Replies

1. 
   BriMcG | Feb 10, 2008 06:32am | #1

   Hi, Lots of layout plans in FWW and other magazines. Try googleing "workshop layouts". Or search FWW articles.

   Heres one to start with.

   Brian

   http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/Workshop/WorkshopArticle.aspx?id=29508

   
   

   ---

   Edited 2/9/2008 10:35 pm ET by BriMcG

2. 
   BriMcG | Feb 10, 2008 06:33am | #2

   And one more, Brian

    

    http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/Workshop/WorkshopTour.aspx?id=22880

    

3. 
   sgwilliams | Feb 10, 2008 06:38am | #3

   Grizzly has an on line workshop planner

   http://www.grizzly.com/workshopplanner.aspx

   Scott

1. 
   Tinkerer3 | Feb 10, 2008 08:22am | #6

   That could be a very useful tool but is there a way to rotate the tools to orient them in the shop?

1. 
   sgwilliams | Feb 10, 2008 08:25am | #7

   Mine is around 30 x 65.There are some pics. here.
   http://www.cottsinc.com/woodshop/Wood%5FShop/Page_1.htmlScott

1. 
   andyfew322 | Feb 10, 2008 10:39am | #9

   wow, you sure like your festool 

   Ductape can fix EVERYTHING!!!

1. 
   sgwilliams | Feb 11, 2008 01:58am | #12

   Once you use one, it's hard to buy anything else :-)Scott

2. 
   philip | Feb 11, 2008 09:11am | #15

   Dang, I thought you were a national agent for them (;)Philip Marcou

2. 
   sgwilliams | Feb 10, 2008 08:29am | #8

   No clue.. I haven't messed with it I was just passing on the info.I posted a link to photos of my setup. I did it before the Grizzly tool with good ole pencil & paper. :-)Scott

3. 
   rsaunders | Feb 10, 2008 11:51am | #10

   Yes, it will let you rotate the tools.

1. 
   Tinkerer3 | Feb 11, 2008 07:52am | #13

   Can you tell me how to rotate the tools on the Grizzly layout?

   Edit:  Oops, I just figured out how to rotate the tools and also some other neat things.  This is a neat program.

   Edited 2/11/2008 10:54 am ET by Tinkerer3

1. 
   DanG | Feb 11, 2008 09:03am | #14

   Click on "help" just below "ROOM LAYOUT" at the top of the page. When the help window opens click on "manipulating tools" under "TOPICS." It will take you right to "Rotating icons on the floor." At least that's what it does on my computer.

2. 
   Tinkerer3 | Feb 11, 2008 06:50pm | #17

   Thanks for the reply.  After I posted the question, I went back into the program and finally figured how to rotate the icons and got so engrossed in it that I couldn't get myself back to reality and post an edition to my post.  That is really a neat tool.  I can still think of some ways it could be improved to make it more complete but that doesn't detract from its usefulness.

   Edited 2/11/2008 11:10 pm ET by Tinkerer3

   Edited 2/11/2008 11:11 pm ET by Tinkerer3

4. 
   DonC | Feb 10, 2008 07:04am | #4

   Jack,

   Your shop is unusual in that it's narrow and long. Here's what I did for my shop. I used 1/4" grid paper and taped up for my shope size. Then I cut out of posterboard and,to scale, all machines,storage cabinets,wall cabinets,ect. Then I played "musical chairs" with the posterboard pieces. Give some thought to plywood and lumber storage near your garage door and table saw near this area. It will save yur back for unloading lumber and saw to dimenson. Also place your jointer to the left of your table saw. Put an auxillary fence on the jointers fence that is the same height as you table saw surface. This aux fence will support very long boards placed on the table saw and will allow you to crosscut with support. Make your outfeed table be double function. Mine is also a router table.

5. 
   Tinkerer3 | Feb 10, 2008 08:20am | #5

   I have a very similar challenge only my shop is 24 x 42 less a stairway(outside dimensions).  The building is 40 x 42 and I could use it all if I could clean the junk out of the other room.  I have yet to finish drywalling but am at a loss as to how to place the machinery.  I keep thinking that if I could see some examples of similar shops that I could figure something out.  Would like to get a good idea before I would get a dust collector system installed.  I have just ordered three more books.  Maybe that will help.

6. 
   Dave45 | Feb 10, 2008 04:57pm | #11

   IMHO, the "best" shop layout will depend on what kind of things you build, your typical workflow, how much storage space you need, how elaborate are your finishing needs, etc.  I guess that the short answer is that you need to come up with a layout that works for you - and that layout may (or may not) work for someone else.

   For example, I work out of a garage shop and mostly build cabinets.  My layout has the table saw in the center of the garage near the door with my workbench/outfeed table in the middle of the garage.  With this setup, I can back the pickup close to the saw and immediately rip sheets of plywood into manageable pieces.  The locations of other stationary tools (band saw, drill press, SCMS, etc) are based on how much I use them.  I have two shop built rolling stands for the jointer, planer, oscillating spindle sander, and shaper.  I can roll one of the stands to a convenient location, sit the tool on the stand, hook up the DC and do my thing.  Not ideal, but it works pretty well.

   Another consideration is whether you're left or right handed.  Yesterday, my daughter and SIL came down for their first woodworking class.  They want a custom cabinet for some electronics for their flat screen TV and decided that it would be cool to actually build it instead of having me do it for them.  My SIL and I are lefties and he was OK with most operations.  My right handed daughter, however, found many of my setups awkward.

   With your shop, I think that I would spend some time thinking thru some imaginary projects.  Start with bringing your material to the shop and try to imagine how you would process the material into a finished piece.  I would bet that you'll decide on about 3/4 of your arrangement within a couple of hours.  The rest may take a lifetime. - lol

7. 
   flairwoodworks | Feb 11, 2008 10:18am | #16

   I don't know if any of your shop planning resources mention or factor in the height of your tools, but it is definately something to watch.  My table saw is the same height as my miter saw which is also the same height as a shelf on my lumber rack.  That height is also slightly higher than my jointer fence.  Don't forget about infeed and outfeed requirements, including room for you to stand.

   Chris @ flairwoodworks

    - Success is not the key to happines.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer