# 3 Car Garage, 2 bays for woodworking.



## MikeDVB (Mar 1, 2015)

Hello!

My house has a pretty big basement and while I'd love to turn it into a workshop as I'd have tons of room - I really don't relish the idea of getting big heavy tools down there and going up/down the stairs constantly with wood and finished projects. If I had a walk-out basement I'd do it but … ugh. So I've been taking my extra stuff I don't use much from my garage down to my basement.

I have a 3 bay garage that in total is about 660 square feet. The ceilings are 10' so I built an 8' x 2' shelf, a 4' x 2' shelf, and a 6' x 2' shelf - they're all 8ft tall and have 4 levels. This allowed me to get a LOT of stuff up off the floor / organized. I'm still working on it - but it did give me a lot more storage space.

As it stands I have one full bay in my garage right now where I keep everything and then the bay next to that one normally houses my 5' x 8' utility trailer. I pull the trailer out when I am woodworking which opens up more space for me.

My table saw is just a Bosch jobsite portable table saw - I needed something that I could collapse down due to space constraints. My miter saw is also on a folding stand. I have a 6" Grizzly jointer and a dewalt planer. I built a small work bench against the far wall where my benchtop router table, drill press, and disc sander sit. My Rockwell band saw is next to the workbench.

Another reason I went for this table saw and miter saw is because I can roll them out to my driveway to give myself more space to work.

As it stands I'm trying to think of things that I can do to optimize my space. Right now my clamps lay on a shelf below the workbench which is less than ideal as I have to sort through them to get what I need.

My walls are open / bare studs. I'm hoping to put some insulation and then plywood sheathing so I can heat in the winter and cool in the summer.

I have a fair bit of vertical space but am very limited on floor space.

Anybody else using a very limited floor space have any tips or suggestions on making the most effective use of the space?


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## WalkerR (Feb 8, 2017)

I have a very small basement shop. For space constraints, I built stands for my tools at the right heights so that my planer outfeeds onto the table saw, and the table saw outfeeds onto my workbench. Another option is to build an outfeed table/cart with wheels. If you make all of the other tools the right height you can roll it in place when needed. Put a shop vac in the bottom and you have mobile dust collection too!

There are hundreds of designs for clamp racks out there. If you're going to put up plywood sheathing, might as well take it one step further and build a french cleat system for the walls. Easy, affordable, customizable, and re-arrangable.


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

You can convert your table saw to have a cabinet below it adding tool storage for things that you would use with the TS.

This is a very large example but you get the idea.


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## Peteybadboy (Jan 23, 2013)

I have the same configuration. I live in s/w fla, so I have to move it all so I can be a car and pick up in as well. I started by putting "Monster racks" on the ceiling most of my lumber is in those racks. everything is else on wheels.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

In comparison to me you have a lot of floor space. My shop is a half of a two car garage, so roughly 10' x 20' floor space. It houses a 3hp Shop Fox cabinet saw with built in router table, work bench/outfeed, 6" jointer, planer/sand on a flip top cart, drill press, and a DC. Grizzly's website has a really neat tool called the "Shop Planner" that lets you do scale layouts easily and for free….recommended.

Here's my current layout:


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## MikeDVB (Mar 1, 2015)

Wow that's awesome.

For me it's not so much that I don't have the space - it's more about not having the experience as to what will work best and what is the best use of the space.

I'm sure I'll change it up several times. I'll take a couple of pictures and post them.


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## CaptainKlutz (Apr 23, 2014)

HaHa - Many would kill to have a 3 bay 20×30x10 sized work space! You are lucky one.

IMHO - How much space you need and best layout really depends on size and qty of projects you produce.

Since you are new to dedicated shop space, Do not worry about what layout to create.
Suggest you put everything on a mobile base, roll it around as needed. After 6-9 months of regular use, a layout that works for your projects will emerge. With everything on wheels, you can also change your layout as often as project focus changes.

Biggest challenge to making a shop layout is finding one that works for power outlets and dust collection, while keeping a smooth process flow that minimizes wasted effort on handling or set up time. The compromises in achieving this balance are not simple, and almost never same each wood worker or location.

Relax, enjoy the process and make stuff!

Cheers!


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## MikeDVB (Mar 1, 2015)

My dust collector is mobile and I've run outlets where I need them. I'm thinking about a sub panel for the tools so I can lock it out (have 3 younger children).


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## MikeDVB (Mar 1, 2015)




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## MikeDVB (Mar 1, 2015)




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## MikeDVB (Mar 1, 2015)

I think I'm going to build storage above the garage doors to store my wood.


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

Get the lawnmower and gas can outside. Matter of fact get all the lawn equipment outside in a exterior storage building. Don't go fancy on first time out. Keep it simple. You can make a storage blg out of an old campertop and only have to build 4-5 ft walls and put camper on top of that, two doors and you have this:


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## MikeDVB (Mar 1, 2015)

> Get the lawnmower and gas can outside. Matter of fact get all the lawn equipment outside in a exterior storage building. Don t go fancy on first time out. Keep it simple. You can make a storage blg out of an old campertop and only have to build 4-5 ft walls and put camper on top of that, two doors and you have this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I wish I could. Would you believe that my home owners association won't permit even a really nice shed that matches my house?

My ex wife was in love with this house - I wanted something in the country.

I have a storage unit but I hate having to drive to go pick it up and bring it back every time I need to mow. I do want to find a parking spot for my trailer - none available at local storage places though.


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## CaptainKlutz (Apr 23, 2014)

> I wish I could. Would you believe that my home owners association won't permit even a really nice shed that matches my house?
> - MikeDVB


HOA Nazi are easy to get around, if you don't mind spending some extra time and money. 

Put up a 6 foot high fence, and then build a shed that is 5 foot 11 inches tall They can not get upset about something they can not see in back yard. 

Additionally, most city and/or HOA rules are also different for temporary/portable structures below certain sq ft. For this need to get creative:
- One house I owned protected by Nazi, bypassed the rules with an old used 6×12 trailer parked in back yard next to house with wheels removed. Paint to match house, and it was easy to miss once some skirting was added to hide the open space near ground. Looked liked part of house if you looked from distance over the fence, and temporary use was only 10 years!
- While I despise spending money on plastic junk, Rubber Maid sells some useful 'temporary' shed space that fits under fences, and helps get around HOA rules. BORG has large selection. Hate to admit it, but I use this one to bypass my current no shed rules on a rental property. When I needed a shed, didn't have time to build one and the funky plastic box worked. It's been baking Arizona sun for 5+ years, used in two homes, and still works like new, despite some fading. 
If nothing else, look at designs and build your own creative 'hidden' storage box.

Best Luck.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

There are pros and cons on having a large shop. My shop is 1200 sf with a 10' ceiling. pro: plenty of space for large projects; con: because I have so much space, I tend to leave a mess and move on to a less messy area for the next project. A small shop requires you to keep it in an orderly fashion.


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

Mike,
I'm in a 2 car with 1/2 a car of other stuff, and I regularly keep everything stowed so that I can pull in one car, and with some effort can also get the little car in too. Take a peek at this thread on Workmates I know that they are shunned by some but the older ones from the 80's regularly come up on Craigslist for about $20, and I have 4 right now. With the lower legs folded and it placed on a furniture dolly, I clamp a "tabletop" in the jaws by a 2×4 cleat underneath for a great mobile table. For my saw I built a top that gives me outfeed . II also have a hollow core door that goes across two of them for a pretty big assembly table. Most everything else is all about taking advantage of the wall space and also space on the ceiling, with some deep shelves that are above the garage door. It's usually open when I'm working so there's no interference. Good luck, maybe the pics can help with some ideas. One day I'll have space for the Roubo of my dreams but until then necessity is the mother of invention.

































.


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## MikeDVB (Mar 1, 2015)

Wow, you're *far* more organized than me.

I need to spend some time organizing my stuff and making space. A lot of stuff seems to just be sat down wherever it was convenient.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

> Mike,
> I m in a 2 car with 1/2 a car of other stuff, and I regularly keep everything stowed so that I can pull in one car, and with some effort can also get the little car in too. Take a peek at this thread on Workmates I know that they are shunned by some but the older ones from the 80 s regularly come up on Craigslist for about $20, and I have 4 right now. With the lower legs folded and it placed on a furniture dolly, I clamp a "tabletop" in the jaws by a 2×4 cleat underneath for a great mobile table. For my saw I built a top that gives me outfeed . II also have a hollow core door that goes across two of them for a pretty big assembly table. Most everything else is all about taking advantage of the wall space and also space on the ceiling, with some deep shelves that are above the garage door. It s usually open when I m working so there s no interference. Good luck, maybe the pics can help with some ideas. One day I ll have space for the Roubo of my dreams but until then necessity is the mother of invention.
> 
> - ChefHDAN


Looks like a lawn mower over the roll up door. If so, how do you get it up there and get it down?


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

LMAO Ron, those are spreaders for fertilizer, one is broadcast and the other is a drop spreader, which has a folding type of wheelbarrow the kids got me on top of it. I've got those big plastic coated hooks in the ceiling, that their axles, hook over and then there is an eye bolt closer towards the door with a bit of rope & a slipknot. I hook up the axle, put the rope over the handle and hoist it up to the ceiling and tie off the rope on a cleat (2 45 degree screws) above the door frame.

The lawnmower is under the wooden butcher block table with the handle folded.


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