Modified Shop Layout with Slider

[Steve Rozmiarek]

The point of diagonal orientation is to get space where it's needed the most. An 8 foot slider (for discussion, however most full size are longer), will require 16 foot of real-estate front to back, plus room to stand. Imagine ripping an 8 foot board, or sheet of ply. You'll need 8' behind the blade, and 9' to 12' in front, depending on your girth. When crosscutting the same board, you'll need 9' or so left of the blade.

Visualize the work movement, you'll see that you actually only really use a zone the width of your outrigger table for most of the swing, but for that 2' of commonly used crosscut space, it needs to be the length of your longest stock, plus a little for the end of the fence. The rip space is similar, front to back 12' straight behind the slider, but only 8', another 4' to the left. One more foot to the left, and you very rarely need anything over a few feet deep.

What you end up with is a virtual heat map of where you stand to use a slider, that's actually a triangle shaped space to the left of the blade, that when the saw is turned diagonal in a square space, fits quite well. What it does is enable a more efficient use of space, and face it, even the biggest shop will need more space in places.

My saw is a CF741, which is a 700 saw/shaper, and 700 planer/jointer as a full combo, so I get the same benefit of the diagonal on the right side of the machine too.

Dorky picture, but attached to show for scale what might fit in the space.

20180413_120249.jpg

[Jim Becker]

May most likely be more than 16', Steve...my MM 8'6" slider needs 19' end-to-end...

[andy bessette]

...Shop is 40x26...

That is pretty close to the size of my shop, like 2 double garages in tandem. Though I have a tool room occupying a large part of one corner of it, so that sort of equals out to the dory taking up so much space in yours.

I cannot imagine a worse layout than the first you've shown, with so many machines simply parked against a wall, with no way to effectively use them, except for pulling them out away from the wall each time. My own shop is so overcrowded with machines, having woodworking, welding and machine shop all sharing that space, I am not trying to poke fun at you--I really know what it's like to compromise machine locations. But you must at least try to lay it out in such a way that virtually every machine can be used in place. Table saws don't work well sitting against a wall. Planers, jointers, table saws, band saws... need plenty of length for infeed and outfeed.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

May most likely be more than 16', Steve...my MM 8'6" slider needs 19' end-to-end...

Lol, mine too! I was keeping the dimensions close to a 4x8 sheet for the point, but to be honest, with me in the way, I need something like 20' to be comfortable.

[Jon Snider]

That is pretty close to the size of my shop, like 2 double garages in tandem. Though I have a tool room occupying a large part of one corner of it, so that sort of equals out to the dory taking up so much space in yours.

I cannot imagine a worse layout than the first you've shown, with so many machines simply parked against a wall, with no way to effectively use them, except for pulling them out away from the wall each time. My own shop is so overcrowded with machines, having woodworking, welding and machine shop all sharing that space, I am not trying to poke fun at you--I really know what it's like to compromise machine locations. But you must at least try to lay it out in such a way that virtually every machine can be used in place. Table saws don't work well sitting against a wall. Planers, jointers, table saws, band saws... need plenty of length for infeed and outfeed.

Hmmm. Wait until I try to find space for my Stubby S100 and my metal lathe.

[Jim Becker]

Hmmm. Wait until I try to find space for my Stubby S100 and my metal lathe.

Yea, I'm seriously considering moving my Stubby 750 upstairs after I "finish" a room up there...in pieces, of course, and even then most of it is darn heavy to lift! LOL My shop is only 23 x 30 (in a 23 x 44 building) less the area of the stairwell to go upstairs and my cyclone/compressor closet. Upstairs is becoming more and more of a benefit...

[John Kee]

Jon I don't know if the pic will help with your layout but its from from current configuration. Shop is roughly 32' x 30'. I have a Sketchup file if interested. The slider is positioned for full use in cutting both large sheets goods and long rips.

[Jon Snider]

Thanks John. Very helpful. My problem is finding a side wall for slider since the boat takes up part of shop.

[Bryan Lisowski]

Jon I don't have a slider, but I will make my recommendation anyways. I would get rid of the miter saw all together. I really have come to realize it is a 1 trick pony that eats more space than I care to give up. With a jig saw and well tuned table saw/slider you can do any operation better.

[andy bessette]

BL--besides a chop saw I have an indispensable radial arm saw setup only for precise 90* cuts.