# Best 9' x 18' Workshop Layout Ever?!



## TheDudester (21 Jun 2008)

I recently bought a copy of Fine Woodworking Workshop Solutions. In it was an article by Matthew Teague on setting up a shop in a 9'x18' space.

Fortuately it is a Free Download.

It is the one of the best layouts I have seen in a space that size. Of course it assumes the tools that you have would be similar and you can store your timber overhead.

Hope it is of interest helps.

Regards

D


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## PowerTool (21 Jun 2008)

Nice link,with some good ideas.Now all I need is a 9 x 18 workshop  (I still do strange things like use the garage to park the car in..)

Andrew


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## Sawdust (21 Jun 2008)

PowerTool":2f0il6ln said:


> .. (I still do strange things like use the garage to park the car in..)
> 
> Andrew



You should be banned for saying that - I'm telling the Mods


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## Karl (21 Jun 2008)

I have a book with that article in it, and took a lot of inspiration from it when designing my own 'shop.

Cheers

Karl


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## woodbloke (21 Jun 2008)

Dude - some interesting solutions to work area problems. It's a personal thing, but I like to have all tools and kit readily available for instant use...to drag a drill press out from underneath somewhere and secure it to a worktop would drive me bonkers in a very short space. I have never owned or used a chop saw either...great for site work, but nfg in a permanent set up in a 'shop, so taking up a lot of space that could usefully be used for something else - Rob


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## TheDudester (21 Jun 2008)

PowerTool":g1b95q4w said:


> Nice link,with some good ideas.Now all I need is a 9 x 18 workshop  (I still do strange things like use the garage to park the car in..)
> 
> Andrew



I still can't shake that thought myself although I try my best....



karl":g1b95q4w said:


> I have a book with that article in it, and took a lot of inspiration from it when designing my own 'shop.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Karl



What book is that, Karl?



woodbloke":g1b95q4w said:


> Dude - some interesting solutions to work area problems. It's a personal thing, but I like to have all tools and kit readily available for instant use...to drag a drill press out from underneath somewhere and secure it to a worktop would drive me bonkers in a very short space. I have never owned or used a chop saw either...great for site work, but nfg in a permanent set up in a 'shop, so taking up a lot of space that could usefully be used for something else - Rob



I do agree that the ideal thing would be to have tools ready for use. I think there are good compromises however. I kow that I still ideally want a bandsaw, drill press and jointer.

As to your point about the SCMS, probably tomorrow I will start building a saw cabinet and use my SCMS to square the 4x2s, use the depth stop feature to cut rebates and grooves for the crosspieces. I am sure there would be other ways but I don't have an effective crosscut capacity on my tablesaw yet.

Regards

D


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## woodbloke (21 Jun 2008)

The Dude wrote:


> I am sure there would be other ways but I don't have an effective crosscut capacity on my tablesaw yet.


...that's why you use hand saws, panel and cross cut :wink: Rough cutting to size on solid boards is done with a hand held circular saw, an SCMS is most 'shops is generally not needed. Personal view - Rob


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## BradNaylor (21 Jun 2008)

woodbloke":1uxayv6l said:


> an SCMS is most 'shops is generally not needed. Personal view - Rob



Horses for courses, Rob.

I use my SCMS for pretty well all my cross-cutting, as well as mitreing cornices and plinths on virtually everything I make. 

I would not like to be without it. I bet most people would agree.

Re drill press:

My shop is 800 sq ft and I still cannot justify dedicating the necessary space to a drill press, so I stow it under my table saw, clamping it to a bench when needed. I only ever use it for drilling 35mm holes on doors for concealed hinges.

Very interesting article Dudester, I could work quite happily in that shop. 

I don't know where I'd put the spray booth, though!

Dan


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## wizer (21 Jun 2008)

I have seen that article a few times. I agree with what's been said. I'd want all my tools easily accessible. Lifting them up onto the bench would put me off using them. Also timber storage seems to be taking over my shop atm. No rafters. I do yearn for a proper TS setup tho and this one would seem to fit in to my current config


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## Tusses (21 Jun 2008)

I like everything out ready to use too.

and I do most of my cross cutting on the TS


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## dickm (21 Jun 2008)

woodbloke":tb7fa7wl said:


> ...to drag a drill press out from underneath somewhere and secure it to a worktop would drive me bonkers in a very short space.


... and to try it with my Fobco would be a sure route to a double hernia with slipped disks 
And like you, not convinced that chop saws are worth the space.


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## Digit (21 Jun 2008)

I have a chop saw in my shop and once I've built the wife's greenhouse it's out!

Roy.


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## TheDudester (22 Jun 2008)

woodbloke":1ac3plyg said:


> The Dude wrote:
> 
> 
> > I am sure there would be other ways but I don't have an effective crosscut capacity on my tablesaw yet.
> ...



I believe the nature of what you build determines the suitability of what tool to use. I have found my Kapex saw to be extremely accurate and dust collection is very good. The depth-stop feature works on the Kapex but the depth is restricted compared to a table saw.

Once I have a decent crosscut setup on the TS, I can see how operations like that could be performed.

In fact the latest issue of Fine Woodworking has "The Ultimate Crosscut Sled" featured. I have looked at several and it is the biggest I have seen and probably also the best I have seen.



Dan Tovey":1ac3plyg said:


> Very interesting article Dudester, I could work quite happily in that shop.
> 
> I don't know where I'd put the spray booth, though!
> 
> Dan



Agreed Dan. You could do a lot of building in there.

D


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## Karl (22 Jun 2008)

Dudester

The book is "Small Woodworking Shops" by Taunton - it is one of the "Fine Woodworking collection of articles" type books.

Being an American book though, some of the "Small" woodworking shops aren't so small..........

Cheers

Karl


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## woodbloke (22 Jun 2008)

DanT wrote:


> woodbloke wrote:
> an SCMS is most 'shops is generally not needed. Personal view - Rob
> 
> 
> ...


Dan - agreed. We all do things differently, it's just that I've never seen the need for one . In both of the professional shops I worked in there was no SCMS either, which sounds a bit odd, but they clearly didn't see the need for one either. Sheet material was cut on a vast panel saw and solid stock was roughed out to size either on a dedicated t/s with a rip blade or using a hand held c/s - Rob


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## OPJ (22 Jun 2008)

We don't have one at college either. There is access to a radial arm saw and the site carpenters get to use a mitre saw when they come to fit skirting, but in the Furniture workshops, all work is done on a large panel saw. We also have a small Axminster guillotine for cleaning up the ends on short or small pieces.

I personally wouldn't be without my Bosch at home, though I'd love to upgrade to a Festool some day!


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## Shultzy (22 Jun 2008)

TheDudester":18z8kvg6 said:


> I believe the nature of what you build determines the suitability of what tool to use.



I think this is good advice. In a small shop it might not be easy to cut up 16' lengths of timber to size on the TS, which can't be moved around so easily, whereas a SCMS is more manoeuvrable. When I built my workshop it was the most useful piece of kit I bought.


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## Tusses (22 Jun 2008)

I have always considered building a jig system so I could use a circular saw for cross cutting in a similar manner to a radial arm saw !

I would guess festool might have done it (I havent seen their full set up) but it would basically be a rear fence with a 't-sqaure' type track for the saw to run in. with the depth adjustment on the saw you could make all kinds of joints with it .. tenon shoulders etc.


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