Unconventional Shop Layout

[Greg Portland]

I was just trying to maximize shop space.

If space is a concern then I'd strongly suggest making the tools mobile (except maybe the TS). A method that works for me in my shop is having 3 primary DC drops and moving the tools to the drop when they need to be used. This gives me 3 major work zones that stay free of clutter. I think your movable-drop idea is going to quickly devolve into having a trough that looks like swiss cheese.

In general I use them as follows but have the flexibility for any combo:
Drop 1: table saw, downdraft table (part of outfeed table)
Drop 2: jointer, planer, drum sander/moulder, bandsaw
Drop 3 (6" breaks into two 4" drops): OSS, router tables, drill press
Shop vac: handheld tools

I can setup for stock prep, cutting/edging, and finally sanding which gives me access to all the appropriate tools for each phase of the project.


Finally, I assume you can parallel park your tractor?

[Chris Tsutsui]

I think you have planned out the big components well like lumber storage, mitersaw, and tablesaw.

I would probably have some of those tools like bandsaw and drill press against that east wall to free up some open space in the middle of the room for a combination torsion box assembly table AND tool storage. The assembly table will be lower to the ground and you can have a cart made that matches the height of the torsion box for easy moving of the finished pieces.

I'd probably skip the shop sink as well and just use a bathroom sink.

Then I'd put the planer and jointer back to back in the middle area of the room.

Then for the machines I don't use very often I would store in the back of the shop. For me at least I'd move the router table to the back of the room unless you use that a lot.

Good luck

[Dale Kuzyk]

Hi Greg,
Currently all the tools are mobile, but currently sitting in my garage with all my wife's stuff piled on them.
I do like the way you have the tools in functional units.
LOL on the parking. I can, but I won't let my wife try it

[Dale Kuzyk]

Hi Kent,
I do have the TS running toward the tractor. Only when I am cutting down big sheet stock do I go to the outfeed side to retrieve it. It must be a function of making smaller furniture.
Good idea of the lumber storage under the CMS, then it is all kept in one area of the shop.
I agree with your comment on the placement of the downdraft table, spindle sander and disc/belt. I was concerned over the dust they would raise and was hoping to keep it near the big door and near the suction of the DC instead of near my assembly area. But from past experience, dust gets everywhere anyway, so maybe I should just put it near the workbench where it is more functional. I would be interested in hearing others thoughts on this.
I do have 5' of space from my table saw to the wall under the stairs. I guess if I start making bigger furniture I can always move the tractor out and shuffle the table saw toward the big door giving more room. If I find I do that a lot my tractor will have to find another place to keep warm.
The only other equipment I see getting is a lathe at some point. I would put it where the downdraft table etc is now and move those closer to the workbench as discussed.
Thanks so much for the comments.
Dale.

[Matt Day]

I agree that having your tools at an angle is not ideal. I suggest either back to back planer/jointer running straight, or putting your tools against the walls. If you stick with your in-floor duct plan, back to back is probably the way to go.

I also think there is some inefficient space on the East wall where all the tool cabinets are, but that could be a good thing if you get any more tools and need to rearrange.

Have you thought about sloping the concrete to the door for snowmelt to at the tractor? Or possibly sloping to a floor drain? Or trench drain?

[Kent A Bathurst]

Hi Kent,
I do have the TS running toward the tractor. Only when I am cutting down big sheet stock do I go to the outfeed side to retrieve it. It must be a function of making smaller furniture.

Well.........hookay. I'm used to shoving parts through the TS toward the next operation......your table looks to be about the same size as mine.........about 6' x 6'....I stack parts outside the fence, and shove them down the line.

Good idea of the lumber storage under the CMS, then it is all kept in one area of the shop.

Yeah....works good for me....I built my CMS table so it is clear-span for 18'....12' - 14' lumber fits underneath on racks, and there are racks above the infeed as well.

I agree with your comment on the placement of the downdraft table, spindle sander and disc/belt. I was concerned over the dust they would raise and was hoping to keep it near the big door and near the suction of the DC instead of near my assembly area. But from past experience, dust gets everywhere anyway, so maybe I should just put it near the workbench where it is more functional.

I don;t like wandering around the shop....."lazy" is the word. Don't recall what you have in terms of an overhead air cleaner....shop that dimension kinda calls for two - one at each end.

I would be interested in hearing others thoughts on this.
I do have 5' of space from my table saw to the wall under the stairs. I guess if I start making bigger furniture I can always move the tractor out and shuffle the table saw toward the big door giving more room.

5 feet is fine....I couldn't tell, exactly


If I find I do that a lot my tractor will have to find another place to keep warm.
The only other equipment I see getting is a lathe at some point. I would put it where the downdraft table etc is now and move those closer to the workbench as discussed.
Thanks so much for the comments.
Dale.

Also..I don't see a real problem with the angled alignment of the stationary tools. Plus...it's not like you have them anchored or anything. Give it a try, and drag them around if you want to try something else. Unconventional thinking is a good thing, IMO.


Good luck..........and, I'm still jealous about the duct and elect trenches..

[Michael W. Clark]

I'd love have the extra space you have especially since it is detached, looks great!. I have a small basement shop with a couple of 6' tall cabinets that I built for tool storage and I noticed you have some tool cabinets in your plan. I'm not sure how your tool cabinets are arranged/constructed, but I wish mine were only countertop height. The 6' height interferes with infeed/outfeed space constantly. If they were shorter, then I would have additional flat space that could be better utilized. However, you may not have this problem with your larger space.

[Jim Andrew]

I used layout with the table saw with long rails w/ jointer backing up to it, have my mitersaw on one side and planer on the other, with a sander against the other wall, all in 25' and it works for me. The dust pipe drops down between the saw and the jointer, use gates to change dust collection from one to other, works for me.

[Dale Kuzyk]

Hi Matt,
I am doing a rework of the layout based on all the excellent advice I am getting. I am still unsure about the planer/jointer placement as I still think the angles go with my workflow, but I am trying to keep my layout as flexible as possible just in case. Of course, having trenches in concrete are not all that flexible!
I think I might be leaving too much room for tools etc. on the east wall But I am leaving room for a future lathe.
The area where the tractor is does slope towards the door. And there will be a trench in the drain on the south side under the table saw just in case. The more I think about it I don't really want to put the tractor in there at all, but I may not have much of a choice. Stay tuned for Shop Layout 2.0.
Thanks for the comments,
Dale.

[Dale Kuzyk]

Chris,
I am redesigning based on some of the comments here. You are right about the router table. It is mobile and can move anywhere, and it is only used in certain instances so it makes sense to not have it right in the middle like I do.
I will play with that and see what it looks like.
Thanks for the comments,
Dale.

[Sam Layton]

Hi Dale,

Welcome to the Creek. That is going to be an outstanding shop for you, and art studio for your wife. Keep the photo's coming.

Sam

[Art Mulder]

So where is your current shop? What kind of a layout do you have there? What do you like and dislike about it? Is this for hobby or for income?
Those are the sort of questions that I would be mulling over as I consider this.

So who is going to use the bathroom most? Will it be you or do you think your wife/kids will be using it more? If it will be mostly used by the upstairs people, have you thought about just putting the 2pc bathroom upstairs? This would keep the bathroom cleaner, less dusty, less noisy, and more handy to their use. It would also free up a big chunk of floor space for you.
But then you'd want a sink tucked into the corner for shop use.

The tractor is another question that I would mull over. Does it really fit easily to pull it in sideways like that? I'd be concerned about it becoming annoying, or worry about accidentally banging into the side of the shop wall sometime (or several times, while the kids learn to drive it...) What if you just pulled it in straight, but close along one wall. The other side could still be used for wood storage and maybe DC/Compressor placement. You could even build a partition wall across the shop to close off the "garage" part from the "shop" part.

(I like to ask "big picture" questions when considering something like this...)