Thread: Workshop Size

This is a but of a how long is a piece of string question.

What do you plan to do?
What machinery do you plan to acquire/use

I can see a 6.0m x 5.6m area that would make an even better workshop, plus it has roller door access to the driveway.

One tip is make the doorway into any workshop larger than standard. I'd recommend 1200mm.

It's surprising what you can fit into a small shed.
I started out with a 5.3 x 3.5m shed.
shed1ms.jpg

In that shed I squeezed a
- 12" table saw,
- Large floor standing drill press,
- 8" bench grinder on its own stand
- small WW lathe on a dedicated
- 1HP DC - eventually moved outside the shed
- an 800 x 2100 bench (ply door on two folding legs.
- a welder under a 900 x 900 bench
- 3 old wardrobes for storage
- a wall of shelves that held 9 chainsaws.
- an 8" table saw set up for metal cutting

BUT - I could not make anything of size inside the shed - I had to do that outside on the patio paving.
At one stage (much to SWMBO's annoyance) I had a 19" bandsaw and a combo planner thicknesser on the back veranda.

its not the size of the thing, its what you do with it.

Problem solved!

Screenshot 2022-10-26 095718.jpg

^^this, then remove wall between door and stairs, add 3 phase, dust extraction, etc etc....

We have to work with the space available. Like the others have pointed out the garage is a better space and a lot of us share the space with cars. Having the machines wheeled and mobile helps a lot too. In my double garage I have a lathe, bandsaw, tablesaw, jointer, thicknesser, compressor and dust extractor plus racking for wood storage. All the machines can be squeezed to one side and still get a car in. Bench and hand tools are in a 3mx4m shed out the back. Cars are reasonably waterproof and can spend some time outside when projects are on. Between the two spaces you have you should be able to work something out.
Regards
John

The short answer to your question is probably not. If you are happy just with hand tools and bench you would be OK. Machinery needs room.
As others have said your car space is your best option, particularly with that store room. Machines can be made mobile and wheeled in and out of the store room as required, leaving the garage clear for parking between projects. Depending on machine sizes you may have to look at widening the door opening to accommodate a set of double doors.
Imagine, at end of day project stays on the bench, machines are wheeled into store room, bench with project is wheeled into store room. Doors closed. The garage is now a parking area.
Ready to revisit the scene of the crime? Leave cars outside, wheel out the bench and project, wheel out necessary machinery and continue the abuse to your hearts content.

Every one wants a workshop about 50% bigger than they have got ....

But you can do with less. My first workshop was 2.4 x 2.4 x 2.4 metres, a cube built by the previous owner. Each wall and the ceiling consisted of two sheets of ashbestos. The door was only 650 mm wide which was a pain; no windows. Had no machines so that wasn't a problem. But I didn't know it was small. Did most of my work on the verandah.

A small workshop must be shipshape, well planned and organised and kept really tidy. Corallary is you learn good habits. (eg Cut timber to approximate lengths before dressing them; you do not have room to wave big sticks around, but less twist in a shorter length.)

But then you get a machine and need tailing out space and you want that 50%.

Hey PeteyBPetey, stay organised, mobile and use vertical spaces.

Originally Posted by Dimo

Hey PeteyBPetey, stay organised, mobile and use vertical spaces.

Tried that, but my bench fell off the ceiling!

All sheds are too small.



Regards
Paul

PS: Build the largest shed you can afford/have space for/ will pass muster with your treasurer (consider adding a sewing room somewhere; A bribe ).

it's also about being able to move pieces about in the space. I was for ever having to kick the cars out for a night or two while a larger piece was assembled and finish applied.

but you'll just make do with what you have

As others said - it depends! As a mainly hand tool bloke (with a minor woodturning obsession, I was thinking my purpose-built 5.4 x 3.3 workshop was a tad small. Then I moved interstate and had to squeeze into a space 1/3 of that size and no chance of expansion.
One year of grumbling later and the big lathe, bandsaw and drill press have been found new homes, the bench has shrunk a bit and I have utilized every mm of storage space. A shiny new mini lathe has been shoehorned in and it is all working surprisingly well. so we’ll the grumbling has stopped. I just have to clean up more often.
I have to say though that it is supplemented by a well equipped Men’s Shed where I spend three mornings each week.

Bruce