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Thread: Those with garage shops there must be a better way...help

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    So Cal
    Posts
    63

    Those with garage shops there must be a better way...help

    I'm SO frustrated with working in my garage. I have moved from a warehouse "shop" where I had about 3,000 sqft and all my tooling stationary, to my garage in order to spend more time at home, sold off the old equip and bought what you see in the sketchup. I like that I can work at home, I like that I can move all my equip to make a small footprint in the garage when I'm not using it, but that's about it. The two pictures show when I'm working and when things are stored.

    This arrangement is SO inefficient. When I am working I end up having extension cords all over the floor for the machinery, I have to connect the DC to each machine at a time, I trip over the DC hose, I have to move everything around to clean the floor during a project, and it's just a pain. I need everything to fit in the 108" x 238" in order to fit the car in the garage on the other side when I'm not working. Other than that I have free reign of the garage. The wall you don't see is dedicated to lumber storage and that is working fine thankfully. So is this just what I have to live with working from my garage or is there a better way? How would you set this up? Any ideas are appreciated.
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
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    Hate to tell you but that is the trade off of working in a small space.

    I work in a garage also and it's a pain but until I can get a dedicated place it's what I have to work with.

    One thing which might help is having your power, air and DC hose come from the ceiling so it's not laying on the floor.

    Aloha, Pete

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    Palm Bay Florida, Warner Robins Georgia, and Nigeria, Africa
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    As Clinton was famous for saying... "I FEEL YOUR PAIN!")

    I have virtually all my large machines on mobile bases so that I can move them around to work. It's a pain, but until I get bigger digs... it'll have to do.

    Cheers
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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Bradenton, Fl
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    499
    The only real estate you have in a garage is overhead! I work in a 2 car garage and have my DC running overhead with galvanized pipe and flex host to the machines with a blast gate at each one so I only have to open the machine I'm using. I use a remote switch to turn on the DC so I don't have to walk around the shop as much. All my power is either overhead or on the wall. I also have air going overhead for my air powered tools. The area were I walk has nothing on the floor to trip me. If you have to run extension cords use fatigue mats to cover them.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    New Hampshire
    Posts
    2,796
    Pete and Robert have the idea. In my basement shop, I don't have room to move my DC around. I also don't have the room for the ductwork to be on the floor or the walls. My DC drops are at the ceiling and I have two hoses that I move from machine-drop to machine-drop. Strategically placed electrical drops or electrical reels would help eliminate some of the extension cords on the floor.

  6. #6
    Here are some suggestions. Which ones make sense may depend on which tools are more frequently used.

    1) Put the router table into the extension wing of the tablesaw. Barring that, put it against a wall or between the extension and outfeed table on the tablesaw. You never need access to the back side of a router table.

    2) You never need access to the back side of a jointer, so put it along a wall.

    3) Make the tablesaw outfeed fold down when not needed.

    4) Turn the 48" bench 90 degrees and move it between the outfeed and the built-in bench. With the router table moved, there should be enough room.

  7. I'm rearranging my garage shop right now, although I get to keep my machines in one place most of the time (the shop is in the "third car" section of our three car garage). I've added a bench, jointer and belt sander to the mix, so I have to figure out how to incorporate those into the band saw, table saw, drill press and planer I already have. Not an easy task, so I'm watching this thread with interest.

    I also have a cord running across the floor, and I'm thinking of one of those "cord covers" to keep from having stock (or my foot!) snag it. Dropping it from the ceiling has always seemed to me to put it much more in the way of working operations.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Chesapeake, VA
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    242
    My space is similar to yours and I am also in planning the layout. If you turn the TS the other way you can get more usable space (IMO). If you're willing to work with the garage door open (you are in Sunny So Cal) you can get even more space and do most work with the machines in their "storage" positions.

    Here are two options I threw together based on your specs. Option 1 is if you need to cut long items on your TS with the garage closed. This option uses flex hose (green) and a Wye to hook both tools up and out of the way.

    Option 1.jpg

    Option 2 requires some ductwork but can do everything except long jointing when the other car is in the garage. The ductwork in this option is overhead and the drops are marked with the solid green circles.

    Option 2.jpg

    Both options show a slight mod on your router insert (moving it to the LH side of your outfeed) and Option 2 assumes you can get your DC to fit where the toolchest is. If neither of those are possilbe these'll need some small tweaks.

    Hope this helps
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  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    In the foothills of the Sandia Mountains
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    16,620
    I hear ya!
    I'm in the same boat except the vehicles live out doors.

    I did succumb to LOML’s steady whine for a covered carport.
    Please help support the Creek.


    "It's paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn't appeal to anyone."
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  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    So Cal
    Posts
    63
    Thanks for the ideas, and keep them coming please. Some things to think over for sure.

    It looks like I may have to build a ceiling (I have an A frame garage roof) but that's ok as I could use the above portion for storage. In terms of Clinton I would have to buy an intern and that's illegal in my state .

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    New Hampshire
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    2,796
    Last fall I succumbed to my own cries for a "tractor-port" and I built a 10'x12' covered area. Then I evicted all rodent-proof lawn and garden equipment from the basement (ie. the dethatcher went out, the bag for the lawn sweeper stayed) so as to expand the woodworking area.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Rochester, NY
    Posts
    4,717
    Brian - I'm in a bit less than 1/2 of a two car garage. Here's what I've settled on so far:

    Happiness is like wetting your pants...everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth....

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    League City, Texas
    Posts
    1,643
    Just my $.02 here...

    #1. Lose the router table, replace it with a router table wing insert for the table saw.

    #2. How tall is the jointer? You may be able to slide it close up by the TS and not shoot over the side. That way you can run your DC to it while keeping it under the TS outfeed and / or extension tables...

    I am working with the same amount of space. I have 72" rip capacity rails on my TS so I am with you on the width stuff... I am still reworking the sketchup, but my latest is this here...



    You can see I squeeze in a LOT more equipment in the same space, AND keep DC somewhat tidy. Most of it is overhead...

    Just work it out in Sketchup and when you come up with something you think will work, apply it to real life...
    Trying to follow the example of the master...

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    West Chester, Pa
    Posts
    72
    Maybe a trade off for you being home more should have been having the garage to yourself. When we moved into this house I went from working in my basement where I had 7' x 14' to having an oversized two car garage. My wife wanted half to park the car in... Ha, not a chance, I've been longing for a garage shop for years, it will never see a car again. It is a pain moving things around but I guess going from small to big is better than the other way around.

    Bill

  15. #15

    Stationary

    I face a similar problem, although I am using the other side of the garage.

    In this layout, the assembly table, router table, and table saw never have to move (or almost never). The jointer only has to move for long boards. The DC will have to move as needed.

    I have found that I can push the right extension table right up to the wall, and leave it there for almost every cut. By orienting it this way, I get a full 6" of clearance to the right of the blade and plenty to the left. I also like the idea of using the assembly table as infeed support--so plenty of infeed space (> 9') and outfeed about the same.

    With all of these pieces stationary, you can do most of your work with the vehicle in place (sawdust notwithstanding).

    Depending on the height of your jointer, you could even rotate it flush up to the car side of the TS (assuming you push the TS to the wall).

    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Danny Thompson; 04-01-2009 at 6:16 PM.

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