Replies

1. 
   DennisS | Dec 15, 2005 06:54am | #1

   Kywood-

   When I laid out my shop I figured for 5' of space on the left side of the saw (as you're facing the blade) and three feet on the other. Like you, I allowed for a 12' rip length but was able to put the saw (with a 7' outfeed table) closer to the wall on the outfeed end since I had an 8' sliding door through which I could extend longer pieces.

   For the jointer I allowed 3' + of work space. Keep in mind, though, that work space can be shared between pieces of equipment. The 3' or more needed by the jointer can be shared with a 3' space around the right side of the table saw. For the 5' space on the left side of my saw, I also use as space for working at the lathe. Since mine is a one person shop, this works well - for a multi-person shop you'd have to take traffic flow into account.

   The easiest way to configure machine layout I found was to draw each piece of equipment to scale along with the amount of room you think you need around it. You can then position them about on a piece of graph paper until you get what you like, draw lines around it all and that's your shop!

1. 
   kywood50 | Dec 15, 2005 04:18pm | #2

   DennisS,

   Thanks for the infomation on your set-up, it is helpful.  Did you integrate a shaper into the table saw space or have it seperate?  I see pictures of shops where a router table is built into a table saw table extension.  Does this make since for shapers also?  My projects where the shaper will be used are cabinets, moldings, and interior panel siding T&G.  For now I can not see an advatage.

   thanks,

   Les Otte

1. 
   DennisS | Dec 15, 2005 06:41pm | #3

   Les -I don't own a shaper so that wasn't part of the equation. Neither did I incorporate the router into the table saw side table prefering instead to have a separate setup for the router. Instead the thickness planer resides under the table saw side table for routine use whereas if I have a lot of planing to do of long heavy pieces I'll move it up onto the table saw. There wasn't enough room under the table saw side table for the depth of the router what with the planer being there.I would think just based on my use of the router table that you'd want access on at least three sides of a shaper for different postures in holding and passing material through it. Again, not having or ever using a shaper that's just an assumption so take it for what it's worth. For my part I think I'd want it isolated rather than built into the table saw island.Be sure to plan for power at the various locations where island equipment will be stationed. Running the electrical power in conduit in a slab if that's your plan for the floor is much to be prefered over having chords lying on the floor presenting trip hazards. Don't install boxes flush with the floor, though. Stub the conduit up a foot or so to get the outlets above floor level. I've encased mine with concrete as well to facilitate cleaning and to provide further protection.

2. 
   mudman | Dec 15, 2005 06:50pm | #4

   In my shop I aranged the in/out feeds spaces of my machines to over lap as much as possible. For example the infeed of the table saw conflicts with the infeed of my planer and jointer. I have an employee, so sometimes that conflict will cause a problem, but only if the leingths are over 5 feet or so. Therefore it is not common. If you are alone it will never be a concern. I layed out everything on graph paper with scale cutouts of my machines anf fixtures. Then I taped off the floor with masking tape. I spent 2 weeks aranging the little cuttouts on graph paper. It became a joke among my friends and family. After all that thinking and head scratching I laid out the positions on the floor with tape and didn't like it. At this point my helper though I had gone mad! One of my buddies laughed so hard he cried. So I pulled up al the tape and redid it all. Now I believe that I have the absolute best layout possible for my set up (and the type of work I do).

   I supose my point is that you should invest a lot of time in the lay out, including marking it machine positions on the floor, before electrical is done. If I wanted to move my saw today... I couldnt. There is too much electrical and other crap to deal with. The only advice I can give is to over lap feed areas with each other and walk ways. And make areas as multipurposed as possible (I have a "staging, stacking, assembly area" that also serves as out feed for less often used machines.

   Mike

   
1. 
   DennisS | Dec 16, 2005 06:31am | #5

   Mike -I spent months, and I really mean months agonizing over the layout of my shop. Finally ended up with what I thought was a prize winning setup. Only to find that once built and the machine(s) moved in, I was glad I specified all utilities, electrical and whatnot to be surface mounted.The only thing constant in my life is change!No matter what one does with respect to a workshop, it should always be done with an eye towards revision.

1. 
   mudman | Dec 16, 2005 07:19pm | #6

   That is true where practical. I reciently moved (am still moving technically) into a wharehouse with with 16' walls. All the electrical is overhead in conduit on superstrut with drops to the machines. I could move my machines around a couple feet in any direction, but that is all. To make any major changes now would mean shuting down the shop for a week (50 hours at least) to rewire and move machines. I know that this is not my last setup, but the next major revision will be when I more into a different space.

    The big help for me was after taping the outlines of all the machines on the floor. Then I could walk around them mimicking my operations (feeding stock, carying material from one machine to the next). After that I realized that I needed to change things up again! Now every thing is a perfect compromise for what I have, there is even space for my next machines. I have worked enough in my old shop to know what I needed. I think that a lot of people put more space in the machine are than necessary, then sacrifice assembly and finishing space. The tighter the machines are together the more effecient your  dust collection and electrical layout are. It is also to more to the next process. Most of the small comercial shops I see are set up this way, probably 40% machine space and 60% assembly. Of cource they commonly have two or three jobs going at once. I used to be suprised to enter their shops and find all the machines shoehorned into a small area, now I see why.

   Mike

2. 
   OB | Feb 05, 2006 03:36am | #14

    

   There is a program that you can get a free download of at

   http://www.inthewoodshop.org/software/software.shtml

   Called  Shop Designer.  I have used it for several years.

   For a few tools not in the list I use the one that represents the bench & size it to represent the tool desired. All tools can be sized to represent the size of your own tools.

   I have a floor plan of my little shop on my web page you can see it here.

   http://bartswoodshop.freeservers.com/

   There is one little pop up on the right side going down just close it out.

   This makes is possible to do away with the paper & cut outs of tools & taping things out on the floor. This is called obsessive compulsive behavior. Or for short overkill.

    

   Good, better, best never let it rest until your good is better & your better best.

   Edited 2/4/2006 7:42 pm by OB

   Edited 2/4/2006 8:00 pm by OB

1. 
   checkfire | Feb 05, 2006 10:23pm | #15

   Thanks OB, nice lay out in your shop.

2. 
   cepwin | Feb 18, 2006 10:26pm | #16

   Thanks for the pointer OB. I'm just getting into this....looking towards buying a 10" table saw with a router table and setting up a shop. Unfortunately my only space (I'm in a townhouse) is the small unfinished part of my basement which is currently filled with storage. This tool will be invaluable in allowing me to figure out exactly how much room I need. Thanks again

3. 
   Ricks503 | Dec 22, 2005 05:45pm | #7

   You've goten a lot of good suggestions. My $0.02 is to figure in your plans space for a Dust Collection system.  Also, Look at what you will be using and where in your plans and then look at the power requirements and possible/required use of 220v. and plan your electrical needs for that and then add in 1 more 220 outlet and 2 more 110 outlets. Depending on the requirements, you might need to consider an electrical  subpanel for your shop.

   1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go        4 - get a new board and go back to step 1
1. 
   kywood50 | Dec 25, 2005 07:48pm | #8

   Thanks for the suggestions, hope I have enough outlets, did as you suggested after completing rough wiring went back and added two more circuits just to be safe.  The 110 outlet circuits included three quad boxes.  Each of the outlet recepticals in the quad boxes is powered by two different circuits.  All my 110 is 20 amp.

   Installed new 200 amp service for this shop ( building main wiring is for 300 amp to cover future upgrade if needed), main panel is CH w/44 circuites.  The 240 volt circuits are single phase and three phase w/ converter.  The five and bigger HP motors have additional slow blow fuse circuit protection at their rated amps because the CBs in main panel have to be larger to allow for high motor start up load.  The start up load ( amps) is 4 to 5 times operating load.  [Note if you have motors rewound they can be done to decrease start-up load for only a few dollars more.]

   Doing the insulating now, very boring boring and slow, but will pay off later. Outside walls are two layers, first is horizontal @ 2.5", second vertical at 6.5" thick. 

   Working on ceiling now. 

   thanks,

   Les

4. 
   daveinnh | Dec 31, 2005 02:01am | #9

   kywood:

   I have a 39' x 14' bay in our basement for a house almost trimmed out (we moved in 1yr and 3 days ago).  The Unisaw with 50" fence is just about centered on the 39' length; on the opposite wall is a BenchDog router table.  This layout is useful when ripping and milling long trim. I made an MDF outfeed table for the Unisaw that measures 48"wide x 50" long.  For really long trim boards I use a plastic garbage can with a top that works OK.  You should consider how long the longest walls (that need milling/ripping) in your house that need milling - ours were 16'.

   For dust collection a 2HP Penn State cyclone is connected to all machines.  I also have 3 "capped ends" that allow a 2" hose (~ 3m long from Bosch) to connect the portable sanders for almost anywhere in the space.

    

    

5. 
   bones | Jan 20, 2006 08:44pm | #10

   One thing that might help is going to Grizzly's site. They have an online tool for shop layout. Pretty easy to use. You have to pick grizzly tools, but they are all aproximately the same size anyway. You can get a pretty good idea how to lay things out.  Just a thought. 

1. 
   jkargas | Jan 24, 2006 08:10pm | #11

   Both the Delta and Porter Cable websites have a layout tool similar to Grizzly's as well, only I think it's a little better.

1. 
   bones | Jan 25, 2006 12:20am | #12

   Thanks I'll give it a try. 

2. 
   checkfire | Feb 01, 2006 11:19pm | #13

   Porter Cable also has a shop design program on their site.