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Smart Shop in a one car garage

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Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby Phil » 02 Sep 2014, 04:55

Smart Shop in a one car garage

Here is a link to an article which can be printed and downloaded.

The shop is 9' x 18' about 3 x 6 meter.

Some very nice space saving ideas.

http://www.finewoodworking.com/workshop ... arage.aspx


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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby TrimTheKing » 02 Sep 2014, 09:29

Cheers Phil, interesting read that.

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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby Andyp » 02 Sep 2014, 09:34

I have done something similar with a few items in my workshop. Details later this week, I hope
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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby Wizard9999 » 02 Sep 2014, 09:39

Phil wrote:Smart Shop in a one car garage

Here is a link to an article which can be printed and downloaded.

The shop is 9' x 18' about 3 x 6 meter.

Some very nice space saving ideas.



Phil

This article was very much the start point to my own thinking about what I could do in my own 'to be' workshop. To be very pedantic 9' x 18' feet is actually closer to 2.75m x 5.5m, which means it is near as damn it 15m2, i.e. the limit for an outbuilding within a metre of a boundary without needing building reg's approval.

I think this all looks very smart and well thought out. I have gratefully taken on board the comments and feedback I have received on the thread I started on my workshop planning (as things stand I plan to build my 14.99m2 and buy tools sequentially, based on what looks most critical given the projects I plan to take on), but I can't shake a nagging thought that if this guy, the editor of a woodworking magazine who says "One of the best parts of working for this magazine is that I get to visit the best workshops in the world, and the good ideas I see are abundant." can 'have it all' in 15m2 (with the compromise of juggling machines on mobile bases and by lifting out of low storgae positions) then surely I can as well :eusa-think:

Terry.
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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby Wizard9999 » 02 Sep 2014, 09:41

Andyp wrote:I have done something similar with a few items in my workshop. Details later this week, I hope


Looking forward to it Andy, lots of pictures I hope!

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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby TrimTheKing » 02 Sep 2014, 09:50

Wizard9999 wrote:
Phil wrote:Smart Shop in a one car garage

Here is a link to an article which can be printed and downloaded.

The shop is 9' x 18' about 3 x 6 meter.

Some very nice space saving ideas.



Phil

This article was very much the start point to my own thinking about what I could do in my own 'to be' workshop. To be very pedantic 9' x 18' feet is actually closer to 2.75m x 5.5m, which means it is near as damn it 15m2, i.e. the limit for an outbuilding within a metre of a boundary without needing building reg's approval.

I think this all looks very smart and well thought out. I have gratefully taken on board the comments and feedback I have received on the thread I started on my workshop planning (as things stand I plan to build my 14.99m2 and buy tools sequentially, based on what looks most critical given the projects I plan to take on), but I can't shake a nagging thought that if this guy, the editor of a woodworking magazine who says "One of the best parts of working for this magazine is that I get to visit the best workshops in the world, and the good ideas I see are abundant." can 'have it all' in 15m2 (with the compromise of juggling machines on mobile bases and by lifting out of low storgae positions) then surely I can as well :eusa-think:

Terry.


Terry

You can have whatever you want, but the question is what you really need. The guys one here, me included, are giving you advice based on years of owning workshops and discovering what works (for us) and what doesn't and are giving you the benefit of that.

I have all the kit, and am in the process of getting rid of lots of it because I value the space over the specific job some of those tools can do and would rather do something a slightly different way to preserve that.

Re the comment about compromise of lifting out of low positions. I am 38, 6'3" and fairly strong, but have a bad lower back and some of my kit could work beautifully that way, but is so heavy it would have me in my box or a wheelchair in short order. It's not just the romance of the idea you need to consider, but the reality and practicality. Can you honestly say that you have years of lifting a 60kg morticer up and down regularly left in you, because I know I don't...

Ultimately though, you must do whatever you feel is the right thing. Starting small and building up you will find that equilibrium of space vs machinery needs without spending too much cash that you might not get a good return on if you decide it's not working. Unless you're loaded then it doesn't matter! ;)

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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby Wizard9999 » 02 Sep 2014, 10:44

TrimTheKing wrote:Ultimately though, you must do whatever you feel is the right thing. Starting small and building up you will find that equilibrium of space vs machinery needs without spending too much cash that you might not get a good return on if you decide it's not working. Unless you're loaded then it doesn't matter! ;)


Mark

I'm obviously feeling a bit cheeky this morning and poking some of the 'big beasts' on the forum with a pointy stick ;)

Having done it I'm now worried it may not have been a smart thing to do. So for the avoidance of any doubt, I have read and taken on board comments from people who have probably forgotten more about woodworking than I will ever know. I'm going to build my workshop first, in parallel I'm really trying to get some detail on what 'kit' people who make the type of thing I want to make use - I've even been to my locally library for the first time in years and emptied out the section on woodworking (all of five books).

I'll retreat back to my rightful place with my tail duly between my legs :lol:

Terry.
Last edited by Wizard9999 on 02 Sep 2014, 10:57, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby TrimTheKing » 02 Sep 2014, 10:49

Haha, big beasts! :P

There's always more to learn, and even those on here who've been doing this for years still pick up new ways of working from others on here. I guess we have just seen people spend a lot of money that's turned out to either be wasted or false economy that we just want to try and help you avoid making some of them.

Have you had a think about the kind of stuff you want to be making first, then going forwards? If you stick that up on here then we can start to make suggestions as to a possible starter kit of tools. Also, what do you own in the way of tools at the moment?

And as for retreating, don't be daft! Your rightful place is right here poking your stick into whatever you want (ooer misses) to gain knowledge. Ultimately we are all here to learn and share, so poke away ;)

Cheers :obscene-drinkingbuddies:
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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby Loghead » 02 Sep 2014, 11:08

I'm doing something very similar...

I have a single-car garage to work with and this has been used as my shop for over thirty years. I always felt cramped; although careful planning and organising 'work-stations', meant it was never impossible.

At the moment though it's in a mess, for lots of reasons not connected to woodwork. I am working around the problems, but it's frustrating. One thing has become apparent. I can't get any more space to work in, so I have to adapt again. I have a timber rack in the roof space, but it's full. So I know I CAN'T collect timber any more. Once I have the shop reorganised, and the material I have has been used, I must buy timber only as needed for a job. Start the job asap, and when the job's done, get rid of the offcuts. (A 'firewood' sign on my drive helps!) I hope to become more selective in what I salvage from jobs; and to gain some space, I am thinking of selling my Sedgwick 12" planer, to buy a smaller model.

Aside from that, it's late in the day for major additions, so I am hoping to potter my time away once I have 'cleared the decks'!

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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby Wizard9999 » 02 Sep 2014, 12:19

Mark

The list of things I am telling SWMBO I will be able to make in order to gain budget sign off is extremely varied, if I recall correctly it includes the following items (in no particular order of priority):
- Pair of garage doors
- Service door for garage
- Built in storage in bathroom (floor to ceiling about 1.2m wide)
- Summer house for garden
- Cutlery and other organisation inserts for kitchen drawers
- A bench for my workshop

However, if I look beyond this initial list what I am most interested in making is furniture; chairs, moderate size cabinets and similar. In one of the books I have been reading (Making Furniture Projects & Plans) there was a caption under a picture which struck a chord with me, it said "Contemporary feel in design and timber, but traditional in construction." I think that about sums up how I would like people to describe what I end up making. But, that is not to say I am looking to be a hand tool only woodworker, to the contrary my 'gut feel' is that I will be able to make better 'things' using machine tools than I would with hand tools.

And, just to show the extent of my ignorance in case it makes any difference my personal aesthetic preference is for woods such as rosewood, walnut and similar darker or more heavily grained woods. No idea the extent to which different types of wood need to be worked very differently.

As ever, thanks for the input.

Terry.
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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby Fromey » 02 Sep 2014, 20:01

I have half the size of that workshop and can only dream of getting something so spacious. :eusa-violin:
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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby Andyp » 03 Sep 2014, 08:18

Fromey wrote:I have half the size of that workshop and can only dream of getting something so spacious. :eusa-violin:


Welcome to the forum Fromey. What sort of woodwork are you into? If you have a moment why not introduce yourself in our Welcome section? A few pictures of any projects always go down well.
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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby Phil » 14 Sep 2014, 17:32

Here are some nice ideas and a downloadable PDF file.

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/proje ... =237727640

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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby Loghead » 10 Feb 2016, 12:16

My shop has virtually the same area. One snag is the house stairway which intrudes into the garage. This limits the uses to which I can put the back wall. so my lathe sits there at the moment; despite the fact I keep banging my nut on the underside of the stairs!

So I decided I am going to reinstate the saw-table attachment on the lathe. I can place the whole shebang across the shop, in the same position as the table saw shown in these plans. I can then finish the 10 x 6 shed out back and move out the Festool MFT. :eusa-think:

Now Spring isn't far away, it all sounds so much more promising.

LH :D

I see I have already posted here! Well, I have been otherwise engaged caring for my Lady, and only now have I had chance to get back to work! :)
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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby Mike G » 10 Feb 2016, 15:13

TrimTheKing wrote:.........You can have whatever you want, but the question is what you really need. ......


There is a compromise with space vs equipment that everyone has to make. The more kit you have, the less space you have to work. In my case, I value space over kit. I have enough space that most people would put a table saw in it. There are times I would really like one, but I simply cannot have less floorspace than I have now and still feel comfortable. If I'm making a dining table, then I need a dining table sized space, plus room to work all around it.

If people are just making toys or boxes or the like, then by all means, have "standing room only", but before you make that decision, you have to be pretty confident that you'll be sticking to that size of project.
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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby Crispylettuce » 12 Feb 2016, 23:37

So do you rip all your boards on a bandsaw?

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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby DaveL » 13 Feb 2016, 12:27

Mike makes a very good point about space, I have a major problem with lack of space and am trying to free up floor to finish making a desk.
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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby Loghead » 13 Feb 2016, 15:32

Crispylettuce wrote:So do you rip all your boards on a bandsaw?

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Crispy:


Sometimes I do. It depends on the length of boards I need. I don't mind sacrificing a little timber, making rough cuts, providing my thicknesser can flatten/square one face, from which to work.

For smaller jobs I'll use the 4.5 inch planer/thicknesser on my Coronet Major. As a plus, the circular saw on that machine can be set-up to be as accurate as anything you would find for six times the cost. So I do dimension timber on that also. :obscene-drinkingcheers:
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Re: Smart Shop in a one car garage

Postby Woodbloke » 13 Feb 2016, 18:34

Mike G wrote: The more kit you have, the less space you have to work. In my case, I value space over kit.



Mike's spot on the wonga. It's the space available that determines what you can build, not the amount of gear you can cram into the 'shop. I've got enough free space to assemble something of a reasonable size and walk round it at the same time. So often I see pics of other people's 'shops and there simply isn't enough room to build anything. 'Tis a no brainer when you think about it - Rob
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