Small Shop Setup?

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cmcfalls

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Oct 10, 2006
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Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
I have a REALLY small area (one of those sotrage buildings) that I am planning to use to work out of. Currently, my setup consists of a few shelves with tools stored on them and a workbench on rollers. I roll the bench out into the yard and attach the needed tool to it (I set up a quick release and change jig for them). This works, for now, but I HATE having to change tools (saw, drill press, lathe, etc). I try to do several pens at once so I don't have to change the tools so much, but it's still a pain.

Does anyone else work out of a very small space that could give me some advice on a different setup? Or does what I have the best I can do in the space?
 
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bnoles

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Feb 2, 2006
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NW Georgia USA
Sounds like you would benefit from a couple of flip top benches on wheels which are easy to make. You could mount 2 tools to each one (one on each side of the top) and just flip the top rotating the tool needed to the top surface. This would possibly allow you to eliminate some of the shelving that is holding these tool now so you would have room to stort the new units.

Here is one I made do you can see what I am talking about. They can be any size you want to make them.



2006128214912_P9220003.jpg
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200612821534_P9220008.jpg
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ashaw

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Phila, PA, USA.
I am in a 10x12 shed. I have a couple of multi purpose stands with rollers. The only permit tolls are Drill press, lathe and Scroll Saw. I make use of the backyard a lot for the planner, joiner and table saw.
 

bnoles

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NW Georgia USA
Clean shop???? LOL... you should see it right now.

That picture was over a year ago when I was setting up shop. [:D] I should probably dig out my shop tour pictures one day and give y'all my grand tour. [}:)]
 

ctEaglesc

Passed Away Jul 4, 2008
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Camden, S.C., USA.
HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM?
Time and space are relative.
The building that is my"shop" was constructed for a riding lawn mower.The building is 12x 16.Even witht he lawn mower in it it was HUGE.
When I moved the tablesaw out of the dining room into that building I still had space so I added a makeshift bench.
You can imagine what happened next.It became the space and stuff monologue by Gallagher.
I added a 14" Jet bandsaw witha closed base. A "bench top" drill press( so much for bench space) things still weren't that crowed even after I added a Grizzly 8" jointer.of course I had taken off the wings on the tablesaw and use an extruded "portable top set up for larger stuff"
Things got a little more crowded withthe addition of a second lathe and then a third, all minis both Rikon and Jet.
I had to move the dustcollector motors up inthe attic and the chipseparator outside but that's ok they were taking up space that could be used for a better purpose.
By this time you can imagine the need for additional space because the lawn mower was outside on a permanent basis.
I made an 8x16 addition for the lawnmower that was quickly filled with wood and the other 2 table saws.The 2 miter saws bowling balls I will cut up some day, corn cobs and deer antler.
The lawn mower?
It's out side.
LIke Gallagher said space and stuff.
Your 12x 10 building is big enough because no matter how big a shop you get it wan't be big enough either.
(I failed to mention there are the other necessary woodworking tools, routers, scroll saw , bench sander mounted deer head.He holds the welding helmet, oh yeah, the welder, air compressor)
Something always needs to be moved to do something else,I had to keep the 6x48" floor sander in a storage building.)
Yep your shop is big enough.
 

JimGo

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Jan 24, 2005
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North Wales, PA
This is my "shop". It is a 3.5'x5.5' (interior space) storage unit attached to the outside of our townhouse. It has been reconfigured a little since the picture, but I have a full size, floor-standing drill press (17"), 9" bandsaw, Jooltool, and Jet MINI lathe in there. All are available for use at any time. I used to have the PSI Turncrafter Pro, but by "downsizing" and upgrading to the Jet, I was able to squeeze the Jooltool in there. The Jooltool is not shown in the pic.
 

bradh

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Mar 9, 2005
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Location
Aurora, Ontario, Canada.
Originally posted by bnoles
<br />Sounds like you would benefit from a couple of flip top benches on wheels which are easy to make.

http://www.penturners.org/olduploads/bnoles/200612821534_P9220008.jpg[/img]<br />

Great IDEA! I am starting to run out of space. A flip bench like this could really help!
It would be easier to build something like this then to clean out the "treasures" stored in the corner and under the benches.
Thanks,
Brad
 

Tom McMillan

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Jan 1, 2004
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Location
Washougal, WA, USA.
My space is about a 5 1/2' by 11' area in a storage building. I've set it up as efficiently as I could. I have a dust collector, disc sander, small bandsaw, table saw, drill press, and my little lathe. Also, a small fold down workbench behind the lathe. (The jointer is now stored in a different area as I don't use it much.)



2006129142735_Tomsshop%20002.jpg
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Rifleman1776

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Dec 18, 2004
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Mountain Home, Arkansas, USA.
Originally posted by JimGo
<br />This is my "shop". It is a 3.5'x5.5' (interior space) storage unit attached to the outside of our townhouse. It has been reconfigured a little since the picture, but I have a full size, floor-standing drill press (17"), 9" bandsaw, Jooltool, and Jet MINI lathe in there. All are available for use at any time. I used to have the PSI Turncrafter Pro, but by "downsizing" and upgrading to the Jet, I was able to squeeze the Jooltool in there. The Jooltool is not shown in the pic.


You are to be complimented for making such efficient use of so tiny a space. I believe I would get clautrophobic in there.
 
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