I’m about to build a workshop down in my basement, and need a specific bit of advice. It’s going at one end of the basement, with concrete walls on three sides. I’ll build a very light stud framework across the fourth side and staple up some heavy plastic to isolate the rest of the basement from sawdust. My specific request for advice is this: The long dimension of the area is 24′. The short dimension can trivially be 11′, and with a fair (but not outrageous) amount of work could be 14′. Is it worth the extra effort to get the extra 3′ ? The majority of the work I’ll be doing will be cabinetry and tables (medium sized ones, not giants).
Thoughts?
Thanks,
-Mark
Replies
Whether you need 11' or 14' is a matter of the machinery you have. I'd suggest you do a plan of your shop area. Sounds pretty simple and a had drawn (to scale) sketch would work. Measure your equipment and cut out little cardboard rectangles to represent the stationary machinery, stuff you wouldn't want to be moving all the time. Figure the safe working area around each one. Use the cardboard cutouts to plan the layout of your area and see if 11' is enough.
Dennis in Bellevue WA
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If you can go 14' DO IT. There is no such thing as too much space. The more space you have the safer you can work. I have a 34 x 54 shop and more room still could be needed and I wouldn't complain.
http://www.grocities.com/waynecustomfl
Mark,
In general, more is better, and I think that is especially true when your talking a 14' wide area verses 11'. My basement space is 12' wide and 8' sheets of ply can require a juggling act to process. It gets done but not without numerous additional handlings and pushing around of other stuff. If I put extensions on the cabinet saw and permanent outfeed tables, I'd need to keep the intire 11' available for the length of the TS. However, with 14', I can put other stuff against the far wall.
Again, in general, the more square your space is the easier it is for production efficiency. Many might disagree with this statement when it comes to their shop, but it is a architectural fact realitive to production efficiency. With cabinet building, I would think it is even more true..
good luck
My shp is 24 x 30 and could be easily twice as large.
You never have enough space, so do whatever you can to get the extra feet.
Cutting any large panal will be alot easier.
Jeff
Mark,
To me, sounds like you need to hire an excavator, a concrete and block mason and make an addition.
Just kidding. But take in all the space you can. You won't regret it.
jdg
My basement shop started out out 12 x 18, then morphed into 24 x 24, and now, at that size, I'm still starting to cast my eye on the other half of my basement (which I'll loosely describe as a "free range storage opportunity area") and thinking, clean room with enclosed spray booth, walk-in lumber rack, panel saw setup area, etc. Moral of the story,..no matter how much space yo set up, you'll eventually want more.
I found that ventilation was a big key in a basement shop. Wound up replacing three windows on the above ground side of my basement with high tech units to get more ventilation.
I started out in my current shop looking at a 10'- 1" by 21'-6" space. I couldn't do anything about the long dimension but knew I couldn't live with the narrow side as it was. The shop is connected to my garage on the long side. I ended up moving the common wall using a cantilevered wall since I needed to keep the upper part of the garage intact. I now have 3/4" of clearance between the wall and the overhead track of the garage door. I put in a connecting door using barn door hardware to eliminate the need for a swinging door. By moving the wall I ended up with 11'and 11-1/4" of width at ground level and the original 10' 1" beginning at a height of 7'. Otherwise the shop is 9'0" in height. Another 2'of width to 14' would give me adequate but not extravagant width. I would really like more. I would kill to get 14'! I urge you to do whatever you can to get a wider space.
From the Helderberg Mountains
So, you're all basically saying: just take over the whole darned basement right now. :-)
I'll definitely go with the 14' dimension.
Thanks, everybody.
-M.
Some is good,
more is better,
too much is never enough!
works with money and shop space both!
With the 'extra' 3' on the long wall, you could put a CMS and RAS, with appropriate cabinets and tables, and maybe a DC at one end, plus all those wall cabinets that would otherwise be sticking out into your space. 3' is a lot when space is tight.Be seeing you...
Mark
I have about 850 sq. ft. with the lumber rack in the 1/2 basement behind. Thought that was plenty. Within the last 3 months had to put all my tools on cabinets and mobilize with HTC bases. Have finished 2/3 of a 40' parts counter for my company. Had to use about 500 sq. ft. of that half basement. Will probaly move my assembly tables and some non-sawdust producers in there and take over. Already had the lumber rack and a low-boy assembly table. Need a space for layout and trimming down large sheets.
Do you need that extra 72 sq. ft.? Do you have enough clamps. Your always one short on clamps and within 4 months you'll wish you had more than the additional 72. ha..
Go for it...
sarge..jt
I had a shop that was 10 x 24 once and that 10' width was really bad news. The extra 3' will make a HUGE difference.
Mark,
My basement shop is 24'x11'. Sad to say but I have more than some full timers. My advice....take the 3' extra feet or you'll be sorry. Its like trying to work in a hallway.
Jeff
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