My little basement area shop-to-be

[sportandmiah]

Finally started re working my little 11x8 area in the basement. The walls and floor were sealed, walls studded and insulated, and drywalled. I work on it a little every day. More to follow as I progress.

 

[kvom]

I think you will want a lot more outlets, and possibly more lighting.

Since the ceiling is still open you should be able to run wire for more outlets without too much difficulty.

 

[ksouers]

Sport,
It looks like a comfy place.
I'd have to agree, more outlets and lights. Perhaps some modular strip outlets around the walls.

My shop is about the same size as yours, a little bit smaller, 8x9. I have two of the overhead shop lights like yours and wish I had at least one more.


Kevin

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Nice job---Sure makes my seven foot square machine shop look sick.---Brian

 

[sportandmiah]

Thx fellas. I plan to add a long 10 or 12 outlet strip when completed. The workbench will be built the span of that newly built wall, 11 feet long by 2 feet in depth, 3' high. There are also 2 more outlets on the opposite wall hidden behind the old wood paneling. I re-framed the door opening today, and will add another outlet there as well. And I have 2 other florescent light fixtures I will hang later.

I'm thinking of using some type of cork material for the floor. Anyone else use this? Looking for something study yet easy on my back.

 

[Maryak]

I'm thinking of using some type of cork material for the floor. Anyone else use this? Looking for something study yet easy on my back.

IMHO cork would be the very devil and would soon be impregnated with swarf. I have a metal floor in my container workshop but in front of machines and benches I have 3/4" thick synthetic rubber mats which are easy on the feet and back and easy to take outside for swarf removal.

Just my thoughts on it - I'm sure you'll get plenty of good suggestions.

Best Regards
Bob

 

[sportandmiah]

IMHO cork would be the very devil and would soon be impregnated with swarf. I have a metal floor in my container workshop but in front of machines and benches I have 3/4" thick synthetic rubber mats which are easy on the feet and back and easy to take outside for swarf removal.

Just my thoughts on it - I'm sure you'll get plenty of good suggestions.

Best Regards
Bob

Good point Bob. Maybe laminate or stick-on-tile....

 

[kvom]

I would leave the floor concrete and put down a rubber pad.

 

[shred]

I have some of those puzzle-piece foam squares you showed in an early photo in one part of my shop and they work pretty well, though they like to move around and bunch up if not stuck down.

You may want to think about 220v power as well as 110v if you're in that part of the world, as well as how many circuits you have. It's easy to run the wires before the walls are finished and can come in very handy if you need more than 15 or 20A or you want to drive a VFD. You've got a small area, but you'd be surprised what machines you can pack in there..

I've twice had to go back into the main breaker box to add circuits now and the other half doesn't appreciate everything in the house shut down while she stands there with a flashlight and cell-phone.

 

[kvom]

A 30a 220V circuit would certainly be a good idea. I'd also add an additional 110V or two as opposed to relaying on a single one.

 

[mklotz]

Also, the (area) lighting in the shop should be on a separate circuit from that serving the machines. If you have an oops and a machine blows a fuse, you don't want to be stumbling around in the dark. DAMHIKT.

Some other points I learned the hard way...

Work bench height should be about an inch less than the height of your elbow above the floor when your forearm is horizontal.

The front edge of the bench should have a lip that extends outward by about two inches so that you can clamp things to it. An outlet strip mounted to the underside of this lip is handy - swarf can't enter the outlets and tool cords won't be snaking all over the bench top.

Arrange at least part of the base of the bench so that you can sit on a stool with your legs under the bench when doing fine work.

When you mount a vise to the bench ensure that the fixed jaw is forward of the front edge of the bench so that long work can be held vertically without fouling the bench.

 

[Foozer]

Thx fellas. I plan to add a long 10 or 12 outlet strip when completed. The workbench will be built the span of that newly built wall, 11 feet long by 2 feet in depth, 3' high. There are also 2 more outlets on the opposite wall hidden behind the old wood paneling. I re-framed the door opening today, and will add another outlet there as well. And I have 2 other florescent light fixtures I will hang later.

I'm thinking of using some type of cork material for the floor. Anyone else use this? Looking for something study yet easy on my back.

Tried a few floor items to relieve the standing effect. Cold concrete, cold feet. The ergo matts feel good but soon get so trashed out . . . Now its just grab a hunk of cardboard and when done to the trash bin. Keeps some of the cold transfer down.

Your workbench dim are about the same as mine, got a 1 1/2 ply build up on top with 3/16 steel over that. Item, perhaps know to all, have the bench free standing, no cheating and use the back wall as one side. The free stander wont translate the bench impacts to the wall. Nothing worse than wacking something on the bench and having the wall rattle.

I* set my bench top at a height that when standing with arms bent at elbows my hands were at a no bend over working height, For lme it ended up being 39 inches to the bench top.

Like my mind Messy. I really have to carve out a cubby like your doing, more space = put away lazy.

Only see one entrance/exit to your spot makes the number 1 safety item high on the list Fire Putter Outers.

An item one hopes they never need but oh so thankful to have should the need arise. Been there, something about grinding steel after AL, boy that gets bright in a hurry

 

[sportandmiah]

I have my bench planned out to be 3' high but I can always add another layer to give it more height if needed. The electric I'll leave to the pros. I have a guy that does small jobs and is reasonable.

 

[sportandmiah]

Thanks for all the helpful tips guys, much appreciated. Below is a mock-up of my bench. No top yet, and the dimensions might not be followed exactly such as height and middle supports, but this is the jist of it. It will be anchored to a 3 walls: the left, right, and back, plus there will be 4x4 legs to help further support it.

 

[joeby]

Keeping in mind what you have said about this being a mock-up, I would think a little about how you intend to incorporate your 4x4 legs.

It's amazing how much weight a workbench will be asked carry, especially when it's used for metalworking. Just as a suggestion, the 4x4's need to be under the bench framework, not attached to the side of a 2x4. you could possibly use 2 2x4 crossmembers side by side and set them on top of the 4x4 leg or, better yet, run 2x4's, or another 4x4, lengthwise under the top framework and set them on top of your 4x4 legs.

Have you decided on benchtop material? Over the years, I've had anything from plywood tops to steel. Currently, I have a steel topped bench; nice for keeping clean, oil spills and such aren't a problem, no cracks for small parts to hide in, and it's non-combustible. It's also very noisy, and unforgiving to parts accidentally dropped on it.

I did have a maple (butcher block) bench also, and really liked it for assembly work; but when I moved my P&W lathe in, it had to go.

A large shop I worked in made all of their benches in-house. They used 2x6's, laid flat, lengthwise on the bench and covered them with hardwood flooring run front to back. Very nice to work on, and if they were damaged, they could replace the flooring in short order.

Kevin

 

[Andrew_D]

You may want to think about 220v power as well as 110v if you're in that part of the world, as well as how many circuits you have. It's easy to run the wires before the walls are finished and can come in very handy if you need more than 15 or 20A or you want to drive a VFD. You've got a small area, but you'd be surprised what machines you can pack in there..

A 30a 220V circuit would certainly be a good idea. I'd also add an additional 110V or two as opposed to relaying on a single one.

My suggestion would be to run 3-wire to each outlet box. That way you can run the outlet as one 110V circuit or one 220V circuit, or split the outlet into two 110V circuits. Costs a little more to buy the 3-wire, but worth it when you need to make a change.

I had a spare 40-circuit breaker box kicking around when I rewired my garage. (Original contractor put the whole garage on two 15 Amp circuits - lights, 5 plugs, door openers, everything!! Plug in two cars inside and two outside and sit back to watch the fireworks!) I ran a 50-Amp service from the house to the "new" panel and put outlets every 6 feet around the walls and alternated them 2-wire and 3-wire. Gives me some options down the road.

Andrew

 

[shred]

What are your plans for under the bench and/or small stock storage? I 2nd the idea of making it super-strong and turning it into a heavy-item storage area. Due to the nature of my material scrounging, I have a lot of stock ends between 1 and 2 feet long. I made some hold-a-truck shelves and stashed it all under the bench. Gotta be hundreds of lbs on there now. (you can also see I'm not anal about organization ;D)

Another consideration is if you ever want to get a bigger machine, a 9x19 lathe is ~300 lbs and a 10" bench lathe can run almost 500 lbs. The benchtop milling machines weigh out similarly. I had to do a bunch of remodeling to one bench after I acquired a 10" lathe on short notice. It's not so much fun doing woodwork crawling around underneath a dirty old bench. I know you're thinking Micro-mill and Unimat, but well... I started with a Taig lathe and Mill not too long ago and now I have 2500 lbs of machines in the garage, none of which are vehicles.. : :

 

[sportandmiah]

I'll definately tweak the plans for the 4x4, probably cutting a 2x4 wedge out of the side of the 4x4 so the bench can sit on it. I'll add 1 or two more to the final plan.

I want the top of the bench to be easily cleaned, and wood doesn't clean well windex. :-\ I'll probably use either 1/2" or 3/4" MDF. Then for a final layer, Lowes and HD sell Formica in sheets, which would make a good, solid, easy cleaning surface.

I really have no plans to get any large machinery now. : The largest lathe I can see purchasing is a 7x10, but am leaning towards a small one for now. I'll post more pics this week, as I just finished painting.

For small storage, I'm considering using a 2x6 for the front of the bench framework, and adding drawers. My dad and I have been avoiding going through my grandfathers tool shop, but dad says it's time. My grandfather LOVED his tools, and he had a lot of chests, drawers, etc. Not exactly my ideal way of obtaining new tools, but at least they will be taken care of and will stay in the family.

 

[cfellows]

Thanks for all the helpful tips guys, much appreciated. Below is a mock-up of my bench. No top yet, and the dimensions might not be followed exactly such as height and middle supports, but this is the jist of it. It will be anchored to a 3 walls: the left, right, and back, plus there will be 4x4 legs to help further support it.

Your open bottom design is probably going to attract storage for all kinds of big, loose things. As time and money permits, you might consider enclosing most of the bottom of your workbench with drawers and shelves with doors on the front. The storage is always handy and it keeps out dirt and swarf and makes cleaning up easier. You can leave a small section open where you plan to do work from a stool that requires you to slide your legs under the bench.

Chuck

 

[mklotz]

Sears sells (steel) five drawer rolling tool cabinets. One particular "homeowner" model is apparently made for midgets. It's height is less than the height of the bottom of my workbench so it can be rolled underneath. In addition to saving me the effort to construct drawers, this provides me with the flexibility to change things around easily in the future.

If your shop is flush with space (yeah, right, we all have that problem), a steel office desk makes an ideal sit down workspace for fine work - knee room and tool drawers right to hand. If you don't have room for a desk, be sure to leave knee room under at least a section of your workbench. Your back will thank you.