Space saving in a small workshop

[MarkAW]

With a small workshop, what's been the most effective space saving change you've made or done (that's not throwing things away)?

Pictures encouraged. I'm looking for ideas

 

[Fitzroy]

With a small workshop, what's been the most effective space saving change you've made or done (that's not throwing things away)?

Pictures encouraged. I'm looking for ideas

Tiered storage getting wider up high, machines on wheels, photo here.

 

[robgul]

+1 for machines on wheels - and "parking garages" for them under benches.

 

[Eshmiel]

With a small workshop, what's been the most effective space saving change you've made or done (that's not throwing things away)?

Pictures encouraged. I'm looking for ideas

First rule - organise a place for everything then keep everything in its place, even as you work. (Put a tool back in its place as you finish a task with it, rather than on to a bench clutter). As you use them, you'll develop an extensive memory about where they all are and so save all that hunting-for-it time.

Rule Two might be: put everything around the walls and leave yourself a working space in the middle. Not always possible. especially with machines that handle long workpieces .... but it does make the most of space and generally allows you to more easily reach things.

Rule Three might be: put infrequently-used tools packed away in drawers and cupboards whilst keeping frequently used tools instantly gettable. I use magnetic rails and pegboard with various hooks and other holders, with the highest concentration of such on the other side of the bench that I work at.

Pics will follow in due course.

PS I work in a rather small one-car garage.

 

[Eshmiel]

Some photos, showing the various ways and means of packing in enormous numbers of tools into one small room such that you know where they all are, can get at them and have the space to actually use them ..... .

It helps to have a large garage door that can be opened on a concrete apron, for working when the weather's clement. To use the tablesaw side extension, I have to roll the dust extractor out of the garage on to that apron, for example.

The place is getting cluttered! I need a tidy-up.

That reminds me of another rule: equipment and tools not planned for usage over the currently planned projects should go out into some form of storage place. Mine go in to a sort of warm-dry cellar known as "the undercroft", to be fetched out if & when needed.

 

[Sideways]

Use the walls, but keep your stuff in boxes to protect from the damp.

French cleats and wall boxes

Ally profile extrusion makes a strong and effective bench frame. This must be 200kg loaded at least.

Regularly empty your workshop out and reorganise putting the essentials back in first, in a good layout. Try and cull what isn't important anymore.

Space under the workbench is too valuable not to maximise it for storage. So a traditional bench isn't the best choice.

Airtight toolboxes and reusable bags of silica gel so kit can survive the winters. Microwave a few times a year.