shop layout

[ddub]

Finished insulating and started to sheetrock on my shop addition. Total size is about 34 x 25.

Looking at making a room for wood/plastic working. Kind of a designated area for making dust.... LOL

Attached is a rough drawing (forgive my lack of architect skills.....) and not necessarily to scale.

The 4 x 8 storage is probably going to move. I don't think it would work well there. I can move that to outside this room. I can lengthen the room beyond 15 feet if necessary, but would like to keep it this size if possible. I will heat this room like the main shop, the rest of this addition will just be "warmed" unless I am working in it.

It is a bit of a "L" shape. The walls marked "fixed walls" cannot be changed.

I don't work with a lot of full sheets of plywood, but if I must, I can move the saw into a different area.

The "new" walls have not been put up yet, so those can be moved yet.

Any thoughts/suggestions?

[benush26]

Maybe, but not on the layout.

Since it is still in the design phase, why not take a few rolls of masking tape to lay out walls and the position of equipment, tables and such. Then see if it fits your work pattern / flow.

Is the what ever (work bench, Shopsmith 1, 2, etc.) in a good location for ease of use, lighting, transfer of materials?

Create a large project on paper and then carry out the steps in your head, walking from one place to the next to see if where you would like it really is the best position for ease of use. Granted most pieces can be moved, however for electrical, air and lighting placement, moving it once in place is not nearly as easy nor cheap.
Once you have a comfortable layout for equipment, the layout for electrical outlets (how many - what amps, etc.), supplied air and where you will put task lighting all comes together.
How is it getting to work material with things as they are? Bringing in material and supplies, is it easy to get them where they will be stored?

You might write down most any task you would do and then walk through how it would be accomplished with your existing lay out. Maybe you will be working on smaller projects so often that the larger design scheme is not as determining. However, only you can decide.

So, no I don't have any ideas about the actual layout, just how to see if it works for you.

Be well,
Ben

[forrestb]

I envy you having that much space where you don't have to park a car at night!

Ben is correct in his suggestion to 'play act' your work to see if the layout is useful.

You might consider walling off an area to be used strictly for finishing - i.e., dust free.

Now if we can just get rid of the pool, I would have a yard that would be mighty useful as a shop.

My only hope is that our drought continues and my governor says that we can no longer add water to it.

Forrest

[reible]

In most case one can get by assuming that the maximum length of a work piece is 8 feet in front of and behind the saw. You don't have to have that room all the time but it would be nice to have a plan that will allow that.

Just wanted to mention that aspect of the planning so it doesn't get forgotten.

Ed

[ddub]

You might consider walling off an area to be used strictly for finishing - i.e., dust free.

That is called a paint booth! That will be another part of this renovation. I am looking at about a 10 foot by 12 foot area for that. I already have the metal walls and exhaust fan for that. You can see that between those two items, that is pretty much killing the space of this addition and they are fighting each other for their size.... LOL

Reible, I have thought of that. And still pondering, hence this post.

To date, I have only needed to cut one piece of plywood lengthwise. I can pull the shopsmith out if needed. BUT, expanding this room a couple of feet might allow me to do it in the room. But, I loose space for a snowmobile.... Decisions, decisions.

benush26
At this time, there is no lighting, no electrical, no nothing. This has just been unfinished "cold storage". So, no matter where I go, how I lay it out, they will need to be added but yes changing down the road would be a bad thing. This room will have plenty of light when done. I hate working in a dungeon. I will also be installing a dust collector, but that will be located outside of this room. So, there will be lots of wiring going on. My billfold is shrinking just thinking of it.......

Most all of my work is with smaller items. At this time......

What I might do, is "wall it off with some tarps" for a while and see if that works out?

The only saving grace is that I do my own work, sometimes a bit slowly as funds come in. I also look for "deals" on things that I might be able to use.

[ryanbp01]

My son and I spent three days back in January rearranging my shop. I have all of my tools, including the Shopsmith, along the outer walls of my shop rather than placing the Shopsmith in the center of the workspace and it does make a difference! My shop is now a "tool grotto" (my son's term) and it really aids me to pull the tools out as I need them and keeps the Shopsmith from being an obstacle to when I need
to bring something into the shop to work on or put finish on a project.
BPR

[ddub]

I was thinking on the length issue.

If I were to put a "5 foot wide slotted door" of sorts in the wall, I could then pass any long lumber through that if need be. That would be easy enough to do since the wall isn't a load bearing wall anyway.

Would just have to keep anything permanent from being placed on the opposite side.

Tool Grotto, I like it!

I am just a "tool hoarder".......

[ryanbp01]

I put in exterior prehungfrench doors which gives me 72" clearance. I bought them from the local home center. The only thing I need to be careful of is not to break the windows! But with the double insulated glass it does help to keep the shop cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
BPR

[ddub]

I am more thinking of a "slot" with a hinged closable door that is 5 feet wide, and about 6 inches tall about at the height of a table saw.

[ddub]

Well, with the purchase of a Table Saw and a Shopsmith 10E, I think adding a few feet just became necessary..... LOL