# Woodshop wishlist ideas :)



## Clairesmom (Jun 6, 2012)

No need to mention shelves, Michael Palmer, as I am bidding on enough pre-made wooden shelving units at auction to fill my entire side of the space, lol.


----------



## ggileau (Feb 19, 2013)

Holy cow!! I'm very envious of your shop space. A good table saw and a dewalt 12" compound miter saw to start. Maybe an air compressor and some nailers, a dust suppression system.......... I could wear out the keyboard before I run out of wish list. Good luck!!!!


----------



## clyderoad (Jun 10, 2012)

Build a few good, big and strong workbenches. Start with 2 then build what you need as you go along.
It's the woodworker that makes the shop, sounds like you have what you need.
Good luck.


----------



## tunedin5ths (Jan 26, 2016)

A Festool track saw with a track extension for cutting up sheets of plywood. Like a panel saw except portable and doesn't take up a lot of space if you're not using it. 

And a jigsaw. 

And Bar clamps.


----------



## Clairesmom (Jun 6, 2012)

tunedin- hubby just sent me a link to a Festool video-nice! I love that- I don't even try to run 4' x 8' sheet goods through the table saw by myself anymore. But if I had one of those, lol.


----------



## gww (Feb 14, 2015)

I build everything out of rough cut lumber. I get by but wish I had a plainer. I have access to one that I have to drive to and never do but still wish I had one at home.

Cheers
gww


----------



## tunedin5ths (Jan 26, 2016)

Clairesmom said:


> I don't even try to run 4' x 8' sheet goods through the table saw by myself anymore. But if I had one of those, lol.


I love ours for making plywood nuc boxes. Definitely easier and safer than a table saw when I'm working by myself.


----------



## DanielD (Jul 21, 2012)

A thickness planer is good to have, not a portable one. I use mine to match up 1x lumber thickness for bottom bars and side bars. 
A band saw is good for general woodwork. Not needed often, but when you need it, it's valuable. 
It's not on your list, so a good dado blade is a valuable tool also. 
Table saw cutter specific for cutting hand holds. 
A hand plane is good when you have a box that needs one board evened up. 
A good chisel set. 
Various clamps. 
Rubber mallet.
Ear protection.
Metal box brake for tops. 
Shear while you are at it.


----------



## Sunday Farmer (Nov 13, 2013)

In North Carolina I made my work benches so I can work from either side of them. I like having a long central bench. But I also worked in kitchens so it's normal for me. Two people can assemble a lot of frames working on both sides of a bench. 
Dust collection! Imo this is so important it should be done first.


----------



## whiskers (Aug 28, 2011)

You mention "unheated space" and the header says Minnesota. So I say stove. You can make a nice one out of a 275 gal oil tank that will take four foot pieces of wood.
Bill


----------



## appalachianoutdoors (May 16, 2015)

Beat me to it..I was gonna say dust removal system, maybe have access to water and enough garden hose to stretch through the building just in case.


----------



## smokin_trout (May 27, 2014)

If you build a well insulated area you will use it more. A good amount of power outlets, divided across multiple circuits. Plumb the entire shop with air drops. Lots of good lighting, try LED, they will come on instantly. All of this before you move one item into the area, otherwise it won't get done. Just a little first hand knowledge.


----------



## LittleTreeGuy (Aug 8, 2016)

I used to build radio controlled airplanes. Some of the nicer "home shops" I saw had large benches/tables on caster wheels. This was so nice because sometimes, you need a table or a work area in a place you don't normally have it. This allowed things to be moved around or made larger. All the tops were the same height. It was quite genius and very handy.

I would also suggest looking into a planer or joiner. Research them both and see which you would use more.... or if you do a lot of wood-working and money isn't an object, get both.


----------



## Clairesmom (Jun 6, 2012)

smokin_trout said:


> If you build a well insulated area you will use it more. A good amount of power outlets, divided across multiple circuits. Plumb the entire shop with air drops. Lots of good lighting, try LED, they will come on instantly. All of this before you move one item into the area, otherwise it won't get done. Just a little first hand knowledge.




Story of our lives, lol.


----------



## Hops Brewster (Jun 17, 2014)

I'll second the band saw, outlet strips and add overhead power drops,, plumbed air drops and LED lighting, including adjustable task lights. 2 workbenches, with heavy duty locking casters, so that they can be moved into different configs as needed (such as end-to-end, T, big square &c.) or rolled against the wall out of the way. You might want wood vices mounted in a removeable fashion to the benches. One or 2 worktops hinged on the wall so they can be folded out of the way. Plenty of pegboard and various hooks.

I can't stress enough, if you might be spray painting you will need ventilation, blowing to the outside, and perhaps a 'paint booth' curtained off from the rest of the shop. I also second the dust collection idea.

I will also need to know where the shop is so that I can build my boat in your shop.


----------



## Eikel (Mar 12, 2014)

Since you'll be on the second story, - a lift, winch or some means of lifting/lowering bulk goods - the ol' manual labor and a stairwell gets old and tough


----------



## Jim_in_PA (May 17, 2016)

Storage and adequate assembly space is important.

I'm a Festool fan/owner for many years now, BTW. I'm also a moderator at one of the largest online woodworking forums and there is workshop design area where we talk about various aspects including workflow. Workflow is important to how you arrange things for efficiency.


----------



## Hops Brewster (Jun 17, 2014)

Eikel said:


> Since you'll be on the second story, - a lift, winch or some means of lifting/lowering bulk goods - the ol' manual labor and a stairwell gets old and tough


She has a loader and a pallet jack.


----------



## Stephenpbird (May 22, 2011)

It seems like you have most bases covered. I personally never have enough table/work bench space to place things on while I am working, it does not matter how much there is available, it's never enough. So I love stack able saw horses they make a great temporary worktop and can kept out of they way when not needed.
With such a dream workshop I would probably spend a lot of time there so a radio would be nice.


----------



## Jim_in_PA (May 17, 2016)

Oh...and lighting is also something to focus on. Good light makes for a safe and enjoyable working environment.


----------



## Jennings (Sep 23, 2012)

Beehive box joint cutter. I have seen them in the for sale forum here. If I could afford one I would have it in my shop.


----------



## DanielD (Jul 21, 2012)

Jim_in_PA said:


> Oh...and lighting is also something to focus on. Good light makes for a safe and enjoyable working environment.


That reminds me, build the shop with white steel interior walls and ceiling along with the good lighting. Bright and easy clean, you won't regret it.


----------



## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

You didn't mention bandsaws or planers.

2x lumber is cheaper than 1x lumber and better quality. I quit buying 1x, I got tired of the crap wood, cupped boards, and waste that comes with inexpensive 1x and I didn't like shelling out the bucks for high quality 1x because it ran the price of a box up to a lot more than I could just buy a box for. 

Now I take douglas fir 2x, resaw off 5/8" on my bandsaw (need a saw with 12 capacity), and then send it through the planer. The result is a flat high quality hive box board with no cupping.


----------



## ACBEES (Mar 13, 2009)

There are four types of table saws. Portable, contractor, hybrid and cabinet. I listed them in the order of quality and accuracy, with the portable saw being the least expensive and least accurate. I highly recommend purchasing a new or good used cabinet table saw for the most accurate cuts. Two outstanding brands are Powermatic and Delta Unisaw. They are not cheap, good used ones can run in the $1200-$2000 range. Grizzly and Shop Fox also make good cabinet saws. I would choose the cabinet saw over a hybrid saw. The hybrid saw is just an enclosed contractor saw to allow for dust collection. Another necessity is a good fence for the table saw. Powermatic and delta Unisaw come with good fences. Other cabinet saw brands can be made more accurate with a good aftermarket fence. After you get your new or used cabinet saw you will have to fine tune it by squaring it up to the blade and miter and leveling the table top. A good reference book for doing this is "The Complete Table Saw Book" which can be found on Amazon. There is no substitution for high quality tools for turning out quality work and the big box stores do not carry quality tools.


----------



## Jim_in_PA (May 17, 2016)

Actually, there's a fifth major type of table saw...the Euro slider...which while often considered primarily for working with sheet goods, is also extremely capable for working with solid stock with repeatable results. There's a significant cost uplift from a North American cabinet saw, however, so they are less prevalent in hobbyist or smaller pro shops. I have been fortunately to have owned one since about 2004 and wouldn't go back to a "regular" saw if given the choice.

And I'll also echo ACBEES's comment about quality...the most expensive tools are the ones you need to replace early and often. Quality is cheaper in the long run. And safer in many cases, too.


----------



## DanielD (Jul 21, 2012)

I can vouch for the Delta Unisaw. I have had it for 22 years and it cuts like new and it's had a lot of use, built two homes making all the woodwork and cabinets, other hobby stuff, now bee hive parts, as well as business use for the last 8 years. It has never needed repairs.


----------



## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

When I buy a tool it's usually paid for with money I got from selling honey. It all gets put back into the "bee fund".
At $20/quart it takes a lot of honey to pay for pretty much anything so all my tools are craigslist or tool shop brand from Menards.
Just got a sweet sweet table saw for $150. (a cabinet one)


----------



## emrude (Mar 23, 2015)

As others have mentioned build the room first. Electrical, lights, plumbed in air pipes. dust collection and after dust collection, air filters. I would add a planner, bandsaw, jointer, and drill press. You say you have plenty of shelving but do you have wood racks? Wood can quickly take over a shop. Heating would add time(months) that you could work in your space and if you burn wood you can use your castoffs as fuel. With the heat if you could you work out a smaller room it would be easier to heat. I plan to divide my tool/workspace with rolling doors. In the summer everything can be wide open and in the winter cozy. I am envious of your workshop plans. Have fun


----------



## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

Echoing what others have said about the cabinet saw except for one point. Nearly all cabinet saws need 230V. If you don't have 230V available then be careful about voltage selection. The advantage is the 3HP motor. The extra power really makes a difference, less burning of wood and power to give you a clean cut.

The hybrid saws came to market to bridge that gap for users that want a cabinet saw but didn't have 230V available. The motors are 1-3/4 HP, about as much as you can milk out of 120V - you'll need a dedicated 20A circuit. But right after the first hybrids hit the market the cheaper saw makers rolled out their own hybrids, and they weren't as good. My first saw was a Delta Hybrid and I liked it a lot. But Delta no longer makes that model.


----------



## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

+1 for 240 volt system.

+1 for mid- to high-end machines. I'm a fan of Sawstop. It is an excellent machine, and if you already like your tablesaw setup, they make a retrofit device. I also like Powermatic and better, older Delta high-end models.

+1 for the planer. You'll enjoy a 12" or wider model.

Best advice I saw in the other posts is to plan your activities and plan for work flow.


----------

