A shop is conceived!

And many of you were involved in the conception (though you may not have known it)! I've lurked in the shadows reading every post I could find on dust collection (including Bill Pent'z unbelievably detailed site - thanks Bill!), lighting, fluorescent vs incandescent vs halogen, Jet vs Grizzly vs PM, 220V wiring in a basement, moving a 1/4 ton TS around, and more.

And while conceiving is always fun, I fear the "pangs of birth"! :) I have a host of equipment on its way, and a tiny, unwired, unlit, cluttered spot that has to be cleared, wired, and lit before I can begin making serious sawdust.

My shop is confined to a space about 20' x 20'. I've gone "business casual" (with just a touch of yellow to add some color) and will be cramming the following into that space:

1. A Jet Deluxe XACTA TS with 50" rip
2. A Jet 1200 DC
3. A Jet 6" Jointer
4. A Dewalt 13" planer
5. A Jet 17" drill press
6. A 30" router table (to be built)
7. A 60" x 30" workbench (to be built)
8. other tools such as a compound miter saw that can be stored when not in use

My shop layout is shown below. The numbers in the diagram correspond to the numbers in the list above.

Attachment 82785

I'm thinking to put the planer on a mobile patform so I can pull it forward about 2', making it possible to plane long boards. When pushed back to the next to the TS, I can use the TS for infeed.

Given this layout, I think I will have to stick with 4" pipe (I assume I will be stuck with the 4" wye that comes attached to the DC - could I put a 6" wye right at the DC?). The runs are short and straight, about 5' at the most. I'll use PVC to the machines, short flex from there to the dust ports, self cleaning blast gates at the wyes.

I am constrained by all the doors and windows (the windows extend to within about 12" of the floor).

The only reasonable alternative I've been able to come up with is to put the DC against the right hand wall. That might allow me to run 6" ducting (no need for a wye right at the DC), but makes the run to the TS longer (about 10').

What do you all think? Are there other options that I should consider?

Oh, and thanks to all you SMCers who helped me conceive! ;)

Yes you aren't taking into consideration the location.

A shop like this needs to be built next door to me so I can visit often and drool over the cool tools.

It just won't work clear down there in Georgia. You must build it here in West Virginia.

I know you overlooked this fact. That's what I am here for. Glad to be of help! :D

Put in a floor sweep...you'll love it!

Roger,

Enjoy! I conceived my shop 4 years ago and due to being shoved into the Vortex I'm just now getting it finished. Don't go to the Turner's forum and start trading barbs with them. They have a way to get even.....and everytime I post a photo of a new turning tool I've bought there is a nationwide chuckle with some reverberations from across both bodies of water that separate the North American continent from the rest of the world.

On your electrical....consider placing your outlets say.....52" above the floor. That way, if you stand sheet goods up against a wall the outlet is still accessible. When you build a cabinet or workbench against a wall the outlet is above the benchtop.

Enjoy!

Rick, Georgia's not too bad a drive for you, come on down! Any SMCer is ok by me. Have you received your XACTA yet? How long did it take to get it? I can't wait to get mine, but I live in fear that a 1/4 ton beast will show up before I've cleared out a home for it!

Chris, any concerns about nails/screws being sucked up in a floor sweep? Does seem like it would be awfully handy.

Ken, I'll be working on the electrical this weekend. Thanks for the advice. I have a couple more questions on electrical, but I'll post those separately. I've long wanted to try my hand at turning, just haven't had a chance yet. Loved the Woodright shop as a kid. Pedal power. Now that's turning!:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Roger Warford

... any concerns about nails/screws being sucked up in a floor sweep? ...

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My understanding is that you should use a two stage collection system if you are going to suck up anything that could damage the impellers on your blower. I currently have a single stage Jet dust collector, but I'm going to add a pre-separator to it ASAP so I can get one of these nifty floor sweeps. The pre-separator will also allow you to go longer between changes of your collection bags.

Here is a link to some info on pre-separators and how to build your own:
http://www.woodcraft.com/articles.aspx?articleid=408

You can buy the separator lids premade and just snap them on a trash can, but most of what I have read seems to say that you can get better performance by building one yourself.

Hey from a fellow georgian! I love my jet table saw and drill press. Have you thought of putting a router in yor table saw? And might I suggest a outfeed table it will make all the difference. Take a look at my shop and you'll see what I've done to my jet TS. If your anywhere near ATL stop in at redmonds and in the back for 30$ thay have scratch and dent 4X4 outfeed table tops. Most of the corners are dingged up so I just rounded them off. good luck!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Roger Warford

Chris, any concerns about nails/screws being sucked up in a floor sweep? Does seem like it would be awfully handy.

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Sure so you do have to be careful if you don't have a separator but I rarely have any metal in what I sweep to it anyway. I have no room nor interest to build a separator so I'm just careful. :)

Thanks to all. I've added building a separator to my "todo" list (but it is a long list!). James, that sounds like a deal I couldn't pass up - worth a special trip downtown (I'm up north in Hoschton, past Lawerencville on I85).