Hi All,
A long time desire for a shop looks pretty doable in the next year or less. I have retired, moved, and now have a big enough back yard for a workshop that I have wanted, but never had, for most of my adult life.
The plan is for a hybrid shop with larger power tools for materials preparation and also for some of the precision work, and also to be able to store and use my pretty good selection of hand tools in typical Neander fashion.
Tools, etc.:
I have my dad's old table saw and a lunch box thickness planer I bought a while back when it was on sale. The plan is to get a full size jointer, a band saw, and a drill press. I also am wanting to build a 6' Moravian workbench that can be hauled in the back of a pickup, but will also be in the shop most of the time, and a 7'6" main work bench. In addition I may put in an old desk I have, and an 8' school Manual Training workbench that was my dads, which will mostly be used for non-woodworking things. (Family connection on that bench.) Also needed will be Lumber storage, a wall tool cabinet, an existing tool cabinet (2'X5'), an existing assembly table (also has tool storage in it), and possibly an Anarchists type tool chest.
I will probably have a back room in the shop to store the wife's Christmas stuff, other house stuff, and things like duck decoys, etc., but I am not counting that as shop space.
Some of the above is expendable, and I may get rid of the desk which is expendable, and also the assembly table because it's tool storage is extremely inefficient. These can go if space becomes an issue. One of the workbenches can sever as an assembly table, and work just fine for that.
Some of the big tools can go on casters so that they can be rolled against the wall to be out of the way and so that they will take up less space. The table saw, which is not a big one, is already on casters. The band saw, etc. will also probably have casters on them. The assembly table and the tool storage cabinet are already on casters, and have been since I built them.
Some of the wall cabinets can go on the wall above things like the old manual training bench (I am not sure I can get the bench because it now belongs to a relative who probably does not use it, he may be willing to sell it to me, or possibly he has already sold it). In addition there will be smaller misc. items such as saw horses, and a planned roll around cabinet for nails and screws. This will have a top on it to set near the main bench for "in use" tools that are being used when working at the bench, etc.
I am asking for advise and thoughts here on the Neander forum, rather than in the shop forum, because of my strong interest in Neander type work, rather than solely in power tool work that I expect in the shop forum.
I am currently making scale cut outs of the bench type tools and benches, etc., and a scale drawing of potential shop floor plans so I can move the cut outs around to see how everything will fit in the actual shop.
I am thinking of a shop size of about 22' X 30', that that is my initial thought, but nothing is set in stone.
What thoughts on shop size do you all think and suggest? Any thought will be much appreciated.
Thanks and regards,
Stew
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