Very nice layout, Dan. Someone has commented that their favorite tool is
their workbench. That's the first time I thought of a workbench as a tool
instead of furniture and I've concluded they are correct. Carrying the
comparison further, I guess my favorite tool would be my shop. ;) I have a
similar layout to what you propose, however, I've turned the assembly table
90 deg. and butted it up to the outfeed side of the saw and find it very
effective as an outfeed table, especially for 4x8 sheets. I'm sure a lot of
folks who will never say so will find your pictures and legend very helpful.
Congratulations on a very constructive post.
"Dan Dresner" wrote in message
news:sih%a.125819$Oz4.26043@rwcrnsc54...
There have been a several requests recently from wreckers who are setting
up
shop in garage-sized spaces. I have been away from my shop for several
years
now and still don't know when I'll be able to get back to it, so to keep
my
hands from shaking (still in withdrawal after all this time), I have been
CAD-ing a re-arrangement of my stuff. I've incorporated as much as I could
from magazines, from rec.woodworking, and from the web, and tried to build
an "ideal" shop, given my space limitations.
I just posted 4 scale drawings on rec.binaries.pictures.woodworking that
show what I'm planning. Several things should be kept in mind, especially
by
newbies: 1) I'm an amateur with limited experience; 2) I haven't set up
the
shop yet; and 3) I don't know what the hell I'm talking about, so I'd sure
appreciate any and all constructive input!!!
The following refers to the file on ABPW named "24x30 garage workshop -
plan
view [1/5]"
LEGEND
A. 4" belt sander
B. oscillating drum sander
C. 14" or 16" band saw
D. 6" jointer
E. 13" thickness planer
F. air compressor
G. cyclonic dust collector
H. table saw (poss. add router to extension later)
I. sheet goods storage
J. lumber and narrow stock storage (partially hidden behind sheet
goods)
K. large storage drawers; accessory drawers; hardware bins
L. open storage shelves; saw blades; books; sandpaper
M. work bench (poss. add miter saw in future)
N. storage for mortiser
O. mortiser location when in use (blank plate in opening other times)
P. hand tool chest
Q. mechanic's tool chest (on wheels) stored under workbench
R. assembly table; lunch counter
S. clamp cart (other clamps on walls in various locations)
T. twist, Forstner, masonry bits; drill press accessories
U. sharpening station (on wheels)
V. drill press
W. ladders
X. main workbench (no tail vice)
Y. storage shelves; cutoff bins
Z. router table
NOTES
1. 2-car garage is 24' x 30'
2. all dust collector drops connect to tools with flexible hose and
blast
gates
3. All major dust-producers except TS located along one wall, near dust
collector. TS duct connects to 1st drop west of DC.
4. dust collector is near the door: easy to roll outside to remove
lower
bag
5. belt sander is easily repositioned for long pieces and can use the
workbench for add'l support; in front of rarely-used side door
6. router table can use the workbench to support long pieces and v.v.;
can be moved away easily
7. oscillating sander can use the router table for support of large
pieces
8. band saw table is high enough to allow workpiece to miss oscillating
sander and jointer on either side
9. jointer is easily moved away from the wall for use
10 thickness planer moves to the assembly table for outfeed support
11 Sheet goods bin is hinged with U-bolts that pass through heavy-duty
eye
hooks secured to reinforced wall stud; 3" metal wheels allow it to swing
away from the lumber rack. (I stole this GREAT idea from Chris Merrill
(http://christophermerrill.net/ww/shop/storage1.html). Thanks, Chris.
12. workflow: sheet goods and lumber enter through main garage door, move
to TS, jointer, and planer; all of which are nearby
13. workflow: cut pieces are then placed on the assembly bench, easy to
take to band saw, sanders, router table, and work bench
14. metalwork is all in one corner to minimize metal dust particles;
drill
bits and hand tools near sharpening station and main workbench
15. To make working with the CAD program easier, I created half-walls
rather than full-height to show the boundaries of the garage.
16. The drawing was done with Design Workshop Classic, the best
inexpensive
3-D modeler I've been able to find (after MUCH looking!). The learning
curve
isn't too steep, although there are some quite serious shortcomings in the
program and the documentation leaves much to be desired. Even so, it's a
heckuva program and well-worth trying out: you can download a free,
unlimited-use copy of the program from
http://www.artifice.com/free/dw_lite.html. The freebie is essentially the
same as the Classic, with a fairly generous limitation on the number of
objects you can create. And their support is outstanding: send them an
email
and you'll either get a quick email in return - or a timely phone call
from
a truly knowledgeable and courteous tech who will stay with you until your
questions are resolved. This endorsement, in fact, is my way of thanking
them for their professionalism and courtesy.