Wood working in house?

[ND80]

So i love wood working but don't have a garage.

Anyone on here ever set up small wood working shop in a spare room in the house?

And if so how do you go about keeping sawdust from infiltrating the rest of the house?

I have seen a few small machining rooms like this and would love to do that but dont have the money for that.


And a last note what are some of your favorite projects in a smaller wood shop?

 

[matt_i]

I've used the basement for some wood working over the years.

A dust collector and an air filtration unit are the best ways to keep dust under control. There is inevitably some dust which can't be trapped by those two and will end up being tracked all over if you don't sweep & vac the floor regularly...and I don't do that

I would also be mindful of air return vents and ductwork. Those could ingest a lot of dust if not accounted for.

Anything other than hardwood or tile/stick-down tile floor would be a non starter for me.

 

[Jon_E]

I would not recommend it, for the obvious reasons of dust and noise. I've had basement wood shops for my entire life and this fall will be the first time (I'm 46) that I will have a dedicated outbuilding for woodworking.

So - spare room. Dust is #1. An air cleaner and a dust collector are pretty critical. A spare room might actually work out better than a basement shop. Buy an air cleaner or make one out of some HEPA filters and a cheap box fan. You can open a window and direct the box fan outdoors to exhaust air. Noise won't be a problem if your family is OK with it. Another idea I saw recently is to replace the door to the room with an exterior door. The exterior door will be insulated (therefore more soundproof) and also be weatherstripped all the way around to help control dust.

Also, consider doing a lot of hand-tool woodworking. Not dust-free, but certainly less than with power tools, and most of it won't be airborne particles.

I'll second the advice on a hard floor surface. Laminate or hardwood would be a good floor choice. Alternately, you could remove the existing floor covering and just lay down a "temporary" floor out of T&G plywood or OSB, so that you won't have to worry about damaging the floor.

Lots of projects to do in a small shop. I find that I am never looking for projects, they come to me and I build them. It's called a "honey-do" list. If you are really looking for stuff, find out what interests you. Woodcarving is great for a small shop. I particularly enjoy turning, and you can set up an amazing shop in a small area - a lathe and a good bandsaw, plus some hand tools, are about all you need. Boxmaking, marquetry, musical instruments, the list is endless. I'd simply try to avoid projects that are too big for the space you're in.

 

[nadogail]

When I was single, I had a shop in a spare bedroom, but since remarriage my priorities have changed.

I used to clean house with an air nozzle in one hand and the hose from the shopvac in the other. I accepted that i was living in a workshop, and dust and noise were part of the total package.

I have since been semi-domesticated and do not regret it.

 

[ford33]

The noise and dust is the issue. If you use hand tools and keep the dust manageable it would work.

 

[Larryjones]

If I was going to do it in the house I think I would take up something that didn't create a lot of dust and fumes. Maybe wood carving or chip carving. At the most maybe a small lathe and turn pens or some other smaller item, even then I would want a good dust collection system.

 

[Cyberbear]

Others have already commented on the importance of dust control in a small space. I used to carve small Ozark figures in the evenings after working all day in my woodworking shop. My recliner in the living room was always surrounded by wood chips, which was easily vacuumed up once and a while. The wife was very understanding.

 

[ND80]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Might be doing some research into wood carving, but have never been very artistically inclined so that might be out of my ballpark.

 

[mbatarga]

A friend used his Dewalt scroll saw in his apartment. Just set it up on a table. He became VERY proficient in it's use - as he made many small gift type items since he was limited to project size.

 

[rsanter]

You will need to install an exterior type door with a sill plate seal as well as a seal around the perimeter.

You will need a good dust control system. Think oversized for what a standard application would be.

You will also need to block off the HVAC system from the remainder of the house and might even need to install a small single system for that room.

You will also need to think good dust collection. Get a good oversized dust collector and route it to all the equipment that you will be using. Even with this you will be getting lots of dust from the machines so you still need a good dust collector.

You will also need a good down draft table for when you do sanding

Bob

 

[strutaeng]

The noise and dust is the issue. If you use hand tools and keep the dust manageable it would work.

Seek this advice. Get a subscription of Popular Woodworking and Fine Woodworking. Great articles of hand tool techniques. Basically, if you can get your stock milled to thickness you won't have to create clouds of dust with TS, jointer, planer, no dust collector, noise, etc. Learn about handcutting joints: tenon, mortise with the right chisels, dovetails, handplaning, etc. Handtools leave more like chunks of wood and shavings that can be easily swept instead of microscopic dust.

Besides, milling lumber is no fun. The fun comes at cutting and fitting joints!

Good Luck

 

[Cyberbear]

Dust doesn't have to be a big problem, simply create a negative air pressure by putting a cheap 20" box fan into an exterior window. The fan will draw fresh air into the room and out the window, thereby controlling the fine dust particles. I very much looked forward to my carving time in the evenings after dinner, relaxing in front of the TV with my carving chisels making basswood shavings with a razor sharp edge.

 

[southalabama]

At one point dad did all the wood cutting and sanding in the driveway. Things got moved inside for assembly.

 

[My Old Tools]

Use hand tools. Stay away from things like routers that put fine dust in the air. Have a roll away table saw for rough cutting and ripping out in the driveway. Shavings are a lot easier to control than dust.

 

[colt zantop]

I've done lots of woodwork in my basement over the years. Dust is an issue for sure but I deal with it. Once I see it getting dusty...I just take a break. I also change my furnace filter monthly. I don't have a choice so the basement is my only option.