# New shop photos! Any suggestions for work flow?



## MR_Cole (Jun 1, 2012)

So I would love it if you guys would take a look at my new shop photos and help me out with the workflow of things. My workbench always gets covered with tools and glue and is always a mess and i dont really have an assembly table except for my small out feed table.

Suggestions would be awesome!

here is the link to my shop: http://lumberjocks.com/MR_Cole/workshop


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## Manitario (Jul 4, 2010)

It looks good Cole; I don't think that there is any one way to arrange a shop; I've looked through some of the various shop pictures that LJ's have posted to get ideas for mine. I also have changed the set up of my shop several times as I add more tools or figure out better ways to organize things. My shop is 17×30 so optimizing "workflow" for me means making it easy to get to each machine without having to move a lot of stuff around. It seems like your shop is pretty much already set up so that you don't have to move too much to use each of your machines and that you've put a lot of thought into storage space.


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

Hi Cole

I did a walk through of your shop by way of looking through your photos, I'm with Rob, didn't really see anything only that your miter saw looks to be in a tight spot if you need to cut long boards,

My shop has a limitation on floor space, your shop looks to have more sq footage then mine so they way I have mine arranged, I found a spot on the wall to make a shelving unit so that allows me to stack tools that don't use on a regular basis such as my joiner, planer, scroll saw and some other small hand tools. If floor space is what you are wanting you might consider that,

My shop photos are current, I've made changes in my shop and have yet to take new pictures, but you get the idea.

Happy woodworking


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## Puzzleman (May 4, 2010)

Your ideal setup for work flow depends on what you are making and how you work. The ideal setup for my shop is going to be very different than some others shop.

My suggestion is to work with it for a while and make changes as you will discover in your processes. A idea will hit you that if one tool was moved to another spot it would make it easier for you to the operation.

Another idea is to put as many on wheels as possible. Then you can change layout as needed for your project.


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## MR_Cole (Jun 1, 2012)

Thanks for the responses guys! It just really annoys me that my out feed table is my only assembly table and it is only 18"x 30".

Id like something in the middle of the room but I feel like there is just not enough room. I was thinking of mowing my workbench into the middle so I gain more space in one direction. But then i feel like im bligated to put a machine against the wall.


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## JAAune (Jan 22, 2012)

If you're not doing production work it's hard to think of workflow in the same manner that industries typically do. In my line of custom work, the workflow situation changes from job to job so keeping the shop flexible important. Except for the cast iron, most tools and fixtures are movable so they can be pushed around if necessary.

A large assembly table would be great to have but judging from the photos, It looks like you might lose the nice open space in the center of the shop if you put one in. Having plenty of clear floor space is essential in my opinion. One idea might be to make a torsion box that can be setup on sawhorses as needed or stowed against a wall.

One thing I really appreciate is having a couple rolling carts with multiple shelves to hold parts as I'm running them through the machines. Usually I take parts from one cart, run them through a saw and deposit them upon the second cart. Scraps get tossed either in nearby scrap bins or stored on the bottom shelf of a cart. This helps keep lumber off the machines and benches.

The rolling carts can be used as assembly tables in a pinch. Clamping a pair together makes for a respectable sized work surface. If the tops are kept waxed, glue will come off easily enough after it's dried.

Keeping tools off the benches requires a couple things in my experience. First, tool storage has to be very close by. Secondly, self discipline is needed to put tools back in their place rather than dumping them on the bench when the task is finished. Having a rolling toolbox that contains the most frequently used tools is handy. You can roll it to wherever you wish to work so everything is within reach.

It just so happens that I made a post earlier regarding a clamp cart and a parts cart is in the foreground of the picture I used in that thread.










Notice the random cutoffs stuffed underneath. I don't have to trip over them while working and can easily move them to the wood storage area when I'm done with the machine work.


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## Tjcorey (Dec 4, 2012)

The bench with the rolls (of paper?) hanging from it seems like a place where you could build a larger work surface with storage below, make it stick out into the room maybe 4 feet or so. Like a peninsula counter in a kitchen. It seems like the room is wider there? Of curse, like others have said, depends on what you usually build. If you're into big projects, you need that open floor space (if you're making furniture or ???)


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