19X9 shop space and cabinetry

[pierhogunn2]

Well, swmbo has had it, she has set down a decree that I must do something about my Garage, as she drug me to lowes hardware to look at the gladiator line of garage cabinets...

I then proceeded to "build" the garage using the estimator tools, and $3000 later ( virtual money) I determine that I can build what I need better then I can buy it...

So, now onto the planning phase. I have 6 large things that have to live in my shop with me, a 30"x24"x61" freeze. a big blue trash can (28X28) a wheel barrow, a lawnmore, a wagon, and a few bikes

I don't do that much wood working any more, but I tinker I have a drill press, and my bt3100 ( which is probably going to get it's own roll around cart that lives under an 6' segment of the workbench)

does anyone have any book suggestions, plans, ideas, guides or anything to offer in don't do what I did, or do this, it works great?

I plan on being with this shop space for at least the next 15 years

I don't plan on putting in any dust collection

[dbhost]

I don't know what equipment you have, what benches etc... But while your space is tight, it's not impossible. use as much of your wall as possible for shelving / cabinets. Install peg board instead of panels in cabinet doors to allow hanging various hand tools.

One thing that helps, a LOT is working out your layout using Sketchup. You can get a MUCH better feel for your space if you can see what the changes you are wanting to do would be like in 3D space...

I have evicted my trash cans to a small pad of simulated river stone pavers just inside the back gate of my yard. This helped free up about 12 sq feet of floor. I have the weed eater, edger, blower, rakes, shovels etc... wall hung with Closetmaid brackets from the BORG. I have them squeezed in above and below each other. My ceiling height is a little short at just over 8' for a garage, but you get the idea I hope...

Do you have, or have you considered putting in a shed to either move your workshop, or the other stuff to?

You mentioned...

So, now onto the planning phase. I have 6 large things that have to live in my shop with me, a 30"x24"x61" freeze. a big blue trash can (28X28) a wheel barrow, a lawnmore, a wagon, and a few bikes

A few questions.

The dimensions, Is that width x depth x height? So we are talking an upright freezer and not a chest correct? You COULD build your cabinets around that just like kitchen cabinets are built around a fridge.

Trash can, well... It's a trash can. I am assuming at the size of it, that it has wheels. Just wheel it out of the way when you need the space...

Wheel Barrow wall hanging brackets are available from most home centers. If you have free / open wall space, you might want to hang it off of the floor.

Bikes in my house get hung from the garage ceiling right above the dust collector.

While I have a good deal more space to work with (18x20), I know about sharing space with non workshop stuff... I presently have the following in my shop.

- A series of Plano 4 tier plastic shelving units. They looked like a good idea in the store. If you get the urge to buy these. DON'T! The shelves are 14.25x22" and have a 2" plastic pipe at each corner for support. They take up more space than they provide... I have a ton of misc lawn and garden, and camping "stuff" on these...
- Wheel Barrow.
- Lawn Mower.
- Weber Smokey Joe Silver kettle.
- New Branfels Bandera Smoker.
- Bicycles
- Canoe

I would LOVE a shed, to either move my shop, OR the other stuff into!

[Mr__Bill]

Welcome,
Here is a good starting point for you, it's a wood shop in a single car garage from Fine Woodworking. Fine Woodworking's site has a lot of info on shop setup and use of space, as do the other Magazine sites.

You may also want to check out the books and magazine publications at the Borg. They often have ones on storage and garages and the like. A good source for ideas but for the most part not actual plans.

Personally I have found that in a small space multifunction carts are necessary and if designed for storing under a bench makes for a lot of work space that disappears when not needed. Under bench carts also mean that you don't have to clean off a place to work, just pull out a cart and it's a clean work space. If you are not into building drawers you may find plastic storage bins that can be used like a drawer in a cabinet. You also need to assess your limitations. For example I am often too stupid and or lazy to get a ladder to get something off of a shelf next to the ceiling and try standing on a kitty litter pail. Recognizing this I plan for having often used things within reach, heavy things on the floor and really lite or rarely used things up high. I have also found that a full pail is more stable than an empty one so I try to keep an extra one on hand. Also as I get older I need more light to see things, this means that while florescent lights on the ceiling are good, a light hanging over the bench and the table saw are also necessary.

If you make the upper cabinets a bit deeper and give the space to tools hanging on the inside of the doors you have a clean look when closed and lots of space that is very handy when open. Just make sure the doors can open to being flat or nearly flat against adjacent cabinets so they are out of your head space when working. You want to leave them open to access the tools and not hit your head on the door.

With no dust collection, if everything is closed up you can periodically dust out the shop with a leaf blower.

There are some nice bike hangers for ceiling storage of the bike to share space with the other yard tools.

Good luck on the project

Bill, over on the big ocean

[JR]

Wood Magazine has some good suggestions for small shops.

Nahm also has plans for cabinets and roll-around cart meant to fit in a single =car garage. I used them to build my cabinetry, and it has worked out well. In the end, though, I found that there was too much cabinet and not enough workspace. So I guess my advice is to keep the cabinets small and make a lot of wall space available for parts bins, clamps, jigs, etc.

JR

[pierhogunn2]

I really don't have that much in the way of tools, but, what I do have, I plan on putting up on the peg board ( with little labels behind them for my borrowers) and I plan on making 2 22" wide cabinets for gernal rolling around ( and outfeed support) and 1 44" wide cabinet to hold my bt3100 and accessories

I'll post a picture (sketchup of my thoughts) later

I also have to spend some quality time with my small workshops book from taunton ( that I forgot that I had)

[pelligrini]

On the pegboard, you might consider doing some pegboard door cabinets. I used to have a single layer on the wall of my shed. I saw some pegboard door cabinets in a mag and ended up tripling the pegboard surface doing some doors and using the studspace. They're getting pretty full now...

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=39255

[Pappy]

I also have pegboard doors on my cabinets as well as pegboard along one wall. None of my pics are in my computer right now, but I can post some in the next few days. My clamp holders mount to the pegboard and were, I think, a Wood Magazine design.I have the plans scanned as JPEGs if you need them.