Is your shop smaller than a HK apartment?

[Anna]

My husband teases me, when I complain about how small my shed is, that it's "bigger than a Hong Kong apartment." That's in reference to these pictures I sent him some months ago. They're 100 pictures of Hong Kong apartments that are each about 100 square feet, in Hong Kong's oldest housing estate.

It does kinda put the whole size thing into perspective... for a little while anyway.

A slideshow format here.

[leehljp]

My shop in Japan is the same size! Just about 100 square feet! Several tools stored because they won't fit in. USA shop is about 250 square feet and will be expanded by 1/3 more when I retire.

[scorrpio]

Those are about same size as the apartment my friend owns in Manhattan on upper East Side. It is presently worth about $400k.

[TB Roye]

My shop is bigger than that apartment but not by much. It is supposed to be a 10X12 Tuff Shed but inside measures a little more that 110 sqft. but I have 3 windows and a deck, and it also has storage loft. If I added some plumbing I could rent it out and make some money.

Tom

[JR]

I like my shop better than I like those apartments. But I don't like my town better than Hong Kong. Wow, is that a cool city! Thre's nothing like a trip on the Star Ferry to make you feel like you're at the center of the known universe.

JR

[Anna]

Tom and Hank,

How do you fit everything in there? My shop is the same size as Tom's, without the loft. It's the biggest shed I can build without getting a city permit (which would have cost me a few hundred dollars plus multiple inspections).

Do we have a special forum section on just small shops? My problem always seems to be how to maximize the space and still work safely.

I'd love to have a shop in a 2-car garage but my husband steadfastly refuses to give it up. Men and their cars. Oh, and the "You don't love me anymore" trick doesn't work here either, so I'm stuck with the shed.

[Anna]

Those are about same size as the apartment my friend owns in Manhattan on upper East Side. It is presently worth about $400k.

I think I'll stick to Northern California for now. Even with the crazy housing prices here, your friend's apartment wins the crazy prize.

[TB Roye]

Anna

The Bt3, SCMS and Jointer are in the garage. The HF drill press, Bandsaw, router table and 2 work benches, and and some storage cabinets are in the shop. The loft holds wood and some regular storage. I am getting ready to remodel the shop to make more room and more storage. It has taken about 4 years to figure out how to do it. On long wall will be all bench and drawers for storage which will eliminate cabinets on the oposite wall and some wall mounter cabinets on one of the short walls. I am using plans for the New Yankee Workshops, hutch and workbench form an eposide this season. I will not be as deep and the hutch will be different but it will give me alot more convient storage. When I built the shop I wasn't planning on getting into woodworking. The shop was just going to be place to put my tools and have some work benches so I could have a place to putter and tinker and have room in the garage for our cars and storage. Then I found this site and the rest is history, Another hobby to through money at. I have some pictures I will post later. Need to get the yardwork done so I can go play with my other hobby this weekend, the one LOML hates and for good reason I might add. Maybe we should have section on the forum for Small shops only.

Just looked at the slide show. The room I am in now is 9-6 X 11-0, Our mast bath is not much smaller that the apartments, 7-6 X 11-0

Tom

[docrowan]

240 square feet for me (12X20). I think my ideal would be 384 (16X24), so I guess whenever I retire in 30 years I'll do like Hank and expand.

[Hellrazor]

Hrmmm..

My shop is about 500 square feet. Plus the whole loft area is framed and used for storage. The loft is 6' high at the peak.

[dkhoward]

Doc,
my shop is a prebuilt, 16x24. It was a shell lwhen I got it and I finished it out. Its ok, but I would love to have one about twice the size so I could have a dedicated finish area.

[Zenaca]

Mine is 25X25 and isnt even nearly close to big enough!

[bluzcat]

I have a 30'x40' with three 8' roll-ups and a 24'x32' tee'd off of the back. The 24'x32' is dedicated to woodworking. The other is automotive maint./tractor parking/storage/catch-all. I moved here in Jan07, and the house is nice, but it was the shop that sold me. This is the first time I have owned any acreage (7+acres) and now I understand why woodworking is traditionally a fall/winter hobby; I spent a lot of time mowing this spring/summer! 41 degrees tonight....the season approaches!!

[Red88chevy]

Anna,

I have nearly half of a garage and it isn't enough space. Hard to walk around it for all the stuff. Not sure if having all the garage would be enough. Difficult to imagine how much space would be enough, seems like there would always be a deal on new equipment or more wood. So I think the trick is making what you have work, because it is never enough.