Best Workshop/Bench Design Concepts

[Paul_in_CT]

cedar heres a link to some flexible tubing that is rated for air lines, water lines. Everything can be put together with compression type fittings. The engineering data pages have alot of info. I`m currently going to run the orange stuff for my radiant heat. http://www.ipexinc.com/kitec

 

[Chillimau]

Paul, excellent site, I've been there before.

They also have a lot of information on pvc pipe and condiut.

Gary

 

[Chillimau]

Bird,

What are some of the changes you would make?

I am starting to put ideas together for a shop. Looking at somewhere between 50x70 to 50x100x 14 or 16.

Any suggestions appreciated

Gary

 

[Bird]

Gary, I'd probably have gone with 12' walls and a 10' door (though if money were no object, I'd go as high as 16' walls and 14' door), preferably steel frame instead of wood, insulated (mine isn't and it has a ridge vent as well as open all the way around the eaves), a better foundation and floor (part of it has settled, leaving some cracks in the concrete), water and sewer inside the building (there's a hydrant just outside at the back of the shop, but none inside), an entirely different electrical wiring and lighting design (this one was done by an idiot and was dangerous - I've changed it enough to make it safe, but still haven't done it right), and provided for better heating and cooling (I just use some portable fans in the summer, don't spend a lot of time out there in the winter, and the only heaters I have are good to warm your hands over - that's about all).

 

[Pks]

I am considering a 10 foot ceiling. Why would you make yours higher; got an RV?

 

[beenthere]

Doc Great idea. Mounting the cut-off saw high, allowing for room underneath makes a lot of sense. It gave me another idea to mount my DeWalt planer on a sliding shelf low to the floor, so it will slide in (and out) under the bench top. Quick to access, not handy to bend over but still out of the way except when using it. I think it would work directly below the cut-off saw.
Also, I would like to put a vertical shaper head in the back of the bench top, to use as a jointer for long boards. I saw one that a woodworker used like that. He would lay a board flat on his bench top, and run it past the vertical head, jointing a straight edge. His long fences were adjustable. No need to balance a long piece on edge and keep it uniformly pressed against the infeed and outfeed tables of the jointer. It would serve as a great shaper too. Maybe a built-in heavy-duty router would be sufficient.
I have a 24 foot wall in my new garage that I am contemplating turning into a shop, with work bench all along that wall. I could handle 10ft lumber with ease, if the main shop tools were centered along that wall.
Thanks for the idea.

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>considering a 10 foot ceiling. Why would you make yours higher; got an RV</font color=blue>

Ten feet is usually enough for most things. There are always some exceptions, but generally you would use a door that's 2' shorter than the wall. In my case, I have 10' walls, but only a 7' door and it only gives me 3 or 4" of clearance for the tractor ROPS and canopy. Then there are always times, like recently when I bought a new upright freezer, and would have liked to back the truck with the freezer all the way into the building with the freezer upright in the bed of the truck. RV? Not any more; have owned 6 in years past. But I have a brother with a 36 foot motorhome and a neighbor with big tractors with cabs; might want to get one inside to tinker with it if the door were big enough.

It's not a big deal, and mine is really quite adequate for my uses, but if I were starting from scratch, and had the money, the bigger the better.

 

[DocHeb]

I put the cutoff saw along my long wall. This allow my dimensional lumber storage (3/4 inch black pipe in 7/8 inch holes drilled into the studs), shorts storage (wire closet shelf turned upside down on the same black pipe), and plywood storage (on a swing out rack hinged to the wall at one end) to be aligned along one wall. The two pictures show the roller arms that support stock for the cutoff saw. I put them every second stud - they roll easily and make moving the wood easy.

 

[DocHeb]

This picture show my whole cut-off saw wall, with the lumber storage above and the short cut-off racks below to the left.

 

[HalseyGreen]

I was enjoying looking at the photo's and noticed that about half of them showed one of the same important tools, that good old radio, but was discouraged that their location appeared an after though. Has anyone prewired their shop for audio?

 

[therrien]

I would love 14 + so I can put an above ground lift.
That would be heaven.

 

[duckboy]

My ultimate shop will include a panel saw, like Homeless Depot has to cut 4X8 sheets of plywood etc. Trying to manhandle 3/4" composite sheets alone on the table saw, or using a fence and skill saw on saw horses, especially in tight work spaces, most often reguire me to open the 5 gallon bucket of putty. These saws just need a wall and leave useable workspace in front. I believe they run about $1500.00. And as suggested, read, look at pictures, define
your goals for the shop. The other improvements my shop will have include a separate finish room, as large as I can make it. Many times I have to quit working while paint dries.
Also, I would suggest a good plan for heating and lighting. Good luck with your project.

 

[Westbilly]

I haven't done this in my garage yet, but I like the idea of bench tops on hinges along one wall. That way when you need the floor space, just fold the legs, and drop the bench tops down.

 

[genelp]

Are you looking for a general bench that you can mount a vice on and hammer on a piece of steel? Or are you looking for a woodworking bench? I wouldn't want to use my woodworking bench for anything else but woodworking. I wouldn't want any contaminants on it to ruin a project. I'll try to get a picture posted if I can figure out how to do it /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif
If you will be doing mechanical and woodworking projects; I would build two seperate benches. I hope I'm not repeating something someone else has already told you, I just came across this thread and looked through it kind of quick.

Good luck!

Gene

 

[toddwulf]

Hi Gene, I'm not yet big into wordworking and I'll probably build a seperate outbuilding in the far off future so it's really just a general workbench for my tools and all the stuff I've managed to not throw out over the years. Any woodworking would be rough construction as opposed to finish or cabinetry. I could see myself using the bench to miter trim and what not.

Todd

 

[webbmeister]

Well, there isn't much concept or design here, but when one of the local tool stores was redesigning their showroom, they were selling these really nice, rock-solid tubular steel bases for $75. I would have bought more than one (they had dozens) but "local" at the time was Downey, CA and the shop was the garage - no room for more.Anyway, on top of the steel base, I placed a 4X8 sheet of MDF; to that I added a bunch of drawer pockets attached with bisquits for side access on both sides, and on top of that I put another sheet of 4X8 MDF. Finally, on top of all that, I put a layer of Formica (I keep the whole thing covered in kraft paper and replace just the paper when the glue, stain, etc... get bad. The ends have through and through openings at either end for storing pipe clamps, and each corner has a removable solid piece so vices, etc. can be attached to the table top. The whole thing is on a mobile base. I use another bench with real vices for heavy work, but this table is great for assembly and moderately heavy work - everything I need is right close by in one of the drawers, and bigger stuff rests on the bottom shelf. Here and in the next few posts are several pictures with descriptions (first one, attached here, is top/side drawer construction):

 

[webbmeister]

Here's a picture of the corner pullouts.

 

[webbmeister]

Bottom shelf and tubular construction (solid!)

 

[webbmeister]

An auxilliary router table that attaches via the end through and throughs - two clamps and presto!

 

[webbmeister]

mobile vise mounted to sub base, ready for clamping to the table top