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Workshop Information

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United States
My workshop is the basement of my house. We've been here 4 years so the process of creating the workspace has not gotten very far. My tools include a grizzly band saw, delta table saw, dewalt miter saw, craftsman lathe (which I haven't used yet), rockwell drill press, delta planer, and a few other miscellaneous things. My workspace started out with a former bathroom vanity which I turned into a workbench/catchall at my pegboard. Surrounding this are Coleman cabinets bought from Big Lots at a great deal. I have recently dis-assembled my workbench (which was plywood on sawhorses.) So, my ideal project will be to create a good workbench. Then move on to some of the open long walls I have and put in more cabinetry and benches and line up my tools. If money was no object, I would start with a table saw upgrade, a stationary sander, and a dust collection system…not to mention some cool wood. Maybe it looks like I have a large space but I'm not that great at design…hopefully LJ will help with visualizing the potential.

p.s. I guess its appropriate just to snap shots as is without any tidying up!

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Welcome to LJ's, and dont worry about cleaning up!!!! clean or messy we like the free tours!!!!
Walt
 

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Nice shop!!! Instead of a new table saw, build a cool mobile base for it. Many jocks have done that and it is a huge upgrade in it's self as it add mobility, stability and reduces vibration. Plus you have fun building it!
 

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I would really like to create a bench that serves as a miter saw station so I think the area where the tool chest is now will work best for that since I could use the table as part of a step to get into the storage crawlspaces (brown square doors). I essentially want to pass on my radial arm saw to somebody who could use it--anybody think I should keep it?
 

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Welcome to LJ's. You have a very nice space with alot of potential. As far design goes, the first thing I noticed were the cinder block and the lighting. I looked through your pics a couple times and am I correct that you 2 fluorescent ballast. I'd give strong consideration two upgrading your lighting and painting the walls a light color - and not orange.
 

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Well the flourescent ballasts are in place but for better or worse the bulbs now a days do come in more choices than old school white so I think the color is not completely useless….with that said, I am in a slow process of finishing the ceiling with drop tiles and I do have some waterproofing block paint that i have just been putting off applying. You've kick started my motivation now!... what kind of lights you got in mind?
 

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Good shop space ,looks like you have plenty of room to grow.
 

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Great area to start filling with more tools
 

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My shop is one bay of a 3 car garage. The builder put up the cheapest ballasts he could. Understandable, but the hummmmm incessantly and put of a greenish anemic light. The best thing that I did was, over the shop bay, switch out those for a 4 light, t-8 bulb ballast that don't hummmmm. I put 2700K bulbs and it is bright and warm. I got them at lowes. They are kinda expensive though at around ~ $60 each. But man what a difference.
 

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Wow, great work space. Just do it the way you want it…..............
 

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Hey folks, I have got the motivation to start (back) with my workshop improvements. Much work has been done in the last three days. My first pics were "cluttered" and now the place looks like my wife said "clean it or else!" (thankfully she's cold natured and stays out though) ;-) I have so many wild ideas and started writing some things down to bounce off whoever cares to answer. Some are obvious and some may just require the old "whatever suits you" answer.
Let me get started:

Sheet goods rack-I think I need one and I need it to go vertical. If I stand the wood up without support behind it I know it will bow a little. Is vertical (with a low ceiling) going to be simply too hard to get out of the rack--of course I think small caster are going to be a requirement. If you know of a good plan let me know. I do not foresee a lot of big pieces in this think with my limited amount of wood projects.

Support stands--I have a bench grinder and a 12 1/2 planer on a stand plus an existing router table with metal stand that I may or may not use. Would anybody vote for putting these off the stand, especially the grinder? The planer is nice to be able to port outside but if I built more of a box stand (like some of the ideas I have seen on here) I wonder if it would still work adequately and be a space saver such that I could store it in a cabinet?

Dust collect-yes I'm in my house basement so it probably makes no sense to put it off I just don't understand how to have a good system that goes to most/all my tools.

Miter station-I have a very crude stand that matches the height of my table saw but I have a great wall to build one. What would be a good minimum length on either side of the blade to have clear of obstruction? My hot water heater is a limiting factor but I could at least have 8 feet.

I think I may be the woodworker who needs an assembly table…not a work bench. The table could still have a vise. I do have a nice solid core door that is heavy (1 1/2X44X80) which I have been wanting to put on legs so I just need to get some opinions on that. I have just used a table now for four years. Maybe I being silly but the nice work bench is just a monkey on my back that bothers me.

Its coming along nicely. Thanks for the input.
 

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Vertical sheet goods will work. I know 'cause that is what I do. Getting goods out not bad at all.
 
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