# 21x13 shop, tell me what you think of my plans



## onesojourner (Sep 13, 2013)

I have been playing around with the layout of my shop with my current and future tools that I plan to acquire.

Here are some pictures and then I will make some comments:














































Alright, Currently this is in a room in framed out, but unfinished basement. This is a semi temporary setup (5 years ?) There is a utility room at the back of the shop that I can probably use to store one tool on a mobile base and I may also be able to wheel out something else that is not used often into another area of the basement when I am handling larger items. So tell me what you think of this layout.


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## Bobsboxes (Feb 8, 2011)

I can't see the whole layout, but if it were me, and you had room in an another area, I would make a well insulated room to house cyclone and compressor. And have the air filtered back into shop.


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

Very nice drawings. (right click then select view image to see the whole picture)

Two problems I'd have with that layout.

1. There is no way I could work in a shop without a work bench.

2. You will be extremely frustrated with those 30" wide doors.
Almost no equipment will fit through them and then not very much of what you might build will come out of them; unless you do mostly scroll saw or lathe projects. But I didn't see either of those machines in your layout.


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

Judging by my 24 by 12 shop, it's not gonna be as roomy as your drawing indicates. Can't see the other end though. 
I don't have a cyclone you've pictured either or a floor band saw. You may also be more organized and be able to keep it neat and tidy. The idea of storing some tools outside the room may help a lot.


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## ssnvet (Jan 10, 2012)

Nice digital layout. Did you use Sketch Up, or Grizzly's web based shop design tool?

Are these all tools that you already own? Or is it part shopping list?

You're jointer/planer has no planned space for in/out feed. You might consider parking it next to the TS.

Ditto on the work bench. You really need one…. preferably with clear space to stand at the front and both ends.

Ditto on 30" doors.

Your foot print is right at the cusp of needing to move machines every time you use them, and being able to have them set up and ready to go with a flip of the switch with no fussing around. If you can pull it off, the later is much preferred.

Good luck.


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## 49er (Jan 3, 2014)

Starting from scratch, plan everything around dust collection. Shortest most efficient layout for me was clustering machines near the center.

A shop with a basement would really work well. With compressor, electrical and dust collection coming up from the floor. Wood storage down stairs with a southern glass exposure to help air dry wood would be my ideal plan.

I built my own 4 foot doors after I did away with the heat sucking overhead doors.


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## onesojourner (Sep 13, 2013)

crank49, So far my outfeed table has doubled as my assembly table. I am not sure where or how large of a bench I could get in there. I may look into some sort of fold away table on the infeed side of the tablesaw. The tablesaw is my widest tool I plan to get and I got it in there so I think I am ok for now with the entry door,

Mainiac Matt, I used Chief Architect to do the layout with machine models from 3D Warehouse.

As far moving machines goes I know what you mean. I am not sure any way around it though. The plan with the jointer planer is to be able to pull it out from the wall when processing large stock and then push it back to make the walk way larger.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

In a shop that size I'd forgo the radial arm saw and I agree with putting the DC in the back room.


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## onesojourner (Sep 13, 2013)

There isn't really room for the dust collector in the utility room. This a pressure tank, water heater and hvac system in there. There is probably room for one portable too.

I may ditch the radial arm saw as a accumulate some of the other tools.


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## johnstoneb (Jun 14, 2012)

With that size shop (I Have a 16×24) you are going to need to have everything mobile. Ditch the Radial arm saw I had one the only thing it really did was collect junk and serve as a tool bench. Try to find a place outside for the DC. Mine is in the shop but is going outside this summer as soon as a build a covered area for it. In addition to the room it takes up you also have fine dust that comes through the bag and eventually you have a coat of dust on everything in the soop.


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## onesojourner (Sep 13, 2013)

The space I have the dust collector in is actually a 2ft wide framed wall. In that space is where the plumbing is. I did not include that area in my dimensions of the shop since it is not all useable.


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## Ripthorn (Mar 24, 2010)

I had my whole shop set up in half of a 2 car garage before we moved, and I had a bench, floor drill press, band saw, jointer, and table saw with 7' rails all stationary, but it didn't have much room for large projects. Here are my thoughts:

- The jointer needs infeed and outfeed space, but is otherwise a prime candidate for moving around. I tend to do my jointing in batches, so it doesn't have to have permanent space.

- On thing that worked really well for me was to have the drill press on the outfeed side of the bandsaw and keep the table at the same height as the bandsaw table except when actually using the drill press.

- You need a bench. I find I use my 6' bench and outfeed table and still need more space. Your outfeed table will work for a while, though.

- I don't see any storage for short lumber and sheet goods. That stuff can take up a bunch of space quick.

- I would move the table saw out a little bit from the wall and put a router table in the extension

- Do you already have the cyclone? If this is a quasi-temporary situation, you might want to hold off and use that valuable space for something else and run on a portable DC or shop vac.

Thems just my opinions, so take it for what it's worth. You can totally do a full blown shop in that much space, you just have to be careful about what you keep stationary and not. Don't forget that under the table saw extension is great space for (in my case) a miter saw and benchtop belt sander. Just be very space efficient, use the walls, etc.


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## onesojourner (Sep 13, 2013)

Nope I don't have a cyclone yet.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Like some others have said you need a door larger than 30" ,if your going to use sheet goods you will need a garage door. If it were me I'd loose the Radial arm saw,but if you can live with out it ,it will need longer side tables. The jounter needs to have much more room in feed and out feed,many folks place them on one end of their table saw depending on their height. I always put my compressor and DC units outside to save room even if you need to build a little lean to or little shake for them.


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## MalcolmLaurel (Dec 15, 2013)

This is about the size of the shop I'm going to build this spring, 12-14' back and the width of my 2 car garage. In my case, the only piece of fixed equipment I have right now is the radial arm saw… I'm going to put it in the center of the long back wall, with a bench running the full 20' length, and storage underneath. I'll have a large door at one end with the hinge line behind the fence at one end, and a window at the other end, so that by opening the door and the window I can cut or rip really long boards when I have to, in one end and out the other… but most of the time, there'll be plenty of room to use the RAS even if one or both ends of the bench are occupied by other work.

I may add a small drill press and bandsaw that I have, but my big ones will stay in the adjacent garage with the other metalworking equipment (the goal is to separate the sawdust from the metalworking and car repair side).


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I think it all depends on what kind of work you plan to do in our shop. I have a 13' x22' shop (separate building with a bath room and kitchen type sink)) and the only tool I made mobile is the table saw. I only move it when I want to use one of my two scroll saws. I make small artsy/crafty things so this small shop works well for me. I do not use plywood and cut all my wood to 2'-3' lengths. The entry door is a double door 48" wide total. If I were to start building larger plywood items I would get a panel saw to cut the wood to size before brining it into my shop.


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## onesojourner (Sep 13, 2013)

Here is my plan with the jointer:

In use:









Not in use:


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

It looks pretty good so far, given the equipment you have in that space, having as many things mobile as possible could be very helpful depending on what stage you're you project is in and how big it is.


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