# Small Shop Storage Solutions



## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

I'm fairly new at woodworking & a bit reluctant to show my work against all the pros out there, but I have a very small garage shop and space is at a premium. Here are some photos of storage & space saving solutions I've built over the past year. Please be kind to the newbie.:smile:


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## Ohio Ron (Dec 22, 2007)

It looks just like it came out of a magazine on "How to make a small shop" It is too neat to be real..................now to keep it that way:laughing:

I would certainly be proud of it. Great job!


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

It looks great.

How come there is so much empty space?

George


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Windstorm,
What do you mean 'be kind to the newbie'? Your shop looks fantastic. Great job on all your little holders, organizers and such. Most people don't take the time to build anything nice to put their tools in. I think you did a great job. Now, just a couple of things. The shop is way too clean, must not be much going on there.:laughing: What are those funny looking metal things sticking out of your rollaround wood holder?:laughing: Where did you get the chome wire racks?
Mike Hawkins


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

Thanks, Ohio Ron & George. My wife hates a messy garage & my shop vac gets a workout. I only have a few feet between walls, so I have to work in an organized fashion (the portable table saw rolls away). All the tables fold & collapse into the walls in case I have to park a car, which I never do. Here's my design table on the opposite wall.


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## steve mackay (Oct 5, 2008)

Eh Gods ! I bow to anyone building dovetailed paintcan shelves ! 

You are a baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad man !


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## breakfastchef (Jan 14, 2008)

You need to get that shop dirty! How can you run a computer in that space without clogging it with sawdust? BTW, the steel storage shelves are great, parituclarly if you have wheels installed. Terrific shop.


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## AZ Termite (Dec 20, 2008)

Windstorm,
You want to come to Arizona and come organize my shop. I know the weather sucks there right now. Its supposed to be sunny here the rest of the week.:laughing: In the 60's.:laughing: Great job on the organizers. Maybe someday I will get that organized,but I don't see that in the near future.:laughing: Seriously, nice job.


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Good gosh man!!!! Finger jointed shelving unit for paints and stains. What ever happened to the milk crate and old book shelf idea. :laughing: Great job!!!! One of these days soon, I'm gonna post some pictures of my shop. I too am short on space. Thanks for sharing. Awesome looking shop.:thumbsup:
Ken


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

Hi guys. I went in the house for dinner & came back to read all your responses & laughed out loud. I promise you, when I'm working on a project the shop is a complete mess & I'm literally stumbling over everything, and I can't seem to start a new project until it's clean again. Maybe it's a fetish. The box joint shelves for my stains & varnishes was my first attempt at doing box joints & I think I'll build some little drawers for the bottom 2 compartments. I just wanted to see if I could do it & it came out pretty nice. Next time I'll post some pictures with sawdust in them. Thanks to all.:smile:


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

To answer your question, Mike, the funny looking metal things are old golf clubs (but I think you knew that) & the metal rack came from the Container Store (pretty conventional, but it's a beast & holds a ton of weight).:yes:


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

Here's a simple solution for storing your dovetail jig & templates... a couple of 2x3s, T-Bolts (loose fitting so the templates slide right off) & a pair of ladder hooks. You can hang it high & out of the way. I really have to stop organizing, it's crazy.:smile:


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## jporter5333 (Dec 6, 2008)

Nice work windstorm. Those are the kinds of solutions I'm going to need. A car won't even fit in my shop it's only 12x12. I've got to start parking my 4 wheeler somewhere else and getting rid of "just in case stuff" that's taking up space and then get creative about layout and tool storage. Good job with your shop and keep the ideas coming.


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## Itchy Brother (Aug 22, 2008)

Incredible,OMG!,Not a speck of dust or dirt,You could eat off anything in there!!Perform open heart surgery,I need to do an exorcism in my shop! WTG! Itchy


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

Jporter, just imagine your workspace as wallpaper. If you had to fold all your tools against the wall, what would it look like? As crazy as it sounds, I can still fit a Nissan SUV in my 10'X20' garage because all my table legs hinge & table tops collapse.


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

Itchy, I've done some exorcisms in my shop, but no open heart surgery, at least not yet.


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

Where's the junk and sawdust?


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

Here's one that comes in handy & anyone can build... A pair of clamp racks made of 2x3s attached to a french cleat made of 3/4" ply. It's simple, strong & cheap. Sorry for the shadowy photo.


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

One more... No room for a cabinet saw & portable is the only solution? Build an infeed & outfeed table around your Dewalt & put it on a rolling cart when you have to remove it for cross cuts. Okay, now it's time to share your space saver solutions. I'd love to see your pics.:smile:


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

Sorry, I forgot to attach the table saw photo. Here it is...


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

Windstorm I think you have done a great job. Never be reluctant to show your work. At least on this web site. We are a like minded group of woodworkers yet we are all on a different skill levels. We all share idea's and learn from each other. Keep up the great work.


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

Thanks, Handyman. That's what I like so much about this forum. There's no such thing as a stupid question & everyone is so helpful. Example: I never cut a box joint with a router until last week & thanks to advice I received on this site, I managed to do it right & build something I'm pretty proud of. For me, woodworking is pure therapy & I appreciate the cooperative spirit I get at WoodworkingTalk.com. Listen to me, I sound like a tv commercial. Seriously, though, it's been a real joy going online & talking with other like-minded wood nuts like myself.

Terry


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## Vin55 (Dec 18, 2008)

Nice shop. About three times the size of my little shop. I've got a small 12x20 shop with everything on wheels to roll out of the way and an old shop smith for a table saw and drill press. Larger projects are a problem, but I've got too many other things on the burner to enlarge my shop right now.


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## LarrySch (Dec 31, 2007)

I agree that you have done a great job. And I love the neatness of your shop - I have to admit - I am a neat freak.


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

windstorm said:


> Sorry, I forgot to attach the table saw photo. Here it is...


You know, I hadn't noticed the TS integrated into your bench like that. Your setup goes a LONG way to proving folks that seem to swear woodworking can only be done on a $2K cabinet saw quite wrong. For the rest of us with affordable shops, thanks... Now get that thing dirty!


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

Thanks, DBHost. I wasn't sure the TS tucked into the wall would work when I designed it, but it's fine for ripping & I built a cross-cut sled for short wide pieces (up to 16") that makes it a very stable setup. It's a cheap contsruction saw with a good blade & does the trick. Go figure.


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

BTW, the utility blade I use for my TS is a full kerf Freud 50T combination blade ($69). I've found that thin kerf blades, although recommended for under horse-powered saws, tend to vibrate too much & don't always produce a square cut. A quality full kerf blade with sharp teeth (always make a slower pass so the blade doesn't heat up & warp) has yet to fail me.


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## Sawduster (Dec 30, 2008)

If you call yourself I beginner, I guess I'm still thinkin' about it.


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

LOL, Sawduster. Seriously, I'm learning as I go & would some day like to get into making furniture. I'm a big fan of Sam Maloof. What do you make down there in Arizona? And what's this about kissing donkeys?:huh:


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## Sawduster (Dec 30, 2008)

Actually, I'm feeling my way along with some small projects like the lamp in my album. The donkey? My wife took that picture then made me a T shirt with the caption, "Have you kissed your ass today?"


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

I really should give credit where it's due for some of my space saving solutions. My sliding pegboard cabinet is a modification of a design I purchased from plansnow.com & you can find the clamp rack design in the Fine WoodWorking 2008 issue of "Workshop Solutions." There are also some great examples of rolling carts in this issue. For some nifty jig designs, check out Wood Magazine's 2008 issue of "Woodworking Jigs, Homemade Tools & Shop Organizers." I built my cross-cut sled from a design in this magazine. The rest is a little imagination and ingenuity, which all woodworkers possess.


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

BTW, I love that lamp of yours, Sawduster. What kind of wood did you use?


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## Sawduster (Dec 30, 2008)

That's mesquite. The reel is lauan. I tried turning it out of mesquite but I didn't have a piece thick enough and it seemed too brittle to turn in that shape.


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

Very nice, Sawduster. Mesquite is a beautiful wood.


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## justin2009 (Jan 5, 2009)

I can't find stock that nice to build my inside furniture out of, much less making storage for the garage shop.

The lumber at the big box is either 1) affordable and bent, dented, broken and warped, or 2) bent and expensive. The local lumber yards don't carry anything much besides yellow pine, and it's horribly cupped. A nice piece of oak or poplar is expensive as all get out here. I'm envious!


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

Hey everyone, I'm still looking for your space-saving/storage pics... a unique way to store wood, wall & ceiling rigs, carts, tool storage, hardware bins, hidden compartments, James Bond devices, a box for your pet hamster who watches you work, anything... :smile:


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

Hey, Justin. You don't need expensive wood to make nice stuff, although it's a plus if you can find hardwoods (or order them) from your local lumber dealer. My workbench is made from 2x3 rough pine, glued together and planed at a cost of under $100. If you can afford a few hardwoods (oak, maple, birch, walnut), even as accents (drawer facings, inlays, etc.), you can still keep your costs low. I understand that furniture making can be expensive, but there are alternatives. Plywood and veneer woods come to mind.


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

And you can do wonders with reclaimed wood, if you can get your hands on it.


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## justin2009 (Jan 5, 2009)

Hi windstorm!

I'm exagerating a bit, but not much... the oak at the local places is really pricey and the yellow pine is in really bad shape, but I think the biggest problem is that they sell it to you with too high of a moisture content.

I'm a fairly brand new woodworker and I'm still gathering tools here and there. At some point I will want to make something out of a cherry or mahogany, but I'm not there yet skillwise, so my post was more of a rant than anything else.

I've made pantry shelving and some built-in bookcases from birch plywood and pine facing that turned out fine. My joinery and hand planing skills need to improve before I can make a table top or even think about buying the more expensive pieces of wood.

On the reclaimed note, however, I do have a table that I made out of lumber from a kids fort that was left in the backyard of my house when I bought it. It was treated wood, but had weathered something fierce! Once sawn and sanded, though, it was really stable and made a nice table that I painted. 

I've also built one table out of cedar, which turned out ok, but was more of a farmhouse dining table, so the top had intentional gaps.

I put pine floors in the house and still have about 100 square feet of that left, which has dried out nicely.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack this thread, I was mostly surprised by the quality of the boards he used in his garage!!! Very nice!


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

Not much to brag about here, BUT since you asked..










Basic clamp racks, 2x2s screwed to 2x4 cutoffs and then in turn screwed into the wall studs.










I post this pic with the suggestion that you build your workbench tall enough that you can store stuff under it well. And of course, peg board is a great way to store stuff. 

My biggest problem when trying to solve small shop storage issues is kicking myself into thinking vertically instead of horizontally. We have 3 dimensions to work in, not just 2...


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

Justin, it sounds like you're making progress. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the oak I used for my garage shelves was my 1st attempt at making box joints & I wanted to use a hardwood. I admit it's a little overdone for the garage & maybe I'll add some shallow drawers & seal it in the spring & take it into the house, who knows? It's only 24"x38" so the cost was nominal (with 1/4" oak ply backing probably under $50). The main investment was my time.

Struggling with cupped & warped wood is a pain, unless you have a jointer & I don't. At any rate, I don't know where you live, but there must be an affordable hardwood source somewhere in your area. The reclaimed wood suggestion seems to have already worked for you. If you can find an old farmer who wants an old barn removed, you might just strike gold.:smile:


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

Love your workbench, dbhost. Everything's right there in front of you. Good organizing.:yes:


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## justin2009 (Jan 5, 2009)

windstorm said:


> Justin, it sounds like you're making progress. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the oak I used for my garage shelves was my 1st attempt at making box joints & I wanted to use a hardwood. I admit it's a little overdone for the garage & maybe I'll add some shallow drawers & seal it in the spring & take it into the house, who knows? It's only 24"x38" so the cost was nominal (with 1/4" oak ply backing probably under $50). The main investment was my time.
> 
> Struggling with cupped & warped wood is a pain, unless you have a jointer & I don't. At any rate, I don't know where you live, but there must be an affordable hardwood source somewhere in your area. The reclaimed wood suggestion seems to have already worked for you. If you can find an old farmer who wants an old barn removed, you might just strike gold.:smile:


I wouldn't call it overdone at all! When I get to the point where I'm more confident with my joinery, I plan on making some workshop storage items and hope they turn out just as nice!


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

*Very Impressive*

Exceedingly neat and orderly.

I am a firm believer of a neat and clean shop. It safer and more productive with less chance of dents and dings from 'stuff' laying around. When working in my shop, I sweep and clean up at least twice a day ( about 10 min. each time ) and blow down at the end of the day. I always know where everything is and if something drops, I can find it. 

You do know that there are photo albums on this site, don't you?
It would be nice if you put your shop in an album with your profile. 
I feel that photos add to one's credibility.

Great job.


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

Thanks, Tony. I feel the same way about a clean shop. It's safer & for some reason I just think more clearly when I'm not stumbling over tools or bumping into things. And, no, I didn't know about the photo album option (I just joined the forum a couple of weeks ago), and I appreciate your suggestion. Thanks again.


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## BHOFM (Oct 14, 2008)

I hate organized people! I love clutter and mess!

Half the fun is looking for something! The other half
is finding it!

This is what it looks like after ten years with very
little maintenance.


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## BHOFM (Oct 14, 2008)

And..............


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## windstorm (Dec 21, 2008)

BHOFM, you may call that a mess, but I think there's some method to the madness there in your shop. I hate to insult you, but it looks fairly organized to me.:smile:


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## Rich Aldrich (Apr 26, 2008)

Windstorm,

Very nice work. I am going to bookmark this link for future projects.

Small shops make a person be more organized.


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## FKPly (Jun 18, 2014)

Windstorm, that is one neat shop. Nice work!


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## vadim04 (Jan 29, 2014)

windstorm, what is size of your shop?


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## jharris2 (Jul 9, 2012)

windstorm said:


> ... The box joint shelves for my stains & varnishes was my first attempt at doing box joints & I think I'll build some little drawers for the bottom 2 compartments...


Nice shop!

I just saw a woodworking tip about building drawers.

In a nutshell you build a closed box (two bottoms) twice the height of the finished drawers.

Then set your TS fence to center on the box and blade height to almost cut through the sides of the box. Cut all four sides and finish the cuts with a fine handsaw.

Viola! Two drawers.

I've used this method for box and lid but hadn't though to use it for matching drawers.

Twice the drawers for half the effort.


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## iGator (Jun 16, 2014)

I'm a newbie and I got the woodworking bug. I recently purchased a Bosch router and a Ryobi table saw. So, I've decided I needed to organize my workshop (my small corner of the garage.) I am installing a French cleat system. It is giving me some experience with using the table saw and other tools. It is also a creative outlet to build some storage accessories to hang on the wall. One bonus has been that I am finding all sorts of tools, bits, and doo-dads that I thought I had lost. I guess my son becomes the lucky recipient of all the duplicates I have purchased over the years!


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## seannymac (Jun 25, 2014)

That is soooo much cleaner than my workspace.


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## durdyolman (Mar 22, 2013)

Smacks of OCD?


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## Big Mike 69 (Oct 20, 2015)

Love your shops and pictures.
My shop is run by 3 rules:
#1 if you can find it you are wasting to much time organizing
#2 if you can't find it, buy another one
#3 if you can not afford another one, ask the wife where you put it.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

Big Mike 69 said:


> Love your shops and pictures.
> My shop is run by 3 rules:
> #1 if you can find it you are wasting to much time organizing
> #2 if you can't find it, buy another one
> #3 if you can not afford another one, ask the wife where you put it.


About the only times my wife comes into my shop is when I call her out to help me find something I've lost. Surprisingly, she can nearly always find it. She always starts by asking me if I've checked my pockets.
If it's something large, I have to describe it for her. Even if she doesn't know what it is she can usually find it. 
Now how does that work?


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## Big Mike 69 (Oct 20, 2015)

A genetic phenomenon of the female species of human life forms. Somehow never shared within the mind of the male.


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