Small

[sneakyfast]

Ok I'm almost too embarrass to post up mine but here goes. I am now working from home so this has to function as my office as well as general purpose shop. You can see it's really small so combining the spaces is a challenge but the good thing is that I do almost everything electronically so laptop/monitor are about the only things I need to function as an office.

Started with this:
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Here's where I'm at.














So now I have to insulate the attic space, finish painting some trim, get that router table down to bench/saw height.

Any of you guys with small spaces have words of advice?

 

[sneakyfast]

Ooops before pics didn't show.

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

A very compact space that's for sure! It looks like you have it very well organized to do double-duty as an office and workspace. I've got to ask for a close-up of that duffel (?) bag sitting on the table saw; is that a Filson product? It looks well-made and quite unique. When you use the ShopSmith, do you disassemble your 'workstation'?

In regards to small space advice, I would ask if you are going to add a ceiling and insulate between the joists, or will you insulate between the roof rafters and add a 'storage floor' on top of the joists? It looks like a small but still useful storage area above your head. Can't really tell from the pics, but it looks like you've already made good use of the wall's top area for storage. Have you visited Jack Olsen's '12-gauge garage' thread to view his extensive and novel use of small space storage ideas?

 

[winnipegtibook]

That is a great looking space, no need to apologize for it! Plus you have a 2 car garage attached. Very nice.

 

[Thruxton]

I think Omphaloskeptic's idea of insulating between the rafters to leave the ties as storage space is a good idea. There are a number of ways that space could be exploited, and I'll bet from the way you have organized your work area you have already thought of some. I like what you have and have done- post progress pics!

 

[sneakyfast]

A very compact space that's for sure! It looks like you have it very well organized to do double-duty as an office and workspace. I've got to ask for a close-up of that duffel (?) bag sitting on the table saw; is that a Filson product? It looks well-made and quite unique. When you use the ShopSmith, do you disassemble your 'workstation'?

In regards to small space advice, I would ask if you are going to add a ceiling and insulate between the joists, or will you insulate between the roof rafters and add a 'storage floor' on top of the joists? It looks like a small but still useful storage area above your head. Can't really tell from the pics, but it looks like you've already made good use of the wall's top area for storage. Have you visited Jack Olsen's '12-gauge garage' thread to view his extensive and novel use of small space storage ideas?

Actually, I could start a thread on that bag by itself. I designed and made it myself...here's the idea. It is a waterproof leather bag that has NO stiches, zippers or snaps (with that thick leather it should last 250 years or so with nothing but rivets to fail). I don't know if the pics show but there are two brands that show on the leather (poor cow) and those strap holders are vintage solid brass saddle stays. It can also convert to a back pack and the top rolls up and down depending on how much stuff you put in it so I pack it for the gym and also for 2 week trips. Here's some pics:






And you read my mind...i will be insulating in the roof rafters so I can use the above for storage space. And the shop smith does stay disassembled unless I'm doing a lot work on it but as you can see when I don't use it for a project I use if for a table.

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

Nice work on the bag!

Filson (Seattle) makes some rugged looking gear, but I'll bet yours didn't cost anything near what their products cost. lol

I don't know how cold it gets in your neck of the woods, but in addition to insulating the rafters, I'd consider adding some sort of ceiling too. Maybe Armstrong ceiling tiles would be appropriate to provide an additional thermal barrier and still allow access to attic storage. You sacrifice the feeling of openness but it makes the shop easier to heat quickly (and cheaply).

 

[Neil Davies]

I've got a small space to work in at school - 19ft by just under 11ft - and I've been given the task of setting up a Motor Vehicle Tech course in that space. Basically, we're going to build a kit car from a donor vehicle and teach the basic theory behind it to six of the lads who are on their last warnings before being permanently excluded!
We've built benches that fold up against a wall like Jack's, tool shadow boards are going on the opposite side to avoid the need for toolboxes, we've got three kitchen cabinets stacked up (plinths removed from the middle and top ones) to get the maximum storage out of the minimum floor space and basically tried to keep the floor as free as possible. We do have an alcove at the back of the room under some stairs so that provides a little bit of useful space, but it's only 1600mm tall.
One thing we have done is paint the walls brilliant white - the old magnolia sucked all the light out of the place so the new paint really brightens the space up and makes it look so much bigger.