# Shop layout



## Gixxerjoe04 (Nov 11, 2015)

So I decided to take pics of how cluttered my shop is and see if there are any suggestions of how to maximize my space. May have bought too many big tools and too many haha, luckily a few of them are on rollers except my table saw. Thought about building a big bench and storage area along part of the wall where the spindle sander is, might help some. Would like to make a station for my miter saw. With winter coming, making stuff will be hard but figured I can get my shop better organized and hopefully not at cluttered. So any insight would help, and no giving you my wood or tools will not help the situation haha.


 


 


 


 


 
My random crap corner, of course most of the corners are full of random crap.


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## Schroedc (Nov 11, 2015)

From a storage standpoint I'd pick up some used kitchen cabinets all along the wall with the drill press and sander and get rid of the metal stands if having those tools stationary would work for you.


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## JR Custom Calls (Nov 12, 2015)

Add on to your garage. I'll help you knock a hole in the wall to justify it with Emily.


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## TimR (Nov 12, 2015)

Gixxerjoe04 said:


> So I decided to take pics of how cluttered my shop is ....



Cluttered! 
I need to send a pic of my shop. This looks organized in my book!!

Reactions: Agree 4 | Funny 1


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## Gixxerjoe04 (Nov 12, 2015)

Well I cleaned it for quite awhile to make it not look as bad, all my cabinets and stuff are full of crap


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## Nature Man (Nov 12, 2015)

Looks eerily like my garage, except I have more wood to work round. Keep all equipment unless you aren't using it. Complete more projects to whittle down your wood supply. Store non-woodworking stuff elsewhere. Build a new storage shed. Guess I'm talking to myself! Chuck


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## Gixxerjoe04 (Nov 12, 2015)

If I had a bigger yard Id build a storage shed but it's tiny. Planned on building a tiny dog house size storage unit for my lawn mower and other yard stuff. If it weren't for the storage above my garage door Id def not have room.


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## Mike1950 (Nov 12, 2015)

I would not worry about it- or resolve problem as I have, by buying more tools and wood. Please do not ask how second solution is working out for me!!!

Reactions: Funny 4


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## frankp (Nov 16, 2015)

I think you're right; you bought too many big tools. Send me a couple and that'll free up some space. 

Seriously, though, not a lot of options with a small shop and that much hardware. What I'd do in order of simplicity...

1) Move the bow inside, it should be inside unless you're shooting it anyway. Drink the soda. Turn the pets into hunters so you don't have to feed them. 
2) Build a second overhead storage and put all the spare boxes there. 
3) Build a small outdoor shed directly against the outside wall and put the DC in there. Much quieter and opens up a surprising amount of floor space. Hell, you might even be able to do it with just a pad and a little roof, if you're in an area where it won't get tampered with or stolen. 


After that, most of your tools look like they're pretty well organized already. If you have some smaller ones, perhaps put them on one of those flipping 3 sided carts like Kenbo made a couple years back. (I think that's who did it.) That would free up a little space but only works with fairly small devices like grinders, smaller sanders etc.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Gixxerjoe04 (Nov 16, 2015)

I'd like to build some more overhead storage against my back wall, but finding studs in the ceiling is about impossible, anyone got any tips on that or making a hanging storage shelf that's strong? Can't build anything outside because little hoodliums like messing stuff up but plus we don't plan on living here many more years god willing. Was going to do the tiny dog house size shed for my push mower and shovels and other tools like that out back.


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## frankp (Nov 16, 2015)

Do a shelf just like the one over the garage door in the pictures. You shouldn't need any ceiling studs for vertical posts. Three sides supported should be just fine. Like framing out a deck, except it's raised up. Keep the depth to half the width or less and there shouldn't be any issues at all.


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## Gixxerjoe04 (Nov 17, 2015)

Well the problem I have is how the back wall is, it sticks out, I assume it's hiding duct work for the hvac unit but not really sure. Since there's no wall studs in that back part, and how it sticks out, doing it like how the other storage is, not gonna work. Thought about just doing a small section to hang from the ceiling and just put a stuff that isn't heavy on it.


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## frankp (Nov 17, 2015)

I see the problem. There have to be studs in that wall though. I'd probably run the under the soffet, personally, and let that soffet set the height of my shelf but at least now we can understand your problem. Do you have access above the garage ceiling? Maybe throw in a few anchors like for ceiling fans, that span across the joists and use those for vertical anchor points?


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## Gixxerjoe04 (Nov 17, 2015)

Not a bad idea, I do have access even though I've never been up there before, the entry for it is pretty small or I would store stuff up there. Was thinking maybe figure out an anchor plan and just have big circle hooks and use some chain to hang it to a 2x4 with plywood base, so I can just take it down easy when we leave. Also thought to about making really low shelf, I guess you could call it, to the large storage area that's already above the garage. There's not a lot of inches between the two, but use it to hold plywood, usually don't have much on hand but it def gets in the way. That shouldn't be much of a challenge I wouldn't think.


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## TimR (Nov 18, 2015)

Please take note of my having not just cabinets...but also subcabinets (not a real word). On the bright side, I do have s broom to keep things clean.

Reactions: Like 4


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## NYWoodturner (Nov 18, 2015)

TimR said:


> Please take note of my having not just cabinets...but also subcabinets (not a real word). On the bright side, I do have s broom to keep things clean.
> View attachment 91396


Tim I think we might be related

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 3


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## Kevin (Nov 18, 2015)

You guys need lessons on how to maintain a proper disaster area. Y'all are lightweights.

Reactions: Funny 2


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## TimR (Nov 18, 2015)

Kevin said:


> You guys need lessons on how to maintain a proper disaster area. Y'all are lightweights.


Blah blah...where's the pics.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Chris S. (Nov 18, 2015)

If I come by and pickup the table saw, planer and joiner you will have lots more room to organize things. What day works best for you? 

On serious note, not that my shop is organized, but is getting better, I am trying to mobilize everything and consolidate as many itmes as possible. Building work station to hold my planer and sander in one station, just change tools out, plus will work to be a outfeed table for my table saw is a project in the planning phase as we speak.

I like items to serve multiple purposes if possible as shop is never big enough. I put my rouer table into my table saw table, freed up storage in cabinet where was stored, and one less tool on work bench top. My work bench/storage areas is also side support table for my radial arm saw. Think how one area can work to serve another. 

I would buld the miter saw into a workbench station, where I can house my small tools under that, such as sander, then when need them just pull out and put on top to use. Every little step helps. Right now miter saw has great support for wood but provides no secondary purpose than to support saw and stock. A built in cabinet will be area for more storage, allow multiple tools to be in one area and free up space in another area. 

Also, a few floor to ceiling cabinets can hold a lot of items. Good luck with it, cleaning my shop is most rewarding yet frustrating time in the shop.


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## Gixxerjoe04 (Nov 18, 2015)

I put a little shelf up and got my plywood out of the way which was nice because it was just in the way. Every time I clean my shop it always gets me in the mood to make something then I'm back to square one haha. I worked on some stuff tonight, was kind of a pain having to move my jointer and planer around to use them but at least moving them around is pretty easy unless there's stuff on the ground. Finally got to play around with my domino at least.


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## GeorgeS (Nov 20, 2015)

Every time someone posts pictures of their shop I am amazed at how much it looks just like mine! If you have attic space above the garage maybe see about making the access hole bigger and put anything on the over garage door shelf that you don't use often up there along with whatever you have on the floor or around the shop that doesn't get much use up there. I'm with Chris S., try to maximize space by storing things under other tools. If you can build some base cabinets with all that lumber you have there and get some good storage/ tool sharing going on it may help too. I have been working on the same issues for a year between projects so I feel your pain!


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