Setting up small workshop, advice needed

[Railwayman]

Hi all, new to forum and help needed.
I have just built my workshop (16' x 11') and with a budget of £4000 I need to buy the following, tablesaw, bandsaw, planer/jointer, and thicknesser.
With regard to the tablesaw I have my eye on the Axminster AW10BSB2, what do people think, to big for my shop?
Looking to build cabinets, tables that kind of thing so would need capacity to cut 8' x 4' sheets. Was looking at a combination machine but noted many poor reviews here
Anyhow any advice / recommendations on the above would be very much appreciated.

regards Gary

 

[ByronBlack]

That saw would be fine with your shop size. I would with your budget also go with the axminster combo planer/thicknesser and a decent bandsaw. A decent drill press would be handy also. Don't forget to consider some decent hand-planes, marking up tools, straight edges and dust extraction.

 

[Ironballs]

Don't forget the extractor either

 

[Chris Knight]

You will find that your shop is too small to handle full size sheets comfortably , once you have other essential stuff in there. (I'd put the essential chip/dust collector outside with a hose through the wall and a local shelter for the thing) but it will still be too small, mainly too narrow.

If sheet goods will be your principal material, think hard and ask folk about alternatives like vertical panel saws, Festool circular saws and the like.

 

[OLD]

I agree with waterhead37 sliding tables and outfeed space eat up work space. Do you have double doors and a level hardstand in front, with the saw on castors sheets could be cut outside,but slide table takes up space when parked. Or no sliding table, cut sheets up with circular saw and finalise on table saw.
My tip is put most m/cs on castors and bring them to the job.
My shop is similar in size but my table saw no sliding table is in the adjacent 20 foot garage on castors and there is just room for the car .

 

[ByronBlack]

Chris, I have to politely disagree. My workshop is not much longer, and I can easily rip an 8ft board down it's length. I achieve this by having the tablesaw set a few feet into the front of the workshop. This allows me to feed the wood in from outside (which works just a couple of feet), through the saw, and out the other end with a few feet to spare. Although, this does all depend on the OP's layout of workshop/door.

The other alternative as you suggest is a rail system like a festool, but then you still need an at least a 10x6 space to work in, and for me personally, thats a lot of wasted space. And a pain to setup if using a fold-away table or saw-horse arrangement.

 

[Woody Alan]

To comfortably and regularly (emphasis on those words)cut 8x4 sheets you need quite a big panel saw and as has been suggested more space to hadle them because you'll forever be hitting things with them. If you are ripping an 8' length then you'll have to set up long outfeed tables. My workshop is 11' wide and I have a saw capable of doing it but still choose to rough cut to size outside, then fine trim to size on the saw. You'll avoid hurting your back and reduce risk of injury on an inadequate saw. I use 4 3x2's on a patio area. For the record I prefer my sliding table arrangement as I can drop the sliding table of the swinging arm in 10 sec and space is back and have a plan to convert the rip table extension to folding as I really don't need the width.

Alan

 

[OLD]

When i looked into the size of table saws and the space required i found it very difficult as the advertising spec does not give the full size info all tables rods and carriages etc i ended up asking members what space there m/cs required and promptly dropped the idea of a sliding table.How ever jet have the jts-600 out now £900 that may do the job as it for small workshops.

 

[Railwayman]

Thanks for replys people, I have large double doors on the front of shop (narrow side of building) so thought i could position saw just in front so as to feed sheets from outside in, if you see what i mean.
Could always remove sliding carriage I suppose.
Dust extractor is a good point, will be visiting the Axminster tool centre at Bobbing wednesday, prob buy up half the store lol.
For Planer / thicknesser was thinking Axminster AW106PT, any thoughts?

Regards Gary

 

[Chris Knight]

Gary,
It sounds as if you could do it in the manner suggested by Byron (although I wouldn't describe that as comfortable - especially with temperatures like today's!)

I would urge you though, to think through the ancillary stuff you need. Storage for example. Sheet storage can become an issue when you figure in the need to maintain the flatness of the sheets for weeks at a time, as well - as has been mentioned, the manhandling from the storage place to the spot where they will be cut.

I don't use a lot of sheet material but when I do, I cut it to finished size with a circular saw and rail system in my garage, then bring it to the workshop. I'd far rather have a panel saw for this but don't have the room nor the justification for something I'd use only rarely.

I store a fair bit of wood in my shop and the small amount of sheet material I use in the garage - in order to get the moisture content of the wood to where I want it, sheet goods being less problematic in this respect. In addition, things like bandsaw, planer thicknesser and router plus jigs I have made and wish to keep, just eat up space.

Then - you need to assemble stuff! Having everything on wheels is a great help - I feel it's essential. Anything like a big cabinet needs assembly somewhere other than on top of your bench, be it on the floor or an assembly table. Sometimes, I get away with doing it on the table saw which is a good justification for the largish saw I have :wink: But mostly, I push everything I can out of the way on its castors and clear a space in the middle of the floor.

Finishing usually gets done in the same way.

 

[ByronBlack]

Gary,
It sounds as if you could do it in the manner suggested by Byron (although I wouldn't describe that as comfortable - especially with temperatures like today's!)

I would urge you though, to think through the ancillary stuff you need. Storage for example. Sheet storage can become an issue when you figure in the need to maintain the flatness of the sheets for weeks at a time, as well - as has been mentioned, the manhandling from the storage place to the spot where they will be cut.

I don't use a lot of sheet material but when I do, I cut it to finished size with a circular saw and rail system in my garage, then bring it to the workshop. I'd far rather have a panel saw for this but don't have the room nor the justification for something I'd use only rarely.

I store a fair bit of wood in my shop and the small amount of sheet material I use in the garage - in order to get the moisture content of the wood to where I want it, sheet goods being less problematic in this respect. In addition, things like bandsaw, planer thicknesser and router plus jigs I have made and wish to keep, just eat up space.

Then - you need to assemble stuff! Having everything on wheels is a great help - I feel it's essential. Anything like a big cabinet needs assembly somewhere other than on top of your bench, be it on the floor or an assembly table. Sometimes, I get away with doing it on the table saw which is a good justification for the largish saw I have :wink: But mostly, I push everything I can out of the way on its castors and clear a space in the middle of the floor.

Finishing usually gets done in the same way.

Aye, you are right, it's not great with the cold weather! But after a while you build a resistance to the cold

Wood storage for me is the biggest problem, and I would wholly advise working this out along with your storage before purchasing machinery.

 

[joesoap]

Hi Railwayman
If your speciality is to be cabinets , have you thought of a wall mounted panel saw (not the hand disston versiion) but a smaller version of what's to be seen @ a BnQ near you . Just a thought . Cheers!

 

[Tintin]

For Planer / thicknesser was thinking Axminster AW106PT, any thoughts?Regards Gary

That planer will need at least 1m width of space to accommodate the tables when swung out for thicknessing on one side and the Fence support which sticks out the other side. That gives you just 2.2m width left to play with.

I Believe that some makes make better use of the width but can't be sure
- Thinking that the scheppachs table looks like it stands vertical on the fence side would take up less room...

 

[woodbloke]

My 'shop is 12x20' but none of my stuff is on castors...I hate trailing cables :evil: I don't use a great deal of sheet material but when I do need to use it it's ripped up outside into managable sizes with my portable c/s and then pushed through the t/s to cut it more accurately. I can rip a narrow 8' length (or longer) as I have the saw positioned in line with the door and I have a wide flap in it so that the timber is stuffed through, even with the door closed. This is one of the tips that I picked up from one of the late Jim Kingshott's books.
Storage of sheet material in any 'shop is a complete 'mare! If you intend to use a lot of it it needs to be stored in a dedicated horizontal rack which is going to take up most of your 'shop space...and don't think of storing it edge on in a dampish garage or outbuilding 'cos it'll just swell and bend. Even if you manage to make a horizontal storage rack, you'll still need a space 8x4' in front of it to get the things out. Then there's the problem of lifting the things...I hope you've got some help if you intend to lift the stuff regularly, 'cos it's not something I'd relish - Rob

 

[OPJ]

TinTin's right about the space required for a planer thicknesser (I have the AW106PT and I really rate it). In an ideal setup (with LOTS of space), I'd advise anyone to go for separate surfacing and thicknessing machines... :roll:

I know that the pricey Jet P/T's have tables that stand 'vertical' (at 90º) and I think you can leave the fence on the machine. With the Axminster though, you HAVE to remove the fence and the tables hang back past 90º. I can't remember at what angle the Scheppach beds sit but I remember being able to leave the fence in place on one that I've previously used.

 

[wizer]

Yep, fence stays on.

 

[Railwayman]

Hi Guys

Just a quick update and once again thanks for all the good advice.

After a lot of thought here is what I have brought:-

Table saw AW10BSB2 (side carriage is easily detached when not used)
P/T AW106PT (nice solid piece of kit)
Bandsaw AWEFSBB (not to big or small)
Morticer AW19FM
Dust extractor ADE1200

All above on wheels

Have basic pillar drill plus many power and hand tools.

I only require the capacity to cut sheet (kitchen refit next year) will concentrate on smaller projects mainly.
Also lucky to have empty attached garage for storage.

Kit should arrive in a couple of weeks, and the whole lot came to £2400 with £300 discount (not to bad)

Now for my next request, once I have assembled the machines they will need tweaking for accurate use, so if anyone has experience with these, all input gratefully received.

Thanks for reading

regards Gary