Introduction to the Workshop
The first step in setting up a workshop is establishing your needs.
A suitable location for the workshop
must be determined. Workshops can be located in the home or garage, but ideally the
basement or garage
are very suitable locations. You should plan for future
expansion prior to designing the shop, since you will
at some point in the future, outgrow the present shop. Many factors are to be
taken into consideration in
designing a workshop. Storage, lighting, ventilation, power requirements, and
noise reduction are important.
The typical woodworking shop requires a workbench, tool storage, stationary
machine area,
and finishing area. Ample space should be provided to move between
the bench and walls,
and to provide the necessary clearance for long, wide boards and panels.
Efficient
dust
collection is a major
consideration. Unless you are using only hand tools, most power tools
and specifically, powered sanding operations create large amounts of airborne
dust, which is easily inhaled.
If a workshop is not feasible at this time, a small work area in a corner of the
home is perfectly suitable.
The minimum requirement of a workbench and hand tools is all that is necessary
to begin woodworking.
A general
floor plan should be drawn up. All equipment should be positioned as to provide
maximum
flexibility and the ability to maneuver around
the machines and bench. If you have a large space
available to you, plan for future additional equipment. A lumber storage area is
important, and can be
either situated in the workshop or outside. Make sure the workshop has adequate
electrical service
and plenty of lighting.
Another
consideration is the ease or difficulty in transporting materials into and out
of the workshop.
Ventilation is important, and sometimes a common household fan placed in a
window of the shop
or in the vicinity, can satisfy the ventilation requirement. Safety
considerations include a non-slip floor,
adequate lighting, and room to maneuver around equipment. Fluorescent lighting
provides more light
than incandescent lighting and is less expensive to operate. Some fixture come
with wires to plug
into a receptacle, other fixtures need to be permanently wired.
Grounded
receptacles are of primary importance, and guard against shock. If the workshop
is located
in the basement,
GFCI receptacles
should be considered. GFCI's sense small changes in current flow,
similar to a short circuit, and disable the power instantly. Portable clip-on spotlamps can be used
in proximity of the workbench or stationary machines, to serve as task lighting.
Dust Collection in the Workshop
Dust
collection is becoming increasingly important in the workshop. Airborne dust
generated when wood
is machined or cut has been proven to be a contributing factor in lung ailments,
etc. In light of this,
the best method to prevent airborne dust from being generated is to collect it
at the source or right
at the woodworking machine. A modern dust collection
system is composed of central ducts or pipes
and flexible tubing leading to a central dust collector This system of pipes and
flexible tubing originates
from the heavy dust generators in the shop, typically the router table, tablesaw,
thickness planer,
jointer and bandsaw.
The cost of centralized dust collection has been dropping over the
past few years, and a decent system
can now be installed for a few hundred dollars. The capacity of the system is
directly related to
whether one machine or multiple machines will be used at a time. The shop size
and length of ducting
is also a factor in determining dust collection capacity. Dust collectors
typically work on moving
high volumes of air at lower suction rather than a conventional vacuum cleaner
with low volume
and high suction. In light of this, the ductwork and flexible tubing has bee
standardized at 4 inches
for a average workshop dust collection system. The 4 inch diameter ducting is
ample enough
to move higher volumes of wood dust and chips to the central dust collector.
The 4 inch
diameter ductwork and tubing of workshop dust collection systems is in stark
contrast
to the 1.5 inch diameter size of conventional vacuum cleaners designed to have
high suction.
Dust collectors consist of a motor, an impeller blade, a shroud and a bag
system. The motor size
is the determining factor in the capacity of the dust collector. Dust collector
motor sizes typically
range from 1 HP to 2 HP for the average workshop. Although it is economical to
select a 1 HP
collector initially, you will find that your needs will quickly outgrow the
unit. In our opinion,
the 1.5 HP dust collector is the best compromise initially. The cost is not
excessive, yet it provides
enough capacity for unanticipated growth in shop size and number of machines in
the shop.
The 1 HP
collectors are primarily designed to be wheeled around to whichever
machine
you are presently using. On the other hand, the 1.5 HP and above dust collectors
can be
set up centrally to be ducted to multiple machines. Each machine in turn has a
blast gate
which turns the vacuum on or off to the machine. There exist very large capacity
systems
from 5 HP and up which allow three or more machines to be used simultaneously.
Blast gates are either made of metal or plastic and are sufficient for average
use in the workshop.
The Workbench
A workbench should be comfortable and highly functional. The
workbench can be placed in the
middle of the shop, you can then work on four sides of the bench. This
arrangement leaves plenty
of space for maneuvering large workpieces around the bench. The workbench can
also be placed
against a wall or on the two sides of a corner. This arrangement leaves less
room to maneuver
large work pieces, but it offers accessible wall space for storing tools. It can
also take advantage
of natural light if the bench is placed under or near a window. A small compact
bench is well suited
to working with smaller workpieces. At the front and side of the workbench are
located vises
which in conjunction with
bench
dogs
,
hold work firmly down. The tool tray running lengthwise
at the back of the workbench is visible. This bench does not include any
shelving or drawers
beneath the bench top, but it is straightforward to construct, and is the ideal
first workbench
for hand tool based operations. The "cabinetmaker"
workbench is much larger and has a tool drawer
incorporated into the bench top. The side vise is a
shoulder
vise and offers more
flexibility than
the standard side vise. The length of the workbench offers the woodworker more
flexibility in
using longer workpieces.
The
workbench
is
essentially a table for working on. It must be extremely reliable, strong and
rigid.
The top should be very flat, and deep enough (from front to back) to accommodate
your work.
The overall height of the workbench should be stressed, as it should be
convenient for yourself.
Workbenches can be purchased, but if you design and build one, it is best to
follow an existing plan,
as many sensible details have already been incorporated in. Common features of a
workbench
are a tool recess at the rear of the top running lengthwise along the tabletop.
The tool recess is
to ensure that tools do not protrude into the work piece above the level of the
table top.
Other common features of the typical woodworking workbench are drawers , or
shelves,
under the work area, and two vises. Vises are very important because holding the
work piece
firmly is essential to a good job. Often there is a
vise at
the front of the bench and another at
the end of the bench. These vises work in conjunction with
"bench-dogs" to hold long or
wide material firmly to the work surface.
The bench dog is
basically a square or round, wood or metal peg which is inserted at
predefined holes in the surface of the workbench. Despite all this, ripping
(sawing lumber along the grain)
and working large boards is usually awkward on the workbench. A pair of
sawhorses is invaluable
in the shop, on which you can rest the work piece with plenty of overhang. A
sawhorse is also
handy in cross-cutting (sawing across the grain). Storage is another essential
requirement
of the workshop. Storage is used for hand tools, portable power tools, finishing
materials,
and small hardware. The height of the workbench should be adjusted for your
individual comfort,
because it is most often used by yourself. Stand straight and rest the palms of
your hands on a
surface just high enough so that your elbows are slightly bent. This is your
proper upper work height,
the bench should measure this distance from the floor. Bench heights range from
30 to 36 inches high.
Tools should be in close proximity to the bench, ideally the wall behind the
bench.
More
information about this subject is available in our
CDROM Woodworking Course
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Copyright © 1998-2006 White Mountain Design
Last modified:
January 20, 2006