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Here are six helpful tips to improve your shop layout.
When setting up my new shop, I went through a process of applying six filters to all tool location decisions and thought you guys might find this stuff helpful for setting up your own shops.
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00:00 Introduction and Timeline
00:44 Planning the layout
01:14 Printable Shop by JKatzMoses
01:42 Starting with Denver Shop Layout
02:20 First Filter – Workflow
03:15 Second Filter – Electricity
03:53 Third Filter – Lighting
04:55 Warm and Fuzzies!
05:17 Fourth Filter – Ventilation
05:45 Fifth Filter – Videography
06:16 Final Filter – Dust Collection
07:30 Dust Collection in Corners
08:14 It’s a work in progress
08:32 Portable Oneida Mini Gorilla
08:42 Evolution of a Shop Layout
09:03 Leave your Shop Layout Tip in the Comments
09:13 Bloopers
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Have any tips you'd like to share for setting up the perfect shop? Let's hear 'em!
Keeping tools on the same work elevation makes moving materials around easier and allows for tables/benches to be used as outfeed if needed
I have completely abandoned the idea of central dust collection. Your evaluation covers most of the reasons I'm dumping the idea. I've found that portable units located in "zones" where they can service 1, 2, or 3 machines are working better for me. Working the secondary market, I've been able to purchase several quality small dust collectors for considerably less than the cost of a large central system with effective ducts.
Is that the head of Tom Silva on the light switch? @4:38
A possible 'fix' for punching a hole to the outside with your walls filled with vermiculite. Drill a circular pattern of holes into the cavity a little larger than the diameter of the trunking, Inject expanding foam into the cavity through the holes. This should bond the vermiculite in a ring around the portion of wall you need to remove for the trunking, stopping the rest of the vermiculite from pouring out of the hole made for the trunking.
A miter saw and panel saw in the wood storage area might not be a bad idea. That way you can break down large chunks of stock. Then move them to the workshop to prosses into finished parts.
It can also be a finnish room this way you keep dust away from parts drying.
It also be nice to have an assembly station where you can fine tune parts and glue up assembly.
Either way one set of garage doors are going to open to move things out of the shop.
Great tips
Is it possible to put the motor/filter/cyclone in the loft area and have a longer flexible(or rigid) duct down to the dustbin in the shop? Would cut down on noise and hassle and only have to clean the filter occasionally in the loft
People can easily obsess over the distance between tools, but they sometimes forget that setting up is where most of the time is actually spent before you start cutting. Making sure everything you need as far as accessories, blades, bits and stuff that are accessible at the tool will save you more time than making sure all of the tools are close to each other.
We just got a huge Legacy ornamental mill for our shop it is 9 feet long and we are having issues moving around it changes our shop and trying to figure out a new layout. and Hi any tips for DIYers and woodworkers starting on youtube
Thanks for the video, I’m remodeling my garage workshop here in Highlands Ranch. Sorry to leave CO. I did have one question off topic but where did you get your materials when you were here?
So jealous of the space! From a home garden shed DIYer . Thanks
My "shop" is a 15×8 shed so the only tip is put everything on wheels 🙂
Hey Marc, would the dust collector intrude on the man door too much? In other words, the dust collector sticking into the garage doorway a little bit. Really wouldn't bother anything, would it?
my nephew put his in the ceiling, he sound dampened and you cant heard a thing. its a big system for a big shop…….i never thought to ask about the bins.
Just wondering why you left Colorado for Missouri…. Also, you did not mention a dust filter for the really fine dust that, regardless of what central DC system you use, always hangs in the air like a gas. This is the same air you breath. Once that fine dust gets in your lungs, it’s there forever.
Didn’t know you moved to Missouri. Welcome to the land of freedom (minus STL county).
The new shop’s evolution is looking great Mr. Spags. And I appreciated the explanation on holding off on dust collection until the time was right.
If everyone had space like this…….LOL
Put your dust collection above the office
I just moved my shop around again. Maybe the 4th time in this space. Or… the 8th. Who’s counting? My husband doesn’t understand. But… I have added tools. I have changed what my workflow is. I have changed the types of projects. In this last move I had everything just about set when I realized that I had things blocking infeed. So I had to pivot. I think I’m really liking the new layout. Makes me feel more productive.
New bandsaw?
Maybe I missed it, did you find a quick disconnect for dust collection? I'm not looking for fantastic super clean dust collector but mostly planning the planer, table saw and maybe joiner. My shop/barn is still in process. (shared space with storage and yard equipment) 24 by 30 pole barn. I've got basic lay out but like you said dust blows it up. Especially the saw dust port on my two table saw choices (ports on right). I definitely plan on assembly table and finishing where I can use some natural light. Maybe you were a closet human (ergonomic) engineer in your other life. I did it for aviation maintenance and it make my thinking a bit twisted. Either way great stuff, thanks for sharing
At 8:32 you are connecting your Oneida Mini Gorilla to a tool using magnetic hose connectors. Where do you get those?
Love your videos!
Ive been involved with a few Mens Sheds in my travels and they are DANGEROUSLY layed out.
High walk areas, office, bathrooms, have machings placed with operators blind to trafic.
These areas should be used to store books, cabinet hardware, coatings, sand paper etc…filtered down to tools if need be.
Ive seen men using scribe saws , band saws in high walk areas with their backs to traffic. First aid station and a metal vise sharing the same bench.
These sheds need help in designing safe spaces for these old boys.
Great tips! I look forward to getting my tools out of storage and utilizing these tips
I've worked wood professionally for over 40 years, and the layout for the main dimensional tools you showed is right on the money. I like to use lumber carts as well that the wood rides on throughout the machining process all the way to the assembly area. I'm finally setting up a new home shop after quite some time without one. I still have most of my machines, but finally got around to building the space. I am currently putting the ceiling in my new 32' x 36' shop, and will be doing the wiring next. Cant wait to machine some wood though 😊
where in Missouri did you move? I'm in Kansas City. Would be fun to meet up if you're anywhere close. Cheers!
If you’ve got little kids, another way to plan your layout in great detail is with Lego. If you make each of those little 4-pin square pieces equal to one square foot, you can get really accurate and creative.
I keep my saw right by the door and a rack for sheet goods so I can forklift them in
I wish I would have bought a panel saw . or a small mini max with a scoring blade. you should find a used spray booth .
i have set my tools "in temporary situation" since 2019 and never got the will to commit to a final layout..
Congratz on your firehouse Marc, I love following you and your family. Humor, learning and good sound advice – thank you for keep on making 💪🏻
I just wish I could have my own garage
Shop layout tip:
This one only applies to people that have extremely uneven floors.
Save scraps of plywood, 1x boards, and 2x boards. I use these as my leg levelers on stationary tools like my table saw, planer, bandsaw, drill press, jointer. For tools that are on wheels (locking casters of course), I color code my scrap wood. Yes, I actually spray paint my floor, scraps of plywood and even the locking caster wheels so I can remember exactly where to roll out my planer and which stack of scrap wood goes under each wheel. Each wheel and its respective wood scraps gets its own unique color. Also, if you can find that "magic" spot on the floor that is relatively flat (not necessarily level, but flat), that is where I like to set up my folding saw horses, and each leg and the floor gets the same color. That way I can set my saw horses in the exact same location each time. When I decide to sell my house, I will simply paint the floor gray. Work benches and shelves are custom made out of 2×4's and plywood. I fasten a cleat to the wall (sometimes a french cleat), and I build out from there using nothing more than a 24" level, a 6" speed square, tape measure, pencil, hammer, and a circular saw. T-25 construction screws for the 2×4's and 8D nails for the plywood tops and shelves. Each leg is custom cut to length and scribed to the floor. I now have simple, solid, effective workbenches and shelves, that I won't be emotionally attached to when I sell my house.
Would love to see more on your electrical and dust collection ductwork!
I'm building out a similar size building and finally getting to shop layout. My wall height is 16 foot and I am very curious about more details on the electrical drops you did (or had did). I'm thinking you probably did 10 gauge from panel to ceiling spot above the drop into an electrical box and then changed over to a black flexible cable and ended with a proper NEMA L6-(15A, 20A, 30A depending on tool)? I'm also designing my dust collection ductwork which seems to require a math and science degree (lol). Will be starting out at 8 inches to get out of the soundproof "utility room" and up to the distribution height. As I drop down, if the tool has dual 4", I will drop down with 6" and then split into 2×4" to service the tool. But I'm really curious to learn more about your duct work design considerations. I can't afford Nordfab, but may be able to swing metal spiral pipe. Worst case, I'm using PVC for all of the main runs, switching down to clear flex just before the tool and of course using metal blast gates (wish I could swing the new iVac system that wirelessly communicates to all necessarily blast gates once a tool is turned on). Oh, and one other item I have to design for is my air compressor loop and drops. Yes I know cordless is here, and I have a large set of them. But there are instances I prefer compressed air (plus on my metal fab side of the shop, things like my CNC plasma, have to have compressed air), my blast cabinet, my spray booth, etc; so for the compressed air circuits I'm running all 3/4" RapidAir MaxLine and their drops.
Would love to see more on your electrical and dust collection ductwork!
Look up at all that space up in the height of your shop.
Shame a dust collector couldn't go up there…
I think i feel some rearangearitus coming on.
Your shop needs are prioritized for filming/presentation so your layout isn't always about priority flow and time magement. And to educate.
I wouldn't overthink the dust collection. It's better to be close and make changes as required than have to move the "obstruction" (portable DC) until it's "right". Good now is better than perfect tomorrow.
I prioritize for flow based on material management: one man, save my body, and minimal material damage.
Elevation is king (much of my work is sheet good oriented; at least the heavy and awkward items). Everything comes into the shop horizontal until it can be easily managed. Van-roller-conveyor (portable/collapsible)-hydraulic cart or scissors pallet jack (both are very useful in maneuvering piles or in supporting assembly or loading).
As much as possible horizontal surfaces are on wheels.
My main workbench is about 6' x 30". About ⅓ of the time I wished it was larger (always something to rethink). A happy accident: I built it under duress (sometimes the best thing is needing to avoid a crash). Most horizontal surfaces in my shop were about 36" off the floor. I made the cart about 1-2" too tall (damn the infeed support, full speed ahead). Now I can maneuver over sized items through the shop and not hit anything.
I rethought horizontal layers and staggered them a bit. The jointer is a couple of inches below my sliding table (not something you will have for your target audience). Plenty tall, but very little interference. The point being we have various "stories", almost forest like that can be utilized.
Dude, you may still have good feet. Or not. Once you get this shop layout close, look for rubber based flooring. I experimented with pieces of various thicknesses. Mostly rubber horse stall mats. High enough density to not be a rolling cart issue. ¼-½" was plenty thick for my feet and legs. Sadly, stall mats are only available in black (and speckles are of little value); stall mats are the cheapest good solution. I did find a similar commercial product made of crumbled pieces (similar to rebond foam). Rez___ something, part of RPM. The primarily light gray was best (the white UVs to a yellow; and the grey was happily cheaper). Not too bad at sucking the light out of the room. Pricey, such is life.
You are back in the "green" part of the country. Moisture (and sweat) management matter again. Arizona & Colorado made wood moisture and finishing pretty much no brainers. And almost no bugs. I think you will find the open door work used less often & you will need some sort of additional air movement in your finishing area – that journey will be useful in your courses. And give you an opportunity to introduce better finishes (higher grade, low VOC) along with common issues. A lot of the newer products aren't anymore costly than the products people are already buying (and where emissions requirements are headed anyhow). Just require a little more forethought than the stop off at Lowe's, Rockler, etc, on the way home. And they are surprisingly easy to use.
Sorry about the "book".
I have seen for DC in other videos the Gyro Air Dust Processor. The size and capacity and design seem to be top notch.
Great video! Plan to use a lot of your tips. Subscribed ☑