What to build first?

[chrles]

I am stuck deciding were to start a re-organization of my garage and need advice on what to build first.

Should I first

Build a workbench

Build a assembly table

Buy a MFT and use it to build the above?

I have experience in general carpentry, but outside of assembling Ikea, I have never built a cabinet. My plans for the garage are to build a workbench, shelving for systainers and FatMax organizers along with shelving for bins and a french cleat system for tools on one wall. Right now everything is eather piled up on the floor or on some wire shelfing that is getting ready to pull out of the wall.

I have a jigsaw, circular saw, track saw, sliding miter saw with stand, palm sander, Paslode finish nailer, cordless drills and impact drill, router, framing, combination and speed squares, saw horses, torpedo, 2 and 4 ft levels, most hand tools, very few clamps. Suggestions for anything else?

Right now I am leaning toward buying a MFT to make it easier to make everything else. But Wow $$$$! Thought about buying a table saw, but once this project is done I will have little need for a table saw.

 

[J373]

You could make your own mft top and put on horses to start . I made mine with the parf guide system and use it for site work does the trick way cheaper and you can make as many as you want .

 

[Jesse Cloud]

I would start with the shelving and french cleat system to get a quick benefit.

Are you going to make a traditional workbench (big, heavy, multiple vises, etc) or a simple flat surface?  If its the big one, I would hold off until you are sure where everything will go.

You might also make your own mft - lots of threads on this site.

SInce its in the garage, I strongly suggest that anything on the floor should be mobile.  No matter how large your garage, there will come a time when you need to move things around.

Let us know how its coming.  We love pictures!!

 

[Gregor]

I would start with the shelving and french cleat system to get a quick benefit.
...
SInce its in the garage, I strongly suggest that anything on the floor should be mobile.  No matter how large your garage, there will come a time when you need to move things around.

This.

I would even do it the other way around and do the french cleat system (on all walls) first, then make the shelving attach to it. That, combined with everything on the floow being mobile, will give you the most flexibility since you can easily and quickly change your whole layout - whenever and as often as you need.

 

[#Tee]

build a large assembly table to fit your space and add on accessories to turn it into a "work bench"

 

[sancho57]

I would start organizing my storage and tooling to be near where  they will be used think work flow. For example I put spur shelving though out my shop to hold my systainers and home made CMS modules.  I went for trays instead of drawers, all my edge banding tools in one tray, i made a large tray for finishing supplies etc.

Hope this helps

 

[Z48LT1]

You didn't indicate what you intend to use your workshop for although having an organized, squared-away workshop is a noble and adequate goal in and of itself.

I suggest considering making Dan Pattison's Multi Purpose Table to give you a stable flexible platform to fabricate the rest of the fixtures you need to organize your garage:


It's a fairly simple, inexpensive project that's also compact and can be broken down and stored in a very small space.

Best - Gary

 

[peter halle]

I would suggest suggest getting crap or stuff out of your way - ala [member=457]Jesse Cloud[/member]  and then forward.

A clear playing field is a luxury / a wish / un-atainable / nirvana depending on situations.

Peter

 

[chrles]

Thanks everyone for the comments so far.

To clarify, the garage's primary use is a garage, then storage, and to have a workbench for assembly, dissasemby and cleaning of stuff that would get me in trouble if I did it on the dining room table. The occasional carpentry work and data cabling is done away from home for the most part, so tools have to be portable. I have no plans to do woodworking.

My thoughts now are to,

1. Make a sacrificial base out of 2x4 to cut a sheet of MDF to,
2. Make a MFT top RE David Stanton and MultiFunction Slab,
3. Use the MFT to make the French Cleats,
4. GET EVERYTHING off the floor and against the walls

Go on to the next phase, workbench, tool storage, etc

 

[sancho57]

Maybe if you sketch what your planning on build and the layout of your shop, it may goive you a idea. I honestly spent time in my shop looking at it and thinking what would give me what I want . I changed my mind a few times then settled on a plan. I have since added to my original plan but Im satisfied on how its turning out.

 

[Timtool]

Just to be sure, have you heard of the MFTC?

It's a mobile folding MFT style workbench, when folded up it still serves as a tool cart/cabinet and doesn't take any more space than a cabinet if placed against a wall. The extension tables turn it into a sheet cutting platform.

The problem I would see with traditional MFT style workbenches in your situation is that they have to be carried, are bulky, heavy and still waste space whether they are deployed or not.

 

[egmiii]

Just to be sure, have you heard of the MFTC?

It's a mobile folding MFT style workbench, when folded up it still serves as a tool cart/cabinet and doesn't take any more space than a cabinet if placed against a wall. The extension tables turn it into a sheet cutting platform.

The problem I would see with traditional MFT style workbenches in your situation is that they have to be carried, are bulky, heavy and still waste space whether they are deployed or not.

^This. Very thoughtful design by someone who has demonstrated mastery in shop workflow. I've probably watched his videos a dozen times each, yet still gain a pearl of wisdom each time. Saved me years in my own shop design.

 

[Timtool]

^This. Very thoughtful design by someone who has demonstrated mastery in shop workflow. I've probably watched his videos a dozen times each, yet still gain a pearl of wisdom each time. Saved me years in my own shop design.

LOL, well that guy is me.

 

[grobkuschelig]

@Timtool this is your own fault for not calling it:
- TimtoolBench
- BenchworksBench
- BelgianBench
- ...



I suggest: „Timch“. [popcorn]

 

[egmiii]

LOL, well that guy is me.

Yep. Sorry if I didn't imply that. Been following your posts here for the last year. Thanks for all of your great YouTube content. I only have 800 square feet of space in my basement (45 x 18 ft), so I'm doing my best to work in the machine room / assembly area concept. A couple photos of your shop taken from the corners would be awesome. FYI, all of my machinery is Felder as well. Love the stuff.

 

[Holmz]

I am not great at staying organised... I just built 2 MDF units 36" high and 8' long as well as a 4x8 foot unit in a French cleat.. sort of a "chaos wall"...

If you are time poor then buy an MFT, but if not then make the assembly table.
Or
Do the workbench...

You kind of have uses for both, so just get 'stuck into it'...

A bench with the nice clamps does take some plans or planing... but the assembly table may be more straight forward. If there is a CNC place that can do 32-mm holes, then takes a lot of time out of the top.

 

[Bikermutt07]

+1 for the Parf Guide System. I just made my portable station last week. I think it's the most cost effective system to drill all the holes. And you can make more holes any time you want.

I also really like Timtools mftc. The only reason I didn't build his design is that I wind up working in uneven yards on most days.

 

[peter halle]

+1 for the Parf Guide System. I just made my portable station last week. I think it's the most cost effective system to drill all the holes. And you can make more holes any time you want.

I also really like Timtools mftc. The only reason I didn't build his design is that I wind up working in uneven yards on most days.

Welcome to the FOG!  Timtool has some great ideas.  When you say that you wouldn't do that is it because you want a level or non-rocking surface?  Or is it because rolling it outside wouldn't work well?  I could see his projects being adapted with honking large lawnmower wheels, have a bicycle "transmission" powered by a cordless drill and going to town.  Maybe adapted to have drop-down adjustment legs.

Peter

 

[sancho57]

I wrote:

>>I changed my mind a few times then settled on a plan. I have since added to my original plan but Im satisfied on how its turning out.

 

[ear3]

I would suggest getting a Kreg pocket hole jig, which you will almost certainly benefit from when doing the tall cabinets you might need for your storage.  I don't suppose a Domino is a possibility as well? 

Deciding on workshop organization can be a real challenge.  You wan't to impose some order on your space, but at the same time, you don't want to lock yourself into a particular work model and forestall opportunities for growth as your work methods and skills invariably evolve over time.  Some of the ideas suggested above about building in mobility when possible are sound, as this enables you to reconfigure the space as needed.

Since you are just starting to build cabinets, and you do not have a table saw, I would ask myself whether I have a reliable method of sizing the cabinet parts (getting things square, being able to batch parts to the exact same measurements).  If no, then my focus would be on making that happen first, which means either an MFT or some other comparable solution that will allow you to do so (an MFT substitute, a large square, parallel guides).

Not sure how tall your garage is, but my solution for the limited space I had to work with in my own garage was to go vertical.  This thread charts several years of me rethinking my shop space, if you're interested:http://festoolownersgroup.com/works...ps/on-going-shop-reorganization-build-thread/ 

I am stuck deciding were to start a re-organization of my garage and need advice on what to build first.

Should I first

Build a workbench

Build a assembly table

Buy a MFT and use it to build the above?

I have experience in general carpentry, but outside of assembling Ikea, I have never built a cabinet. My plans for the garage are to build a workbench, shelving for systainers and FatMax organizers along with shelving for bins and a french cleat system for tools on one wall. Right now everything is eather piled up on the floor or on some wire shelfing that is getting ready to pull out of the wall.

I have a jigsaw, circular saw, track saw, sliding miter saw with stand, palm sander, Paslode finish nailer, cordless drills and impact drill, router, framing, combination and speed squares, saw horses, torpedo, 2 and 4 ft levels, most hand tools, very few clamps. Suggestions for anything else?

Right now I am leaning toward buying a MFT to make it easier to make everything else. But Wow $$$$! Thought about buying a table saw, but once this project is done I will have little need for a table saw.