# What would your ultimate wood shop look like?



## wilschroter (Dec 17, 2016)

I'm in the process of designing a new house and I'm going to dedicate about 1,250 square feet to just my workshop.

A few years back I wanted to learn carpentry so I turned my detached garage into a workshop, using the construction of the woodshop as my canvas to learn. The result was this - what turned into a DeWalt showroom of sorts. It was a super fun project and I learned a ton. Now I get to start from scratch on a new one.

QUESTION - What's the most insane workshop you've ever seen? What would you put in your workshop if you could put anything? I'm looking for creative uses of space, equipment, or just some fun around "what if"...










Stylistically I'm going for the Tony Stark ultra modern look. But aesthetics notwithstanding, I'm curious what you guys would do. I'm doing most general remodeling and carpentry but I'm interested to hear what even the specialists would do.


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## wilschroter (Dec 17, 2016)

For fun I'm throwing in some various photos of my workshop at different stages of evolution..


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

1250 square feet is nice but not near big enough for the ultimate wood shop. That being said I don't know if there is such a thing.


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## wilschroter (Dec 17, 2016)

What would you like to see that the space wouldn't accommodate?


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

It would depend on the work I needed to do. Ultimately I would like not to be cutting and handling sheet goods but that is unlikely to happen.

Square footage and equipment are the thing. Some cabinetmakers recommend scraping by with marginal machinery for everything and prioritizing the purchase of a wide belt sander and after that a good edge bander and sliding table saw. It depends on the style and volume of work you want or need to do.


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## EricFai (Sep 30, 2018)

Dream shop, is there such a thing.

A floor that is comfortable to the feet.
Lots of lighting to include task lights for stationary tools.
Good DC System.
Hard lines for compressed air.
Good run out tables and benches.
Sufficient outlets, 120 and 240.
Large bench, sturdy.
A separate clean room for finishing.

Just to mention a few ideas.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

first off whats the budget? then you can dream big.i can spend all the money you got and more,you tell us.my dream shop aint filled with dewalt,i can tell ya that right now!


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

Probably like Joshua Farnsworths shop.


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## EricFai (Sep 30, 2018)

Yes the budget is a big thing in the process of building mine, andvcurrently under budget, but that is just for materials. Not counting the hours on the build yet.

Another thing is what one plans on building in that shop.


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## mel52 (Sep 4, 2017)

CLEAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

well ill just say this,the biggest baddest high dollar money doesn't matter shop wont build squat.that takes talent and experience,if all you want is a show place, money can buy that.you have 1 project to show us so i really have no idea what you do or cant do.show shops dont impress me,it's what comes out of them that does.


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

I agree with Pottz. I'm more interested in creative projects that come out of shops.
Is it in Texas they say all hat and no cattle.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> I agree with Pottz. I'm more interested in creative projects that come out of shops.
> Is it in Texas they say all hat and no cattle.
> 
> - Aj2


good analogy.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

Looks to me like his outdoor kitchen pretty nice. You don't think that didn't take some know how?


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## tomsteve (Jan 23, 2015)

my dream shop
" 
https://www.woodmagazine.com/ideas/wood-shop-showcase/ultimate-wood-shop-design":http://https://www.woodmagazine.com/ideas/wood-shop-showcase/ultimate-wood-shop-design


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> my dream shop
> "
> https://www.woodmagazine.com/ideas/wood-shop-showcase/ultimate-wood-shop-design":http://https://www.woodmagazine.com/ideas/wood-shop-showcase/ultimate-wood-shop-design
> 
> - tomsteve


yeah that is a gorgeous shop,but with that view i dont know if id get anything done.


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## CWWoodworking (Nov 28, 2017)

10,000 sq feet.

Dimension room
Assembly room
Finish room
Shipping dock

Most tools are relatively cheap compared to buildings/space. So swing for the fences on size. Cause it does matter.


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## wilschroter (Dec 17, 2016)

Well, 10,000 sq feet is the total footprint of the house, so I may be having a tough conversation with my wife…

"Honey, I know you wanted this to be a play space for the kids, but I'm afraid it's going to be a loading dock now…"


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## CWWoodworking (Nov 28, 2017)

> Well, 10,000 sq feet is the total footprint of the house, so I may be having a tough conversation with my wife…
> 
> "Honey, I know you wanted this to be a play space for the kids, but I m afraid it s going to be a loading dock now…"
> 
> - wilschroter


Well, some may have to make sacrifices.


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## metolius (May 26, 2016)

I spent a couple years working here, back in the days of a long while ago.










The space was huge, tooling was industrial; yet had benches for hand work and quiet spaces.

They let me work personal projects over weekends. My memory of it is as the ultimate workshop where no project was too large.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

> I spent a couple years working here, back in the days of a long while ago.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Now there's a shop.


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

All depends on the type of work you want to do, which is a personal goal. Your one project pic (nice work) seems to be along the line of home improvement construction or remodeling, not woodworking IMO. If your woodworking you may want a separate room for staining and finishing (minimize dust landing on the finish), I'd do something with all the wasted wall space. Displaying all your DeWalts, may be nice but is this practical. With the Wood Magazine first pic on shops, I'd probably be sitting on the deck with some ice tea enjoying the view instead of woodworking.


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## wilschroter (Dec 17, 2016)

Appreciate the feedback and the link to the WOOD magazine article was super helpful.

I agree with the earlier point about caring more about what's coming out of the shop, but in this case the point was the shop itself, so it doesn't really apply.

I like the idea of the separate room for staining/paint - I hadn't thought about that and it makes a lot of sense. As it relates to the wall space, the tool storage has been super helpful but I'd like to hear about what you guys are doing with your wall space that's more practical.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

more wall space is something i dream of,all my walls are completely covered with cabinets,racks of clamps,hose reels and other jigs and lumber racks.


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## Woodmaster1 (Apr 26, 2011)

Don't forget a bathroom. The older we get the closer one should be. My shop is 990 sqft in the spring through fall then my wife wants to park in the garage. I lose about 200sqft in the winter.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

I'd settle for decent dust collection. I've had people mention to others that their shop is too clean. I've come to realize that a clean shop may not be possible if one actually makes stuff. Either you'd need a nightly cleaning crew or some kind of dust collection I've never heard of. I do like the looks of all of these though, especially the one with the great view.

HEY! where is the dust collection in your shop? I see what looks like a to small pipe above the benches but don't see much connected to it. It's not possible to use these tools without a mess. Heck that Dewalt planer would put you in a barrel of wood chips in a few hours use.

I see you've made a nice kitchen. You should post your other projects. Lotsa nice stuff must have come out of that place.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> Don t forget a bathroom. The older we get the closer one should be. My shop is 990 sqft in the spring through fall then my wife wants to park in the garage. I lose about 200sqft in the winter.
> 
> - Woodmaster1


yea a good point, will also save your marriage when you track saw dust all through the house.DAMHIKT.


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

Basically what I've got with a little more space, maybe 160 sq ft up from 130 now …


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

> Don t forget a bathroom. The older we get the closer one should be.


Depends.
The brand.


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