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Thread: next iteration of barn shop floorplan

  1. #1
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    next iteration of barn shop floorplan

    Today, my shop is essentially 4 zones:

    1 - Multi-purpose room that has a small curtain-contained area for spraying finishes, but is shared with the kids

    2 - What I call the "Assembly" area.. clamps, fasteners, workbench, measuring tools, hand tools... glue ups happen here etc.

    3 - The "woodshop"... or probably more accurate to call it the "machines area".. where all the major stationary tools are

    4 - "Shed area"... lumber storage and kids' bikes and basketballs


    During our upcoming home addition, we are also doing some work to the barn.

    - Interior stairs to 2nd story will be removed (will now be on the exterior of the building instead)

    - Water/sewer brought to the building

    - LED lighting upgrade throughout all shop spaces

    - AND, the kids will no longer share the multi-purpose room with me... their stuff is moving inside a portion of the new home addition


    SO... this allows me to shift some things around, and I'd like to gut check with the crew here.

    1 - Multi-purpose becomes entirely mine.. big, flat, torsion box "island" suitable for glue ups, clamping, assembly, and finishing tasks. All walls protected by curtains. Most clamps live in this room. Heated and cooled, good lighting, separated from dusty shop.

    2 - Assembly area becomes "build room"... without need for the entire stable of clamps in here, wall space is freed up. Planning/measuring/drawing, fitting, cutting, tuning, fasteners, hand tools... all that happens in here.

    3 - Woodshop remains mostly the same... with two major (and easy) improvements. By swapping bandsaw and planer position, I'll have better access to both tools (infeed and outfeed) and it removes the bandsaw obstacle that I sometimes face while working at the jointer. All I have to do is modify a small section of wall to allow planer materials to pass.

    BEFORE
    BARN LAYOUT BEFORE 2-1-21.JPG

    Proposed AFTER
    BARN LAYOUT AFTER 2-1-21.JPG
    - Bob R.
    Collegeville PA (30 minutes west of Philly)

  2. #2
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    I like your new plan. Good division of purpose and nice layouts.

  3. #3
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    Having a room that you can keep clean for finishing/assembly is nice, but keep in mind that assembly may involve sanding, etc., and with a large workpiece, moving it around may or may not be ideal. I'm going to suggest that once you have that stairway out and so forth, you can do a little shuffling around to figure out the "more ideal" places for certain of your tools for your normal workflow. That will either confirm your ideas or allow you to adjust them. Nothing like moving the life-sized chess pieces around for that!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  4. #4
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    Hmmm...

    I think my motivation for re-imagining the multi-purpose room is not so much for "clean room" reasons, as it is having a really nice space for all the tasks that are currently using "borrowed" space (e.g. table saw outfeed) or causing inconvenience (e.g. taking up room on workbench while I need that workbench to do the next task).

    That is, I picture that I would do some sanding in the new clamping/assembly/finishing room (I'll just call it multi-purpose room still since it's still service multiple uses).

    I tend to sand components and sub-assemblies (except for table tops) in the machines area on the good ol' frankencart. I think I'll continue doing that as the downdraft cart does help with the mess, and it's easy enough to do for items that are easily carried.

    But bulkier items like table tops, bigger assemblies, and final projects I expect will be sanded near where they are glued up... in this new world, that would mean they are sanded in the new version of the multi-purpose room.

    Being an old barn, I tend to have to blow out and shop vac that multi-purpose room when it comes time to apply finish anways, and I'm figuring that would still be the case going forward. Cleanup all the assembly, glue, dust... then apply finish.
    - Bob R.
    Collegeville PA (30 minutes west of Philly)

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lisa Starr View Post
    I like your new plan. Good division of purpose and nice layouts.
    Thanks Lisa!

    Do you think that the new multi-purpose room is grouping the right sets of things?

    I feel like the right "island" (big, flat, well-lit, storage under, clamping options, easy access to drop cloths etc. etc.) benefits all of the planned operations, which is why I grouped them together. While I will have some cleaning to do (for finishing purposes and as noted in response to Jim above) I think that's the biggest "con" I can think of right now.

    Will I miss my clamps in the other room? I feel like, probably not. I'll keep smaller clamps (more like helpers... quick clamps etc.) in my by workbench. But the rest are needed at time of glue up really.
    - Bob R.
    Collegeville PA (30 minutes west of Philly)

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Riefer View Post

    3 - Woodshop remains mostly the same... with two major (and easy) improvements. By swapping bandsaw and planer position, I'll have better access to both tools (infeed and outfeed) and it removes the bandsaw obstacle that I sometimes face while working at the jointer. All I have to do is modify a small section of wall to allow planer materials to pass.

    BEFORE
    BARN LAYOUT BEFORE 2-1-21.JPG

    Proposed AFTER
    BARN LAYOUT AFTER 2-1-21.JPG


    Well, I got this step of the process done yesterday.

    First, I took some grief from some SMC folks for my guesstimated selling price for my old drill press (but it sold for damn near that price in about 6 hours... so... shrug). And then I researched and figured out which drill press will replace it (Rikon 30-212VS) to ensure that my plans for moving things around would all still fit nicely etc.

    With those decisions made, time for some action! Here's the "before" pics where the everything felt a bit congested. I just scanned from left to right to give a sense for the space.

    reorg before the real reorg BEFORE 1.jpg reorg before the real reorg BEFORE 2.jpg reorg before the real reorg BEFORE 3.jpg



    I was able to accomplish the move with only minimal surgery to the dust collection setup, and just one instance of stepping in a glob of silicone caulk that I accidentally dropped to the floor.

    The bandsaw in its new spot has about 12 feet infeed and outfeed so it should never need to move anymore. The Rikon DP will live on an old set of drawers that were relocated across the shop - it will be on locking casters ultimately. The metal cabinet that used to be in this spot will move to the assembly room soon.

    reorg before the real reorg AFTER 1.jpg


    The planer in its new spot will continue to have 12 feet in an out just as it did before, but this spot is just more efficient and required only a basic hole cut in the wall which went easily, and actually allows light to pass between the spaces - added bonus.

    An old ikea kitchen island that has been repurposed for about 10 things over the years got its 11th job as the new planer stand.

    reorg before the real reorg AFTER 2.jpg reorg before the real reorg AFTER 3.jpg reorg before the real reorg AFTER 4.jpg


    Today I will be rebuilding my scrap bin to be a bit more useful and to better fit the spot where it will live now. But already, I found that I have so much more space to use my jointer which is a big win.

    reorg before the real reorg AFTER 5.jpg


    Most of the "real fun" will occur as water/sewer are connected, interior stairs are removed, and the multi-purpose room is emptied of wife/kid gear... but it was still satisfying to get started on some of the improvements.
    - Bob R.
    Collegeville PA (30 minutes west of Philly)

  7. #7
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    Really nice when you are able to open things up a bit, eh?
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  8. #8
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    Bob, would you please post pictures of the under table dust collection on the bandsaw
    Thank you
    Ron

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    Really nice when you are able to open things up a bit, eh?

    ESPECIALLY when it costs $0!! In this case, I just had to think differently, but the move didn't cost a thing. That's nice ROI!!!
    - Bob R.
    Collegeville PA (30 minutes west of Philly)

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ron Selzer View Post
    Bob, would you please post pictures of the under table dust collection on the bandsaw
    Thank you
    Ron

    Ugh, I'm embarrassed to share my cobbled together prototype, but I shall do so for the greater good. :-)

    Basically, I took 6" PVC to within a few feet of the bandsaw, and through a shop-made blast gate. The blast gate is screwed into a chunk of scrap 2x4 that is then screwed to the wall. Very sturdy (but not real pretty).

    bandsaw dc 1.jpg

    After the blast gate, some 6" flex then leads to a 6x4x4 wye fitting. One branch of 4" flex goes to the port native to the bandsaw, and the other goes to the ungodly looking series of 45 degee fittings, which are supported by scrap pieces of romex affixed to bottom of the table.
    bandsaw dc 2.jpg bandsaw dc 3.jpg


    What I like is that this does tend to get a bit more of the dust than if I just collected from the machines lone port, and if I need to tilt the table, I can easily remove my contraption.

    What I don't like is that the fit/finish is obviously pretty "ugsville" (as my teenage daughter would say) and I would like the suction to get right to the blade... I'm thinking a small piece of rubber (like rubber mat, or pond liner) could create a flexible "boot" that would allow me to direct the suction right to the problem area (instead of the current "somewhat in the vicinity of the problem" suction approach)
    Last edited by Bob Riefer; 02-22-2021 at 11:09 AM.
    - Bob R.
    Collegeville PA (30 minutes west of Philly)

  11. #11
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    Exciting times!! The snow has melted, and the work finally begins!!! (and, of course, as I type this it starts flurrying outside... argh!! go away snow!!!)

    The crew is outside as I type doing some prep work in advance of stage 1 of our home addition / shop improvements. The real work starts on Tuesday.

    The home will receive a 2 story addition (office, master bed/bath, covered porch).

    The barn will be tied into our water/sewer (plus a data line!!!) and have interior stairs moved to the exterior of the building - this is the work beginning on Tuesday, and they will horizontally bore from hole near house to hole next to barn (rather than trenching). My shop will then gain a bunch of free space AND a proper utility sink (big win!). The 2nd story of the barn is already finished as a recreation room, but will now utilize the old stairwell to instead be a full bathroom... with the exterior entrance, that space now becomes a fully functioning, personal-use, apartment.

    But, let's focus on the important stuff.... the shop.

    Since I will gain a 17 foot section of wall (previously blocked by the stairs), I can finally set things up to best assist my woodworking.

    Here's what that space looks like as of last week:
    shop wall with stairs 1.jpg shop wall with stairs 2.jpg

    Any clamps needed for glue ups will be moving into the adjacent room as part of these changes. All the stuff behind my bench in these pictures will be cleared out to make way for this new design.

    new shop wall high level plan 3-6-21.JPG

    This will allow me to walk around all sides of my workbench, use the "desk area" by the window to figure out designs, use all the wall storage for frequently-accessed tools, and all the under-counter storage for all the other stuff that is needed but used less frequently. The utility sink is useful for so many things, plus the medicine cabinet will be a better spot for first aid supplies etc.

    I'll study various french cleat setups before building mine. I'm really looking forward to this part of the project as I will take care to make the wall look a bit nicer while I'm at it, and the french cleats approach enables me to easily evolve over time.

    I have some electrical improvements to make on this wall. Easy stuff, just moving around and adding some receptacles.

    And, I'm envisioning that the shop vac will be connected to some hard plumbing so that I can have some suction ports along the counter top and near to my bench as well.

    Since this week's effort is around bringing water/sewer/data line out to the shop, I needed to clear out the corner where the crew will be cutting through the concrete floor. It was kind of fun to tear apart my ugly old desk and laugh at "past Bob" for the construction choices he made 10+ years ago before he'd learned very much.

    This pitiful corner will soon be part of a wonderful transformation.

    shop corner ready for floor cutting.jpg
    - Bob R.
    Collegeville PA (30 minutes west of Philly)

  12. #12
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    Exciting times, Bob!!!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  13. #13
    If you do much cabinet work a big assembly table is nice.

  14. #14
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    Jim - Exciting times indeed! It's more fun to renovate with each passing year, because you have a better understanding of your own wants/needs/habits etc. So, after all this time, I feel a little more prepared to create a setup that's really going to be a good fit for how I use my shop.

    Robert - I agree on the big assembly table... In the next room over, I will be converting that to a dedicated "assembly room". Which by my definition means it will have a central "island" with a torsion box top in the 3' x 7' range that will be used for glue ups, assembly, and finishing.... for any projects that can fit through 36" door (bigger projects will continue to have to be finished in my main shop where I have an overhead garage door).
    - Bob R.
    Collegeville PA (30 minutes west of Philly)

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Riefer View Post
    Since this week's effort is around bringing water/sewer/data line out to the shop,
    Having a utility sink will be a very nice addition. I'm envious. Adding a water line and a drain pipe to my shop would entail a LOT (200') of digging for the trenching.
    Exciting times for you and your family! Shop AND house renovations.

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