Official Luthiers Forum!

I, too, have Sketchup but never worked with it. I would also love to have the
basic layout file so I could play with it. I am moving and setting up a new
shop and it would be REALLY helpful! Thanks.

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Sylvan
http://www.wellsguitars.com

The easiest way to get the tools, layout, etc, is to just go to the 3D Warehouse (I think you go to "File>3DWarehouse>Get Model" or something like that. I'm at work right now, so I'm not sure.) and download this model. Then you can break it up, move tools around, add and remove tools, etc. To find it, search for "luthier". Only my files will come up. The one called "guitar shop reorganization" has these most current models. If you'd rather, though, I can email you the file.

Bob, you'll see I added the buffer!

The "T" wall is not really necessary, it just happened to already be there, so I thought I would use it. Actually, it's just a half wall in the 8' section between the DC and bench. So, I'm definitely open to other suggestions, there. In time, I plan to move the DC and compressor outside anyhow (with return air, of course), but I'm not there yet.

Sooooo...whatcha got?

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Wes McMillian
Santo, TX
http://www.wesmcmillian.com

Oh, and I like the split receptacle wiring thing. I'll have to make that happen on at least some circuits!

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Wes McMillian
Santo, TX
http://www.wesmcmillian.com

Heavy draw 220V machines will need dedicated circuits, but you don't have any in your drawing... unless that's a monster table saw.
Split receptacles are great for running other stuff too. You can plug your heat blanket & a space heater into the same receptacle & not worry about popping the breaker.
    
I think you will need more room around your buffer. I would also like to see it further out from the wall.
Also... I would keep your bench grinder in an area as far away from a guitar workbench as possible.
If you ever grind steel, tiny particles will get tossed all over the place. Steel grit can spoil your day if it ends up in the wrong place. It'll probably be fine if you only use it for sharpening, but if you are doing some heavy grinding & making sparks fly...
Same with the buffer. It'll throw polish & lint everywhere.
If you are using the shelf above your workbench as the top of a go-bar deck, it'll need to be built really strong. I have a similar rig & I have beefed it up twice since I first built it.
I am buying some "puck lights" to install under the upper go-deck this week. If I install them right next to the wall, they won't get in the way of the go-bars. The more light you have, the fewer mistakes you will make! (At least that is true for my old eyes.)
If you move your dust collector outside now, instead of later, it will improve the picture enormously... All that wasted wall space!!!

I grabbed your layout thingies, then quickly discovered i totally suck at this Google etch-a-sketch stuff....


I'm a pencil draftsman, with the drafting table to prove it <g>
 Sorry...

So, how do we move stuff around in this? I tried just grabbing the things, but ended deleting, spinning, and doing other miserable things to them...

What i wanted to suggest was losing your benches completely, and instead, building a 6' by 6' island as your bench. You end up wit the equivalent of 16' of benches, and can work on 4 complete guitars at any one time. I have this island, and it's the focus of my shop.

Place it in a corner(the lower left corner, by the doorway seems good), allowing 2, 3, or 4 feet from the island to the walls(however many feet you're comfortable with. That maximizes the wall space for hanging stuff, you'll have more bench space than you already do, and I -think- you'll have more open space in the rest of the shop. You can even make the island 4' by 6' to open the shop further, though that means only 2 guitars can be on it at one time.

Can you draw this up?

Ah, a square island table! Yeah, I've seen that very thing in some cabinet shops, I'll get right on it.

Were you still thinking about removing the "T" wall, or leaving it and using the wall space? Leave the other side somewhat as is?

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Wes McMillian
Santo, TX
http://www.wesmcmillian.com

If the partition walls are not load bearing (which I don't' think they would be) I would get rid of them and move the DC and compressor outside to an exterior room if possible. I would than make the "clean room the length of the east wall to just the east side of the entrance door.

Like this



I think that would maximize the room for the big machines and would give you plenty of space for the cleaner tasks.

That's what I would do If I had that much space. My 185 sft sure feels small at times but I'm glad I have it.

Make as many "loft" type areas as you can for storage as well as upper decks for go-bars as Tony mentioned. You won't regret it.

This is my go-bar deck and loft area combination.



and the loft area above it



man I miss being in the shop

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

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I dunno, Rod. This certainly gives plenty of room for my power tools - a good thing there. It leaves the clean room only 6' wide, though. With the addition of the sliding glass door (along with the two windows at the bench) maybe it wouldn't be too bad. This sounds a lot like what Kent was suggesting. Well, actually, it leaves more room than his area does.

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Wes McMillian
Santo, TX
http://www.wesmcmillian.com

Some interesting things going on with Mario's layout.

1) LOTS of bench space
2) LOTS of cabinet/drawer space underneath
3) LOTS of wall space unemcumbered by benches (and worrying about knocking tools off on your guitars.) Yet, everything can still be within arms reach - at your back or in a drawer underneath.
4) This huge island table (or whatever clean corner of it I can find) still can serve as a TS outfeed should I need one. (TS will be on wheels)
5) Still leaves 3-4' clearance all the way around the bench
6) Has the freedom of using any part of the island as a go-bar area, using an overhead storage rack. Actually, with 8' celings, I probably wouldn't even need one. I rip all my own go-bars, anyway, to whatever length I want.
7) Still leaves the freedom - if someone wanted - to partition of the area and still leave 2-3' clearance by simply extending the end of the T wall. Say with a sliding glass door, like Rod recommended, leaving a more open feel. This would lose the ability to use the table as an outfeed, unless you used like a 5' full pocket door, or something.

Note, this rendition doesn't even remove the partition wall, which would give even more room, if wanted.

Now, this layout does leave less dedicated room than Rod's for shop tools. But, again, my major tools will be mobile, so I can reposition them as needed for more working room.

So, Mario, I take it you're not one who sees the need to separate your assembly area from your major shop tools? I suppose with proper dust collection, it wouldn't be a big thing.

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Wes McMillian
Santo, TX
http://www.wesmcmillian.com

take it you're not one who sees the need to separate your assembly area from your major shop tools?

Correct. When I built this 3rd(and hopefully final) shop, I split it in two sections, clean and dirty. I framed it, and was to install 4' wide swinging doors(restaurant style) between each side. I even went as far as installing a separate gas furnace in each half! Then i started working in it before completion, and quickly discovered that it indeed isn't really necessary to have a clean and dirty room. Especially since I began using a sweeping compound to hold down dust while sweeping!

Now, I don't see a spray booth in your setup, and don't know what your finish will be, but you could always install a long curtain to go around the island if you do require a very clean area for finishing.

IF you do go with the island idea, plan it well, for you need to run power to it from the floor, or overhead, otherwise, you'll be tripping on power cords all the time, coming-in from behind. Also, I left a 6" overhang on mine, and seeing your corner with the bench reminded me that one each side, i can open a door(I have 3 doors on either side) and inside, I recessed the shelves a further 6 inches, so I can sit right up at the island with the door open, which I did when I blew my back and had to work in a wheeled drafting chair.

If you lose the silly little wall wit the stuff behind it, you have a perfect place for your table wth the drill press, sander, etc...., or for a killer go-bar deck/bench.

No, Mario, I hadn't figured in a spray booth yet. And, yes, I do spray, so guess if I'm going to lay one out, it may as well be now. I did a little 6X6 room in this drawing. Enough? Seems it still leaves ample room around the table (which I drew in as a simple 4X8). I had another drawing with no wall at all, but thought I'd try your spray booth suggestion.

Mario, you'll see I took your advice on the back wall and set up my benchtop tools as well as a go-bar deck. In a pinch, I'm still hoping I could use any part of the table as extra go-bar space.

And, again, the DC and air compressor WILL be moved outside as soon as I can put together a shed to house them. For now, they'll just have to take up floor space.

Thanks for indulging me in this ongoing post. It really has been an unbelievably helpful post for me! The major parts of my question have already been addressed, I think, to the point that I can plan my major electrical, etc. Guess I do need to work out a spray booth plan and give it some dedicated lighting. May as well go ahead and rip out/put in whatever walls I'm going to, paint, and be done with it.

_________________
Wes McMillian
Santo, TX
http://www.wesmcmillian.com