New workshop advice

[jo041326]

Hi all,
this spring, I want to build one car garrage and a small shop. I'm limited in space. The outer dimensions are 8,5 x 5,5 m, inner dimensions of the workshop are 4,5 x 5 m. At this time I have only Festool tools so nearly all my working process will be around jumbo MFT and partly Kapex. I'm planning to buy a combi planner / thicknesser and a drill press.
I want all working surfaces at uniform hight, so I will be able to use a table router as a infeed table for the jointer, Kapex table as a support for large pieces routed on a router table etc.
Because I'm thinking about it for a long time, I'm a little jammed. I like to ask you for your opinion or advice what to do in a different way or what I forgot.
Thank you
Josef

 

[John Langevin]

Josef,

So you haven't built anything yet? That is good so you still have design flexibility.
A few questions first;
1. Does there need to be a fixed full-length wall between the garage and the proposed shop?
2. Will the proposed combo jointer/planer be on a mobile base?
3. What type and size of woodworking projects do you plan to do?

 

[JJ Wavra]

Josef

I am not sure what kind of work you do but I may switch the jointer/planer and router table with the the lumber yard.  That way if the two are moveable you could slide them closer to the door and then run long stock into the garage space.

I struggle with shop arrangement all the time but, I like to keep the jointer and planer on long walls with the possibility of expansion.

JJ

 

[nickao]

If you can switch the heat to a ceiling mount you sure free up a lot of space.

I also find a shop setup is a work in progress as you switch to different items that you make.

As you actually work in the shop you are going to change things around.

 

[jo041326]

Hi guys,
thank you very much for your ideas.

To John: There is still nothing built, so I have no pictures. There is no need for fixed wall between garage and a shop. I know what you mean - wide door which could be opened and connect the garage with a shop into one bigger room. But I don't want heating in the garage and am affraid of heat loss through the door (we have quite long winters here).
The combo planner will sit on mobile base same as the router table.
I'm making all kinds of furniture (dressers, wardrobes, beds, tables etc.)

To Rutabagared: Yes, I was thinking about it but I don't want to have something in my table I could acidentally cut in and there could be problems with vibrations from sanding (I will cut, sand, hand route, assemble and finish - all on MFT)

To JJ Wavra: great idea. You are right. I could put the planner to the door as close as possible and run stock through the door to the garage!
BTW, Wavra looks like a originally czech name

To nickao: yes, I can see that the stove is a big space eater, but we have now gas and electricity so highly priced (and it will be much worse), that I want to heat with wood.

Josef

 

[nickao]

Yes the gas bill would go up no question about it.

 

[John Langevin]

Are you planning to heat the shop all the time, keep it at 40 deg F and preheat before use or leave it unheated and heat only when you plan to use it?

I am completing my shop on the 2nd floor of my barn and found that by superinsulating it I will save a lot on heat and A/C (details to follow)

I was thinking of a pocket door (slides into the left wall) to the garage to save space and putting the combo machine where the lumberyard is, moving the lumberyard back toward the bottom wall. This would free up wall space on two walls (when the door is open), allow the combo machine to move a couple of feet for use and take advantage of the adjoining garage space when needed.

 

[jo041326]

Hi John,
I will heat in my shop only when I will be working there and maybe if there will be severe frost (because I'm still hobby woodworker I think I'll be working only on weekends). The sliding door is a good idea. I will think about it. I was also thinking about putting the planner closer to the door as JJwavra suggested, but I didn't make out any reasonable arrangement.

I didn't mention one thing - the shop will be just ground floor house with a saddle roof. The ceiling in the shop will be opened to the roof, so the highest spot will be along the wall with the windows (oh dear, I'm really weak in english, so I hope you will understand what I want to say). That's why I want to keep my MFTs somewhere in the middle and the lumber yard along  the wall opposite the one with windows.

Here is my corrected arrangement, where I incorporated the router table into my MFTs (as Rutabagared suggested). In this setup, I will easily bring my piedroit plates or other lumber in to the lumber yard. Next to it is my cutting, routing, sanding, finishing centre. I am able to run 1,5m long stock through the planner in this setup. For longer stuff I will move the planner in font of the door. (much easier will be sliding door and open the room to the garage).

Thank you for watching and taking a think

Josef

 

[Eli]

I use a bench top drill press and just put it on top of my MFT when I need to use it. It stays broken down in a carton under the bench otherwise. Depends if you need it all the time or not. Locking it in that close to the divider wall could be a problem if you need to drill in the middle of a long piece. Looks good otherwise. I can imagine sitting around the stove.

 

[jo041326]

Hi Eli,
I want to use the drill press only for the hinge holes (35mm). Now, I make it with OF1400 and LR32 SYS, but the bit gets always extremely hot (I use mostly hard wood) and is soon dull. I'd like to try to sink the drill press inside the right Kapex table and make just a hole for the drill press column in the top. I will be able to drill a hole in the middle of the 2m long piece what is sufficient for me.
Josef

 

[daves1996]

Could you move the lumber rack to the garage and build an overhead rack for it above the car?
Just a thought!

Dave