Garage work space arrangement/layout

[SUNBURNTsnype]

For those of you guys with 2 car or smaller garages, who work on multiple types of projects in the same space, how do you have your tools/work areas arranged?

I mean like woodworking/power tools, mechanics/automotive hand tools and special tools, general garage tools, paint/body tools?

Also, do you have a dedicated workspace, work area or workbench for each category of tools or a place to do that type of work? How do you separate/segregate these jobs from each other in a small space?

I am trying to figure out a layout that is functional and efficient for my small area, but still allows me to do each type of job in the same space.

Do you keep you wrenches and sockets in the same work bench/tool chest as your hammers and screwdrivers?

Do you have your table saw near where you do welding and fab work?

I have a bunch of tool cabinets that I acquired (they need some TLC), so Im thinking of putting wheels on them and having the tools in each cabinet be for a different type of job, so if i want to do something, I just wheel that tool cabinet over into the middle of the garage and use it, then wheel it back when Im done. This way everything is moveable and modular and can be stowed away when not needed.

However, i dont want to be so over-categorized that i have to go to a different tool chest each time i need something when Im in the middle of a job.

Thoughts?

 

[Ed Litsch]

My table saw sits in the middle of the room of my woodworking shop. You need plenty of room all the way around it for big projects like sheets of plywood and 8' 2x4s. My tools hang above my workbench on the wall with my tool cabinet next to the bench. My chop saw sits at the end of the workbench........In my garage, I don't have tool cabinets on wheels. I never liked them. My cabinets are permanent against the walls. So I just walk back and forth to get my tools. You should pretty much know what tools you need for a job anyway before you start the job. And I never liked the thought of rolling large toolboxes around between my cars. I don't have that much room. And one goes the wrong way and you hit the car.

 

[crewchief888]

i keep woodworking,
and anything that makes sparks far away from each other.

i confine my woodworking projects to the basement, 'round the house DIY tools and supplies stay down there as well.

wrenching, welding, bending, and beatin' the **** outta stuff all stays in the garage.

 

[astroracer]

Put castors on everything! I have 1 bench in the entire shop that is bolted to the wall and EVERYTHING else is movable. Makes for easy cleaning, access and, especially, rearrangebility (is that a word?).
The other suggestion I have is to use covers on equipment you use infrequently. Large plastic trash bags work for most of the stuff in my shop. I did spring for a good cover for the Tig machine but trash bags keep the shop dust off and makes for a lot less "cleanup" when you do roll something out to use it.
Mark

 

[arrowhead]

I feel your pain! I'm just finishing a new 20x30 that needs to be versatile all kinds of projects (complete restorations including bodywork and paint, engine rebuilding, welding, general maintenance, powder coating, metal fabrication, etc), plus my son will have his own space for welding projects. There just isn't enough room to have everything permanent. As the above poster mentioned, we are going try and get a lot of the things mobile so they can be moved around. I'm also planning on a large fold down workspace attached to one wall. I use filing cabinets for a lot of things. One has all my body work supplies, one has all electrical wire and supplies, one has portable power tools, etc. In the past I've used folding tables, but they aren't very sturdy and a pain to store. I want to make some that fold up, will self store on their own casters so they can be moved easily.

I've done a lot of work in my existing 2 car garage (that will now be used to park the cars since we are building this new space) and your right it'a PIA. I don't have an dedicated work areas, in fact everything has to moved around to accomodate what I'm doing. The only upside is it keeps me from collecting a lot of junk.

 

[IONH]

I put automotive tools in tool boxes, hammers up on a peg board and larger tools like saws on a large floor to ceiling shelving unit I built in the corner. And I also have a large number of totes on shelves under my work bench which are categorizes in things like Construction (general wood working), Electrical, Clamps, etc.

The above only applies when I actually put things where they should go.

 

[Cobra6]

Put castors on everything! I have 1 bench in the entire shop that is bolted to the wall and EVERYTHING else is movable. Makes for easy cleaning, access and, especially, rearrangebility (is that a word?).
The other suggestion I have is to use covers on equipment you use infrequently. Large plastic trash bags work for most of the stuff in my shop. I did spring for a good cover for the Tig machine but trash bags keep the shop dust off and makes for a lot less "cleanup" when you do roll something out to use it.
Mark

+1 on the castors - rearrangeability = flexibility - I even roll my saw or blast cabinet out the door on nice days to keep the dust at bay. The wheels make it super easy to clean the shop.

good idea on dust covers too

 

[ez-duzit]

My garage is setup as a wood/fabrication shop. A large table saw with sliding table and extended side table plus back table form the center leg of an 'E'. The side table mounts a 3-1/2 hp router underneath so my fence serves both saw and router. A heavy, solid-core door is used as a back table, supported by the saw and side table, along one long edge, and a shelf unit and leg on the other. To it is mounted (flush with the top) a large woodworking vise. Under this back table are a rollaway cabinet and a large drawer unit for tool storage.

Right next to this, along the wall which forms the top of the long leg of the E, is my radial arm saw. Next to that, an edge sander.

The foot of the E is my tig welding area with welding table and storage cabinets under, including a small grinder for sharpening tungsten. The long wall next to this stores my clamps.

The top of the E is a work table with metal chop saw and spindle sander supported by 2 rollaway cabinets.

The opposite wall provides storage for large sheet goods (sheet metal, plywood, Formica...) behind a vertical panel saw. Also a hydralic press, thickness plane and several drill presses and a metal workbench with bench grinders and drill sharpener, on top, and drawers below.

Elsewhere are air compressor, wood and metal-cutting band saws, free-standing belt/disc sander, shaper and jigsaw, some on rolling bases. Additionally I have joined two table saws together on a rolling base, one always setup with a 1/2" dado. The back table for these is an extremely heavy duty 4' X 8' workbench with rollaway cabinets (less casters) beneath.

 

[dragracer98]

Put castors on everything! I have 1 bench in the entire shop that is bolted to the wall and EVERYTHING else is movable. Makes for easy cleaning, access and, especially, rearrangebility (is that a word?).
The other suggestion I have is to use covers on equipment you use infrequently. Large plastic trash bags work for most of the stuff in my shop. I did spring for a good cover for the Tig machine but trash bags keep the shop dust off and makes for a lot less "cleanup" when you do roll something out to use it.
Mark

+ 2 on this!! All good ideas Mark. I am a big believer in castors on everything that I can put them on. I didn't realize how much better it was till I needed to move something and it had wheels. I am in the process of moving things around so not many ideas from this end. However, I found a workshop/garage planner that might help someone. I really like it because you can change things as needed, save your work, print it out or whatever. Oh yeah a big plus it's free. A neat tool for sure.

http://www.grizzly.com/workshopplanner

Randy

 

[JMartel]

Put everything on wheels. One good article I've found is "Roll-away Workshop" from Fine Woodworking issue #167.

http://www.finewoodworking.com/workshop/article/roll-away-workshop.aspx

That's just a preview but you can sort of see the concept. Basically one bench with modular cases below it on casters. You can move things out when you want to work on them, and roll them away when you are done.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Fortunately, I'm not limited on space you are but that doesn't mean I have stuff strung out all over. The key to getting the most out of a small space is organizing. On one side of the garage (mechanical/metal) I use tool boxes for those tools while the other side of the garage has peg board for wood working/home repair type of tools.

Take advantage of every space you have, but containers of what ever sort to fit the tool into a space. Currently, I keep my chopsaw on a HF dolley and it resides under the work bench. On days weather permitting, I roll it outside the garage and keep the metal dust out there. The parts washer has table top on it that allows it to be a work area.


Sometimes, you have to borrow ideas from others and sometimes you come up with ideas of your own. Don't be afraid to try out more than one layout as it takes practice to make things better.

 

[ez-duzit]

The table saw really needs to have a back table. This arrangement means always having to roll machines out in order to use them. With very small shops that might be unavoidable. But I've found a central location for the table saw essential.

 

[zkling]

I operate out of a single car (12' wide, 21' long, garage door on one of the 12' wide ends), a two car space would be a dream for me. What style of 2 stall do you have? Is it one large garage door, or two separate doors spaced by a column in the middle? Do you need to store a car in them?

I have mine setup in a upside down "U" shape. As has been mentioned numerous times, put everything that you can on casters, good quality casters.
I have a long work bench on the back 12' wall and a old tanker desk placed in perpendicular to it to form a "T". Along the walls I have my tool boxes (one for mechanics tools, one for machinist tools & misc, a file cabinet and a 20drawer card catalog. All for small tools and misc parts / jigs. Then the walls are lined with machines. I try to keep the center open so I can roll things in and out of the garage easily to work on. Unfortunately all car work is done in the drive way.

A few tips for the space challenged

1.) Put air compressor in a corner by the garage door. Vertical's are best to save space.

2.) Vertical storage is a must. Stack boxes as high as practical. If there is space below a tool or bench, try to find a cabinet or tool box that will fit. Basically try to add as many drawers as possible.

3.) Wood tools (jointer and table saw) are stored against a wall, and moved to center of U or drive way for use. Good locking wheels are a must

Why types of tool cabinets and machines do you have? Do you need to keep large equipment like cars, lawn mowers and other, or do you have freedom to use both stalls?

 

[astroracer]

Thanks for the "Pluses" guys! Much appreciated.
I use the Harbor freight furniture dollies a LOT in my shop. The casters are decent quality and you cannot buy all four of them individually for the price of the complete dollies. I have both the large and small dollies and have everything from filing cabinets, tubing bender stands, rear ends, engines and transmissions to my arbor press sitting on them in one form or another. The dollies are easy enough to cut down so fitting them to a specific item is easy.
I even put my Pexto 37" shear on big casters!
Stacks of tires and wheels also. Makes it nice to just roll stuff around when you need to.
Mark

 

[motorscot]

My drill press, grinder/buffer, blast cabinet, table saw, pancake compressor, and fab table are all on casters.

I have 3 tanker desks currently and will construct a rolling chassis to raise one to 35 3/4" for a mobile workstation. It will slide under a fixed workbench/tool storage area (and straddle the mini beer fridge )

I also use two horizontal file cabinets for chemical/paint storage and a rolling craftsman tool chest

Right now I'm confined to a 20x26? 2 car

 

[enginewizard1969]

I hadn't thought about putting wheels on my cabinets. I was planning to put my table saw into workbench on the back wall once I have moved the storage units. But after reading this thread that's going to change I'm still going to put my table saw into my workbench but on the end of the run and then I will putting wheels on it so I can wheel it out if I need more room around it for larger project's . Thanks for the idea, this is what I like about this site so many good ideas.

 

[crewchief888]

Sometimes, you have to borrow ideas from others and sometimes you come up with ideas of your own. Don't be afraid to try out more than one layout as it takes practice to make things better.

i've moved stuff , rearranged, and shifted toolboxes (from the garage to the house) to make things fit, where i have room to put them, 7 or 8 times in the past 7 years.

as storage needs change, so does the organization.

i'll probably move stuff around again this summer sometime.

 

[ez-duzit]

Here's how I setup a pair of table saws (3 hp Unisaw and 1-1/2 hp contractors saw) on a movable base. I keep a 1/2" dado in the contractors saw for plowing grooves. The heavy duty fence serves both units. 4" X 8' workbench serves as back table.