adding a place to work requires little space. Evan’s small bachelor
apartment doesn’t have a ton of room in it but when you’re resolved
to work with your hands, you make room. The small bench is up
against the wall and tools get stored in nearby drawers and on
the shelf under the bench. Evan is a timber framer and a heritage
carpenter by training. But in his urban apartment workspace he
makes spoons with hand tools. In this space, a large window by the
bench provides the natural light any woodworker craves. The same
spare concept would work well in almost any home.
A bench stop and simple body weight stabilize
a panel when handplaning an edge.
Spoons and other utensils are frequent projects in Evan’s apartment workspace,
but boxes or other small projects are possible as well.
A simple hole in the benchtop is outfitted with
a stop that helps secure work in place.
UTILIZE YOUR UTILITY ROOM
When all you have in a finished basement is the utility room, then that’s
where you go. Ken has managed to make a functional shop in about 100
square feet that includes even a table saw. You have to be fastidious about
organization in a space this small. The old adage ‘a place for everything and
everything in its place’ takes on a whole new meaning here. Ken turns out
smaller projects like occasional tables, bookcases, and boxes with ease. In
a similar setup, simple hanging shelves or pegboards are an easy solution.
With enough planning, a small space transforms into a
well-equipped shop that even includes basic power tools.
In tight quarters it’s even more
important to have a place for every-
thing. A tool cabinet and chest house
Ken’s hand tools neatly in one corner.
Regardless of the type of
woodworking you enjoy,
a stable work bench is at
the heart of any shop.
GOOD LIGHTING IS A MUST
If you decide to go hand tools only, then the only electrical you will need is
lighting. The most efficient type of lighting is fluorescent tubes but II prefer
LED lighting, which is becoming more affordable everyday. Either way, look for
general lighting that will illuminate the space and task lighting to augment the
overall lighting. Task lighting fixtures can be had inexpensively so don’t be afraid
to set them up wherever you need it.
My shop has a few machines so I run 110 volt power on 20 amp breakers to
make sure that I don’t blow a circuit. This pretty standard electrical setup allows
me to run my small dust collector in tandem with a tool.
Flourescent lighting no longer means buzzing
fixtures. Even inexpensive fixtures allow warm
light designed to replicate natural light.
Mobile and adjustable, directional LED light
fixtures offer an easy fix when work requires
a closer look.
Smaller power tools like grinders often come
with light fixtures built in. If not, inexpensive
magnetic fixtures can be easily added.
HEAT AND AIR KEEP IT COMFORTABLE
Having the ability to control the temperature
and humidity in the shop is certainly nice. If
you are working in a basement or elsewhere
in the house, you will benefit from the
conditions in the house, which are usually
great for woodworking. My shop is in a fully
insulated attached garage. The insulation
makes it easy to heat in the winter, which is
pretty important up here in Canada where
-30°C isn’t uncommon. A small 220-volt
construction heater takes care of all my
heating needs. I can
keep the shop at a
cool 50°F most of
the time so that glue
and finish doesn’t
freeze. I usually only
pump up the heat
for glue-ups and
finish applications.
I don’t worry too
much about being
cold because
working primarily
by hand gets the blood pumping.
In the summer it can get up to 30°C outside
but the insulated space only gets to around
25°C. I find that the killer in the summer is the
humidity so I keep a dehumidifier in the space
to keep it around 50 percent humidity. Just
reducing the humidity makes it comfortable to
work and my tools don’t turn orange either.
It’s also good to have some way to ventilate
the shop so that you aren’t breathing in fumes
from finishes. I simply open the garage door
and put a box fan in the gap to exhaust things.
You can also install a ventilation fan like those
found in a bathroom to get the job done.
In warm climates a simple window unit air
conditioner may be all you need to tamp
down humidity and keep it cool.
In larger spaces, PTAC units, like those found
in many hotel rooms, do a great job of both
heating and cooling.
Northern climates might
require only a small space
heater to keep you warm.
Adding a little physical
work with hand tools
never hurts, either.
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