# The joys of workshop rearranging



## Hornbeam (9 Oct 2021)

So I have just expanded my workshop to around 5.5m X 4.5 metres.
Its a bit like one of those puzzles with sliding tiles except all my machines are cast and weigh between 200 and 500Kg and I'm sure they are much heavier than when I last had a reshuffle 10 years ago
Even though my workshop will be bigger I now seem to have more piles of miscellaneous offcuts that might come in useful one day
Hopefully everything will be sorted in another week or so and I can get back to making things in a warmer (now fully insulated) better laid our workshop. Bliss
Ian


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## mikej460 (9 Oct 2021)

Many on this forum have their own rules for hoarding offcuts and, until last year, I adopted your philosophy of 'it might come in useful one day', the key word here is 'might' so you need to be ruthless and recycle or burn anything you haven't used for at least a year and have no project in mind for it. I filled an 8x4ft trailer with offcuts last year and it all went into the local recycle skip...I haven't missed any of it and the next pile is building up nicely.

I sympathise with your lugging stuff about as I have been preparing to demolish my old garage and build my new shop I have moved my tools and machines into a nearby outbuilding, Since then the build has been delayed to next year due to spiralling costs so I'm slowly moving stuff back into the garage which will soon need emptying and stuff moved into a new temporary shop whilst I demolish the garage over winter. 

Need pics please!!


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## TRITON (9 Oct 2021)

Yeah I've done the 'fun' rearrangement twice now, including making for more benches for around the walls.
I'm thinking of a third, and possibly final workshop rebuild and maybe just maybe losing the cast iron saw bench and Triton RTA300 router table/stand, in favour of something like the Triton TWX7 with site saw and router insert and even crosscutter.

I know exactly what I need workshop layout wise, more a large single wall consisting of one big multifaceted unit with top shelves, drawers and the like, but more open for the rest, and sticking to a collapsible saw/router unit, the planer/thicknesser and a 14" bandsaw.
My problem is having an entire cabinet shop packed into 120sq feet. Just leaves no real room to work, especially for bigger pieces.

It's the same with my livingroom. Im single in a big front room(20'x12'), but set out with 3 seater settee,chair,desk, TV in its usual corner but the reality is I should have a 75" tv/monitor on one wall and some sort of recliner dead center, with maybe a chaise lounge for any visitors to perch upon.


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## Jameshow (9 Oct 2021)

I've just rearranged my workshop....

How do you move a 100kg lathe up two steps along 10m and down 2 steps and turn 90 into a single door way??!!

Use a half length of scaffolding board and two bits of curtain pole+ a crow bar!!!

Saves going to the gym!

Cheers James


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## Hornbeam (9 Oct 2021)

James, I wish my items were only 100kg. Still my son has his uses.
It is surprising what you can move safely and carefully using a couple of lengths of scaffold tube as rollers. Fortunately I havent got the challenges of steps


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## Sporky McGuffin (10 Oct 2021)

My new workshop is up two flights of outdoor steps. My answer to moving in was to use a machine moving company, with a bit of help from a scaffolder. He made the machine movers look positively wimpy - when the bandsaw (on a big sack trolley) went up the ramps on the last flight he put his shoulder in the throat and pretty much ran...


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## robgul (10 Oct 2021)

Yep - very satisfying process when we moved house to rearrange everything in the new garage (downside is that we wanted to buy a house with a double garage, couldn't find one so still a single) 

Planning is everything together with recycling kitchen wall cupboards. The end result is a bit cramped as it needs to get my bicycle repair business work area in as well as woodwork benches and machines - oh, and storage for my 3 bicycles!


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## Sporky McGuffin (10 Oct 2021)

I know it's weird and wrong, but my garage has a car in it.


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## Jameshow (10 Oct 2021)

robgul said:


> Yep - very satisfying process when we moved house to rearrange everything in the new garage (downside is that we wanted to buy a house with a double garage, couldn't find one so still a single)
> 
> Planning is everything together with recycling kitchen wall cupboards. The end result is a bit cramped as it needs to get my bicycle repair business work area in as well as woodwork benches and machines - oh, and storage for my 3 bicycles!


I can only dream of your levels of organisation Rob! 

(Left of garage bike gear, right of garage woodworking. ) 

Cheers James


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## Hornbeam (10 Oct 2021)

I have spit the front 2m off my double garage for bike (I have lots as my daughter races at notional level) and metal work etc Back for woodwork, but I can open through to the front for ripping longer pieces. Machines are now set up so I can process lengths up to 8ft without moving anything


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## Hornbeam (10 Oct 2021)

Sporky McGuffin said:


> I know it's weird and wrong, but my garage has a car in it.



I parked my car in the garage on the day we moved in. Hasnt been in there since (25years or so)


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## Droogs (10 Oct 2021)

Sporky McGuffin said:


> I know it's weird and wrong, but my garage has a car in it.


Right! That is it! I'm ordering 3 bags of gravel and 2 stone off Amazon right now incase we ever meet. Heretic


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## Sporky McGuffin (10 Oct 2021)

I could do with some gravel for the side path - that's jolly decent of you.


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## robgul (10 Oct 2021)

Jameshow said:


> I can only dream of your levels of organisation Rob!
> 
> (Left of garage bike gear, right of garage woodworking. )
> 
> Cheers James


.... but you've seen it! [Four bikes in there for servicing at the moment . . . makes it interesting]


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## Jonm (11 Oct 2021)

Hornbeam said:


> I parked my car in the garage on the day we moved in. Hasnt been in there since (25years or so)


In my previous house I had a garage/workshop which I could normally get two cars in. It was 18 ft wide and 26 ft long, brick built with pitched tiled roof, complete with inspection pit. Built it myself.


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## Zedgeezer (11 Oct 2021)

Sporky McGuffin said:


> I know it's weird and wrong, but my garage has a car in it.


Mine has 3 unused motorbikes in it, I don't have the heart to get rid of them so I climb over them every time to get to my power tools.
Frustrating, but something I've learned to live with!


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