Garage Workshop Designs

[cool_98_555]

So the time has finally come.  Years and years of living in an apartment and finally I am going to be moving into my first house.  It will be built from the ground up with a 2-car garage.  The wife only wants one side of the garage for the 1 car we have, but I can have the other side to do whatever I want with.  I am brainstorming ideas for a workshop.  I had originally planned to make a big workbench, then above it put pegboard for tools for easy access, then have wall-hanging totes on the side for miscellaneous items like glues, sinew, scraps for overlays, string material, etc.  I am planning on getting a bandsaw and I will finally be able to mount a pulley system so I don't have to use a tree and video tape myself all the time anymore.

Do you all have any ideas for a good workshop layout in half of a 2-car garage?  Any pictures you may have to share?  It won't be built until February 2021, but i'm getting all the ideas I can right now so I can make a good decision when the time comes.

Oh, and I will definitely have a mini-fridge in the corner for some extra cold ones while i'm in the shop!

[willie]

I find it very useful to have everything on wheels or casters, even the workbench if there is a way to set it down off the casters for stability.  A  hard trowel finish on the concrete is nice too. That way you can easily spread your wings when her car is outside, and move the tool making the mess to an easy to sweep up area like near the doors.

[Eric Krewson]

I made about 50 bows starting out in a 5X7 back corner of the garage by the water heater before I built a shop.

Definitely put your big power tools on rollers and do your heavy cutting out in the driveway, if you don't your cars and everything in the garage will be covered up with dust. A good bit of it will migrate inside the house as well, wifey won't like it at all.

You will probably want a heavy workbench that you can bolt to the wall. Some of the heavy drawknifing will walk a workbench across the floor if it isn't bolted down.

Here is my old garage workbench that I bolted to the wall, it was in my new houses basement when I took this picture, I have since given it away.



I built my work current bench much nicer and heavier than the first. The drawers are prefab units from Lowe's that I built slots for when I built the work bench. This workbench isn't bolted to the wall, it probably weighs 500# with the drawers full of power tools, assorted junk and scrap iron.

[Stickhead]

Here’s mine I set up in a one-car garage.

[Jim Davis]

Most good stuff above. Agree strongly with a bolted-down bench.

I suggest keeping any "cold ones" out of the shop. They do not improve one's skill level or judgement.

[DC]

And they do increase the number of trips to the emergency room. Don't ask.

[cool_98_555]

These are some great ideas.  Yea I experienced the "bench walking" in a 1-car apartment garage (bought a gladiator 6ft bench).  When I make one it will definitely be bolted to the wall.  Does it have to be bolted to the studs?

[dylanholderman]

Yes if your bolting it to the wall, I would actually recommend bolting it to the floor if you’re sure of were you want it, gives you some more options of placement if you want to be able to get all the way around it ( but that also requires a concrete/impact drill and carbide bits)

[willie]

Since you have not built the house yet, you could always ask the builder to provide some backing (blocking) in the wall you wish to bolt to or you could add some plywood to the finished wall yourself to give you a surface to attach to. Dylans suggestion about bolting the workbench to the floor is a sturdy one. Bolting to the wall might give you a way to be attached when you want and mobile if you can easily unattach.  Having the option to work from all sides of a bench is nice, especially if there is vice mounted to the bench.

If you want to do like Eric suggested and roll the table saw or bandsaw outside, you might talk to the contractor about making the door apron an 'easy' transition to the driveway. Having been a contractor in the past, I would suggest bringing up your needs in the planning stages of the house, as sometimes it cost no more to do it one way than another.

[bushboy]

I would build a real sturdy table,with room to walk all the way around it....kinda like a island sink in the kitchen....

[cool_98_555]

Stickhead in your picture I notice you have a gladiator bench just like I had.  Did you attach that to the wall?  For me it moved quite a bit.

[Eric Krewson]

I had Sears 12" bandsaw at the time, I put two large dolly wheels on the back of the back legs that contacted the ground when I tilted the saw slightly backward. I could tilt my saw backward and easily move it anywhere.

The big Griz I have now would have t be on a rolling stand to move, there would be no tilting it backward. Fortunately everything in my shop is static and doesn't need to move.

[Selfbowman]

All great ideas ! Have fun with your new house and your future bow builds. Arvin

[Stickhead]

Stickhead in your picture I notice you have a gladiator bench just like I had.  Did you attach that to the wall?  For me it moved quite a bit.

No, my bench just sits on the floor.  I mostly use the Jawhorse for draw knife and other wood removal bow work.  I don’t even have a vise on the bench.

[Eric Krewson]

My shop is multi purpose, I may be making bows or flintlock rifles, sharpening a lawnmower blade or fixing some broken down tractor part. A vise is indispensable, I wouldn't be without one.