Here's a shot down the main workbench in my rather small shop. The clearance aisle wall cabinets were a great find - as you can see I mounted home made tool holders on the inside and outside of the doors, and store lumber across the tops of them. There's another "side of the road" cabinet under the workbench that's on wheels and doubles as a small working table when I need it. Large tool storage (table saws, planer, chop saw, router table) all go under this work bench until I need to set them up. Just don't have the room to have everyone out at once. The drill press and drum sander do stay on the workbench all the time though. Very little wasted space, everything has a place, and it can be reached in about two or three steps.
Here's a picture at the end wall of the shop with the main workbench still on the left. Very narrow. You can see the hanging shelves I put up above the garage door - about 2" clearance on those. Packed with a couple large but light tools and a dozen or so cigar boxes. Except for the work benches, most all the fixtures, cabinets, and shelves were salvaged from the side of the road on trash day or the clearance section at ikea.
High shelves over the window on the end hold power tools and sets that don't get used as often as the stuff in the wall cabinets. Fan at the end has a couple air filters tied to the back of it to help with the dust. The bench top band saw at the end stays out all the time. Need to do some cleaning and organizing of materials on and under that workbench - there are several half finished and not yet started projects taking up space down there.
Small shops can be very efficient spaces - I've very happy with mine - but it does take some planning and creative use of all the vertical space too.
I have a 9' x 17' shop myself - I get along pretty well with high work benches on the ends and one side, storage underneath, craftsman workmate type folding tables for movable power tool stands, and lots of things hanging on the walls and ceiling. One great space saving fixture is a double wall cabinet that was in the ikea clearance area that I covered in screw hooks and little wooden holders on the inside and outside of the doors to hold all my hand tools for easy access. Long skinny wood storage is on hooks over the garage door. The only power tools that are permanently out are the drill press, drum sander, and band saw. The router table, planer, table saw, chop saw, etc. are all stored under the workbench and setup on the folding work table when needed. I load some pictures if you're interested in ideas.
Jon already alluded to it, but make the most out of the overhead space you have, kinda like a submarine!
I had actually considered some kind of lazy susan for my small benchtop tools, that I could rotate the tool I needed in front of me and lock it in place. Just a thought.
I have a 9' x 17' shop myself - I get along pretty well with high work benches on the ends and one side, storage underneath, craftsman workmate type folding tables for movable power tool stands, and lots of things hanging on the walls and ceiling. One great space saving fixture is a double wall cabinet that was in the ikea clearance area that I covered in screw hooks and little wooden holders on the inside and outside of the doors to hold all my hand tools for easy access. Long skinny wood storage is on hooks over the garage door. The only power tools that are permanently out are the drill press, drum sander, and band saw. The router table, planer, table saw, chop saw, etc. are all stored under the workbench and setup on the folding work table when needed. I load some pictures if you're interested in ideas.
Replies
Here's a shot down the main workbench in my rather small shop. The clearance aisle wall cabinets were a great find - as you can see I mounted home made tool holders on the inside and outside of the doors, and store lumber across the tops of them. There's another "side of the road" cabinet under the workbench that's on wheels and doubles as a small working table when I need it. Large tool storage (table saws, planer, chop saw, router table) all go under this work bench until I need to set them up. Just don't have the room to have everyone out at once. The drill press and drum sander do stay on the workbench all the time though. Very little wasted space, everything has a place, and it can be reached in about two or three steps.
Here's a picture at the end wall of the shop with the main workbench still on the left. Very narrow. You can see the hanging shelves I put up above the garage door - about 2" clearance on those. Packed with a couple large but light tools and a dozen or so cigar boxes. Except for the work benches, most all the fixtures, cabinets, and shelves were salvaged from the side of the road on trash day or the clearance section at ikea.
High shelves over the window on the end hold power tools and sets that don't get used as often as the stuff in the wall cabinets. Fan at the end has a couple air filters tied to the back of it to help with the dust. The bench top band saw at the end stays out all the time. Need to do some cleaning and organizing of materials on and under that workbench - there are several half finished and not yet started projects taking up space down there.
Small shops can be very efficient spaces - I've very happy with mine - but it does take some planning and creative use of all the vertical space too.
Yes. Please.
Jon Pruett said:
As many as you can fit, put the big ones on wheels. Band saw, drill press, lots of hand tools.
Jon already alluded to it, but make the most out of the overhead space you have, kinda like a submarine!
I had actually considered some kind of lazy susan for my small benchtop tools, that I could rotate the tool I needed in front of me and lock it in place. Just a thought.
The Clockwork Owl said: