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Well it's been a long winter but I'm finally to the point of installing lighting in my new shop. It's looking pretty sweet. 10 x 16 finishing room, couple of lofts and some nice, new equipment. It will be a while before I have a home made for everything but the cool part is to be finishing a place where you actually have all your tools handy, if you know what I mean. No running to the shop to make that one table saw cut.

My question to you guys is, if you could, tell me some of the things that you really like about your shop. What really works well for you? Whether is something to do with layout or a tool you couldn't live without? Or if you were to do it again what would you do differently?

Thanks for any input. I really appreciate it!

Cheers, Danny

" Or if you were to do it again what would you do differently?"

I would remove the "if".

My philosophy is that you will (or at least I will, therefore assume everyone else will as well ) find things to change and areas to improve or make more ergonomic. I build everything as non-committal as reasonable. No nails, just screws and bolts. Build every bench, tool, wall for that matter, with it in mind that you may very well discover a better layout after working with it a while and decide to rip it out a year from now.

This is why I have very few benches made from anything other than MDF or OSB and 2"x4"s. If a bench is too pretty or perfect, I feel it will become an obstacle to improvement as I hesitate to take a skil saw to it when I find room for improvement. Not everyone works the same way of course, but I always anticipate change and growth in my shop, and the will to keep things flexible is a very important asset to me.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

I LIKE:
Large tool cabinet(s) on wheels
mobile bases
kitchen cabinetry storeage
outlets everywhere
main switches and breakers in area (kid safety)
main bench in middle (all 4 sides accessible)
optivisor

TO GET:
adjustable height bench
more lighting, outlets (using more space now)
tool chest topper
table saw & band saw upgrades

I had to go through a shop revival recently.
Not by my own choice. Got too sick to be able to use my shop for over a year. My two sons both carpenters and artists moved into the shop and decided to reorganise everything to improve it in their eyes. By the time I was able to start going out to it again I could not even find my chisels. Their heart and wood was in the right place but it did not work for the way I worked so we had a compromise. Some of their ideas were good. Some did not make sense. Together we reorganised it once again and now it is better then before. Three ways of looking at wood storage which I still find the biggist issue solved many problems. Work stations and placement of stationary tools was resolved and I ended up with one area totally for handbuilding. I love the comradery within the shop now and look forward to having them around. Took some adjustment but I wouldn't want it any other way. Plus they finally started buying their own tools.

Todd

Danny sounds like it's coming along nicely

So will this shop be just for guitars or will you be making a lot of other things in it as well? This would be important to know/determine in order to set up shop.

I too would love a center type bench where all sides are accessable. I'd make a dropped ceiling above it and the underside af the ceiling would be for the go bar deck. Lots of space for storing stuff above.

That's a big finishing room (almost the size of my whole shop) you going to be offering finishing services???

I'll have to try and get out to see your place some time in the summer.

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

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

There are plenty of things I would like to improve but here is what I like about my shop.

Lots of lights
Built in dust collection
Mobile bases.

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Brad
Avon, OH

Lots of storage and lighting, or organize some natural light source with skylights,,,
I know that even though it appears as though you have plenty of room to store wood - youll get more wood - its a given for most if not all of us - congrats, it looks like we will both have a new shop this spring!!
Cheers
Charlie

I just did a reorganization of my shop too, but I can already see ways to improve it. The new clearvue dust collection system is a MUST for any shop (at least any GOOD dust collection system). My performax sander is a MUST have and a good band saw is a MUST also. I need more flat working surfaces. Seems like I can never have too many. A good wood storage system is a MUST also, and it looks like you already addressed that area.

Kitchen cabinet storage and a good roll around tool chest are pluses. I use a LOT of wooden cigar boxes to organize and store small parts. Sure does make it ewasy to find things when you need them.

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Reguards,

Ken H

Ken brought up a good point.

Small part storage. I really need to do something with the small parts which we all end up collecting for guitar making. Bridge pins, nut and saddle blanks, inlay material etc...

The other thing I'd really like to have is a well organized sanding area where all my sandpaper is. Some sort of downdraft table with a couple shelves on the wall for sandpaper storage. I sure like the look of Jim Olson's sanding station. Yum, look at all those dinabrade sanders



Oh and if you're going to be using vacuum for your braces etc, one of those body holders like he has at the edge of the bench would be great too. I also like the "safety arms" that the vacuum jig is attached too. Good idea there.

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My Facebook Guitar Page

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

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

OK and while I'm dreaming....

Why not throw in one of these cool set up benches like Kevin Ryan has.



Ok, one of his guitars can come along too

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My Facebook Guitar Page

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

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

I totally agree with David. I've done 2 big reorginizations in 10 years in this shop. Did 3 in 12 years in my last shop.

Walls of mdf instead of (or over) drywall. You can screw stuff right to the wall without needing a stud. But paint it! I left mine unfinished and it's too dark. White melamine works well too. And speaking of dark...

Good lighting! I changed to "triten 50" flouresent bulbs that are very bright and have good color. 5000 K and 85 CRI. Expensive but they last years and are worth it.

The pin router I built is my favorite non-standard tool. I use it to cut plates and peghead veneers to shape, rout binding channels in fretboards and pegheads, duplicate patterns, make offset patterns and a few other things.

My next project is to build a bump out addition for my dust collector. I want to move it out of the shop to reduce noise and increase space.

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http://www.chassonguitars.com

Light, light, light and more light - you can never have enough light it seems.

I am fortunate to have a window in my shop and it just makes the place much more pleasant. In addition to the ceiling lights, located over each work area, have some small focused lights that you can concentrate on what you are working on. Consider a light inside your go-bar deck, an area that by design gets shaded from the ceiling lights but where we need to see what we are doing.

And as mentioned prior put the machines that you do not use frequently on wheels and get them out of your way.

Do a safety evaluation of your shop that includes:

1) Are my chemicals stored properly/safely and not where sun light can hit them at anytime of the year.
2) Any over loaded electrical sockets?
3) Air quality - am I set up to keep my air and shop clean and healthy?
4) Do you have a fully charged and maintained fire extinguisher near the door?
5) From Mario - a standard operating procedure for getting something hazardous out of your eye - eye wash station, cup, and knowing where they are if you have to find them blind.......
6) From Filippo - is my shop set-up in a manner in which someone can come in when I am working and I don't notice it and they scare the crap out of me........ and someone gets injured?
7) From Mitch - mistakes in this business may not grow back...... Do you have push sticks, eye and ear protection at every machine? And this is directed at me - do I know how to properly and safely use the machines that I have?

Here is something else that I really like about my shop that has not been previously mentioned - personalize it. Surround yourself with the things that you enjoy and make you feel like a dog in it's favorite napping place. For me it is tools and jigs, signed of course, by other builders who I greatly respect and admire, memories of funny things, and Jimi Hendrix (not in person he would no longer be writing songs now but instead be decomposing and smell) but posters of Hendrix.

Make it your space what ever that means but be sure that it is safe and healthy first.

Great thread!

Light, light, light.....

Why don't y'all just rub a little more salt in the wound? How 'bout some lemon juice?

With good daylight in a commercial building running about at least an extra $10 sq/ft around here, I'm stuck with looking for good artificial light. I'll have to look in to the Triten 50 you mentioned Kent. It may be a bit much $ to replace all 4 dozen or so bulbs right away, but perhaps I'll see if a mix is bearable. So many of the "natural daylight" bulbs I've tried look way too blue in my bomb shelter, but I haven't tried these yet.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

A go-bar deck accessible from two or more sides - or one on a lazy susan. Very handy for glue cleanup!

-Mark

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Pullman, WA

The more I know, the more I know I don't know.

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I hate to beat a subject to death but !
I find side lighting is very important !
I hooked 4 foot shop lights vertically (as close to the ceiling as i could get them) in all 4 corners and a few at the
ceiling to wall junction (angled towards the center of the room)help way more than just ceiling lights!

Otherwise just more organization!
Know where all your tools are located and always put them back when your done using them!

Mike Collins
http://www.collinsguitars.com

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Mike Collins

WOW! Is that a bunch of good stuff. Thanks guys. No matter how much thought you put into it there's always a lot of ways to make it work better. I just want to get as close as possible first try.

David- the ongoing evolution. It will happen here for sure.

Terry- all good. I have my eyes open for an old crank hospital bed. Add a frame for the top and there's your height adjustable bench. They're built like tanks with wheels instead of treads. The downfall is its hard to incorporate storage into them.

Todd- Wood storage . I've got room for the big stuff, it's the little stuff I have a hard time with. Waaaay too many nice little pieces end up in the wood stove cause I get tired of tripping over them.

Rod- Sadly I'll have to do the odd kitchen to justify the space with the Boss. Being new to luthiery I have yet to put together a buffing set up. When I do you'll just have to come out and do your own. Any more photos of that sweet looking Kevin Ryan setup?

Todd S- U shape. I like it and have room for it and another. Tunes are foremost. As of now all I have is a boom box, but did put an outlet where the stereo cabinet will eventually be.

Brad- Done, done and done.

Ken- I managed to have an Oneida Cyclone come all the way from New York to BC in a round about way. It will be a challenge plumb it in but have spent a lot of time on Bill Penze's site.

Kent- The walls are all drywall for now but I can see where after punching a few holes in them(no, not with my fist) I'll probably put something on the bottom 4'. I'm using Phillips 5000k lamps. What's the CRI# about? I thought about putting dust collection outside but didn't want to suck all the heat out. I guess I'll see 75db will make me any crazier.

Hesh- Went through my youth with reckless abandon. Safety . Got pretty big on safety over the years. Always good to be reminded though. Light over go bar deck. Good one. I think you have a mobile deck and for me that looks like the way to go. And I now have a place for all the stuff my wife tried to make me get rid of after we got married. She thought I threw it out.

Filippo- I know. the question is a little vague. Just looking for the odd tidbit that you find makes your shop work well for you. Space won't be an issue........ well at least until I move in. It will be a multi use woodwork shop.


Thanks all for sharing your thoughts. What a great bunch! Feel free to keep em' coming.


Cheerio,
Danny

Mike- I did put side lighting in the finishing room.

Thanks!

David, replacing the bulbs a few at a time works but you have to buy 15 at a time from most places anyway to get a good deal. I got great service from these guys http://jandslighting.com/catalog/index.php and the owner was a classical player, as I recall. Also the best prices I could find at the time too.

The triten 50 is very white, not that awful blue.

The CRI is "color rendering index". Maybe someone with photography experience will know more about it but my understanding is that it is a relative index based on how colors appear compared to natural daylight. I believe it is only valid to compare CRI within the same Kelvin temperature rating. 85 and up is deemed color accurate but it gets confusing because the high temp (like 6500K) lights still look blue and the low temp still look more orange.

And with dust collection outside, you can still vent the air back in. The seperation and some baffles will still cut a lot of the noise.

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http://www.chassonguitars.com

Lots of good info here.

Wheels! put everything on wheels.

Also, take a look at Sergie deJonge's shop. Lots of good ideas there.

That Kevin Ryan work station looks pretty cool. Wall to wall bench top carpeting

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

Now Hesh, where can we each get a Sony???????

Will a cat do??

Danny - This is a timely thread for me, too. I am getting ready to enclose a portion of my garage and this is to die for info. Thanks for the great thread. Let us see pics when you get there.

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Steve Walden
Aspiring Builder,
Bartlesville, OK