Need help figuring out my workshop. Neander guy with limited power tool experience

[Jim Becker]

For small off-cuts I (currently) do have a wheeled bin thingie, but I'm considering moving it upstairs with the rest of my material storage, only keeping sheet goods down in the actual shop. But my shop is a little bigger than yours. A sturdy box with casters that you can push under a bench or wherever might be a good solution for that.

[Matt Lau]

Great idea!

Would you guys mind showing me your racks?
I'd like ideas

[Matt Lau]

I sold my lathe today, and am amazed how much more wall space I have!
I'll probably be doing the french cleats the next few weeks...not easter, though.

Next will be dust collection. Time to troll the archives!

[Curt Harms]

Where are you, Matt? Can you work outside a significant part of the year? Mobile bases with large casters are a good idea. I couldn't find mobile bases that suited me so I made my own. You have a band saw which seems to be a frequent recommendation for neander-centric shops. Would a track saw work for you? They take little space.

[Frank Drackman]

In addition to all of the great suggestions you have received think about the height of all of your horizontal surfaces. By managing the different heights flat surfaces, like workbench & assembly tables, can do double duty as outfeed and support tables for long pieces.

You can also arrange different height surfaces to make infeed/outfeed paths that aren’t a true clear space. The outfeed of my jointer goes over my main workbench.

If you looked at a drawing of my shop layout from above your first impression would be that I don’t have the ability to manage long pieces but it works really well.

[Matt Lau]

Frank, That's a great idea. I'm thinking of how I can get my (not used much) planer to the right height.
I'm tempted to use my saw stop jss as an outfield table, and rig up some saw horses.

Ideally, it'd be nice to have a jointer in the future the same height as the tablesaw and planer---maybe on roll out flip stands?


Curt, I have a Makita track saw. Also, my workshop is a garage. It's got a wall I can open and work outside.
The only downsides are: no humidity control, rats, marijuana smoking neighbors promoting rats; and I don't get there too often.


On a side note, should I get a real dust collector sometime?
I have a Fein vac and a nilfisk there. I have a ct36hepa at home. However, I notice a lot of sawdust when using my tablesaw or drill press (with wagner safety planer. Also, I've tripped the fuse quite a few times running my Fein along with the drill press.
I'm not sure if I should just leave the garage door open and wear a respirator, or if you can recommend something...

-Matt

ps. Thanks, guys! Between work and taxes, I'm totally stress balls.

[Matt Lau]

I'll be working on my workbench #1 hopefully Thursday.
I'll try to plan it, so that it's the same height as my sawstop jss...which I think is 33".
Later, I'll try to make a flip flop stand for my lunchbox planer to match...and maybe buy a jointer of some sort and get to the same height.

[andy bessette]

...I'll try to plan it, so that it's the same height as my sawstop jss...which I think is 33"...

I keep my workbenches a tiny bit lower than my table saws, so they don't interfere with running material through the saws.

[Matt Lau]

Good tip!

Yesterday, I ripped up some good Russian ply and started putting up french cleats.
I should have done this years ago! It's' so liberating to have stuff visible and off the floor!

Now, I need to figure out lumber storage.
Any tips?

I'm not sure if I should go with Home Depot or Lee Valley's lumber rack.

Also...anything worth buying at Home Depot? I have a $100 gift card there.

[andy bessette]

You don't need to buy a lumber rack.

I stand my lumber vertically against the wall. Likewise plywood is stored standing on its long edge, against the wall. A 2x frame keeps it from falling over and supports a shelf above that for plywood rips.

[Matt Lau]

Hmmm... my problem is that I have very limited space...and rats.

Leaving vertical stacks would encourage more spots for rats...which is why I'm trying to quickly remodel my workshop to get stuff off the ground....or quickly use it.

[Jon Wolfe]

Time for a shop cat /mascot.
I also prefer closed cabinets and shelving as my old open ones just collected dust.