Anthony’s Garage Woodshop

Shop Tour - Submitted by Anthony Zeh from Mesa, AZ
Added on April 22, 2014

I am now a full time woodworker who has built a very user friendly garage shop for myself. I have a space which is 19’x21’. My main shop tools include a Delta Hybrid Saw with a very super cool tools inspired fence, and a Woodpecker router lift systems with Freud Fence. I have a Jet bandsaw, Porter Cable Drill Press, 12” Dewalt Mitersaw station, Performax 16/32 Drum Sander, Mini Lathe, Worksharp 3000, Ridgid 6” Joiner, 12” Jet Planer, Jet mortise machine, Delta scroll saw, Lincoln Welder, and a horizontal bandsaw. I have also built some shop helpers, like a horizontal mortise which can cut mortises to fit Festool domino tenons, and a moxon vise for dovetail work. My main assembly table, which is also my outfeed table, acts like a MFT table with 20mm holes 4” on center. It also has flip up wings to give me a larger working surface.

I have 4 Festool surface clamps and 2 of their click clamps. I would love to have a whole Festool system, but its out of my price range. I have about 125 other clamps around the shop. I have been collecting the Bosch click and go boxes, an alternative to the Festool box system. I have a number of hand tools and power tools which include several routers, a modified Scheppach track saw, Bosch jigsaw, Bosch drill and impact driver, Fein Multitool and about 6 different power sanders.

All my main tools have autoswitches to run dust collection or vacuum hookups, including the power source above work table to allow vacuuming to sanders and the track saw when working on the assembly table. I made a safety cover for my table saw with a vacuum port which comes from the ceiling rather than an arm across the table saw, which would just get in my way. I am not a big fan of large dust collection tubes in a shop as small as mine, so I prefer vacuums tucked near machines to collect dust. I also have an overhead dust collector for airborne dust.

I am always looking to rearrange my shop to make it more efficient for my needs. I spend most of my days in there, and enjoy when I have time for working on a shop upgrade or doing some fine tuning.

Discussion

Scott April 22, 2014 9:10 pm

I don’t like that its so clean, I must be doing something wrong in my shop. I mean I don’t think I’d know how to do anything if I wasn’t tripping over dust collection hose, extension cords little pieces of cut offs that didn’t make it to the the trash bin and bikes or scooters that my kids have left in front of my table saw.

No really, you have a very nice space. I hope you can enjoy it!

Reply
- Anthony April 22, 2014 10:36 pm
  
  Scott, the shop gets used for 6 to 8 hours daily and I try to clean up after myself. Limited space and a mess, slows production when space is too limited and can compromise quality if I were to lazy to get stuff out of the way. I recently did some spring cleaning in the shop, so it’s a little cleaner than usual. Thanks!
  
  Reply
reedwood April 23, 2014 1:00 pm

Nice shop, Anthony

my layout is very similar to yours. I have the same delta with the Biesmeyer fence. I got sick and tired of running my hip into that fence rail sticking out 6″ past the left edge of the table saw and finally cut it off. never needed it and so glad I did. I can sleep on my right side again and the permanent bruise is gone! so….how long did it take to trash the shop after these pics were taken? Ha!

Reply
- Anthony April 23, 2014 4:11 pm
  
  Reedwood,
  
  LOL, I have enough room in my shop and I am spacial aware, so I haven’t been running into the fence. I built the new fence last week to replace my old biesmeyer. The only thing I occasionally run into is the adjuster arm for the miter saw. The Shop is still that clean a week later. :) Sometimes I get a bit OC in my shop until I am overwhelmed with work then the mess begins to build. Ha ha!
  
  Reply
Aaron Leepe. April 23, 2014 8:42 pm

I have a simaler philosophy for dust collection. I picked up a grizzly single tool dust collecter that can be mounted on the wall or used on the floor with casters. I use one with my table saw and router table and plan on getting another to use on the bandsaw, planner and jointer. There is plenty of suction to run two possibly three tools if they are all close together.

Reply
- Anthony April 24, 2014 8:43 am
  
  Aaron,
  
  Getting a dedicated dust collector for the table saw was the best thing I did for my dust collection. Having it under the saw means no hoses crossing the floor to trip over and it’s all autoswitched, so I don’t even have to think about it to turn it on when I turn on the saw.
  
  Thanks Pamela!
  
  -Anthony
  
  Reply
Pamela April 23, 2014 9:49 pm

Your shop looks fantastic!

Reply
Luke April 24, 2014 10:57 am

very nice setup.

Reply
- Anthony April 24, 2014 11:27 am
  
  Thank you Luke!
  
  Reply
Mike April 27, 2014 6:32 pm

Very nice setup. I dont see a lot of wasted space in your shop. using your vertical space and underneath flat surfaces very well. I also like your out feed and assembly table. very well equipped to pop out some good portions of product, especially with that drum sander hiding in the corner of your shop lol.

Reply
- anthony April 28, 2014 7:56 am
  
  Thanks Mike, In a small shop that you try to outfit with all you need, space is a premium. So I definitely take advantage of everything I can. I am always making adjustments to keep maximizing that space. I like the individual dust collectors in a small space, I could see a dust collections system with auto blast gates and autoswitched, if I had a large shop and huge dust collection system and lots of money. That won’t happen in the near future. But I enjoy my shop and it functions well for me.
  
  Reply
Mike April 27, 2014 6:36 pm

ps, i also have dedicated saw dust collection for every power station. seems like a waste, in theory but in the time and cash saved in the ease of use and not fumbling with blast gates, air ducts, unclogging them, setup, running between collector and tools, or having to carry around a remote switch… i agree. one of best things ive ever done is get individual saw dust collectors for each station.

Reply
David April 30, 2014 12:31 pm

What a great setup Anthony! What is the space above your garage doors? Do you have your outlets in the floor below the table saw?

Reply
Anthony April 30, 2014 4:13 pm

David, There is really no room above the garage door. There is a beam that runs across with some wood storage, but that’s it. I wish I had a floor outlet, that’s the only thing I have wire wise going across to the saw. I have a couple of lines for the saw and running back for the vacuum that is on an autoswitch for the work table and table saw top suction. They are taped to the floor for a short run and run under an anti-fatigue mat at the chop saw.

thanks!
Anthony

Reply
John June 11, 2014 11:36 am

Anthony, I noticed in one of your pictures you have a portable AC unit, does it keep your shop cool? Do you have the walls and ceiling insulated? I live in Dallas TX and I’m having trouble keeping my garage/shop cool with an 11,000 BTU AC unit like the one you have. Any feedback would be appreciated!

Thanks,
John

Reply
Billy Miles September 20, 2014 6:31 pm

Your wife lets you use the entire garage for your shop? You’re SO lucky. I’m just starting to get into woodworking and already I feel apprehensive about asking my wife if I can use the entire space! For some weird reason she thinks garages are for cars…

Reply
Tom Prehoda November 28, 2015 2:40 pm

Hey Anthony saw your router machine for festool biscuits. Are you offering plans yet? Saw you on Jay’s custom ceations site very interesting video?

Reply

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Anthony’s Garage Woodshop

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