small workspaces, show me yours!

[MMUK]

John - Nick,

I find it's timber storage that takes most of my space. I have only the roof space above the up and over door; and that is full. I'd like to build a covered area in the back yard, with walls that are alternately planked each side of the framework, forming a 'filter' system for the air. Just a canvas roof would satisfy me, but such a solution would not find favour with SWMBO... needless to say.

John. you can make more space by getting rid of the sawdust you have been collecting. Don't wait any longer as the price for it has dropped like a stone!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Malcolm

I would still need space to wield the broom, to first gather it all together. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Or you could finally use that festool vac/extractor you bought

 

[Stimpi]

I have a small workshop first rule is keep it tidy. That's a laugh when I am on a roll its a tip.
2nd rule, every thing has to have its place. Now that's a joke I cant find a thing. I got one of those countersink bits that when you want it you clap your hands and it gives out a pitched whistle even under a mass of shavings. Trouble is I keep getting new stuff and I cant think where it's place should be.
Thinknesser is on wheels as is the table saw but I still take them to fro to the garage. What is a bug bear is having a clear out before I start. Who put those steps in there? This hoes not mine. This is a place of work not a dumping ground! I could ban the trouble and strife entry but that's just me being silly.

 

[John15]

Stimpi,
Yes, I agree about keeping a small workshop clean and tidy, otherwise it would be chaos. Mostly I try to sweep the floor and put all tools back in their allotted space after each session - one of the few things I remember from my woodworking schooldays, and learning to duck the 4 x 2 missiles from the teacher if we were chatting to much.
Cheers,
John

 

[petermillard]

Since everyone's being coy about showing their workspace, I'll dive in and show mine, as it's reasonably tidy right now

My space is single-garage sized (actually former loading-bays for a small commercial building) a little under 6 metres long and about 2.6 wide, and I have two adjoining rooms, one set up as a general storage/dumping ground/overflow area when painting etc... and one set up as actual workspace, as follows:-

General view of the workspace from one end, all benched out at the same height. I used to have a radial arm saw where the MFT is, but for most of the time it was a big lump that was in the way; being able to lift up the rail and clamp of the MFT and claim back he workbench space has made a huge difference to how I work.

Same room, looking back the other way; must do something with that plans chest!

And this is the 'dumping ground' side of the premises; could really do with getting rid of all those bikes, but it's a very handy place to store them. All those scraps of timber should probably go too, and I'm sure I could just hire ladders when I need them

One of the key things for me to be able to work commercially in such a small space is to have each bench perform several functions. The bench at left of the first picture also houses a permanently fixed router, so the simple addition of a fence clamped into place, it becomes a router table with great in-and-outfeed, dust extraction etc...

Swap out the centre section, and you have space for a small drill press - again, with great support either side...

And lastly, the mitre saw also fits in - again, great support at either side for longer workpieces...

That's it - that's where I work. As you can see, having no 'big iron' machinery really helps!

Cheers, Pete

 

[DTR]

My humble organised mess, contained within a 16' x 10' shed:

(sorry bout the photos, no fancy hi-tech panoramic wizardry here!)

 

[Homerjh]

Thanks all, just visited the house again for a measure up, and the space is quite smaller than I remembered, I think it is about 1.2m by 1.8m, so very small.

But once we are settled I think it could be used well. I am not a fine woodsmith so don't need anything fancy, but probably a L shaped bench with some clever thinking could probably work, if only for somewhere to mess with wood.

Or may just use it for storage, who knows!

 

[DiscoStu]

Good to see the ideas. I've currently got a work bench that I made. I made it higher than most for two reasons:
1 I'm 6'2" and I can't be doing with bending down so I measured from where I would normally put my hands to the floor. (This was my main consideration)

2 I wanted to get plenty of storage space underneath

I'll try and remember to take a photo of what I have (I might have one somewhere) so far. I am planning on taking the worktop a lot further along the garage (probably at a lower height) and having various tools on it, but a bit like petermillard, I'm intending to have it so that the tools are at various heights, but so that their in and out feeds are all level across the bench.

My wood working tools have to share their space with some general garage stuff (jet Wash, Mower etc) and quite a lot of camping gear and offroading kit. I've got all the camping gear racked with some decent deep racking. The rest of the garage is racked out, but with some cheap plastic stuff that isn't very deep. So I need a bit of a sort out and some new racking etc.

Hopefully I'll get myself pretty sorted over the next month or so.

Maybe I should do some before and after photos!

 

[Jim o1]

I im also trying to create a workshop in my garage
I found this PDF guide to a workshop layout in a single car garage it's hopefully what I'm aiming for if i can ever be as organised as this guy
As the experienced guys said its mobile storage with multi functions like a drill press box stand doubles into its storage home and can also be used as a out feed table for the saw
Take a peek its a great guide
http://www.finewoodworking.com/fwnpdffree/011160044.pdf

 

[Benchwayze]

I im also trying to create a workshop in my garage
I found this PDF guide to a workshop layout in a single car garage it's hopefully what I'm aiming for if i can ever be as organised as this guy
As the experienced guys said its mobile storage with multi functions like a drill press box stand doubles into its storage home and can also be used as a out feed table for the saw
Take a peek its a great guide
http://www.finewoodworking.com/fwnpdffree/011160044.pdf

I downloaded that PDF too. It was what I thought my garage would look like. Doesn't work though. I have the same space, but there are one or two features I have that are obstacles. Like the underneath of the house stairs intruding into the garage at the far end, making the one corner inaccessible. And two buttresses where the garage becomes integral with the house. I also realised I would have to get rid of 1/3 of my machinery! So I am building a 12 x 6 shed in the garden for timber storage, and maybe the planer/thicknesser.


John :wink:

 

[whiskywill]

(sorry bout the photos, no fancy hi-tech panoramic wizardry here!)

At least your walls are straight.

 

[DTR]

(sorry bout the photos, no fancy hi-tech panoramic wizardry here!)

At least your walls are straight.

I wish I could say the same about the house, no fisheye lens required in there!

 

[petermillard]

(sorry bout the photos, no fancy hi-tech panoramic wizardry here!)

At least your walls are straight.

I wish I could say the same about the house, no fisheye lens required in there!

Oi! My walls are straight too, they just don't look that way And no fancy hi-tech wizardry required either - I did them on my phone!

 

[deserter]

Ok so you want small, well here's my compact 8 x 6 shed/workshop.
Excuse the photos but I have projects on the go at the moment so it's not as clean ad normal.

Through the door.

And then stood in the center each corner.

Apologies if the photos are the wrong size I've done all this from my phone and it's the first time.

Sent from my D5503 using Tapatalk

 

[johnny]

interesting thread caught my eye as I'm currently agonising over what size I should build my new Workshop/shed.
I currently have a 10'.0" x 8'0" shed which is too small and needs a new roof and repairs. I'm also looking to increase the size. I've measured and remeasured the shed a thousand times last week and tried to imagine how much more space I will need.

Its now up to 13'0" long by 11'6" wide which is ridiculously big and dominates our cottage garden :roll:
I costed out the timber required and its over £800 already without felt ,lining, electrics etc. crikey !

The shed must also be a dry store for my classic motorbike and scooter during the winter with sufficient space to work on them and also double up as a store for all our excess stuff we can't get into the loft, house and garage lol.

Then I had an ephifany !... if I did away with a fixed 600mm work bench to the sides and instead had a huge 6'0" x 3'3"" work bench in the middle on castors it would make the space much more flexible and could mean I could build a smaller shed. A central mobile workbench could store tools and stuff in cupboards underneath and would allow me to get a 360 degree access to any project without turning it. it could be moved to accommodate large awkwardly shaped objects and pushed to one side when not in use or maybe wheeled out into the garden when working outside !
I could put the bikes up onto the bench using a ramp so I could work on them at a reasonable height and it would accommodate large furniture boards with which I am hoping to restore the interior of our campervan.

A large mobile workbench makes a lot of sense in a small space.

 

[Benchwayze]

Put the motor cycle in the front room... :mrgreen:

That's not helpful I know.

Wouldn't it be more practical (and safer) to invest in a proper M/cycle maintenance stand? When working on the bikes, you could wheel the bench out of the way, and Bob's yer Dad's Brother.

HT is more helpful.


John

 

[johnny]

:lol: I'll let you put that suggestion to swimbo

I was planning to make a workbench of box steel with 18mm Ply top . A bigger version of this one and about 800mm high .
It would be immensely strong

 

[Benchwayze]

John...

I wasn't doubting it would be a strong bench. I was thinking of the safety issues when you wheel the bike up a ramp.

Maybe I am looking at it from a 75 year old's perspective, with regard to the effort it would take. :mrgreen: (hammer)

 

[monkeybiter]

Re. the size of the shed/workshop it won't be ridiculously big for long, and will soon become too small. Go for as big as you can.

 

[johnny]

Re. the size of the shed/workshop it won't be ridiculously big for long, and will soon become too small. Go for as big as you can.

funnily enough thats exactly what my partner said until I put up a couple of posts to show her where the corners would be :mrgreen:

Apparently you can build on up to 50% of your garden without planning permission.!..... now theres a thought....

 

[johnny]

John...

I wasn't doubting it would be a strong bench. I was thinking of the safety issues when you wheel the bike up a ramp.

Maybe I am looking at it from a 75 year old's perspective, with regard to the effort it would take. :mrgreen: (hammer)

yes you are right it certainly could be a safety issue with the XS650 which weighs nearly 500Ibs ! Not sure I'll be able to put the bike on the workbench but the scooter would be easier enough .
If you see how flimsy the bike stands are you'd understand why I wanted something more substantial and higher too. I'm only a mere 63 but I still find it tough working on my knees for extended periods.