# Fitting a workshop into a single garage – A Story



## cutting42 (3 Aug 2009)

Well since moving into a new house about 3 years ago I have been extending, decorating and generally trying to satisfy the needs of the family and work whilst my workshop was a tip!!!

When we moved in the removal men dumped all the stuff labeled Garage and I had one day off work to semi create a workshop using what I had from the last house which was a very deep (600mm) sturdy shelving unit, electronics workbench and a large high mounted woodworking bench that my table saw could fit under.This did fit in and was usable but was very ineficient for storage and had to juggle stuff around to use the table saw or SCMS . This all came to a head when I purchased a Dewalt P/T which was the final straw and I realised I had to have a big sort out.

I did quite a lot of online research on this forum and other websites and one of the most useful was an article in Fine Woodworking by Matthew Teague entitled Smart Shop in a One Car Garage http://www.finewoodworking.com/Workshop ... x?id=29505 This gave me the impetus to create a design, which I modified a fair bit for my own needs andequipment that I had.

I did all the planning in Sketchup and found it very useful to move things about to work out clearances and simulate a working method in there. Accurate measuring really helped with this stage and to my amazement I had very few problems during the build.







I decided to make the certrepiec a large worktop and storage unit made from 18mm MR MDF and softwood bracing for the top. Cost was an issue and also I wanted the most flexibility and storage for the unit. This was also designed in Sketchup






The design had to incorporate my Triton Router and table, my HUGE Bosch SCMS and provide an outfeed for the tablesaw. I wanted to originally put the TS at the entrance of the garage but the garage contruction would have lost too much TS width at the entrance due to the brick front. 

The other big requirement was to install an extraction system and a second hand DX500 was purchased from Blister of this manor (many thanks) and a rediculous amount of money spent on tubing, adapters and blast gates. Is it just me or are these cheaply made plastic fittings a total rip off?

So about 6 weeks ago I started in evenings and weekends to empty the garage into the shed and greenhouse as much as possible but was still left with a lot of stuff including the tools and existing units in the garage. This meant I had to paint the floor and walls in installments which was very frustrating so I actually did the whole fitting out in sections by clearing the main area where the unit was to be installed and painting that area and then getting stuck into the construction. The unit was made with housing joints and went together OK but I thought it would make a more stable unit if I built it in one piece. Well it is stable but it was (and is) stupidly heavy and tipping it over for gluing and screwing became a feat of hernia inducing levels. Fortunately I managed to avoid any injuries and this was the result





















With this completed the drawers were made and the 6 large ones on the LHS have full extension heavy duty slides and I have most of my power tools in them. They also have power inside them for battery chargers and this reminds me when I return them to put the batteries on charge.

I then was able to put all my tools away in the drawers and mount tool hanging hooks etc onto a backboard. This cleared another area in the wksp and I painted another section allowing to build the drill/morticer/sanding station which is set high enough to mount the P/T underneath. The P/T is the onl;y tool I cannot use without taking it outside the garage which is just too small to allow for this. I have a 100mm hose that I can hook up to the P/T when it is outside to extract from.











This then lead to the extraction system which is mainly done in 63mm pipe due to space constraints. This is using the Axminster kit and works pretty well and I have sealed all the joints with silicone to improve the vacuum performance. The DX5000 is very potent and not as noisy as I had expected from comments so I am very please with it. 











The next big job was installing and leveling the T/S which took about 3 hrs of cursing and millions of cups of tea but in the end is pretty perfect and has a nice outfeed onto the worktop.











The finla job was to sort out storage and I decided to cover the walls with sturdy 300mm deep shelves and use storage boxes for pretty much everything. In the corner I have some racks for sheet stock and offcusts with longer items stored above – lust long enough for 2.4M lengths! Not everything is back in the wksp yet and I have a fair bit of capacity left and have nice clear floorspace to work in and have put down some soft mats to walk on which make a huge difference to just concrete.





















I hope you enjoyed reading my little post, it is by way of a thank you to the many posts I have read and got ideas from! The work is of course, never done but I am really happy with how it looks and it should greatly improve the working conditions for me.


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## Doug B (3 Aug 2009)

Excellent layout Gareth, especially considering your space limitations.

I hope you have many happy hours making shavings in there.


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## Boz62 (3 Aug 2009)

Lovely job. Good use of space.

Boz


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## devonwoody (3 Aug 2009)

Nice workshop, I wish I could sort myself out, perhaps I could do that this winter.


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## PowerTool (3 Aug 2009)

Very full,but looks equally well-organized - excellent job  

Andrew


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## OPJ (3 Aug 2009)

This does look very convenient, considering you don't need to move anything other than your planer thicknesser. Very well done! 

At the end SCMS end of your bench, how is the fold-up extension wing supported?

Those floor mats are brilliant, aren't they. I'd expect the difference to be most significant in the winter, when you won't have to stand on a cold concrete floor any longer! :wink: Painting the walls does help, even when you know you're going to cover it all over again!


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## jlawrence (3 Aug 2009)

Yes, I agree the bits of plastic for extraction systems do seem ridiculously expensive.
I was hoping to finish sorting my garage/workshop out over the winter - as the moment only about half of it is usable for me - however the wife has now decided that she needs to get a new car and it will need to go in the garage. That's going to complicate things a little . Fingers crossed I can persuade her otherwise.


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## cutting42 (3 Aug 2009)

OPJ":133owl6j said:


> At the end SCMS end of your bench, how is the fold-up extension wing supported



I built a telescopic leg using some sections of steel I had. A square section attached and hinged at the far end of the extension then a round section that slides up the center of the square section with a hole for a pin to lock at the correct height.


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## matt (3 Aug 2009)

I'm impressed. Puts my garage/workshop to shame.

Is that an Xcalibur 805 TS? Is your fence bent like a banana too (is the add-on fence shimmed)?? On the subject of the TS - I'd be tempted to put a bit of cushioning on the end of the sliding table - if it's anything like mine it's a pointy/sharp liability. I have lumps of pipe insulation and bungy cords for this job.


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## cutting42 (4 Aug 2009)

matt":mn12doe6 said:


> Is that an Xcalibur 805 TS? Is your fence bent like a banana too (is the add-on fence shimmed)?? On the subject of the TS - I'd be tempted to put a bit of cushioning on the end of the sliding table - if it's anything like mine it's a pointy/sharp liability. I have lumps of pipe insulation and bungy cords for this job.



It certainly is an 805 TS and yes the fence was banana shaped but 4 rounds with a lump hammer and much fiddling got it straight and parallel with the blade. The MDF add on is just a sacrificial piece from some rebating I was doing. I have a small selections of MDF fence accessories for ripping, cutting housings and other Normite TS activities. I am working on a SUVA style guard using some ideas from Steve Maskery but suspending from the ceiling.

The sharp edges are a bit lethal, had never considered putting pipe insulation on it but it is a good idea. I will see how it is in the new position and put some on if I get stabbed.

Thanks for the comments and to all the others who have commented on my wksp I am very glad how it has turned out but would welcome other tips and ideas.


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## Vinny (5 Aug 2009)

cutting42":3qjtfjp0 said:


> This meant I had to paint the floor and walls in installments which was very frustrating .



I feel your pain, just been through a similar experience converting my own garage (WIP soon - promise) It seems like I've moved the same box 17 times just to paint the wall, DOH - I have moved the same box 17 times :roll: 

Nice set up by the way, the garage space i've got is approx 3m x 5m, from your photos that looks a little bit more than you had to play with. 

I too am counting the pennies on my project and am weighing up the pros and cons of a mdf work top or ply ?? Basic construction of all the units (under bench) is 18mm shuttering ply with an 11mm top sheet. I have already made a small unit which used ply on top (only cos I had a spare bit lying around) anyone got any thoughts on ply or mdf (soz for hijacking this thread with my own Q but it seemed the right place to ask)

Vinny


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## cutting42 (6 Aug 2009)

Vinny":2wbzsqhr said:


> Nice set up by the way, the garage space i've got is approx 3m x 5m, from your photos that looks a little bit more than you had to play with.
> 
> I too am counting the pennies on my project and am weighing up the pros and cons of a mdf work top or ply ?? Basic construction of all the units (under bench) is 18mm shuttering ply with an 11mm top sheet. I have already made a small unit which used ply on top (only cos I had a spare bit lying around) anyone got any thoughts on ply or mdf (soz for hijacking this thread with my own Q but it seemed the right place to ask)
> 
> Vinny



Thanks for the comments! 

Regarding Ply or MDF I chose MDF as it is more stable and you don't get splinters off it and the surface strength is much harder than ply. It is also much heavier and adds to the general stability. The weight is a downside when you are trying to cut 8x4 sheets by yourself. As I mentioned before I would make multiple cabinets if I did it again rather than one large 8 foot unit.

Garage size is 5.1 M long by 2.5 wide and they say width is important  so I would say an extra 0.5m would actually make a large difference. Look forward to seeing how you get on.


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## big soft moose (6 Aug 2009)

jlawrence":2prb4usr said:


> however the wife has now decided that she needs to get a new car and it will need to go in the garage. That's going to complicate things a little . Fingers crossed I can persuade her otherwise.



you need to put an early stop to that kind of thinking - if cars weren't meant to live outside they wouldnt be waterproof !

my tactic is never to refer to "the garage" , we dont have a "garage" , we have "a workshop " which just happens to be slightly larger than a car  - its also important to turn out a steady stream of swimbo pleasing goods from said workshop so that she values its existence.


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## cutting42 (6 Aug 2009)

big soft moose":i6hlkf2v said:


> its also important to turn out a steady stream of swimbo pleasing goods from said workshop so that she values its existence.



That is so true.

I have spent quite a long time sorting out the "workshop" with many gentle teasing comments about how long it was taking. So now it has been mostly completed I have got straight onto the TV cabinet project I started a while back but ran out of room to complete. I had most of the pieces prepped but was able to glue up the main structure and SWMBO popped in last night and was very pleasantly surprised at the progress and the bathroom cabinet is next.

No mention of parking her new car in there in this house


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## Weirwolf (9 Aug 2009)

Have to say it looks good and has given me some ideas for my upcoming garage -> workshop conversion.


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## cutting42 (10 Aug 2009)

Weirwolf":23zxo15a said:


> Have to say it looks good and has given me some ideas for my upcoming garage -> workshop conversion.



Thanks Weirwolf nice to hear comments like this that I can give ideas to others; as stuff that I have read on here gave me the ideas in the first place.


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## cutting42 (11 Aug 2009)

Hi All

A quick update I am pleased about:

Bought a remote control switch for £20 and have rewires the DX5000 to have two plugs, one for each motor so I can switch on how much "suck" I want depending on the tool being used. Two motors for the TS, Sander, SCMS and PT, with one motor for the hand held tools and router table.











Very cool system includes 4 sockets and one remote, one of the sockets can dim as well. Got it from here:


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## Benchwayze (7 Dec 2013)

My single garage shop is 17 feet x 9 feet 6". I can't get a car in there, except maybe a Mini. I once managed to squeeze in an Austin Cambridge, but I couldn't open the car doors to get out. So I had to reverse, get out and push the car in the last foot or so. 

With benches, band-saw, lathe and planer in there, all I have left is a 30" wide aisle along the centre in which to stand and work. It's a PITA squared. And of course some stuff has to go outside whilst working, which means keeping an eye on the weather all the time. I also have the problem of the up and over door, which SWMBO won't let me change; although to be fair, as it's metal, it acts as a heat attractor. So I have a very dry shop, and rarely suffer any rust! Small mercies eh? 

Loads of reasons to go back to one workbench, an 'Anarchists' Tool chest, and maybe the band-saw to lighten the load. But no. I am buying a shed for the back garden as a wood store, and hand-bench shop. :mrgreen:


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## RogerP (8 Dec 2013)

jlawrence":2qm00f1r said:


> Y........- however the wife has now decided that she needs to get a new car and it will need to go in the garage. That's going to complicate things a little . Fingers crossed I can persuade her otherwise.


Do some research on the web of the pro and cons of garaging cars. There are many who argue that garaged cars rust quicker than those left out. Mine has never been in a garage so I wouldn't know.


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## Benchwayze (8 Dec 2013)

There's a lot to be said for the theory Roger. 

I get the impression from 'Homes Under the Hammer', that integral garages are being converted to living space whenever possible to lift the value of a home. Apparently it's 'off-road parking space' that is now premium, as most cars today don't suffer the old 'rust' problems, of years gone by. I had a huge garage in one house I owned, room for the car and the workshop, but whenever I put the car in there, I used to leave the door open, (In the daytime!) if the car was wet. I believe circulating air keeps the rust at bay. My present car has never been under cover in the last eight years of my ownership, and it's in excellent nick from the rust point of view. Well there's nowt wrong with it from any point of view, and it 'sails' the MOT year after year! 

I watch HUTH  because I get some good ideas from it. Not that I ever do anything about those ideas, but it whiles away an hour over breakfast!


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## JustBen (8 Dec 2013)

I don't think many modern cars would fit in garages these days.


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## Grahamshed (8 Dec 2013)

big soft moose":2mhy996o said:


> jlawrence":2mhy996o said:
> 
> 
> > however the wife has now decided that she needs to get a new car and it will need to go in the garage. That's going to complicate things a little . Fingers crossed I can persuade her otherwise.
> ...



Now there is a man who knows what he is talking about. =D>


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