Building dream shop, need clever ideas

[Chris Padilla]

I see you mentioned 3/8" plywood. Did you really mean that? Have you looked at the 3/8" you plan to use? There isn't much to such thin plywood and it is rarely flat and can be hard to fasten without damage. I'm not sure I follow its intended use.

Overall, sounds like a blast. Put in more outlets than you think and more light than you think and access, access, access. We won't think of everything but we'll try!!

[John K Jordan]

he shop will have an insulated 16x8 Garage door,

If you spec'd a residential door, you might check into an industrial door. I put three overhead doors in my the bay area of my shop. Ordered residential on the advice of the salesman. When I talked to his boss one day he said I could get industrial doors for less money. (I have fairly plain doors, no windows) The industrial doors are thicker and have better insulation.

JKJ

[John K Jordan]

I see you mentioned 3/8" plywood.

I missed that. I used 1/2" plywood. 3/8' seemed too flimsy to me.

Another thing I'm glad I did was specify 2x6s for the top chord of the trusses instead of the usual 2x4s. With 1/2" decking it made for a very sturdy roof. I also liked the larger heel height for the header/fascia and guttering. But oops, this is getting more into construction than ideas for the inside of the shop.

JKJ

[Jim Dwight]

My shop garage is much smaller, just 14x24 but it is immeasurably better than what I had when we bought the place - nothing. And it was as big as we could fit and look decent. It is an oversized extra 1 car next to the existing 2 car garage. Finished space over it meant a 5/8 fire rated ceiling but there is no code requirement on walls here so I used skim coated 7/16 waferboard roof sheathing. I put outlets about every 4 feet for the main 20A 120V tool circuit and a few scattered around for the 15A lighting circuit. My lights are fluorescent so they use very little current. I ran a 1 hp DC on that circuit in my last shop but I've decided the 1 hp is too small and for now I am just using my DD equipped shop vacuum. If I add a DC, it will be 2hp and will probably require another circuit. Probably won't happen due as much to space as anything. I use no 220V anything so I didn't have them run the circuit. I might regret not running another 20A 120V but the panel is just on the other side of the 2 car garage so it is not a huge issue to fix. My outlets are all 4 feet off the floor. I don't use most of the outlets because I like using the autoswitch on the shop vacuum requiring the tool be plugged into it. I saw an idea on the FOG where a guy ran a circuit just for this. He plugs the tool he wants to connect to the shop vacuum into this circuit and it trigger the vacuum. I use my shop vacuum on my BT3100 table saw (2.5 inch port), CMS, RAS, track saw and sanders. I would still have to move the hose but one less thing to move would be nice. Might be an idea. I plan to accomplish something similar with a Y extension cord so I can have a couple tools plugged in at once.

Even though I have no HVAC in the shop I insulated it fully. That alone (and the fact there is finished space above it) make it livable most of the time. I open the garage door and the back door for ventilation in the summer. I would insulate the shop as well as the house. I also have an insulated garage door.

I store hardwood on my one 24 foot wall with no windows, above the RAS/CMS station, on pieces of 1 inch electrical conduit set into holes drilled into doubled 2x4s in the wall. The doubled 2x4s where mostly there because the other garage is ballon framed and my contractor framed the new garage conventionally. Surprisingly sturdy.

The CMS and RAS sit side by side on a 12 foot base cabinet I made 8 inches shorter than the intended height. I shimmed the tools to the level I wanted them (and to account for the uneven floor concrete). I haven't made it yet but I will make a Ron Paulk style work surface to go on the remaining 7 feet or so and it will have flip stops that are flush with the surface like he has in his total workstation. I will probably make this surface removable and supportable by sawhorses for use with my CMS away from the shop. That will require a panel of the top surface be removable for CMS mounting. Or I may not. My CMS makes quite a mess (even with the vacuum) so I may just walk to the shop (or set the little 10 inch up on the back porch). The base cabinet is all drawers which I find much more useful than doors or shelves. I find shallow ones really useful - stuff doesn't get buried.

The workbench is a Ron Paulk inspired rolling bench with totally locking casters. It is 3 feet by 7 feet. I also made his crosscut jig and can accurately crosscut 3 feet on it. The top is 3/4 plywood bored with 20mm holes on 4 inch centers. This is like a Festool MFT except the Festool is comparatively tiny and much more expensive. The workbench can roll between the windows on the other long wall. An open storage cabinet at least 7 feet long will go above it. It will have dividers made of 5mm luan to organize space for the pneumatic nailers, cordless drills, and other much used stuff I like to keep in this sort of cabinet. I find when I give my tools a visible home I tend to put them in it. I use a track saw a lot and took the extension rails off the BT3100. You have more space but in a little shop, it is hard to maneuver a full sheet of plywood past the stationary table saw. 3/4 sheets are heavy regardless. I hear that it is possible to have a good setup with a slider that avoids a lot of handling but I like my track saw solution. They are surprisingly useful. I woodworked for over 30 years before getting one and wish I'd gotten it sooner. (I have a DeWalt mainly because it was about half the price of a Festool).

Don't use a DC without good filtration of it's output unless you duct it outside. It will just blow the fine dust which could hurt you up where you are more likely to breath it. My little shop vac has a HEPA filter which rarely needs cleaned because of the cyclone.

[Dean Baumgartner2]

For an "elevator" just to move materials and empty the dust collector put in a floor hatch and mount either a chain fall or an electric hoist above it. Not rated for lifting people but will work great to save on hauling materials up and down.

[Rick Fisher]

I can bump the 3/8" ply up to 1/2" .. its just backing for holding a screw.

I decided to get the blueprint out and do a shop machine layout.. I promised myself I wouldn't buy any new tools ..

[Tim Janssen]

Paint walls and ceiling white, makes a big difference and reduces shadows.
Quite a project ahead of you!
Good luck with that.

Tim

[Kevin Jenness]

Many good recommendations here. I concur with greater basement ceiling height, hatchway with hoist, thicker wall sheathing for screw holding, white walls, plenty of natural light, lots of efficient electric light, ductwork in basement, flexibility. I would put the compressor in the basement, but humping dust upstairs will get old. If you us sheet goods, the most space efficient storage setup is vertical, and a p-lam floor there helps a lot with getting sheets in and out.

A small shop near me has a machining area on the first floor and assembly/finishing upstairs. A substantial (at least 4'x8') platform on slightly inclined rails is hoisted up and down, a rudimentary elevator. The platform can be parked at the upper floor normally for safety. Obviously something like this has to be carefully engineered and may be subject to regulation, but it is something to consider.

One thing that has not been mentioned is adequate space for assembling large projects and finishing. A good exhaust fan with filters is important for spraying, explosion proof if used for solvents. Keep an eye out for a small used spray booth- you may not set up the whole thing but use parts of it. Consider air makeup. A height adjustable assembly table that is light enough to dismantle and stow or on casters can help with making space for finishing large projects.

I work in a space just slightly larger than yours with fairly heavy machinery including a 4x8 CNC router. It works, just, due to carefully worked out material paths and as many smaller machines and tool cabinets on casters as possible. If you use CAD that makes it easier to play with various layouts.

[vince dale]

For your man door use a outswing door. You'll save wall space on the inside. Also line it up perpindiculur with the miter saw bench so you can open the door to cut extra long boards.

[Mike Heidrick]

Ive never looked at my inswing doors as wasted or lost wall space

[vince dale]

Ive never looked at my inswing doors as wasted or lost wall space

If there is a wall perpindicular the closed door, the door is at the end of a wall and you have to allow room for the door to swing open into the shop, you loose 21 square ft of wall space.

[John K Jordan]

I usually design with the doors in the middle of a wall or far enough away from a corner that the space behind the wall can be used, or in once case I made the door swing away from the corner (not usual but traffic-appropriate in this case). But even if there is very little room behind the door there is usually enough space for thin things: white board, clamps, hanging templates, key rack, flashlights, binoculars, shotgun, etc.

I far prefer inswing doors for ease of entry with arms full - I use lever handles I can operate with my elbow, then push the door open.

JKJ

[Chris Padilla]

, shotgun, etc.

[Shawn Pixley]

Windows. If it were me, I'd maximize the natural light.

[John K Jordan]

Hey, life on the farm. You never know when a pack of wild dogs will order alpaca for supper. Smartest thing I ever did in my entire life was build the shop next to the barn!

JKJ