Tex B 27th June 2009, 07:29 PM About a year ago, LOML and I decided to downsize and move closer to the city. Lots of positives about this, but one negative was I lost my dedicated workshop. Now I share the workshop with a car :(
After talking with a couple of people at the Sydney wood show with similar space constraints, thought it might be helpful to share some of the solutions I’ve found to making it work. So one purpose of this thread is to encourage the space-constrained. However, a second purpose is to find better ways of doing things, so all comments and suggestions welcome.
Since I don’t ever have original ideas, all of these have come from magazines, this forum, or other tips from other people, and I don’t claim invention.
OK, here’s the shop most of the week, home to our vehicular transportation.
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Once the car is outside, the main working area is below. One of the real problems with this setup is storage, so I’ve added peg boards for my most used tools (and a few I couldn’t figure out where else to stick). One pegboard is also a cupboard. The bench also has storage underneath.
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Back walls are for clamps, most power tools, planes, jigs, and finishing products. Racks for timber above.
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This corner gets unpacked regularly. Shopvac with Sturdee cyclone, workmate, and router table are frequent travellers. The offcut box is on wheels, though I only move it to get to something behind.
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More in a minute....
Tex B 27th June 2009, 07:33 PM The key rule to the shop is that if I can’t lift it, it’s on wheels. If I can lift it, it goes on the B&D workmate. Bandsaw, table saw, and dust collector are on wheels. The tablesaw is the one that gets moved the most, and plenty of room if I put it near the garage door.
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The router table has a 4x2 screwed to the bottom. This clamps into the workmate and provides a solid platform. The 4x2 trick is used on other things as well.
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This is the table saw outfeed table. Nothing flash, but it works.
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There’s a drilling station opposite the workbench. Underneath that are some other things that go on the workmate when I need them (thicknesser, grinder, sanding disc). Box of rags underneath, and limited sheet good storage against the wall.
Our new place has a very small courtyard and the landlord pays for a gardener, so I sold the lawnmower, weed whip, etc, and just have a few hand tools for the garden stuck in the corner there. Son-in-law's surfboard shares the workshop as well :cool:
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Tex B 27th June 2009, 07:37 PM Last one.
The vise as it normally sits on the left end of the work bench. I like having the scrap bucket and rubbish bin here. Since I’m normal (right handed) I often finish with a plane or a cut on this end of the bench, and can flick the off cut or shavings straight into the appropriate bin.
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The last thing is a little trick picked up a few years ago that I quite like. The metal vise sits on an L shaped support which clamps into the wood vise. It’s easy to move back and forth, and means I don’t need a separate metal working bench.
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So, it can be done. I'm still working out a few things, and haven't found room for a power jointer (although the old Stanley #7 fits :wink:).
As I mentioned, comments appreciated.
Regards,
Tex
Old farmer 27th June 2009, 09:22 PM Tex, thanks for all,of that, very helpful.
Would you mind telling me from where you bought the slotted angle for the shelf fixtures and the make of your engineer's vyse, please?
Al B 27th June 2009, 10:00 PM Thanks for sharing the pics of your workshop Tex, It looks like you have put alot of thought setting it up. :2tsup:
Lignum 27th June 2009, 10:06 PM Great workshop Tex:2tsup: looks like it would be a pleasure to use.
Tex B 27th June 2009, 10:39 PM Would you mind telling me from where you bought the slotted angle for the shelf fixtures and the make of your engineer's vyse, please?
Shelf fixtures are Dexion. They were here when we moved in.
Both the vises are Record.
Tex
Wongo 27th June 2009, 11:46 PM Nice workshop there Tex. Do you have trouble working on bigger projects like a desk or a table?
Harry72 28th June 2009, 01:36 AM Looks good Tex, but isnt that a double garage?
Johncs 28th June 2009, 02:21 AM Looks good Tex, but isnt that a double garage?
He didn't say otherwise.
Tex
YouTube - Tablesaw Outfeed Table
Tex B 28th June 2009, 08:39 AM That is a very clever outfeed table, John. Thanks.
Looks good Tex, but isnt that a double garage?
Harry, the estate agents would call it a two car garage :?
I reckon if I took out all the shelving, and tools, and everything else, might squeeze in two minis!
Do you have trouble working on bigger projects like a desk or a table?
I would certainly struggle to build a large dining room table, and storing projects in processs is a challenge. With a big project the car would have to live on the street for a few weeks. So far all I've done is a couple of end tables and working on another small table at the moment. In process they reside on the bench, table saw, or inside.
Definitely not a replacement for a full size workshop, and I can't just leave stuff lying around.
Tex
Lignum 28th June 2009, 01:36 PM John, that is a pearler of an idea. Something im going to make for mine. And isnt the one beside it (you tube site) with the adjustable bench height a real cracker. Never seen one like that before.
Christos 6th July 2009, 11:37 PM I like the way you have setup your work shop. I have a long way to go before I get anything close to organized.
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