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Workshop Information

Location
Canada
December 2015
Video tour:
The biggest improvement happened outside the shop when I finished a 12×16 shed in the backyard in October 2014. It now houses the snowmobile during the summer, the bikes during the winter, along with all the other seasonal stuff that was taking up room in our 1 1/2 car garage. I then walled off the alcove type area of the garage and hung a thick plastic dust curtain, giving my husband a place to keep things relatively dust free.

This year, Nov 2015, I had the garage rewired. I now have a hundred amp breaker, four 110v outlets along both long walls, an outlet on the ceiling for an air cleaner and a 220 outlet on each wall. (Insert Home Improvement macho sound)
Being surrounded by clutter stresses me out, so I started by culling my lumber stash. I took down some lumber storage brackets and am going to force myself to keep it to the ones I have left. I also took down some plywood shelves and re-used them for the planer cart. I hummed and hawed about how to build shop cabinets. While I enjoy learning new skills and have never made raised panel doors, my time in the shop is precious so I decided to go with pocket hole joinery to get them done. The doors are pine and plywood. The went together easily quickly, are are very sturdy. Sometimes I am guilty of not making the best of the stuff I already have. I wanted to change that, and as of yesterday, I had used every scrap of plywood I had leftover from other projects.

Photo 1 is the overall view looking from the house into the garage

Photo 2 is the newly organized work area. I had looked at building French cleats, but already had some plastic slat panels on hand. Screws, bolts etc are all sorted out in dropdown bins.

Photo 3 is my workbench. No pocket holes, here. 36 mortises and tenons done by hand. Details in my projects section. I'm very proud of this bench.

Photo 4 is the wall furthest from the garage door. More pocket hole cabinets to keep the non woodworking stuff organized and relatively free of dust. To the left of the cabinets is the doorway that can be closed off with a dust curtain.

Photo 5 is the machinery wall. To the far left is the smaller planer cart I built with storage inside. Again, pocket holes were used to get the job done. The planer sits sideways so I can run short pieces through using the repurposed cabinet next to it as outfeed support. The cabinet was formerly a bar. I used casters and shims to get it to the right height. It is also the same height as the miter saw and the main work counter. So I can clear off the surfaces and have a type of miter station.

Photo 6 is how the shop looked three years ago.

Thanks for looking.

Might do an updated video…

Gallery

Comments

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20,030 Posts
Looks cozy. Better organized than mine!
 

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9,309 Posts
glad you are gaining on it sandra
your part of the shop
looks better than the first time you showed us

little by little
you will get there

if it's any help
my shop looks like the rest of your garage
and it is all my stuff

one of these days
 

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19,753 Posts
Good job a nice looking shop.
 

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101 Posts
Look's like a great place to work. Enjoy.
 

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71 Posts
Like the golf clubs in the last shot…combines my two favorite hobbies, golf and wood!
 

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668 Posts
Looks like you got the makings of a nice shop Sandra. I think you got it spot on, having another shed or out house for "non important" items and tools is a must, besides where will you store your lumber and stuff.

Helpful tip, couldn't you accidently on purpose drop a can of paint on that ping pong table, then turn it into aa assembly bench.

Good luck

David
 

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333 Posts
Just took a look at your cozy shop and looks like you're making the best of it. Learning to work in a small shop is a challenge. My shop is 24ftX24ft with o low ceiling. I dug it out myself and had ledge stop me from going down farther. I'm sure that shed will help a great deal and funny David might be onto something.
 

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6,580 Posts
Paint on the ping pong table…. just might work, although I've griped about it enough that he'd be suspicious.
Hoping to start the shed in the Spring. I've been gaining confidence with each project, hopefully leading up to the big build!
 

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9,309 Posts
just don't get plans from boston

their 'big dig'
took forever
and went way over budget
 

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139 Posts
You've got a really nice shop. My first shop was a single car garage that I shared with the car, not much room. 30 years later I have the shop I dreamed of for years. Your of to a great start.
 

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51 Posts
Wow your shop is very nicely laid out.
 

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18,411 Posts
Can't believe that I haven't stopped in before….
Looks great, but an update with your work bench (with a vise) is called for!!!
 

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6,580 Posts
Okay, duly noted! I've been meaning to update the photos.

And at what point am I no longer a 'newby'??
 

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74,
Umm….
Updated shop pictures???

BTW: You will always be a "newbie"....
At some skill or technique you have not perfected yet!!!
 

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Nice shop tour Sandra. I enjoyed it, especially the "jointer not planer", that was funny. Very organized. I wish I could be like that, though I've been working on it. I'll get it clean enough and organized enough for a tour. Maybe this spring.
 

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Lovely, just lovely. You have some impressive skills, my friend, and I must say I envy you. I hope you have many many hours of enjoyment.
 

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18,411 Posts
Great job on the updates.
More organization….
More efficiency….
MORE POWER!!! (Insert Home Improvement macho sound)
 

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Thanks guys. I'm looking forward to my shop time in 2016
 
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