# My new workshop



## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

I may have mentioned that 6 months ago I bought a house and moved back to Maine. The new house has a 24'x27' two car garage... that has had its last car inside. It will be a 12'x27' woodworking shop, a 12'x17' bar and game room and a 12'x10' shed. 
I've been busy the last couple of weeks installing lights and outlets, the wall down the center and used kitchen upper and lower cabinets. It will be the largest and most organized workspace I've ever had. I'm excited to say the least!
Not quite ready for pictures yet... maybe another week.


----------



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Sounds pretty nifty. MY shop is a finished shet, 12x24. Jam packed. Would love to have that extra 3 feet. Pictures are nice as you put it together.


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Congrats Ken 
Gee I'm liking a 24-27 work shop better . I've got 22-26 and its driving me nuts as it is


----------



## Jerry Bowen (Jun 25, 2011)

As I noted before, I have more than adequate space, but no way to keep the dirt and crud out of it as it sits in middle of hundreds of acres of farm land, the wind blows and the dirt comes in. When I working in the shop on a regular basis, I can keep the shop reasonably clean but during this past year of dealing with health issues the shop has become a real mess, but nothing that can't be cleaned up in a few days of work when and if I ever get back to it.

Consequently I can not only appreciate the size of your shop but do envy fact that you probably can keep it relative sanitary and nice to work in. Thanks for sharing your good fortune with us.

Jerry


----------



## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

Well, first, I hope your health issues are resolved and you can get back in your shop. Not being in your best health isn't fun at all.
The honest truth is that I'm a slob, so keeping a shop clean is a continuing struggle for me. I'm hoping that I can stay ahead of myself in this one. I'm going out of my way to try to set it up so that everything truly has a place that it goes...I've never really had that before with my tiny work spaces. I have a lot of tools and "stuff" and the need for storage space has always over taken my shop so that anytime I needed to work on something I had to move things first, which is not a good situation for a natural slob.
Rainman, the original plan was to use the entire garage as a workshop, but I also homebrew beer so I need the bar/brewing area/game room, and I need a place to put garden tools, lawnmower, snowblower, garden tractor, bicycles, etc...so a small portion of the building will become a shed. I'm thinking my lumber storage and air compressor will be in there too, and maybe my dust collector.
Here's a picture of what I've done for small powertool organization... got the milk crates for free on Craigslist, right here in my town.


----------



## Jerry Bowen (Jun 25, 2011)

kklowell said:


> Well, first, I hope your health issues are resolved and you can get back in your shop. Not being in your best health isn't fun at all.
> The honest truth is that I'm a slob, so keeping a shop clean is a continuing struggle for me. I'm hoping that I can stay ahead of myself in this one. I'm going out of my way to try to set it up so that everything truly has a place that it goes...I've never really had that before with my tiny work spaces. I have a lot of tools and "stuff" and the need for storage space has always over taken my shop so that anytime I needed to work on something I had to move things first, which is not a good situation for a natural slob.
> Rainman, the original plan was to use the entire garage as a workshop, but I also homebrew beer so I need the bar/brewing area/game room, and I need a place to put garden tools, lawnmower, snowblower, garden tractor, bicycles, etc...so a small portion of the building will become a shed. I'm thinking my lumber storage and air compressor will be in there too, and maybe my dust collector.
> Here's a picture of what I've done for small powertool organization... got the milk crates for free on Craigslist, right here in my town.



Looks pretty sanitary to me. If you would like to keep everything organized you might consider locking the doors and just staying out, that way you won't get the shop all cluttered up.

Jerry


----------



## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

Jerry, that's pretty much the only sure-fire way that it will stay clean. That and the bet my wife made me that in three months it'll be a total mess. I don't like for her to win bets.


----------



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Nice storage solution. Neat, cheap, organized.


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

DesertRatTom said:


> Nice storage solution. Neat, cheap, organized.


That's what I was thinking to. Never seen them used that way , very cool idea


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

won't collect much sawdust either....


----------



## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

Oh, don't worry, Stick...I'll find a way to make it stick to them.


----------



## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Congrats on the new setup. Waiting patiently for pics...lots of pics!


----------



## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Nice space...

I love the idea of multipurposing the 24x27...

Just one suggestion...scrap the indoor shed and put up a cheapie outside...use the extra 10 ft for shop...you will want it later...

Good luck...


----------



## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> Congrats Ken
> Gee I'm liking a 24-27 work shop better . I've got 22-26 and its driving me nuts as it is


No more space for you! It will just add to the longevity of the "Great Insulation Disaster".:lol:


----------



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

hahaha...



> It will be a 12'x27' woodworking shop, a 12'x17' bar and game room


Aren't these two measurements wrong way round...?

Would love to have that space.....


----------



## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Congratulations Ken! Now is the time to stop playing games and go ahead and quit drinking...... think of all of the money you will have for tools :smile:


----------



## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

James, it's 24 feet wide and 27 long, so 1/2, or 12x27 is workshop. The other side is 12x17 bar/gameroom and 12x10 shed.
Nick, that will likely happen eventually, but not until the other third of my property is cleared of its trees. That will need to be done in a very few years because I will need to have a new septic field and there can't be any trees growing where that is. The new shed would then be on the opposite side of the house from where this building is now.
Marco, I don't spend enough on beer in a year to buy a decent cordless drill. Especially when I homebrew.


----------



## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

Finished wiring my lights today and then used the shop to make my first ever zero-clearance insert. I was amazed how many tools I used to make it! Bandsaw, disk sander, router, and drill press.


----------



## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

BTW, this one is plywood, I want to make more and use hardwood. Probably won't do that until I get some better countersinks though.


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

*It's Not the Size...*



RainMan 2.0 said:


> Congrats Ken
> Gee I'm liking a 24-27 work shop better . I've got 22-26 and its driving me nuts as it is


...It's what you do with it!
Two footitis. 
No sympathy from me, Rick. Where's the plan?
Contrary to what the women keep telling men, size isn't everything... >


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

*Why?*



kklowell said:


> BTW, this one is plywood, I want to make more and use hardwood. Probably won't do that until I get some better countersinks though.


They're supposed to be a disposable item, Ken; that'd be a waste of hardwood.


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

*Launch Sequence*



kklowell said:


> BTW, this one is plywood, I want to make more and use hardwood. Probably won't do that until I get some better countersinks though.


After I made that last comment it occurred to me that using lumber _around_ the blade could potentially lead to it splitting, being picked up by the blade , and fired back at you.
Don't know if it's ever actually happened, but just the thought gives me the willies.


----------



## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

I'm enjoying the shop a lot! I spend most evenings out there until most "normal" people would be thinking bedtime. On Friday I spend the entire day AND evening out there making a garden arbor and fence for my wife. The front is done so far, and that's all old lumber I got for free and pallet wood. I took four or five pallets apart, made sure there was no nails left in any of it, and ripped the boards to 2.5 inches wide. Then I cut the top of the pickets on the CPMS, then finally cut them all to length. I made some serious sawdust! Part of that was ripping 2x6's that I had around for the rails and parts for the lattice work though. 
This evening I finally figured out a jig to rout the pieces of the lattice work so that tomorrow I can finish the panel for one side of the arbor and cut the pieces for the other side, hopefully building that as well. Then it'll be time to take another ten (or so) pallets apart to make more pickets.
When it's all done I'm thinking a silver-gray stain to even out the color and still leave it rustic looking.
The important thing is...the wife loves it so far. I'm still thinking it's sort of ugly....


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

it's an ugly you can't help but like...


----------



## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

A bit of an update.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

well done...


----------



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

That is really nice. No one paints fences around these parts, so the raw wood look is normal here. Will you be enclosing more yard or is it just a divider?


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

DesertRatTom said:


> That is really nice. No one paints fences around these parts, so the raw wood look is normal here. Will you be enclosing more yard or is it just a divider?



I think it's to keep the cat in...


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

DaninVan said:


> I think it's to keep the cat in...


good luck w/ that...


----------



## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

When done it will enclose a square that is approx. 20 feet per side. I'd like to do the side and front of the yard with a rail fence someday because I think the picket fence is too tight and would look unfriendly.
I may not end up staining it...the wife likes the raw wood look, so if it looks "even" in the spring it'll likely stay unfinished.


----------



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

@kklowell 20 ft square is a nice garden space, or a seating area with lots of flowers. It will certainly leak cats. We use unfinished fencing a lot around here where it is hot and dry, and they look like hell in about 7 years and pretty much fall apart in 15. 

A comment on the zero clearance insert. You are better off with Baltic Birch ply, or plastic (cutting boards for kitchen use). Solid wood is almost certain to warp. BB ply will route very well. Some folks put a little catch on the back of the insert to help hold it in. Usually there is some sort of lock on the top,, near the front, to lock the thing down. That will prevent kickback.

It has got to be nice to have your shop up and running. My wife really likes having me out there, close by, but not under foot. Now comes the accumulation phase LOL.


----------



## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

I like the plastic cutting board idea... that would be the type that one can buy at places like Dollar Tree, correct? The insert is actually held in place by two countersunk screws.
I think my wife is liking my workshop too, judging by how many times a week she says, "you could make that, right?" She isn't thrilled that I haven't been working inside the house much though. I need to finish her craft room soon....that will cheer her up again.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

kklowell said:


> I like the plastic cutting board idea... *that would be the type that one can buy at places like Dollar Tree, correct?* The insert is actually held in place by two countersunk screws.
> I think my wife is liking my workshop too, judging by how many times a week she says, "you could make that, right?" She isn't thrilled that I haven't been working inside the house much though. I need to finish her craft room soon....that will cheer her up again.


correct...


----------



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

kklowell said:


> ...I think my wife is liking my workshop too, judging by how many times a week she says, "you could make that, right?" She isn't thrilled that I haven't been working inside the house much though. I need to finish her craft room soon....that will cheer her up again.


 @kklowell I keep my wife happy by doing lots of in the house projects. Very important in tool acquisition to keep the lady delighted with your woodworking. 0


----------



## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

I am just about out of room already! Did some rearranging the last two days and added some more cabinets and tops, a few lights and outlets. Also got rid of a 6 foot folding table that was buried under stuff I had no place for. I still want to get those shelves on the right side gone..they will move to the upstairs storage area when that's done.
A couple of pictures... the place isn't perfect yet, and you may see some mess, but, here they are.
















It doesn't look it in these pictures, but there's 9.5 feet between the bandsaw and tablesaw, and 8 feet between the saw and the door on the outfeed side. I don't plan on ripping much plywood, but wanted to make sure I could if I needed to.
Now I just need to hit the lottery so I can buy materials to finish it.


----------



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Don't forget insulation. Unless you live in the most moderate of climates, insulation will be the difference between loving being out there, or not. Be careful about putting up cabinets and such directly over the studs, it will make it much harder to put in the insulation later. You'll have to stuff the batts behind fixed cabinets, and you should also put up drywall over the insulation. Although one wall of my shop has pegboard over the insulation, which is really handy.


----------



## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

Insulation is down the road a bit, but, those upper cabinets come down easily when I do have the money to do the interior walls. I'm not using drywall though, I'm using 7/16" OSB because I can buy it cheaply and I can attach things directly to it. What I would really like to do is get the upstairs floor in... that will help hold heat in the shop and get rid of a lot of stuff that could be kept up there out of the way.
I do have a 200,000 btu propane heater, and plan on a wood stove in the other side of the building (hard to call it a garage anymore because there won't be a way to get a car in when it's done) that I think would keep me warm enough, even here in southern Maine.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

here's some ides...
this shop is way smaller...
and it contains 4100 TS, RT, 25'' planer, 16''BS, 20''DP, DC w piping, 100x40'' work table, 52'' lathe, lumber rack, 3 walls of sliding doors, 10'' grinder, commercial tile saw, mortiser, 2 more clamp racks welding cart w/ all the goodies and hand tools out the wazoo...
two storage cabs are 12''x 16' and one is 20''x12'.. 
the doors are doubled up as wall space for a total 32LF...

.


----------



## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

That's organization for sure.Being organized is a serious struggle for me... but I am trying. 
What size is that shop? I'd love to see the floorplan.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

14x16 IIRC...
it's the wall units that made all of the difference...
the bases of the units serve as trunks for the DC, air and electric...


----------

