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cramped quarters

James Edwards

James Edwards

Member
Messages
157
Location
Hedgesville,WV
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those 8 sheets of pre-finished cherry ply has gotta go,goit 'em cheap enough to pass up, but had no storage available... my smokehouse has no room for more lumber,and they're gonna be the new kitchen cabinets for the wife.
yeah, it a messy place, but it was a garage first to keep/work on cars/mowers,etc. One day I decided I wanted to try my hand at building furniture. I need a bigger shop, in reality, but that same reality dictates a cost of many,many thousands of dollars that I can't see(or justify) going into debt for this late in the game(I'm retiring in 3 yrs). now also understand, that I DO park the wifes' car in there, and THAT'S a tighter squeeze than she likes!!!!:D
 
Meh. I can still see the floor. Maybe a little busy, but not cramped. :rofl: You've got a nice setup...most of the major tool groups are pretty well represented. (I'm guessing the lathe was just being camera shy.) :p

I see we both have the same tastes in tablesaws, too. :thumb:
 
my little shop isn't cramped at all. :D with no walls, its easy to expand the shop. :thumb: the only problem is when someone tests the overhead sprinkler system for 2-3 days, that cuts down on the woodworking... :doh:
 
you need to seriously reorganize things. First thing is to take all the boxes or containers all over the place, free up every sq inch of floor space, thats essential.
You have tons of wall space, everything and anything that doesnt have to be near or on the floor, or table must go up on a shelf.I stopped tacking up nails to hang a hose or something. I hang all my hoses in one spot, all my blades in one spot. I utilize every inch, floor, walls, ceilings, above my head, whereever its free space, I use.
You should move your table saw to the front of the garage, free up the middle of the garage for work area, and put that woodworking table that lookslike your using for outfeed either on wheels, or against a wall.
Move the planer same area as jointer, since they mostely get used together, not on each end of shop, and allow wall space to push them back against wall when not in use, since again, you dont use them every day.
Mosty saws and shapers, and building room.
You have alot of mobility, I see alot on wheels.
You should sit down and carefully figure out which machines you use most of the time, which you use only now and then, and which you use rarely.
All have to on wheels, or at least put the well used ones against the walls, and put the smaller ones on wheels so you can push them to a spot in front of another machine youre not useing that day, or week.
If you move your woodworking table against the wall, build another one a few inches shorter, get rid of the saw horses holding things, and put a rolling work table under the permament work table. It will give you plenty of table space, and you can still store tools and things under it.
Utilize every inch, even ceiling space. If youre back is ok, and you can deal with a step stool, put up a steel rack off the ceiling to hold tons of lumber when not in use. Lumber doesnt have to be anywhere in the way. I have a smaller garage then you, and I have 800+bf of lumber in there, plus plenty of jigs, sheet goods, etc.
Im not trying to be obnoxious, just trying to help.
I cant believe how much more freedom and space I have since I started organizing things. Im a far way away, still havent touched my cabinets or rearranged hardware cabinets, but I know IM going to have tons of room.
Things like house painting supplies, which you probably have laying around in a few boxes, dont need to be, you use them very infrequenlty. Up high on a shelf. Anything you use less than once a month, high on a high shelf. Line the walls with shelves. Its a small investment, but adds tons of space.
If you keep you jointer up against the wall, put in some folding 16 inch brackets and yo ucan put up a 20 inch shelf as a work area for whatever. Add counter space.The jointer will sit unused under it until you need it.
You have alot of room in there, you have to figure out where it is.
Just trying to help mr. Edwards, I think you have a grand shop, got everything you need, just need to park it all a bit more organized.
 
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Dave Hawksford said:
Another good one for small shop is a drop down work table like a hide a bed. Hinge it to the wall with folding legs.
Click to expand...

Great idea !!
My basement has a low ceiling and duct work making working on a tall piece difficult. I could hinge a work table to the concrete wall making it a foot or so lower than my fixed workbenches. It would make finishing easier as well.
Thanks Allen and Dave for the good ideas.
 
allen levine said:
you need to seriously reorganize things. First thing is to take all the boxes or containers all over the place, free up every sq inch of floor space, thats essential.
You have tons of wall space, everything and anything that doesnt have to be near or on the floor, or table must go up on a shelf.I stopped tacking up nails to hang a hose or something. I hang all my hoses in one spot, all my blades in one spot. I utilize every inch, floor, walls, ceilings, above my head, whereever its free space, I use.
You should move your table saw to the front of the garage, free up the middle of the garage for work area, and put that woodworking table that lookslike your using for outfeed either on wheels, or against a wall.
Move the planer same area as jointer, since they mostely get used together, not on each end of shop, and allow wall space to push them back against wall when not in use, since again, you dont use them every day.
Mosty saws and shapers, and building room.
You have alot of mobility, I see alot on wheels.
You should sit down and carefully figure out which machines you use most of the time, which you use only now and then, and which you use rarely.
All have to on wheels, or at least put the well used ones against the walls, and put the smaller ones on wheels so you can push them to a spot in front of another machine youre not useing that day, or week.
If you move your woodworking table against the wall, build another one a few inches shorter, get rid of the saw horses holding things, and put a rolling work table under the permament work table. It will give you plenty of table space, and you can still store tools and things under it.
Utilize every inch, even ceiling space. If youre back is ok, and you can deal with a step stool, put up a steel rack off the ceiling to hold tons of lumber when not in use. Lumber doesnt have to be anywhere in the way. I have a smaller garage then you, and I have 800+bf of lumber in there, plus plenty of jigs, sheet goods, etc.
Im not trying to be obnoxious, just trying to help.
I cant believe how much more freedom and space I have since I started organizing things. Im a far way away, still havent touched my cabinets or rearranged hardware cabinets, but I know IM going to have tons of room.
Things like house painting supplies, which you probably have laying around in a few boxes, dont need to be, you use them very infrequenlty. Up high on a shelf. Anything you use less than once a month, high on a high shelf. Line the walls with shelves. Its a small investment, but adds tons of space.
If you keep you jointer up against the wall, put in some folding 16 inch brackets and yo ucan put up a 20 inch shelf as a work area for whatever. Add counter space.The jointer will sit unused under it until you need it.
You have alot of room in there, you have to figure out where it is.
Just trying to help mr. Edwards, I think you have a grand shop, got everything you need, just need to park it all a bit more organized.
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you're right, but where do I park her car? :dunno: remember, I still have to put her car in there,somewhere, which means moving saw/other stuff about every day!!! those boxes are FULL of items like smaller machines/hardware/accessories/etc.. I use the heater on the end wall in the winter, so I can't place anything compustable near there, including cabinets..it's an open flame unit. all of my finishes and the like are kept in the house, so they won't freeze. with the overhead door, it eliminates the cabinets on nearly 1/2 of each side wall,as the tracks are only 12" from the wall,or so...I ahve same items that COULD be tossed, but those mostly were handed down from my Dad, and even tho they aren't used, they're worth more than all the tools combined. the old 2x6 workbench was built for car repair work, and I just never changed it over...that was a mistake, but I saw no reason to waste a good bench..now it's full, top and bottom, with things I use alot(except for the Butternut boards.. I gaotta get around to making that cutting board:doh:). I have an older..much older... Delta 16" jig saw that I don't use, but where to put it? again, it was a gift from my dad...and it's to handed down to my grandson. I totally agree that a re-org would help,butahving to put a vehicle in there eliminate a LOT of options...I really don't wann grag that jointer in/out everytime I wanna use it.. tis a HEAVY bugger,and is located so I can joint boards w/o raising the door(in the winter) up to about 5' in length. now I COULD lose the 48" belt sander, as I hardly use it, but it comes in handy when I DO need it...
the only non-woodworking items are in the metal cab, and I gots ta keep my vehicles/mowers maintenance items somewhere(cold temps don't bother these items)...
what you see is what happens when you try to have a complete workshop, combined with a car garage...and sometimes, when I look at all the tools I have to move out/put back, it makes me not wanna do any work....sometimes.
 
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Its a tough choice to leave a car outside. I know.
What Im saying is that you should double stack/align the machines up right in front of another against each wall, least used machine in back. Alll have to be on wheels so you can move them.
You can take those cherry sheets and break them down into 2-3 piles against the back wall, then pile the machines in front of them. You dont need much access to them since youre saving them, and they are just killing the entire side of the garage.
I have my jointer against the back wall, I only take it out when I use it, then have to put it away again, and the planer is the dw735, that stays underneath a work bench and is wheeled out when needed.
drill press is pushed around whereever its not in the way that day.
air compressor is on wheels, it goes where its not in the way.
the smaller the space, the move we have to move things around. when im in the middle of a project,(which is usually all the time, I just try to keep a path wide enough for me to fit in between machines and a space large enough for me to build on. not always easy when the bandsaw, ts, jointer, planer are all in use at same time.
 
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James, nice looking setup you have going for you there. I tried that and once everyone else in the family realized the garage had useable space I lost half of it and then every day seemed less!:eek::huh::rofl::rofl: Hence my shop build that is currently happening and being posted as work is completed in the shop tours section. Without fancy moving jacks and portable tools, sliding them gets to be a pain, I just added a set of wheels to my table saw that lets me move it like a wheelbarrow for less than $30.00! Are those two old safes in the first picture?
 
allen levine said:
Its a tough choice to leave a car outside. I know.
What Im saying is that you should double stack/align the machines up right in front of another against each wall, least used machine in back. Alll have to be on wheels so you can move them.
You can take those cherry sheets and break them down into 2-3 piles against the back wall, then pile the machines in front of them. You dont need much access to them since youre saving them, and they are just killing the entire side of the garage.
I have my jointer against the back wall, I only take it out when I use it, then have to put it away again, and the planer is the dw735, that stays underneath a work bench and is wheeled out when needed.
drill press is pushed around whereever its not in the way that day.
air compressor is on wheels, it goes where its not in the way.
the smaller the space, the move we have to move things around. when im in the middle of a project,(which is usually all the time, I just try to keep a path wide enough for me to fit in between machines and a space large enough for me to build on. not always easy when the bandsaw, ts, jointer, planer are all in use at same time.
Click to expand...

I agree SOMETHING has to be done....after reading your posts, I went up and tried rearranging stuff, till I started falling over stuff...I need to look into a small shed to store wood/unused tools,etc in...they're not too awful expensive...


Jonathan Shively said:
James, nice looking setup you have going for you there. I tried that and once everyone else in the family realized the garage had useable space I lost half of it and then every day seemed less!:eek::huh::rofl::rofl: Hence my shop build that is currently happening and being posted as work is completed in the shop tours section. Without fancy moving jacks and portable tools, sliding them gets to be a pain, I just added a set of wheels to my table saw that lets me move it like a wheelbarrow for less than $30.00! Are those two old safes in the first picture?
Click to expand...

no sir, the small one is actually a plastic cabinet that a friend was tossing out, and it works ok for the miter saw,seeing as I don't cut real long stuff anyway... it's full of shaper cutters/air nailers/various sanders,and my dremel tool.. the other is where all mechanic supplies are kept, oil/carb cleaner/gas treatments/etc,etc.. the usual stuff needed for motorized equipment, plus stuff like my gal of WD40 that I use on all my machines.. it's full,too...:eek:

that big box on the floor beside Shadow(the black Lab), is full of McFeelys screws(plus another one under the workbench), and I've nowhere to seperate and store them... THAT'S the stuff that bugs me, and why I have to tippy-toe around the place...the cabinet shop where I bought the cherry ply, was admittedly a lot bigger than my garage, but it was WELL organized, and that is the way workshops are supposed to be...if I had it to do over, I'd built a BIGGER garage,but $$ was tight when I built that one... seems that's always the dictating factor...
 
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Don Baer said:
One thing you can do is build a shelf that is in the overhead to store your wood stash. That way it is up and out of the way. this will free up valueable floor space.
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Don, I could... IF I'd used 2x6 rafters that span the 20'.. I don't believe that 2x4 rafters will support that kinda weight... they're awful flimsy... that's another case where I listened to a family member when I rebuilt the garage. the floor in that garage is better than 45 years old, and the door is west facing.. the old wooden garage my Dad built from a recycled Railroad signal building replaced a carport that was origionally there, had no door for years.... so you can imaging how rough the floor is...it's terriblly weathered and used, it ruins all the wheels on my machines, hence another reason not to move too much... again, hindsight is 20-20, and I should have made better plans when building this garage... but I had no extra money in which to work with. it is what it is....but Allen is right... time to re-organize.
 
Well I dunno...looks good to me. I agree with Vaughn, everything there but a lathe. I'd probably sell the shaper and get some sort of router table, but that's just me. And then a lathe and a baby drum sander from Grizzly and you're good to go. I wouldn't put the bench against a wall...better to work from all sides. You can get those nylon covers to put over cars...heh heh. Build her some really nice stuff so she realizes just how important shop space is. Looks a little cluttered right now, but I'll bet that from time to time you could drop in unannounced on anybody on this forum and find their shop looking like that. My shop has morphed over the years...some tools haven't moved in 10 years, others get repositioned occasionally to try another arrangement...no perfect answer. And if it's too uncluttered, you probably aren't using it.

Cheers.
 
James I wish I had the room you have. I have almost every tool you have & 2 of several of them in a 13'5" x 24'5" shop with a 7'10" ceiling just ask Larry he'll confirm it. Although I did move the 12" RAS to storage replaced by a 12" SCMS.

Make your own shelf brackets out of plywood & 2x2. Just plywood triangle with 2 x on the top edge & on the edge next to the wall glued & screwed to the side of the plywood to support 24" deep shelves. I notched mine out where the top meets the back of the bracket this allowed for a piece of 2x2 on the bottom of the back edge of the shelf as a stiffener. I rabbited a 2x2 for the front edge stiffener it covered the raw plywood edge. With the 2x in the notch at the back of the bracket & a couple of screws in the front the shelf is in place. I hung mine 12" down from the ceiling, if your ceiling is higher you can maybe hang yours higher or lower depending on your needs.
 
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Bob Gibson said:
Great idea !!
My basement has a low ceiling and duct work making working on a tall piece difficult. I could hinge a work table to the concrete wall making it a foot or so lower than my fixed workbenches. It would make finishing easier as well.
Thanks Allen and Dave for the good ideas.
Click to expand...

Another way is to make interlocking plywood pieces that you set on the floor & band a piece of plywood sized to make a work table of your choice with 1x2 just to stiffen it a bit this will set on the interlocking plywood pieces which come apart & hang on the wall when not in use.
You can make the interlocking table supports in many different heights. Just slide them apart & hang on a nail when not in use.
If you want a real flat table make a shallow torsion box. I know Steve Jenkins down in Texas that has a commercial shop that has torsion box panels for portable table tops & he makes things that many of us only wish we could make.
 
Ed Gerhard said:
Well I dunno...looks good to me. I agree with Vaughn, everything there but a lathe. I'd probably sell the shaper and get some sort of router table, but that's just me. And then a lathe and a baby drum sander from Grizzly and you're good to go. I wouldn't put the bench against a wall...better to work from all sides. You can get those nylon covers to put over cars...heh heh. Build her some really nice stuff so she realizes just how important shop space is. Looks a little cluttered right now, but I'll bet that from time to time you could drop in unannounced on anybody on this forum and find their shop looking like that. My shop has morphed over the years...some tools haven't moved in 10 years, others get repositioned occasionally to try another arrangement...no perfect answer. And if it's too uncluttered, you probably aren't using it.

Cheers.
Click to expand...

I built her this for her B-day last week..... she loved it.

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as for the shaper, yeah, I took adsvice from a friend when I 1st got into this, and he recommended a shaper... this is actually my 2nd(the other was Grizzlys' smallest) and there are times when I wished I had a nice Router table cabinet instead. I use the shaper alot, as a router table, but the fence is a problem for some cuts. I also have a drum sander... a Delta X5 18-36".. it's just outta the pics...THAT was a nightmare of a story trying to get it in reusable condition...it was missing an elevator screw...also had the bearing flanges assembled wrong...man, it made me wanna pull what hair I got left out !!! but now I know how to completely re-build a Delta drum sander!!!! :thumb:
 
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