Garage/shop rearrangement

A few questions.

Where are you storing the machines when not in use?

Would it not be beneficial to store the attachments, bits and other assorted items that you will use for these tools in drawers built into the table for ease of access?

Are you going to attach a power strip to the table with a cord long enough to plug in somewhere?

I had so many thoughts in my head till loml waved a plate of homemade spagetthi sauce under my nose.:doh:


Storing machines-the drill press and mortiser sit right there on left side when not in use. The lathe is bolted on back of table, and the extension stores underneath whennot in use.
The grinder sits next to lathe extension underneath when not in use.
I am putting a 16 drawer parts cabinet under the mitre saw right next to it.
I was going to put bits, parts, in those cabinets. I dont want to make the table any heavier or have to have anymore of a load than is necessary.
I have one heavy duty extension cord that is directly over that table, I use for tablesaw. I also have the retractable one in center of garage coming down off ceiling. I dont need to put a strip on table, since there are outlets within cords length whereever I push the table.The new 220 line and 5 outlets are right behind that table when its parked against the wall.
When I build the new work table, that I will be able to work around it on all 4 sides, I might put a power strip on that one so I can wheel it outside during nice weather and use handheld tools like orbital sanders and such.
IN back of that table, there will be empty wall space. Im going to have some shelving there to house extra pieces for the lathe, drill press, whatever needs to be stored and kept close by. I dont think drawer space will be much of a problem after I build all the new tables. I cant even find space for the large parts cabinet I brought home.
 
bob, my main concern was with lifting the tools.
The mortiser and grinder are easily movable
I rarely use the drill press, and for one or two holes, I can just slide the drill press foward and use it without securing it into the sleeve. Its isnt going anywhere with the plywood base.
I have the lift table with the planer on it, but IM building a table for the planer and 22-44 to share, so the lift table will be free, and Im not sure if I have room for it a this point. I might store it in the shed for now.
I dont want to come down to work and have to move 12 items in and out of the way each time I want to work.
I want completely open space, with everything against a wall and only needed to roll out into center when I need it. Nothing has to be moved out of the way like that, and thats my goal. The only thing that has to be moved daily is the drywall cart holding the sheet goods.
 
This wasn't a separate table. I think the new yankee workshop had a few installed. the tool sat on a shelf under the worktop. You just removed part of the top of the workbench and the tool lifted up and filled the space left by the top you removed. Maybe I'm dreaming the whole thing because I cant seem to find it shown anywhere. :dunno:
 
This wasn't a separate table. I think the new yankee workshop had a few installed. the tool sat on a shelf under the worktop. You just removed part of the top of the workbench and the tool lifted up and filled the space left by the top you removed. Maybe I'm dreaming the whole thing because I cant seem to find it shown anywhere. :dunno:

Here it is Bob. http://www.newyankee.com/getproduct.php?0201 I even have it on tape.
 
This wasn't a separate table. I think the new yankee workshop had a few installed. the tool sat on a shelf under the worktop. You just removed part of the top of the workbench and the tool lifted up and filled the space left by the top you removed. Maybe I'm dreaming the whole thing because I cant seem to find it shown anywhere. :dunno:

Im not doubting you.
Im not looking to spend extra money on machine lifts.
I have a lathe, with an extension, and 3 other machines all secure when in use, and its my mitre arm also, crammed into a 30x64 surface, and alot of storage underneath. Im pretty sure I just about utilized every square inch.
I dont have 16 feet of linear wall space I can dedicate to a mitre saw.
But I did place it all so I can open the door, when I need to cut long pieces of lumber. I wonder how many people plan a mitre station with the open garage door as mitre run.
 
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Making great progress. The mobile bench is looking sturdy, flexible and very useful. I had a small lathe on the back of a mobile table for years. It worked well for my limited use.

I can't remember how big your shop is - what are the overall dimensions?

I'm enjoying watching your processes and progress.
 
Good job of the flexible workstation Allen. I think this is the answer for hobbiests.

I had originally thought i would achieve everything i wanted with decidated fixed in place work areas and benches. But I have surrendered on that idea.

I still marvel at Stus dungeon.

I think in general you make a very good point on your mitre saw. We all see these pictures of long mitre saw benches but in reality how often does a hobbiest cut this long a piece. The plan you have made to be able to open the garage door if it need be to do it is really the answer.

I am slowly getting over the idea of being able to do every possible option in each working location, but i guess until one has settled on what you likely or plan to be making in your shop you cant come round to that way of thinking.

Real good ideas Allen. You can probably bank on some fine tuning.

One point that i would offer is when you do eventually make draws, make em shallow or low in height is what i mean. So they only have one tool thickness. Then they become useful safe storage places. When they deep they just become dumping grounds and i have been cut and stabbed way too many times scratching in my draws that have tools piled on tools. This does not do cutting edges any good either.
 
Your idea about the chop saw reminded me, I have my table saw about 8 feet from a window. If I need to rip longer than 8 feet, the window opens and the wood goes out thru it.
 
IM stuck today. Great weather, and I have to sit and wait for a phonecall letting me know if I have to drive into my old job to empty things out later.
I dont want to get started and get full of saw dust and then have to rush into the city to meet someone. Eh..........I hate days like this.
 
THANKYOU WOODWORKING GODS

Im waitin on this person to call me since 10:30 am today, and I decided towork a bit this morning to move this shop build along because Im ready to start cutting real hard wood again and I want to be building something.
So I built the new legs and frame for the mitre saw. Didnt cut down the plywood top yet, didnt want to start setting up outside and all, theres just zero room now to work in my garage. I can barely walk, so working in it is tuff.
As soon as I get the mitre saw in place, I can put the new work table in place, and start the second work table but empty all the old stuff out and make some room.
So Im kinda tryin to move things along. take advantage of every minute this week. Next week Im down for treatment.
I came upstairs, changed and took a quick shower.
She called me around 1:15 and said shes getting her truck and will be ready to meet me soon so Id have to leave any minute now.
I went back into the garage, I just threw on my flipflops to assess where Im at and what I need to do tomorrow AM.
I decided while Im waiting on her call, Id rip off the old mitre table and get it ready to either salvage some wood and toss the rest.
Im unsecuring all the long screws I had put into the wall and other table to secure it, and when finished with screws, I had to yank it free since I had used 2.5 inch brads to hold in place while I screwed originally. I took my crowbar and on the first yank, the makita drill/driver fell off the bench and onto the floor, missed my bare toes by an inch. Before I bent to pick it up, I yanked the frame of the mitre stand one more time, and sure enough, it jumped free and since one side had no legs, it crashed down and that split second, maybe a tenth of a second, I knew my bare feet in flipflops were under those heavy 2x10 rails about to crush my toes and I just held my breath. The table smashed onto the floor, but because I dropped the makita one yank before and was too lazy to pick it up, the frame landed on the makita, and spared my toes! What luck!
I was so excited I didnt break all my toes, I came up here to put on shoes and go to work, but wanted to share my good fortune. Usually, Id end up with 3 broken toes.(not going to work, just going in to sell off some odds and ends like registers and bags and racks, nothing wrong with raising money for more tools, now its all gravy, nothing but gravy.)
 
What's the saying? I'd rather be lucky than smart? [No offense intended].

My usual shop footwear is steel toed boots. I've dropped so many things on my toes, I gave in and bought protection.

I am truly glad you and your toes are OK.
 
This is very slow going. Warning, long post.
I dont want to ever rearrange anything in my shop again, ever, so Im taking my time and making sure everything is where I want it right down to the inch.
Getting my old folding mitre ramp off was horrible for me today. What would take most people 15 minutes, took me 2 hours.
I had to get underneath to unscrew the tabletop and the folding brackets, and after a few screws my arms failed to lift the drill. Incredible.
In case I never said it, I hate Myasthenia.
I had to rest in between each screw. It was almost laughable.
After everything old was out, I finally got to size the table in place to see how close I can get to the door. I only need to keep enough space to open the door just so I can squeeze in if needed.
I forgot there was an old gas line sticking up from the floor, the previous owner had a dryer in the garage. The line was capped off, if that is the expression, but 8 inches stick out of the floor. against the wall.
I couldnt roll the table flush against the wall, and it ticked me off.
I was joshing with my wife when she came home for lunch, and complained, oh man, Im losing space. She said, what! AN INCH!, So I said yeah, times 64, so thats almost 1/2 a sq foot. (I was kidding with her, but acted serious)
She looked at it, leaned over, saw the table resting against the pipe, and said"well, why dont you drop 50 lbs, Im sure youll gain back a couple of square feet working space!"
It was bad enough I was struggling every inch of the way, she just had to pour it on, but she is pretty funny.

Now, IM hoping with the mitre ramp in place, it makes my vision/idea clear.
The mitre ramp, like all the other tools on table can be removed in a few seconds and stored.(In the pictures, I just laid it on 2 brackets, I should have 3 so it doesnt bend, but Im not up to the shelving yet).
I can take out the mitre ramp(which I will probably never do unless I need one of the other tools in place), and just put a blank in there to have a low working space. I can make as many sliding platforms I want for any machine I want to keep there, but I think thats about it.
I get up to 94.5 inches clearance up to the door left of mitre.(only 10 inch wide or less because then I lose a couple of inches to compensate door knob) More than enough.
There will be work benches stretching the entire length to the right, so I can go alot longer if I have too, but dont like working right. I wont lay a t track right of the saw for a block, I usually clamp a board to the work table if the need comes up.
I made sure the first of 3 parts(the small drawers filing cabinets) cabinets fit nicely under the mitre. I sanded it down to mostly bare steel and painted it.
It is off slightly because the floor tilts down to the right and back of mitre.
I had to apply shims under table legs to get the mitre all level. The floor just drops off, guess the foundation sunk over the years.
Some pics. Hope this explains and makes my all in one work bench clear.
To those that think cramming 3 or 4 stations into a 4 foot area, feh.
Maybe Ill put some nice hardwood trim on the table edges and stain it one day. Im not really worried about how it looks, just that its level and functional.
when Larry decides he isnt afraid of NY traffic, he can spend a day or two and help me insulate the walls and ceiling
The table right of the mitre will be removed, and I will build one that is shorter, only covering the rolling cabinet underneath, and right of that will be a rolling work bench, with a vise.(that should be a trip trying to build a bench with a vise)
The entire left wall will be work surfaces, but the last table will go into middle so I can finally, finally, work on something on all 4 sides.
I received my first 2 orders, accessories, like castors, new push sticks and blocks, some bits, etc.......and yesterday I got myself an mlcs router extension table for the sawstop so I can install it when it comes in. I decided to skip the process of making a router table since all the parts and pieces arent cheap, and I wanted an iron surface anyway.
Dust lines, thats my last worry. Most important, but I can always use the existing lines and just drop extensions to any machine Im working with. Id love to move my dust collector into a shack outside, but Im not sure if my local laws will permit that. Im working on that.
Im sorry if Im boring anyone.

oh, that foot of space behind the parts cabinet, Im going to store a couple of old tool boxes filled with worthless hand tools but alot of them came from my wifes father and grandfather, and I will eventually pass them down to my son. they arent worth anything, but Id hate to toss them.
 

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Go Allen, go!
cheer2.gif


I like the slide-out tool base idea for the bench. I also like the idea of the cast iron router table wing for the new SawStop. :thumb:
 
I made my bench out of 2 layers of MDF with hardboard top. It's taken a lot of abuse but it is HEAVY!

depending on the quality of the ply you get, it might be easier to make a flat top with MDF.

Did you think about making a torsion box? They are strong, flat, and wouldn't weigh as much.
 
crud, I hit delete I meant to delete a word.
my question was for a work bench, with a vise, which top would be best.
2 sheets plywood and masonite topping, mdf, particle board or combination with hardboard on top.(1/4 inch masonite topping)
 
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