BUT it required a place for the other junk to be stored. The first step in setting up a workshop is to establish your needs. Construction is wood shop vacuum setup yield similar yleld the previous wall cabinets. Finger Jointers Finishing Equip. It is a gallon shop vac that does an excellent job when it comes to cleaning debris. Its got a mount for a 1- 1.

The third photo illustrates a typical woodworking bench with a front vise and storage underneath in a workshop setting. The height of the workbench should be adjusted for your individual comfort, because it is most often used by yourself.

Stand straight and rest the palms of your hands on a surface just high enough so that your elbows are slightly bent. This is your proper upper work height, and the bench should measure this distance from the floor. Bench heights range from 30 to 36 inches high. Tools should be in close proximity to the bench, ideally the wall behind the bench. A workbench should be comfortable and highly functional. The workbench can be placed in the middle of the shop; you can then work on four sides of the bench.

This arrangement leaves plenty of space for manoeuvring large workpieces around the bench. The workbench can also be placed against a wall or on the two sides of a corner. This arrangement leaves less room to manoeuvre large workpieces, but it offers accessible wall space for storing tools. You can also take advantage of natural light if the bench is placed under or near a window. One of the photos below is that of a small compact bench which is well suited to working with smaller workpieces.

At the front and side of the workbench vises are located which in conjunction with bench dogs are used to hold your work firmly down. The tool tray running lengthwise at the back of the workbench is visible. This bench does not include any shelving or drawers beneath the bench top, but it is straightforward to construct or available to purchase, and is the ideal first small workbench for hand tool based operations. The fourth photo is of a typical cabinetmakers workbench.

This bench is much larger and has a tool drawer incorporated into the bench top. The side vise is actually a shoulder vise and offers more flexibility than the standard side vise.

The length of the workbench offers the woodworker more flexibility in using longer work pieces. The last photo shows a collection of bench jigs used to fasten work to the workbench surface. The bench jigs are designed to fit into pre-existing bench dog holes. The wide area of the jig surfaces keeps work pieces from rotating and makes it easier to hand plane small and medium-sized boards.

The photos show typical metal woodworking vises which are attached to the underside of the bench top. Replaceable wood blocks are commonly attached to both faces of the metal jaws to prevent marring of the work piece from the metal jaws. Slide-up bars, which are essentially dogs, are located in the outward jaw. This vise dog is used to secure long pieces of lumber against other dogs inserted in the bench top.

A bench dog is inserted at the appropriate place on the bench, and the dog in the vise is raised to clamp the stock flat on the bench top. This clamping system lies flush with the bench top, and permits long planing strokes or sanding operations. The metal vises below can be purchased in different sizes, depending on the size of the average work piece you will be working with.

Workbenches are traditionally made from hardwoods like beech or maple, and many excellent models can be purchased. Workbenches are expensive to purchase, whereas an inexpensive home-made version can be created for your exact requirements. The frame for the workbench is typically bolted together, as carriage bolts can periodically be tightened up.

The second photo is a large capacity quick-release vise located at front left of bench. This vise has added hardwood jaws to eliminate metal contact with the wood being clamped. Third photo shows a pair of back to back workbenches constructed of pine with a hardwood plywood surface. These benches each have two drawers and a metal vise. This type of workbench with integrated tool storage is ideal for a small shop.

I built these two workbenches over 20 years ago and have moved them to each of my shops and they are in use to this day in my most recent workshop as can be seen in the third photo. Fourth photo shows a top view of the two matching workbenches placed back to back to increase the available surface area of the tabletops. A dovetail jig is in the lower right hand corner. Task lighting is also set up for this bench.

Fifth photo shows the front view of another heavy-duty shop-built workbench. A heavy duty vise is installed at the left of the bench. The bench is constructed of pine with a hardwood plywood laminated top.

Sixth photo shows the top left view of the shop-built workbench. The removable, adjustable Veritas surface vise is an effective substitute for a tail vise. Seventh photo shows the top right view of main workbench. The last photo in the series shows a sliding deadman installed on the main shop-built workbench.

The sliding deadman allows you to effectively support a longer board which is clamped into the face vise. The sliding deadman slides along, is removable, and can handle boards and wider panels with ease. This feature allows a person to effectively plane the edge of a long board without additional assistance.

Safety rules for a workshop can be summed up in one sentence. Treat your tools with understanding and respect. Do not be afraid of tools. If tools are correctly used, they will greatly increase your workmanship qualities. Most high-speed operations such as cutting with a tablesaw and routing produce wood chips and are very noisy. Safety glasses and hearing protectors protect against these hazards. Do not remove or bypass the safety devices added to machinery such as tablesaws and jointers.

Blade guards and splitters are there for a reason. Keep a fire extinguisher in the workshop. There are different classes of fire extinguisher A,B,C to choose for wood and paper fires to chemical fires.

The second photo shows safety goggles and the third photo shows a variety of common safety glasses. The next or fourth photo shows an overhead blade guard for the tablesaw. This safety feature serves to prevent the hands and fingers of the operator from entering the danger zone close to the saw blade. This blade guard is adjusted to be close to the piece being cut. The fifth photo shows a tablesaw splitter.

This safety device serves to keep any lumber exiting the blade from binding and causing kickback. It keeps the saw kerf open for the whole saw cut. The serrated pawls keep any lumber from kicking back. Safety glasses are perfectly acceptable for the workshop since they provide shatterproof protection for the eyes.

Ideally, safety goggles should be worn as they provide shatterproof glass protection for the eyes. Safety glasses and goggles should also be tight fitting and sealed against dust. Dust is second nature to a woodworking shop and it permeates almost every open surface, both vertical and horizontal.

Wearing sealed safety goggles ensures that dust will not coat the inside of the goggles and hinder vision at a critical time. Eye safety gear is fairly inexpensive, and this should be the first piece of safety gear purchased. The substances used in the average workshop carry relatively few risks to health, especially if you are in contact with them for only a short time. On the other hand, many people are affected by wood dust. Some people are affected by dust from certain woods; others are instead affected by dust from woods in the form of allergic reactions.

Allergic reactions can range from wheezing, shortage of breath to skin rashes. Allergies can also be developed by constant exposure to wood dust, especially if the dust is very fine. The finer the dust is; the greater the likelihood of it being inhaled and aggravating the throat and lungs. Wood dust particles can be very fine, this fine dust floats in the air for a long time before settling.

This dust is also called airborne dust. If you feel sick when working with a particular wood or woods, consider an alternative wood.

You may be able to use an alternative method of working or matching the wood, for example planing instead of sanding. Shown next is a photo of dust masks, which are used to prevent the inhaling of fine wood dust. The top dust mask is a regular paper dust mask, whereas the bottom mask is of the cartridge type which allows filtered air to enter the mouth area.

The dust mask or respirator is an equally important component of safety in the workshop. The woodworker should form a habit of wearing a dust mask when performing operations which generate much dust. The simplest dust mask is a paper mask which covers the nose and mouth and which is also disposable. The paper dust mask is very economical and can be purchased in large quantities.

The dust mask is held on with an elastic band around the head. The next version of the dust mask also covers the nose and mouth, but has instead, a small air cartridge which can also be replaced. The benefit if this system is a better fitting dust mask and the provision for the woodworker to breathe easier, since air is expelled through a valve system. At the other extreme, and for woodworkers who need maximum dust protection, is the air helmet. This is a helmet worn over the head, and is effectively a sealed chamber in which you breathe in.

The actual air you breathe is transferred to and from an air pack which fastens to your waist or to your back. This is a self-contained breathing apparatus, with built-in dust and fume filtering. Another fairly new development in shop dust control is the ceiling mounted dust filtration unit.

An air cleaner unit is a self-contained stage dust filtration system powered by a small, quiet motor which is sealed from the environment. This design effectively removes most airborne dust in a reasonable time frame.

The cost is somewhat expensive initially, but only the bag filter unit needs replacement after a long period. The other filters can be effectively vacuumed or washed. Shown is a shop-made ceiling mounted three stage air cleaner unit. The shop-built air cleaner uses integrated squirrel-cage blowers and triple filter system. A fairly recent innovation in shop dust control is the downdraft table. This table consists of a large blower assembly, typically a furnace fan and squirrel cage blower assembly enclosed within a sealed area.

The blower serves to supply a vacuum to the surface or top of the table. This is accomplished through a series of holes equally spaced throughout the top. The shop-built downdraft table in the photo is made to serve as an outfeed table and also to serve as a whole shop air filter. The whole shop air filter function is accomplished through a timer on the side which keeps the blower running for a period of time after some dusty woodworking operations such as sanding.

This downdraft table is a good example of maximizing space within a shop environment. The downdraft table, outfeed table and whole shop air filter are combined into one unit. Next photo shows a cartridge type dust mask. This dust mask utilizes a filter system, and is oriented to keep dust away from the opening. A dust mask and goggles or safety glasses should be mandatory safety items in any woodworking shop.

Also shown is a photo of a series of different types of hearing protectors. The noise levels generated by some power tools can reach upwards of db. The use of hearing protectors are highly recommended in a noisy workshop. Depending on the type of woodworking you perform, either completely hand-tool based or with the use of powered tools, hearing protection might or might not be necessary.

If you perform router or table saw work, the noise levels in decibels can be extremely high, slowly deteriorating and damaging your hearing. Some hearing protectors are more comfortable than others, and should always be tested in conjunction with eye safety gear. A low cost alternative to earmuff style protection are common earplugs. These plugs can achieve a high level of noise reduction, upwards of 25db. These plugs are disposable, but ideally earmuff style protection offers the greatest protection, as the ears are then completely enclosed against loud noise.

Safety glasses and ear protection should be worn as often as possible while working in a woodworking shop environment. Certain woodworking operations can be grouped to use one machine, and the required safety gear can then be worn at that time.

Disposal of oily rags and rags soaked in finishing materials becomes important in a woodworking shop environment. The temperature of oily rags when bunched together gradually increases to the point of spontaneous self-combustion.

This is directly related to the chemical drying action of the oily finish itself. All oil based finish containers utilizing chemical driers such as boiled linseed oil have large warning markings on the can to point this out. As a precaution, all woodworking shop environments utilizing these types of finishes, or chemical finishes of any nature should have an oily waste rag container in the shop.

The oily waste cans seal the rags from ambient oxygen and therefore keep the rags from self-igniting. Many woodworking shops have burned down when this relatively simple step has been overlooked. The photo shows a typical oily waste can container. The oily waste can container is used to contain and dispose of oily rags used to apply finish to wood.

It is critical to keep at least one fire extinguisher in the workshop. Most insurance companies mandate that woodworking shops have fire extinguishers readily accessible.

In my own 2-level woodworking shop, I have a fire extinguisher located at the entrance to each of the levels. The area directly around the fire extinguisher is kept tidy so the extinguisher can be quickly grabbed in the event of a fire. A wall-mounted fire extinguisher can be seen in the last photo. Often, you will purchase lumber or sheet goods in large sizes.

It is much more economical to purchase lumber without any processing. Outsourcing of processing such as planning, jointing and cross-cutting down to size add considerable cost to a build or project. These processes can easily be accomplished in your shop environment through the use of a table saw and a miter saw station. The table saw with outfeed table can be used to cut sheet goods down to size assuming you have sufficient room surrounding the table saw to accomplish this.

A miter saw station is very effective at cutting long, thick boards down to size. These are typically boards which are too unwieldy or long to manoeuvre on a table saw. Below is a photo of a miter saw station. This particular miter saw station was designed and built for my own workshop utilizing a miter saw I had available to me. The infeed and outfeed sections have adjustable stop blocks to be able to repeatedly cut large boards down to exact lengths. The miter saw in this photo is a sliding miter saw which enables me to saw very wide boards, up to 12 inches in width.

This miter saw station is portable in the sense it can be folded away if necessary. Shown is a portable miter station with compound sliding miter saw attached. The left and right fences have adjustable stop blocks for precision cuts. This particular station was a custom shop-built table adapted for the specific sliding miter saw shown. Lumber storage is critical in a woodworking shop. The lumber needs to be easily accessible and there needs to be air circulating around the wood.

The circulation of air around the wood is critical to maintain moisture equilibrium on all surfaces of the wood. Air circulation prevents cupping, bowing and twisting of the wood. A straightforward lumber rack such as shown in the photo below can be assembled using standard lumber from a building store. This particular lumber rack has three levels with 14 inches of depth at each level.

Each level can hold many planks of wood, but it is preferable to have fewer pieces in order to quickly remove them and replace them. Lumber racks can be either horizontal or vertical; the important aspect is to ensure plenty of air circulates around the boards. Vertically mounted racks keep boards on end and are typically arranged in bins. Shown in the next photo is a shop-made lumber rack. This particular lumber rack is bolted to the wall studs for reinforcement.

Probably the most used tool in a woodworking shop environment is the clamp. Clamps are used to hold wood together while gluing, used to dry fit furniture assemblies, etc. Clamps are invaluable and the amount of clamps in a typical workshop grows over time. Clamps come in different sizes and lengths; typically the jaw opening is a determining factor as well as the length of the bar. Larger and longer clamps allow you to clamp large assemblies and panels for gluing.

There are more common clamps which are used fairly often. These more common clamps have a standard format and lend themselves well to a wall-mounted clamp rack. The wall-mounted clamp rack has a low profile and is out of the way of most woodworking operations in the workshop. In the series of four photos, the more popular types of clamps are shown as well as shop-made wall-mounted clamp racks to hold a series of them. These clamp racks are fairly straightforward to make utilizing some cut-off pieces of high quality plywood.

When attaching the clamp racks to a shop wall, it is advisable to fasten them directly to wall studs, preferably through a layer of drywall. Other types of Wood Shop Vacuum Setup 41 common clamps in the workshop are pipe clamps which are purchased as head and tail assemblies where you supply the black pipe.

Cabinet clamps, as shown in the second photo below, can be expensive but they last many years and maintain squareness and accuracy in a clamping operation. Shown are photos of a clamp rack for smaller hand clamps, a clamp rack for larger cabinet clamps, a clamp rack for long cabinet clamps, and a custom clamp rack for versatile, lightweight bar clamps used for assembly.

This concludes this Setting Up a Workshop Instructable. Hopefully you will have gained an overview into the different aspects of a woodworking workshop. Most workshops are works in progress. In my own workshop over a period of ten years, I have added wall mounted cabinets, added additional workbenches and re-arranged components of the workshop to make more efficient use of the space. An important consideration is that the type of work and the processes you follow in your workshop will likely evolve and change over time.

It is often better to have worked in the workshop for a period of time before finalizing a layout. For example, if you tend to use machinery most of the time, it would be better to create a work triangle of the machinery you use most often. If you use hand tools a great deal, the workbench and hand tool cabinets become more important and placement of the workbench is critical to be able to have full access around it. A better option is to place a workbench away from a wall for full access on both sides if you tend to use hand tools and handplaning operations in your work.

The photos show how I progressed from a basement workshop to a 2-level dedicated workshop. The considerable extra space allowed me to work with case goods and sheet goods. My projects were no longer limited to boxes and small furniture.

I could now design and create larger pieces of furniture. Over the past 20 years, the use of hand tools in woodworking workshops has increased dramatically. Less reliance on machines allows a woodworker to effectively work in a smaller space. In light of this, a medium-sized basement workshop is more than sufficient for woodworking today. For more of my woodworking plans, woodworking courses, books and tutorials, please visit WoodSkills.

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Reply 4 years ago. Good to know.. I'll have a video on Handplanes up later this week. Getting the kinks out of the editing process.. What else is there to make after completing the dream workshop.

It's like finishing the final level in a video game. If I had this shop, I spend more time cleaning it then I would making things in it Please tell me you still have a shop somewhere to get dirty in?

Wow, lots of great ideas that we each can adapt to our needs. Liked the comment "Large doors or windows can facilitate the movement of lumber and finished goods into and out of the workshop. I selected the largest windows possible on both the upper and lower level. I have never regretted this and would do the same today. Outside light is the best. One safety tip you don't explicitly say under electrical is to keep lighting and outlets on separate circuits.

In case a tool trips a breaker, it won't also kill some of the lighting. Good point Lighting needs to be on its own breaker..

I will mention it. This is a nice looking workshop but entirely impractical for anyone needing room to build say, a small boat or chest of draws. I agree wholeheartedly with the dust extraction system. Putting wheels on equipment capable of cutting wood is a dangerous idea at the best of times.

I've got the missing digits to prove it! I also know that a router bench is not a preposition for wheels, even locking ones. Putting it in a corner restricts what you can do with it. In Australia we don't have basements as a normal thing.

Where I live Queensland most of the older read inner suburbs houses are built high above the ground to provide ventilation.

When we build a workshop, its either under the house or in a garage built in the back yard Where we put a few prawns on the barbie, Mate! The very first house I built 40 years ago, I used a radial arm saw as my principal machine. I put dado blades in it for trenching. All the windows were machined from Red Cedar with the same 8" radial arm saw and a rebate plane. Apart from some decent hand tools and a power saw for the rough stuff, that's all I used.

The second house I built, had "home occupation" status which qualified it for an industrial power supply. The guy who bought it off me when I moved across the state also bought the picture framing business I ran from the garage.

That's where I discovered Routers are not great tools for shaping picture frames. No matter how rigidly they are mounted. I know how hard working in small spaces is and understand why you've done what you have to fit your machines in. Not everyone gets to have a 40 feet square workshop but for home use in confined spaces I'd question the need for single purpose machines when you end up with little or no space to work in. Combination machines are far more practical than the beautiful stand alone machines you have when you are confined to limited space.

I currently have a 10 feet x 18 feet garage to use as a workshop. My combination machine is basically a 10" saw bench that can invert the table and become a miter drop saw. Its got a mount for a 1- 1. It uses a bucket to collect most of the dust and what escapes that trap, gets filtered out in the can the power head sits on. Noise is its one shortcoming but I'm working on that now. I'm planning on an instructable for it shortly.

Thanks for showing us your dream workshop. I can only look at your machinery as my mouth waters Wondering how big your window is and if my 12 foot dingy would fit through it Thanks for the tip regarding wheels. I just added caster to my band saw and drill press. Will have to add jacking bolts to make sure they dont move when im operating them. Awesome shop, I wish I had all that space!

I have casters on all my tables; they are foot-operated, and stay in place when in use better than on the original 4 legs. I got the idea on YouTube. I have since lost track of the original build video, but I made a quick video of mine in operation:.

Not having the luxury of a dedicated workshop, one of my biggest issues, isn't with how I should layout the workshop I have a plan for that but more on how to deal with all the other 'stuff' that shares the same space kids bikes, Christmas decorations, etc and certainly, I would make a couple of recommendations to create space If you haven't opened that box in the last? How many paint cans do I have with hardly anything in?

And off-cut material that "might come in handy". Will also be adding a pulley system to raise the bikes up - they're the biggest nuisance on the floor and the remaining height will have some cross-joists on which I can store some lesser-used materials. One of the biggest culprits for 'stuff' in the garage is love her to bits my Mrs Shared workshops are always an issue. Request A Quote. Recent Listings At All Exchanges. Recent Images At All Exchanges.

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