Setting up a basement shop.

[Joshua Dinerstein]

Hey Guys and Gals,

I have the pleasure of setting up my new shop down in the basement. Better temp control than the garage and just a nicer environment. Plus it has 9' ceilings so it feels like there is lots of room.

The impetus for making this move is that my new wife needs to put her car in the garage and so things have to go downstairs in order to free of that much room. Which just makes her laugh at me all the more since it is a 2-car garage and I have bare enough room between wood shelves on 1 side and lathe and tools on the other side to pull my car in.

But putting something that kicks out that kind of shavings and most especially dust inside the house kind of worries me a bit. So I thought I would ask what you others had done and what was successful and what wasn't.

I bought a big HF dust collector to use while sanding and what not. And that should help but there are lots of things to consider for a first time basement-shop builder.

Right now my basement is entirely unfinished. It is this bagged insulation on the cement walls and a few load bearing 2x4 open walls and a raw cement floor as far as the eye can see. Or about 25' x 70' which ever is smaller.

So the question becomes what works best? Any suggestions? Ideas? Problems you have run into even if you don't know how to fix them?

All kidding aside I would love any help.

Thanks,
Joshua

[Bill Bolen]

I've had my shop, 1 incarnation or another, in three different basements. Tried in a garage one time and went straight back to the basement! There are several things to look forward to. The biggest problem seems to be sanding dust migrating into the HVAC and onwards to the living level. Isolating the furnace from your shop area in some manner will go a long ways towards domestic harmony. In one home I completly walled in the furnace complete with sealing the overhead area. Stopped about 80% of the airborne dust that got into the cold air return and then onward and upward to the living area. Although I had several air ducts coming from the furnace to the shop there was no cold air returnback to the furnace. This might have thrown the air flow off but it kept the shop comfortable and me out of trouble.
The second major problem is noise. Do not run your planer if the woman you love is asleep! DAMHIKT!!! Still have the brusies and loss of hearing from that one! I did insulate the ceilling with insulation and screwed in dry wall to quiet things down a bit. Afraid some machinery will always be too lound though! I have found that a warning to all about the planner running for a bit will bring quick forgiveness though. On the good side running electrical lines should be simple. Water is usually avaliable with a little quick plumbing work. With quiet work you still feel like you are in the home and not relegated to the lonely 'ole garage.Security is a bunch better too! In a garage the tempation to passerby's is always present. In the basement what they do not see they cannot covet!..Hope this helps. I'm sure you will have many more answers..Bill..

[Richard Madison]

Joshua,
Be sure to follow Mike's "Finally Moved" thread too, as it sounds like you guys have parallel projects.

[Thomas Canfield]

Josuha,

I would consider making your shop a "stand alone" room completely off the main house heat/AC to keep out the dust, even using 2 entry doors pressurized to blow fine dust back to the shop. There is always some small dust from sanding that is about impossible to collect.

My shop is stand alone external and internal dust and tracking out presents problems. A good door mat and blower (low pressure air hose nozzle or hair blower type) helps to knock off the loose dust exiting the shop and tracking back to the house. Your heating and cooling should be minimal, but some cooling will help to dehumidify and protect your tools. there is a surprising amount of moisture in green wood turning, and fine dust from the dry seasoned turning and finishing.

Good Luck - Hope this helps

[Chip Sutherland]

Is that what my wife has been jabbering about all these years.

[Joshua Dinerstein]

Joshua,
Be sure to follow Mike's "Finally Moved" thread too, as it sounds like you guys have parallel projects.

An excellent suggestion. I really liked the comment there about table top height plugs. I will make sure to do that!

Thanks,
Joshua