Best Home Workshops

Best America's HomeWorkshop rlj A J rl {' I I I Detail,organization,and creativity mix freely and easily in this suburban shop, built alongsidea brand-newhome. /l neat&complete \./ A renowned American totem poles and art designed a workspace seruingthree distinct functions. 4r I h tripledelight Native | carver of 1r When a Pittsburgh woodworker L\J remodeled his home, out went the vehicles. ln came all new tools and work areas. makeovel / n extreme Apryeafs in planning resulted the and of in the making rwoyears patience careful furnituremaker. shop for a Pennsylvania | \Jperfect l.t J m nri/| I A basement shop not only can be ^ J functionalbut also built without a huge trr,rly expense-if you use some innovation. up </lfromthe bottom AI\ mountain 4l | \-/ ILarge shops paradise aren't immune to disorganization!A Colorado woodworker with space to spare set about taking on task. this challenging Qua|itywork needs a qua|ity shop. Here's how rr ) O l*.',llllll1t*3:.:1"'i*l:ls not rorbesinner 6 R bada 1,' \J With an eye for practica|ity, An lllinois graduate student proves you don't need a huge shop to build useful woodworking projects. Here's how he "shed" that notion. 64fl:ilHlfljn'li"'' abudset. happen-on madethat rowan one il:i:::ffi:X[:.#:i:?:,$i[.ffj Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 , : i":".:-l:...:: ,. ttl':$ 'ry-a <i working bug began amassingtool after tool after tool-then shoehornedthem into his unusual, angled garage. 10 B r'g*:,'J^{::"sht the wood. n^\ V J I- / patience its ownrewald Long, prannins a brisht, is hard made ary versatilespace possible for the doctor who created it. 44f | | \./ When it comes to great ideas to make your shop more functional or organized, our readerstake a backseat to no one. | | h proiectgallery -7r I \-/ Father and son combined to build a workshop that seruesto bring the generations closer together- literally! / nfamilyties America's HomeWorkshops Best Editor-in-Chief KRIER Bltt Managing EditorMAR[E],] KEMMEI Publication EditorlM LACHER Art Director KARL EHLERS Publication Director Art MY I'IEUBAUER ExecutiveVice President DOUG 0LS0N /1A | Have you ever been \/ accused of living in your shop? A Wisconsinturner designed his as a home away from home. woodmogozine.com |.^/{livinsitup shop ceilings from falling down. They make mighty useful- and colorful- utility spaces. 1 0 ril":l"l*r*',r"1fi 0 rx"q" 21"".p#^,,t!t -*, Publisher MARK HAGEN L. printedin the U,S.A. @Copyright Meredih Corporation 2008.Ail rightsreserued. realized everything old suburban he new aplace So aplace. we're thereand I told them.He soonfixed that. going to dump out every record onto the floor.fl ll F tFr-_ t } planned workshophis for family's the Tom When Whalley inhis shop that home. the to military was introduced quite quintespossibly woodworking's sential" or ganizationman. "I got a couple of privatesin 'Men. Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 .built their homein Urbandale. and then we're goingto sortthemout andarrange them." Yearslater.when Tom and his wife. Tom made absolutelysure he designedhis woodworking shop to be the definitive word in efficiency. needed Whalley hadjust been lom put in chargeof managing I I records his Army basein at Germany when he realized there was a major problem: Nothing was in order.' " And so. And we're going to spend all night doing it. hedesigned foreverything. Kathie. Iowa. andlookout at the shopandvisualize it. Clutter simply doesn't exist because Tom carefully planned everything to make use of the 720 sq ft on the house'slower level. ici ncy."Now. or Lumber. turnto something at the desk.com . ELECTRICAL: Dedicated 110-and 220-volt circuits separate from the rest of the house.and tools are arrangedso Tom can find exactly what he is seekingin a matterof seconds. is "Thatstuffaboutthe absentgenius-ldon'tbuyinto minded it. DUSTCOLLECTION: 2-hp. portable Shopsmith mini vacuum. LIGH TIN G: i gh . HEATING COOLING: & Dedicated and selfcontained forced-air furnace and air-conditioning system separate from the rest of the house. TomWhalley believes that organization keyto creativity. ci eff e enKrcncy "My mom was the driving force behind my efficiency kick. sheetgoods. 220-voltGrizzly. "Shealwayssaidthatif you spent more than two minuteslookine Tomoriented drafting his table anddeskat a 90o angle one to wall. Cabinets supporting machines stow neatly under benches within othercabinets.TYPE: Walkoutlowerlevel of ranch-style home." woodmogozine.I canworkat the drafting table. capable being of hookedup to tool dust ports. A IR C OMP R E SSO R: 11/2-hpi copperair lines running withinshopwalls. CONSTRUCTION: Finished basement. SIZE: 23'6"x28'4"(666 sq ft).int ensit y H fluorescents.with8'6" ceiling." he says." revealsthe accountexecutive for an online employmentservice. Etfi ency. Therefore. he insists."It's frustratingwhen you need a tool and you don't know where one is. to shop in the Practically everythingin Tom Whalley's "lf you've abigshop.you weren't organized. like.To order those plans. to.' That's where I allow creativity to take over. So not only did he dedicate areas for designing. Tom designedmany of the mobilecabinetsto fit Double under other cabinetsand under worksurfaces. planerand bandsaw flip and stow inside their own mobile cabinets. being organizedmeans not having to dig throughboxes to and cabinets seeif I havethe tool I need. online. could use an additional shelf. with storage runs hand-in-glove efficiency.thefloorplan Wall-mounted Lumber storage Mobile sheetgoods rack 23'6" 5'double doors to garage for something." 6 Americo'sBeslHomeWorkshops 2008 . you'd better be organized because there'stoo much to keep track "If of.a thought might 'That cabinet occur to me.. you'vegot you'dbetterbe more a little shop.many of his shop cabinetsservedouble his duty..That's how he gets an awful lotepoxy equipmentinto a 24x28'space. and turning but also integrated the doorway into the garuge. got basementof his home is movable.For example." Tom reasons. got little you'd shop. providing additional counter space. "To me. be better more you'll find because never to move raw materials in and it doesn't necessarily apply anything!" to his woodworking projects. Tom believes.I just don't want to stop what I'm doing and " rummagethroughdrawers.Floorscoated with there's because toomuch resistscuffingand can stand up to the wheels of Tom's many mobile cabinets. "I did plan my shop by saying.to save space and of you'd be better organized maximizeefficiency. Space-saving. sanding. you'll never organizedbecause find anything!" Although order and precision ruled the designof Tom's shop. woodworking.lf you've tools.which Tom plansto convertto organized a finishingroom. out. finishedpieces One reason Tom organized the space so well is he designed it as a workshop-it wasn't converted from another use.which house most of his power track tokeep of. a doors lead to the garage. (Plans for this flip-top cabinet are available. 'What do I have and where should everything go?' " Tom "But when I'm acknowledges.This enableshim "lf you'vegot a big shop. prcfffiandideas Becauseof its three-layer construction. plywood After cutting the s/e" to size.the bottom. "But the look and feel I get from dreamingup a project or a method is very important. Tom's95Vzx40Vz" sliding-doortool cabinet. The holes hook up to a shop-vacuum hose.Tom can roll the cabinet right up to his workbench. cut the poplar rails he and walnut stilesto fit.com ." Tom made this unusualmobile sanding cabinetas compact as possible. the strip sanderand oscillatingspindlesander.his originaldesign. then pounded nailsof sufficientsize into the plywood to hold the tools. Doors slide left and right (as shown below) on screen-door rollersinsidestrips of %"thick aluminum channels. and there'splenty of room to house portable-toolcases. Finally. "The last place someoneshouldtry to make a fashion statementis in a shop.Tom positionedhis tools on it.The top hole servicesthe belt sander.Placing three sanderson one cabinetallowed him to combinesimilar tools without taking up extra floor space.above the workbenchmakestriple use of the wall space. -". -*ag-gOl**f woodmogozine.Open shelves below store sandingaccessories. if necessary." Tom says. traced their outlineswith black markingpen. be to to." with way happy the itturned Americo's BestHome Workshops 2008 . "l wanted to make my Tom says' mobiletool stands as tall as I could but still fit underneath. the I it exactly wayneededl'mrather Itook time design the to out. he can provide a stable platform for a board as long as 14'.0h. The bench acts as a "bat cave" to house his jointeri shaperiand mitersaw.profecBandifr o ffi rH Tom Whalley'sversatileworkbench." again. that's more would nice have electrical But quibbling. it "lhonestly know it's howlike I guess don't outlets.his originaldesign. to lf I had doit allover just I it...The jointer and shaper carts slide in beneath the worksurface.was the first proiect he built for his new shop. By equalizingthe worksurface heights. ) The right-hand set of drawers below the grinder stores the turning tools Tom custom-made to build the smaller parts of his scale-model cars (seepage 75). To the left of the mobile jointer. the moreattractive mottled side of the birch plywood shows. which attaches to a port on the side of the cabinet.com .When a fixture serves no functional purpose in Tom Whdley's shop. "The variegations of the grain add character. and screws. The larger drawer on the left holds various other turning tools that see less frequent use. he realized the metal base just wasn't functional. you'd better believe it has some other deeply held value. Tom built a cabinet to fit his small machinist's lathe and grinder. The housing protects the pulleys and belts and allows Tom to easily adjust the belt tension." @@@ (wo qir t'* When Tom bought his jointer.fl-he grinder comes off easily when he needs more room. On the back (unseen)is the new mount and belt housing Tom built for the motor. "Birch usuallyhas one side that's clear and a back side that's mottled." Tom explains. As with all of Tom's wallhung cabinets. Tom built the display as a tribute. woodmogozine. bolts. The tobacco cans and other tins at right belonged to Tom's fathen who used them to store nuts. So he removed it and built his own. Then he added a dust-collection system inside that not only captures the chips but also feeds them into a dust-collector hose. and door panels).As with allTom'scabinetsand racks." Tom says. and walnut (drawer handles).this one is finishedwith a clea[ oil-basedfinish. "That's nature's beauty." /a" hardboard 71/q'4 . he realized he needed a cabinet to organize his drill bits and accessories.Appropriately located near his drill press.oyo\ t/a"dadoes t/q" deep sZ"plywood 1th x 11/2" When Tom discovered he had wasted his money by buyingthe same drill bit he thought he didn't have.tropcsMideffi I '/r'-t\.pine (drawersand door trays). back.. the cabinet is made of baltic birch plywood (drawer fronts."0" r/z" groove g/sz" deep 10 Americo's BestHome Workshops 2008 . plus side. "Water base whitens everything-but I wanted to bring out the character of the mottled birch plywood grain. " he points out. "When I need a chunk of wood." he says.. "When I get to a stage where I want to build somethingquick. Tom designedthis clamp rack. { t..iffi h.and very long boards. which he imported from his former home."lt prevents chips from the lathe getting all over the shop. He stores scrap pieceson the left wall and big boardsfrom the mill on the right. I don't want to lose momentum." The Grizzlydust collector stores against the wall..com 11 . for just three sets of specialty clamps that serve to secureedge-joined tabletop pieces. he took it. So he sorts his lumber by type of wood and thickness..Wall space is at a premiumin Tom's shop. but Tom can wheel it out when it's time to clean up. and the entireunit serves as a space dividef isolatingthe drillingareafrom his turning operations.r @i \ -l ---'t' *\il -l To Tom. organizationequals time saved. The other side of this hangingclamp rack holds Tom'sjigs. b I '' r woodmogozine.. fu. corner pieces. so when he had a chanceto design storage space away from a wall. I can see at a glance just what I have on hand so I don't have to waste a trip to the mill. .1$. 3/qX21/qX441/2" ShowcaseY0UR Worlshop Seepage127for details. A simple weekend project resulted in this portable cart that has enough work sPace to act as an additional assembly table if necessary and enough shelf space to house supplies for a particularproiect-or for all that stuff that won't fit into anY existingcabinet..prctffiandidea o .:ii.'. 11/2x31/2x19" 12 Americo's BestHome Workshops 2008 ... Tom solved the dilemma by creating an oversize table with extensionsthat slide in and out as necessary. woodmogozine. "The dimensionsare variable." The setup doesn't need fasteners or clamps-the fence to the rear of the table holds the board securely in place."The whole thing is collapsible.justmake it fit in the place you need.1/zx 1/2" notches Lengthto fit insideof tool cart tZ" dadoes 1/4" deep BecauseTom doesn't like to waste a second searchingfor what he needs to do a job. "so I don't have to devote so much space to it. t/2" rabbel1/4" deep The challengewith a drill press? It's hard to support a long board on a tiny table. he designeda sandpaper holder that fits directly into his drumsander stand." Tom says.com 13 . The fence moves on channels in the castiron table under it." Tom explains. the middle divider not only supports larger sheet goods but also separatesfront trom back.n. I don't have to waste time picking and choosingtrying to find iust the right board. *".The shelvessupport smallerpieces." 11/zx 11/z(2x2) x 24" t/+" tlal i)2. "Keeping it organized.i ' i 11/zx 31/z(2x4) x 50r/2" s/q x 31/2 (1x4)x 60" 3/q x 31/z (1x4) x 35t/2" :) (2x2) x 36" 1t/zx 11/z 7 a x 3 1x 3 6 " plywood 5o bevels t/a"carriagebolt 1/2" long 4'. "l try not to throw just anything on it. 11/z' Plywood and other sheet goods populate this mobile rack.wffiMieffi o e / q x 3 Y z( 1 x 4 ) x 3 6 " l* lil i .t \ 11/zx 31/z(2x4) x 31 " .'lock 5" swivelcaster nut 14 Americq's BestHome Workshops 2008 ./o." Tom says.ul F -. Tom separateseach section by size. " is The 1:18-scale 1931 ChevyCabrioletthat Tom built (left) contains more than 500 parts."Anything that can. such as the nightstand(at right) as well as the five-piecebedroom set that servesas the centerpiece the of master suite. "Dad was a tinkerer. my job." In high school. and the instructorran out of thingsfor me to do.The entirecabinet measuresabout 16" deep with the doors shut."he reasons. I was introducedto an awful lot of machines. Tom made the quartersawnwhite oak top wider than most similarpiecesto match the proportionsof the bed."They had an arsenal of tools. and tallerso it could containfour drawers insteadof the traditionalthree. "Working with woodis all about designing. Fred. build them. "Evefihing that could move on the real one moves on this one.Tom'sdesign abilities resulted special in treatment.for example. Photographer: Donnelly Jason lllustrations: Roxanne LeMoine woodmogozine.brushes hang from nails.One yearwe built ajunglegym ourof 2x4s and iron pipe.andpolishthem.The mission-style nightstand(above)in the master bedroom took less time." Tom equates creativity of the woodworkingwith his careeras an accountexecutive. "I just raced through the projects. Tom designsand builds things for his own home. profile woodworkert of Tom Whallev's (ome Jfondest memories are of building things with his father." assuresTom.com 15 . building.500hours makingsix of the models. Tom didn't need deep wing doors and could hang the doors on simple continuoushinges. and finishing something." Tom "He wasalways recalls.All that'smissing the sawdust."Tom explains. hangs. designing something. Looking for things to do in the Army drovehim to the base's woodshop.who estimates he spent about 2." Tom "So remembers."I lived there. There's plenty of space for what might be needed in the future." Now." he marvels. he assigned me projects for his home.That'swhy so many of his dad'stools gracehis newly built homeworkshop. building something.I Tom designedhis paint and finish-supply cabinet to-what else?-maximize space and keep himself organized. I "In designrelationships with clients. The first thing he and I built togetherwas a workbench. Most Posts" commemorate a walls are 8'tall. The walls in the S'Klallamtribe legend. on five acres in rural Sequim. he's m - F" acquirednew tools and replaced others.l aNorthwest his workshop. he'sfound his keeper. like the twin posts shown at right. Peninsula In this woodedarea. furniture pieces. He constructedhis split-level unattached building with a l5'-tall cathedralceiling so he wouldn't worry about smacking lumber and finished The "DancePlazaHouse piecesinto light fixtures."But I think that everY carver and woodworker could take advantageof some of the thingsI've donehere. 16 Americq's Besl Home Workshops 2008 ." he acknowledges." Dale says.(Seepage 25. American Native ale Faulstich goes U f through woodworking shops the way some go nf through cars. Washington. "I've just got to have it. That was about l0 miles from wherehe lives today. Along the way. He's learnedfrom eachprevious shop's deficiencies and to appliedthoselessons the next. sculptures. on the Olympic of northwest Seattle.he'sbuilt a shop designedfor his work: and carving masks." room Elbow That includes plenty of elbow room.However.) "The shop is designedspecifi- cally for what I do. Each one evolvedin designand efficiency. From rustic alegacy continues ofartwork carver along-standing thatimmortalizes community.But just you like the vehicle customrzeto a T. andotherartwork.his radial-arm saw-the first powertool he ever bought-is left over from his first dedicatedshop. "This is the fifth the shopI've hadin my life.in the carof riagehouse a rentedtwo-story Victorian." says renowned carver of Northwest Native American totem poles. viewing his outbuilding workshop. 672-sq-ft carue/paint studio.TY P E :Outbui l d ing.200-sq-ft) space..air forc propane heater. the I visited shop ofDale Faulstich. LIGH TIN G: d ualf ull10 spectrum fluorescent fixtures the carve/paint in studio. in the millwork/ six fabrication ("sawdust") room. CONSTRUCTION: 2x4 and 2xGframewith cedarsiding. 0narecent totheNorthern trip 0lympic Peninsula.'' * SIZE: 30x40'(1.as wellas spotlight incandescents abovetools. lfyour home workshop that isone other woodworkers findintermight esting would it considered and like for thenext edition this of publication. FARLEFT The all-cedarexterior of Dale'searly-'80s structure not only fits the Northwestambiencebut is maintenance-free well. .connected to various toolsas needed. carver master of traditi0nal-style totem masks.com 17 . cei l i ng-hung ed. LEFT Whilethe singlepaned windows in Dale's shop wouldn't conform to today's insulation standards. ELECTRICAL: 200-amp servicepanel. A IR C OMP R E SSO R: hp 5upright compressor with 60-gallon capacity. HEATING: plus Woodstove. nearly finishedpieces cure on shelvesin Dale'sL-shaped. 672sq-ftcarve/paint studio. poles.:. Dale's plywood floor is easy on the legs. this I knew was facility awood a and artisan we had share other to with woodworkers. D U S TC OLLE CTI O N: Portable shopvacuumin machinery room. as ABOVE:Behinda larger carving bench. and 360-sq-ft millwork/ fabrication room.. in all their glory..dividedintothree sections: 168-sq-ft office/ designstudio. W00D' mogozine Monoging Editor woodmogozine.. visit Morlen Kemmet. '- '7= / W: . .. and steam-bent After boxes. OPPOSITE.. they do allow views of the Nodhwest's woods. .whenenergy wasn't important as conservation as it is today. I Slow- Radial sander o?.-r I [[|l ll I j_ |E I Jointer Planer and BelUdisc carvingbench Sanderand cARVuE/PArNr tt--------j #. . "and the mild Northwest Coast climate doesn'tdemandheavy insulation. when he had establishedhimselfas a carvel although not yet of totem poles._ . wasthe early '80s.A slidingdoor separatesthe millworkareafrom the carve/paintstudio. and office/ design studio." carve/paint studio." Dale points out. A crawl space underneath the various rooms provides storage.He installed a plywood 18 Americo's Besl Home Wolkshops 2008 .thefloorplan Wallcabinets cabinet Wdtt llulWorkbench HTqiqgyg tool storage Rad"dr-r"" I rqurqr-( SAW MILLWORIV ROOM FABRICATION "Sawdustroom" 10x 12.ll r---. "I made that room level with the outside so I could drive a vehicle into the room.. the building isn't insulated well."he says. if necessary. one of three working areas. He dividedthe 30x40' area into three main from top): a millwork/ sections(clockwise fabrication room that he calls the "sawdust room. where he keeps most of his power tools-Dale calls it the "SaWdUSt 1666"-41e taller because it's on a lower level.:"0'" L__l | ll | | warr-huns easel Mobile carvingbenches L_l Exhzust [T_] L_I_l T 12'.I would be if more energy-conscious I were to build today.--.i r Lbl "ur lLisht lHffi Arr compressor u'':. by today's standards. overhead ooor and outfeedtable Carvingbench Assembly Qqn. Tabresaw -/ Bandsaw I ll-."fJlE lLJl li-ll "l"s:." afoot Comfort For heat.'1. plus a home for the wiring of his 200-amp panel. m l n l l i l l l l l r I lflf i l E l HrHt]|'jllilll'll n rl'trf I -rE=\I _H_r* I ut-.Dale built the shop in 1984.n --in'ffi .However. rl-------rl n n ll I \ r . he's added a forced-air burner that hangs from the ceiling of the carvel paint studio. millwork & fabrication room. keepingdust away from finishedpieces. Dale used to rely solely on a woodstove. The exterior is clad with lowmaintenance unfinished cedar siding. I l cabinets copy m ac hine oFFlcE/ D E S I G NS T U D I O Polecarvingbench Mobile utility cart 14'1 Dale built his fifth shop in the early '80s. The 8' interior walls are s/8" drywall painted white for brightness. "It Windows are single-paned. accessed from a sliding door. and totem poles Llp to 20'tall. LEFT: The 1942Warm Morningwood-burning stove in the studio has traveledwith Daleto severalof his shops. furniture. see page 23.boxes. but it's cold and hard on the le-es. especially if you standfbr quite a long time. floor instead of optin-qfor rnuch more convenientbut uncomfbrtable concrete.) Dale also rips workpieces to make totem pole wings. He still to employs it as a practicalway to eliminate wood scraps. For pfans. "It was the last concretefloor I wanted.in the first property I owned. but he no longer uses it exclusively heat his currentone. So the 7+"plywood floor works a lot better.com 19 ." Dale recalls. +:t: ABOVE:Studentswho attend Dale'sclasseson creating traditionalartwork of NativeAmericansof the Pacific Northwestcan work on compact yet sturdy benches. and he uses his 16" bandsaw to make woodmogozine. Taking it outside Dale did install a concretefloor in the sawdust roorl (see yrge 2l). This is where he cuts large piecesthat eventr"rally becomernasks. had concrete. (He and a crew carve the more complex 45' poles in an off--site commercial faci I ity.lffi . lines the wall. Woodworking machinery." Dale places 7s"-thick fbarn antif'atiguemats in front of any place where he spends a lot of tirne standins. Scaleddrawingsof Dale'stotem poles decorateadjacentwalls.however. It might be easy to install. "My previous shop. allon casters.JgT FqTE 'ln 11r- _4F 't |w* 44- ':i. to What is essential. A single-panel sliding door made from pine his separates carve/paint studio from the sawdust room. "I close the door for quiet. with simple framing on its back side. In the carving studio." relates. to keep dust out of my office." he says.weighingit at each stage. Magnets hold drawings to the galvanizedmetal surface. is hingedto the wall so Dale can adjust it to any angle. and stars until Raven stole them from him and brought them to eafth. possessed the sun. 'All my tools are on "so wheels. the tool chests that hold Dale's many carving instrumentsfit on top of a mobile cabinet he can move wherever he needs it. The board on the wall is Dale'sshop easel. Dale carves from the native hardwood on his property. and put it back in for two minutes. One of those may be a finished piece that's got paint drying. and pieces quickly. "When the all weightstabilizes. who. let it cool for l0 minutes.however. as well as shelvesto set that kick up plenty of dust." 20 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 . where he conin ductsclasses NativeAmerican art. "The recipe is microwave a piece on high for two minutes." he says. the wateris out of it." Dale's educational work is done inside. I might be carvingin a third. The 4x8' sheet of plywood. To drill holesthat follow the contoursof masks. initial cuts on a mask. he has installedstudent-size workbenches. The drop-leaf table addition serves as a useful worksurface.Made of cherry plus birch for the drawer sides. legend says. learned over the years that it's shopvacuum.he hasput off investing in a central dust-collection office.is essential investhowevermany a microwaveovenhe usesto drv hours it takes to create a good to keep sawdust away from piecesthat are drying. But I have multiple projectsgoing at once." As with otherobjectshe crafts. moon. however. He takes advantageof the in mild temperatures the Northwest.it's probably not necessaryto be that elaborate. I might and bejoining boardsin another. So snaces Snecialized for an essential his carving stufdrspecial taliks Doing mostly carving. which he purposefully insteadusing a portable built into his shop layout. For them upon to dry. Everything begins in Dale's that reason.The double-eye and single-eye designsDale carved on the inside surface of the lids representthe Chiet Above. Dale relies on a radial drill press-it adjusts to any angleand movesin and out. "If you're a hobbyist. A typical maskcan lose from 8 to 16ouncesof water. "I've system. I canjust he roll them outdoorswhen it's a pleasant summerday. Dale dio is a place to hollow out the doesn't perform a lot of tasks logs. "Whatwould toadd more I like is 220-volt outlets maybe and a pretty without dust-collection I getalong system.. every but now thenthink would along better I had get and I I even if them!" 21 woodmogozine.com o . well them. Dale made the floor levelwith the outside so if necessaryhe can drive a truck into the space to load or unload items.. lf I had doit allover to again.A 10x12'overheaddoor in Dale's"sawdust room" makes it easy to bring large workpieces-and machines-in and out. Adesire to stay put led to the acreage wherethey've lived for 30 years. Dale and his wife.in 1979."I had no garageor basement.no matter how good your craftsmanship."If you start with a good design. for witha clamp it intoposition Locksat one hands-free carving. \.built a house." he explains.soI movedall the furniture out of the living room and put my tools there.Dalecan rotatethe thenlock to workpiece anyangle. ABOVE:For Dale."he remembers. even if you cheat on the the craftsmanship. Dale didn't build his current shop simply to make it bigger. this Daledesigned bench ABOVE: models of for exclusively caruing totempoles.But if you start with a poor design." has Dale'swoodworking come a long way sincethe first room he devotedto his craft after moving to Washingtonstatein 1973 the living room of a house he rented.complete with workshop. to Having relocated the Northhimself asa westandestablished carver. which I for higher-quality I could afford because was making a betterliving. havea purposeto it. the finished product will be poor." Dale's space suits him perfectly. And it's a keeper. I spendmany hourssittingthere.design for each project." Dale says. every project begins at the drawing table and desk he created out of birch plywood and alder framing.on whichhe works versions. in endholdtheworkpiece place. He also constructed the cabinets above and on floor levelto match. "I built it so I could havespace tools. for out details full-size holdstheworkpiece Thebench justas a lathe chuckholds turningstock. "One of the things I learnedis that if you're going to upgrade. 22 Americo's Best Home Wotkshops 2008 . Heather. finished productwill still be good. So. com 23 .w#ffiMtu woodmogozine. visit www.Dale's pole depictsfour traditionaltales.400-sq-ftbuildingon tribal land to give him and a crew enough room to construct his totem poles."There's so much to do. Heather.The art at the base of the pole depicts a whale hunterpeeringbetweentail flukes. Dale had to put up a 2.remindingviewersof the S'Klallam's heritage.Washington. building. daughter. (See wife. Since then. artistry to good use." Dale says.which can be as tall as 49'.the tribe wasreadyto openacasinoandapproached Tribal offiDale to provide l0 totem polesfor that enterprise."Dale recalls.)He and his familyof a book aboutthe craft." it and eventually lnl993.Dale is classes helpingto carry on the nativeart traditionby teaching and and in designing carvingtraditionalobjects.olypen."The more I did." Besidesbeing involvedin varioustribal projects. doing commercial work for the S'Klallam Native American community. and son.49'-high asked him to do more. art.Holly. efforts so much. and other sites. Tyler-live in the For more informationaboutDale's housethey built in 1979. So I learnedmore about carvedtotempolesas a hobby. he's createdpoles for medical plazas.using the tribal administration nativemotifs in carving. is the subject page 25.dental clinics.and vehiclelettering. did varioussigns. 45' On the tribe'sSouthCampus. the I more fascinated was with their art.profile woodrruorlart put Dale Faulstich his ustout of the CoastGuardin 1972.located Jamestown "I carveddoorsfor in Sequim. they cials liked Dale's6'-diameter. Dalestands besideone of the 10 poles he crafted for the 7 Gedars Casino on the tribal homeland."and eachproject is different. whale-hunting Photography Photographs: Dennis Collins 24 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 . Daledecided which tales to use based on the creatureshe encounteredduring walks in the woods.com/hhtd. The design tells of the Gonakadet. measuring 34x22x72". coffins.tri be. an undersea being who is a source of wealth and chiefly advantages. out of clear.com 25 . a mythicalsea creature of great cultural importance.old-growth western red cedar for a Native American businessman'shome. vertical-grain. and is often seen in native dance exhibitions among the Northwest communities. it includes a lid inlaid with shelts from the red turban sea snail. Oder from Amazon. like this 25x22x39" example. dances that reenact legends.Dale carued this chief's settee. Made from clea4 old-grourth western red ceda6 like the settee above.org (360-683-110e). traditionally served as cradles. The bid motif frequently finds its way into native masks as well.com or wwwjamestown. Dale carves masks in the style of Northwest Native Americans for three traditional occasions: presentation of highranking chiefs and ancestors.9S)'tellsthe story of this Northwest Native American community in the art Dale Faulstich creates. and nearly everything in between. woodmogozine. This sculpture depicts the Raven Finned Killer Whale. and for healing and shamanism. Boxes and chests. Totam Poles of the Jamestown S' Kallam Tribe ($1a. who had no wife or kids.Building a new attached Twicenice as 26 Americo'sBeslHomeWorkshops 2008 .*--- home-including figured time suburban Scott After years. Scott had a split-level." more than Scott'srenovations home.I had no room for larger. doubled the size of his workgarage. old into nce upon a time. A S-. new his one acompletely home withthelatest toboot. But after 20 yearsof living in his home. I wanted more to space devoteto my furniture"I wanted five things for my building and guitar work. living room. and lived in a suburban home outsidePittsburgh. which leadingdown includeda garage to a shortflight of steps a woodworking shop in his basement. and he wascontent. upgradingthe electrical.' t .So he decidedto make his workshoppart of a major facelift for his home. more efficient tools. My shop was only 12x20'.and it was a nightmare trying to do anythingof any size. my woodworking machineswere on wheels. his workshop-received tools shop. and doubling the size of my workshop. space." he says:"adding a new dining room. . there was a man namedScott Beresford.' . Beresford it was his 20 Scott enabled toconvert Building garage anew aface-lift. . all To save space. this lucky man had reacheda point where he was financially comfortable and wantedto usehis woodworking talent to enjoy himself and maybeearna little moneyon the side. Scott built adjustable shelves for small hardware. ELECTRICAL: 100-amp dedicated subpanel.-l.f d t LEFT:On the laminated maple bench he custom-made years ago. DUSTCOLLECTION: Fein shopvacuumwith mini cycloneseparator and 2" schedule-40 PVC ducting. SIZE: Lower-level: 15x24' (360sq ft).drywallinterior walls.* -l qt::' . upper-level: 21x22'(462 ft). TYPE: Attachedgarage.500-watt CadetHydronic baseboard heaterssupplement forced air froma homefurnace.The compressed-airoutlet above the desk is one of 10 throughoutboth levelsof the shop. ClearVue CV1880 5-hp cyclone with 6" snaplock metalducting. which includes a Veritastwin-screw end vise.Grainger Speedaire 4YN50A.total: sq 822 sq ft CONSTRUCTION: Wood frame. LIGH TIN G: dua l. COOLING:Spacepak central air-condition ing systemfor entirehouse. l-- tr- woodmogozine. Scott added bench-dog holes in the benchtopand edge for clampinglong boards.com 27 . 26gal l on tank. y ' -'-* .t ube 4' fixtures withfull-spectrum f luorescents.The metal he channelsaccommodatehold-downs and jigs.pl usG r ainger Speedaire3Z409B. BOTTOM:In his office space on the upper level. concretefloors under 1/2"thickUtil-A-Mat reversible mat overlay. Scott assemblesthe furniture. 20-gal l on auxi l i ar airt ank. ll-spectru fu m compact fluorescents. HEATING: Three1. 2-hp. A IR C OMP R E S SO RS: Two-stage. and home-decorating enhancements builds. guitars. gNrF & qF r M! r iH f=t- Because ABOVEAND RIGHT: shop is an Scott's upper-level assemblyarea.he built and installedthree tables:his main bench in the rear. and a parrot vise. rght.a patternmaker'svise. a heavyduty all-purposemetal vise. Scott says). the vises are: a pipe vise from Grizzlythat Scott uses to hold any diameterof conduit.with jaws that to swivel independently allow clampingof odd-shapedpieces.left. another table. with built-inanvil (a necessityfor any shop. all-purpose and a 26x48" vise table. securely anchoredto the floo6 at right rear and in photo. From the rear of the table and clockwise. which rotates 360oand locks into position. 28 Americo's Besf Home Workshops 2008 . foreground. Scott also tackleda redo for the shop'spower systemand lightin_q.besidethe tablesawto take advantageof the inf-eed/outfeed space. Scott also added a second dust-collection system. "It's near and dear to my heart. "I sketched out rny space. He added a subpanelfor the shop circuitry-a solutionmade necessary by positioning the tools on Building new garage a enabled Scott Beresfordto make use of the space that had housed his vehicles(now the lower-level machining area)and more than doubled his workshop space. which replaced a benchtop planer. That 15x24'areahouseshis tools. Scott's mitersaw." Scott says. Scott up-gradednearly every tool with something that was either bigger." Scott says. and the former space. Scott added a router table later. "My first priority was to plan. "It was the way I taught myself when I was growing up." Once he had everything where he wanted it." Work plan the The wall adjacent to the stairs leading up to the second level seemed the logical place for his tablesawand outfeed table. woodmogozine. as well as a Craftsman tablesawthat had once belonged to his father. Becausethe structureis part of his house. rs an assembly and "clean fool-t-I. not the right-even though he is righrhanded.now 21x22'. "I learned to do woodworking on that. simply extendingductwork from the home'scentralair system allows Scott to heat and cool it. with enou-9h spaceto rip 8'boards.com 29 .The upper level.lt l t l |l S"k l l W a s h eI r r lI ll Contractor-style tablesaw Waterheater powered Mini-cyclone by a Feinsystem Lum ber LOWER LEVEL SIOTAgC (Machi ni ngarea) Cyclone dust collector Furnace l 421' compressed-air coppertubing rable Driil I press | I I BelVdisc sander Edge sander Grinder allowed him to expand -qara-qe his shop into his original garage as well as his basement.thefloorplan Water tank L." Scott says. better. To the tablesawoutf-eed table. and second tablesaw fan out clockwise from the rnain tablesaw/router /planer station.or both.it seruicesthe lower level. bandsaw. He locatedhis new stationary planer. it's nice to have two tablesaws. became his assembly room.4\ ttl@@|_l | lDryerll I I | f _ l i " ri [lt t -".made cutor-rts represent to all my machines. and I needed tools that were rnore reliable.l n | | Parts T l"'"'"1 smarl storase L l I|. I had grown out of my 1O0-percent-hobbyist phase. and moved them around. "By then.once his only shop.which generates the most dust." he says. The only tools that remain frorn the originals Scott brought to the house are a srnall Delta jointer. He positioned the tablesaw's rip fence to the left of the saw blade." Looking at how Scott did all this is a case study in how to think through a shop expansion. Besides. He built it of cabinet-grade plywood and designedit to be the same height as his mitersaw table to give him more stock suPPort..."I would havehad to run wires all the way back to my main panel."-thick safetyflooring boughtat a warehouse store.) Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 . well asa plastictank at his router table that collects the churnedhold up dust. On the tabletop are some of the roller boards Scott designed for moving heavierpieces."Clean is the way I like it. Dust collectionwas a priority no because partition dividesthe assembly area and his shop's dust-making portion.Scottsimply had the ductwork from his home's central air-conditioning to and heatingsystemextended the shop." floor. again. After all. seen in the foreground." he says. Scott is more than entitledto havehis workshopascleanashe likes. He also replaced the sparsely located fluorescents that lit the garage with fullas fluorescents. Baseboard heaters supplementthe forced-air system. beable have a frequently. well as spectrum full-spectrum compact fluoresfixtures. LEFT:These canister air filters seruice Scott's Clear Vue 1880 unit in a S-hp dust-collection small closet on the other side of the wall. Scott Over the concrete reversiblefoam added t/2. ofcourse had space.Rareearthmagnets the tank in place. he's determined to play in it. toadd another 30 RIGHT The copper tubing on the wall of Scott's lower-levelshop traps moisture that forms in the compressed-airsystem. "This is some of the best stuff you can put over it." touches Finishing For climatecontrol."Working on concrete is terrible!" he asserts. (See plans on page 32. The main ductwork from the cyclone is 6" snaplockmetal pipe. house." with seasonal Scottsays.which is all the way on the other side of the "Itjust seemed Scottsays. happilyeverafter. All his by toolsare serviced a Fein shop vacuumwith a cycloneor a 5-hp behind cycloneScott concealed one wall. haven't with any of the machineryusing this setup." to easier lessexpensive adda and had problems I subpanel. In the foreground is Scott's outfeed table. It's costeffectiveandeasyto install."They madea differencein the light level!" So did paintingthe walls white. Branchruns are 5" snaplock. He attachedflexible as metalductingto his mitersaw. lf I had doit allover to "l would liked higher l'd if I more And ceiling." blades to the eliminating need switch bandsaw. Water runs into a tank that Scott empties periodically. the resultof hot air blowing through it.the lowerlevel. cents in incandescent "I readaboutthoselightshelping affective disorder. mitersaw. ')tlr "# - . which houseshis tools. as well as his 6x80 belt sander. tt -.generalcollectionat his mitersawand router-table fence.&' tr! * rrl qt fi :'!I lnr fa -# t fr E L . woodmogozine.routertable.sande6 and bandsaw. and additionalcollection at his smallertablesaw.com 31 ."8.Scott's 5-hp dust-collection unit serviceshis drill press and the small Deltasander next to it.White PVC pipe for Scott's Feinvacuum dust-collection unit maintains the lower-level shop wall's unbrokenbrightness. .. rrtffi ABOVE:Ductwork for Scott's two dust-collection systems snakesaroundvirtuallyevery tool in his lower-levelshop.t .His Fein vac system providespinpoint collectionat his drill press and bandsaw. tablesaw.jointer. The photo also gives a good idea of the ports and the dust-collection interlocking soft flooringmats that make it easier for Scott to work on a concrete floor. The but you can use any wood.:r t: ' ':l' #trd lffir -e.includingthe design and construction. height of the bearings has to equal the height of the saw. Scott built the boards out of oak. which holds eleven 24" bar clamps. "The only criticalthing. Scott used 3/a" oakstock but says any hardwood willwork. ffi Scott reports that his clamp rack.p$ecbaldidem o Lengthto suit . clamps are slid into the slots. "is the thicknessof the rollerassembly. it stays level and doesn't fall or get elevated. gravity holds them in place."Scott says. 32 Americo's BesfHome Workshops 2008 .Rare earth magnets epoxiedinto counterbores on bottomside of base Roller boards allow sawn wood to glide onto an outfeed table. -j.j 4 ? . Rare earth magnets inserted into holes on Scott's workbench keep the roller frames in place. Once the took less than an hour. 'u." '|l l . E. so when the piece comes off the saw table. .a carpenter profession. Scott built these unusual eightsided columnsfor his main staircase. and helpedScott when he redid his home five yearsago.) Zero-clearance backboard 1" hardwood Replaceable blocks front face with a 3/ro"hole centered inside 7a"counterboreon Scott designedthis mitersawfence with replaceable blocks. are engitwo neers. As part of his home's renovation. Replacing the traditional plastic binding-the trim around the bodywith bent padauk wood gives the instrument a richer look. refinishinga tablefor his mom andbuilding "I somesnacktables." Scottsavs. A guitar player himself." Scott says. "Ever sinceI was younger.) also He's taken to building guitars.zeroclearanceauxiliaryfence servicing the saw.com..Scott adds innovations into the acoustic instrumentshe crafts as a hobby. They built eachother'shouses.he hastime to constructprojectsthat enhance the look of his home (right). as well as indoor and outdoor water fountains. Making it possibleis a 3%"-high. "I wastheonewho did mostof the electrical work in the family." Scott says. was aiming I for the day when I was financially secure enoughnot to haveto go to work everyday." Scott "But I wasinto buildingthingswhenI wasa kid. Now that Scott is semiretiredas healthand-safety directorand projectmanager for a large public environmental company. think I was in the 10or 1l-year-old range. electric and acoustic.com 33 .(You can learn more about them at Scott'sWeb site.One owns a construction business. Viewedfrom back side s/qx3t/qx12" hardwood 2" aluminum angle to supportand stabilize fence profile woodworkerS veryonein ScottBeresford's largefamily was into woodworking. "You get the cleanestcut when you have wood behindwood.from the roofing to the framing to the sidingand the electricalwork. That dav hascome. like the oneaboveright."he says. especially father."l wanted something distinctive that wasn't going to get lost in such a big room.creationsofacraftsman.They make repetitivecuts easierand cleaner than with the standard metal fence that ships with the saw." He remembers reports.two brothersare carpenters. his by Most are still into building things. Photographs: Regan Mike Photography woodmogozine. The stairs lead down to a new entrance from the kitchen and living area. and efficient work space. had to figure out how to useit. him lhen Dave Knau first cast eyes on the dirtItlt I f floored basement in ranch-style househe'd the 1950s bought nine years ago.he added storm-cellar doors. But to Dave." ingenuity Farm-kid Dave's shop makes good use of existing nuancescombinedwith some ingenuity gained from growing up on a farm.J € 4t=- J l J -J J when Knau went the Dave really "into hole" new With unfinished he uphis shop. "Barb!" he exulted to his wife. But it is functional and practical."When I retire. "There's my shop!" Most grown men wouldnt havereactedthat way to a hole in the ground. like those familiar to viewers of The Wizard of Oz. pulled Dave together that gaming of helps produce tablesart." says the executive at a large seed comnow Ijust pany. has built a bright. alotof and as basement blank ashop salvage. knew I could do whatever I wanted."It's not a fancy shop. to provide a wide entranceto bring 34 Americo's BesfHome Workshops 2008 . his reaction was swift and sure. Iowa."I had the space. Dave." I I In Windsor Heights. maybe it'll be fancy. it was like Picasso being handed a "I blank canvas. an set his canvas. For example. 55. workable."he acknowledges. " The entire shop area was a sealed-off part of the basement./eft. Dave had the floor dug down another 4" and cut a hole into the block wall. SIZE: Approximately 21x67' (1.) Then.6 1 0 0P S t . "I was going to add an egress window. or "Because a ranch-style it's house." Dave recalls." ELECTRICAL: 200-amp panelwithtwo dedicated 220-volt circuits.unlessyou build what I build [shuffleboard tables].407 ft). delivering CFM at 3. like the double mitersaw extensions (opposite).*. D U S TC OLLE CTI O N: placedbeneath Ductwork the floor. instead. with a dirt floor. (See floor plan." He also installedoverhead ports for his dust-collection dual-drumsander. The positioningof all the tools allows him full mobility without havingto step and trip over cords that would othenryise snake across the floor. H E A TIN G N D CO O LI NG : A No open registers for heati ng ai r-co ndit ioning. woodmogozine. emptying into a steelgarbage can.--. with a fixeddedicated incandescent aboveeach machi ne. LIGHTING: Fluorescents. sq C ON S TR U C TI O N: Concrete blockwallsand poured floor.* z n -_-t'-'- -jl rf1 -4 * '-. Dave'stablesawwas the first machinehe put on wheels. he laid the dust-collectionpiping atop the dirt before pouring the concrete floor. l. page 37. He also discovered additional space underneath the garage. This 20x21'territory became the wood storage and machining area off his main shop space. "Everything goes in and out of those doors as easy as can be. A IR C OMP R E SSO R: Z-hp."That's overkill.com 35 .homemade S-hpcyclone.' sheet goods in and get finished f'urniture pieces out. TYPE:Basement a 1950s of ranch-style home.every machineis mobile except his jointer. Dave Knau scrimpedon some things so he could add others.4-gallonHitachiEC2.it'sthe coolestplace i n summer and p lent y war m in winter. I discoveredI could install doors with steps for about the same money. below). The innovation saved Dave from surrendering overhead space to ductwork. "l wouldn't have enjoyed going down there if it was dark.I had to shut down everythingwhen I was ready to finish a piece. When he got it all spec'd..With this house. I I Dave also painted the walls. When you say 'basement. "Dust collection is paramount if you're going to have your shop in the house.they keep dust out. "He had the idea that we could put in a concretefloor and install ductwork for a dust-collection systemright under the concrete." miscellaneous he says. then made scale cutouts to drawings with represent the machines.it was time to sit down with a contractor." With abundant f-luorescent lighting fixtures. ::". and supplies. the ceiling is low. He laid it all out with cardboard.opposite)to keep clear of swinginglumber.\ ]f.sandpaper. I even painted all my cabinetswhite. Dave planned everything in the shop as carefully as he did the lights. and joists the whitest white he could find.typical for a basement in ranch-stylehomes of that era. "With glass.I had the luxuryof enough space to set off a finishingroom. "ln the shop in my last house. "The brightness really changed the atmosphere." he says. Behindthe double doors at /eft is Dave'sfinishingroom (shown open.LEFT:Davetypicallyuses glassfront cabinets to store hardware.. ceiling." Recesseddedicatedcan lighting (not shown)in the ceilingallows Daveto providejust the right to amount of illumination make sure that a finish looks good." Dave recalls. Dave gets a good look at everything..' you must also say 'dust collection'-if you want to stay happily mat'ried!" 36 Americo'sBeslHomeWorkshops 2008 . so everything has total reflection." Dave points out. He added can lights above each machine to concentratethe illumination where he needs it. I can see my hardware and know just where everything is. This was eminently practical because. stuff.The room is sealedoff and the air is filtered so Dave can let one project dry without fear of dust settlingonto the finishwhile he works in the mainshop. "Bandsaws and tablesaws put out a lot of dust. Also. "l don't have to think which cabinetshave what stuff in them." positionedthe He purposefully as glass-frontcabinets(identified "hardwarestorage"on the floor plan. " Itt-rJJ= \ ABOVE:Priorto his renovation. "when you look at the overallcosts.a-r J \tm=l FINISHING OOM R I W'1.+ lf I had doit allover to again. it would like but have madebigdifference height a inthe oftheceiling.n Lll | outfeedi tabreI / -ll lffii ll-l Workbench ling-hung iltration Cei " air-f system D ru m / tino"r I Finishing Jointer __?E-s* ____. "l would dug floor little have the a deeper."Davesays.'t thefloorphn Mitersaw Tablesaw r-.. doesn't sound much. .{-i woodmogozine. LEFT:Over the years.)__ _l \ r--+r suPPlies .ffir-[- Drill Lumber 20. he dedicatedthe corner next to his finishingroom to clamp racks.So he added a 5'-wide set of cellardoors that allow him to easilymove materialsand projectsinto and out of the shop. I intend replace Also. another That say 4-5". top) and air compressor. The area also serues his shop-madeair filter (in box. it provedto be relatively economical. to perforated the hardboard. only way into Dave'sbasement the was throughan interiorstainnray leadingto the kitchen.. Dave has amasseda good-sizecollectionof parallel-jaw clamps.com 37 . Those artful creationsproved that despitethe limitations of his shop-or thanks to the solutions to overcomethem-Dave Knau has prospered in his woodworking. and they look great. 'Tt has plenty of room for everything." Dave says. and it is greatat that.LEFT:Most of the wood Dave uses is salvaged. he says.he splurged on a Biesemeyer mitersaw table system (shownon page 35)." The trick is storing it-that's where the 21' wall comes in handy. air is drawn from the shop.And he does it from a hole in the sround. When'air sliding door panel is closed. all Dave'scabinets were rescuedfrom a university sciencelab that was slated for demolition. He restored a very rusty Shopsmith drill press for little expense.Dave has to take the whole kit and caboodle and sort out what stock won't work. "I got them for next to nothing. "You'd be amazed how much lumber is around!" he maruels." A 5'mobile-home bathtub servesas a utility sink."When I'm working at the lathe.Dave says-with melamine and added simple solid-pine edging. But the savings."I can evenput my dogs in there when they needa bath."People willjust give it away when they know you're a woodworker. Usually. He replacedthe basecabinets' counoriginal heavy soapstone tertops-which had no practical use. is drawn from the finishing room. Salvage ls Dave's salvation. "I use it for horizontal boring only. are enormous. 38 Americo's BestHome Wolkshops 2008 . He added mobile bases to most of them for portability and space-saving." Davealsobuilt a vent unit that services main shopaswell as the a the finishing room." With the money he saved. Cabinets hold most of the important turning tools and accessories. making lemonadeout of what some people would considerlemons. and Scroungingsplutging Davefoundthe fan forthe system in a pile of stuff rescuedfrom a grain bin. "l want to simply turn around to access my grindersand supplies. The oversize extension wings on both sides of the saw enableDave to handle the long pieceshe needsto constructhis shuffleboardtables(opposite)." Likewise. I painted them white."Dave says."l can't beginto count how many board feet of lumber l've receivedthat have been virtually free!" The lumber storage area also is where Dave parks many of his machines. when the panel is opened. BELOW:Dave keeps his sharpeningstation near his lathe. new cabinets this sturdywould havecosta fortune. then he and a friend began noticing the shuffleboard tables that inhabit many lounges." but As he got older." Dave insists."He started you with the right basicsbut then challenged you to build something by the end of the semester. Most. So Dave built his own.The friend indicated that he might like one. "He's not the type who would want you to do thatl'Dave says with a chuckle.com 39 ." But it is positioned far enough from the wall so he can move around it easily. If you want him to work with you.Drawers underneathmake a good home for saw blades. but any medium-skilled woodworker could tackle that table and do a good job. estimates He that if he could devote all his time to the tables. Lorna Johnson woodmogozine. "lt's so heavy. That was five years ago. Dave became interested in furnituremaking. were either too expensive or cheaply made." Growing up in Yankton. it's just that he tries to fit in his woodworking between work assignments. not a critic. "lwanted one bench where I could absolutely rely on stability for handwork. Becausethe bench sits fairly close to his Delta Unisaw. he'shappy to do it." he says. is father-in-lawis a topnotch woodworker. "People think they're hard to make. but Dave Knau insists he didn't become interestedin the hobby just to get in better with his wife's dad."But he is a great mentor. "He was very hands-on. "Woodworking isn't hard-it's about time and patience and training." Photographs: Jay Wilde lllustration: Roxanne LeMoine. Dave built storage underneathfor accessories.South Dakota. Woodworking is about how much time you're willing to spendon it.Davedoesn'tspend a year on each of them.they d take him about 100hours each. Dave also had another terrific adviser-his junior high school shop teacher. you wouldn't want to move it. however. LEFT:Dave brought a maple workbench-one of the first projects he ever made-from his former shop.The bench is one of the few pieces in his shop that aren't on wheels.d# t:. Of course. Dedicated can lights above provide plenty of illumination." Dave recalls. He's starting his sixth one now. He uses it when hand-cuttingjoints. " always Moving up on Larry's previousshop was an in arrangement 800-square-fbot his basement. of woodworking.. ' Nearly every woodworker from tirne to tirne has drearnedof a shop with sufficient roorrr to arrange tools far enough apart so soffreone bigger than Torn Thumb could walk between them. . canlook up from building furniture and gaze at the RockyMountains. Larry herd a 1.shop unlimited lf you virtually had you what space. I'm pretty lucky. theinvestment boughtinto his wif'eof 3l years. would dowithit? furnituremaker AColorado has surprisingturner some and and efficient-answers.Colorado. The really ambitious dreams include enough space to have two and maybe three varieties of the same tool to suit different pur poses.700-square-foot structure Morrison." he admits. nd1$ Larry Malohnlivesthatdream frame in a 1. "Yeah. in 25 miles west of Denver. pace ."We'velived herefbr l4 yearsand when we boughtthe property. the final frontier '.." But when and banker Cindy."l asked 'If rnyself.. I couldbuild anykind 40 Americo'sBeslHomeWorkshops 2008 . had the opportunity I to build just the kind of shopI wanted. a 200-square-fbot "with a cheapsaw.. thathadbeen a -eated community ranch.000-acre one thing on his mind.That was an improvement over his first venspace ture.From he there. woodmogozine.: !i {D tTt'. gas. "l didn't want perforated hardboard anywhere." TYPE:Woodframewith pouredconcretefloor SIZE:990 sq ft on main floor.'n# The nice thing about 1x6 interior siding. DUSTCOLLECTION: Ceiling-hung exposed. Fhe 27-lb canoes are tied to the loft structure. and poweredby an Oneida cycloneconnected to specific toolsvia 6" ducts. A IR C OMP R ESSO R: Craftsman 175-PSl. twostageoillesssystemwith a 20-gallon tank.Larry Malohnsays.r I (D r il'r."he says.)"l got the idea to use wall surfaces as utility space from the Shakers. Cs f$ t CONSTRUGTION: floor The is a single22x45'footprint. LIGHTING: fluorescents B' in ceilings mainand of secondfloors. wallsframedwith 2x6s. including twelve 22O-volt and forty 120-volt outlets.com 41 ." such as chairs and less frequently used jigs. his woodworking retreat in the foothills of the ColoradoRockies. "is you can hang about anythingon it. cutrafterroofwith 6/12 pitch.plus680 sq ft on secondfloor. Larry Malohnis at ease in his thirdand likelyhis last-workshop. HEATING: Propane ELECTRICAL: Dedicated 200-amp service. Larry added a carving/sharpening station and located an adjacent 8x10' finishingroom for convenience. Larry and his friends did much of the labor. r :i.. The 6/12-pitched roof (for snowload) uses2x8s for rafters. Larry installed two 3' doors that The 1x6 allow 6' clear access. . incfuding [email protected]?'floor joistseliminated the need for posts to support the upper-levelflooring of z/i' tongue-and-grooveoak.. ' . ABOVE:On the second floor of his shop. of workshop I wanted." He beganplanning the frame structure.i ..or screwnearly anything anywherewithout perforatedhardboard. . i. there was enough wall space for Larry to hang his furnace and a multitude of clamps.The binders and manuals represent Larry's 30 years wofth of subscriptions to woodworking magazines. 100' from their three-story home. 42 Americo's BestHome Workshops 2008 .23' abovethe ground. This allows him to nail. . hang. The furnace's dual louvers direct heat to both the second floor and the main level. ' . This left plenty of room up to the ceiling. Eschewing garage doors. what would I need?'" he says. Larry nailed 22'long 2x6s into the rafters and into the top of the second-floor wall."That's whereI cameup with two stories alongwith afinishing room. . siding madeof pine. cedar siding matchesthat of the Insideheused1x6 shiplap house. LEFT:Where the 20' ceiling slopes upward. though few relishedtoiling on the roof.during fall1992 and completedit the following May. Larry dug the 9 -high back wall into the mountain and fortified it with 6" of rebar and concrete. . ' .. the To strengthen side walls and prevent the outside walls from bowing out. .J. Because the entire building site rests on a 30o slope. Larry used 2x6s for the exterior wall frame..Glass panels let in additionallight. . com 43 . "l wound up spendingmore time buildingaccessory cabinets and roll-awaytools than I spent on my projects. but Larry Malohn'sfloor plan providesa good example of how to arrange working space to the best advantage. and lstarted planninghow I was going to use it." he says. however."* jig /ffi"}\ W .bin"ei ililti g.thefloorphn Most woodworkers won't have nearly the space for a two-level shop. Larry agrees.!__]U Tablesaw I Workbench | .i ----------r r------:--------r L -:-: L 1___l Hand-prane *=@ \€gY Drawing table cabinet -:belt sander rtuurer R*t"r table lmt I ItrHFlMitersaw I dw.rinder/ buffer Vacuum tE Stairsto upperlevel woodmogozine.. I fffi-ln UppERLEVEL tF| lt+ll:l lL_eJli workbenqh l= 7::---:- Librarv lfip1 |sn"n.-r sander 2 2'. Jointer -'k - lStoraOe Bandsaw F lffiplffi I L-----*fa | rffil Lathe llllll . \l-} ? Air compressor Ceiling-hung air-filtration system press L:4' nr' Drirr [_fi3 l BelVdisc 4rl I lll -E-. His upper-levelspace (right) is where he does most of his detail work. u. "Don't get me wrong-l wouldn'tgive up the space! But you can get hung up on figuringout how to use it. his largermachines occupy the lower level (below).---Carvino/sharnenino f6l ." ffirhm '\l lcebox rcebox cabinet #.that too much space can become a drawback..?Ji! Shelves FINISHING OOM R Lumberrack Router Router table table Double MGi.ITIEIY il-TTtl M clamp t n l racks H /6) =u Storaoe ." he remembers.. I Drum sander lr------r ."l saw allthis space. rt." he didn't want to have says. 44 Americo's Best Home Workshops 2008 ." says."How yoLr arran-ge yollr tools and accessoriesand have them accessible ntakes fbr head-scratching. Larry added a dedicated 200-amp box with at least fbrty 12O-volt outlets and twelve 220-volt fixtures.not shop accessories. I wanted to spend my time rnaking furniStill. Larry also can fflove a portable vacllum wherever he needs it." Larry sarys. so he lengthenedit to 6' and includedanotherfull set of drawers.a Stubby that allows turnin-9s exceedin-e 200 lbs: and two mini lathes. "l had to be creative and organized. To power everythin-e. "Get helpto do it. yoll can use machine tools.The hardestthing the vises." it's a problem ntost woodworkers would envy. most often around his five lathes: one to make bats and bedposts: a bowl lathe that can handle up to 20" bowls or platters.!l "*e*tt" t RIGHT Larry designed his shop with enough space to give him PlentY of room to move around his tablesawand other stationarytools. "Without 220. There's a furnace but no air conditioner. There's a lot of spacedust can occupy.fbr small objects such as ornaments and srlall round boxes. A benefit of the 7. but you can't keep anythin-q else plugged in. Four other portable vacs connect to various tools. BELOW:Larry needed more worksurfaceto extend the utilityof his maple workbench. so Larry installed three air-filtration systems:two on the rniiin floor'.rsefulfor a be-ginuerwho's learning to tlrrn pens or small spindles. Ductwork strapped to the ceiling f-eeds an Oneida cyclone on the main floor.and they need to be precisely alignedand then screwed in he underneath. was installing "They'rebig and heavy." Havin-e all that roont is not without its problems. tLue. Protective sheetsof acrylic keep the dust or. one on the upstairs ceilin-e.500-fbot altitude is the natural cooling in summer. to keep plu-egingin and unplugging everything." Larry installed8' fluorescents flush to tl-rernain-floor ceiling. plus one he doesn'tuse anymore but could be r. RIGHT Screwingseparate supportsto his wall providedplenty of space for Larry to arrange his pistol-grip thinner." 1 LEFT:Larry arranged his allencompassing sharpening station near his bowl lathefor efficiency-all he has to do is walk a few feet to sharpenhis tools."With clamps. "l'd the collector and place dust outside insulate it becauseloud.com 45 ."ln my other shops. He uses a water-cooled grinderwhen he has a lot of tools to sharpenat once.all jumbled together.with a view of Mount Evansin the distance. An old 6" grinderupstairsisn't as well used as it once was. "l've always been looking for a sharpeningsystemthat is quick and easy to use. l'ddothesame withabuilt-in it's and thing compressor. I used to have them in a box." Larry says.. think it 14 ljust didn't about years ago."lt would have been a shameto put a big tooltherethat would hide the vista.Two grinderson the main floor have differentgrits for each wheel. it doesn't take long before they become likeChristmas lights." jr ABOVE:A slidingmitersaw and dovetailjigoccupy this primespace. Plastic-fronted wall cabinetsprovidespace for turningsupplies. clamps.b lf I hadto doit allover again." Larry says." Larry recalls. woodmogozine.. mostly used for smaller furnitureprojects. you do need a motorized planer."The lathe and dual-drawer cabinet are removable. "For comfort." says the former homebuilder. With small. easy strokes. a plane is better than a sander."my favorite cabinet in the whole shop." Larry Malohn says. you can finish wood almost to where it doesn't need sanding.froffiMieffi A magazine inspired Larry'sdesign for this hand-planecabinet.especially using hand tools. slow.revealinga worktop with bench-dog holes. His lathe-tool center.he collected all the planes over the !€?rs. "For heavy work.I built the smalltwodrawer cabinet first and the main mobile-basecabinet last.The 12"-high rack. But for fine work. which supports Larry's mini lathe. So I measuredfrom the floor to my elbows and went backwards. which fits entirely atop the mobile cabinet. With the "top down" while at a lathe. the lathe spindle needs to be at elbow height. "You have to be at the right height to see what you're doing. "l like to build things that have severalfunctions.EF To gauge how tall to make this cabinet. The cabinet stays put with two locking casters. Larry also built in a secret drawer in addition to the seven that are visible. "l've been trying to learn skills of old carpenters." he says. lt's sure quieter and not as dusty!" o !t i t I I . 46 Americo's BestHome Workshops 2008 . Just for fun. comes off for further mobility (inset above rightl. becauseI can scoot this around to any lathe I'm working at"-is two projects in top one. he started from the top down. Larry can set tools down on the foam pad. I r T ut of college and awaiting the Vietnam-era draft. The entire cabinet is made of cherry except for 'plywood panels used as vertical dividers. Photographs: Hardy Klahold woodmogozine. Larry is contemplating a retirement of spending daysat his power tools. Larry Malohn was delivering supplies a construction site near to Washington. "and big windows.C.'Hey. D. not venee[" he says of the project that took him most of the summer of 1994." he recalls."My trim had to be real wood.I can!" Fqn Larry Malohn used elk antlers found around his property for this mahogany table.The oak library ladder in the living room allows Larry easy access." Larry says.the 57-year-old learned has G that crafting furniture is more creative than homebuilding-and engagesnew skills. "f have 22'-high walls in my living room. "Woodworking has taught me to be "I confident. and a wide-screen TV. He cut thin mahogany pieces. "I learned that a piece of furniture does not require 2x4sl'he says.and hides the stereo.t. A change of careerto investmentbanker and three shops later. I can build that!' and discoverthat bv God. and glued them one by one to create the round apron." He becameso good at it that he was promoted to carpenterand before long was building homes."This 1O'-high wall unit displays books. hour than I was making. canboast.com 47 . Larry'sturnings. "So I applied and got hired. so I needed soniething large. after filling his office with furniture he built. Larry created the cove molding with his router and shaper. bent them around a plywood frame. when he saw a help-wanted sign for a carpenter's "They paid a dollar more an assistant. framed by the Colorado Rockies. Years later.."he says. vice president of at pharmaceutical sofiware companv who fzrshions reproduction | Sth-century Anter"Oh. Just take it from Walt Se-91." Every f-acetof Walt's detached 30x40' structure rnelds function with comfbrt.- T o tq'E-ltEl I ma ng got to lf you've twoyears your there's no design shop. Pennsylvania. it for excuse notgetting exactly way want. I'd change nothin-e. he's very satisfied. there's a finishing room in my lon-u-rangeplans. and we'd all like some more space. Fol example. "lf I had to do it all over.who spent two full years desi-unin-e his workshop in PleasantValley. Although the systerr initially cost more to install than 48 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 . But it's worked out -qreattbr rne. the you atience is a virtue in woodworkin-e."says Walt. southeast of the town of Bethlehern. Walt installed a radianrheat system in the floor.And yes. ican furnitLlreas his passion. It not only keeps the concrete floor pleasantto walk on but alscl helps keep the humidity cornlbrtable. com 49 . five zoneswith smalloil furnacethat circulateswater.matching the footprintof the guestcottage it replaced. it lowers Walt's heating costsbecause it's far more fuel-efficient. AIR COMPRESSOR: Stand-alone unit pipedto hose reelsfor ease of use. of course: Eight twin-tube fixtures equipped with colorcorrectionbulbs provide general illumination overthe bencharea.plus thirty 11O-volt outlets. Powerspare to The lighting is just one facet of an ample electrical grid: 200amp servicewas installed to put every piece of equipment on a dedicated circuit. Walt Segl cut out scaled templates for his equipment and arranged everythingon poster board.000-Btu windowair conditioner. LIGHTING: Eight8'tube fluorescents. "Working on an unheated concrete floor is uncomfortable. DUSTCOLLECTION: Overhead dual-stage systemwith rafter-mounted S-hpfan. HEATING:Radiantin-floor heating." saysWalt.200sq ft). fluorescent lights aren'tenough. woodmogozine. They supplement overhead track fixtures equipped with halogen floodlights and spotlights." he says. TYPE:Outbuilding. especiallywhen I work for long periods. COOLING:12. "If you'recarving or finishing.ABOVE: Waltmadehis shop30'wide." There is fluorescentlighting. SIZE: 30x40' (1. 49. "I really need more light. That technique also resulted in ideas such as using the space beneath his tablesaw'sslidingtable for lumberstorage. recessed lighting elsewhere. CONSTRUCTION: 2xG frameconstruction with 6" R-35insulation the walls in and 12" in the attic:low-E windows. Walt strategically scattered 30 In laying out his shop. Additionally." The numerous windows and skylights allow an inexhaustible supplyofnaturallight. customcyclone depositswaste into containerin closet. so I can put in l2-hour days without being tired. ELECTRICAL: Ten dedicated 220-v olt circuits for the machine tools. track lighting for machines. Moving the pieces around on the board helped him judge workflow. necessary when Walt finishesa pieceto his exactingstandards. a forced-air system. "The warm floor improves the circulation in my feet. totrthsl'trtttt t c o n c e p t i o n o c o n r p l e t i o nI. ant tLrbin-c and the builclin-t ancl weathertightin the f it'st six with its distinctive WhenWaltfashionsbombefurniture."he says. !it lr !r-l*r!)r. w a s I ' u t t r t i t t ge r l l t i l ' l t t e t t t . wastt't gcringto let tl-rathappen to lt'lc.y ( ) t l hear it all over the house." Walt relates. Walt Segl now After two years of planningand construction. Walt got the chance to builcl his his drearr shop when he artcl wif-e. his shop w:ls thc o1' b:rsement his tortner lt<ttttc.3.t l{ ' .he needsto keep it in place becausethe pieces must jig The four-section he devised(above)locks all be handcrafted. w'ith a steep gratle slopirtg au'ay fronr tlic stnlctLlre.. rnine lost his shop to a fire that was starteclby ii firLrltyelectrical l c i r c u i t .alwaysa hasslein a basementshop. continuous 50 Americo's Besf Home Workshops 2008 . Tl-rere \\. Previously. when I Walt remembers. searchedfbr a farrtt.q l. when he anc'lDetrra f'inallv pLrrtheir lnrrl.l lrr I Lfr*: I IXlill. four drawerfronts into positionso he can shapethem all as one piece.n = project Amarat[ron gets un0eruay Thc shol-ltook 16 n. has a shop largeenoughto handlemultipleprojectsat once. curvature. nro'recl the ttcw' shop startecl "Daclaltcl goin-u up.There's spacein his pranel firr -50 circr"rits. at last be-uatl to the clesiqn sliop." Walt kept his So tirr l0 y'ears. in.' H e l l s o i r t s t i t l l e tilu t c x t c t t : i r c security/fire-alartn systel'tt.ere two lintitatittns: the keepin-u shop'swiclthat 30'to 0t-thc gucst nratch the l'rrtntage ancl clealirtg cottage it replacccl. "The basenienthacl a lack ol' workroom and stora-te spacc. "l always wantecl t0 restot'c u stonefarnrhottse." he says. I p r o m i s e ct h a t i t ' I w a s I to -9oing build nty shol-r. .-a I $ r lb . llO-volt or"rtlets-10 of tltettt tl-re GFCI-protected-artxttrcl shop. "Movingthingsaroundwas always. Bucl.Debra. Tltett.vith raclithe [ -sotthe litLrnclatiort Lrp in.n t h e nreantirric.Not ottly cloes that give Walt rooni for expattsion br-rt also contrihtttes to 'A fbrn-rer rtci-clibot of saf-ety. Walt ancl liis chasecl tirther.' 'Also.'ork. crlr"rld Ancl Del'rrahateclconiins clowtt to the basetrent tit cltt lattttclry ancl fintl shitvings ancl clust all ovcr everytliing. w'ish list on a clipl'roat'd. But Walt hacl bcen plartnint his shop makeover tbr )'cltl's.Walt rvas witlioLrt a 'As soot-tils we placc [o rr. r. " Walt says." "is Walt advises.And don'tskimp.which turned out too small for a 5-hp system. you'll popa chipoff and usesspiral-steel ductwork fiom needto glueit backinto place.Do it right the first time." he jokes. Walt overlooked no detail. "When you're dust-collectionsystem.r Window NC Floor sweep_ Lathe lfL I I I I I Pi n I router Air L--l-j-r compressor t]-t: [wl €y rA\ W Lathetools/ sharpening station [l rEn TfiI ffi th\l1 lillll Overhead door nally._r_ I ll ll -r-qi__Planer I Clamp rack Hand-prane/ ." Walt pointsout." The heating system. is to figure out the biggest board you can possiblyhandle. Also. That's why he designedhis shop without columnsto support the ceiling."Walt admits. as A key to smart shop design."The bestthing to do. Build the biggesrshop you possibly can. Walt admits he's like most every other unsatisfied shop 61yng1-"f'd lOve more Space. houses cycloneand bag systhe Walt prefers work in a clean." I Cleanliness and safety deep around your work area." gqlgl" sander cabihet Perforated hardboard tool rack Bench FI t_l F I Bookcase tl I I [][t ehannr Shaper Jointer \i--r \ "-----7-T:=:J-/ F- I_dl \ry Mobileclamp rack Workbench t_r__r-_ I |l-l"n lill l L # lI BelVdisc sander r---fl-Tl F-E=a:::" ll 1 Lr-r'll 1Bandsaw Adjustable-height worktable Sliding table Mortiser Uflll DfeSS I I H H I Shaper r-E€-) Stereo \P--l L-J l I \H Furnace Drumsander r--d--l rc":__:/ 'l RI ffi# frT Mobilemitersaw f__ -i:______r I . a cleanshopis lessof a fire hazard.lighting.Walt says. and it doesn't have any physical limitations."#jlil"o. But he insists that anyonecan design an efficient shop summoning patience. hate working around columns. drywall. installing a garage door and gradingthe entrywayto provide truck access equipmentand for lumber delivery.With a 9 -high ceilingandno supports.you let your shavingsget 2-3" months.Walt intended housethe to entiredusrcollection system in the centercloset.thefloorplan ffir lil[ (v Scrollsaw Drafting table E] Wall-mounted draftinq " table __rffi.*--i* | L.i /. "lt did take a littlethought. "One advantage of placing the motor separately is it keeps the shop real quiet.com 51 . how much you can afford..and plan for it. by the foresight." woodmogozine. to temforWalt'scustom-made 5-hp organized shop. designed cyclone a and hung the motor from the rafiers in the attic..The roof is trussedto ensureclear space. If Air Handling Systems. which carving. But I can swing almost anythingin my shop. handling boards long as20'is easy. anddustcollection took longer. and who's going to build it. gettingthe beams engineered opposed as to just putting up columns.and attentionto detail he used. "lt would have been much cheaperto do it with posts. you'renot going to find it.andthewiring.Floor sweeps scatteredthroughout the shop One of the shop'sthree closets makedaily cleanup quick.a retiredmechanical engineer.Origi. So Walt'sdad. to figure what you want. who is head of maintenancefor a regional hospital. Walt turned it into an all-purposetable. I \ 3/ro"dado th" deep 52 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 . "lthought. The top raises and lowers electricallyvia the foot pedals.Self-adhesiverolls store on the long dowel. Abrasivesfor Walt's detail sander stack on vedical dowels.ru@Miil@ffi A friend of Walt's.. asked the woodworker whether 'ls he he could use a hospitalbed.separated by fie" hardboard dividers that slide neatly and snugly into dadoes on the top and bottom shelves. Then he saw the bed and realizedthat it could be one of the most useful pieces of equipmentin his shop. kidding?' " Walt says. With the bed frame cut off and a butcher-block top added. sandingdiscs stand on edge within the compartments. When it's collapsed. ct/8 I ) /lo" rabbet 'r/q" deep 1/4"deep alongback edge s/o" rabbets t/+"dee? 6/2". Walt can store it conveniently. o 7a"dowel Zsh"long s/q"dowel21" long The horizontallayout of Walt's sandpaper holder maximizesspace Hook-and-loop and organization. he knew it had to be extra-special. A kerfed rack in the lower drawer holds his saw blades next to his dado set.A miter gauge tucks in neatlyatop the lid.I get more satisfactionusing a hand toolthan a machine. At the opposite end is a 30" Shakerleg vise made of curly maple.the main screw applies the lion's share of holding force. "l do a lot of my work by hand. while the foot-operated lower screw adjusts the angle of the face to keep it parallelto the bench.The bench weighs 350 lbs. so he fashioned this cabinet to store his considerablecollection of hand planes." {z Walt designed this 2Ox24"apple plywood cabinet to serue all his tablesaw needs.Becausethe cabinet is on casters.On one end is a Veritastwin-screw end vise with padauk jaws. "l find that it's often faster to use molding planes than to use a router-and it's a lot quieter and neater. Wrencheson the front surface are there when Walt needs to change blades. Four rows of bench dogs make it easy to clamp odd-shapedpieces." Walt says.as you would find in chairs or the serpentinefurniture Walt is fond of fashioning. and an attachment on the near side keeps his pushstick at the ready. When Walt decided to make his dad a workbench.com 53 . with a 4"-thick hardmapfe top measuring32x80x33y4".Even storage units in Walt's shop take on the look of well-made cabinetry.In this vise. The top level is home for feather boards and molding heads. Walt had a little curly maple and cherry left over after another project. woodmogozine. Walt can store it under his tablesaw extension. "Often. I just turn to the grinder.Walt finds himself sharpeninga gouge or skew multiple times. and go back to the task at hand.." But the thing change. spring-loaded an and eight later. Ratherthan constantly walking to a wall rack to swap or sharpen tools. formy attic staircase stairs. See 127 igiin.." o s/0" hole.I tr$ffiMkhffi Often.sharpen. that's years that's only l'd Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 - 54 . during a long turning session. "Allthe lathe tools and calipers are immediatelyat hand when I'm turning. he designed this sharpeningstation with a worksurface that rotates 360'. li irrao coif allovet io "l used inexpensive." he says. I don't even turn off the lathe.centered Holesto fit turningtool ferrules t/2" dowels 4" long mounted on end for holdingcalipers 17e" counterbore hole 1" deep with a 3/q" centeredinside 1 2 x 1 6 " U H M Wf i l m t/2" washerand lock nut s/q"rabbel Te"deep 3/+" nolch 1/+"deep for stretcher II Tool holder 26" I Note: All s/q'stock except butcher door panel blocktop and t/+"-thick ShowoseY0UR Workshop page fordetails. " Walt explains.org." Bud is the accomplished carverand finisher. He's made all kinds of things with his ssn-(6fg1niture. but Walt Segl prefers handscraping to sanding when he wants to bring out distinctive grain patterns. Walt disagrees."The averagewoodworker.'And it's beenchallenging and fun. spring-tensionedpanic switch. "Reproducingperiod furniture requires interpreting design and expressing the character and finesse of the original." Walt has two piecesof advice: Research the piece thoroughly and draft a good set of plans. who started woodworking at age 10 with his dad.Waltreports. Walt applied boiled linseed oil.Bud. like this magazinerack. directs interested furnituremakers to www.you nameit.com 55 ." Walt says." he insists. It might be more work.anyonecan do it. also. Even a simple Segl project.With practice and patience. The site contains a forum. canies the look and feel of period furniture.One of the first modifications Walt made to his tablesaw was to install this knee-operated. Walt hand-scraped the wood to avoid the nibs that often appear during sanding." ne look at Walt Segl's t\ I lEarly American furniture and you might think V you couldn't create anything like that. and links to researchpieces. The glass-fronted cabinet above is a perfect example. This way.sapfm. who is president of the Society of American Period Furnituremakers (SAPFM). a gallery of pictures of members' works. Photographs: Anthony Paul woodmogozine. he says. Walt can keep both hands-and his attention-on the workpiece. finishing it with six coats of dewaxed orange shellac rubbed out by hand. "so I put a crash bar across it so I could push it with my knee. is capableof building really fine furniture. with some training. sailboats. allyou need is a quarter inch of travel to shut the saw down. "SAPFM turned me on to building complexfurniture styles and working more with hand tools. which evolved from English styles of the 17thand 18thcenturies. No matter whereyou hit it. learn a new skill with each piece you build. To bring out the pattern even more." says Walt. Walt. "The switch was hard to get at. re. woocl to use. The result is the quintessentially shop he built six years eqLripped ar a-9oin his gara-ue. don't get into it l u t l l ' w a y w i t h c h e a pe q u i p r n e n t . rnost people don't have a 20" planer in their shop. short walk fl'om his central Iowa home. 'lf you'regoing to builcl a shop.ol even shop safety. Randy listened _sllru.. woodworking he best woodworking advice Randy Zimrnerman received had nothing to what kind of do with techniqr. !> t[ -t G*- fashion. oj 'i|iil I E : _I I -_l lls 7.e c o n o m i z i n g on a srnaller tnachine." Randy qEg rF=-:l 56 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 . For example. Zimmerman toadd in Refusing tools piecemeal Randy a mentor outfittedcomplete and 0f followed advice atrusted the allat headquarters once. his neighbor and woodworking andheeded.M tr -\-4trq %----t\__ +.' As he did with other words of wisdorn frorn Arliss Boothe. . and r.he went fbr a 20" r n o d e l i n s t e a do l . Savs tl-re 47-year-old mechanic fbr the lowa Air NationalGuard: "The advicewas. "Yes. Wait r-rntilyor-rcernaffbrd to buy the best equipment.rpgriide as yoLl go. then jLrntp ir-r " with both f-eet.. when he bor-r-ght his planer". " Randysays. go for it! LEFT The centerpieceof Randy's shop combinesa tablesaw. "make sure you take advantage of it.:. reinforced 2x4 with innerstudwalls. He learnedthat if simpleworks. ABOVE:The box joints on Randy Zimmerman's dovetailjig/bit storage box representthe most complexjoineryof any fixture in his shop. D U S TC OLLE CTI O N: lnfloor. i*":-- TYPE: Detached metalsidedgarage.s r5dlf -?fi * The size of Randy'sshop means he can place his woodworking machinesfar enoughapart so one doesn't interfere with another's operation.tr'{i woodmogozine. -.This providesRandya centrallocation to perform most shop tasks.powered a 3-hp by PennStatefour-bag unit. A slidingtable on the lefthand side of his tablesawallows Randyto crosscutwide materials with ease. E LE C TR IC A L:00. All machinesfeed into the shop's infloor dust-collection system.com 57 .and sandingstation.The downdraft sanding/outfeedtable (seepage 62) includes a blower motor and filter to capture stray dust. H E A TIN G N D CO O LI NG : A Natural-gas furnace with central air-conditioning.poured concrete floorand drywall interior walls. . tablesaw.. with permanent inletsat the jointer. 050 f t ." j f'"' . t== . and planer. sq C ON S TR U C TI O N: et al M building. S fZE : 25x42' 1.router table. Of course not everyone has the luxuryof constructinga 1.am p 2 service. H A-L.-l .000-sq-ft shop! "But if you do have the space. til i €F. LIGH TIN G: uspended S 4' dualtubefluorescents.. including dedicated 12O-volt 220-volt and circuits. "it's not fancy!" 58 Americo's Besl Home Wolkshops 2008 . it wants for little. "lf I built it." Randysays.thefloorplan RandyZimmermantook about a year to plan and equip his new shop the way he desired. and C-clampssimply hang from their jaws onto rails screwedonto a wall. A centrally located tablesaw and nearby workbench afford him two major work centers. bar clamps. and as such. as well as wood storage. Hangingclamp racks and hardware cabinets have simple. Springclamps.practicaldesigns. and he's just steps away from other machinetools. everything elseis in the floor.: . Randy took several monthsto plan it. and only when I haveto. But Arliss saidit wasmoreeconomical to buy a quality tool I wanted to end up with than to continually upgrade."I could have savedconsiderable money. one of his hangingclamp racks (seepage 60) startedout purely as a shelf to hold a television. Randy underestimates achis complishments. He plugs each of the suspended fluorescents into dedicated120volt circuits. the onlymachine is toolthathooksintoRandy's dust-collection system with exposed ductwork. 3-hp and lVz-hp models. . Randy built a downdraft sanding/outfeed table (seepage 62) that expandshis worksurface's size and usefulnessand eases dustcollection.I figured that if a light fixture wentbad."Randy assures. His cabinets. are monuments to his good friend and mentor." says. The heating-andcooling plant is positionedclose to where Randy does most of his work-in the corner farthest from the tablesaw-to provide maximum comfort where it's needed the most. For example. Randy had 200-amp service installed."For example. "I just turn the simple things. A top rail keeps the long boards from marring the wall. 3' The20" plane6 the leftof to the doors. with a laugh. which includea bedroomsetfor his high-schoolagedaughter. plenty of room that isn't being taken up by ducts and hoses. The clamps simply grip the shelf'sfiont rail.I learnedto add an extra t/q"so the cabinets fit correctly.-l Randy has the luxuryof being able to use ample wall space for practical purposes such as shelving. as well as (See numerous kitchencabinets. "When I wired the shop.!2' :6.aswell ashis entireshop. assuring that his tools would have plenty of current without him worrying aboutoverloading.and two lathes. "If I've doneit. "That was the first thing I did when I decided "Look to build theshop." Randy also has two shapers. who keeps a few spares on handfor emergencies." A 3-hp Penn Statefour-bagunit commands system. he around and you'll see there's Pncticalitv and happehstance While mostattributes his shop of were carefully planned and designed.I couldjust unplug itandplugin anewone." he says. *. others came about by happenstance.com 59 . acknowledges.and to be careful in cuttingjoints-%" or tA6"can meanthe differencebetweenfitting or not fitting. Those fluorescents complement the ample natural light from two 4' windows along the 42' eastwall.:. page 63) "Learning to build cabinets was an education. even thoughhe doesn'tturn much. four sanders. he can easilybring so in long stock and remove finished pieces. woodmogozine. and other well-crafted efforts.Brooke. cabinetry and wood storage. Powerspare to However." he says. -s \ |'." Randylearnedwell. <41d- \a- . the Another areawhere he didn't skimp was electricity.d It'seasyto get woodintothe products shopandfinished outthrough double doors. it's elementaty. it would be hard to maintain that his in-floor dustcollectionsystem anythingbut is practical. Three-footdoubledoors connect his shop with the garage and sit directly at the side of the tablesaw." explains Randy.I learnedthe importanceof machiningmy rails and stilescorrectly. Randy built this corner shelf for his portable W." Randy reports.sffi#hk As with many of his woodworking exploits. Randy Zimmerman would see what his more experiencedfriends did and copy them.The box-jointed shelves are handy for storage and tie into the legs for rock-solid construction. 60 Americo's BestHome Workshops 2008 . based on a friend's design. The three vises and three rows of bench-dog holes aid in the process. mostly for clamp-ups. sheepishly. o I t -T i I Every now and then. Then he found out that his clamps could simply clamp onto the front rail and support cleats! "l didn't build anything unusual into this. the best-laid plans of woodworkers take a backseat to luck. Randy uses this workbench. if possible. Magnetic catch Switchmount 2" Pianohinge This dust-collection box under Randy's router table connects into the in-floor shop dust-collection system.go under the floor for your dust collection. Before the floor was poured. Once Randydecided which tools would hook directly into his dust-collection system. so the duct runs stay out of the way. the channelswere framed tor 3/c" lips along their tops so Randycould lay melaminecovering boards over them. Randy made his ductwork accessible so he could clear blockages. The bottom slopes to the vacuum port so the dust and chips are easily sucked out of the bottom of the bay.-G*. lf you're planning a new shop. L I 1 I 15" 6" Strike plate / Jointssealed with caulk Holesizedto fit dust-collection hose Randy's router-tablefence made of plywood with walnut faces clamps directly onto his tablesaw rip fence. The hardwood faces have adjustment slots so Randy can close them up around the router bit. woodmogozine.com 61 .J. he recommends.. A plastic dust chute behind the bit enclgsure hooks into the dust-collection system. he carefully placed them in one spot to stay. howwantedlaid 0f course isalways I 62 Amelico's Besl Home Wolkshops 2008 .Randy rubbed some paraffin into the grooves in the sides to help the plywood shelves slide easier. the downdraft table is MDF with a perforated-hardboard shop."So he carefullylabeled every hole for each bit. Made of plywood... Randy added an electrical outlet to plug in his random-orbit and belt sanders. it. the cabinet uses off-the-shelf door 1s1o" hardwareand simple joinery. again. Instead of using drawer-slidehardware. attached to his tablesaw that occupies the center of his top. then exhausts clean air out the bottom. that was second s0 Ibuilt Iknew fortunate this my " better! bigger it out. Another project Randy made before there was a commercial equivalentis this 3lzx2'downdraft table. Inside the table. Made of 3/e" designed so Randy doesn't need to move around much when he sands. except for the drawer and oak).il over to "lwas shop. an old furnace fan sucks the dust through the Vz"holes drilled into the perforated hardboard.when it.which stow in simply built plywood shelves.through a stack of filters. li i lrau d.I tre*ffiMiM o Randy built this cabinet "when I didn't know what I was doing and I couldn't determine the number of the bits lwould be using. 'l This simple project took Randy only an hour or two to build." Randy Zimmerman remembersof the informal but intense weekly sessions the retired Iowa state trooper conducted for his friends and neighbors until he passedon in the fall of 2007.rsand drawers over the face frame.' And he'd check our work. A very exclusive woodworking school. "lf you can build a box. 'Anytime I try something new. yoU can build cabinets." ad and son anended school FI I ftogether. Cabinets and a bedroom suite forhis daughter. but handily stores arch-top templates." woodmogozine. Arliss and Randy's father passed away within several weeks of each other. if someonedidn t have a router.com 63 . He made them with a cabinet-bit set.where he runs the paint shop. this is useful while amazinglysimple. Randy remembers both of themthroughhis love of woodworking and by following their advice. Randy constructedhis home'skitchen cabinets (above). always making suggestions as to how we could improve it. Arliss would demonstrate how to cut rabbets on the tablesaw." For example.being sure to follow Arliss' instructions.) As with many shop organizers Randy constructed. at left. then added cKrwn molding to give the cabinets dimension. "Arliss Boothe loved to give classes. Between his hours at the nearby Air National Guard base." Randy recalls." he says. are of a basic design. "I always think how both of them encouragedme to learn. Arliss would give homeworkassignments. which he uses in designing and building kitchen cabinets. "Be sure to cut the door stiles and rails correctly and allow for proper overlay of the doo. like 'Build a mirror and use rabbets to serve an essential function.Brooke. Photographs: Doug Hetherington Randy Zimmerman began woodworking to build kitchen cabinets. "He was always going out of his way to make his students better woodworkers. were amongthe firstprojects Randy constructed when he started woodworking sevenyears ago." Randy advises. "My dad [Laverne] and I both usedto go. (See photo below. run by a very exclusiveteacher. Those in his home. 3 young This We have start all to somewhere. proves dont a woodworker you needlotofspace some shop-just ingenuity. toequipfunctional a didate in education at Illinois StateUniversityin Normal, Illinois.One day,that all changed. Shortly after Matt and his wife, Kerri, movedto Illinois to pursue FredLively their degrees, passedaway and left his woodetweendesigningspace- working tools to Matt. "He had a full for craft systems NASA, garage of stuff," Matt relates. Matt Fuller's uncle.Fred "I didn't know what half of it Lively, was heavily into wood- was-I still don't."What he also working. Matt was sort of into didn't know waswherehe'dkeep the craft, but nowhere near the it; could he afford to build a shop like Uncle Fred's? Also, Kerri of dedication his uncle. "When I was growing up in wanted their garageto park the Texas, only thing I had wasa car during the Midwestwinters. the So Matt soughtout a shedkit tablesaw-that's all I ever sizeandeconomy. needed," says Matt, a college thatcombined administratorand doctoralcan- "Even then. I knew I would be N he constrained," says.Kits with 2x4 framing appealedto Matt. "You can cut scrap2x4s and create shelves,"he says. He also wanteda sturdy shelf to keephis lathe workstation stable."When you're turning," Matt explains, "there's a lot of vibration, so a rock-solidsupportis essential." Matt, his brother-in-law,Eric Adams, his father-in-law,Rick Adams, and a neighbor constructedthe 8x12' shed.After it went up, Matt painted the interior walls white. "If I sawwhite space, was that empty space,"he says, "and I needed to put something else there." Then he fisured out 64 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 LEFTAND BELOW:One thing Matt Fullermade sure of when constructing the shelves and cabinets was that they would stay put-especially the table for his lathe. The cabinet underneathhouses turning tools; a compartment farther inside stores his router bits and handsaws. Whereverhe encountered space that was too small to put anything else, Matt attached all his shelvesto walls and rafters. TYPE: Residential storage shedkit. SIZE:8x12',96 sq ft. HEATING:Propanespace heater. ELECTRICAL: Two circuits withfour 110-volt receptacles each. LIGHTING:Two dual-tube fluorescent fixtures. one on eachlongwall. DUSTCOLLECTION: None.Matt makessure to use a personalrespirator. LEFT:Careful planning enables Matt Fuller not only to fill his 8x12' shed with his uncle's woodworking tools and accessories but also to give himself enough room to work. Matt stands shade a over6'tall, so he neededto raise his lathe up a bit for comfort, but not so high that it "When interferedwith his tablesaw. I crosscut a board, I have half an inch clearanceabove the lathe bed," he says.He useshis radialarm saw at the back of the shopfor quick crosscuts. Developing arounds work which of his machineswas the longest (the lathe) and situated that first; then the next longest (the tablesaw),and so on until everytool was set.Exceptfor the lathe,eachtool rideson casters. He acknowledges rip space that isn't so great, but he developeda workaround."When I wantto rip a board, I just swing the tablesawinto the doorway,and I can rip stockstraight out of the shed."Powercomesfrom two dedicated 1l0-voltcircuits,each with four receptacles.Matt didn't extendthe house's 220-voltservice "The lightsmightflicker to his shed. when I turn the lathe on," he concedes, "but I have never blown a circuit and I haven't pushed the limit. That would be unsafe." Matt's shop is like a bumblebee, which, aerodynamically, can't fly but does. "It works for me," Matt says."I actually work inside there whenit's raining."All because Matt carefullycalculated, like his woodworker uncle,the rocket scientist. Adequate room Next. Matt tried where he could to make tables the sameheight. Amazingly,he can rip and plane piecesup to 5' long inside the spacewithout hitting up against anything. "If I want to work on longerpieces, haveto pull stuff I out of the shed," he acknowl"But the only largetoolsI edges. have to roll out are the tablesaw and the planer." woodmogozine.com 65 s##k Matt's jointer came with casters. "But the wheels were old-school steel wheels," he relates."Lugging that thing across the shop and down a ramp and into the dirt got realtedious." So he fashioned an l-shaped mobile platform out of 2x4s that not only makes the tool easier to move but also elevates the worksurface to the same height as his tablesaw. Cross braces on the jointer stand work well to support his 12" portable planer.Lap joints make the platform sturdy: Locking casters mounted to the bottom of the platform allow Matt to keep the unit from moving around when he's ready to joint stock. t Matt's store-bought workbench was collapsible.He didn't want that. "l wanted my bench to be rock solid." To accomplish that, he disabled the fold-down capability so the table locked in the open position. Then, he added casters for mobility. Installing plywood cross braces keeps items from falling off the shelf gnd helps prevent the base from racking. He also drilled 1" holes in the top for bench dogs. again... to lf I had doit allovet "Hopefully, shop be Matt says bigger," Fuller with next will much my principles "But I'dapply constraints, thesame the alaugh. if I had same and on." largest, so then tools The I didhere. largest g0infirst, thenext 66 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 "Matt recalls.tAi .-t thefloorplan Shelving jigs and tools for Shelvinfor' g jigsand tools prcfile woodworlarS att Fuller walked into his dorm room on his first day at TexasA&M Universityto seehis roommate. "I regret that I never worked with him on woodworking. sandedthe whole thing. "But I'm nevergoing to be as good as he was. Ben Smith.I just hopethat one day I know how to useall the toolshe gaveme. who movedto his Illinois with his wife of two years.In a square3/" piece.$.and tables. boxes."But my uncle was really into it. Studio J. He built bedposts."I ask aroundand readup on a lot of things.com 67 ."l planeda few high spots. He cut the star on his bandsaw. his unclebequeathed entire shopto Matt."he says. chests. Betweenclasswork and teachingassignments. constructing a loft.The cedar chair (above rightl is from a set Matt and a roommate made in collegeto go with a kitchentable. Matt Fuller created the mesquite-and-pecan cutting board (tar right). he routed a groove. and fitted it with a piece of pecan."Nevertheless.Angled pieces corresponding definedthe pattern.helped by a sledlike taper jig and a 360' protractor. and finishedit with butcher block oil. Matt strives to be worthy of his uncle'sinheritance. .FU *t woodmogozine. Kerri. Their sharedinterestin woodworkinglater resultedin the rustic-style kitchenchairs(far right) the pair created in the shopof Ben'sgrandfather. Matt hadbuilt a few simplethingswith his father.\'t i rfi. Photography From a tiny shop." Photographs: Jackie Haggefi." Matt relates. earlier as a draftsman working for a lumberyardservedhim well in housed planni ng the24x24'shop. the benches." Larry finished the shop that fall and happily spentthe winter career An holedup inside.Idaho. south of thefamedSunValleyski area. expensive r00m tons fancy. but I just didn't have the room for it. in a prefab structure. since I probablywasn't 68 Americo'sBestHomeWorkshops 2008 . wanted her garage back. sawhow all the tools could fit comfortably into he that space." says.l ' r *trb . notbadfora sittingin he six machines Larry Schwager'sgarage for six years told him he should do somethingabout fulfilling his desireto get into woodworking." In 2006. tools. bandsaw. built of amount trialand and that his shop suits abilities budget. He found himself with a lot of and his wife time on his hands. the whole works were in the garage. "Everything was either in boxes or just sitting there-a scrollsaw tablesaw. he smallpieces constructs.v-l ." recalls Larry. "She termsto told me in no uncertain get that stuff out of there.rl i- a-l lr r $#f knew as Larry Schwager that arookie need hedidn't alotof woodworker. 63. Walking planning and For his first stepin planningthe shop. figuredit recalls wastime to build a shop. withaliberal mixed With he a error. Then he draggedtools aroundand placedthem in vari"I ouspositions. for of afford He knew couldn't them! also he practicality. however."It seemed that was going to be very adequate. There's plentyof room for Larry to build and other cabinets. "I wantedto do woodworkingone day."Larry "I with a laugh. Larry retired as a police officer in the just townof Jerome.Larry took a tapemeasure and walked aroundhis attached garagq which also measured 24x24'. Larry reliedon a few principleshe had read up on. 1t/e" vinylface insulation Metal sidingfor the walls and roof provideda good choice for Larry'sshop because it's affordable and withstands weatherwell. 2x4 walls.TYPE:Metal-sided Clearybrandprefabricated building. The interiorwalls of his shop are 8'-high exterior plywood.m ount ed. plywood interior walls. H E A TIN GC eiling. for LIGHTING Twelve : 4'-long dual-tube fluorescent f ixtures.he added 3yz"R-15 insulation.as shownbelow. A IR C OMP R ESSO R: CraftsmanZ-hp. For example.-__% Neverhavinglaid out a woodworkingshop before. S IZE : 24x24'." he says.- it I LarrySchwagersituatedhis shop insidea prefabricated metal-sidedbuilding.33-gallon uni t. D U S TC OLLECTI O N: portab le hpdust Gri zzl y 1collector.com 69 ."l knew I had to get enoughspace away from the wall. 576 f t . The arrangementmakes for better heat reterition that keeps out the chill of ldaho winter ski-countryweather. l -En r-t I jta I] trtr trj t I M '. fouron eachwall.Larry installed1Va" vinyl-face insufationand left a 2" air space. sq CONSTRUCTION: Metal exterior reinforced 2x6 with woodframing. 2x4Iraming 5/e" T1-11 exterior plywood siding Exterior metalwall 2" air space Interior of shop Fiberglass insulation between 2x4 traming woodmogozine.also2t/z" tube vac systemhooked 6-hp shop to vacuum.withthree breakers eachwall.lnsidethe exteriorsiding. Between 2x4 framing. f: -ll--e. : externally ventedCayennebrandpropane heater. E LE C TR IC A L: am p 60servicepanelfor sixteen 120-volt outlets.Trialand error helped. \l ri rl t . if the need arises. He also uses a portable had been away from it for a dust collector for his tablesaw while." he says.i:irii*o - T .tl F { I I t \t ^r #*-r going to build huge projects. His garage over the floor. I needed seehow far from or closeto the wall I could get them. on settled a centralshopvacuum is that when you're building a attachedto most tools with a shop." He also made severalrealizations about building a shop.learned from a mistake: He of cretefloor. electrical ing in a lumberyard. "I positionedthe tools using trial and error.He also also had fared well with a con.but I hose.F' I a:\ )." he reports.Instead. he "One thing I would recommend floor dustcollection. "I had a good idea of where the tablesawhad to go-near the middle of the floor. An electrical contractor see how much electrical had would installed a dedicated 60-amp goneup." Still. "I creteratherthanopt for plywood wanted enough outlets so I com. I knew concrete panel that allowed Larry four costmorethan otherflooring. The prospect frost didn't have an electrical panel heavesalso argued against in. the novice woodworker proceeded with caution.wouldn't have cords laying all of because the frost heaves mon to the region.120-voltoutletson eachwall.system of 2t/2" clear pipe and matesfor building homes.the first thing you needis r:frt'& A ceiling with exposed trusses allowed Larry to hang his air filtration and gas heating units out of the way but in effective locations.I did esti." he says.For visual appeal. "T\^rothings that surprisedme were the cost of concreteand "Workwork.big enoughfor 220-voltservice." he However. and it blew my mind to andjointer. 70 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 . Larry ran 8"-wide cedar fencing board all the way around the interior above the plywood. stayedwith con. But I really experimentedwith positioning to the rest of the tools.The 9' of space under the rafters also enables Larry to stand up tall boards. woodmogozine. A section of 2x4 tucked below holds matting that Larry rolls onto the tabletop to keep workpieces from rolling around. Like the utility of the modular structure that houses the shop. Larry laid out his shop by trial and error. then placed the tools later. such as shelving and tool stands. The entire table attaches to his smaller workbench. As with most of what Larry built for his shop. That worked out as well. Larry relied extensivelyon off-the-shelfsolutions. to satisfy his storage and support requirements. Also.com 71 . he planned his dust-collection system first. The slots in the sandingtable allow the dust to suck into his vacuum system for easy collection. his downdraft sanding table and workbench serve multiple functions.tukffik 24' Ceiling-hung air{iltrationsystem Oscillating belV spindlesander Despite being a novice woodworkef Larry had two things going for him when he designed his shop: a draftsman'sskills and his tools on hand. ruefully."Larry says. I'm glad she asked me to make that!" He also learnedanothervaluable lesson: Take your time.r a a lt.above. but I can't wait till winter comes aroundagain!" After his second winter in his new woodworking haven." Lany alsohasbegunto absorb someof the subtletiesof enhancTo ing a piece'sappearance. stopped ing the shoplong enoughto build erablecompliments. (See the bench training was valuable. he appreciates its versatility. Carma. making 'Around them go darker. "Exterior plywood used indoors might strike someoneas unusual."But I like look of the wood. 72 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 ."you make mistakes. it's very well suited to my woodworking ability-a beginner.I'll spend summers outdoors.The on-the-job patterns in the wood." he says." he notes.)It'swon him considI Christmastime. +r- e ' +l to determinethe size of the shop and have an electrical panel big enoughfor what you're going to do. The shop experience hasn't a doll's high chair for my granddaughter. and Test-ddves lessons valuable tool might be too close to the wall. 'Although my shop is small." Above the plywood. but he's sure learned to enjoy his woodworking retreat! He chuckleswhen he recalls the time he had breakfast. the unbleached and the panelsare sturdyenough to hold everything I attached. "I'd been in there for eight hours. and tables. "What makes it nice is that it's insulatedand you can leave [the building wallsl bare or finish them off on the inside.sheepishly.onpage74. "It's all beenworth it." he says. hang within easyreach. "From been the smoothest ride for that project I learned that one Larry. finish his workbench. arrang.Ali.Larry woodburnedor scrollsaweddecorative patterns into someof them.he wasgoing to the shop for a few hours." he says. Besides saving him about half the cost of erecting a similarly sizedframed structure." he says. and was surprised when she popped in demanding to know when he was going to eat dinner. vertically. ring the shop attached perimeter. told his wife. tool stands Along the way to completion.he took a small blowLarry test-drove the shop by torch and applied it to the grain crafting projects." and Shelves lumberracks. decorative cedar fencing boards. Larry Schwager knows he'sdonethe right things. He is also satisfied with his choice of the Cleary prefab structure. "When you rush things. which he needs when refinishing rifle and shotgun stocks. To equip his shop. J E -. f lj i 1l n lf I had doit allover to again. Larry bolted three 2x4s to his plywood wall.. The shop-madetop consistsof two layersof MDF inset 1" into a 2x4 trame. and the podable clamping workstationthat supports his grindermade excellentsensefor Larry.+_ - \. Larry also built a tablesaw outfeed table that fits on top of anotherstore-boughtsolution-a table with adjustablelegs. most Unlike woodworkers I talk I don't need space! this shop to. .Anglingthe dowels a few degreeshelps settle boards againstthe 2x6s ratherthan possiblyslidingfonruard. woodmogozine.To store his wood. then cut particleboard shelvesof variouswidths.tl r ' E .com Larry built his draftingtable to convert into a flat surface.The rack that housesthe gun stocks is to the right of the window. very what l'm happy. even more | built size because I thought itwould very for lt has." work well me. 73 .*"tirr*l. store-bought solutions-such as the mobiletool chest. "For I do..The shelvesrest on 1" dowels insertedinto angled holes drilled into the 2x6s.-'4 - :r'*m*ni -n!ffi| I i! . mar the worksurface.I p$edsandidea Routers kick up a lot of chips. o lf Larrymade his first workbenchsolid-and expendable." 74 Americo's Besl Home Wotkshops 2008 . he does formed by two 1x6s edge-joinedwith biscuits. it I get a blockage. he can just cut new boards to replacethem' Larry attached the clear acrylic dust-collection ductwork above his bench to save space. The removablefence he created allows the portable dust collector's 4" hose to attach at the reaf out of the way. so Larry made a cabinet that collects them for this easy disposal.He accomplished by expandinga small benchtoprouter table into a floor-standing model and enlargingthe top with a skirt of MDF. the clear plastic shows me exactly where it is. "Also. besides giving him practice in using his tablesaq mitersaw.com 75 . Larcy spends more time outdoors.Then the requestline heated up.The first major piece he built was the buffet cabinet above. so I thought it was something I would like to get into. The other thing he learned the hard way was to apply stain with a cloth. but the stain can be put on in lighter layers. "My granddaughter. But once the Idaho winter beckons." draftsman for a lumber company during a previous career. my wife wanted a bench [shown above rightl to sit on in our bedroom. started with little pieces." he says. "I hope we have a nice long winter. "ft wasn't something that you could do without training. A Porter-Cable half-blind dovetail jig fashioned the corners." he notes. "When I first started. who began woodworking last year. He added %"."I couldn't sayno.Building this pine buffet-one of his first projects-taught Larry severalvaluable lessons.oak plugs to cover the screw heads. The legs were purchased-because Larry has yet to buy a lathe-and screwed in place.I could see the difficulty in woodworking. But I'd been doing a lot of reading and I had the background for this. the sides were rabbetedTz" to accept the seat. Photographs: Mike LloydParisStudiosPhotography woodmogozine. "The brush carries way too much stain and can cause blotching. route[ and router table. mostly involving scrollsawing and woodburning. He started working on the 48x32x16" piece before consulting a set of plans for it. and the ski bums depart." Larry." As the weather turns warmer. "A cloth may take longer to do the job. A /1" groove routed on the inside accepts the 14" birch plywood bottom.he looks forward to getting back into the newly found enjoyment of his shop. Larry Schwager had designed many cabinets and other wood piecesfor homes. bandsaw. wanted a hrgh chair for one of her dolls." Larry says.It was only after he retired that he began to think that it would be fun to build thosepiecesas well. not a brush. Larry traced the relief-carving pattern on this pine bench from the Schwagers' bedroom set. "The plans gave me ways of building the buffet that were lots easie6" he says. Ali. carving it out with a high-speed rotary tool and small gun-stock-checkeringtool. Four coats of polyurethaneproduce the high gloss.as needed." Larcy admits. saysthe sixtysomething who has been woodworkingfor 'Also. Donna. families in the Greensboro Wayneand his son.'He said.-{xr. towoodworking.:r .decidedto move from a large lakefront house in North Carolina to be closer to their area. Wayne's former shop encompassed l2xl5'main shopand a a l0xl2' finishing and storage room. So I said to him. moved North in Whenfather Greensboro. When Wayne and his wife.: retreat. on thejob front but the homefront. over his That's an improvement 76 Americq's Besl Home Wolkshops 2008 . "I built a basement shopseven years ago in this great big lake house an hour away from mY grandkids. collaborated on a workshop on David'sproperty in neighboring Kernersville.." Wayne. but visits from our families were too infrequent. lengthandrectThe shop's shed. toalakeside he a by that's together shared aworkshop Constructing less son. I was nearlyeight years. David. 'Great! How much room do you need?' Now he's gotten more interested in woodworking since it was finished.The new facility measures and wood is storedin a 16x36'.Not only does it allow Wayneto see his family more often. driving 100 miles round-tripto work eachday.Davidhadalmost two acres." shot straight Along.but the shop'sflexibility and size more than meet his needs to be creative and improvehis skills as a hobbyist furnituremaker. 'What if we build a workshopon I'll your property? pay. anew and bring closer introduce generation helped them both ownsizing had a very positive upside for Not WayneSouthard. angular configurationare great for ripping long boardswithout having to angle the tablesaw. saw ofhis intown. Carolina. I I Sharinga woodworkingshop helps cementthe father-sonbond between Wayne Southard,rght, and his son. David. TYPE:Wood-frame outbui l di ng. S IZE :16x36'57 6sq f t . , C ON S TR U C TI O N: Concrete-impregnated hardboard exterior walls, dryw al il nsi de; 0'high 1 c e i l i n gd o u b l e - h u n g ; windows. H E A TIN G N D CO O LI NG : A Heatpumpprovides heat and ai r-condi t ioning; t wo cei l i ng fans. E LE C TR IC A L: 200- am p service, accommodating 120-and 240-volt receptacles everywall. on LIGH TIN G: elve Tw dualbulbenergy-efficient fluorescents. D U S TC OLLE CTI O N: Shopvacuumconnected to machi nes ne eded. as AIRCOMPRESSOR: St/z-hp, gallon Sears 25Craftsman. The Southardfamily shop takes on a long, lean look, yet it has ample space to house both men's tools. Each contributedto the shop before it went up. David had built the long workbench alongthe left wallto use in his constructionprojectsas a civil engineer. Waynewas more of the woodworker.Now they've collaborated a numberof on furniturepieces. u lT-_*. Garage doors are 10' high,making it easy to move stock into the shop and large pieces out of it. Glasswindows in the garage doors,coupledwith the flanking double-hung windowsand the four dual-tubefluorescent fixtures,let in ample light.The windows stay open duringthe warmermonths, keepingthe shop pleasantly cool. woodmogozine.com 77 H Cleat rail / Waynepositionedthe main workbenchnear two doublehungwindows,which let in plenty of naturallight and can be openedfor cooling.The three wall cabinetshang on a cleat rail that runs aroundthe perimeter, allowingcabinets to be moved,removed,or added as needed. former shop, which consistedof two adjoining rectangularrooms. That made moving long lengths of wood more difficult. Wayne admits the width of the new shop is far from ideal. "I would have liked to make a bigger building," he acknowledges, "but the building codes wouldn't allow anything bigger in the desired location. If we wanted more width. we couldn't have located the shop where it is." Plus, they would have had to take down a rather large tree, adding to the cost. forming the concrete floor and footings and doing the drywalling, they provided the rest of the labor, which included constructing the frame, and the exterior siding of concrete-impregnated hardboard. The Southards epoxied the floor to seal the concrete, reduce concrete dust, and help keep the floor clean. It took an entire day: first washing the floor with muratic acid twice, using a brush and pressure washer; then thoroughly rinsing the floor and drying it with fans for several hours; and finally rolling the epoxy on in 6x6' sections and sprinkling on the flakes while and his stepsons, the sectionswere still wet. David,Wayne, A 200-amp box powers everybegan grandchildren, friends and work on the frame structurein thing. But the Southards added March 2006 andfinishedup the 30-amp and 50-amp circuits that fbllowing February.Except for await a dust-collection cyclone in: Pitchinq friends, and neighb6rs, family 7B Americo'sBestHomeWorkshops 2008 thefloorphn Like newlywedscombiningtwo households, Wayneand David Southardpooled their own hand and power tools. The roominessof the shop enabledthem to store everytool without needingto disposeof duplicates.All heavy tools are on casters for mobility. ih.s-; t i I t It Installing 10'-high ceilingsallowedfor tall garage doors; togethe4 they more than accommodate large projects. David designedthe shop to resemblean oldfashioned carriage house,down to the exterior sconces. The shed behindthe shop stores lumber. The bag below the tablesaw collects sawdust. When Wayne or David connect a hose, the waste is sucked into a portableshop vacuum. woodmogozine.com 79 .ll utv ShowcaseY0uR Workshop for Seepage127 details. ABOVE:Ample outletsat two levelsalong each wall allow for toolsto flexibility connecting in power sources.C l e a t rail / -f ra. again. fu- The Southardscentered RIGHT: their tablesawside-to-sidein the shop.*L 'ry*l. lf I had doit allover to "l don't we'd have ifwe more we 0f anything.course had space.. nearthe sheet-goods rack. For long stock. bench the adjustable-height providesan extended and stable outfeedtable.Mobile bases and casterskeep these tools and stands podable." shed 0f separate behind shop use area super one storage insteadthe BO Americo's Besl Home Wotkshops 2008 .. could think change the we now. the tablesaw jointer.n'' / Adjustablesupports on this rolling workbench enable Wayne or David to raise or lower the worksurface for various projects or to act as an outfeed table for the tablesaw. What's movedinsideis a father and son-and grandsons-to share a tradition." 7'gr I .such as vehicle and boat maintenance." needs One thing they avoided.com 81 . (See page 83. was a centraldust-collection system." Wayne "is says. and plenty of spaceto assemble and finish projects. Holes for bench dogs were drilled 5" apart in the worksurface. The front of the shopis dedicated to assembly finishingspace..There's also room for other uses.if they'reeveradded. and then set that work asideif we've also got a project that planing. woodmogozine. without having to move anything outside. for example.t This gridded 2x2 frame elevates and holds plywood flat and steady for cutting and saves wear and tear on the workbench surface. When open. passing the nuances on of woodworking."The biggest in thing I get out of this. respectively."We can do all our cutting. so they could havemore flexibility of tool locationto accommodate the relativelynarrow space. David designedthe building to receiveample outsidelight.)A larger workbench and an adjustable-height bench command the middle section. and Wayne installed all the machines mobile basesso he on can easily reposition tools or cabinetsto accomplisha layout that suitsany purpose. out of the way. The generation next The Southardfamily shophas a place for every tool. augmenting the fluorescents. Air-conditioning and heating ductworkruns throughthe attic. When not in use. Two ceiling fans provide additional relief.(Seethe floor plan on plge 79. the windows let in welcomed fresh air. Three sections define the shop:The back end housesthe workbench and planning area. as well and asothertools. the frame hangs neatly on the portable sheet-goods rack Wayne built. a shop vacuum plugs into ports on eachtool.1 and a welder. Instead. ptopctsardlde o Wayne and David fashioned a cleat-rail system for their shop that supports clamp racks and cabinets. 82 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 . Carriage bolts and lag screws hold the tools in place. Each clamp rack hangs on the cleat railthat runs around every wall. Clamp racks at the rear of plywood uprights screwed to horizontal the shop are simple 3/c" 2x4s. he can bring up a mitersawor planer.left). Besidesholdingclamp racks (top. the cleat system also supports a dozen 18x30" speciallybuilt birch plywood cabinets (above). To learn more about how to build this cleat system. A flip-top mobilecabinet holds two tools-a real space saver!When Wayne flips the rotating shelf. a beveled edge on the rail accommodates a mating beveled cleat. No hardware is needed to hold the cabinets on the rails. visit in woodrnagerz e"c o m/c Ieatsystetn. Shelvesof varyingwidths hold longer boards. shopwall cabinets-their first experience "They like learning about woodworkingfrom Grandpa. Three generations of Southards helped fashionthis computer desk. that when thing I learned. got their shop up and runningon David'sproperty."he jokes.Waynebeganwork on an entertainment centerwhile David startedon the computer deskat right. "I've graduatedfrom the basics and into the advancedelectives. helped sand the with powertools. 13. you'd be amazedhow long it takesyou to but realizeit's a little thing that makesa big difference.Vanderveen Photography woodmogozine. fatherand sonpumpedout the shop wall cabinets. GrandsonsBrandon. For example. Photographs:Bert Vanderveen." Once Wayneand his son. prufile woodrruorkert ayne Southardhas been into woodworkingonly for about eight years. make sureyou label them so you know what they are." proudly. The straightback also makes a good place to hang the plywood-cutting frame shown on page 87. a. and clamp racks. David.but he's learnedquickly.com 83 .he's paying closeattentionto the little tricks that help work get done more efficiently.That might soundvery elementary in retrospect. Wayne and son David admire their handiworkwith David's9-year-oldson. "The biggest "is Waynesays.9. Then. Waynesays.Insteadof buildingtheir portablesheetgoods rack with two slopingsides." you'recutting out pieces.sheet-goods rack. and Tyler. Brandon.as most plans callfo6 Wayneand David to made one side perpendicular the floor so they could store the rack flush against the wall. " Wisconsin Hahn's in Brian shop wooded And ofhome. I live out in the country. to work for eight hours.. being Besides completely I aa ome woodworkers sPend so much time in their \ shops. he works in the shoPtoo. and settled there six years later.hebegan scouting property in rural Wisconsin.J a\ r--I i:' . 59.and if there'sa fire. z/qbath. turns and carves eclectic bowls and lamps. That's wherethe retired chemist. Wisconsin. was being built.4 l. Oh.-* Stff=r-\ .l'\.)'1. and produces furniture from wood he harvests from his 73 acresof mostly forested property about 60 miles west of Madison. has the all comforts itwos home! not? a why For while. his Afterhe movedbackto native state from Delaware. bought some in 1992. eating area.Also.r." he quipped. That's why he addeda finished plywood floor. and so much more. Brian Hahn actually did-for five months while his home in Avoca. "So if somethinghaPpensto one building. Brian 84 Americo's Besl Home Wolkshops 2008 . t't'- L r lr \ lt .they joke that they J live in them.\i._ r i .)t I functional.i'-. his The comes shop first Brian sayshe'd always planned to harvest wood and use it to craft his turnings. theY can't get to you real quick. "I built the shop to be inhabitable. So when he wasnearingretirement. the other is a fallback. sofa bed.and then I go home." Brian "It's my office-I comeout says. {.The window behindthe cabinet has a cherryflip-up hingedframe with Lucite sheets that keeps lathe-generatedflying objects from striking the window glass. Tongue-and-groove wood flooring. lt's a trade-off Brian is happy to live with. sq CONSTRUCTION: 2x6 framedwalls. Brian fastened the dowels perpendicularto make it easier to slide the chucks on and off. double-duplex 14 outlets withtwo independent 20-ampcircuits each.On the backing board that holds the lathe chucks. He discovered that a standard face shield gives him bad eye strain and headaches. such as a finished plywood floor and casement windows. Brian was concerned that the plywood floor wasn't sturdy enoughto handlethe 700-lbtool. Turningtools and accessories hang nearby.The sand-filledgrinder stand Brian designed (at left in photo) stores fixed-angle tool rests for sharpening his turning tools. in plus four 20-amp24O-volt circuits. tl LIGHTING: Primarily T-8 32-wattdual-tube fixtures. ABOVE:In Brian Hahn'sshop. two layersof 3/+" OSB toppedwith 3/+" plywood. "But except for being a little bouncy. it's fine. TYPE: Wood-framed outbui l di ng.1.scissor trusses for extraceilingheight. LEFT: The unique movabletailstock of Brian's new Robust lathe tilts back for easy access to ends of workpieces. you'llfindamenities. ?-f. that you wouldn't find in most home workshops. SIZE: 26x48'. supported midspan by a beam.in turnsupported by postson footings.i **e -::---- Ir.248 ft. JDS air filterhanging from ceiling abovetablesaw.'w LEFT:Windows on every wall of Brian's shop add plenty of natural light but reducethe wall space for storage. ELECTRICAL: 200-amp service.com 85 . l DUSTCOLLECTION: Portable shopvacuum." he reports. woodmogozine. varnished standard joistson 16" engineered centers. H E A TIN G N D CO O LI NG : A Forced-air centralheating and air-conditioning.so instead he substituted the baseball catcher's mask (while wearing safety glasses). 'Also. then the tablesaw.Instead of tackling that at the onset. Contributing to the hominess are French doors. ing is constructed with 2x6 trusses allowed framing.and lwanted it where it wouldn't be in the way when lwas doing other things. which Brian installed in front of his tablesaw." Also. That makesthem easyto get at. They do add practicality. and there are plenty of extra cir- 86 Wolkshops2008 BeslHome Americo's ." Brian says. He got rid of the refrigerator he used when he took up residence in the shop. One corner of the building becamean office. (Seefloor plan. and the double-duplex electrical outlets [separatecircuits for each duplex outletl are 4' above the floor instead of at shin level. although he had to compromise on the plan he originallywanted." Casementwindows overlook Brian's acreagqwhich contributesmost of the wood he uses for turning.and then the jointer for good work progression."I canjust openthe doors andrun boardsin andout. the electricalboxesdeliver 20-amp service instead of 15." he says.. he insists.Brian lived in the shop." Brian says. began building the shop first. install a dust-collectionsystem. "That.which gives Brian plenty of clearance and afforded him headroom to (Brian didn't hang an air cleaner. Scissor for a l0'cathedralceiling. Brian intendedthe shop to be a home away from home from The 26x48'buildthe beginning.i :t!-'- F'. He stores the wood in an areaon the other side of the office. which he says was almost as large as his old house. From May through September of 1999. like a regular house. then started work on the house two monthslater. anda microwave.. "That storagearea is the only thing that tells you this isn't a residential house. but a portable shop vacuum suffices. Er*-sIFri EEEix&+' ABOVE:Brian nailed the layout of his shop in the first attempt.) "Experts will tell you to arrangethe lumber rack.deepsink. it contributes to ventilation.) Drywall covers the 2x6framing. . with a sleeper sofa.F" :i. opposite. I positioned the drill press first because it wasn't mobile. who has described his benches as "a machine for clamping.tutu@ Jry"y*:i@= Iu| .com 87 .ffi*@ r Grnder I W I Storaqe l@ Buttino-a . but it was too small for his work. woodmogozine. so he built a new one.f$[: ] Workbench strip |:==] I lffifllsancier | ?l Lathe tool ra Workbench/outfeed table Potter's Microwave wheel t-." Brian's hard-maple benchtop is considerablywider than Frid's design but features his classic multiplevises. adapting the design of Rhode lsland School of Design master woodworker Tage Frid.il Vise I:T I I lorinoer Tablesaw oFFrcEsreePer tl I LEFT:Brian started with a standard European-stylebench. jointer. who has created a workspace that's his own retreat."It makes up for when I workedin an office and had to walk to the end of the hall to see outside. "I decided that was the last suchfloor I wanted." basement he relates. cuits. tung-oil-based for Afloor allseasons The floor might strike some as but Brian has his extravagant. using hard maple." he says. He insulated the windows on the inside with plastic wrap. the windowsprovideplenty of naturallight. on my feet-it isn't cold.He hasno trouble reaching the tools hanging on rackshigh on the walls. I can plug in anything anywhere and not worry about blowing a breaker. "But there's no way I can eliminate that problem." 'Also. and bandsaw. the shop becomesvery humid and the windowsfog up in winter. "My old shopwasin the reasons. From his earlier shop." polished surface can become somewhat slippery. but Brian puts up with it becauseit's forgiving on tools that get dropped onto it. he was left for with a 25x28' space his tablesaw. and "everything in the shopis scaled for me. the floor is easier he says. Brian alsodidn't skimp on the altitude-he's 6'2" tall." When Brian got done carving out space for the z/qbathroom ("It's a real treatto not haveto go 100 feet outside to my home to usethe facilitiesin the winter!") and a storagearea. cabinetmaker's "That was too small for what I was doing." he says. drill press." from The top also disassembles the legsfor easyrepair.4 ABOVE:A combination of movable and stationary shelves gives Brian the flexibility to change the layout of his shop as his needs evolve. Brian appliedfour coatsof McCloskeyGymSeal.. That minor headacheis well worth the trade-off for Brian. Still.but little else. so which is moisture-heavy. Brian works with greenwood.as well as two lathes and multiple workbenches. But the grabberis the polished plywood surface floor. The 3x8'benchis perpendicular to a wall out of necessity. When Brian installedtwo casement windows on each wall. Brian brought his oversizemain workbench."he says.a modification of a European-style bench.This The floor is worth all the hassle. 88 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 . And it was easy to run the plumbing and wiring underneath. "I'd rather the floor take the damageinsteadof the tool. His workbench is near two windows for plenty of natural light. "With all the circuits at 20 amps. it left him enough wall spacefor somesmallertools.which is a floor varnish." he saysof one of his first big projects. Thosedaysare gone."he notes."So I widened and lengthenedit and stiffened up the top. with a concretefloor. Over a 3/q" glued on top of two layersof z/i' OSB. 3Ax17z" cleat wall attaches to studs with 2Vz"deck screws. The rack is made of a 14x30" backing board and a %" plywood scrap lefi over from Brian'sflooring.The strips hang on 2" deck screws so Brian can move an entire strio to his lathe. have But from some details maybe more minor and some double-duplex l'mhappy. aside a system.born of the fact that the shop was his home while his house was being built. Brianemployedthe same batch of reclaimed cherrythat made up the other hangersand hofders. Buffingwheels hang on %" bolts screwed into 1x2 oak strips.to Brian it was a necessity. ri ss If I had doit allover to again.." outlets.. secured in counterboredholes. LEFT:Brian had some open space below a cold-air return vent. He even broughta double sleepersofa into the shop office to sleep on. The hole spacings vary with the different diameters of buffing wheels. p*-i-. woodmogozine. the smallerclamps hang on 3/n" galvanizedwater pipe. "l'dadd dust-collection it would tobeoutoftheway.com 89 .The blocks holdingthe largerclamps are made of 2x4 scraps. so he placed a C-clamp rack there. LEFT:Putting an office into a workshop may strike some as a luxury.'l LEFT:To store his buffing wheels and to give his shop a consistentand unifyingaccent.r:.The 30"-long. r*k Brian turned these projects for monthly challenge competitions conducted by the woodturners club in Madisoh.The natural-edgecherry-burl bowl. the first wood he harvested from his property. bits. Wisconsin. atnear left. Scrap OSB from rim joists of Brian's house supplied the material for the platter. chisels. He turned the lamp from a chunk of curly maple. (ll Derived from a Swedish postwar design. and other hand tools and accessories. this cabinet Brian made in 1984 features adjustable pull-out shelving and plenty of drawers to hold his files. comes flom a damaged cherry tree on Brian's acreage. 90 Americo's BestHome Workshops 2008 . The "seethrough" egg at far left uses maple for the outside and yellowheart for the inside. 'Okay. Today. wood screw N Brian's wall-hung clamp racks came out of a desire to clean out the area underneath his main workbench.Brian has graduated to turning functional and decorative bowls and lamps. and mount the backing board to wallstuds.com/resawvideo. Nelson Photography woodmogozine. "--*J--314" #8 x 3" F.wood screw into wall stud 3" . Nothing makes Brian happier than to turn raw wood into usable stock. But he remains a woodsman at heart. View Brian's resawjig atleft in action at woodmagazine. After turning a few bowls and some candleholders. H .H.H. so his clamps hang on these racks.All of it he crafts from wood he's harvested..com 91 .. with blocks cut from 4x4s. "I still have the hammer. The protruding heads of roundhead wood screws keep the clamps from sliding off the fronts of the blocks." Brian says.#8 x2" F . Brian caught the turning bug when he went home for the holidays in 1980to find that his father had bought a small lathe." He built a model sailboatout of 2x4s. Photographs: Jim Nelson. soldwoodcarvingswhen he wasin Boy Scout camp. as well as building cabinets. But he had plenty of wall space./ -. where his clamps were difficult to get at.H. "You just have to measurehow much space you have for a rack. make sure you give each clamp enough room."'.wood screw /' ( #8 x 2" F."I was always into woodworking. rian Hahn started building a house when he was in first grade-his father let him hammer in some sheathingwith a l2-ounce tool.wood screw -\ l ." Brian says. which tree do I want to harvestthis year?' " he says. Brian bought his own turning equipment./---\ #8x2l/2" F. and crafted a pair of speakercabinetsin college. "I never get tired of saying to myself. which gave him a respite from his careerin scientific instrumentation researchand development. Much later. the emergency-room doctor relied on his patienceto constructjust the shophe wanted.who lives in a baysidetown in New Brunswick in the CanadianMaritime Provinces. Julie. SamuelDaigle discovered his love of the craft from his grandfather. When Samandhis wife.and I startedseriously thinking about what I needed. now this gis everythinmognifique! lsltsownrewad ike many woodworkers. which 92 Americq's Besl Home Workshops 2008 . After formulating his diagnosis. "I'm guessing the neighborsdidn't carefor that too much."Butby thattime I was doing more and more woodworking. he bought a portable tablesawthat he would haul out to the balcony of whatever apartment he lived in. he finished the basementto accommodatea shop. Sam amount. he wanted."I knew I was going to do more and more." he says.t m il and basement apartmentsone several Ittook the Daigle together shop forSamuel toput But for French-Canadian." proiect Aone-year Preparation for outfitting his new shopspacebeganin earnest in 2004. "At first I got into woodcarving. For six months."he says."I didn't needmorethan a few tools for carving." When he started doing more woodworking.he was ready to Proceed with the treatment.and read a considerable looked aroundthe Internetto see what other woodworkers were doing. bought their home in 2001. but still wasn't sure of exactly what tools I'd haveto get." recallsSam. Sam has plenty of room to work. ELECTRICAL: Dedicated 100-ampbox. are stationary-that means he had to plan carefully where to put them.faux hardwood laminate floor.plusheating fan in loft."l can hang hooks. LIGHTING:Two rowsof five dual-tubeIuorescents. so he built a long cabinet he just steps onto when reachingfor wood. SIZE:Shoparea 676 sq ft. TYPE:Outbuilding attached by a breezeway.8"-to-6"-to-4" runsthrough ductwork spacebelowshop. including 220volt receptacles every for stationary machine. woodmogozine. Over the particleboardwall. his jointe4and planer tablesaw. in for ai r nai l er. Sam didn't want to stand on stools or climb ladders to access his storage loft. and it's easy to clean." he says. D U S TC OLLE CTI O N: hp 3cyclonelocatedin bathroom off mainshop. C OOLIN G: One window air conditioner. it doesn't scratch. f scattered task lights.shaper.com 93 . C ON S TR U C TI O N: 2x6 framing wallsand roof. Thanks to ample space between machines. A trough in his tablesaw outfeedtable alignedwith his jointer allows him to joint 10-12' boards with ease. otherwise. for layered drywalland OSB walls.t ln SamuelDaigle'sshop. Sam adhered the same type of faux hardwood he used on the floor. HEATING: Electric wall heating units. A IR C OMP R ESSO R: Located workbench. natural cooling. ran dust-collector 0rder serenity and Three electrical wall heating units combine with an electrical heating fan beneath the ceiling to warm Sam's shop in as little as five minutes. They're there to stay. so there's little to trip over.Rr''Efn.rii ( I I "i. simulated Sam dug a 6' crawl space underneaththe shop where he ductwork. A neighbor who was a professional contractor put up the of whichconsists kilnstructure.F.and enough room He to maneuver. Noise was nearly as important. During construction." Sam says-and without having to tug on boots to slosh through snow to get there.ff=::T i\ ABOVE:Sam plannedhis shop to have ample and reachable storagespace. A dehumidifier. keeps the humidity around 50 percent. This little section connects Sam's attached garage and shop and isolates the shop from the main house. placed his machinesside by side "because you often go from one to the other. builders added a breezeway to the 12year-old house that fronts the Bay of Chaleur." took six more months. all of which run on 220 volts. The dust-collection ductwork transitions from 8" to 6" to 4". dried 2x6 framing for the walls and shingle roof. Sam thought long and hard about where to position his tools. Sam designed the shop.Tirtit r-o ^il !87- ."This lets me work at any time of the day or night without disturbing my family. Realizing he wasn't going to get the ideal space.5ael i'ol ffi". the rest of the structure. Ample receptacles make it unnecessaryfor Sam to plug and re-plug. 94 Americo'sBestHomeWorkshops 2008 .and there'snothingto obstructthem in front or back. He ran the wires under the floor. a 26x26' space under a 12' peaked roof. he elected not to install casters on anY of his machines. and sectional woodflooring.abundant naturallight. became the shop.I can planeand joint long boards. beside his garage.to maximize the space. Only recently did he install a window air conditioner. An arr cleaner hangs from the ceiling. Part of the breezeway's space Sam reserved to become a bathroom. Sam cut down on the noise of his 3-hp cyclone by locating it behind the wall that separates the bathroom from the shop. allowing it to tuck neatly beneath the shop floor and come up to connect with each tool or downdraft station. A hole on top of the wall facilitates air exchange. which drains into the shop's sink. "l knew I was going to hang a lot of stuff.Above his sharpeningstationto the left of the doors hangsthe air cleaner."That extra layeralso helps in keepingthe noisedown.com 95 . "lwould awider tothe design entrance garage to a of to and aboutfoot width thebathroommake add thedust-collection easier empty." Sam explains.but it was the best spot to give him ample rip space and good lighting. lf I had doit allover to again. steps away from his shop." LEFT One of Julie Daigle'sconditionsof havinga dedicatedbuildingfor a shop was it had to have a pleasinglook." basket to . double-paned windows. Placinghis bandsaw in front of a window blocks his view a little..Sam can admirethe view of the Bay of Chaleur. woodmogozine. tr RIGHT BecauseSam does some stone carving(see page 981..r * o ABOVE:The compact turning center illustrates how Sam placed a layer of pressed wood behind the drywall throughoutthe shop so he could hang accessories whereverhe neededthem.. :_l Fi b 1.he constructed a downdraft booth (far left in photo)with clear acrylicwalls to keep the dust out of the shop.tq ABOVE:Lookingeast through two sets of triple-panel. Sam installedtwo frosted-glass doors and decorativeglass dividersto match those on their house. and I didn't want to always look for studs. F*: l:qg$ fr#. Fil'diE\' 1il1"!"L / ^^^YPilg^^. which runs beneath the floor and connects to the cyclone. He fashioned a box out of scrapwood and sheet metal.the main work space allowed Sam to permanentlyposition his machines in such a way that there's space to move among them without any tool getting in the way of any other. One of the things Sam likes best about his shop is the 312sq-ft storageloft.A knob locks it in place. he simply steps onto a sturdy 29"-high countertop. Sam devised a sliding dust collector to make lathe cleanup more efficient. Digging a 6' crawl space below the shop gave Sam ample room to run ductwork and electrical wiring. 96 Americo's BesfHome Workshops 2008 . and cut an opening for a flexible 4" pipe. which is above the adjacentgarage. Attaching rectangular pieces of scrap ultra-high molecularweight(UHMW plastic enables the box to slide side-to-side. Tablesaw tablesaw alignswith jointerbed m tril:il| GARAGE above storage Withlumber E] Planer workbench Air '-: -:Fr F_--kj cerrrng-nung air-fittratiSnsys-tem Doubre xK:.This corner of paradise reminds Samuel Daigle that life is good and the rewards of patience are worth waiting for.^ I""15a0t" A few steps up from his small garage.To reach it. his The four setsof windows not only let in plenty of natural light but also afford Sam a clear view of the picturesquebay that borders his hometown.26' Cyclone dust collector v . Adding a bathroom created a space to install his dust collector.which also houses mitersawstation. com 97 . the two countertop pieces can slide to hug the shapercutter.) Compaftments hold smallerand exotic pieces of wood. A turn of the fence-adjustment handle moves the whole fence forward or backward. plus Sam's dado set. Sam designedhis tablesaw extensionfor ease of ripping. plus strips of 3/c" with an openingfor a dust-collection featherboards 11l2" hose.but he also made sure it wouldn't get in the way of wood being worked on at his adjacent jointer.Solid-maple thick attach to the recycled countertop with countersunkscrews. (He installedtwo long rollerson one side of the trough and six shorter ones on the other to accommodate boards of different widths. Sam made his own rollers using2T2"black PVC pipe.pruFcBandideas Sam was dissatisfiedwith how difficult it was to move the fence that came with his shaper.and slide up and down. By looseningtwo screws. tablesaw fence.Holes Sam drilled into the top of the fence house bits. the fence-lockdown knob locks the fence. woodmogozine. as well as jigs and sleds.So he built his own out of an old plywood. Shelvesfit into dadoes cut wood will allow it into each side.He's proudestof his 12-15"-tallsegmentedvases. and butternut. even if your wall isn't lined with faux hardwoodflooringover drywall.prcfectsandid o Sam constructedthis compact organizerout of maple scrap in a couple of hours. table when he and his Sam craftedthis ash-and-ceramic wife.first moved into their new home and Sam built his shop.made of walnut. Using lighter-weight to hang on any wall (screwed into wall studs). 98 Americo'sBestHomeWorkshops 2008 . Julie. Sam still crafts wood furniturebut also experiments with wood turningsand stone caruings.maple.as Sam did in his shop. He's already got Anabelle interested in woodworking. so that's what he used. o'He seemed to enjoy his retreat so much. But he had it around." Sam recalls. I really enjoy the diversity that family medicinebrings me.Oak-front drawers on one end hold his router tools and accessories as well as finishing materials. I didn t want to risk waiting for retirement to have this much fun. Just what the doctor ordered. Oak isnit the hardest material for a benchtop and it does dent a little. Sam and his daughte4 Anabelle. "We've already done a few birdhouses together.com 99 . "Like the variety of things I create with my hobby. emg an emergency room physician has taught Sam Daigle a key lesson about woodworking. so he used it. Sam hopes to passhis love of woodworking on to his 4Vz-yearold daughter. Sam's grandfather helped the youngster develop an interest in woodworking." Now. Anabelle." he points out.. to build his versatileworkbench. Julie Langlois. northeastof Maine. spend some quality time together at the poker table Sam crafted. "You have to be good with your hands in both of them. also an M. Sam had a considerable amount of leftover oak. reside in Bathurst. admits Sam. Sam used the interior space to install an air compressor for his pneumatic nailer.When he moved into his new shop. lmageriPhotography woodmogozine. who combined two 1S"-wide planks for the worksurface.D." Sam and his wife. Actually. "When I was young. Photographs: Raymond Chiasson. Sam doesn't consider it a bit ironic that his careerand his hobby are similar." he says.a small bilingual community in Sam'shomeprovinceof New Brunswick. Canada. "The injuries I see remind me I haveto be careful with my tools. just as his grandfather sparked his zeal. along with leftover ash." Sam says proudly. with a laugh. my grandfatherusedto have a dedicated shop outside the house. "When I want something. Practicallyeveryinch of those walls is covered with 3/4" 100 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 . 53. erecteda 12x32' outbuilding in the backyardof their ranch-style homein Longview.-lj:{:. I wasn't going to let that happenagain." he says."My drawers afe a mess." Leland. I promised that if I ever redesignedmy shop.i': l3'. 60 miles north of Portland.But he also shareda common malady with them-he had too many things and nowhereto put them..?i ffi*. Frerichs way figured apractical t0 out notonly in spacehis of make most thewall the but make spectacular! shop. Susanne. also it look hen Leland Frerichs was designing his brand-new shop. He also had a self-described fixation on staying organized. it about drove me crazy.'dqwF."I had a wrench missins for two weeks once.:ii:il ffi*tEr t Leland An by artist avocation. got his chance when he and his wife. he realized that his penchant for producingartwork in wood differentiated him from many of his fellow crafters.Iwant it now and don't want to dig around finding it.':rgt ili':*l'46f.'J ! {.. he didn't do it solely with cabinetsor drawers. he Instead turnedto his walls.Washington." :i::l:::fiw 'l: ?. But Oregon.." he says.. For hangers. . SfZE: 12x32'(384sq ft). ABOVE:Numerousstyles and brands of clamps each tout a customized rack next to Leland's workbench. and cut the back. confidently.":- ABOVE LEFT:Gustomized(and colorful)tool holders and cabinetry line this entire corner of the shop. "When I positioned the front and back woodmogozine.r . Each tool has a specific place to call home. *: rI Leland Frerichs'well-organizedshop may be the only purple woodworking shop in the world. . allowing a pencil-width border. '/2" s/e" drywallfor ceiling.$#. Every tool or set of tools has a custom-built rack. If an item is too heavy for one hanger.) They hold Leland's vast collection of hand tools. suspended ELECTRICAL:12O-volt outleton almostevery stud. for LIGHTING: Eight4' doublefluorescent fixturesalongcenter. Leland's youngest son has shown a huge interest in woodworking.(Seeillustration.I didn't want to have to removeanything.- r-r irr-rr !tr*-l . for wallswith R-19 insulation. i. Leland dismissed perforated hardboard out of hand as not looking good. melamine-coated particleboard with rabbeted hardwood cleats attached horizontally..'-r -rllll i"--l {-l q-l n-l = € . "I'd seen a bunch of my friends get into trouble wheneverthey wantedto add or remove something from their walls. Abundant overhead light fixtures keep shadows at bay.plus 10 boxesin the ceiling lights. So he just sat down and startedthinking about the way he d hungcabinets inside the house.someday he'll use all the tools in his own shop."It wasjust a matter of getting the dimensionsright. . clamps._q *+rl j' -rii' \d i" -i.." Also. TYPE: Prefabricated outbuilding."They alwayshad to dismantlea frame or hanger.\.shingled roof.. and other items.one abovedrill press. Wood CONSTRUCTION: framewith plywood sidingand floor. "I knew it would work. * i. ":-_r {III e-r E:TEI -: -.com 101 .one off to the side of worktable.using notchedcleats. plus 4'overhangto act as a porch. Leland used W' MDF.steelservicedoor.. page 105." Leland savs." he says..fl e." he says. -l' 'r.-*r -r. :+:. and threefixturesabove workbench area. Custom-built Leland built the panels so he could easily remove and reposition what's hung on them. cut it out. DUSTCOLLECTION: 16-gallon shopvacuum. HEATING= 220-volt electricheater fromceiling.he attaches second a hanger to the bottom at the appropriatedistance. "I'd like to just take everything off the walls and haveit be his." To achievethe snug shapeof eachtool on eachholder.he laid the tool down on wood and very carefully traced around it. ;? "*rb!".Ge;i;fr491.;-. '.@se"iH .,:*Er_ ***, gfil i'. ;b& Erl *, 1* '.tiF, 4r; iF '! $ t X -# -*s*. t&ffi &:ls ;it dn, &i,, ,:*r ffi;gn; i&6:s Ii&'iffil SJ;i.ir*" !:;: t 1i.. i.:;. !i:-i. #l#: rtr *ls .. ..,Xtt $ ' , .. . ifi'siln il!" *F trI. *{ i*l; L* 'sff -ffi' ;l - {p .''**' -. . *.* : Itilt :iFilr l" {= i' i t . -,," " s*rr 6.-nt * f$ ,& ._1"* 'qq 'L i F} /\ t\- *{"tt ,.tt lx T \ *b J It l t I ry ,,awF Li I{rr4* I ' r'vI *-t t # 4it %J'+s 'First, space enough allow collector. for dust a put in Second, an fan. put exhaustThird, f':)* s lf.t r r r t; lliirl '& '^ ::.!f t* 'x-! LEFT:Leland designed and built this cabinetjust for drill bits and accessories. Like the rest of his tool holders, these can be repositioned easily to accommodate new acquisitions. n* 'l'hc .hop. c \ t c r i ( ) r 'p t u ' p l c c t t t t tnr\t\ stut'l.,lri ith thc n itttlori I: ei r r i n gu n r lt h c r l o t t tc' l t s i r t g . rc t t o n el o u t l i c s t r l u rs . t h c i n t c t ' i o r ' u i t l l r z z l c r r t l tb l i c h t r c l l t t rs l t t t t l el ri l i - p c p p c tt'' c r - l s . ABOVE:Behind his drill press, Leland keeps his tablesawjigs within easY reach via a mounting board with custom holders. F r i e n d sa n d f a m i l y a d o r n cabinet doors. S L r s u r r n cS h c t l i t ' c c t c r lt h c s l t o l - r ' s c c n l c r c r l u l t t n u t h c u l t l l l l e i r l g . t h c l l t e l . o l ' t h c h t t t t s c .l t t t c ll t J x ( r ' I o o l i l t t r l l c c l . " l - i . t s\t c l t l ' t t t r r i i l c t l t r t l t ' t h l t t\ ' , c l l t ( ) l l t h c r i c s t c l t t l 0 l l n c l I t i c t ' c t t ' r i n g t t i t l c c i c l cr i l l l t t ttl r i c c o L r l c lc l o r i i t l i o t t t ' b l t e l ' . t r . t t ' c l t h c b u i l t l i n g . r n l l ' c i t n t t t t ' c c r t i t t ra [ l l c . " l - c l u n r l s l n s . " S l r c \ L l ! S C \ t c r ll l l t l \ \ c c ( ) n el ' c t c l t n u t l o t ' i t r t l l ' t h c r u r t l u n r l b L r r l t ll t s h t i 1 t . "I't t t l t s ('hristnlrr in,\Ltgttst. Q r r i c l . , l r r t r l i t t t o L t tu l t o l c - t r l t c b L r i l i l i n s ; . r st t n s t t i l i t b l el i r r t h c i r ' rcsiclcntiltl ncighborlroorl. thcr t l c c i r l c c l o nl t I l x - l l ' p r c l i t b r i c l t c t l -l'hc c o t r p l c l t t l c l c t lr l J sLr'r.rcturc. orcrhurtg thltt luccs lltc ltltcl' ol h . t h c h o t . t s c a c t i n t l t s r . tl t o r - e . l - c l u n r ll t r l c l c rt n o - l x - l ' c L t t - i l t s l lirr riintlon:. lt l(r tttltitt tlttttl' entrante inan outside Inliving colot $ lrnlctl sOrtictltitig \ cl"\ storage area tothe ' r ' t S l t t " " - c l l r r t r ls l t r s . " l t l l l i t l \ c s l t [ the itself." S o o r l e( ) n tr i t s t l o r i l u t t I t i t t s above shop t o g c t h c t ' .t h l t t : ' l t r c I t t c n I t l t t t ncctlcrl."lrc sln s. '[-hirt I - c l u n r le h o s c t t t e t t t t t h i l t c l'Lrnctiorr ri ith lirrnt rlocslt't s r r r ' 1 ' r r iis c \ ( ) l t cr i l t o ' s r i : i t c r l l t i s ur in I irirs l-rLrr g." Cinrntcrl floor awood Addinq comfort forprdcticality, lnstcucl ol' i.t c()rtcl'ctc I'ltlot'" [ - c l l L n t l eh o s c u t t t t t l . l t l r l t t t l rcu\()ns. "l-hc l'irst \\ ll\ tll\ l',ncc\."Irc crplains. "llcitts ott -l'hc e( ) n c r c l c l t l l c l l t r i s l r l . i l l c r ' . \cc()lr(l ri lrs lrcutirtc. \\ihcrt it"s e o l t l . r t l t l l ' i t . t 9t t n l t e o t t c r c t c l l t t o t ' i ' l i k e u l r l l ' i l t t t r t li r ' e . l - c l u r t c lu c k l c t lu l o l ' t l i r r s t o l ' l t t c 'r' tlcel..ittg. L r s i n gl l l x l 0 s u n c l -l-hc u t ' cl + ' ( ) l te c l t l c t ' . riallsturls t k r i n g r n t h c s l t o l ' r .u t t t l i t r t c t t t o k r r r r \ i t h t h c e o l t l t ' so l ' t l t c t o t t l s n r ( ) s t \ \ o ( ) t l r tt t t ' l i c t ' s i u ' c n ' l l t s c o l o t ' - c o r t s c i o t t sI .l t t t t t t l i l l l h u r c t h c l s s i s l i u t c co l ' u u i l L ' n ilh ;.t k llte k lilr et l l t l t ' l l l i c 102 A m e r i c q ' s B e s tH o m e W o r k s h o p s 2 0 0 8 v<F t '-rand he installed an electrical outlet on almost every one. He alsoinstalled 10electricalboxes in the ceiling for the lights. The eight4'doublefluorescent fixtures along the centerof the ceiling provide ample general illumination. For detail work, Lelandadded another uorescent fl fixture abovehis drill press, one betweenthe workbenchand the outside wall, and three more above the workbench. Like all the fine points, the extra work wasworth it. "Bringing a shopup from the groundwasahugeundertaking," Leland concedes,"but it has been a very fun project. The future holds many satisfying hours in the shop,and I plan on enjoyingeveryone of [hem!" F : '-r--- t -,;ltt' LEFT: Leland constructed the wall-mounted lumber storage racks froma design sawinWOOD@ he magazine's Woodworki J igs, ng HomemadeTools & Shop Organizers. tlre f fu r - - r #n F rur r i*#J'*r'"J :::iil *. ::,Tn'"",:il:,".::', ;;T,:il'n:"'":' "J""::il:"fj,Hber andclamp racks, holders, cabinets tool and woodmogozine.com 103 tr€*s#Mink e Leland based these clamp racks, which extend from floor to ceiling of his shop, on designs he'd seen magazine.To caPture inWOOD@ the pipes of his pipe clamps, he holes in each drilled a pair of 1J6" support with a Forstner bit and finished forming the notches with a scrollsaw.After forming the supports, he glued and screwed each one to a backing board. 1Y2' #8x2" F.H.wood -f 3/2" Vs/gz" shank hole,countersunk L 143/c" 11/z' vBACKING BOARD *Formnotchesto fit your particular clamps. PIPE.CLAMPSUPPORTS #8 x1t/t"F.H.woodscrew..-___---r' ) lr> 104 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 two types of plywood. 3/e 5" carriagebolt x woodmogozine." he says. Leland built these racks to attach the tools he uses most often onto his wall units.H. ----l 1/zu 7a"rabbets e/q"deep t/a" rabbets t/a" deep 1 1/e' Tool rack back -l .com 105 .The 1/2"thick work surface is banded with solid stock.melamine-coatedparticleboard.pine. He constructed the top using two layers of %" plywood laminated face-to-face and covered with plastic laminate.11/z 3" frame x g/a"rabbets/q" deep #8 x 3" F. I / ll' '/2 with careful calculations. and off we go. and some patience. The base consists of 2x4s and 2x6s bolted and screwed together for rock-solidconstruction. grab a tool." Plasticlaminate 11/2" #8 x 21/2"F 3/a x 31/2" carriagebolts Te"washerand nut Leland'sworkbenchis one of just a few stationary objects in his shop. "l find hangingthem makesthem so much more accessible than storing them in drawers. "l can reach up.wood screw 7a"melamine-coated particleboard 1"brad -l---l 1/c' 11/z 3" x mounting cleats ll . Tracedoutline Lengthto suit 31/z' I t from t/2"to3/q" )(*toth on depending thickness of tool PLIERHOLDER PLIERAND WRENCH HOLDERS # 1 7x 1 " b r a d Traced outline of lockingplierhandles 3Y2" t th" rabbel t/e"deep HOLDER LOCK]NG-PLIER Tracedoutline of wrenchhandle HOLDER ADJUSTABLE-WRENCH 106 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 . carefully traced around the perimeter. Leland laid each toolon wood.To fashion his hand-tool holders.and cut out a left-hand and right-hand side for each tool. The slightest amount of space keeps them snug. " Photographs: Gory Remmers. Having learnedthe hard way what happens when you don't attach uprights to studs.com 107 . woodmogozine." Lelandsays. It's wherehe devotes time to his artistic woodworking. he lends his work a unique style: "I enjoy designingmy own projectsand building unusualthings. I t hen Leland Frerichs was a farm boy in Iowa.He's donethis successfully on pine and cabinetgrade plywood. then. he settled on a barn look." he says. and a 44' table. his dad built the budding woodshop in the barn. He makes a colored stain by diluting latex paint with water. then dips cheesecloth into the can and applies the cloth to his surface. I usually end up changingit in some manner to make it my own. "It picked up the grain real well. "Should lfind a conventional pattern or design that suits my fancy. "l tend to lean toward the free-form artistic side of woodworking." he remembers. like the two African facesat right."and it took just aboutthree to four hours to dry. Leland now knows to carefully seek them out before hanging anything bearing weight." No wonder. [perforated hardboard]." He even came up with a no-muss/ no-fuss technique to paint them. "There was an 8' workbench." RIGHI Leland built a holder for an antique drill press his father gave him. The youthful Leland used that tool in his first shop. Leland specializes what he calls in segmentation pieces. that when the opportunity presented itself to design his own shop.w*ffiMlM Leland built two lumber racks: one for longer boards and the othe6 shorter rack along the adjacent wallfor holding 3/" material. "My first tablesawcame from JCPenney. which his father built for him in the family barn.as well as shorter pieces. Like his shop.Leland has combined his woodworking and artistic skills to produce what he calls segmentationartwork. Bell Studio Lately. "That's when I got the idea to really set Llp a workshop. and "rnessing aroLlnd" doing woodworking alon-qside his fhther. He added a jointer. "l started to plzrn stuff out. before knew and needed woodworker a this Instead workshop! ofadding his upgraded on. bandsaw and drill press. so he built one. in his mini shop. After Jeff and Leanne.." 108 Americo's Besf Home Workshops 2008 . Gerry. west of Edmonton. That might have the been the end of it. The shop was well on its way. "We wound up bein-e there fbr six months. "So I thought it sure would be nice to have a tablesaw. befbre you know it. his wif-e. "Our farrrily was staying with my dad while our home was bein-e built in Spruce Grove. so Dad and I made one. its an-eledtwo-car -qarage became horne to Jeff's workbench. and there was no turning back. I had always liked doing things with rny hands.. it started with a workbench.One here one tool and tool it." he says. he there. and that needed a router table." Befbre long. pry or Jeff Tobert. littlebylittle. "Br"rt bench worked oLltso well. he started thinkin-e about his workflow. Tobert Jeff shaped unusually qarage. Jeff added a rollter. Alberta.moved into theirbungalowstyle honre." Jeff recalls." He and his father also made some furniture pieces at his dad'splace. and I fbund rnyself working with niy dad in his shop." says Jeff. and I thought it would be great to have a workbench. and a lumber rack he designed. SIZE: lrregularly shaped.leaving space for a pair of vehicles. ELECTRICAL: 50-amp subpanel. Jeff maximizeswall space with hangingcabinets. LEFT:Like many home workshops.tool boards. 500 HEATING:Direct-vent gas wallfurnace. Jeff's tools roll away and store conveniently. woodmogozine. eight11O-volt outlets on threecircuits. i ABOVE:lt took nearly four years. LIGHTING: Seven fluorescent fixtures(three quad-tube.workableshop. DUSTCOLLECTION: All majordust-producing tools attachedto 3-hp cyclone. the space also is used as a garage. (Seefloor plan on page fi|. r dual-tube) fou on dedicated 20-ampcircuit. shopvacuum minor for cleanups.) Approximately sq ft.The floor pfan on page 177 shows these in both the stored and in-use locations.TYPE: Attachedtwo-stall garage.com 109 . four 220-volt outlets. but Jeff Tobert transformed an angled garage into a wellequipped. in the caseof the tablesaw/routercabinet. He rnounted most of his tools on 110 Americo's Besf Home Workshops 2008 . located high and out of the way." A knockdown worktable Jeff clesi-uned and bLrilt helped too. carts." The obvious solution was to enclose the router in a cabinet. "I need tools. The loft providesadditionalstorage withouteatingup valuable floor space. and a lot of chips escaped out the bottom. and workbenches that give maximum function but store easily and eat up a small amount of storage space. maximizing space. So I projected out front the wall how much room I'd need."My bandszrw is also on wheels." Jeff explains.but crosscutting is a pain in the butt.and that was alon-9the longest axis. either the a-gainst wall or. and that was where I put my tablesaw. and a workbench in what he calls a hobby comer. underneaththe mitersaw table. "My jointer and planer are on wheels. "l needed to decide where I'd have the most rooffl to cut sheets. even though it stayswhere it is."Jeff says.&'' corner Thiswell-planned combineshomes for Jeff's mobile tablesaw/router cabinet. "That's why I put a router table in combination with rny tablesaw.) rnobile bases so he could store them ollt of the wo). Jeff positioned his drill press.Jeff's dust-collection which he added cyclone. is recently. "Ripping doesn't take lhat nruchroorn. versatility Wanted: Alon-e the lon-e wall. cabinetto the tablesaw/router the mitersaw store underneath the use of table. The vehicles wet'e parked at an angle. (Seepuge II4." he says. tnitersaw table. but I found them noisy.I used to have independent rollter tables with open bottoms. so Jeff would be working with an irre-9ulararea.his mitersawtable. and storagefor wood and Jeff designed other materials. his shop floor slopes toward the garage doors so water can exit. Mobilelumbercart Drill press I I ll Clamp rack ffiy rl rl Heater tl ABOVE:The angled walls and stepped ceiling of Jeff's garage were elements of the structure's bungalow design-not idealfor a workshop.com 111 . where he also situatedhis drill press and mitersaw.l l I I 16' t5i3i""JrEX Jointer (Stored) I I Storageloft Lumberrack S'nk Cyclonedust collector. LEFT:As with most garages in Jeff's community. woodmogozine. as were many features of Jeff's evolving shop. For sufficient crosscutting room.The dust-collection ductwork shown here was an add-on.Jointer (lnuse) Benchtop toolstorage shelves Garbaoe O Vacuum Spindle sander t-:--.tllefhff@ Knock-down worktable (Stored) s S helves KCord and storage Belt-sander cabinet and bladestorage Bandsaw Knock-down worktable (ln use) I planer tii utll Tablesaw . Jeff positionedhis mobile tablesaw parallelto the longest wall. like his jointer-on risers with adjustable feet so they could be leveled. The slope required him to place all his tools-whether stationary or movable. again."Jeff says. though. So he installed a central ductwork system and invested in a cyclone 3-hp remote-controlled dust collector. Americo's BestHome WorkshoPs 2008 112 . other tools ashe Jeff upgraded went-a process he says he wouldn't have repeated. A neighborwho is an electrician installeda 50-ampbreaker It's subpanel. drill I alsostartedwith a benchtop pressand replacedit with a floor model. I needed instead at besttoolsonce have lwould boughtthe it." Jeff will have a chance to Put into effect what he learned:He's designing and equipping a new workshopfor himself and his dad "This shop at his father'sacreage. level surface for miter-cutting long stock.utilities Adding The garagewas alreadyheated. It's better to plan right the first time. shouldhavewaitedand just got the 8" modelto startwith. For a few years." When Jeff remodeled his mitersaw table."I went from a 6" jointer to an 8" jointer. going bemylast little ofupgrading bylittle. "One Christmas." to it's I a Whenbuy lathe. But it was just too timeconsumingto hook up. so Jeff didn't have to deal with that issue..But he did have to considerelectricity-there were installed only basic receptacles in the ceiling along with three otheroutlets. "But going through the processalready will shop-design help me do this one exactlyright. and allows easy access to the saw if he wants to transport it.. That gives him a stable." Jeff acknowledges. and it won't have the challenges. Jeff's shop lacked dust collection. he placed the saw on top of it and built boxes the height of the saw bed. unhook. Cables feed through existingconduit and a wall into the main panel. wired for 220 volts and includes several 20-amp circuits. I got a present a portabledustcollecof tor that connectsto my various tools. hook up." "I he says. to lf I had doit allover now I "lf I realized have right I would gone tothelayouthave ashop. lathe.The right thing to do was go for the floor model. of insteadevolvingAlso. won't be as innovativeor as clever as my first one. andunhook. The answer was to construct a solid-wood subbase that attaches beneath the MDF platform. A 90'stop holds workpieces plumb.com 113 .wood screw Optionalopeningfor tablesaw #8 x 1s/q" F.H. LEFT:Jeff added an outfeed table to his tablesaw/routercabinet.LEFT:Ghips from Jeff's router collect in the cabinet and funnel through a hose into the dust collector. But the MDF alonecouldn't support the weight of the 500pound tablesaw. Drawers hold tablesaw accessoriesand router bits. "lt operates like a dream. BELOW:Jeff's nifty jig makes it easy for him to cut tenons.H. #8 x 11/z' F. The tablesaw can rest on the subbase because it protrudes through a cutout in the MDF platform.Another hose attaches to the router fence. completely dust-free. The router fence attaches to his dust-collection system.so he brought the hose up through the extension table. other adjustments can be made by moving the fence or raising the blade. proffiadkhm Jeff wanted his tablesaw on a movable base. which he constructed out of medium-density fiberboard (MDR to which he attached 4" locking swivel casters." he says. The plywood box slides along the fence. ABOVE:Jeff didn't want his router fence hose getting in the way of router or tablesaw operations.wood screws woodmogozine. "l can't do on heavyhand-planing it. and other winter gear. 'At the end of the day.If that plan to most projects. with for "Dad andI hadbeenmaking smallprojects my daughters to and handtools. The tabletoP leaves each consist of two PlYwood skins over lattice frames. keeps the base corners at 90o. it's just a piece of Mistakesdon't bother him.usingrough-grade the to it looks good.Then.%" Balticbirch plywoodcovered with laminate Table leaf levelers This versatiletable with a removableworksurface allows Jeff additional space to assemble projectswhen alignedwith his outfeedtable.They really weren't hard. My woodworking bookshelves more or lesstook off from there." /+" dowelswith mating holesin top hinges 30" long Continuous joining sideassemblies to end assemblies hinge Continuous 30" longjoiningboth ' halvesof end assembly profi Ie woodrnror{tert Jeff Tobert liked to read all emphahe woodworkingmagazines sizedhow easytheir projectswereto build.and leg levelersallow me to adjust the heightto match the sloPeof mY garage floor. who coacheshigh school football.To match the grain pattern as much as possible on the legs. The four-part finish starts with aniline dye. a scrollsaw and says. Continuoushinges sides and allow the rectangular to folding end assemblies collapse for easy storage." he says. has developeda coach'sgame First. So Jeff built them.but I alsosubscribed a bunchof magazines." wood. Jeff used a routertable-mounted lock-miter bit." Jeff. he doesa scaledrawingof the project."So I startedbuilding the nightstands including WOOD@:'Jeff they featured. covered with plastic laminate. "You can alwaysstartagain. coated with shellac. eventhe entireproject. 114 Americo's Best Home Workshops 2008 . Willow Creeklmaging Alan Photographs: High.he graduates constructing actualproject. if or elements. boots. he doesn'tanswefall his questions. This quartersawnoak cabinet stores gloves." Jeff says. "but it holds nice and secure. followed by stain. builds a mock-upof the complicated plywood.then sealed with polyurethane. 95 UniversalWall Gabinet Plan DP-00140 $8.ecfly you anadditional per to for $3 plan (S+H). Super-Flexible Shop Storage Plan DP-00280 $5.75 0n-the-Mark Mitersaw Station Plan DP-00276 $4.95 3-DrawertilityCabinet t Plan DP-00275 $5.ftom editors W00lTragazine the of :PF. have mailed or hem di.95 Basic Workbench and 6 Ways Beefit Up to Plan DP-00456 $7.95 Full-Service Workbench Full-Service Workbench Plan.95 Gyclone Gollector Dust Plan DP-00068 $10.95 Swivel-Topped Tool Cabinet Plan DP-00063 $8.95 Mobile Gabinet Tool Plan DP-00260 $7.DP-00059 Part $8.COm/planS a image. downloading yourselftoview larger For theplan or gotowoodmagazine.DP-00058 Part Router Tool & Table $A. . 2.95 Mobile Sawing & Routing Genter Plan DP-00271 $8.gS Lift-Up Plan.95 Lumber Storage Rack Plan DP-00135 $7.95 Bench-Tool System Plan DP-00560 $6. Cail lree l-888-036-tt478 forpaper-ptan card toll credir orders.25 Mobile Storage Plan DP-00321 $2.95 One-Day Workbench Plan DP-00319 $3.95 Roll-Around Base Tool Plan DP-00061 $6.95 Mobile Mitersaw Genter Plan DP-00098 $7.95 Five Great Glamp 0rganizers Plan DP-00230 $6.ff:.95 Benchtop Router Table Plan DP-00151 $7.95 Space-Saving Work Genter Plan DP-00168 $6. 1.95 Download ottheabove any plans woodworking fortheprices listed. more more clever that their iodevise ideas make workshops efficient. asked oiginized.Bruce's fenceto yoursaw'sregular rabbet-cutting A H"r"'. T-bolts. best job."Thisprovides the securing feather Bruce fence. thesidefacing On overthe regular he setsit in place to box the attach auxiliary fencesecurely hisripfence. The suggestions. itt0 readers Leave our tosend their allacross America us orjust fun. a no-clamp wayto add a sacrificial it." than boardandotherattachments withjustthe regular of lockdown the feather and better or the the he moves fencearound shopfor storage when on The explains. and projects pages with fences. replaces he rip boxfencefits overhisT-square-style fence. buift-in away fence. secondstabat Thismodelis Bruce's the him allowing to tighten bolts deepin the MDF. Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 Fence Rabbet-Cutting 116 . other following teem jigs. racks. from fence. brass madeusing screws. dadoVz" into tuckssnugly a s/a" T-track aluminum movement muchsmoother face to board thesacrificial of the box. Bruce Greenawald. easily alongthe way'An improvements several adding the boxfence. more We woodworkers North tables. two handles top helpwhen clamping two fromthecamera.whenthe MDFsidegetstrashed. toall! Thanks off next cut but wont long ttrat take tobuild could hours your woodworking Pa. Schnecksville. only The whichDoncalls"anexercise in overkill. top andendsaremahogany. of witha cutoutin the middle the router-bit for opening. fence. to conform thedrill-press to tableis partof the mounting system. Arh is router/cl ping/downd am raft-sand g table(aboveandtop) is Don in Henderson's workbench.com 117 . fenceis aligned andaft usingtwo The fore steelrules embedded theworksurface cramped place into and in via thethreaded knobon the rightend. Don 0rleans." made is fromthreelengths 2x6 birch. center The viseassists drilling handles otherodd-shaped in tool and objects that require accurately drilled holes. The andthe facesaremaple. the Tabl€ DonHenderson's { Dtill'PfgSS dritt-press consists two tabte of 3/+" layers 3/q" of MDFwitha/2" phenolic Additional MDFshaped top.Sixadjustment screws behind the movable faceslevel andsquare fenceto the table. Comnation rTa bi Route bleAltlorkbench woodmogozine. 0nt.from Henderson. in holes the plywood Clamp Portable Rack Mo. Dougestimates took himabout madefromscrap3/a" box. in standupright Longclamps he to wheelit wherever needs.drawer. allowDoug Hidden casters iron and top.Vz" pipe Red Minn."buttheyhadto be sturdyenough hold helps drawers the of A the blades. of whichconsists a simple the to fourhours construct rack. Dobbs." lubrication paraffin dowels slidein andout. holdssmaller at drawer the bottom A cabinet. (abineVExtension lable Blade Saw Storage of hadan abundance sawblades Dobbs { Cfrartes of to store. threaded pipes.but not an abundance room. Doug from Dankers. carbide 118 Americo's BestHome Workshops 2008 . pipeholdsmorethana dozen thenstuckthe pipeendsintotwo withteesandelbows. storage this multidrawer real table. has DougDankers manyclamps mostwoodworkers." says. spacers Hardboard in the the between bladesprotect teeth. plywood one clamps.So fromscrap particleboard devised he redoakandmelamine-coated as whichalsoserves a cabinet. horizontal used%" pipeto hanghisspring ) Ooug the threaded pipes Doug clamps. together base.Hissolution: portable andlittleroomto store it plywood. from Charles Gladstone. the holes of top-to-bottom-aligned in thetop andwithin a set clamps. didn'twantthe drawers "l extension tablesaw to he fancy.Half-inch of to screwed the bottoms the holdhisblades drawers 2"-deep place. Wing. A t-it<e clamprack a them. Dadoesin the verticalsupportsmake it easy to adjustthe spacingor add additionalbit holdersas needed.. Ta blesaw Extension/Router Table extension Orv'sshopalsodoubles a in as l The22x48'tablesaw router table. builta router orv fence portthatattaches witha vacuum to thetablesaw fence. drawer leftfitsunder endof the rip The at the worksurface provides and accessory storage.com 119 .. { Orv createdthis 32x24x8" wallcabinetusingmelamine shelvingmaterials. from Hale.:iii$ r.:. Finddozens FREE project of plans at wootl nragazi ne.i # Bits-and-Accessodes WallCabinet (alif. Lockinghingeskeep the cabinet door open for easyaccess.conr/f reeplans woodmogozine. Orv Escondido. part of the table-height-adjustment in everything place.a. akro-mils.fl-t-.com). 120 Americo'sBeslHomeWorkshops 2008 . added plasticbins 18x21" the original From (800-253-2467. keepsout inquisitive 10 plasticshelfbinsand safetysigns.To he wireshelves.Keithcut a bottom and dividersfor the scrap pull-outbasket. outfeedtable resultedin a severe { Wfrena collapsing he Jerry realized neededan outfeed saw-cut injury. .thermostatcontrol. Jerry salvaged fence rail.Keithremovedthe powercord.The freezer's identifythe freezer's Totalcost: around$70 for children. was uprightfreezer He foundone when his family's duringa move.and two Freoncoils. and otherchemicals finishes. solvents. agricultural keep mechanism. damaged door light.f l $uilr'*tlil rilililllnl rR '-t'... Table Outfeed Ind. Winamac. I I :\ Unit Chemicalstorage West Keith Betscher. tablethat would remainsolidlyuprightand enablehim to cut longerboardsand plywood panelssafely'His 4x3' outfeedtable bolts into placeon the tablesawrearparticleboard. ) Keithneededa securecabinetto store his and fluids. v H ? r+*=.and appliedsignsto the door to originallock new use. labeledbins. made by Akro-Mils plywood. ftester.:: [ .Lockingnuts.. from JerryJones.0hio from paints.! E .He sorted chemicalsand fluids freezer's by type.The top is 3/a" disk bladesfor the bases. l. -/ r I lf The systemis sturdyenoughto hold Dwane's grinderand accessories.ii e p+. Wadesville.Ind. A spacernearthe bottomholdsthe plumb. Roundedoveredgesand a coat of clearfinish giveeach holdera professional look." Mating bevelcleat Cleat rail Mating bevelcleat .r ipped 45 ' to a l l o wa at matingbeveled cleatto slip over it for a secureattachment.com i.Dwayne first hunga pieceof plywood on the cleat. Th e cl e atr ailis 1x 3 pine . The holesfor the %" steelrods upon whichthe clampshangare angledslightly upwardso the clampswon. ii.Wall System Cleat from Dwayne Ackerman.w i thth e to p edgebev el.$fi" # A fo hanghis clamps. ).' 1# fi lr lt il ffrr woodmogozine. p Dwayne Ackerman customdesigned theseholdersso items could hangon a wallcleatsystem he'dseenin ldeaShop 5 in WOOD@ (Youcan buy the plansat magazine.then screwedthe plywoodto the wallto add extrasecurity.rj$i ' - l."Dwayne "l cautions."Screwthe beveled backboard cleat railto studs.t slideoff the frontsof the rods. learned that the hard way. 121 . Paris. from Greg Portland.Greg used the metalcomponentsof a Delta 50-322Planerstand ($57from the and 800-735-8665) shortened legsto yield toolmart. " ' l 122 Americo's Besf Home Workshops 2008 . woodcraft. 1 6 i lvi ! F-{ .com).--l t' { { Stand llDri Press/Mortiser Paris. from ) ft seemedto Greg that a benchtopplanerweighingmore than 90 lbs on top of a narrowmobilebase might topple if it ran similar over a cord or wood Scrap. swivelcastersfrom Woodcraft 3" heavy-dutydouble-locking ($1 each. .For the base. the { t-it<e mobileplanerstand below. Eachsupplydrawerfacesthe same directionas the tool aboveit.Ore. The unit moveseasilyon four the properoverallworkingheight. s -Eil at: plans proiect of Finddozens FREE .com.l *j*=: Planet Mobile Stand Greg Portland. i i r i ' ! t E " i ' . so it's easyfor Greg to access he whateveraccessories needs.The only differenceis to his drill-press/mortiser that both drawerson this stand open in the same direction. .Ore.So he fashionedan enclosure stand above. r : . the Gregreplaced MDFtop on this tool and his drillpressand maple he bought at a local mortiserwith a sectionof 11/2"-lhick hardwoodsupplier. whereverhe movedthem.Greg customized to mortiser this standfor his drillpressand hollow-chisel ensurethat his top-heavybenchtoptools would be stable. 800-225-153. he installed platform.Thekeysareto angleand padthe armsthat holdthe tool-Joel secured foampipeinsulation with electrician's tape-and to provide clearance the pad for to continue turning freely. off Joel doesa lotof sanding. Point.leevalley."all ! do is liftthe sander (as untilit locksintoposition shownat right). lockin place. hadto haulit out.com 123 . this basedon a kitchen appliance ($8Sa pairfrom Lee add-on." and Retnctable lable Sander 0ftitalSander Holder fromJoel Nowland. woodmogozine. "NowwhenI wantto sand. lowerit out of the w6ywhenl'm done.lift it ontothe bench. he attachthe dust-collection hose.Lifterbrackets Valley. whichrequires continuously pickingup andsetting downthe sander. 800-871-8158. Tosavetimeandeffort.and put it all backwhenhe wasdone. timeDennis wanted usehisoscillating to spindle I Every sander. { Wnenyousetyourrandom-orbit you're forcedto waituntilthepadcomesto a complete stopto keepit fromvibrating yourworkbench. A removable vacuum 2" hoseon the backsideconnects his to shopvacuum.com). 0nt. which mountto woodsupports boltedto the legsat hisworktable. wanted He a handyplaceto holdthe sander whileit powers down. West Utah sander down. www."Dennis says.()ahille from Dennis Masotti. way and to preventthe wheelsfrom flattening Bolted to ceiling joist :-* 124 Americo's Besl Home Wotkshops 2008 .Stan Initially made from an 8' pieceof angleiron now usesthe apparatus.moreangleiron.mostlyto movethe lathe's tailstockout of the way with ease. edged and outfeedtable' betweenthe tablesaw'sback edge alsofolds in on hinges.he storesit to keep it out of the carriagefor extended out. Bill from Bruxvoort.The carriage(bottom) of consists bolts. assembly The leg/rail I Y I 'l lrack Hoist Neb.He constructed particleboard white melamine-coated with a top of 3/+" hinges then installed with rubberT-molding. fascinated intendedto help lift heavylogs onto the machine. Stan from Harder. boltedto ceilingjoists (below).Outfeed Tablesaw Table lowa Leighton. also fold ) eitfwanteda stableoutfeedtable that could 4' squaretable a down when not in use.and four wheelsfrom in-line stores')The skates.0maha. periods. visitingStan Harder'sshop are { Most woodturners with the homemadehoisttrack abovehis lathe.(Stanfinds used skatesat secondhand hoistextendsfrom the headstockof the latheto just overthe When he doesn't use the outfeedtable of Stan'stablesaw. jigs. back The sideof someof the pipesalso arescrewed the perforated to hardboard prevent entire to the assembly fromtoppling forward. other special or woodworking See solutions. controls "the are handy the latheandtakeup to no wallspacewhatsoever."Thatway.lathe 0rganizer Tool from Ball." Dear Readers.a serious the pastfiveyears. We're planningnext ofAmerico3 already our issue Best Workshops! Home We're looking for interesting. Heglued together PVCpipesof differing lengths diameters and usingPVCcement. [and. Ben Sugar Texas turnerfor { Ben. He mounted controls his for lathe's vacuum chuckon a piece plywood.page 127 learn tosubmit full or your to how your shopjust ideas. created this organizer quickandeasy for access hisnumerous to turning toolsandhandheld accessories.com 125 . hardworkingthat well-organized ofproblem-sglving shops are and full ideas as such storage projects." o'f63/tx13" he explains. woodmogozine. Sammy out of the way.Texas Hargrove. cut out a piece 1"-thick tool of hisoffthe-shelf for insulation eachof the drawers to of the box. too bit. witha 1/2" straight Heavoids snuga fit by routing lines.So he cart a created portable PlYwood on easilY that not onlymoves but casters alsoletshimloadand difficultY. holds overthe Vz" bracket PiPe "l in theassembly place.traced outlines thetoolshewished storeon into eachrecess the rigidfoam and routed eachpiece.everything saYS. without sheets unload at to thanks the rollers each usedpine2x4sto end.(art Plywood Dallas. from Feuerstein. whichheattached blackpipeof various ands/c" sPaced for heights the uprights. from Sammy had { Sammy too manY plywood takinguPtoo sheets muchspacein hisshop. the create 76x31" thecasters. into 11"apartandanchored PiPe at For flanges. cantilt sheetup andget it on a plywood storesneatlY the cart. of woodto 11A" and eachcylinder through holes inserted steelrods. the rollers each six turned Pieces end. the outside marked slightly 126 Americq's BestHome Workshops 2008 .Sammy drilled diameter.every rigid-foam of He it belongs. Jeff tool looksas though ) InJeff'stoolchest. Wis.Sammy 2x8sto frame." t I I Hand-IoolBox Neenah.Thenhe 7+" fed the rodsintoshortPieces of /2" pipeat eachendand in Conduit the between rollers. IA 50309-3023 or you can e-mail your submission homeworkshops@meredith. sendus the If following. o Three to five photosshowingthe overall layout. A rough sketchof the floor plan that showsoverall shopdimensionsand includesthe locationsof tools. Besidessearchingfor great workshops. Now. small-space shops. A photo of eachshopwall. fill .we're also looking for problem-solvinghelpersfor the gallery section. if l*l woodmogozine. You're holding issue2. workbenches.garages. taking your cue from the featuredshopsfound in this issue: . o Close-upsof dedicatedmachining or storageareasand problem-solvingshopprojectsthat successfully one or more needs. to The deadlineis September 2008.com. we're gathering f I submissions issue3. and r A short write-up of what makesyour shopgreat and how it servesyour woodworking interests. Sendyour submission to: America's Best Home Workshops WOOD@ Magazine 1716Locust St. wood storage.LS-221 DesMoines. Would you like your shopor a friend's to be considered for nationalexposurein the next issue? so. You loved it.com 127 . Submissions 1. but pleaseinclude your daytime telephone number.mailing address.and any other shopyou think woodworkersmight like to scour for ideasto createor upgradetheir own shops.like thosestarting on page 116. we're on the lookout for all types of for shops:basements. you haveone available. fn2007.$q}Feffr 0F we publishedissuer of America'sBestHome workshops.. outbuildings. and e-mail address. cannotbe returned.