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Best America's HomeWorkshop rlj A /l J rl {' I I neat&complete I Detail,organization,and creativity mix freely and easily in this suburban shop, built alongsidea brand-newhome. 4r I| h tripledelight carver of Native \./ A renowned American totem poles and art designed a workspace seruingthree distinct functions. 1r makeovel / n extreme When a Pittsburgh woodworker L\J remodeled his home, out went the vehicles. ln came all new tools and work areas. Apryeafs | \Jperfect inthe planning resulted andcareful in the making rwoyearsof patience shop for a Pennsylvaniafurnituremaker. l.t J m nri/| up lls 7,,, G*- -t Zimmerman Randy fashion, toaddtoolsinpiecemeal Refusing acomplete mentor andoutfitted 0fatrusted followed theadvice allatonce. headquarters woodworking he best woodworking advice Randy Zimrnerman received had nothing to what kind of do with techniqr,re. woocl to use.ol even shop safety. Savs tl-re 47-year-old mechanic fbr the lowa Air NationalGuard: "The advicewas. 'lf you'regoing to builcl a shop. don't get into it l u t l l ' w a yw . i t h c h e a pe q u i p r n e n t . and r.rpgriide as yoLl go. Wait r-rntilyor-rcernaffbrd to buy the best equipment. then jLrntp ir-r with both f-eet.'" 56 As he did with other words of wisdorn frorn Arliss Boothe. his neighbor and woodworking Randy listenedandheeded. _sllru. The result is the quintessentially eqLrippedshop he built six years a-9oin his gara-ue.ar short walk fl'om his central Iowa home. For example. when he bor-r-ght his planer".he went fbr a 20" r n o d e l i n s t e a do l - e c o n o m i z i n g on a srnaller tnachine. "Yes. rnost people don't have a 20" planer in their shop." Randy qEg rF=-:l Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 -l ,:, -,, i*":-- TYPE: Detachedmetalsidedgarage. S fZE : 25x42' 1, , 050sq f t . ABOVE:The box joints on Randy Zimmerman'sdovetailjig/bit storage box representthe most complexjoineryof any fixture in his shop. He learnedthat if simpleworks, go for it! LEFT The centerpieceof Randy's shop combinesa tablesaw,router table,and sandingstation.This providesRandya centrallocation to perform most shop tasks. All machinesfeed into the shop's infloor dust-collectionsystem.The downdraft sanding/outfeedtable (seepage 62) includes a blower motor and filter to capture stray dust. A slidingtable on the lefthand side of his tablesawallows Randyto crosscutwide materials with ease. H A-L, ; til i €F,,s t== r5dlf -?fi C ON S TR U C TI O N: M et al building,reinforced with2x4 innerstudwalls;poured concretefloorand drywall interiorwalls. H E A TIN GA N D CO O LI NG : Natural-gas furnacewith centralair-conditioning. E LE C TR IC A L: 2 00- am p service,includingdedicated 12O-volt and 220-volt circuits. LIGH TIN G:S uspended 4' dualtubefluorescents. D U S TC OLLE CTI O N: lnfloor,poweredby a 3-hp PennStatefour-bagunit, with permanentinletsat the tablesaw,jointer,and planer. The size of Randy'sshop means he can place his woodworking machinesfar enoughapart so one doesn't interferewith another's operation. Of course not everyone has the luxuryof constructinga 1,000-sq-ftshop! "But if you do have the space," Randysays, "make sure you take advantage of it." * j ,tr'{i f'"' woodmogozine.com 57 thefloorplan RandyZimmermantook about a year to plan and equip his new shop the way he desired, and as such, it wants for little. A centrally located tablesaw and nearby workbench afford him two major work centers, and he's just steps away from other machinetools. as well as wood storage. Hangingclamp racks and hardware cabinets have simple,practicaldesigns. Springclamps, bar clamps, and C-clampssimply hang from their jaws onto rails screwedonto a wall. "lf I built it," Randysays, "it's not fancy!" 58 Americo's Besl Home Wolkshops 2008 -l Randy has the luxuryof being able to use ample wall space for practical purposes such as shelving, cabinetry and wood storage. A top rail keeps the long boards from marring the wall. 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. <41d- \a- , . *,:. -s \ :6.d |';: ;!2' It'seasyto get woodintothe shopandfinishedproducts outthroughdouble3' doors. The20" plane6to the leftof the doors,is the onlymachine toolthathooksintoRandy's dust-collection systemwith exposedductwork;everything elseis in the floor. acknowledges."I could have savedconsiderablemoney. But Arliss saidit wasmoreeconomical to buy a quality tool I wanted to end up with than to continually upgrade." Randy also has two shapers, 3-hp and lVz-hp models; four sanders;and two lathes, even thoughhe doesn'tturn much. "I just turn the simple things, and only when I haveto," he says. Power tospare However. it would be hard to maintain that his in-floor dustcollectionsystemis anythingbut practical. Randy took several monthsto plan it. "That was the first thing I did when I decided to build theshop,"he says."Look around and you'll see there's woodmogozine.com plenty of room that isn't being taken up by ducts and hoses." A 3-hp Penn Statefour-bagunit commandsthe system. Another areawhere he didn't skimp was electricity. Randy had 200-amp service installed, assuring that his tools would have plenty of current without him worrying aboutoverloading. He plugs each of the suspended fluorescentsinto dedicated120volt circuits. Those fluorescents complement the ample natural light from two 4' windows along the 42' eastwall. "When I wired the shop,I figured that if a light fixture wentbad,I couldjust unplug itandplugin anewone,"explains Randy, who keeps a few spares on handfor emergencies. Three-footdoubledoors connect his shop with the garage and sit directly at the side of the tablesaw,so he can easilybring in long stock and remove finished pieces. Randy built a downdraft sanding/outfeedtable (seepage 62) that expandshis worksurface's size and usefulnessand easesdustcollection. Pncticalitv andhappehstance While mostattributesof his shop were carefully planned and designed, others came about by happenstance.For example, one of his hangingclamp racks (seepage 60) startedout purely as a shelf to hold a television. The clamps simply grip the shelf'sfiont rail. "If I've doneit. it's elementaty,"Randy assures, with a laugh. Randy underestimates his accomplishments, which includea bedroomsetfor his high-schoolagedaughter,Brooke, as well as numerouskitchencabinets.(See page 63) "Learning to build cabinets was an education." he says."For example,I learnedto add an extra t/q"so the cabinets fit correctly.I learnedthe importanceof machiningmy rails and stilescorrectly,and to be careful in cuttingjoints-%" or tA6"can meanthe differencebetweenfitting or not fitting." Randylearnedwell. His cabinets, and other well-crafted efforts,aswell ashis entireshop, are monuments to his good friend and mentor. 59 o sffi#hk As with many of his woodworking exploits, Randy Zimmerman would see what his more experiencedfriends did and copy them. Randy uses this workbench, based on a friend's design, mostly for clamp-ups. The three vises and three rows of bench-dog holes aid in the process.The box-jointed shelves are handy for storage and tie into the legs for rock-solid construction. I t -T i I Every now and then, the best-laid plans of woodworkers take a backseat to luck. Randy built this corner shelf for his portable W. 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," Randy reports, sheepishly. 60 Americo's BestHome Workshops 2008 -G*;J,; Magnetic catch Switchmount 1I L 2" I 15" Pianohinge This dust-collectionbox under Randy's router table connects into the in-floor shop dust-collection system. The bottom slopes to the vacuum port so the dust and chips are easily sucked out of the bottom of the bay. 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. A plastic dust chute behind the bit enclgsure hooks into the dust-collection system. The hardwood faces have adjustment slots so Randy can close them up around the router bit. Once Randydecided which tools would hook directly into his dust-collection system, he carefully placed them in one spot to stay. lf you're planning a new shop, he recommends,go under the floor for your dust collection, if possible, so the duct runs stay out of the way. Randy made his ductwork accessible so he could clear blockages. Before the floor was poured, the channelswere framed tor 3/c"lips along their tops so Randycould lay melaminecovering boards over them. woodmogozine.com 61 I o tre*ffiMiM 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."So he carefullylabeled every hole for each bit. Made of plywood, except for the drawer and oak), the cabinet uses off-the-shelf door 1s1o" hardwareand simple joinery. Instead of using drawer-slidehardware,Randy rubbed some paraffin into the grooves in the sides to help the plywood shelves slide easier. Another project Randy made before there was a commercial equivalentis this 3lzx2'downdraft table, attached to his tablesaw that occupies the center of his shop. Made of 3/e"MDF with a perforated-hardboardtop, the downdraft table is designed so Randy doesn't need to move around much when he sands. Inside the table, an old furnace fan sucks the dust through the Vz"holes drilled into the perforated hardboard,through a stack of filters, then exhausts clean air out the bottom. Randy added an electrical outlet to plug in his random-orbit and belt sanders,which stow in simply built plywood shelves. li i lrautod; it;il overagain... Ibuiltit,Iknew "lwas shop, s0when thatthiswasmysecond fortunate " better! isalways bigger it laidout.0f course howI wanted 62 Amelico's Besl Home Wolkshops 2008 'l This simple project took Randy only an hour or two to build, but handily stores arch-top templates, which he uses in designing and building kitchen cabinets. (See photo below.) As with many shop organizers Randy constructed, this is useful while amazinglysimple. Photographs: Doug Hetherington Randy Zimmerman began woodworking to build kitchen cabinets. Those in his home, at left, are of a basic design. He made them with a cabinet-bit set, then added cKrwn molding to give the cabinets dimension. "Be sure to cut the door stiles and rails correctly and allow for proper overlay of the doo.rsand drawers over the face frame," Randy advises. "lf you can build a box, yoU can build cabinets." ad and son anended school FI I ftogether. A very exclusive woodworking school, run by a very exclusiveteacher. "Arliss Boothe loved to give classes," 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. "My dad [Laverne] and I both usedto go. Arliss would give homeworkassignments, like 'Build a mirror and use woodmogozine.com rabbets to serve an essential function.' And he'd check our work, always making suggestions as to how we could improve it." For example, if someonedidn t have a router, Arliss would demonstrate how to cut rabbets on the tablesaw. "He was always going out of his way to make his students better woodworkers," Randy recalls. Between his hours at the nearby Air National Guard base,where he runs the paint shop, Randy constructedhis home'skitchen cabinets (above),being sure to follow Arliss' instructions. Cabinets and a bedroom suite forhis daughter,Brooke, were amongthe firstprojects Randy constructed when he started woodworking sevenyears ago. Arliss and Randy's father passed away within several weeks of each other. Randy remembers both of themthroughhis love of woodworking and by following their advice. 'Anytime I try something new," he says, "I always think how both of them encouragedme to learn." 63 N 3 young This tostartsomewhere. Weallhave proves youdontneed alotofspace woodworker ingenuity. shop-justsome toequip afunctional didate in education at Illinois StateUniversityin Normal, Illinois.One day,that all changed. Shortly after Matt and his wife, Kerri, movedto Illinois to pursuetheir degrees,FredLively passedaway and left his woodetweendesigningspace- working tools to Matt. "He had a craft systemsfor NASA, garagefull 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 dedicationof his uncle. "When I was growing up in wanted their garageto park the Texas,the only thing I had wasa car during the Midwestwinters. So Matt soughtout a shedkit tablesaw-that's all I ever needed," says Matt, a college thatcombinedsizeandeconomy. administratorand doctoralcan- "Even then. I knew I would be 64 constrained,"he 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,that was empty space,"he says, "and I needed to put something else there." Then he fisured out 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. 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. TYPE: Residentialstorage shedkit. SIZE:8x12',96 sq ft. HEATING:Propanespace heater. ELECTRICAL:Two circuits withfour 110-volt receptacleseach. LIGHTING:Two dual-tube fluorescentfixtures.one on eachlongwall. DUSTCOLLECTION: None.Matt makessure to use a personalrespirator. Matt standsa shadeover6'tall, so he neededto raise his lathe up a bit for comfort, but not so high that it interferedwith his tablesaw."When 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 workarounds 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. 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,I haveto pull stuff out of the shed," he acknowledges."But the only largetoolsI have to roll out are the tablesaw and the planer." woodmogozine.com He acknowledgesthat rip spaceisn'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 dedicated1l0-voltcircuits,each with four receptacles.Matt didn't extendthe house's220-voltservice to his shed."The lightsmightflicker 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 becauseMatt carefullycalculated,like his woodworker uncle,the rocket scientist. 65 t 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. 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. lf I hadto doit allovetagain... with says "Hopefully, MattFuller bigger," willbemuch mynextshop principles "Butif I hadthesame thesame I'dapply constraints, alaugh. andsoon." toolsg0infirst,thenthenextlargest, Thelargest I didhere. 66 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 -t thefloorplan Shelvingfor jigs and tools S h e l v i n fgo r ' jigsand tools prcfile woodworlarS att Fuller walked into his dorm room on his first day at TexasA&M Universityto seehis roommate, Ben Smith, constructing a loft. Their sharedinterestin woodworkinglater resultedin the rustic-stylekitchenchairs(far right) the pair created in the shopof Ben'sgrandfather. Matt hadbuilt a few simplethingswith his father."But my uncle was really into it. He built bedposts,boxes, chests,and tables,"Matt recalls. "I regret that I never worked with him on woodworking."Nevertheless,his unclebequeathed his entire shopto Matt, who movedto Illinois with his wife of two years,Kerri. Betweenclasswork and teachingassignments, Matt strives to be worthy of his uncle'sinheritance."I ask aroundand readup on a lot of things,"he says."But I'm nevergoing to be as good as he was.I just hopethat one day I know how to useall the toolshe gaveme." Photographs:Jackie Haggefi, Studio J. Photography woodmogozine.com From a tiny shop, Matt Fuller created the mesquite-and-pecan cutting board (tar right). He cut the star on his bandsaw,helped by a sledlike taper jig and a 360' protractor.In a square3/" piece, he routed a groove, and fitted it with a correspondingpiece of pecan.Angled pieces definedthe pattern."l planeda few high spots, sandedthe whole thing, and finishedit with butcher block oil," Matt relates.The cedar chair (above rightl is from a set Matt and a roommate made in collegeto go with a kitchentable. .\'t i rfi.tAi ,$,FU *t 67 v-l ' ,l a-l lr r *trb ,rl i- $#f knew thatasarookie Larry Schwager alotof hedidn'tneed woodworker, tools. expensive r00mfortonsoffancy, them! afford Healsoknewhecouldn't mixed withaliberal Withpracticality, hebuilta oftrialanderror, amount andbudget. thatsuitshisabilities shop notbadfora he six machinessittingin Larry Schwager'sgarage for six years told him he should do somethingabout fulfilling his desireto get into woodworking. "Everything was either in boxes or just sitting there-a scrollsaw tablesaw, bandsaw, the whole works were in the garage," recalls Larry, 63. "I wantedto do woodworkingone day, but I just didn't have the room for it." In 2006, however, Larry retired as a police officer in the 68 just south townof Jerome,Idaho, of thefamedSunValleyski area. He found himself with a lot of time on his hands,and his wife wanted her garage back. "She told me in no uncertaintermsto get that stuff out of there,"Larry recallswith a laugh."I figuredit wastime to build a shop." Larry finished the shop that fall and happily spentthe winter holedup inside.An earliercareer as a draftsman working for a lumberyardservedhim well in planni ng the24x24'shop,housed in a prefab structure. There's plentyof room for Larry to build the benches,cabinets,and other smallpieceshe constructs. Walking andplanning For his first stepin planningthe shop,Larry took a tapemeasure and walked aroundhis attached garagq which also measured 24x24'. Then he draggedtools aroundand placedthem in variouspositions."I sawhow all the tools could fit comfortably into that space,"he says."It seemed that was going to be very adequate, since I probablywasn't Americo'sBestHomeWorkshops 2008 r TYPE:Metal-sided Clearybrandprefabricated building. S IZE : 24x24', 576sq f t . CONSTRUCTION: Metal exteriorreinforced with2x6 woodframing,2x4 walls, plywoodinteriorwalls,as shownbelow. H E A TIN G : C eiling- m ount ed, externallyventedCayennebrandpropaneheater. l I -En r-t jta I] trtr trj t Neverhavinglaid out a woodworkingshop before,Larry reliedon a few principleshe had read up on. For example,"l knew I had to get enoughspace away from the wall," he says.Trialand error helped. I M '.-__% f: -ll--e,- it I LarrySchwagersituatedhis shop insidea prefabricatedmetal-sidedbuilding.lnsidethe exteriorsiding,Larry installed1Va"vinyl-face insufationand left a 2" air space. Between 2x4 framing,he added 3yz"R-15 insulation. The interiorwalls of his shop are 8'-high exterior plywood. The arrangementmakes for better heat reteritionthat keeps out the chill of ldaho winter ski-countryweather. E LE C TR IC A L: 60- am p servicepanelfor sixteen 120-voltoutlets,fouron eachwall,withthree breakersfor eachwall. LIGHTING: Twelve4'-long dual-tubefluorescent f ixtures. D U S TC OLLECTI O N: Gri zzl yportab le1- hpdust collector;also2t/z"tube vac systemhookedto 6-hp shop vacuum. A IR C OMP R ESSO R: CraftsmanZ-hp,33-gallon uni t. 1t/e"vinylface insulation Metal sidingfor the walls and roof provideda good choice for Larry'sshop because it's affordable and withstands weatherwell. 2x4Iraming 5/e" T1-11 exterior plywood siding Exterior metalwall 2" air space Interiorof shop Fiberglass insulation between 2x4 traming woodmogozine.com 69 i:irii*o - T .F' I a:\ ),\l ri rl t { F ;tl \t ^r I I t r:frt'& #*-r going to build huge projects." Still, the novice woodworker proceededwith caution. "I positionedthe tools using trial and error," he reports. "I had a good idea of where the tablesawhad to go-near the middle of the floor. But I really experimentedwith positioning the rest of the tools. I neededto seehow far from or closeto the wall I could get them." He also made severalrealizations about building a shop. "T\^rothings that surprisedme were the cost of concreteand electricalwork," he says."Work- 70 ing in a lumberyard,I did esti- system of 2t/2" clear pipe and matesfor building homes,but I hose. He also uses a portable had been away from it for a dust collector for his tablesaw while, and it blew my mind to andjointer. An electrical contractor see how much electrical had goneup. I knew concretewould installed a dedicated 60-amp panel that allowed Larry four costmorethan otherflooring." However,he stayedwith con- 120-voltoutletson eachwall. "I creteratherthanopt for plywood wanted enough outlets so I becauseof the frost heavescom- wouldn't have cords laying all mon to the region. His garage over the floor," he says.He also also had fared well with a con- learned from a mistake: He cretefloor. The prospectof frost didn't have an electrical panel heavesalso argued against in- big enoughfor 220-voltservice. floor dustcollection.Instead,he "One thing I would recommend settledon a centralshopvacuum is that when you're building a attachedto most tools with a shop,the first thing you needis A ceiling with exposed trusses allowed Larry to hang his air filtration and gas heating units out of the way but in effective locations.The 9' of space under the rafters also enables Larry to stand up tall boards, if the need arises.For visual appeal, Larry ran 8"-wide cedar fencing board all the way around the interior above the plywood. Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 tukffik 24' Ceiling-hung air{iltrationsystem OscillatingbelV 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. Larry laid out his shop by trial and error. Also, he planned his dust-collection system first, then placed the tools later. That worked out as well. Like the utility of the modular structure that houses the shop, Larry relied extensivelyon off-the-shelfsolutions, such as shelving and tool stands, to satisfy his storage and support requirements. As with most of what Larry built for his shop, his downdraft sanding table and workbench serve multiple functions. The slots in the sandingtable allow the dust to suck into his vacuum system for easy collection. A section of 2x4 tucked below holds matting that Larry rolls onto the tabletop to keep workpieces from rolling around. The entire table attaches to his smaller workbench. woodmogozine.com 71 r a a +r- lt. e ' +l to determinethe size of the shop and have an electrical panel big enoughfor what you're going to do," he says,ruefully. He is also satisfied with his choice of the Cleary prefab structure. Besides saving him about half the cost of erecting a similarly sizedframed structure, he appreciates its versatility. "What makes it nice is that it's insulatedand you can leave [the building wallsl bare or finish them off on the inside." Above the plywood, decorative cedar fencing boards, attachedvertically, ring the shop perimeter.Larry woodburnedor scrollsaweddecorative patterns into someof them. 72 tool might be too close to the wall. I'm glad she asked me to make that!" He also learnedanothervaluable lesson: Take your time. "When you rush things," he notes,"you make mistakes." Lany alsohasbegunto absorb someof the subtletiesof enhancing a piece'sappearance.To finish his workbench, tool stands Along the way to completion, and tables,he took a small blowLarry test-drove the shop by torch and applied it to the grain crafting projects.The on-the-job patterns in the wood, making 'Around them go darker. (See the bench training was valuable. Christmastime,I stoppedarrang- onpage74.)It'swon him considing the shoplong enoughto build erablecompliments. The shop experience hasn't a doll's high chair for my granddaughter,Ali," he says. "From been the smoothest ride for that project I learned that one Larry, but he's sure learned to "Exterior plywood used indoors might strike someoneas unusual,"Larry says."But I like the unbleachedlook of the wood, and the panelsare sturdyenough to hold everything I attached." Shelvesandlumberracks,above, hang within easyreach. and Test-ddves lessons valuable enjoy his woodworking retreat! He chuckleswhen he recalls the time he had breakfast; told his wife, Carma,he wasgoing to the shop for a few hours; and was surprised when she popped in demanding to know when he was going to eat dinner. "I'd been in there for eight hours," he says,sheepishly. "It's all beenworth it," he says. 'Although my shop is small, it's very well suited to my woodworking ability-a beginner.I'll spend summers outdoors, but I can't wait till winter comes aroundagain!" After his second winter in his new woodworking haven, Larry Schwager knows he'sdonethe right things. Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 To store his wood, Larry bolted three 2x4s to his plywood wall, then cut particleboardshelvesof variouswidths.The shelvesrest on 1" dowels insertedinto angled holes drilled into the 2x6s.Anglingthe dowels a few degreeshelps settle boards againstthe 2x6s ratherthan possiblyslidingfonruard. Larry also built a tablesaw outfeed table that fits on top of anotherstore-boughtsolution-a table with adjustablelegs. The shop-madetop consistsof two layersof MDF inset 1" into a 2x4 trame. .*"tirr*l.+_ - :r'*m*ni -n!ffi| \.-'4 - I r ' E -. i! .tl fi lj 1l . J E n lf I hadto doit alloveragain... "For whatI do,l'mveryhappy. most Unlike woodworkers I talkto,I don't even need more space! | built thissize shop because I thought itwould work very wellforme.lt has." woodmogozine.com Larry built his draftingtable to convert into a flat surface,which he needs when refinishingrifle and shotgun stocks.The rack that housesthe gun stocks is to the right of the window. To equip his shop, store-bought solutions-such as the mobiletool chest, and the podable clamping workstationthat supports his grindermade excellentsensefor Larry. 73 I o p$edsandidea Routers kick up a lot of chips, so Larry made a cabinet that collects them for easy disposal.He accomplishedthis by expandinga small benchtoprouter table into a floor-standing model and enlargingthe top with a skirt of MDF. The removablefence he created allows the portable dust collector's 4" hose to attach at the reaf out of the way. Larrymade his first workbenchsolid-and expendable.lf he does mar the worksurface,formed by two 1x6s edge-joinedwith biscuits, he can just cut new boards to replacethem' Larry attached the clear acrylic dust-collection ductwork above his bench to save space. "Also, it I get a blockage, the clear plastic shows me exactly where it is." 74 Americo's Besl Home Wotkshops 2008 Building this pine buffet-one of his first projects-taught Larry severalvaluable lessons,besides giving him practice in using his tablesaq mitersaw, bandsaw, route[ and router table. He started working on the 48x32x16" piece before consulting a set of plans for it. "The plans gave me ways of building the buffet that were lots easie6" he says. The other thing he learned the hard way was to apply stain with a cloth, not a brush. "The brush carries way too much stain and can cause blotching," he notes. "A cloth may take longer to do the job, but the stain can be put on in lighter layers,as needed." draftsman for a lumber company during a previous career, Larry Schwager had designed many cabinets and other wood piecesfor homes.It was only after he retired that he began to think that it would be fun to build thosepiecesas well. "When I first started,I could see the difficulty in woodworking," Larcy admits. "ft wasn't something that you could do without training. But I'd been doing a lot of reading and I had the background for this, so I thought it was something I would like to get into." Larry, who began woodworking last year, started with little pieces, mostly involving scrollsawing and woodburning.The first major piece he built was the buffet cabinet above.Then the requestline heated up. "My granddaughter,Ali, wanted a hrgh chair for one of her dolls, my wife wanted a bench [shown above rightl to sit on in our bedroom," Larry says."I couldn't sayno." As the weather turns warmer, and the ski bums depart, Larcy spends more time outdoors. But once the Idaho winter beckons,he looks forward to getting back into the newly found enjoyment of his shop. "I hope we have a nice long winter," he says. Larry traced the relief-carving pattern on this pine bench from the Schwagers' bedroom set, carving it out with a high-speed rotary tool and small gun-stock-checkeringtool. A Porter-Cable half-blind dovetail jig fashioned the corners; the sides were rabbetedTz" to accept the seat. A /1" groove routed on the inside accepts the 14" birch plywood bottom. Four coats of polyurethaneproduce the high gloss. The legs were purchased-because Larry has yet to buy a lathe-and screwed in place. He added %",oak plugs to cover the screw heads. Photographs: Mike LloydParisStudiosPhotography woodmogozine.com 75 .:r ;-{xr,: he retreat, toalakeside moved NorthCarolina, When afatherinGreensboro, by that'sshared together aworkshop sawlessofhisson,intown.Constructing towoodworking. anewgeneration andintroduce bringthemcloser bothhelped ownsizing had a very positive upside for WayneSouthard.Not on thejob front but the homefront. When Wayne and his wife, Donna,decidedto move from a large lakefront house in North Carolina to be closer to their families in the Greensboroarea, Wayneand his son, David, collaborated on a workshop on David'sproperty in neighboring Kernersville.Not only does it allow Wayneto see his family more often,but the shop'sflexibility and size more than meet 76 his needs to be creative and improvehis skills as a hobbyist furnituremaker. "I built a basementshopseven years ago in this great big lake house an hour away from mY grandkids, but visits from our families were too infrequent," saysthe sixtysomethingWayne, who has been woodworkingfor 'Also, I was nearlyeight years. driving 100 miles round-tripto work eachday.Davidhadalmost two acres. So I said to him, 'What if we build a workshopon your property?I'll pay.'He said, 'Great! How much room do you need?' Now he's gotten more interested in woodworking since it was finished." shot straight Along, Wayne's former shop encompasseda l2xl5'main shopand a l0xl2' finishing and storage room.The new facility measures 16x36',and wood is storedin a shed.The shop'slengthandrectangular configurationare great for ripping long boardswithout having to angle the tablesaw. That's an improvementover his Americq's Besl Home Wolkshops 2008 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 . 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 collaboratedon a numberof furniturepieces. u lT-_*. C ON S TR U C TI O N: Concrete-impregnated hardboardexteriorwalls, dryw al il nsi de;1 0'high c e i l i n gd; o u b l e - h u n g windows. H E A TIN GA N D CO O LI NG : Heatpumpprovidesheat and ai r-condi t ioning; t wo cei l i ngfans. E LE C TR IC A L: 200- am p service,accommodating 120-and 240-volt receptacles on everywall. LIGH TIN G:Tw elvedualbulbenergy-efficient fluorescents. D U S TC OLLE CTI O N: Shopvacuumconnectedto machi nesas ne eded. AIRCOMPRESSOR: St/z-hp, 25-gallon Sears Craftsman. Garagedoors 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-hungwindowsand the four dual-tubefluorescentfixtures,let in ample light.The windows stay open duringthe warmermonths, keepingthe shop pleasantlycool. woodmogozine.com 77 H 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. Cleat rail / 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 David,Wayne,and his stepsons, the sectionswere still wet. A 200-amp box powers everygrandchildren, andfriendsbegan 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 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. in:friends, Pitchinq andfamily neighb6rs, 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 It t Installing10'-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 C l e a t rail / -f ra. ABOVE:Ample outletsat two levelsalong each wall allow for flexibilityin connectingtoolsto power sources.Mobile bases and casterskeep these tools and stands podable. fu- RIGHT:The Southardscentered their tablesawside-to-sidein the shop, nearthe sheet-goods rack. For long stock, the adjustable-heightbench providesan extended and stable outfeedtable. ,*L utv 'ry*l.ll ShowcaseY0uR Workshop Seepage127for details. lf I hadto doit alloveragain... "l don'tthinkwe'dchange have wecould space, ifwehadmore 0fcourse anything. weusenow." theshop behind shed instead 0ftheseparate area storage onesuper BO Americo's Besl Home Wotkshops 2008 .t This gridded 2x2 frame elevates and holds plywood flat and steady for cutting and saves wear and tear on the workbench surface. When not in use, the frame hangs neatly on the portable sheet-goods rack Wayne built. (See page 83.1 and a welder, respectively,if they'reeveradded. David designedthe building to receiveample outsidelight, augmenting the fluorescents. When open, the windows let in welcomedfresh air. Two ceiling fans provide additional relief. Air-conditioning and heating ductworkruns throughthe attic, out of the way. Three sections define the shop:The back end housesthe workbench and planning area, the tablesawandjointer, as well asothertools.(Seethe floor plan on plge 79.)A larger workbench and an adjustable-height bench command the middle section. The front of the shopis dedicated to assembly andfinishingspace. Wayne installed all the machineson mobile basesso he can easily reposition tools or cabinetsto accomplisha layout that suitsany purpose."We can woodmogozine.com do all our cutting, for example, and then set that work asideif we've also got a project that needsplaning." One thing they avoided, so they could havemore flexibility of tool locationto accommodate the relativelynarrow space,was a centraldust-collection system. Instead, a shop vacuum plugs into ports on eachtool. Thenextgeneration The Southardfamily shophas a place for every tool, and plenty of spaceto assembleand finish projects.There's also room for other uses,such as vehicle and boat maintenance,without having to move anything outside. What's movedinsideis a father and son-and grandsons-to sharein a tradition."The biggest thing I get out of this," Wayne says,"is passingon the nuances of woodworking." 7'gr I ,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. Holes for bench dogs were drilled 5" apart in the worksurface. 81 ptopctsardlde o Wayne and David fashioned a cleat-rail system for their shop that supports clamp racks and cabinets. Clamp racks at the rear of the shop are simple 3/c"plywood uprights screwed to horizontal 2x4s. Each clamp rack hangs on the cleat railthat runs around every wall. No hardware is needed to hold the cabinets on the rails; a beveled edge on the rail accommodates a mating beveled cleat. To learn more about how to build this cleat system, visit woodrnagerzine"c o m/c Ieatsystetn. Besidesholdingclamp racks (top,left), the cleat system also supports a dozen 18x30" speciallybuilt birch plywood cabinets (above). A flip-top mobilecabinet holds two tools-a real space saver!When Wayne flips the rotating shelf, he can bring up a mitersawor planer. Carriage bolts and lag screws hold the tools in place. 82 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 Insteadof buildingtheir portablesheetgoods rack with two slopingsides,as most plans callfo6 Wayneand David made one side perpendicularto the floor so they could store the rack flush against the wall. The straightback also makes a good place to hang the plywood-cutting frame shown on page 87. Shelvesof varyingwidths hold longer boards. a; prufile woodrruorkert ayne Southardhas been into woodworkingonly for about eight years,but he's learnedquickly. "I've graduatedfrom the basics and into the advancedelectives,"he jokes. For example,he's paying closeattentionto the little tricks that help work get done more efficiently. "The biggestthing I learned,"Waynesays,"is that when you'recutting out pieces,make sureyou label them so you know what they are.That might soundvery elementaryin retrospect,but you'd be amazedhow long it takesyou to realizeit's a little thing that makesa big difference." Once Wayneand his son, David, got their shop up and runningon David'sproperty,fatherand sonpumpedout the shop wall cabinets,sheet-goodsrack, and clamp racks. Then,Waynebeganwork on an entertainmentcenterwhile David startedon the computerdeskat right. GrandsonsBrandon,9, and Tyler, 13, helped sand the shopwall cabinets-their first experiencewith powertools. "They like learning about woodworkingfrom Grandpa," Waynesays,proudly. Three generations of Southards helped fashionthis computer desk. Wayne and son David admire their handiworkwith David's9-year-oldson, Brandon. Photographs:Bert Vanderveen,Vanderveen Photography woodmogozine.com 83 l'\.\i,.r._ r i L r t't'- . lr lt l.-* i:' ,i'-.4 \ r--I .)'1;J a\ ,)t Stff=r-\ I functional, completely being Besides Wisconsin inwooded shop Hahn's Brian And ofhome. hasallthecomforts itwoshishome! Forawhile, whynot? 84 I aa ome woodworkers sPend so much time in their \ shops,they joke that they J live in them. Brian Hahn actually did-for five months while his home in Avoca, Wisconsin, was being built. That's why he addeda finished plywood floor, z/qbath, eating area, sofa bed, and so much more. Oh, he works in the shoPtoo. That's wherethe retired chemist, 59. turns and carves eclectic bowls and lamps, and produces furniture from wood he harvests from his 73 acresof mostly forested property about 60 miles west of Madison. "I built the shop to be inhabitable," Brian says."It's my office-I comeout to work for eight hours,and then I go home.Also, I live out in the country,and if there'sa fire, theY can't get to you real quick," he quipped. "So if somethinghaPpensto one building, the other is a fallback." first comes Theshop Brian sayshe'd always planned to harvest wood and use it to craft his turnings. So when he wasnearingretirement,hebegan scouting property in rural Wisconsin, bought some in 1992, and settled there six years later. Afterhe movedbacktohis native state from Delaware, Brian Americo's Besl Home Wolkshops 2008 'w LEFT:Windows on every wall of Brian's shop add plenty of natural light but reducethe wall space for storage. lt's a trade-off Brian is happy to live with. TYPE: Wood-framed outbui l di ng. SIZE: 26x48',1,248sq ft. ?-f;{;i **e -::---- tl Ir, CONSTRUCTION: 2x6 framedwalls,scissortrusses for extraceilingheight. Tongue-and-groove wood flooring,two layersof 3/+" OSB toppedwith 3/+" varnishedplywood;standard joistson 16" engineered centers,supportedmidspan by a beam,in turnsupported by postson footings. H E A TIN GA N D CO O LI NG : Forced-aircentralheating and air-conditioning. ELECTRICAL:200-amp service,14 double-duplex outletswithtwo independent 20-ampcircuitsin each; plus four 20-amp24O-volt circuits. ABOVE:In Brian Hahn'sshop, you'llfindamenities,such as a finished plywood floor and casement windows, that you wouldn't find in most home workshops.The window behindthe cabinet has a cherryflip-up hingedframe with Lucite sheets that keeps lathe-generatedflying objects from striking the window glass.The sand-filledgrinder stand Brian designed (at left in photo) stores fixed-angle tool rests for sharpening his turning tools. He discovered that a standard face shield gives him bad eye strain and headaches,so instead he substituted the baseball catcher's mask (while wearing safety glasses). woodmogozine.com LIGHTING:PrimarilyT-8 32-wattdual-tubefixtures. l DUSTCOLLECTION: Portableshopvacuum. JDS air filterhangingfrom ceilingabovetablesaw. LEFT:The unique movabletailstock of Brian's new Robust lathe tilts back for easy access to ends of workpieces. Brian was concerned that the plywood floor wasn't sturdy enoughto handlethe 700-lbtool. "But except for being a little bouncy, it's fine," he reports. Turningtools and accessories hang nearby.On the backing board that holds the lathe chucks, Brian fastened the dowels perpendicularto make it easier to slide the chucks on and off. 85 - - i :t!-'- F', ,F" :i, Er*-sIFri EEEix&+' ABOVE:Brian nailed the layout of his shop in the first attempt, although he had to compromise on the plan he originallywanted. (Seefloor plan, opposite.) "Experts will tell you to arrangethe lumber rack, then the tablesaw,and then the jointer for good work progression.Instead of tackling that at the onset, I positioned the drill press first because it wasn't mobile,and lwanted it where it wouldn't be in the way when lwas doing other things," he says. 86 began building the shop first, then started work on the house two monthslater. From May through September of 1999,Brian lived in the shop, which he says was almost as large as his old house. Brian intendedthe shop to be a home away from home from the beginning.The 26x48'building is constructed with 2x6 framing. Scissortrussesallowed for a l0'cathedralceiling,which gives Brian plenty of clearance and afforded him headroom to hang an air cleaner.(Brian didn't install a dust-collectionsystem, but a portable shop vacuum suffices.) Drywall covers the 2x6framing. One corner of the building becamean office, with a sleeper sofa,deepsink, anda microwave. He got rid of the refrigerator he used when he took up residence in the shop. Contributing to the hominess are French doors, which Brian installed in front of his tablesaw. They do add practicality, he insists."I canjust openthe doors andrun boardsin andout," Brian says. 'Also, it contributes to ventilation." Casementwindows overlook Brian's acreagqwhich contributesmost of the wood he uses for turning. He stores the wood in an areaon the other side of the office. "That storagearea is the only thing that tells you this isn't a residential house," Brian says. "That, and the double-duplex electrical outlets [separatecircuits for each duplex outletl are 4' above the floor instead of at shin level, like a regular house. That makesthem easyto get at." Also, the electricalboxesdeliver 20-amp service instead of 15, and there are plenty of extra cir- Americo'sBeslHomeWolkshops2008 tutu@ l@ Buttino-a Jry"y*:i@= Iu| ,ffi*@ r Grnder I W I Storaqe ;f$[: ] Workbench strip |:==] I lffifllsancier I:T I I lorinoer | Potter's Microwave wheel ?l t-.il Vise oFFrcEsreePer Lathe tool ra Workbench/outfeed table Tablesaw I tl LEFT:Brian started with a standard European-stylebench, but it was too small for his work, so he built a new one, adapting the design of Rhode lsland School of Design master woodworker Tage Frid, who has described his benches as "a machine for clamping." Brian's hard-maple benchtop is considerablywider than Frid's design but features his classic multiplevises. woodmogozine.com 87 ,4 ABOVE:A combination of movable and stationary shelves gives Brian the flexibility to change the layout of his shop as his needs evolve. His workbench is near two windows for plenty of natural light. cuits. "With all the circuits at 20 amps, I can plug in anything anywhere and not worry about blowing a breaker,"he says. Brian alsodidn't skimp on the altitude-he's 6'2" tall, and "everything in the shopis scaled for me," he says.He hasno trouble reaching the tools hanging on rackshigh on the walls. But the grabberis the polished floor. Over a 3/q"plywood surface glued on top of two layersof z/i' OSB, Brian appliedfour coatsof McCloskeyGymSeal,which is a tung-oil-basedfloor varnish. Afloorforallseasons The floor might strike some as extravagant,but Brian has his 88 reasons."My old shopwasin the basementwith a concretefloor." he relates. "I decided that was the last suchfloor I wanted.This floor is worth all the hassle."The polished surface can become somewhat slippery, but Brian puts up with it becauseit's forgiving on tools that get dropped onto it. "I'd rather the floor take the damageinsteadof the tool," he says.'Also, the floor is easier on my feet-it isn't cold. And it was easy to run the plumbing and wiring underneath." 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, he was left with a 25x28' spacefor his tablesaw, jointer, drill press, and bandsaw,as well as two lathes and multiple workbenches. From his earlier shop, Brian brought his oversizemain workbench,a modification of a European-stylecabinetmaker'sbench. "That was too small for what I was doing," he saysof one of his first big projects."So I widened and lengthenedit and stiffened up the top, using hard maple." The top also disassemblesfrom the legsfor easyrepair. The 3x8'benchis perpendicular to a wall out of necessity. When Brian installedtwo casement windows on each wall. it left him enough wall spacefor somesmallertools,but little else. Still, the windowsprovideplenty of naturallight. Brian works with greenwood, which is moisture-heavy,so the shop becomesvery humid and the windowsfog up in winter. He insulated the windows on the inside with plastic wrap. "But there's no way I can eliminate that problem,"he notes. That minor headacheis well worth the trade-off for Brian, 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," he says. Thosedaysare gone. Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 'l LEFT:To store his buffing wheels and to give his shop a consistentand unifyingaccent, Brianemployedthe same batch of reclaimed cherrythat made up the other hangersand hofders.The 30"-long,3Ax17z" wall cleat attaches to studs with 2Vz"deck screws. Buffingwheels hang on %" bolts screwed into 1x2 oak strips.The strips hang on 2" deck screws so Brian can move an entire strio to his lathe. The hole spacings vary with the different diameters of buffing wheels. LEFT:Brian had some open space below a cold-air return vent, so he placed a C-clamp rack there. The rack is made of a 14x30" backing board and a %" plywood scrap lefi over from Brian'sflooring.The blocks holdingthe largerclamps are made of 2x4 scraps; the smallerclamps hang on 3/n" galvanizedwater pipe, secured in counterboredholes. LEFT:Putting an office into a workshop may strike some as a luxury;to Brian it was a necessity,born of the fact that the shop was his home while his house was being built. He even broughta double sleepersofa into the shop office to sleep on. p*-i-;r:; ri ss If I hadto doit alloveragain... "l'daddadust-collection system; it wouldhave tobeoutoftheway.Butaside from some minordetails andmaybe some moredouble-duplex outlets, l'mhappy." woodmogozine.com 89 r*k Brian turned these projects for monthly challenge competitions conducted by the woodturners club in Madisoh, Wisconsin.The natural-edgecherry-burl bowl, atnear left, comes flom a damaged cherry tree on Brian's acreage, the first wood he harvested from his property. He turned the lamp from a chunk of curly maple. The "seethrough" egg at far left uses maple for the outside and yellowheart for the inside. Scrap OSB from rim joists of Brian's house supplied the material for the platter. (ll Derived from a Swedish postwar design, this cabinet Brian made in 1984 features adjustable pull-out shelving and plenty of drawers to hold his files, chisels, bits, and other hand tools and accessories. 90 Americo's BestHome Workshops 2008 #8 x2" F . H .wood screw l -\ ., "--*J--314" #8 x 3" F.H.wood screw into wall stud -./---\ .."'./ 3" /' ( #8 x 2" F.H. wood screw N Nothing makes Brian happier than to turn raw wood into usable stock. woodmogozine.com #8x2l/2" F.H.wood screw Brian's wall-hung clamp racks came out of a desire to clean out the area underneath his main workbench, where his clamps were difficult to get at. But he had plenty of wall space, so his clamps hang on these racks, with blocks cut from 4x4s. The protruding heads of roundhead wood screws keep the clamps from sliding off the fronts of the blocks. "You just have to measurehow much space you have for a rack, make sure you give each clamp enough room, and mount the backing board to wallstuds," Brian says. rian Hahn started building a house when he was in first grade-his father let him hammer in some sheathingwith a l2-ounce tool. "I still have the hammer," Brian says."I was always into woodworking." He built a model sailboatout of 2x4s, soldwoodcarvingswhen he wasin Boy Scout camp, and crafted a pair of speakercabinetsin college. Today,Brian has graduated to turning functional and decorative bowls and lamps, as well as building cabinets.All of it he crafts from wood he's harvested. Brian caught the turning bug when he went home for the holidays in 1980to find that his father had bought a small lathe. After turning a few bowls and some candleholders, Brian bought his own turning equipment, which gave him a respite from his careerin scientific instrumentation researchand development. But he remains a woodsman at heart. "I never get tired of saying to myself, 'Okay, which tree do I want to harvestthis year?' " he says. View Brian's resawjig atleft in action at woodmagazine.com/resawvideo. Photographs:Jim Nelson, Nelson Photography 91 m t il andonebasement apartments Ittookseveral theshop toputtogether Daigle forSamuel ButnowforthisFrench-Canadian, hewanted. gismognifique! everythin lsltsownrewad ike many woodworkers, SamuelDaigle discovered his love of the craft from his grandfather.Much later, the emergency-room doctor relied on his patienceto constructjust the shophe wanted. "At first I got into woodcarving," recallsSam,who lives in a baysidetown in New Brunswick in the CanadianMaritime Provinces."I didn't needmorethan a few tools for carving." When he started doing more woodwork- 92 ing, he bought a portable tablesawthat he would haul out to the balcony of whatever apartment he lived in. "I'm guessing the neighborsdidn't carefor that too much," he says. When Samandhis wife, Julie, bought their home in 2001, he finished the basementto accommodatea shop."Butby thattime I was doing more and more woodworking,and I startedseriously thinking about what I needed,"he says."I knew I was going to do more and more, but still wasn't sure of exactly what tools I'd haveto get." proiect Aone-year Preparation for outfitting his new shopspacebeganin earnest in 2004. For six months, Sam read a considerableamount,and looked aroundthe Internetto see what other woodworkers were doing. After formulating his diagnosis,he was ready to Proceed with the treatment, which Americq's Besl Home Workshops 2008 t ln SamuelDaigle'sshop, his tablesaw,shaper,jointe4and planer are stationary-that means he had to plan carefully where to put them. Thanks to ample space between machines,Sam has plenty of room to work. A trough in his tablesaw outfeedtable alignedwith his jointer allows him to joint 10-12' boards with ease. TYPE:Outbuilding attached by a breezeway. SIZE:Shoparea 676 sq ft. C ON S TR U C TI O N: 2x6 framingfor wallsand roof; layereddrywalland OSB walls;faux hardwood laminatefloor. HEATING:Electricwall heatingunits,plusheating fan in loft. C OOLIN G:One window air conditioner; otherwise, naturalcooling. ELECTRICAL:Dedicated 100-ampbox, including220volt receptaclesfor every stationarymachine. LIGHTING:Two rowsof five dual-tubef Iuorescents; scatteredtask lights. D U S TC OLLE CTI O N: 3- hp cyclonelocatedin bathroom off mainshop;8"-to-6"-to-4" ductworkrunsthrough spacebelowshop. A IR C OMP R ESSO R: Locatedin workbench,for ai r nai l er. Sam didn't want to stand on stools or climb ladders to access his storage loft, so he built a long cabinet he just steps onto when reachingfor wood. Over the particleboardwall, Sam adhered the same type of faux hardwood he used on the floor."l can hang hooks, it doesn't scratch, and it's easy to clean," he says. woodmogozine.com 93 Rr''Efn;Tirtit r-o .rii ^il I ( !87- I i'ol "i.5ael ffi",F,ff=::T i\ ABOVE:Sam plannedhis shop to have ample and reachable storagespace,abundant naturallight,and enough room to maneuver.He placed his machinesside by side "because you often go from one to the other.I can planeand joint long boards,and there'snothingto obstructthem in front or back." 94 took six more months. Realizing he wasn't going to get the ideal space, Sam designed the shop, beside his garage.to maximize the space. During construction, builders added a breezeway to the 12year-old house that fronts the Bay of Chaleur. This little section connects Sam's attached garage and shop and isolates the shop from the main house."This lets me work at any time of the day or night without disturbing my family," Sam says-and without having to tug on boots to slosh through snow to get there. Part of the breezeway's space Sam reserved to become a bathroom; the rest of the structure, a 26x26' space under a 12' peaked roof, became the shop. A neighbor who was a professional contractor put up the structure,whichconsistsof kilndried 2x6 framing for the walls and shingle roof, and sectional simulatedwoodflooring. Sam dug a 6' crawl space underneaththe shop where he ran dust-collectorductwork. 0rder andserenity 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. Only recently did he install a window air conditioner. A dehumidifier, which drains into the shop's sink, keeps the humidity around 50 percent. Sam thought long and hard about where to position his tools. They're there to stay; he elected not to install casters on anY of his machines, all of which run on 220 volts. Ample receptacles make it unnecessaryfor Sam to plug and re-plug. He ran the wires under the floor, so there's little to trip over. The dust-collection ductwork transitions from 8" to 6" to 4", allowing it to tuck neatly beneath the shop floor and come up to connect with each tool or downdraft station. An arr cleaner hangs from the ceiling. Noise was nearly as important. Sam cut down on the noise of his 3-hp cyclone by locating it behind the wall that separates the bathroom from the shop. A hole on top of the wall facilitates air exchange. Americo'sBestHomeWorkshops 2008 ;tq ; ABOVE:Lookingeast through two sets of triple-panel, double-paned windows,Sam can admirethe view of the Bay of Chaleur, steps away from his shop. lf I hadto doit alloveragain... "lwould awider entrance tothegarage design tomake andaddaboutafootofwidthtothebathroom easier toempty." thedust-collection basket tr RIGHT BecauseSam does some stone carving(see page 981,he constructed a downdraft booth (far left in photo)with clear acrylicwalls to keep the dust out of the shop. Placinghis bandsaw in front of a window blocks his view a little,but it was the best spot to give him ample rip space and good lighting. :_l Fi fr#.r 1, o b F*: l:qg$ * ABOVE:The compact turning center illustrateshow Sam placed a layer of pressed wood behind the drywall throughoutthe shop so he could hang accessories whereverhe neededthem. "l knew I was going to hang a lot of stuff, and I didn't want to always look for studs," Sam explains."That extra layeralso helps in keepingthe noisedown." LEFT One of Julie Daigle'sconditionsof havinga dedicatedbuildingfor a shop was it had to have a pleasinglook. Sam installedtwo frosted-glassdoors and decorativeglass dividersto match those on their house.Above his sharpeningstationto the left of the doors hangsthe air cleaner. woodmogozine.com 95 26' Cyclone dust collector v . Tablesaw tablesaw alignswith jointerbed m tril:il| E] GARAGE Withlumberstorageabove Planer workbench '-: -:Fr F_--kj Doubre 1il1"!"L xK:.Fil'diE\' Air cerrrng-nung air-fittratiSnsys-tem / ^^^YPilg^^,^ I""15a0t" A few steps up from his small garage,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. Adding a bathroom created a space to install his dust collector. Digging a 6' crawl space below the shop gave Sam ample room to run ductwork and electrical wiring. One of the things Sam likes best about his shop is the 312sq-ft storageloft, which is above the adjacentgarage.To reach it, he simply steps onto a sturdy 29"-high countertop,which also houseshis mitersawstation. 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.This corner of paradise reminds Samuel Daigle that life is good and the rewards of patience are worth waiting for. 96 Sam devised a sliding dust collector to make lathe cleanup more efficient. He fashioned a box out of scrapwood and sheet metal, and cut an opening for a flexible 4" pipe, which runs beneath the floor and connects to the cyclone. Attaching rectangular pieces of scrap ultra-high molecularweight(UHMW plastic enables the box to slide side-to-side.A knob locks it in place. Americo's BesfHome Workshops 2008 pruFcBandideas Sam was dissatisfiedwith how difficult it was to move the fence that came with his shaper.So he built his own out of an old tablesaw fence, plus strips of 3/c"plywood, with an openingfor a dust-collection hose.Solid-maplefeatherboards 11l2" thick attach to the recycled countertop with countersunkscrews,and slide up and down. A turn of the fence-adjustment handle moves the whole fence forward or backward; the fence-lockdown knob locks the fence. By looseningtwo screws, the two countertop pieces can slide to hug the shapercutter.Holes Sam drilled into the top of the fence house bits. Sam designedhis tablesaw extensionfor ease of ripping,but he also made sure it wouldn't get in the way of wood being worked on at his adjacent jointer. Sam made his own rollers using2T2"black PVC pipe. (He installedtwo long rollerson one side of the trough and six shorter ones on the other to accommodate boards of different widths.) Compaftments hold smallerand exotic pieces of wood, as well as jigs and sleds, plus Sam's dado set. woodmogozine.com 97 prcfectsandid o Sam constructedthis compact organizerout of maple scrap in a couple of hours.Shelvesfit into dadoes cut into each side. Using lighter-weightwood will allow it to hang on any wall (screwed into wall studs), even if your wall isn't lined with faux hardwoodflooringover drywall,as Sam did in his shop. Sam craftedthis ash-and-ceramictable when he and his wife, Julie,first moved into their new home and Sam built his shop. Sam still crafts wood furniturebut also experiments with wood turningsand stone caruings.He's proudestof his 12-15"-tallsegmentedvases,made of walnut,maple, and butternut. 98 Americo'sBestHomeWorkshops 2008 When he moved into his new shop, Sam had a considerable amount of leftover oak, so he used it, along with leftover ash, to build his versatileworkbench. Oak isnit the hardest material for a benchtop and it does dent a little, admits Sam, who combined two 1S"-wide planks for the worksurface. But he had it around, so that's what he used. Sam used the interior space to install an air compressor for his pneumatic nailer.Oak-front drawers on one end hold his router tools and accessories as well as finishing materials. emg an emergency room physician has taught Sam Daigle a key lesson about woodworking. "The injuries I see remind me I haveto be careful with my tools," he says, with a laugh. Actually, Sam doesn't consider it a bit ironic that his careerand his hobby are similar. "You have to be good with your hands in both of them," he points out. "Like the variety of things I create with my hobby, I really enjoy the diversity that family medicinebrings me." Sam and his wife, Julie Langlois, also an M.D., reside in Bathurst, Canada,a small bilingual community in Sam'shomeprovinceof New Brunswick, northeastof Maine. Sam's grandfather helped the youngster develop an interest in woodworking. "When I was young, my grandfatherusedto have a dedicated shop outside the house," Sam recalls. o'He seemed to enjoy his retreat so much. I didn t want to risk waiting for retirement to have this much fun." Now, Sam hopes to passhis love of woodworking on to his 4Vz-yearold daughter, Anabelle. "We've already done a few birdhouses together," Sam says proudly. Just what the doctor ordered. Sam and his daughte4 Anabelle, spend some quality time together at the poker table Sam crafted. He's already got Anabelle interested in woodworking, just as his grandfather sparked his zeal. Photographs: RaymondChiasson, lmageriPhotography woodmogozine.com 99 'J ! {;," :i::l:::fiw 'l: ?.-lj:{:,?i ffi*.,i': l3',,'dqwF;':rgt ili':*l'46f,;:ii:il ffi*tEr t Frerichs Leland Anartistbyavocation, wayt0 outapractical notonlyfigured inhis make themostofthewallspace hen Leland Frerichs was designing his brand-new shop, he realized that his penchant for producingartwork in wood differentiated him from many of his fellow crafters.But he also shareda common malady with them-he had too many things and nowhereto put them. He also had a self-described fixation on staying organized. "When I want something,Iwant it now and don't want to dig around finding it," he says."I had a wrench missins for two it lookspectacular! make butalso shop, 100 weeks once; it about drove me crazy. I promised that if I ever redesignedmy shop, I wasn't going to let that happenagain." Leland, 53, got his chance when he and his wife, Susanne, erecteda 12x32' outbuilding in the backyardof their ranch-style homein Longview,Washington, 60 miles north of Portland, Oregon.But he didn't do it solely with cabinetsor drawers."My drawers afe a mess," he says. Insteadhe turnedto his walls. Practicallyeveryinch of those walls is covered with 3/4" Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 = --€ .- '-r -rllll i"--l {-l q-l n-l {III e-r E:TEI r-r irr-rr !tr*-l .-*r -r; ":-_r Leland Frerichs'well-organizedshop may be the only purple woodworking shop in the world. -: -. *: rI * i; ;fl e;r ,...\. :+:. .,$#, ,. TYPE: Prefabricated outbuilding. SfZE: 12x32'(384sq ft), plus 4'overhangto act as a porch. -l' 'r, i,_q *+rl \d i" -i.":- ABOVE LEFT:Gustomized(and colorful)tool holders and cabinetry line this entire corner of the shop. Each tool has a specific place to call home. Abundant overhead light fixtures keep shadows at bay. melamine-coated particleboard with rabbeted hardwood cleats attachedhorizontally.(Seeillustration, page 105.) They hold Leland's vast collection of hand tools, clamps, and other items. For hangers, Leland used W' MDF. If an item is too heavy for one hanger,he attachesa second hanger to the bottom at the appropriatedistance. Custom-built Leland built the panels so he could easily remove and reposition what's hung on them. woodmogozine.com j' -rii' ABOVE:Numerousstyles and brands of clamps each tout a customized rack next to Leland's workbench. Every tool or set of tools has a custom-built rack. "I'd seen a bunch of my friends get into trouble wheneverthey wantedto add or remove something from their walls," he says."They alwayshad to dismantlea frame or hanger.I didn't want to have to removeanything." Also, Leland's youngest son has shown a huge interest in woodworking;somedayhe'll use all the tools in his own shop. "I'd like to just take everything off the walls and haveit be his." Leland savs. CONSTRUCTION:Wood framewith plywood sidingand floor;shingled roof;steelservicedoor; s/e"drywallfor ceiling,'/2" for wallswith R-19 insulation. Leland dismissed perforated hardboard out of hand as not looking good. So he just sat down and startedthinking about the way he d hungcabinetsinside the house,using notchedcleats. "I knew it would work," he says, confidently."It wasjust a matter of getting the dimensionsright." To achievethe snug shapeof eachtool on eachholder.he laid the tool down on wood and very carefully traced around it, cut it out, and cut the back, allowing a pencil-width border. "When I positioned the front and back HEATING=220-volt electricheater suspendedfromceiling. ELECTRICAL:12O-volt outleton almostevery stud,plus 10 boxesin the ceilingfor lights. LIGHTING:Eight4' doublefluorescent fixturesalongcenter;one abovedrill press;one off to the side of worktable; and threefixturesabove workbencharea. DUSTCOLLECTION: 16-gallonshopvacuum. 101 ;? ***, *, 1* .,:*Er_ "*rb!".Ge;i;fr491.;-. '.@se"iH -*s*. X -# t&ffi &:ls ;it dn, &i,, ,:*r ffi;gn; i&6:s Ii&'iffil SJ;i.ir*" !:;: t 1i.. ' , $ 4r; i'. gfil '.tiF, ;b& Erl iF rtr '! t *ls .. $ ..,Xtt i.:;. !i:-i. #l#: ifi'siln il!" *F trI. .. *{ i*l; L* 'sff . . : *.* .''**' -. . -,," -ffi' Itilt :iFilr - {p ;l l" {= * i' 6.-nt " s*rr f$ i t F} ._1"* 'qq 'L i *{"tt ,.tt J *b lx t\- ,& /\ It ry ,,awF Li l t I I{rr4* I ' r'vI T \ 4it %J'+s s space enough allow collector. foradust putinan Second, put Third, fan. exhaust lf.t r r r t; lliirl 'First, '& '^ f':)* ::.!f t* 'x-! '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 ei r r i n gu n r lt h c r l o t t tc' l t s i r t gI .: 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 ' t l l r z z l c ru r t l t b l i c h t r c l l t t r si l t t t t l el ri l i - p c p p c tt'' c r - l s . 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 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 lirrnt rlocslt't s r r r ' 1 ' r r iisucr \ ( ) l t cr i l t o ' s r i : i t c r l l t i s 102 I i r i r s l - r L ri rn g . " Cinrntcrl 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 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* entrante inanoutside Inlivingcolot $ lrnlctl sOrtictltitig \ cl"\ area tothestorage ' 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 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 theshop above l'Lrnctiorr ri ith *-tt ;.t k llte k lilr et l l t l t ' l l l i c 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 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 ttl \ \ 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. floor awood Addinq comfort forprdcticality, rcsiclcntiltl ncighborlroorl. thcr 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 ' . 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 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 . 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 l l t r l c l c r tl n o - l x - l ' c L t t - i l t s lirr riintlon:. lt l(r tttltitt tlttttl' 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 ' c l + ' ( ) l te c l t l c t ' . riallsturls 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 ' \cc()lr(l ri lrs lrcutirtc. \\ihcrt it"s 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 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 11/zx 3" frame g/a"rabbets/q" deep #8 x 3" F.H.wood screw 7a"melamine-coated particleboard 11/z x 3" mounting cleats 1"brad -l---l 1/c' ll . ----l 1/zu 7a"rabbets e/q"deep t/a" rabbets t/a" deep 1 1/e' Tool rack back I -l . '/2 / ll' with careful calculations,melamine-coatedparticleboard,pine, two types of plywood, and some patience, Leland built these racks to attach the tools he uses most often onto his wall units. "l find hangingthem makesthem so much more accessible than storing them in drawers," he says. "l can reach up, grab a tool, and off we go." 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. He constructed the top using two layers of %" plywood laminated face-to-face and covered with plastic laminate.The 1/2"thick work surface is banded with solid stock. The base consists of 2x4s and 2x6s bolted and screwed together for rock-solidconstruction. 3/ex 5" carriagebolt woodmogozine.com 105 To fashion his hand-tool holders, Leland laid each toolon wood, carefully traced around the perimeter;and cut out a left-hand and right-hand side for each tool. The slightest amount of space keeps them snug. Tracedoutline Lengthto suit I 31/z' t from t/2"to3/q" )(*toth dependingon 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 w*ffiMlM Leland built two lumber racks: one for longer boards and the othe6 shorter rack along the adjacent wallfor holding 3/" material,as well as shorter pieces. Having learnedthe hard way what happens when you don't attach uprights to studs, Leland now knows to carefully seek them out before hanging anything bearing weight. hen Leland Frerichs was a farm boy in Iowa, his dad built the budding woodshop in the barn. "There was an 8' workbench, [perforated hardboard], and a 44' table," he remembers."My first tablesawcame from JCPenney." No wonder, then, that when the opportunity presenteditself to design his own shop, he settled on a barn look. It's wherehe devotestime to his artistic woodworking. Leland specializesin what he calls segmentation pieces, like the two African facesat right. Like his shop, he lends his work a unique style: "I enjoy designingmy own projectsand building unusualthings." He even came up with a no-muss/ no-fuss technique to paint them. He makes a colored stain by diluting latex paint with water, then dips cheeseclothinto the can and applies the cloth to his surface.He's donethis successfully on pine and cabinetgrade plywood. "It picked up the grain real well," he says,"and it took just aboutthree to four hours to dry." Photographs:Gory Remmers, Bell Studio woodmogozine.com I t Lately,Leland has combined his woodworking and artistic skills to produce what he calls segmentationartwork. "l tend to lean toward the free-form artistic side of woodworking," Lelandsays. "Should lfind a conventional pattern or design that suits my fancy, I usually end up changingit in some manner to make it my own." RIGHI Leland built a holder for an antique drill press his father gave him. The youthful Leland used that tool in his first shop, which his father built for him in the family barn. 107 One toolhereandonetool heknewit, there, andbefore needed a thiswoodworker Instead ofadding workshop! his upgraded on,JeffTobert qarage, shaped unusually littlebylittle. pry or Jeff Tobert, it started with a workbench. and "rnessing aroLlnd" doing woodworking alon-qside his fhther, Gerry, in his mini shop. "Our farrrily was staying with my dad while our home was bein-e built in Spruce Grove, Alberta, west of Edmonton," says Jeff. "We wound up bein-e there fbr six months. and I fbund rnyself working with niy dad in his shop. I had always liked 108 doing things with rny hands. and I thought it would be great to have a workbench, so Dad and I made one." He and his father also made some furniture pieces at his dad'splace. After Jeff and Leanne, his wif-e,moved into theirbungalowstyle honre, its an-eledtwo-car -qarage became horne to Jeff's workbench. That might have been the end of it. "Br"rtthe bench worked oLltso well." Jeff recalls. "So I thought it sure would be nice to have a tablesaw..." Befbre long, Jeff added a rollter. and that needed a router table. so he built one. He added a drill press,jointer, bandsaw and befbre you know it, he started thinkin-e about his workflow. The shop was well on its way. "l started to plzrn stuff out," he says."That's when I got the idea to really set Llp a workshop, and there was no turning back." Americo's Besf Home Workshops 2008 TYPE: Attachedtwo-stall garage. SIZE: lrregularly shaped. (Seefloor plan on page fi|.) Approximately500 sq ft. HEATING:Direct-ventgas wallfurnace. ELECTRICAL:50-amp subpanel;four 220-volt outlets,eight11O-volt outlets on threecircuits. LIGHTING:Seven fluorescentfixtures(three quad-tube, four dual-tube) on dedicated20-ampcircuit. DUSTCOLLECTION:All majordust-producing tools attachedto 3-hp cyclone; shopvacuumfor minor cleanups. i ABOVE:lt took nearly four years, but Jeff Tobert transformed an angled garage into a wellequipped,workableshop. Jeff maximizeswall space with hangingcabinets,tool boards, and a lumber rack he designed. LEFT:Like many home workshops, the space also is used as a garage. Jeff's tools roll away and store conveniently,leaving space for a pair of vehicles.The floor pfan on page 177 shows these in both the stored and in-use locations. woodmogozine.com 109 &'' Thiswell-plannedcorner combineshomes for Jeff's mobile tablesaw/router cabinet,his mitersawtable, and storagefor wood and other materials.Jeff designed the tablesaw/routercabinetto store underneaththe mitersaw table, maximizingthe use of space.Jeff's dust-collection cyclone,which he added recently,is located high and out of the way. The loft providesadditionalstorage withouteatingup valuable floor space. The vehicles wet'e parked at an angle, so Jeff would be working with an irre-9ulararea. "l needed to decide where I'd have the most rooffl to cut sheets.and that was alon-9the longest axis," he says. "Ripping doesn't take lhat nruchroorn.but crosscutting is a pain in the butt. So I projected out front the wall how much room I'd need, and that was where I put my tablesaw." A knockdown worktable Jeff clesi-unedand bLrilt helped too. (Seepuge II4.) versatility Wanted: Alon-e the lon-e wall, Jeff positioned his drill press. tnitersaw table, and a workbench in what he calls a hobby comer. He rnounted most of his tools on 110 rnobile bases so he could store them ollt of the wo), either a-gainstthe wall or, in the caseof the tablesaw/routercabinet. underneaththe mitersaw table. "My jointer and planer are on wheels,"Jeff says."My bandszrw is also on wheels, even though it stayswhere it is. "I need tools, carts, and workbenches that give maximum function but store easily and eat up a small amount of storage space," Jeff explains. "That's why I put a router table in combination with rny tablesaw.I used to have independent rollter tables with open bottoms, but I found them noisy, and a lot of chips escaped out the bottom." The obvious solution was to enclose the router in a cabinet. Americo's Besf Home Workshops 2008 tllefhff@ Knock-down worktable (Stored) s S helves K- planer .Jointer (ln use) tii utll Benchtop toolstorage shelves Tablesaw Cord and storage Belt-sandercabinet and bladestorage Bandsaw Garbaoe O Knock-down worktable (ln use) Vacuum l I I 16' Spindle sander t-:--.l t5i3i""JrEX I Jointer (Stored) I Storageloft I Drill press I I Lumberrack S'nk Cyclonedust collector. Mobilelumbercart 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. For sufficient crosscutting room, Jeff positionedhis mobile tablesaw parallelto the longest wall, where he also situatedhis drill press and mitersaw. LEFT:As with most garages in Jeff's community,his shop floor slopes toward the garage doors so water can exit. The slope required him to place all his tools-whether stationary or movable, like his jointer-on risers with adjustable feet so they could be leveled.The dust-collection ductwork shown here was an add-on, as were many features of Jeff's evolving shop. woodmogozine.com 111 utilities Adding The garagewas alreadyheated, so Jeff didn't have to deal with that issue.But he did have to considerelectricity-there were only basic receptaclesinstalled in the ceiling along with three otheroutlets. A neighborwho is an electrician installeda 50-ampbreaker subpanel.It's wired for 220 volts and includes several 20-amp circuits. Cables feed through existingconduit and a wall into the main panel. For a few years, Jeff's shop lacked dust collection. "One Christmas, though, I got a presentof a portabledustcollector that connectsto my various tools. But it was just too timeconsumingto hook up, unhook, hook up, andunhook,"Jeff says. So he installed a central ductwork system and invested in a 3-hp remote-controlledcyclone dust collector. Jeff upgradedother tools ashe went-a process he says he wouldn't have repeated."I went from a 6" jointer to an 8" jointer," he says."I shouldhavewaitedand just got the 8" modelto startwith. I alsostartedwith a benchtopdrill pressand replacedit with a floor model.The right thing to do was go for the floor model. It's better to plan right the first time." Jeff will have a chance to Put into effect what he learned:He's designing and equipping a new workshopfor himself and his dad at his father'sacreage."This shop won't be as innovativeor as clever as my first one, and it won't have the challenges," Jeff acknowledges. "But going through the shop-designprocessalready will help me do this one exactlyright." When Jeff remodeled his mitersaw table, he placed the saw on top of it and built boxes the height of the saw bed. That gives him a stable, level surface for miter-cutting long stock, and allows easy access to the saw if he wants to transport it. 112 lf I hadto doit alloveragain... now I have gonerighttothelayout "lf I realized I wouldhave ashop, I needed instead atonce besttools boughtthe lwouldhave it.Also, ofevolving instead tobemylastlathe." it'sgoing I buyalathe, littlebylittle.When ofupgrading Americo's BestHome WorkshoPs 2008 LEFT:Ghips from Jeff's router collect in the cabinet and funnel through a hose into the dust collector.Another hose attaches to the router fence. BELOW:Jeff's nifty jig makes it easy for him to cut tenons. The plywood box slides along the fence; other adjustments can be made by moving the fence or raising the blade. A 90'stop holds workpieces plumb. ABOVE:Jeff didn't want his router fence hose getting in the way of router or tablesaw operations,so he brought the hose up through the extension table. "lt operates like a dream, completely dust-free," he says. LEFT:Jeff added an outfeed table to his tablesaw/routercabinet. The router fence attaches to his dust-collection system. Drawers hold tablesaw accessoriesand router bits. 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. But the MDF alonecouldn't support the weight of the 500pound tablesaw.The answer was to construct a solid-wood subbase that attaches beneath the MDF platform. The tablesaw can rest on the subbase because it protrudes through a cutout in the MDF platform. #8 x 11/z'F.H.wood screw Optionalopeningfor tablesaw #8 x 1s/q"F.H.wood screws woodmogozine.com 113 %" Balticbirch plywoodcovered with laminate Table leaf levelers This versatiletable with a removableworksurface allows Jeff additional space to assemble projectswhen alignedwith his outfeedtable. Continuoushinges allow the rectangularsides and folding end assembliesto collapse for easy storage. The tabletoP leaves each consist of two PlYwood skins over lattice frames, covered with plastic laminate."l can't do heavyhand-planingon it," Jeff says, "but it holds nice and secure, keeps the base corners at 90o,and leg levelersallow me to adjust the heightto match the sloPeof mY garage floor." /+" dowelswith mating holesin top hinges30" long Continuous joiningsideassemblies to end assemblies hinge Continuous 30" longjoiningboth ' halvesof end assembly profi Ie woodrnror{tert he woodworkingmagazinesJeff Tobert liked to read all emphasizedhow easytheir projectswereto build. So Jeff built them. "Dad andI hadbeenmaking smallprojectsfor my daughterswith a scrollsawand handtools,but I alsosubscribedto a bunchof magazines, including WOOD@:'Jeffsays."So I startedbuilding the nightstandsand bookshelvesthey featured.They really weren't hard. My woodworking more or lesstook off from there." Jeff, who coacheshigh school football, has developeda coach'sgame plan to most projects.First, he doesa scaledrawingof the project.If that doesn'tanswefall his questions,he builds a mock-upof the complicated elements,or eventhe entireproject,usingrough-gradeplywood.Then, if it looks good,he graduatesto constructingthe actualproject. 'At the end of the day, it's just a piece of Mistakesdon't bother him. wood," he says."You can alwaysstartagain." 114 This quartersawnoak cabinet stores gloves, boots, and other winter gear.To match the grain pattern as much as possible on the legs, Jeff used a routertable-mounted lock-miter bit. The four-part finish starts with aniline dye, followed by stain, coated with shellac,then sealed with polyurethane. AlanHigh,WillowCreeklmaging Photographs: Americo's Best Home Workshops 2008 ftomtheeditors ofW00lTragazine :PF,ff:, One-Day Workbench PlanDP-00319 $3.25 MobileStorage PlanDP-00321 $2.75 0n-the-Mark MitersawStation PlanDP-00276 $4.95 Super-Flexible ShopStorage PlanDP-00280 $5.95 3-Drawert tilityCabinet PlanDP-00275 $5.95 Roll-Around ToolBase PlanDP-00061 $6.95 Gyclone DustGollector PlanDP-00068 $10.95 Bench-Tool System PlanDP-00560 $6.95 MobileSawing& RoutingGenter PlanDP-00271 $8.95 MobileMitersawGenter PlanDP-00098 $7.95 FiveGreat Glamp 0rganizers PlanDP-00230 $6.95 Swivel-Topped Tool Cabinet PlanDP-00063 $8.95 MobileToolGabinet PlanDP-00260 $7.95 UniversalWall Gabinet PlanDP-00140 $8.95 Space-Saving WorkGenter PlanDP-00168 $6.95 BenchtopRouterTable PlanDP-00151 $7.95 Full-Service Workbench Full-Service Workbench Plan,Part1,DP-00058 & ToolTable $A.gS Lift-UpRouter Plan,Part2,DP-00059 $8.95 LumberStorageRack PlanDP-00135 $7.95 BasicWorkbench and 6 Waysto Beefit Up PlanDP-00456 $7.95 Download anyottheabove plansforthepriceslisted,orhavehemmailed woodworking di.ecfly toyouforanadditional $3per plan(S+H). Fordownloading theplanyourself ortoviewa larger go image, towoodmagazine.COm/planS Cailtoll lree l-888-036-tt478 forpaper-ptan credir cardorders. more efficient, more theirworkshops thatmake ideas clever iodevise itt0ourreaders Leave tosend ustheir America North allacross woodworkers fun.Weasked orjustmore oiginized, projects andother racks, tables, pages withjigs,fences, teem Thefollowing bestsuggestions. job.Thanks toall! offyournextwoodworking cuthours ttratwonttakelongtobuildbutcould Fence Rabbet-Cutting Pa. Schnecksville, Greenawald, fromBruce fenceto yoursaw'sregularfence.Bruce's A H"r"'. a no-clampwayto add a sacrificialrabbet-cutting rip fence;whenthe MDFsidegetstrashed,he easilyreplacesit. boxfencefits overhisT-square-style alongthe way'An boxfence,addingseveralimprovements the Thismodelis Bruce'ssecondstabat s/a" to tightenthe bolts him dadoVz"deepin the MDF,allowing T-tracktuckssnuglyintoa aluminum faceof the box."Thisprovidesmuchsmoothermovement thefeatherboardto thesacrificial securing thanwithjustthe regularfence,"Bruce otherattachments and board feather the of lockdown and better theshopfor storageor when the fence around moves he Thetwo handleson top helpwhen explains. he setsit in placeoverthe regularfence.Onthesidefacingawayfromthecamera,two buift-inclamping to hisripfence. boxfencesecurely screws,madeusingbrassT-bolts,attachtheauxiliary 116 Americo's Besl Home Workshops 2008 Com bination Route rTableAltlorkbench fromDon Henderson, 0rleans, 0nt. Arh is router/cl amping/downdraft-sand ing table(aboveandtop) is Don Henderson's onlyworkbench. Thefence,whichDoncalls"anexercise in overkill," is madefromthreelengthsof 2x6 birch,witha cutoutin the middleforthe router-bit opening. Thetop andendsaremahogany, andthe facesaremaple.Thefenceis alignedforeandaft usingtwo steelrulesembeddedintotheworksurface andcrampedin placevia thethreadedknobon the rightend.Sixadjustment screwsbehindthe movablefaceslevelandsquarethe fenceto the table. { Dtill'PfgSSTabl€ DonHenderson's dritt-press tabteconsistsof two 3/+" layersof 3/q" MDFwitha/2" phenolic top.Additional MDFshapedto conformto thedrill-press tableis partof the mounting system.Thecenter viseassistsin drillingtoolhandlesandotherodd-shaped objectsthat requireaccurately drilledholes. woodmogozine.com 117 Vz" pipe Rack Clamp Portable Minn. Red Wing, Dankers, fromDoug DougDankershasmanyclamps mostwoodworkers, A t-it