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andrewr79
17th February 2011, 06:47 AM
I'm currently sharing a small single car garage with the car as my workshop. I'm trying to make the best of the space, but it limits me to one of those cheap workmate style benches and some galvanized shelving. I'm in the process of putting pegboard into the alcoves between the second story pylons so that will help, but I think I'm still going to struggle for space.

I started this thread in hopes that you guys would be willing to share pictures and hints of your best space saving ideas both for myself and others in the same situation!

Storage, folding benches etc, tool racks in tiny places all very welcome!

RETIRED
17th February 2011, 12:22 PM
I will post some pics up later.

RETIRED
17th February 2011, 03:46 PM
We use a few of these type of storage cupboards. Bit of ply and piano hinge and away you go.

andrewr79
17th February 2011, 05:55 PM
Very nice - how deep are those ones?

derekcohen
17th February 2011, 08:45 PM
Hi Andrew

Benches that fold out from the wall are space-saving and have the bonus of benefitting from the wall to increase rigidity.

I built extra bench space with a fold-out top ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Cabinet2.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Cabinet3.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Cabinet4a.jpg

Here is a link to a (dovetail) vise that you can build and add onto the top of a bench .... http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/MoxonDovetailVise.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

Lignum
17th February 2011, 09:11 PM
My shed is a tiny 6x3 and the biggest problem was the table saw. A simple solution was to cut a few holes in the wall for the fence rails. Yellow in, red out :D
Also note the cutout for the jointer to help it fit tight against the wall.

And also a fold down workbench i made. Ideal to share with a car.

rhancock
17th February 2011, 09:40 PM
Look up? I am lucky, or not, depending on how tall you are, to have only 1.9m clearance in my workshop, so I hang lots of stuff off the ceiling. Like the dovetail saws in the first picture.
The other pictures are pictures from other forum members, so I apologise for not crediting the posters, but I don't have names for any of them. Feel free to shout out if your workshop is here.

And the last one is a lateral thought - if there's no room in the garage for the workbench, move the workbench into the house somewhere?

cookie48
17th February 2011, 10:14 PM
golly. that is some very neat work there. you should be very proud of what you have done.

rhancock
17th February 2011, 10:15 PM
Er, no. Only the first one is mine, and the last one is a computer generated image!

Chris Parks
17th February 2011, 11:24 PM
The roll away workshop....

Endress Tour (http://www.finewoodworking.com/Workshop/endresstour.asp)

There is a full PDF to cover this. PM me with your email address and I will send it to you. I have built a version of this and while it does have some flaws the idea works. Everything rolls under the bench and the cabinets are the storage, portable benches, outfeed/infeed tables and more. If you have a subscription to FWW online then you can view the PDF and the video that goes with it from memory. I put it all under my mitre saw bench and extensions.

andrewr79
18th February 2011, 06:43 AM
Derek - I love the fold out bench and that saw cabinet, and I'm wondering if I have a big enough tap and die to make that dovetail vice :)

Lignum - thank you for the pic of the fold down bench, I'd been considering something along those lines and it just about does what I was thinking perfectly


rhancock - while there's plenty of clearance there's also a auto garage door getting in the road of 3/4 of it! Great idea though!

andrewr79
18th February 2011, 07:08 AM
Ok I've mocked up a plan for my tool storage, let me know if you can see issues/improvements please


Slim freestanding rack with pegboard on both sides so I get maximum storage for the space
Locking casters to I can stop it moving around once it's pulled out into position for use
Open top so I can use that for storing saws,squares etc
Tool rack underneath both for support and for easy access to tools that don't hang well - chisels and files for example


I should be able to build this so it can be put away neatly out of the cars way of a night, then move it out when needed. I figure if I make one side woodworking tools and the other metalworking/car maintenance tools I can turn it around depending on what I need to do

BobL
18th February 2011, 09:32 AM
Ok I've mocked up a plan for my tool storage, let me know if you can see issues/improvements please


Slim freestanding rack with pegboard on both sides so I get maximum storage for the space
Locking casters to I can stop it moving around once it's pulled out into position for use
Open top so I can use that for storing saws,squares etc
Tool rack underneath both for support and for easy access to tools that don't hang well - chisels and files for example


I should be able to build this so it can be put away neatly out of the cars way of a night, then move it out when needed. I figure if I make one side woodworking tools and the other metalworking/car maintenance tools I can turn it around depending on what I need to do

Good idea, but the base looks too narrow to me. I'd be making the base about 500 mm wide. You'll also need to carefully select what pegboard hooks and fixtures are use. Most are too loose which can be fixed with dob of hot melt glue, but many (especially the standard hooks) simply do not hold tools all that well even when stationary.

FenceFurniture
18th February 2011, 09:42 AM
BobL, just reading this and you prompted me - I also use a metal basket for the hot melt gun. Cheers, Brett

BobL
18th February 2011, 09:54 AM
BobL, just reading this and you prompted me - I also use a metal basket for the hot melt gun. Cheers, Brett

Basket definitely sounds like the go. I made up a simple loop of wire suspended from the ceiling and poked the gun through that. I would then turn it on and wait for it to warm up but of course the gun had a mind of its own and wanted to keep point either at me or the nearby suspended power cord. At one point it softened the insulation on the power cord almost to the point of melting!

andrewr79
18th February 2011, 10:02 AM
Good idea, but the base looks too narrow to me. I'd be making the base about 500 mm wide. You'll also need to carefully select what pegboard hooks and fixtures are use. Most are too loose which can be fixed with dob of hot melt glue, but many (especially the standard hooks) simply do not hold tools all that well even when stationary.

Noted, thanks Bob!

RETIRED
18th February 2011, 10:28 AM
Very nice - how deep are those ones?
210 mm + the wall cavity.

andrewr79
18th February 2011, 11:47 AM
Not bad at all , looks like you get a lot into the small space. I'm about to finish my coffee and have a go at the design I posted earlier....with any luck I can finish it today, at least to the point that it's usable if not totally finished. After that, I think it's time for a fold-down bench!

Can anyone think of a way to add a hammer rack to my design other than adding a second tool rack beam?. I've got a growing collection of metalworking hammers that need a home :)

FenceFurniture
18th February 2011, 12:01 PM
Andrew, you'll fing a hammer rack here (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f245/some-shed-ideas-yez-131341/)

Regards, Brett

andrewr79
18th February 2011, 12:41 PM
Thanks Brett - I'd forgotten about that one, even though I posted saying it was great!

andrewr79
18th February 2011, 02:06 PM
1/3 built, I just have to cut and fit the bracing piece below the pegboard now then the feet. I'm using some pegboard that my dad got given 20 years ago and I found in a pile in the corner of his garage so it's got a slight warp and needs the extra bracing. He's got wall to wall pegboard and I 'relocated' 3/4 of his tools anyway so he didn't need it!

A few modifications on the original design (including BobL's suggestions) - the empty top piece has been replaced with a crosbeam, sadly I lose what I thought was a great saw storage hole but the pegboard just isn't straight enough to hold flat by itself. Plus, I started worrying about the blades being scratched up by the back of the hooks so I'll work something else out!

Will finish off after my bacon sandwich. Got to keep my strength up!

andrewr79
19th February 2011, 01:08 PM
Well my portable tool wall is built, just needs some final sanding and the pegboard needs a paint. I've already rolled it out and and stuck a few heavier tools on it and it seems stable - had to go with 45cm feet not 50cm as BobL suggested because of the car clearance but seems good.

What else have people done in small spaces? Anyone built fold down sawhorse or double-duty tables etc?

derekcohen
19th February 2011, 01:15 PM
Make sure that you have wall cabinets for storing tools, and that these are placed at a height that allows the car(s) to park underneath. The less that you need to move around/pull out from a wall the better.

Regards from Perth

Derek

FenceFurniture
19th February 2011, 01:54 PM
Andrew, if you have a VERY good budget for tools, the Festool CMS and MFT system is excellent when you're short of space. I'm not a CMS user yet, I only have the Kapex 120 SCMS, and it's a great, great saw. If you want to learn a bit about them look at the Ideal Tools site, and also the threads I started last weekend (Festool query #1 etc). The responses were very informative.

Regards, Brett

andrewr79
19th February 2011, 04:51 PM
Brett - that thing is remarkably pretty, out of my reach budget wise though. Thanks for the link anyway!