Co-existing With Columns

[LarryG]

I may soon be relocating my shop into a different building ... essentially a two-car garage, although it will be strictly a shop, not a shop-slash-garage.

The good news is, each bay of this building is slightly larger than the entire space I'm in now, so I'll more than double my shop size. There's also a nice work counter along most of the rear wall, with cabinets above and below. The bad news is, there's a row of columns right down the middle of the building, spaced a little less than 6' apart:



My question is how to plan my layout around these columns. Being less than 6' apart, they effectively divide the shop into two halves, so I'm wondering whether I should leave the space between each pair of columns wide open so I can move stuff back and forth between the two garage bays anywhere, or if I can close one or more of them up (with tools, cabinets, clamp racks, whatever).

Obviously the space between the work counter and Column A needs to stay open. Beyond that ... what do y'all think? A lot will depend on the tool layout, of course, but that's chicken-and-egg because how I decide to deal with these openings will have a big influence on the overall arrangement.

In short I'm open to any and all feedback from those who are dealing with a similar situation in their own shops ... or even if you're not. Thanks!

[linear]

I have a real similar situation.

A workable compromise for me has been to situate my BT3 so that as I stand in the operator position, a column is about 18 inches to my left. In this arrangement, only if I need to crosscut a really wide board do I knock into the column, and then I can move my SMT if it's insurmountable. But in the ~3 years I've run like this, it's been an issue one time.

Hopefully that helps you; on your diagram lots of possible placements meet my spec above.

Added: you didn't dimension your sketch, but each "bay" is probably in the ballpark of 12 feet wide. I'd probably make it a first choice placement to put the table saw just to the right of Column B, or A if you don't need outfeed support for long rips.

[Bollox]

Ok so the columns make it a bit more complicated, but since you are stuck with them at least you can use them to run power, dust collection ducting and compressed air lines down into the middle of the shop.

Mike

[ChrisD]

Larry,

First of all, congrats in advance on the new place. Did you account for the fact that your cleaning chores will also double?

My shop occupies a 12' x 14' corner in the basement, and I share part of that with a furnace, a water heater, and a column. My situation is different from yours but our constraints are similar.

I generally dealt with these 'wastes of space' by putting all of my major tools on mobile bases (the jointer, which is located by the column, is the only one that's still stationary, but that will be taken care of soon).

I built 4 cabinets on casters and mounted my MS, planer, mortiser, and DP on them. They are all lined up by one wall. Against the adjacent wall is my workbench. My BS - which is stored by one end of the workbench when not in use - has a mobile base and my TS just went on a Herc-U-Lift (I can't believe I was still able to snag one of these babies as late as the other day; I guess good things do come to those who wait).

Anyway, the idea is to put as many of the large machines as possible by the wall (except in my case, the TS) and just pull them into a workable space as needed.

As for the columns themselves, you'll be surprised how many miscellaneous things you can hang on them. If that doesn't work, you can always start a hot new trend and call it "column dancing"...

[JR]

I'd think you could close of one of the gaps, Larry. And I'd think you'd want to. I suffer from a lack of available wall space and have one column at the edge of the space between the shop and the garage, so I have some experience with your issue.

You're going to have very little usable wall space along the back wall. You need to have a lumber storage area, taking up much of one of the other walls. The rollup doors take the third wall, leaving you with one wall for stationary tools and clamps/hand tools.

I'd probably start by filling in the gap between the A and B poles. I'd want my assembly area adjacent to this wall, and also near the back bench, so that's where the clamp rack and chisels/planes, etc would go. On the other side? Maybe a workstation - sander, mortiser, whatever would be convenient to the assembly area, but not required to be right in it.

Your work flow might be: in the right side for storage and dimensioning; transfer to left side for milling, routing, etc; back around to right rear for final assembly. Send it out to third party for finishing - that sh*t sucks.

My 2c.

JR

[onedash]

I think I would make a counter between A and C. I would put rolling tool chests under it and a few tool storage bins. in my garage my jointer is parallel to and and between the two garage doors. and my Table Saw takes up one side.
Even though Im renting I might divide mine up like that to gain some room on my back wall.....time to measure and bust out one of those shop planners.

[L. D. Jeffries]

Another solution would be to run a beam (steel or wood) between the first post and the last one near the counter space. By the looks of your diagram the post are essential to holding up the ceiling, so the "beam" would be necessary, ah no, "vitial". Anyway that's one solution that would open up the center section of yopur shop

[Russianwolf]

okay, first let me say, what was the builder thinking. Your shop/garage is one errent teenage learning permit away from collapsing.

I would do as one person previously mentioned and replace the columns with a beam of some form. You will need to get a structural engineer to tell you what you need to do it though.

The other option I would consider is to make a wall enclosing all three columns. So you would have a walk though at the front and back and a solid wall between. I have done this in my basement shop. It allowed for more counter/workbench areas to place tool stations.

You could also room off one section totally as a "finishing room" which is something else I was able to do in my basement, but I had 900sqft to work with.

[ChrisD]

okay, first let me say, what was the builder thinking. Your shop/garage is one errent teenage learning permit away from collapsing.

Mike, just curious: What's wrong with the existing structure?

[Russianwolf]

Mike, just curious: What's wrong with the existing structure?

someone learning to drive enters garage and panics, takes out column and roof comes down. Normally we just have to worry about the back wall.

[SARGE..g-47]

I have two columns... Place your table saw so when you are working, the stock will be moving off the table toward the outside. I can open that door, add Rigid flip tops and rip 16' stock. Place your work-bench behind it so the lenght of table runs front to rear. My assembly table is placed with the lenght side to side behind the work-bench. Right wall on that side has 18" deep cabinets with Shop-fox Mortiser in the center. The 4' cabinet tops on each side act as support off the morticer table. Used to have miter saw there, but got a SCMS to do cross-cuts and it is mounted on a cabinet. I attached the extentions from a portable table to the cabinet and it is on casters.

In the center between the two columns, I have the SC 18" BS backed to one. I have my router table backed to the other so the cut side of BS faces the front of router table. On the back-side of the rear column sits my gas space heater which I tied in to the 1/2" natural gas fireplace starter line.

The left wall has a Jet 12" BS.. a SCMS with base cabinet & ext... a 6" jointer.. a Rigid 15" DP.. a spindle sander and my Delta 13 1/2" planer. The only things in my shop permanent are the TS, BS and drill press. Everything else is on HTC 2000's and mobile. It allows two rows between outside left-center-outside right. The DC sits at one end of the TS center and right.

Back wall has mobile based belt-disc sander.. two tier toolbox.. and a wall full of clamps.

Other than the permanents. I just roll the mobiles up to the left front, hook up the mobile DC to them (two minutes) and whack away. I don't have any problems with this scenario at all. And yeah.. I know it sounds confusing. ha.. ha...

If you need pics of left-right-center.. let me know. That might be a better tell than 1000 words. ha.. ha...

Regards...

[Deadhead]

I'd think you could close of one of the gaps, Larry. And I'd think you'd want to. I suffer from a lack of available wall space and have one column at the edge of the space between the shop and the garage, so I have some experience with your issue.

My first thought was close up a gap, but I think I'd do the one between C and the short wall between the overheards. I'd keep the gaps open closer to the counter.

And someone mentioned a dedicated finishing area - good idea.

Replacing one or more columns with a beam may depend on what is above the area. I suspect there is already a beam sitting on to of those columns. A taller beam may not be possible.

[Tom Miller]

That's definitely a nice problem to have -- sounds like no matter how you solve it, it's going to be a big upgrade to your current setup.

I think I'd be inclined not to fill the gaps; at least not completely. You won't want to have to walk way around to get from one side to the other.

Maybe you could cluster some smaller tools near the columns. Tools that are small footprint by themselves, but that you'd probably like plenty of space around, like the DP, BS, jointer, or osc. sander. These could stand right next to a column, without the column ever getting in the way.

What are the total dimensions? How about distance from columns to sides?

Have you considered what it would take to be able to remove columns A & C? Or just B? I assume it would be no small undertaking, but just curious.

Regards,
Tom

[wardprobst]

Larry,

I'm not clear you are buying or renting which will determine some choices. The replies you've gotten are all good. My former shop had a wall running down the center. If you can't take the pillars out and replace them with a beam, I'd be tempted to use A & B for storage of clamps, sawboards, long tools etc. I'd be tempted to put a walk in door and wall in place of one of the garage doors for energy efficiency. I'd run duct work, etc. down the center along the pillars. I'd probably put a finish area between C and the front wall and exhaust the fumes through the wall built in the garage door opening.
Just some thoughts,
DP

[TheRic]

Nice problem to have Larry. My first impression was to get rid of at least one of the poles with a beam. If you take this route I would lean toward a metal I-beam. You could attach a movable winch to lift / move heavy items.

Using the pole areas to drop down electric, dust collection, air lines, etc sounds like a great idea. I like Toms idea on putting small items around a pole. 1 set of wires coming down, same dust hose coming down, then branch off to each item.

I would suggest walling up one of the big overhead doors. This would give you more wall space, and probably save you money on heating / AC. Leave the other large door for taking in/out large items.

You might want to consider placing the large non-movable items first, like your DC, air compressor, cabinet, etc. Then place items that you don't want to move often due to weight, or hassle of moving, like a 40" drum sander, or 16" jointer .

Once you place the large non-movable, don't want to move again or often items. The rest might fall into place, or at the minimum limit where you can put certain items.