Sketchup/Workshop/Layout of Shop

[Erich Weidner]

So, just thought I'd share. I know that I had purchased an ebook on using sketchup for woodworking years ago.
While looking for it (as I don't really remember how to use it), I found this on my file server. Apparently I had the rudiments of it down 7 years ago.
The specific tools don't exactly match my "shop" as I just downloaded models wherever I could and resized them.

And significantly, I now need to be able to park a car in there. So the tablesaw never got to live out in the middle, which is why I never use it and am going to sell it.
Anyway, I had completely forgotten that I made this model for my garage/workshop. Guess I can update it and start planning how to fit an 8' workbench and bandsaw in there, as well as the lathe I just bought. Also I have to draw a Dutch tool chest approximation.

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Amazing how much space it looks like I have. The reality is thus... I need to sell that darn Tablesaw and CMS to make some room.

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[Michael J Evans]

Most of these pics I see of peoples garage shops must be single or retired. About 50% of my space is dedicated to my kids bikes, camping, toys etc.

[Erich Weidner]

Most of these pics I see of peoples garage shops must be single or retired. About 50% of my space is dedicated to my kids bikes, camping, toys etc.

I am often a tad envious of folks with ample shop and/or garage space.
Since moving and buying a place with a bigger garage or a proper workshop isn't currently in the cards... This past year I've made major headway in getting rid of things I don't use. (Amazing how much stuff I found that I only vaguely remember buying... some of the shelves I couldn't easy reach for over a decade were full of stuff like this!)

I've been trying to treat every square foot of floor space and wall space as precious. With this new mindset, I've been able to part with a bunch of stuff I was likely never to use but just holding on to because I spent money on it. I've never had much luck selling things 2nd hand for enough money to feel like it is worth the time, so it usually goes to friends or goodwill. SWMBO exhibited severe frowny face when I prepared to dump this pile of stuff at goodwill, so my office floor space is filling up with boxes of crap I need to sell. (Never seem to have the time or the energy to do it...)

I gave my hybrid bike away to an employee who had his stolen from out back of our business. My mountain bike got relocated to the 5'x10' shed (I just stacked it on top of the pressure washer and garden cart... that shed is probably haunted by now). SWMBO's bike is up high enough that so far it isn't in the way.

I now have a lumber rack where the two lower bikes used to be, and can put boxes of sorted and finally organized stuff underneath. This is awesome, because previously I had to manipulate anything longer than 5' into the attic. So almost never had any decent lengths of project wood at hand. Now I can keep stuff up to 12' in length stored flat on a 16" lumber rack.

[Anuj Prateek]

I am often a tad envious of folks with ample shop and/or garage space.

Same here!

Back in US, I had a 10'-12'x12'-14' shop, and a 10'x8' shed. It was so crowded that I started to avoid any boards larger than 6'.

Well then we moved to Canada. Before our move, I sold off jointer, router tables and few other machines that hardly saw any use.
After a month at company provided house, we started rental house search. Well we did not find anything in our budget and rented a smaller house that appeared very spacious. Well floor area is fact, perception is a feeling.
Sold, some machines and we finally were able to fit everything in the house.

Since last 4 months, this is my shop.

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Yup! It sits right in the family room, occupying the dining area (probably 8'x10'). You got to do what you got to do.
Well built a box, learnt how to create coopered lid, restored few tools and practiced dovetails here.
As a added benefit, kid got a little interested. He tries to do something on the bench once in a while now.

One thing that has helped greatly, is buying the Tool Chest. It's I think the 42" model, top and bottom. This thing fits and organizes tonnes of stuff.
Smaller power tools got moved to Dewalt boxes. My job site table saw stays outside in back patio under a tarp.

Few weeks back, we bought a house. We have kept some money aside now to construct a separate small shop.
A month more before we move though, and then construction!

[Erich Weidner]

Same here!


Few weeks back, we bought a house. We have kept some money aside now to construct a separate small shop.
A month more before we move though, and then construction!

Glad to hear you can build a shop. So exciting! (And I'm green with envy). No, but seriously, awesome news. I grew up in the country where land was cheap. (Not so much here in Austin, TX). I took ample land for granted back then.

We might move one day, but COVID is killing our business and if it tanks... long road to recovery. So I'm just going to double down on my garage workshop and make it as space efficient as possible!

[John K Jordan]

Glad to hear you can build a shop. So exciting! (And I'm green with envy). No, but seriously, awesome news. I grew up in the country where land was cheap. (Not so much here in Austin, TX). I took ample land for granted back then.

We might move one day, but COVID is killing our business...

When you get the space and time and your business recovers (it will!), think about building the shop yourself whether a stand-alone building or an add-on. You can save a fortune that way. Fortunately, land is still cheap in lots of places, including TN.

I tell people I built my shop with my bare hands, but I lie, I used tools. Besides hand tools and some cordless tools (circular saw, impact driver), I made good use of a portable table saw and a SCMS.

Fortunately I have some dirt equipment so I was able to clear and level a spot near the barn and put up posts and beams. I did get my son to help put up the the 6x6 beams. Since I'm elderly and feeble I don't climb well any more so I hired a builder friend to bring a crew and crane to set the trusses and put the roof on. I did all the forming and rebar for the concrete floor and paid some concrete guys to pour and surface the slab, then did all the inside and outside myself including the wiring. Most was just woodworking, something most of us here can do and enjoy! It took a while - I spent a couple of years and still have some finishing up to do, but I'm certain I saved a huge amount of money. I have built a few smaller buildings and a number of decks, but this was my first larger building (24x62).

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I'm planning now for another but much simpler and cheaper - a big shed to store equipment and hay. This one will be about 30x72, gravel floor, no walls at first. If you end up moving to this area maybe I can help prep the site or dig a trench for the power. I love playing in the dirt!

JKJ

[Anuj Prateek]

When you get the space and time and your business recovers (it will!), think about building the shop yourself whether a stand-alone building or an add-on. You can save a fortune that way. Fortunately, land is still cheap in lots of places, including TN.

I tell people I built my shop with my bare hands, but I lie, I used tools. Besides hand tools and some cordless tools (circular saw, impact driver), I made good use of a portable table saw and a SCMS.

Wow! And, that's a big shop.

Request: When you do your next shed, if possible, post some pictures/steps. I would love to try building a shed.

[John K Jordan]

Wow! And, that's a big shop.

Request: When you do your next shed, if possible, post some pictures/steps. I would love to try building a shed.

I have hundreds of pictures of various sheds and such. It would be difficult to make a universal list of steps. This is the third (and probably last!) shop I've built, each was a different type of construction due to the available site, size, and how much money I had saved up!

Years ago before I built anything I started buying and reading books on building construction. There is a huge amount of good information out there. I like to read all the different ways to do things then decide which is best for me.

I do like basic post and beam construction with concrete slab floor rather than conventional stud wall construction. For my shop I used 6x6 posts with double and triple 2x beams supporting wooden trusses then built walls with 2x6 studs between the posts - since the walls are not load-bearing I could put doors and windows anywhere without being concerned about support, lots of bracing, 1/2" plywood inside and OSB plus smart siding outside made a sturdy structure. A simpler shed can be built quickly depending on the needs. A month ago we put up a 10x20 shed with dirt floor for a llama shelter (took 1 day for the frame and another for siding) and this fall I hope to finally finish a 12x24 peacock house with concrete floor - it's 90% done. These sheds are also post and beam construction but with rafters rather than trusses since they are small structures. I have a sawmill so I cut 4/4 lumber for siding for farm buildings. I've been looking for more cedar logs to finish this one!

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The first thing I decide is the size. Then what kind of structure. Then I plan everything before I start - my notebook for the shop probably has 50 pages full of drawings, some sketches, some very detailed, many are pages of revisions as I refine my thoughts. The building was intended as a wood shop plus farm support, maintenance and such so it has a small weld shop with an outdoor work area, machining, office area, and animal care supplies. Early in 2019 I turned part into a poultry incubating and brooder area and raise peacock and guineas and such. Good fun!

In case you are interested, this is my basic shop layout - includes a sound-insulated closet for DC and air compressor, heat and air, plenty of power. But no bathroom! I have an addition planned...

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JKJ

[Erich Weidner]

John, that looks like a project that would be a lot of fun. I've only built a shed myself.
But I bought a 2" chisel and a timberframing book years back... this has always been in the back of my mind...

[John K Jordan]

John, that looks like a project that would be a lot of fun. I've only built a shed myself.
But I bought a 2" chisel and a timberframing book years back... this has always been in the back of my mind...

A friend of mine was interested in building a timberframe house so he bought some traditional timberframing hand tools and made a number of sample joints, mostly to understand how it all worked. Then when he finally built he hired a company from up north to do the structure. They made all the pieces in their shop then shipped to the site and put it all together. Very impressive to watch it go up!

When we bought our farm in '03 it had a timberframe house built in '88, good and solid but not well taken care of.

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Before we move in we stripped the kitchen to the floor and redid all that, then a couple of years ago we moved a few internal walls, new bathroom, replaced the wood siding, new roof, big deck, sunroom, screened porch.

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But a little sympathy, please - from the kitchen windows and deck we are forced to look out over the horse pasture, woods, and such. It's a tough job but someone has to do it.

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JKJ

[Erich Weidner]

John, I don't know... rainbows and alpacas? Such a terrible view. I thought it was to be rainbows and puppy dogs? (Kidding).

[John K Jordan]

John, I don't know... rainbows and alpacas? Such a terrible view. I thought it was to be rainbows and puppy dogs? (Kidding).

A poll of the 6-year-old girls in my kindergarten SS class a few years ago indicated that rainbows go with ponies and horses and especially unicorns.
If my eyes are watering with allergies the horses might look like unicorns.

JKJ

[Anuj Prateek]

Glad to hear you can build a shop. So exciting! (And I'm green with envy). No, but seriously, awesome news. I grew up in the country where land was cheap. (Not so much here in Austin, TX). I took ample land for granted back then.

We might move one day, but COVID is killing our business and if it tanks... long road to recovery. So I'm just going to double down on my garage workshop and make it as space efficient as possible!

Thanks! I have heard similar things about Texas Country side. Big houses and land. Never been there though.

Business will recover and bloom better than ever!

[John K Jordan]

Most of these pics I see of peoples garage shops must be single or retired. About 50% of my space is dedicated to my kids bikes, camping, toys etc.

Ha!

I'm long retired and 50% of my garage was taken up with my own stuff leaving me a one-car bay for a shop. i must have a lot of stuff. So I cleared and leveled a spot by the barn and built a 24x62' building dedicated as my shop, plenty of space, heat and air. But now it's half full of welding/machine shop, plastic and metal stock, electronics, library, maintenance tools, farm supplies, and now incubators and brooders for guineas and peacocks. I'm thinking of adding on...

JKJ

[Erich Weidner]

Ha!

...So I cleared and leveled a spot by the barn and built a 24x62' building dedicated as my shop, plenty of space, heat and air. But now it's half full of welding/machine shop, plastic and metal stock, electronics, library, maintenance tools, farm supplies, and now incubators and brooders for guineas and peacocks. I'm thinking of adding on...

Nice, John. Sounds like you may have me bested in number of and depth in hobbies! Perhaps the key is more space. (Though probably retirement helps too).

We're in suburbia and have a tiny lot. Nowhere to build (and wouldn't be allowed by the HOA anyway). I keep thinking about possibly selling and buying something with more land. But I own a small business in the city so can't go to far. (And housing prices have become insane in the Austin area).