# Power tool space saving thread



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

I would like to open up some space in my shop. I've searched and looked at all the topics about space saving here and got some ideas. I'll bet there are more out there. The recently posted revolving power tool cabinet for example had great possibilities. I'm not talking hand tools here, or drawers for screws. How can I take my belt sanders, planer, scroll saw, band saw, miter saw, router table etc. and somehow reorganize or consolidate them so they shop has more room. This is beyond putting your router table on your table saw table. I'm thinking more in line with the flip tops and the rotary benches that have more than one tool on them. And let's shoot for access. Make it reasonably easy to set up the planer to use should you need to run a board through it once just to thin it out a bit without taking more time to get the planer out than put the wood through it.

Let's brainstorm Ideas. I certainly need some!
these are old pictures of my shop. It's become more power tool cluttered since then.


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

Hello , my friend. I'm stuck working in my basement with very limited space. My only solution was to put everything on wheels and move it into the spotlight as needed. Better than lifting or dragging , but still time consuming. I need to make better use of my storage areas , and have recently started to thin the herd by selling off rarely used equipment on Craigslist….more space resulting : )
Have a great day , Dan !!
Len


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

I'm designing a cart for storing sheet goods and cut-offs from sheet goods. 
It's 34" wide so it fits through a standard door and 8ft long to hold full 4×8 sheets.
One side has an inclined support where I can place a sheet of plywood and clamp my cutting guide to the sheet and saw it up using my circular saw. This side looks like a panel saw and kinda functions like one too.
Since it's mounted on large pnuematic tired casters I can roll it out of the shop, through the garage and load sheets from my trailer onto the cart. Then I can saw the sheets up while in the drive way before rolling the loaded cart back into the shop.
Once the cart is back in the shop it parks against a wall, under my lumber storage shelves. In this position the panel saw side rails work like an 8 ft wide step ladder I can step up on to access my lumber.


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

sounds like a nice , useful addition , crank : )


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## KentuckyTreeRat (Mar 27, 2012)

You could donate all your tools to me in trade for my trusty flathead screwdriver and carpenter hammer


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

Kentucky, that's a great idea. Unfortunately, if you look at one of my other forum topics it's that I've abandoned spade screwdrivers in lieu of torx and with my nail guns I think of hammers as nail removers more than nail inserters now. Do you have a cant dog by any chance. Now that would be useful.


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## SchottFamily (Jul 30, 2011)

I had the same issue in my rental house. Here's the ideas everyone contributed


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## Martyroc (Feb 1, 2012)

Dusty's got the right idea, WHEELS, on everything you can. The only problem is I spend more time moving equipment than using it, but when I building larger items it's a life saver. In the summer since my shop is my garage, I roll everything I am not using into the driveway helps a lot. Another thing you might try is plenty of wall cabinets, my garage had some pretty lousy shelving when we moved in I ripped what I could down and what was descent I built cabinets around it. 
I told my wife I would like to build onto the garage/workshop, her answer was simple," as soon as you finish all the projects on my list, then your list go ahead" so I'm looking at 5 years or so LOL


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## ssnvet (Jan 10, 2012)

Take all of your hand held power tools out of their cases and stow the cases up in your attic.

The tools will consume much less space on the shelf and you won't consume half of your work bench every time you need to open up case to access a tool.


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## ssnvet (Jan 10, 2012)

In this thread I show my multi- tool work station

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/35034


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## BlankMan (Mar 21, 2009)

Take a look at my workshop, at my machine bench. My planer, mortiser, and spindle sander slide back thus giving up the bench to the RAS and miter saw.

When using the mortiser it also takes advantage of the long bench for support.

And the planer gets a really long outfeed table that really does help.


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## cutworm (Oct 2, 2010)

I've got half of a 2 car garage and am in the same situation. Wanting to buy a jointer and 15" drill press but really don't have the space. I don't keep anything that I don't use and that helps some. I added a router top to my tablesaw. That helped some. I can't seem to get blood out of a turnip though. Good luck and good idea on this thread. Some pretty creative people out there.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I put my 160 lbs drum sander on wheels and store it under a bench along a wall. Roll it out and use it while seated.


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## doordude (Mar 26, 2010)

you're on the right track. look for magazines and books that show different carts.
it's a fun exhausting task.


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## FatherHooligan (Mar 27, 2008)

I have my compressor inside a multi purpose re-purposed crate/tool wagon I made from the crate of my General table saw. Its in my projects. I have the compressor inside the planer on top, and my bench grinder bolted on one corner. I also store my workmates, air tools and assorted jigs in or on the cart. I know its not pretty but it sure is useful. I'd also add a vote for putting everything you can on wheels, it helps a lot.

I'd post the link to my cart project but I haven't quite figured out how to do that on my tablet yet 1/ .


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## KenBry (Sep 13, 2011)

1 area you can save space is combine your router table with your table saw. I bought the benchdog router iron wing for my table saw and it's nice having both items on the same unit in a tight space.


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## RandyM68 (Jan 20, 2012)

Here's a swivel table. You could probably build a bench along one wall with swivels for several tools. You could have one on each side, or hang them underneath, leaving a flat surface, and swivel it up when you need it. My shop is even smaller than yours. I tried to keep all my benches level with my table saw, so everything works together as infeed/outfeed tables for each other.


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