Channel: A Concord Carpenter / ToolBoxBuzz

Category: Howto & Style

Tags: how toreviewsdiystep by stepremodelassembly tableworkshopcarpentrydesignconstructionwood shoptools

Description: Setting Up A Small Workshop | Video Series This video is 1 of a 3 part video series on planning, executing, and working efficiently in a small workshop. Setting Up A Small Workshop In this 3 part video series, I am going to cover 9 main points that I feel you need to consider in a small workshop. I’m going to show you how I implemented these items into my shop here. The 9 points are: 1. Set up equipment and tools for work flow 2. Organization [tools, materials, parts] 3. Mobile bases [tools and tables] 4. Multiple use and space-saving tools 5. Dust collection 6. Compressed Air 7. Temperature, ventilation and humidity 8. Lighting, power and plumbing considerations. 9. Tool and wood storage Setting Up Tools | Workflow My current shop, not a dream shop, but very functional small work shop. It is about 350 sq. feet and is located in my basement. I have to rely on two outdoor sheds for two large storage.The small room [8×15], shown below, is located at the end of my shop. It was installed in 2004 under a mudroom addition.See my post on cutting the concrete opening.At first I was skeptical that adding this small space would be worth it. It turned out to be the perfect place for my cross cutting table saw, drill press, dust collector, storage and my band saw. Workbench Solutions | Kreg Work Bench I have a small shop! There I said it. When you’re trying to get work done in a small shop you have to be able to do more with less, be comfortable working in a cramped space, and be creative. Creativity usually means choosing multiple-use tools and, benches and putting everything on wheels. So, this brings me back to the phrase small shop workbench solutions. In this article, we use the Kreg Universal Workbench to solve some of our small shop problems. Small Workshop Bench Solutions For years my table saw outfeed table doubled as my workbench assembly table. The main reason for this is a lack of space, but also my outfeed area sits in the central area of my shop. Over time I’ve added amenities such as overhead power, dust collection, clamp storage, and compressed air. This setup worked great until it didn’t. It doesn’t work when you are knee-deep into a project on your assembly table and realize that you need to rip something on the table saw, that’s when the trouble starts. The Paulk Workbench Through the years, I’ve gone through many iterations of shop workbench’s and am always on the look for that unicorn small shop workbench solution. Currently, I’m using the Paulk workbench, which has been great, but not a total solution, for me. Once a heavy project is built on the Paulk bench my table saw becomes useless for anything other than small rips. The Paulk table is the right size for my shop but for it to work well, I’d need to be able to split it in two and put it on casters. That got me looking at the KREG Universal workbench. The KREG table allows for a second lower shelf with some adjustability. I kept lowering mine as low as I could get it, and still get a broom or vac under it. On one end of the bench, I added, an extension shield for my Festool CT Mini vacuum. This vacuum is a dedicated sanding vacuum and I used to have to wheel it out from across the room and hook up a sander to it. With my extension shelf, I will keep the sander attached to the vacuum at the end of my bench, ready to go. I used some left-over AC plywood to build a box and upper shelf for my often-used tools such as tape measure, utility knife, pencils, square, and hand plane. On my assembly table, I added three Rockler T-tracks for clamping. I routed three grooves, approx. 5 inches in from the edge, on both sides, and one in the center of the table, for the t-tracks. This will allow me to use inline clamps, like the Kreg Clamp, and Rockler Auto-Lock Hold Down Clamp. Additionally, some Rockler accessories, are designed to work with the T-track system. I'm going to try out on my next assembly and glue-up, they are: Rockler Auto-Lock Hold Down Clamp Rockler Inline Cam Clamp Rockler Shortstop Rockler 90-degree corner stop On the outfeed table, I added the Kreg Clamp Trak system to one long and one short edge. The Clamp Trak is an anodized aluminum track that is approximately 2-1/4" wide, 3/4" thick, that can be routed to recess in benchtop or stagger between two 3/4" thick panels, as I did. Numerous ¼” bolts secure it to the track to the plywood sub table. Now I have two smaller tables, both on casters, that allow me to move the position of the tables, and use my assembly table without interfering with the table saw outfeed operations. #workshop #Shopdesign #woodshop #shoporganization @Rockler Woodworking and Hardware