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Thread: Rethinking Shop Layout

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,638
    Steve, that's a good point. One of the things I was doing yesterday and the day before was going through my tool cabinets and, um...extracting...things that had no purpose in my life, were unneeded duplicates or in very poor condition worthy of replacement should I find I actually need them. A few things went in the tool collection that will live in the "garage", but most things, if actually serviceable, went in a box for donation to the ReStore in my copious free time. Clutter can be an issue for any size shop, but to your point, it can really get constricting in a smaller space.
    --

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

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Perth, Australia
    Posts
    9,450
    Jasper, I’ll add my 2 cents worth ..

    1. You have too much stuff in your space. Get rid of duplicates and non-essentials. Time to be ruthless - what can be done with a different tool, and which do you prefer?

    2. Avoid open shelves like the plague. They create a feeling of clutter. Add doors to all. These also do double-duty, as you can make deep doors and use the insides for hanging tools.

    3. It is not only the hand tool duplicates that must be pared down, but the machines. What do you rarely use, or do not need to use.

    4. Floor space is for working, not storage. No movable carts unless these double as a work bench and are on wheels (my assembly bench also holds systainers). Hang clamps on a wall. Move the bobbin sander to a work surface along the wall. Keep the centre of the workshop open.

    5. It is easier to conceptualise when you have a work flow plan - how you move from one machine to another, keeping specific related tools together, etc.

    It looks tight, but there is enough space to work with fairly long boards, plus all machines are on wheels and can be moved a little …



    There is a short throw slider, and space around it is deliberate - if it is not there, then get rid of stuff, otherwise you cannot work.



    My main area is a work bench, and many of my hand tools were on the wall. I built a cabinet for under the bench, and almost all those tool are now in drawers. Those drawers hold a LOT of tools (chisels, marking gauges, squares, etc) …



    All my drill and router bits in one place ..



    All my handsaws in this multilayered cabinet, and the drawers contain equipment for sharpening, etc …




    I hope some of this helps.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek (in half a double garage)

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Western Nebraska
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    4,680
    Quote Originally Posted by Ola Carmonius View Post
    Good points...except for the metal lathe thing. I have one (actually two but I will sell the old one when the new is in working condition) and I use it frequently even if I'm a pure woodworker. I make drawer pulls, sometimes in a mix of wood and metal, hardware for jigs and fixtures, odd sized dowels, mft hole stoppers, machine parts and the list goes on.

    Edit. Oh, maybe I misunderstood, the Atlas you have is a metal lathe? Well then you know it can be useful and can ignore what I wrote.
    It's an Atlas metal lathe, I do have fun with it but it'll never make money, but I justified it to keep the old mind busy. I don't know, maybe that is a rational purpose.

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Piercefield, NY
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    1,638
    I was thinking about this thread while in the shop today. I have had 2 bandsaws, a small one and a bigger one, since 2018 and would not want to go back to just a big one. For the specific work I do having a saw with a 1/2" blade and a saw with a 1/4" blade both set up and ready to go is a huge time savings, but that may not be true for shops that are mainly used for other types of work. Figuring out which pairs of tools you really use both of a lot and which are redundant is a very individual thing, and might take either some thought back over previous projects or some extra attention during coming projects for a while, but it might be useful.

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,638
    You have it done right, Zachary. The bandsaw example is a good one because for the work you do, the dual setup is optimal for your production. The bottom line for most folks, especially when they have very limited space, is to be sure that any machine or other shop fixture has a purpose. If not..."be gone!"
    --

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

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Somewhere in the Land of Lincoln
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    2,538
    Lot's of great suggestions here even if you aren't in a small space. How many of us see something and think I'd like that tool, then it gathers dust? I'm certainly guilty of that. I've done some upgrading lately and still haven't taken time to list the old tools. I need to get on that. We all have the gene to be hoarders and some just do a better job then others keeping it in a dormant state. Or we get a tool that at the time either we can afford or will work then later we have the opportunity to upgrade and never disperse the old one. Michael keep us informed on your reorganization.

  7. #37
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    MA
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    2,243
    I feel for you, I am constantly rethinking my shop storage/layout - yet at the same time want to spend more time 'doing' woodworking than setting up shop. But tripping over stuff, 'reaching', balancing, etc because there is not enough working space is simply unsafe imo.

    I would consider getting rid of the miter saw. I have one for portable use at a job site, but otherwise store it away. Instead I have a battery powered circ saw and speed square to break down long pieces. And the tablesaw (sled or otherwise)

    I am guessing the freezer is used. If it cant go in a spare room elsewhere, then I would be inclined to put the shelves above the freezer with enough clearance to easily get in the freezer. Swing down workbenches dont work well for me since my workbenches are always full of 'stuff' and never swung back up.

    It would be 'nice' to have more in cabinets with doors. Keeps dust easier to manage. But that is unlikely to happen all at once - I tend to put up shelves then once that location is more permanent then build/buy a cabinet for the purpose.

    Saw till depending on how many you have. They just need a place. Planes I keep in drawers (wall space is more often my limiting factor, I have more drawers available than wall space). And wall space (or overhead horizontal) is the only place I know to hang clamps - I prefer the hangers that allow more than one row deep (stacked sideways). In general wall space needs depth of storage - peg boards are not efficient for this reason.

    Also I put some stations in my furnace room - just saying there might be other spaces that could house some workstations (sharpening, or otherwise)

    I do use two bandsaws, and put the small one on a bench. Gets used a lot.

    I would love to see pictures of how the different members organize their drawers.... am in the process of redoing some of those myself.

    Everybody struggles with cut offs and stock. Overhead storage can sometimes be made. And I started a cutting board project recently for no other reason than to use up shorts.

    Shorts are very much like tribbles....
    Last edited by Carl Beckett; 01-14-2023 at 10:23 AM.

  8. #38
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Boston, MA
    Posts
    86
    Hi all! Sorry to be absent for a while, too much going on. Having a full time job really gets in the way of woodworking. Some great suggestions here. Carl Beckett - thanks - I think you nailed the specific things I need to change.
    I do find the extra bandsaw very useful - I use them both regularly. But the other duplicates are harder to justify.
    As I mentioned, I'm getting rid of the non-sliding mitre saw (or putting it in my shed for use on outdoor projects). But the new sliding one has already been very helpful. The current location was always intended to be temporary. I was going to wait and get it after I did some reorg, but it went on sale for $150 off, so I jumped on it.
    You're all right about the other duplicates. I've kept circular saw duplicates so I could keep different blades in them since it takes several minutes to change...but I can't make that argument about reciprocating saw, impact driver, etc.

    Here's my phased plan:
    0) Toss what I can. (There truly is no other location for stuff unless it's not needed for woodworking at all. No garage, no other unfinished space, no furnace room. Just an outdoor shed and attic storage. The rest of my basement is finished.)
    1) Cut large floor standing book case in half. Hang the top half on the wall.
    2) Put long work table in place of small desk (bisecting current bookcase) and put miter saw there. Possibly move benchtop jointer from under workbench to this place also. (Not visible in my photos but I have a benchtop planer already on drawer slides under my main workbench). Might want to move that later.
    3) Start putting cabinets on wall in place of pegboard. Possibly shelves as interim step. (I can use bottom half of bisected bookcase. It's not deep but it'll let me get something up quickly. )
    4) Make brackets to store clamps "outwards" instead of spread horizontally. I made a mistake switching to the current arrangement. Looks nice but wasted space.
    5) My router, drill press and grinder are on metal stands with minimal or no storage right now. I need to build stands with drawers. f

    The fold down thing over the freezer is a non-starter. Much more useful to turn the space above into good cabinets.
    My main workbench/table is probably deeper than it needs to be - but the planer and jointer are under it so I can't change that unless I put them elsewhere.

    Photos don't show the 4th wall but currently that's almost all non-woodworking storage - ham radio, astronomy, painting, preparedness supplies , etc. If I can free some of that space up, it'll open up much more floor space - but that's non-trivial.

    I'll post some photos as I make progress!

    Michael

  9. #39
    Join Date
    Jun 2022
    Location
    Tracy, CA
    Posts
    640
    Some additional thoughts…
    Consider getting another tall tool chest so that you can condense all the small tools you have (Pliers, wire cutters, hand tools, extra chargers, right angle tools, chisels, hand planes, saw blades, mallets, wiring, etc.)

    The 26” wide Harbor Freight US General combo are actually very good:
    https://www.harborfreight.com/tool-storage-organization/u-s-general-tool-storage/26-in-x-22-in-single-bank-roller-cabinet-red-64162.html

    https://www.harborfreight.com/tool-s...red-64160.html


    If you have the budget and have enough space for a 41” chest, this is what I would consider:
    https://rockintoolboxes.com/shop/too...tion=black-red




    I don’t know if this next idea will work because you have so much smallish stuff that it they get stuck down into any sort of space, but you could build a flip-top miter saw stand and put two tools on this:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSGjcoUVYVY

    Alternatively, your outfeed table / work table seems to be really large. Maybe consider modifying your current table or building a new table that has a miter saw flip-top:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km2XuzvVOHc

  10. #40
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    North Dana, Masachusetts
    Posts
    479
    OP, What are you building in your shop? That focus might help to decide what stuff is earning the space it takes up in your shop. If the purpose is to have a tool collection, so be it. make tool displays. If you want to cut wood and put it back together, get rid of duplicates and unused stuff, and stuff that does not allow you to cut wood. If it's hang out space, make it a nice place to spend time.

  11. Quote Originally Posted by Derek Cohen View Post
    Jasper, I’ll add my 2 cents worth ..

    1. You have too much stuff in your space. Get rid of duplicates and non-essentials. Time to be ruthless - what can be done with a different tool, and which do you prefer?

    2. Avoid open shelves like the plague. They create a feeling of clutter. Add doors to all. These also do double-duty, as you can make deep doors and use the insides for hanging tools.

    3. It is not only the hand tool duplicates that must be pared down, but the machines. What do you rarely use, or do not need to use.

    4. Floor space is for working, not storage. No movable carts unless these double as a work bench and are on wheels (my assembly bench also holds systainers). Hang clamps on a wall. Move the bobbin sander to a work surface along the wall. Keep the centre of the workshop open.

    5. It is easier to conceptualise when you have a work flow plan - how you move from one machine to another, keeping specific related tools together, etc.

    It looks tight, but there is enough space to work with fairly long boards, plus all machines are on wheels and can be moved a little …



    There is a short throw slider, and space around it is deliberate - if it is not there, then get rid of stuff, otherwise you cannot work.



    My main area is a work bench, and many of my hand tools were on the wall. I built a cabinet for under the bench, and almost all those tool are now in drawers. Those drawers hold a LOT of tools (chisels, marking gauges, squares, etc) …



    All my drill and router bits in one place ..



    All my handsaws in this multilayered cabinet, and the drawers contain equipment for sharpening, etc …




    I hope some of this helps.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek (in half a double garage)
    Derek,

    As I've noticed frequently over my years of lurking here, your advice and input will serve me well in the future - particularly, in this case, as I get ready to set up my own 10'x20' shop.

    Thanks for sharing!

  12. #42
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    2,755
    If you are equipped to do every kind of work in every way you will do very little. I'd loose a band saw and both crosscut saws and the outfield table. Then slide the SS Dewalt to the right till it hits a wall and moor it there. One circular saw is enough.

  13. #43
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Boston, MA
    Posts
    86
    Hi all - I wanted to get back to you all as I've recently completed "phase 1" of my reconfiguration. I took some of the great suggestions from this thread.
    So far:
    1) Got rid of the extra miter saw
    2) Removed tiny ancient desk and replaced it with long table.
    3) Chopped floor to ceiling bookcase into pieces to make room for table
    a) Mounted half of book case on wall above new table
    b) Mounted another piece of bookcase over my freezer over pegboard
    c) Used remaining wood to make some small shelves above the table

    4) Moved small bandsaw to table along with sliding miter saw
    5) Chopped the ikea drawers that were holding the bandsaw in half and put them on existing shelf unit (after getting rid of or moving all kinds of stuff). I was able to use the space from the bandsaw to put my shopvac in so I'm not constantly trying to get around it. And the shop vac is easy to roll out of the way when I need to cut something wide on the table saw
    6) Removed a tray I had mounted on the end of the bench, which gives a few more inches of space. Cut down the drawer from the old desk and mounted it under front of my workbench. It's pretty crude but gave me a place to put pencils, small squares, marking knife etc.
    7) Moved books out of shop - that was painful - I enjoyed having them in there but it did free up a lot of space.

    Already it's a massive improvement. Have my workbench back - the sliding miter saw was never intended to stay there and it was driving me crazy. Can move around the shop now very comfortably - few inches here and there makes a huge difference.

    See photos!
    PXL_20230429_173314154.jpgPXL_20230429_173206920.jpgPXL_20230429_173216732.jpgPXL_20230429_173252107.jpgPXL_20230429_173229743.jpg
    Next phase:
    Convert hanging bookcase pieces into cabinets with door storage
    Probably take the grinder off the stand and put it on a shelf mounted to a board I can clamp to workbench. I like having it right there - but in truth I only use it a few times/year - can't justify a permanent spot for it.
    Build a stand for the drill press with drawers and get rid of the metal stand it's sitting on.
    BUild a router table stand/cabinet to replace the rockler metal stand that I hate

    I don't like where the drill press is as it makes it very hard to get to anything behind or next to it but I haven't figure out a better spot yet.
    Last edited by Michael Jasper; 04-29-2023 at 7:57 PM.

  14. #44
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Boston, MA
    Posts
    86
    I also wanted to respond to a variety of suggestions that feel off the mark for me (but much appreciated nonetheless). I do not have the luxury of a dedicated woodworking space. This space is also used for repair of any and all household items, storing plumbing tools, work on telescopes, work on electronics, build cables for radios and antennas, store supplies and equipment for household painting. Also freezing food. And also wood working and finishing. So far, I have mostly made smaller pieces. The ladder shelf I'm working on right now is probably the largest thing I've done to date.
    There is simply no other option for me. I live in a condo in duplex house. Very small yard with a garden shed used for garden tools and auto stuff. No garage. No other unfinished basement space.


    I am working on paring down some of the duplicates and I appreciate the input suggesting I need to be ruthless. However, I find the dual bandsaws very valuable. I use the small one quite often for quick cuts. I keep a 3/16" blade on it. And now that it's on my new surface it's out of the way.
    The sliding miter saw is also very useful and I use it quite often. Yes I can do cross cuts with a sled on the DW tablesaw or with a circular saw but for quick cuts and long boards, the miter saw is great. In its new location, I can cut boards at least 8' long without having to move anything. As I mentioned, the dual miter saws was a temporary situation - never intended to keep both.

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