Shop Layout Assistance Requested

[buildintechie]

Hello all-
I was wondering if I could get some suggestions on shop layout. My shop currently is 12x12, and I'm in the process of adding the 4x12 section as indicated on the plans below. The two rooms will not be accessible, since the shot is 2' off the ground, and the new 4x12 part is on a slab. I've recently installed a 100amp service, and before I get too involved in running circuits, I realized I needed to rethink my shop layout.

My shop is currently laid out like possibility #1. I was wondering what you guys thought of my other two ideas, or if you had suggestions. Someday, I'd like to add a 12x18 space on, opposite the 4x12 expansion, and make the shop L shaped....but thats many years down the road. Let me know what you think.

View image in gallery​

View image in gallery​

View image in gallery​

Thanks
~Jeff

 

[toolferone]

I like the workbench in front of the window. Natural light is great. My only concern with that is that stuff on the shelves will block the AC.

 

[froglips]

I like #3. Odds are you will spend the majority of your time at your workbench. Getting as much natural light as you can makes it a more enjoyable and effective experience.

I'm in a 12x12 shop too, so I can appreciate and admire your plan

Another option would be to put the workbench perpendicular to the wall between the old shop and the new addition. One perk is you get full access to three sides of your bench and it could serve as support for moving stock or anything around the shop.

I'm in the "workbench is the heart of a shop" camp.

Are you mostly a powertool user or do you find older, less electrically challenged tools fun?

Jim

 

[buildintechie]

I shold note, the shelves mentioned above are only 3' high....they're the super cheap (and old) white wire ones. I'm going to replace them, but will keep them below the air conditioner.

Since I dont really have much in the way of older hand-tools, I guess I'm more of a power tool user?

 

[Glennbear]

I am a fan of natural light over the workbench also. If your TS is not already on a mobile base I would suggest you make that change so that it can be placed in front of the double doors to make infeed/outfeed of long stock less problematic. A lot of my wood stash is 8' feet long and even with a 24 x 24 shop TS placement becomes critical at times when ripping. :wsmile:

 

[Dudelive]

Glenn has a great point as to putting things mobile.

Would it be possible to build the addition where the floor heights of the two would be the same. Then use the space for entering from the shop will be lots more usable I would think, but I don't know your land layout.

 

[buildintechie]

The table saw is on a mobile base already.

The layout of the land won't really allow me to raise it up about 2-3 feet easily. I think it could be prohibitively expensive. I'm also really liking the seperate area for the compressor and DC for sound suppression reasons, and it'll allow me to vent DC air outside the shop, and help keep the shop cleaner.

 

[buildintechie]

holy double post batman!

 

[toolferone]

The table saw is on a mobile base already.

it'll allow me to vent DC air outside the shop, and help keep the shop cleaner.

You also will be venting the air you just paid to heat or cool.Try to keep the DC air in the shop. In one of the stud cavites between the rooms put a pair of return air vents. ON one side put the vent high and on the other side put the vent low. This will keep the sound low but allow the air to get back in the room.

 

[FredP]

bench in front of the window is great but [there's always a but aint there?] I prefer my bench away from the wall to allow access to all four sides. if you do small projects it doesn't matter but larger stuff gets to be a pain in the neck when you need to turn them around several times. the bench could also double as an outfeed table. on a side note the TS would work well in front of the doors. think feeding long stock.:icon_thum 12x12 is a good reason to put everything on wheels if you can.

 

[buildintechie]

I am considering doing that when the temps are really cold, and then have a shutter for it to shut it off when the weather outside is nice.

However, I did see a post by Alan in Little Washington I thought had a good point regarding the temperature comment:

Now as to heat loss. I have said before, unless you run your DC continuously from the moment you arrive until you turn out the lights, which I doubt based on all the threads about remote contol switches, you are not losing as much heat as you think. Air is a poor thermal mass while your shop floor, walls, ceiling, benches, machines, etc. are. What that means is you can remove the heated air mass many times over, and your shop will reheat the new air quite easily. Will you need to add heat, sure, but it is not as bad as you might think. Analogy time again- does the compressor in your refrigerator turn on every time you open the door and ALL the 40 deg. cold air tumbles out and is replaced with 70 deg. air? Nope! Why not? - the thermal mass of the cabinet and contents quickly cools the new air.

From:
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/f81/phil-thein-60-cyclone-0-a-29185/index2.html

Thoughts?

 

[Mt. Gomer]

I am considering doing that when the temps are really cold, and then have a shutter for it to shut it off when the weather outside is nice.

However, I did see a post by Alan in Little Washington I thought had a good point regarding the temperature comment:


Thoughts?

My totally non-scientifice experience tends to support what Alan was saying. I have shop in an unfinished "daylight" basment. It is un-insulated but given that it's under the house it doesn't have the extreme temperature swings of a detached building (down to about 50 in the winter, up to about 78 in the summer). I don't have an cleaner so I installed a vent fan in the far corner oppostie the windows. Whenever I make sawdust I open the far window and turn on the fan. Summer or winter I've not noticed much change in temps. Even when the outside temp was 20+ degrees different.

Travis

 

[Glennbear]

You also will be venting the air you just paid to heat or cool.Try to keep the DC air in the shop. In one of the stud cavites between the rooms put a pair of return air vents. ON one side put the vent high and on the other side put the vent low. This will keep the sound low but allow the air to get back in the room.

Sounds good to me but I would make sure that particular cavity was lined with some sort of sound absorbent material. I used fiberboard sheathing as outlined in the thread I linked to below.

I am considering doing that when the temps are really cold, and then have a shutter for it to shut it off when the weather outside is nice.

However, I did see a post by Alan in Little Washington I thought had a good point regarding the temperature comment:


Thoughts?[/QUOTE
I do not agree with Alan's thoughts on temperature control and do not want to spend ANY energy dollars on retempering make up air for air I exhausted out of the shop so I chose to filter and recirculate my DC discharge.

When I built my shop I constructed a seperate closet for my compressor and DC. The walls are insulated for noise control with standard fiberglass batts. I have found that this has worked well.
A while back I started a thread about this closet and if you care to read the posts in it there were interesting questions asked which I attempted to answer. http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/f81/dust-collection-control-23818-post242744/

 

[4yanks]

I would consider placing your table saw in front of your doors to increase rip capacity. Then position your workbench behind the TS. Make/modify the WB so that your miter gauge can clear the surface or make the work surface the same height as the saw and route clearance grooves for the gauge. The disadvantage of this setup is that it will restrict the mobility of your saw and make the setup less flexible. Advantages are that you will be able to use what is normally wasted space behind the saw, you will have an excellent out-feed table, you will have a large work surface for assembly and will free up valuable wall space.

 

[MrAudio815]

I like number 3 the best. You got the light for the Natural light for the workbench & a little more room when you walk in the doors. Plus you may want to put stuff on the shelves right when you walk in and they will be closer to the door. Won't have to waste as much energy.

I also like what Willie Said (4yanks). Very good advice~!

 

[Berta]

I also have my work bench behind my table saw for outfeed. I love it that way. I have tried to separate it but always put it back. I also agree on moving the saw in front of the double doors, so easy to open the doors and have extra "free" space.

 

[Matt Schnurbusch]

Another vote for the TS in front of the doors. I'm a big fan of having everything in the shop at the same height as my TS. My assembly table and work bench are both built and shimmed to that height. Being able to slide sheet stock around on top of every surface makes things easy. With my setup I can rip or cross cut sheet stock with relative ease because of my setup.

If your equipment is all mobile, and in a small shop it should be, then exact placement is not as much of a worry. But having an idea of where things will go, and how you work is important. I notice that all of your drawings show the DC setup in the same place. I would recommend holding off on placement of that until you decide on placement of the tools that need to be connected to it. Keep your DC runs as short and straight as possible.

 

[froglips]

Remember, my opinion should never be misconstrued as fact

I feel the workbench height should be set to your body height, taking into account the kind of work you do. You will spend a lot of time there and unless you happen to be the same height as your tablesaw, you may find it too low or too high.

There are lots of good outfeed solutions. You may like something I do in my 12x12 shop. I clamp a 2x4 across the doorway at a height that matches my tablesaw. One advantage is the 2x4 is a whole lot smaller and easier to store than any tables I've used.

Oh, yes, I do open the door when I do that Sure glad I was alone the first time I tried that..... Why is my board stuck in the saw? Opps......

Someday, I intend to switch to dutch doors. Why? So the lower door functions as an in/outfeed table!

FWIW, I side with Alan, go ahead and vent outside. A 12x12 isn't likely to be as big a deal to condition the air as others who have more, uhm, bigger shops

Jim

 

[Glennbear]

"There are lots of good outfeed solutions. You may like something I do in my 12x12 shop. I clamp a 2x4 across the doorway at a height that matches my tablesaw. One advantage is the 2x4 is a whole lot smaller and easier to store than any tables I've used.

Oh, yes, I do open the door when I do that :smile: Sure glad I was alone the first time I tried that..... Why is my board stuck in the saw? Opps...... "

Having a larger shop is not always the panacea that one would think. You still have to plan your infeed AND outfeed carefully. My shop is 24x24 and a while back I was ripping an 8 foot board and had the overhead door open on the infeed side of the TS but neglected to gauge the distance on the outfeed side. :embaresse As I looked at my board stuck between the blade and a cabinet on the back wall I realized that once again I was a victim of my own poor planning.:rotflm:

 

[MarkE]

You can also add wheels to the workbench. Move it out into the shop when you want to have access to all four sides or to use as an outfeed. Push it back against the wall when you need the extra space. Make it so you can drop the bench onto the legs after it has been moved into place so it won't roll around when you don't want it to.

Just about every big tool in my shop is mobile.