New Small Wood Shop Machinery - Advice Required

[MikeG.]

Fair points, but one of the differences with a bandsaw is that the table is much higher than a table saw, so the infeed and outfeed areas can be occupied with normal bench-height stuff without blocking use of the saw. That can't be said of a tablesaw.

And yep, in the good old days, none of us thought twice about ripping a 12 foot plank with a handsaw. It was a good way to warm yourself up on a chilly morning. As I've said many times, I have no idea how a workshop can function without saw horses. However, this chap has clearly made up his mind on the power tools he wants and is just seeking affirmation rather than advice. The bandsaw points a number of us have made will end up in the same category as the handsaw, I'm afraid.

 

[woodbloke66]

As I've said many times, I have no idea how a workshop can function without saw horses.

I agree with you Mike and I'd love to build a pair, but I've got literally nowhere to put them. All I have is one little 'hop up' type of thingie mangled together from some oddments of 18mm ply - Rob

 

[harryc]

My workshop is only 16x10 and I have a Kity tablesaw in the middle of it.

But I also have a track saw to cut down any large boards, don’t think I could work without a tablesaw it’s the most important machine for me.

 

[Woody2Shoes]

I have a circular saw, a tracksaw and a bandsaw and a Metabo 260mm p/t plus hand tools. I make everything from bay windows and doors to small trinket boxes. I have absolutely no desire or need to own a table saw, but of course YMMV!

 

[MusicMan]

I have a 16 x 8 workshop and it is too small. My DW733 fits under the bench on a folding table with gas strut support (there's a thread on it somewhere), an 8' bench, a mortiser, a mitre saw and tool storage. I would hate to be without my table saw and built another 6 x 12 shed for that (ripping only on big pieces, not cross cutting). It also has a small Inca bandsaw, bobbin sander and disc sander and router table. Both sheds are squashed. I manage without a planer.

So my recommendation would be first to build a bigger shed, as big as you can find space for, then a mitre saw to speed up making a workbench, make that, then see what machines you really want.

 

[twodoctors]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LWThhXdXRvDpSN0xAqHHGSeoiycgvutI/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LXV4AFCiv_AowcmetzMHFTbUMcBG6stZ/view?usp=drivesdk

This is my 1/2 single garage workshop. I have a bigger bandsaw (Scheppach Basa 3), table saw (Charnwood W616), 8" planer/thicknesser, router table, drum sander, chip collector, 300mm sander, bench drill, 216mm mitre saw and a track saw. The bigger stuff are on caators (apart from Basa 3 which has 2 wheels anyway). The 3 tier of boxes are for off cuts and some random stuff.

I push what I don't need to the storage side and I manage. Just a hobbyist I have enough room to make my clamps and rulers stand (on the right) and a 4 legged stool.

Consider a track saw instead of a table saw if you are stuck. They do pretty much the same job, except a bit more setting up required for each cut. Bandsaw is nice to have (I used to make bandsaw boxes... Still do actually) but it doesn't replace a table saw or track saw.

 

[Doug71]

Because of family issues I moved from a massive workshop full of Wadkin kit to a 16' x 9' building on a friends farm. Quick trip to Axminster for a PT and bandsaw and my business was back up and running. I already had all the hand tools and power tools needed.

After a while I bought a Domino XL as I didn't really have room for a mortiser. I also bought a site type table saw just for ripping stuff down as it was quicker then the bandsaw but had to open the door to use it.

I was in there for a couple of years till I got things turned round and am now in a bigger premises and have built up my collection of machinery again with mortiser, spindle moulder etc.

Whenever I see peoples small workshops I am always amazed at how much unnecessary stuff they have cluttering the place up, you really only need the basics to function.

One thing that never seems to get mentioned much is a decent mitre saw, I think they are a must have in any workshop, especially if you don't have space for a table saw with a slider.

 

[MikeG.]

.........Whenever I see peoples small workshops I am always amazed at how much unnecessary stuff they have cluttering the place up, you really only need the basics ......

=D> =D> Absobloodylutely. Please say that often. In fact, why not make that your signature. Space is more important than kit. Skill is more important than kit.

 

[That would work]

Unless you posses both :lol:

 

[D_W]

With a shop that small, I'd make a workbench (to use with hand tools), buy a used track saw and a thickness planer. I wouldn't have a TS that didn't hang on the wall (like one of the bosch jobsite saws).

Learn to use hand tools so that you can do accurate work with smaller power tools (where the tools might not be the most accurate or capable) and lighten the dust load in the air.

 

[heimlaga]

8 by 16 feet. That is approximately 2,40 by 4,60 metres ........

For a workshop that small I would focus all machine buying on three machines. A table saw without any sort of sliding table (for instance a bare bones Wadkin Bursgreen 10" AGS) and some sort of electrically powered sharpeing equipment for the hand tools and a planer/thicknesser combination. The rest of the work I would do using hand tools. A good workbench is essential.

For several years I made doors and windows as an extra income in a single car garage which is 2,9 by 5,5 metres. Using a Stenberg KEV 600 combination machine. For those of you who are not into old Swedish industrial machinery it is a beast weighing 1300 kilos and having 600mm planing capacity. Anyway organisation is the key to working efficiently in such a tight space. Organisation and more organisation...... and a shed where one can store the stuff that doesn't belong in the workshop.

 

[Fisher1980]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LWThhXdXRvDpSN0xAqHHGSeoiycgvutI/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LXV4AFCiv_AowcmetzMHFTbUMcBG6stZ/view?usp=drivesdk

This is my 1/2 single garage workshop. I have a bigger bandsaw (Scheppach Basa 3), table saw (Charnwood W616), 8" planer/thicknesser, router table, drum sander, chip collector, 300mm sander, bench drill, 216mm mitre saw and a track saw. The bigger stuff are on caators (apart from Basa 3 which has 2 wheels anyway). The 3 tier of boxes are for off cuts and some random stuff.

I push what I don't need to the storage side and I manage. Just a hobbyist I have enough room to make my clamps and rulers stand (on the right) and a 4 legged stool.

Consider a track saw instead of a table saw if you are stuck. They do pretty much the same job, except a bit more setting up required for each cut. Bandsaw is nice to have (I used to make bandsaw boxes... Still do actually) but it doesn't replace a table saw or track saw.

That's a lovely man cave, really nice.

How do you find the Charnwood saw?

 

[MikeG.]

........That's a lovely man cave, really nice.........

Interesting, and revealing. To me that looks desperately overcrowded. If you were to make, say, a table or chest of drawers in that workshop, where would it stand?

 

[D_W]

........That's a lovely man cave, really nice.........

Interesting, and revealing. To me that looks desperately overcrowded. If you were to make, say, a table or chest of drawers in that workshop, where would it stand?

I understand that some folks don't have a choice. I had to fight for the garage with the mrs. and the kids still store bicycles and such in it (but no cars now). My garage is something like 29x25 feet with built in storage, and I still often wish it had a third stall for staging goods.

and that's with no large stationary tools (to be fair, my lumber storage is 2/3rds of the stalls just because I have the ability to use that space and lower the cost of lumber by getting a slug delivered by a mill (500bf or more at a time - $50 delivery fee here and the mill man is substantially cheaper than retail).

Nobody takes me seriously when I say I'd do a lot of the work by hand, but it's more enjoyable and most of us need the exercise, anyway. It will build shoulder and hand strength greatly and make everything else easier. I can understand a small bandsaw, track saw and thickness planer even in a small shop.

How much time does hand work add? It probably doubles simple things. More complex projects where just bulk work isn't the focus, it adds nothing. You quickly get to skills like jointing board edges and gluing them together without checking for square or flatness with any tools and if you bail on the hobby, you'll lose practically nothing when selling your stuff off.

 

[twodoctors]

Trust me. In an ideal world I would have a double garage as a workshop and I can build whatever I want and have space a a use for them all.

Alas I live the real world but still want ot dabble into woodworking. :roll:

I started off with just a scroll saw, then realised I what I needed to make is better served with a bandsaw. Then I dabbled in bandsaw boxes and it went on from there. That was 4 years ago.

I'm not skillful enough (and definitely have no space) to make any furniture. The biggest item I've made is probably my ruler / clamp storage on the right of the photo. Next biggest project was my stool in the workshop. Made using various power tools that I accumulated over the years.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/wBqVN3XEbipP2aKu9

It looks cramp in the photo but it's not that bad when things are moved to the other end. (for an amateur anyway)

Ironically I bought a dovetail saw and am learning (via YouTube) how to cut dovetail joints. Of course I could have bought a finger joint jig (or make one for the table saw / router table) but hand tooling is fun. (plus I can do that late at night).

The w616 is quite good. Very noisy but better than the Titan table saw I bought about 10 years ago. Aluminium top and easy to attach side and forward extension. Dust collection is abysmal but I guess you get what you paid for! For £200 (£80 discount) I think I've done alright.

Stay safe all.

 

[D_W]

roger that - fingerjoints are OK for utility furniture, but you'll be rewarded down the road for building hand skills (with furniture that doesn't look like fruit crates).