must-have workshop features

[drygulch]

What would you do differently in your next shop? Or what are your favorite features of your current shop? Anything you've found to be a must-have?

As much as I hate relocating my shop and starting from scratch, I do like being able to rethink/rework some things. A mixed blessing...

A few planned upgrades so far:

• Compressor in adjacent space. This was more a function of opportunity at the new place.
• Lots of whiteboard. I use tempered hardboard as my wallboard, which is nice and tough for a shop and relatively cheap. But this time, the top half will be the "dry erase" version all the way around the shop. It can be a large memorial of half-finished project designs...
• Surface mount electrical with a raceway along the top. Hassle free for adding new runs.

A few things I will continue:

• Sliding doors for built-in cabinets/shelving. Keeps grinding/saw dust off everything and no door clearance issues during sprawling projects.
• Laptop of little value mounted on a swing arm over the end of the workbench. I'm always needing to look up something and prefer this form factor over a cell phone.
• Tools mounted on rolling base cabinets with double-locking casters. Mobile and lots of built-in storage. Pref all drawers.
• Binder with laminated copies of reference material that I use a lot in the shop. E.g. drill sizes for given taps, quick refs for machines, etc.

Lemme know what ya got. I appreciate your input.

Greg

 

[Lil Foot]

Floor space, floor space, floor space.

 

[drygulch]

Floor space, floor space, floor space.

Amen to that.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I'm designing my new shop right now.
It will be a split shop with metal and mechanical on one half, and wood working on the other half.
16' tall ceilings, other dimensions to be determined, leaning to 80' wide and 60' deep.
Section of Fire proof walls for welding and cutting work
4 post overhead gantry crane (I have it already)
4 Home depot (style) racks inside for lumber storage
I have 8 right now, 4 will go in a lean to for large wood beams and long lumber and steel storage.
Floor drains to an oil and grease trap
Insulated and heated floors
Very large metal plate embedded in slab with ground bus to wall for welding and plasma.
Embedded tie down rails and points (great for tractor splitting and frame work).
1/2 bath, and small office space
20,000 watts of LED UFO lights
Full fire suppression system.
Air lines throughout and mutiple ceiling drop reels.
Multiple ceiling electrical drops and drop reels.
Underground chase ways for Suction air (exhaust removal) and Dust collection.
Remote suction air, remote dust collection and remote air compressor and dryer.

I'm sure I'll come up with more as I finalize the design.

 

[PHPaul]

We think much alike, I've incorporated many/most of the ideas in the original post in my little shop. It's my first (and likely last...) heated shop which is a HUGE blessing. Only notes: I detest tools on rolling bases. A necessary evil in limited space, but invariably move when you least desire it. Also, don't much care for doors on storage. I want to be able to see what I'm looking for at a glance.

On my planet, there are three things you simply can not have too much of: Space, Storage and Light.

If I were to hit the MegaBucks and build a new, purpose-built shop, it'd be much like IWM's list.

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

I think @North Idaho Wolfman set the benchmark.

Only thing(s) I would add would be based on my specific uses.

1. Mudroom and stall for dog washing.
2. Either bathroom /shower (if not then I guess dog washing station works but need at least a large sink
3. Sandblast station
4. Potentially a a large bake oven or a small paint booth.
5. Walk in freezer.
6. Industrial shelving for storing implements to the heavens (and an actual forklift)

 

[chim]

A roof and walls.

 

[marrmanu]

My current shop is 25 by 50 , split in the middle. On half concrete floor for metal work and the other half for wood working.
Wood side has a wood floor for running dust collection under as not to obstruct moving long boards ect. around the shop. Dust collection has pull cords at/near each work station for on and off.
In the wood shop 90 percent of the work benches and floor storage cabinets are at the same work surface level as the cabinet saw, shaper, planner etc. makes dealing with long boards easier.
Metal side:
I imbedded three 4x4 square tubes in the floor flush with the floor surface. I have several items, benders, vice, throat cutter etc. . mounted on 31/2 square tubes that side into the tubes imbedded in the floor.
Large exhaust vent in the metal side gable
I picked up 5 pattern cabinets from JoAnn Fabrics cheap as the were going out of business. They work great for storing heavy items. Might be one going out of business near you.
5hp 80 gal compressor is on a timer so does not run all night. Yeah I need to fix the leaks.
Wood stove, good for burning off wood scraps and heat.
I have an old dish washer for washing parts, have not installed it yet.

Would like to have:
overhead skylights
hot water heater
Vented fume cabinet for welding/cutting smaller projects.
Should have, will someday, located a 220 outlet next to the garage door for outdoor projects
An addition to double the shops size.

AND an alarm to let me know the wife is on her way to the shop.

 

[DONLI]

For my WIFE to get her stuff out would be great!!!

Don

PS.
The shop that is!!!

 

[drygulch]

I'm designing my new shop right now.
...
I'm sure I'll come up with more as I finalize the design.

Sounds well thought out. I'm operating on a different scale, and working with existing space. I am lucky enough to have office/bath space but will need some plumbing work.

I have the option of splitting out metal to another space, but would sacrifice conditioning and a decent floor. Still weighing my options on that. I do have steel sheet for wall protection either way. If I can ever build, def want floor drains.

I have a handy electric pressure washer I'd like to have on the ready, so intend to have that, compressed air, and vacuum at one of the bay doors.

Making the wife happy in the new house will take priority over all this, so it all won't happen over night...

 

[drygulch]

We think much alike, I've incorporated many/most of the ideas in the original post in my little shop. It's my first (and likely last...) heated shop which is a HUGE blessing. Only notes: I detest tools on rolling bases. A necessary evil in limited space, but invariably move when you least desire it. Also, don't much care for doors on storage. I want to be able to see what I'm looking for at a glance.

On my planet, there are three things you simply can not have too much of: Space, Storage and Light.

If I were to hit the MegaBucks and build a new, purpose-built shop, it'd be much like IWM's list.

Yeah, I would much prefer static work stations for everything, but that isn't in the cards at the moment. At least now I'll have a pretty level floor which helps with the rolling tools.

Fortunately a lot of the crap that encroached on my previous shop can go elsewhere now. Separate garden shed, basement, etc.

Greg

 

[drygulch]

I think @North Idaho Wolfman set the benchmark.

Only thing(s) I would add would be based on my specific uses.

1. Mudroom and stall for dog washing.
2. Either bathroom /shower (if not then I guess dog washing station works but need at least a large sink
3. Sandblast station
4. Potentially a a large bake oven or a small paint booth.
5. Walk in freezer.
6. Industrial shelving for storing implements to the heavens (and an actual forklift)

My small blast cabinet only gets occasional use, but would not give it up. A walk in freezer sounds great for the occasional cool-down.

 

[drygulch]

...
AND an alarm to let me know the wife is on her way to the shop.

Some good stuff to think about, thank you.

For whatever reason, my wife almost never comes out to the shop. She'll just call me, and I often "don't hear the phone"

Greg

 

[drygulch]

For my WIFE to get her stuff out would be great!!!

Don

PS.
The shop that is!!!

To be honest, not having all the extraneous crap in the new shop is the greatest improvement of all!

 

[drygulch]

WRT to decent lighting, I had a lot of lighting issues in general at the new place. Basement, garages, etc all with a single bulb in the center, shadowing everything you do.

I bought a couple boxes of these which changed everything quick. I just screwed them straight into rafters, etc and then they just daisy chain with standard wall plugs.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLVTR7RJ

Greg

 

[Sawdust&Shavings]

Yeah I would much prefer static work stations for everything, but that isn't in the cards at the moment. At least now I'll have a pretty level floor which helps with the rolling tools.

Fortunately a lot of the crap that encroached on my previous shop can go elsewhere now. Separate garden shed, basement, etc.

Greg

My wood shop is 960 square feet; while I could have used twice that sqft, 960sqft is all that would fit on my property. Since I have more tools than floor space EVERYTHING is on double-locking casters. This allows me to move each tool, as needed, to meet my space needs. Even my sliding table saw is mobile and it weighs over 800 lbs. My casters on all four corners (from either ROCKLER or LEE VALLEY) completely lock the tool (both axis) and I’ve experienced no movement on any tool whatsoever while in operation. I have found that if the most important tools are appropriately placed, according to workflow, the need to move tools becomes a rare event (tools that can but rarely ever move are: Hammer Sliding Table saw, Hammer Planer/Thicknesser, Hammer Edge Sander and Grizzly 17” Bandsaw).
What I did have my electrician do was to add 120VAC and 220VAC outlets every 20” inches around all four walls, each of these are on their OWN circuit breaker so I never get a tripped breaker. I asked that each outlet be placed ~48” above floor level for two reasons (plywood sheets are 48” wide and I’m not getting any younger and I do not wish to have to move a mobile tool to reach a power outlet...at 48” above the floor all outlets are easily available without having to move tools. As it turns out, my electrician asked if the outlets could all be 50” above floor level as it would save him time and therefore my cost and I said YES!!!

 

[Hugo Habicht]

A fridge for beer.
And a flasher instead of a bell for the phone.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Since you like hard board, consider 1/4" pegboard from 4' to 8' above floor level all around. Also, as previously mentioned, install outlets ~4' above the floor.

Something like this for small parts and tool storage. I've built a couple and used drawer slides; but I wouldn't do that again. I'd just dado 1/4" hardboard or plywood into the sides. Install a suspension pull-out shelf at ~42" high so I could pull out the box and have a place to set the box.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

My "shop" right now is the house garage.
1080sf Hydronic heated floors and floor drains.
5 doors, 16' wide by 9' tall, 12' wide 9 tall, man door to out front, man door to house, double doors to side yard.
10' ceilings
Lots of light.
220 and 110 availability all around.
Airlines in the walls and ceilings.
Built in sound system, got to have tunes when working.

Things I've learned from working in the space I have:
It beats the living snot out of working outside when the weather turns bad.
Heated floors are wonderful!
But, want some more things:
More room.
Higher ceilings and doors.
Overhead crane
Ability to move forklift around inside to load and unload racks.