Just moved into new house, and starting to break ground for new shop.
Any advice or ideas with the layout will be appreciated, pictures attached.
Too late to change the size and the building style has to match the house, to follow sub-division rules. So it’s in the form of a garage with two 9′ doors and 10′ ceiling height.
Let me know what you think.
Willie
Replies
I have pictures like that, breaking ground just last May. Since you can't change the size, then the comment I have is build as much as you can afford, I built 1008 sq. ft. and used a concrete floor. If you don't need to park cars on it, use wood for the floor. In my area the floor price wasn't that different for wood or concrete. Your layout looks good to me. I have too many tools to go as small as you are, but if you work well in smaller places it will be fun. Put dust collection in the floor and also plan on power outlets everywhere. My area, and likely most areas require ground fault outlets, but that isn't a real problem, just put a lot of outlets around the wall, and windows to see natural light in the walls. Good luck and I hope you enjoy your new shop as well as I plan on enjoying mine!!
The biggest mistake that I see in shop layouts, and shop sizing, is not allowing room for "work in process". Everyone, myself included, gets so caught up in equipment placement when planing size requirements that they forget about allowing space for the 10' breakfront unit or the 25 feet of kitchen cabinets they are going to build. I end with a crowded shop and cramped space around tools. Some tell me they alleviate this problem by having tools on mobile bases, however once you install dust collection your tool mobility is greatly compromised. My present solution is to put the piece in process on dollies. This allows me to easily move the piece around to avoid crowding the space around the tool I need to use next. In your case you could put your work in process area in front of your lumber storage unit, however you will need access to that area as you progress on the piece, so make sure you have the ability to move the piece easily out of the way. I am going to be moving into a new larger space this next year and I hope to avoid this problem in the new space. Building a new shop is an exciting experience, enjoy the process and enjoy your new shop space.
Ron
In your layout I see no storage space. I think that you will likely want cabinets around the shop to store the many smaller machines/tools, acessories, bits, blades, finishing supplies etc. Also you have all your out/in feed space running parallel and beside each other. That makes sense at first thought but consider overlapping the feed space by turning the machines at right angles. I am happy for you to get a new shop.
Mike
The realtionship of your table saw to your bandsaw may not give you enough room to rip a full length sheet of plywood without hitting your bandsaw before you get it completely thru the saw. You may want to move your shaper a little toward your sharpening center and slide the saw a bit toward that wall so that you can avoid the bandsaw and out feed thru the overhead door when needed.
Ron
Take a look at the thread titled "Compressed Air Piping" under the Workshop Systems category... there are pictures of my shop there. It's almost exactly the same size as yours, so it might give you an idea of how much space you've got to play with. I set my bench up to double as the outfeed table for my saw. The shaper and 15" planer are on mobile bases so they can be stored against the wall and rolled out as needed. I put my wood rack against the garage door, as I seldom need to open it now that the tools are in place... and the rack's on wheels so it can be moved out of the way on those rare occasions when I do need to open the door. Since this is the one "wall" without outlets it seemed like a good use of the space.
I'm still developing my work flow so the layout may not be final, but so far it's working for me.
Willie,
Congratulations on starting your new shop.
If you would click on your name at the top left of your post and fill in at least the part of your profile that says where you live, you might get more feedback. Also, what are your going to use the shop for? Hobby work? Large cabinets? Small furniture?
If you would like to check out some other shops, try going to the site below.
http://www.shoptours.org/
Fred, well I updated my profile, the picture was shrunk to the extent of making my 40" lathe a 20" lathe and I look real skinny.
Thanks for all the advice everyone, I'll put some cabinets on the walls and if I have to work on big stuff, I have a three car garage a few yards away. The jointer and planer faces the roll up doors, in case I have some real long sticks and most machines are on roller stands, so I can maneuver a bit if I have to. My last shop was a little smaller and building a queen canopy bed really gave me a challenge with work space.
We just moved to AR from CA and this is my last move, so the shop is really planned to get established for commissions once I retire, which is still around ten years away. I do commission work now and then, word of mouth when I have the time, train people here in the community and build for the wife. The day job is rather demanding, leaving wood work for spare time only.
Edited 2/6/2006 8:01 pm ET by Willie
Willie,
I just checked out your bed project. Beautiful!!!
Your layout looks great, especially considering you plan to have roller stands under most of your machines. With your two garage doors and AR climate you'll have some latitude in expanding outside for long board work. The one thing I would change for myself is the location of your board storage. I'd prefer to have it nearer the doors, even at the expense of blocking one of the windows. I've spent too much time banging into stuff while moving materials.
Please keep us posted on your progress.
oldfred
Looks nice, I would add in a few mobile workstations of a height thet they could be used as infeed or outfeed tables as well.
As far as size goes, could you add a 2nd story and use that as an office and additional storage?
I also agree that you need, want, and must have a dust collection system for that collection.
wait while I dry the drool this shop is producing
If you are like me you may enjoy building the shop more than wood working, well maybe as much as woodworking. I would put you DC and possibly air compressor in a closet or better yet out side the shop in a small attached room. I added a french cleat all the way around the walls at a 6' height so i can hang anything any where.
Also if you are going to have heat and are in a cold climate. Go with Radiant floor heat!!!!
Aaron
I would reverse the direction of the jointer, put close to the saw. You will have more room, easier to boards from the saw.
mike
Willie,
This is fun. I'd make a lot of changes...and probably do it again several times over.
First, I'd put the wood storage between the two overhead doors..access both sides..save the back wall for tall storage cabinets and wall hung tool cases
Second, swap the sharpening station with the drill press and put the Sharpening station on the other side of the lathe.
Third, Move BS to the window next to the lathe
Fourth, leave he center open for two or more large work tables...when sanding you may want to move table in doorway to help with dust...
Fifth, align planer, shaper, miter against one wall..
Excellent suggestions it seems to me.
I find that during a project, any flat surface near my work bench is very precious real estate. I like having these surfaces within arm's reach of the bench for setting down a tool or laying out parts to be assembled on the bench. In your layout, it looks like the bench is out there on it's own. And at 3' x 6' it's not a big enough surface to hold everything you might need during an assembly, including the project itself.
I would try to position other horizontal surfaces like outfeed support tables, etc. near the bench. Perhaps one or two smaller rolling carts/benches would solve this problem too.
Might want to consider more room on either side of your miter box and have table extensions.
Willie, I am faced with most of the same decisions as you. Mine is a basement under, 24x48, with the two garage doors and man door in the exact same places. However I must deal with existing conditions, pipe supports (3) up the middle every 12", a loss of space that breaks up half of one side to provide HVAC/hot water and the staircase to the ranch house above it. It falls @ half way along the 48' from the center line to your right wall. I am forced to avoid the poles to have work flow from the TS, joiner or BS. and rest assured that I have NO problem stepping over the 8' main duct header to the 3 hp. cyclone that would run across the second step of the stairs, but I might get a little grief from my three kids.
Seriously, I think I have it figured out and I would like to know what you used to do that spiffy drawing with all the great tool shapes and titles. I am months into this using the restrictive tools from delta and griz and it's driving me nuts. Its my last shop, it's a few bucks and I am too old to do it twice. I have done large corporate facilities for 30+ years and have modified autocad for space planning or renovation concepts, but never created a drawing from scratch. I guess I was spoiled?
I am delighted to see that you are in control from the dirt up, that's a great place to start. Thanks .Pat
Paddy,
The drawing was done real quick and dirty, using Grizzly's site, then I copied and pasted into Corel Draw, to erase all the commercial stuff and put in the descriptions.
I use Autocad and Solidworks all the time, but this was quicker as all the symbols are available and it will take time to convert them into a different format.
I appreciated all the input from everyone and I'm a few days away from running the electrics under the floor, as I will have a number of I've outlets in the floor. Means I have to decide on final machine placement.
The building is in a gated community and has to conform to the same architectural standards as my house, so it's kind of a garage.
Some suggestions were good, such as moving lumber storage to the two roll-up doors, but this would create a space problem. I enjoy a lot of working space around my table saw, jointer and planer and the current positions allows a long stick to be worked by it extending outside the roll up doors. My machines are on roller stands, so I can always maneuver a bit if I want to work on a 4 x 8 sheet on the table saw.
Other suggestions to move the planer and jointer against a wall, would seriously restrict the length of boards one can work.
The one suggestion to move my sharpening station was a good one.
I also want the ability to push some machines out of the way without effort, to stare a boat, if I'm not working in the shop.
I'm tempted to run a big 6" line under the floor for dust collection, but concerned that this may affect resale value if I decide to sell my house one day.
Willie
Willie, I might be saved yet, my daughter in Pa. is a graphics supervisor and I will "chat" with her as I pass in mid March enroute to the TN. house for a few weeks. If I get a layout done that doesn't embarrassed me too much I will post it. Much thanks and all the best on your new shop, Pat
Willie, a few thoughts:
I noted your 17" - 2HP bandsaw - can I ask make / model / happiness?
daveinnh
Willie,
I'am real happy for you! It took me years to finally get my shop up and outfitted. I know how exciting this can be. A couple of things that I'am glad I did, that you might consider;
Two part industrial epoxy on the concrete floor and block wall. Easey clean up and very resiliant. Keeps the dust factor down. And keeps you from breathing masonry dust. Which does cause cancer. Medium light color to reflect light.
High out put two bulb 6' or 8' fixtures. Run great in cold weather start up. No strobing that could cause serious flash backs........Ha!
Use 12" x 4' or 6' long windows end to end on the wall that has the most sun. Keep them up high enough people can't see in but you still get great lighting. Doing this will keep people from getting in.
Bar the entry door from the inside with a cross bar, " like they do in westerns when the bad guys attack the cabin." Enter and exit through the roll up doors on first " in " and last " out " of the day. This will prevent people from kicking down your door.
Good luck , best wishes, and ENJOY!
P.S. If you put up a wood siding, use a real Laytex Stain. And spray it on. It goes on like a paint, But ...it wears like a stain and with out the fadeing and peeling. Most quality paint co. have them. The one that I used on mine was Devoe Paint. Duron has a good line also.
I'am not too crazy about S.W. or Ben M.
I would include a small washup sink, I can't imagine not having one in a shop. Storage cabinets (including flammables) is something I would consider. Where does your air compressor go? If you are putting electrical in the floor does that mean you are also putting DC in the floor?
Definitely consider how you can move your wood storage to the doors, I think you will really regret not doing it, especially when you are bringing in a load of sheet goods.
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