Last time, we looked at some ideas to help you plan out your workshop. Here are some other tips to really make it work for you.
If you’re tight for space, consider building benches and workstations which have wheels or casters. This allows you to move them out of the way when you don’t need them. These can do double duty as storage cabinets with drawers and shelves, and each unit might be designed so it slides underneath your workbench to save even more space.
Make all your workstations, cabinets, saw tables and workbench the same height as your table saw’s outfeed. That way, you can use them as outfeeds when cutting large pieces of wood, and you can move heavy pieces from one area to another, rolling the table to a new workstation and simply sliding it off rather than lifting and carrying it.
When choosing drawer hardware, get heavy duty tracks. That allows you to make a deep drawer which can still hold heavy items like sanders, saws, and drills, and still slide smoothly.
Don’t skimp on lighting. It makes your work a lot easier. Put lights anywhere you might have a workstation, and set them up to minimize shadows when working in any one spot. Consider some combination of halogen, incandescent and fluorescent to get a good balance between bright, clear light, not too much heat, and moderate electrical consumption.
Consider having a dehumidifier in the shop, particularly if it’s in the basement. Summer condensation can be hard on your tools, and keeping the room from becoming too humid is good for wood, too.