Go the distance
Having a bigger shop is awesome, but increasing the size also increased the distance between everything. Hadn’t counted on that.
Having a bigger shop is awesome, but increasing the size also increased the distance between everything. Hadn’t counted on that.
My old garage shop was about 400 sq. ft., while my new shop is more than three times that. (Four times that if you include the dedicated storage room I also created.) I’ve never had so much space and it’s allowed me to do things like building the miter saw station I never had room for before. But it also means a lot more real estate to cover while working from what I’m used to.
I had a single trashcan in the old shop, since I was never more than 20’ from it. My new shop is roughly a “T” shape, so depending on where I am the trash can be 60 or more feet away. Solution is to have multiple trashcans, which proved to be a boon: I still generate the same amount of trash, but it’s now spread out among three trashcans, meaning I don’t have to empty as often. Result: Win-win.
The increased distance means I walk more. A lot more. A waymo lot more. My FitBit is the happiest one around. Actually, I enjoy walking more, as I no longer work standing in one spot anymore. It also means distinct separation between things I’m working on, so nothing is in the way of anything else like in the old days. Result: Win-win.
I’ve needed to double up on stuff, though. For example, basic things like screwdrivers, tape, glue and whatnot need to be at arm’s reach no matter where I am, so I’ve bought several more of these items so they’re always available. Result: Mostly a win.
All this is distance-based, so you probably think my dust collection system took a big hit, requiring far longer duct runs than before. Nope. Again, the shop is laid out in a “T” pattern with three distinct work areas. I set up the dust collector in its own closet right at the junction of the T, making it pretty much central. In fact, because my collector was in the corner of my old shop, my longest duct run now is actually shorter than the longest run in the old place. Result: A really big win.
So, at this point you’re probably thinking, Geez A.J., now you’re just bragging. Uh, yeah. Pretty much.
A.J. Hamler is the former editor of Woodshop News and Woodcraft Magazine. He's currently a freelance woodworking writer/editor, which is another way of stating self-employed. When he's not writing or in the shop, he enjoys science fiction, gourmet cooking and Civil War reenacting, but not at the same time.