# My shop is setup just about the way I want it (for now)



## mbs (May 8, 2010)

There are a few things I've done that I really like and I would do over again. And a few things I would do differently. I guess this is the forum to share the good, the bad, and the ugly. Most of the ideas listed below were developed while I was working in a 2 car garage. I was fortunate enough to build a larger garage and incorporate many of the ideas. Setting up a shop is more of a continuous journey and not a discrete event. I'll never be done. There is always something else I need (want) and something I need to sell.

The pics can be seen at "my workshop"

The good -

Position the saws, planer, jointer, shaper so the outfeed is in front of the garage door and you won't lose valuable working space.. I realize this only works when the weather is nice and you have a large garage door to point them at.

Make a covered patio and supply electricity to it. It's nice to work outside in the shade and it's healthier too. Clean-up is easy with a leaf blower.

Put skylights in the shop to let in natural light. Supplement with a lot of T8 florescent lights

Make dedicated cabinets to hold items. e.g. plane cabinet, sanding cabinet, drill cabinet. ...

Learn how to make customized dust collection fittings. it will save you a bunch of money.

Mount your dust collector and compressor outside (if possible). They take up floor space and are noisy.

Put dust collection floor sweeps in the corners and blow the dust from one end of the shop to the other.

Plumb in a lot of electrical outlets (inside and outside) and install airlines to get to the major areas.

If you have both a radial arm saw and the miter saw build them on the same platform to reduce space.

Put equipment on good castors to move it easily.

The bad (what I regret):

I wish I would have put the dust collection piping and some electrical outlets in the floor. It would look nicer and be safer to work around.

Don't install too many windows because they take up valuable wall space.

I would consider having a wood floor because it would be more comfortable than standing on concrete. I don't have any experience with wood floors and I'm not sure they would withstand the weight of some of my tools.

I wish I would have purchased a 3 phase rotary converter and purchased 3 phase equipment. I believe three phase is less expensive and better than single phase. Higher end equipment is made with three phase power and it can be cheaper than single phase.

I made an office that I really don't use. I would rather have the shop floor space.

Before I acquired some of the bigger tools there was enough room to park a car in the shop. Now I regret allowing a car there because my wife thinks it's her parking space.

The ugly:

Don't use the rubber flooring that I used. It shows all tracks and never looks good. I would use epoxy with sand next time.

I hope this helps.


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## Surfside (Jun 13, 2012)

Thanks for the tips!


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## whitebeast88 (May 27, 2012)

great tips and a beautiful shop thanks for sharing.


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## steamfab (Jun 6, 2012)

It's always great to share a couple of good and not-so-good experiences with fellow lumberjocks. I appreciate your time for posting this.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Great looking shop with some outstanding equipment. I agree with most of your tips but I've found that having a Radial arm saw and a sliding compound chop saw on the same platform are troublesome and annoying, at least it was in my shop. I do have some of my DC, electrical outlets and air in the floor and it does make things much easier. As far as having wood floors goes if they are built the right way you can park a locomotive on them, many of the turn of the century factories had wood floors. Thanks for sharing your tips.


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## RogerM (Oct 31, 2011)

Love your shop. My kind of guy!!!


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## mbs (May 8, 2010)

A1Jim,

I too have had problems with keeping the RA saw and the miter saw aligned but i think it's worth the effort when compared to the extra space it takes to tbe saws on separate tables.

If the Felder works out as well as I think it will I may get rid of the RA Saw. About the only time I use it is when I need more than an 8" cut. The quality of the RA cut isn't very good when compared to the miter saw or the felder.


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

loose the RAS, an electric chain saw is good enough.

3 phase converter is a must

you might grow to hate that plastic dust system, static charges, sparks, dust, impossible to ground (almost)

I disagree about windows on walls pending where you live because nothing compares to natural light and its free

albeit the concept of electrical outlets on the ground/floor is inviting, the practical application of such has its own problems, same for burying dust pipes…….a real PITA to remove obstructions.

Easy enough to lay solid wood flooring over the concrete and your right. 30 + years of standing on cement is hard on the feet, knees and hips.

Rip the office out ?

As for the wife's car………..that problem will only get worse as the dust starts to seep into every crevice of her car.

You have a beautiful shop. Enjoy


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## mbs (May 8, 2010)

Would solid wool flooring be much better than concrete?


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## mbs (May 8, 2010)

I should have said - would a solid wood floor placed on concrete be much better? I was thinking of putting plywood over 1"x2" so there was some flex in the wood.


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## mbs (May 8, 2010)

Moron

I could get rid of the office. I had some left over stone flooring material that I put down in the office that i would need to take up too.

My ras does compound angles but my miter saw doesn't. If I get rid of the ras I will probably sell the miter saw and get a sliding compound miter saw. I need to sell a bandsaw too.

My point about windows is you can have too many. I have 8 sky lights that I love and about 30% to 40% of my wall space has windows or doors. Between the windows and dust collection drops there isn't a lot of room for tall shelves or cabinets.


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

Plywood works, and a little flex is even better. Tools IMO, should sit on concrete or the weight of the tool should bare directly onto it, perfectly level and no flex.

never regret anything. If its good its wonderful. If its bad, its experience : ))


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## AJswoodshop (Mar 2, 2012)

I have my table saw right by the garage door. So if I have a longer board, I can stand out in the driveway and rip it down, then I have a outfeed table for plenty of support.

Again, great shop!


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

My boss asked me if I wanted an office, one of those portable trailers that are parked at a job site. I declined as a simple set of box horses and a sheet of plywood suffice, and also lets me see whats going on around me, thus avoiding the less then perfect choices some trades make.

The only benefit I see in an office, is that the dust is kept at bay. As a rule, the office is invaded by wives and children and before you know it, it is ransomed for what could have been shop space.

Floor space is critical, as it enables one to make exactly what we buys tools for.


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

a table saw, especially yours, can produce perfect compound angles and a* sliding* compound miter saw can do the same


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## mbs (May 8, 2010)

My other hobby is riding dirt bikes. I currently use my office to store my riding gear, file cabinet, and fridge. I haven't spent the time to make it a good office or good floor space.

I'm hoping to dial in the felder this weekend. The slider is .020" above the cast iron table. I have a lot to learn to use its functionality.


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## Jim55 (Sep 28, 2012)

That is a truly gorgeous shop- space and machines. I also really like your tables! You and I share views on table construction- massive is better. 

About your floor cushioning- 
Instead of wood flooring your whole shop, just make 1×4 platforms. I was a machinist by trade and have spent many a long hour standing on such and they make a big difference over standing on concrete. My flat feet and I are here to tell you!
Just set 1×4 runners over cross pieces of the same about no more than 3 feet apart. Space the runners about one board thickness from each other. I'd make them 2'-3' wide by about 4' long. They can be easily picked up to allow movement around them when not in use and for sweeping out under. 
Anyway, just my oh-2.

And thanks, by the way. I am in the process of setting myself up a shop and I have concrete floors and in spite of my experience, I hadn't really given this subject any thought. This brought it to my attention.


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