New to WoodTalk, setting up a new workshop


websherpa

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New to the forum but an occasional WoodWhisperer viewer.  At age 50, I am finally realizing a long term dream of setting up a shop for my woodworking equipment (which has remained dormant for a long time now).  

 

...  Hear that?  They're hammering trusses on a 37 x 16' attached garage extension (with 2 bedrooms above) as I type.  

 

It's an 11.5' high insulated garage space with windows, double man door at rear and insulated garage door at the front that will be completely isolated from the main house (all surface mount) for sound, air quality and fire safety reasons. I'm in Ontario, Canada, so it will be heated (planning radiant tube gas heating) and air conditioned.  (The pad could not be heated due to, ahem, certain $$ issues.)

 

I have some time before they pour the concrete pad, so I am putting my ideas on layout and shop planning  on paper outline and then in Sketchup 2D, then 3D.  I am planning quite a bit of "roll away" flexibility for my machine set-up, although the garage may almost never see a vehicle inside it.  LOL

 

I haven't had this much room, until now, and almost no experience with furniture making because of that (although I have some training in hybrid woodworking through high school carpentry, and the excellent group seminars of Hendrik Varju from about 10 years ago or so now) - so I have no experienced idea how my workflow and process "areas" might best be set up (and would eventually love to share and seek the advice of seasoned forum members).

 

I have started the basic floor plan layout available in SketchUp and completed a lengthy document of my tool inventory, build parameters and anticipated upcoming projects and needs.

 

One thing of interest is that my "other" craft is pinball and antique slot machine restoration, which I have been doing for nearly 15 years now.  The shop also needs to have area dedicated to this with the tools, parts storage, electronic, casework, assembly and painting work that goes along with it.

 

I gravitated to this forum due to Marc Spagnuolo's excellent videos and book (Hybrid Woodworking).  I like the milieu he generates and brings to a new generation of woodworkers through the Guild and associated resources, which I am expecting is reflected in the WoodTalk Forum.

 

Hello,

 

Wayne Powell

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I'm jealous enough that I considered not responding just out of spite.

 

Nothing annoys me more than having to "roll out" a tool to use it.  I have only a two car garage shop and I've been able to almost entirely get around that, save for the router table, which lives under the SCMS station.  With as much space as you're gonna have, I'd strongly urge you to plan for stationary tools.  It's more efficient (and far more enjoyable) to have dedicated spaces for each tool...and leave them there.  Chances are you'll move your tools around a dozen times or more before you find the perfect arrangement, depending on how many you have and how big they are.

 

Put in tons of outlets, both 110 and 220.  Never too many outlets, and now's the time to do it.  Consider a big DC.  A spray booth is great...you may or may not have enough space for that.

 

Finally, "may almost never see a vehicle?"  Would you care to rephrase that properly? :)

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Thank you for the welcome and hints. @kiki, I believe you are right my larger machines will be mounted on mobile bases, but in all likelihood will remain stationary (or get moved around until I have found a comfortable workflow).  I was thinking that more occasional (and smaller tools) like scroll saw, and similar will be rolled in and out from a wall space.  The nature of my pinball restoration work dictates that much of my hand tools and parts be in mobile bases.

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