other side.

And of course, once the kids move out you can just expand the shop and take over the no-longer-needed play room and den...

[Matt Schenk]

Thanks for all the ideas! I'm considering putting the jointer on the long "bottom" wall near the tillering tree even though it will be next to impossible to efficiently get DC to it. Moving it along that wall will let me tweak the position of the table saw and router. The jointer is just a HF 6", so there's very little sticking out from the fence, but I could always steal a few inches from that wall if I ever upgrade to a larger jointer and need to box in the protrusions from the fence.

I'm also really liking the idea of closing up the garage door and replacing it with a double door and 1 or 2 windows. Even my wife likes that idea, so there's a much better chance of it happening

I picked up a used Jet DC-1200 dust collector this weekend (and the guy I bought it from threw in a 12" delta planer for next to nothing), so I now have the DC covered!