[Waterboy12]

After a year and half of arranging and rearranging my shop I finally gave in and put my table saw and out feed table smack dab in the middle. And I must say I don't regret it one bit. It seems like the table saw is the central hub of any shop from which all work stems from. I wish I had done this sooner.
The front of my shop with be wood storage/ruff lumber milling and the back will be dedicated to assembly/joinery/regular wood working duties. I would like to hear from y'all about how y'all's shops are laid out an how we'll it works for you.

 

[ryan50hrl]

My saw is in the middle as well...with everything else on the walls around the outside.

 

[BernieL]

You got it right - ts in the middle. My shop is 24 X 24 with two posts in the middle so the ts is off to one side of the posts and I can cut boards with no interference. One thing I can say about shop layout... every time I get it right... I always redo it with a better idea. You get a new tool or redo an old one and things get moved around.

 

[cabinetman]

How a shop is laid out may depend on what type of work is done. For shops that do mostly cabinets and use sheet goods, the table saw is the most important machine. Some shops use a large table with the TS as part of the layout. Tables like that are also used for layouts, parts and pieces for the project, and for assembly.
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[Waterboy12]

I thought I would add some pictures. Here is how it is laid out now. Table saw, out feed table and what I like to call an assembly table are in the middle. Everything is built to the same height so it call be used with the table saw if needed. My powermatic bandsaw, grizzly sander, nova lathe and drill press line the back wall with a small mobile tool cabinet.
Fridge in the corner, next to an 8ft "do-all" table that holds some reference material small portable air compressor and other things like bits, drills, nail guns etc. next to the table is my clamp rack and miter saw stand,a larger 40 gal compressor and about 20ft of wall that is currently vacant but will soon be the resting place of a jointer and planer.

 

[Wizard1500]

I just built an outfeed table for my saw, and moved it to the center of the shop.....best thing I ever did.....spent yesterday morning, taking care of surface rust and waxing out.....

 

[4DThinker]

Given that what may be cut on a table saw could need 8 feet (or more) in any direction, putting a table saw in the middle is mandatory IMO. Shop efficiency depends on what projects are being done, and where the tools are in relationship to where the project is being produced/assembled. I made my side wing table extension with a hinged lid and storage inside, and get tickled every time I save several step by finding my table saw accessories right at the table saw. I added a drawer to my small CNC's table to keep the clamps and router bits used with it as close as possible. That provoked me into adding a drawer under my conventional router table for bits and related gear. Clamps get used all over my shop, so instead of keeping them clustered together on one wall I've made places to store the most likely used ones right at the area they will most likely be used. While I don't mind (and do need) getting some exercise, any change I've made to eliminate steps while working in my shop inevitably shortens project build times.

4D

 

[gstanfield]

My shop is 24x36 so I could put it center, but since I don't cut sheet goods with my TS so I actually set it about 4 feet from the back door of my shop. When cutting small stuff I'm good and when ripping long boards I simply open the back door to the shop and let them feed outside onto a pair of rollers. It gives me a little more open room in the shop instead of having the TS located dead center of the shop.

 

[Waterboy12]

My shop is 24x36 so I could put it center, but since I don't cut sheet goods with my TS so I actually set it about 4 feet from the back door of my shop. When cutting small stuff I'm good and when ripping long boards I simply open the back door to the shop and let them feed outside onto a pair of rollers. It gives me a little more open room in the shop instead of having the TS located dead center of the shop.

Mine is also 24x36 and have mine in the middle of the floor in the back 3rd of the shop. I still have probably 20-25ft in front of it to do whatever I need to do.

 

[kelsochris]

My shop is fairly small 16 x 16 the door is centered on the front wall. I positioned my table saw about six foot inside the door. By sitting up out feed roller stands at the door I can rip 10' stock as I have a blank space on the wall behind the saw. The real challenge comes with assembling large projects or multiple pieces.

 

[CT Proctor]

My shop is 42x36 and I have two table saws built into a big out feed table in the middle. They are also raised up so they are the same height of the SCMS workbench which is on a wall about 6' from the TS's, that way when I cut sheet goods I can rest it on both benches when I start to cut.

 

[RepairmanJack]

My shop is fairly small 16 x 16 the door is centered on the front wall. I positioned my table saw about six foot inside the door. By sitting up out feed roller stands at the door I can rip 10' stock as I have a blank space on the wall behind the saw. The real challenge comes with assembling large projects or multiple pieces.

Heh, my basement shop is comparable at just 11 x 20 (not counting the "coal" room that I use for overflow wood storage.

My table saw is in the middle, with a 6' worktable/outfeed table. The tablesaw is positioned precisely so I can rip an 8-foot sheet of plywood front to end, but I have to feed the sheet in through the entry-door. My 6-plus foot wide entry-door consists of four salvaged french doors on 8ft sliding runners.

I mainly build cabinetry, built-in furniture, regular furniture, windows and doors in my shop.

I've got 3-4 feet of walk space around the center table, A lumber rack along one side, and pegboard for hand tools along the other. There's a temporary table along the back wall for bench-top tool storage (bandsaw, chopsaw, drill-press, mortiser, scrollsaw). I put these on the worktable when I need them.

I've got some shallow storage along the front wall, with enough room for a router table just inside the door. I want to bring a Jointer, Shaper, and more Dust collection into my shop. I do most of my Planer work outside.


The setup kinda works, but needs improvement. I actually spent a couple hours today setting up a new layout for the room. I'm planning to flip the table saw to the other end of the shop, giving myself a bit over 8 feet on each end. I'm also thinking that an "L" shaped setup will let me have a long workbench as well as suitable space to support and cleanly split 4x8 sheet-stock and still give me a suitable escape route in the case of a fire or other accident. I couldn't consider that option (without trapping myself in a corner) in the current configuration.

I would have like to give myself up to 6 feet to the side of my saw, but space just isn't available.

 

[Lilblee]

My shop is set-up a little bit different. My TS/ outfeed table/assembly table is to the left side of my shop. The left wall is a shelving and cabinet system where all my hand planes, glue, clamps, nail/brad nailers, hand sanders, squares are kept. In the back left corner is a small bench that is low so my bench top drill press is at a comfortable height. Back wall is from left to right a large gang box where is keep all my paints, and it is home to my bench top grinder and my sharpening station. To the right of it is my miter saw station with a ten inch sliding miter saw. Has 6' to the left of the saw with supported deck and fence, small hardware drawers and charging station. To the right of that is my wife's deep freezer, I lay some styrofoam on the tom if it and it is a pretty good height for drop offs from the miter saw. Right wall is all lumber storage. And my 13" planer on a mobile cabinet. Now here is my favorite. On the right side of the shop I have my band saw, direct back to back with my router table, my scroll saw backed up to it. I have a power drop directly in the middle that provides power to all. So ruff milling goes in a clockwise rotation around the shop, then when going to the finer dimensioning the material takes another lap around then assembly back the multipurpose table. I find it extremely efficient. Of coarse all most likely tools and clamps are found at or near every tool. Well at least I am moving in that direction.

Sent from my iPhone using Wood Forum

 

[BWSmith]

Just as a data point:

The last cabinet shop(not ours)I worked in about 5 years ago.....all flat,sheet stock was cut on one of two bigarse,CNC Onsrud routers.

There were two TS's....one was an Altendorf slider that NEVER got used.To the point that we'd have sooner cut stock with a circular saw than have to go "lumber wrestle" with the slider.Oh,it worked perfect.....but we're talkin 50 sheets an hr here......and these are toted around by forklift.You STILL have to wrestle loading the sheets.So,it went unused.

The other saw was a 12/14 Powermatic.I built a sliding dial indicator fixture for it's bessy fence/rail.Fastest bloomin instrument we ever used,hitting .001's was childs play.But,even that saw wasn't used "that much"?Pro cabinet shops are deffinately headed away from TS's.......and I couldn't agree more.They are probably the biggest liability in the shop.

The "flow" in that shop was about forklift travel more than any single issue.So,thats what I'd design for....no,not a forklift,we don't have one.But we still move material.....and that is the largest thing(size/wieght) we move.

 

[BWSmith]

Oh yeah,just wanted to add....the biggest used pce of "equipment" at above proshop was the assembly tables(2).With a Makita rail saw lining the wall between the two.

The other area most used was the spray booth.

AC(air compressor)room was very efficient.

2or3 big $$ edgebanders.The smallest of which saw the most use.

Cpl big bandsaws,but again the "little" 20" did more than all the others combined.

Cordless drill "station" had the top veneer worn off it's plywood through use/abuse.

The "finishing" cabinet with all the sander junk was never at rest...

None of this has anything to do with the TS's.

 

[cabinetman]

When I've had the space, the table saw was always sort of in the middle. As an alternative, one of my shops was very long and narrow. In that shop, I positioned the saw with a 50" fence rail and right side table (longer than the fence rail) up against the right wall.

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