New shop layout

[ofna89]

I have a small space about 8'X16', like a rectangle. I have a basic setup now but I recently purchased some bench top components(drill press,band saw, bench sander). I have 2 benches about 2'x8' with a 33 gal compressor in between them with no room for the new components. One bench stores all of the x-tra wood and is where I do most of my building so I would like to keep it, the other I would like to tear down for the room. Question is does anyone have any ideas for a new layout to acomodate the new equipment or a magazine, web site for ideas? I have pics on how it is laid out at present that I can post if need be.

[ofna89]

Here is a pic of my space. This pic is of the left side of the space with the table I intend to keep. This is the first pic I have resized to fit on a forum so it may not come out right.

[ofna89]

This is the pic of the right side of the area. This is the table I would like to remove so I can put the sander,drill press and band saw there.

[gwyneth]

I was about to post here to ask if anybody had any ideas for or information about a teeny-tiny shop...your space looks roomy compared to my back porch. Enclosed and insulated, and if you don't count the traffic pattern between kitchen and back doors, about 9 x 12, but the traffic pattern has to be considered.

I would have loved to have grabbed that rotating three-machine cabinet somebody posted in the classified section several weeks ago, but even that might have been too deep.

[Tom Miller]

Not sure how well this'll go over with you, but, for starters...

The first thing I'd do is get those two rolling tool chests out of there. Or, at least take the tops off, and use the top space for your bench top tools (if they're the right height). You could maybe set the tool chests on shelves beneath other benches.

Regards,
Tom

[RayintheUK]

Firstly, welcome to the forum! I see from your profile that you like cars and woodworking, which explains the tool chests, but I agree with Tom - re-site them and you'll gain some space. I try to keep my mechanic tools completely separate, or else I'll be tempted to grab a screwdriver with oil or grease on it, which will transfer to the wood - not a good idea.

Consider a flip-up working area if you're tight for space (hangs flat against the wall when stored). f you can work like that, then your current building area is where the bench-top stuff goes.

Pics are fine, BTW - helps a lot when trying to advise.

Ray.

[ofna89]

Thanks all for the replies. Still trying to configure this area. Anyone know of any sites to look at?

[mschrank]

Thanks all for the replies. Still trying to configure this area. Anyone know of any sites to look at?

Welcome to the friendliest forum on the net!

Grizzly has an online workshop planner that might be of use to you. I used it to play around with different layouts and found it handy:


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

I'm a bit confused by your question, though: you state you have several benchtop tools, but you want to get rid of a workbench to make room for them...?

[ofna89]

The band saw and drill press are on metal stands.

[twistsol]

Wood Magazine small shop

Wood magazine did an article a few years ago about small shops and one of their examples is an 8x16 shop.

Head to http://www.woodmagazine.com/ and in the search box enter "small shop" The article is titled "Options for your first shop"

[Anna]

Hi,

I've got a small shop, too, and tomorrow I'll be (hopefully) getting from my friend a copy of the Wood magazine issue with the small shop solutions. I can scan some parts for you if you're interested.

For more ideas, you can also look at the November issues of American Woodworker with a variation to the cleat system and the November issue of the Family Handyman with a cool-looking wall-suspended workbench. Then there's the October issue of WorkBench with a shop that's supposed to only have a footprint of 50 square feet.

If anything, if you're leaving the drill press and bandsaw on their respective stands, you should think of getting them mobile.

Anna

[ofna89]

Thanks, I just picked up the latest Wood mag yesterday which has a big section on home shop ideas(why I bought it).

[ofna89]

Thanks Anna that would be great, as far as the stands go the feet have holes I assume to mount sets of casters. Thanks for all of the info from everyone, I subscribe to a forum for my Mustang for the past 5 years and I dont think any of my questions made it to the 2 page unlike this one which is my first post here. Again thanks.

[TheRic]

First off welcome to the family, come on in and make yourself at home.

I'm limited to space also, I have a little more than you, but it is shared with other "garage" items. I am a pack rat by nature, actually pack rats ask me for tips! So naturally I have to find ways to store EVERYTHING.

The one way I find more space, that most people over look is, go vertical. For example in my garage I'm currently moving most cabinets, shelves, etc up. Going to put the heavy mobile items under them, lawn mower, snow thrower, power washer, air compressor, jointer, thickness planner, table saw, etc.

After looking at your pictures, the things that jump out at me is all the wasted space under the stand, and all the wasted space above the unit.
One of the ideas I have with my benchtop power tools is mount each item to a platform. The platform then could be held down on the bench when needed. You could bolt them down (make sure all holes are in the same location), OR clamp it to a vise in front & hand clamp on the side.

Each platform would be stacked up in a cabinet like area, you could make an actual cabinet if you wanted. SO the footprint of one of your bench top stands would have a drill press, bandsaw, bench grinder, etc. stack on top of each other. The hardest part would be to work out the location of each item. You would want the most used & heavy item at waist / chest level. The lightest & least used items at the top and bottom.

I have a more elaborate method that uses shelving brackets and gives you infeed, outfeed area on your work bench when using the various tools, and was more flexible as things changed. If your interested let me know.

[JTimmons]

I imagine there is a reason the roll aways are in the shop too. If not get them out. If you can't I'd move the compressor out of the way and slide the bench over to where it used to sit. Take the compressor and move it over to the corner next the roll aways.

Make a corner shelf for the TV, putting it in that same corner closer to the ceiling, get it out of the way, above the compressor.

If it were also me I'd get rid of both the stands for the drill press and bandsaw and build mobile bases for them with drawers.

The suggestion of building a bench above the roll aways and taking the chests off, isn't bad, but storing the chest below a bench would make it impossible to open the lids.