New shop

littlejohnnc · Post by **littlejohnnc** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 10:15 pm

Not sure where to post this.Just kinda letting yall know whats been going on down here in NC. Its been awhile from the last time I posted so hows everyone ?
We still in a drought down here

Honey bees doing good so far this season till the rain stopped. Between sawfiling and working the bees my wife said I needed a shop and to get off her porch and build one

so I did

.
My shop is 16 foot by 16 foot. What I would like to do is have one spot to put all my shopsmith equipment. Ive got the band saw , jointer ,belt sander,jig saw,molding router,and all the basic setup equipment that comes with the shopsmith. I need some suggestion here folks before I start cutting holes for windows and putting outlets in. Pictures would be nice. Post them here or email them to me at johnmiles1394@alltel.net
All suggestion welcome .....Thanks Little John

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 9:52 am

I wish I had your dilemma. Since I live with a smaller shop, I think that if I were to be blessed with your shop I would still probably want to have my spt's on some kind of rolling cart. Then you can put the windows where they provide the best light without concern for where you're going to park your tools. As for outlets, having too many would be far better than too few. And be sure they have plenty of capacity. Also, give the SS it's own dedicated 20 amp service.

Oh, and by the way, I saw a honey bee on the white clover in my back yard the other day. That's the first one I've seen this year. It's too bad they're having such a bad time.

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:54 am

I'm fairly cautious with windows. I don't want everyone in the world to be able to walk up and spy out my tools. Tools and guns are instant cash to thieves. I'm especially careful when there is solid fencing around since this gives thieves a perfect place to hide from sight from the other neighbors while the scope out what you may have in your shop.

My buddy had a shop in his yard with lots of windows. The thieves apparently spied it out and came back prepared. The thieves actually broke in backed a truck into his shop loaded it up and when the time was right pulled out with every tool he owned. Get this he had serial numbers on most of the them and he found most of them in a pawn shop. He called the police and all but apparently there is some protection for pawn shop owners and he actually had to pay the pawn shop owner the price the owner got for the tools. I thought that it was a crime to buy stolen property.
Ed

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:08 am

Ed has the right idea. I have no windows in my shop. I can open the garage door (the shop is not a garage, but I do use a garage door for easy access) for natural light, and I do use plenty of lighting, all of which are on one circuit with nothing else on it. My lights do knot go out when a breaker trips due to an overload on a machine.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:01 am

I agree with Ed and Tim on the windows issue. I did put one window in my 16'X20' shop. Wanted to save all of the wall space I could. The window is one of those little sideways sliding ones that normal folks put above their showers. It is located high on the south wall. It is bumpy, frosted glass, so it lets in light, but can't see through it. Wish I had put in two of them. Can put a high shelf in front of the window and still it gives light.

The doors are double - latching in the middle so together they are a little over 5 ft. wide. There are heavy locking latches with a tamper steel over the knob latch.

Room will be at a premium in your shop. Plan out how you will store lumber/plywood and even with that small shop, put electric outlets in the ceiling. When you move the SS in order to have assembly room, they come in handy.

Here's a couple of photos of my mess.

wgander · Post by **wgander** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:12 am

I found the Fine Woodworking "Solutions" magazine to have a lot of good info on shops. I like the idea of outlets 44" up from the floor, and spaced every 4' as well as a power strip on the front edge of a workbench, to keep cords off the work surface. An overhead cord on a rectractable reel comes in handy, too. I personally keep all my accessories on the SS Workshop on a Wall and will buy or make the hanger for extra tables and support tubes. In addition to a regular entrance door to my shop, I also have one oversized door: great for air circulation and moving wood in and projects out.

province · Post by **province** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 11:52 am

I also chose to leave out windows when I built my workshop. I was concerned that someone might see something that they couldn't live without. At times I do wish that I had windows for air circulation purposes, especially during the summer. An exhaust fan mounted in the wall or roof will do the trick. Remember: you can never have too many electrical outlets, too much lighting and your shop can never be too big!

Here's some photos of my 20'x20' workshop that I built (my wife refers to it as my "Spousal Avoidance Center"):

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woodburner · Post by **woodburner** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 5:51 pm

If you can, use skylights if you are shy about using regular wall windows. Nothing beats having some kind of natural light in you shop during the day.

fjimp · Post by **fjimp** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 7:51 pm

Province,

I like an opportunity to see your 20 X 20 shop. My wife thinks that would be enough space for my new shop. I am holding out for 26 to 30 feet square. Jim

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 8:33 pm

Province;

That is a great looking shop; it looks to be a lot larger than that. This must be because you are so much better organized than I am. I too have a 20'x20' and a lot less equipment but you have a lot more room to move around.

Congratulations on the great escape place.