My shop is 6 metres by 4 metres (approx 20’ by 13’), with a concrete slab floor and concrete sheeting exterior walls. (This was the most space I could squeeze out of my small back yard.) The shop is not insulated, as winter in Melbourne, Australia rarely gets below 10° Centigrade (50 Fahrenheit) and although summer can get to 40° centigrade (104 Fahrenheit), those are the days I stay indoors.

This is the view from the outside.

Inside the door and to the right is my clamp rack. Mostly Bessey, with more on the way from Lee Valley. The gap in front of the clamps is occupied by my bandsaw, which is on wheels of course.

Here’s the bandsaw. A Chinese job, but heavy as anything and I am very happy with it. Hafco is a local brand.

Next to the bandsaw parking bay is my drill press with the Delta mortiser sitting at its feet. When I want to use the mortiser, I just carry it to my bench, where the holes in the base line up with the bench dog holes, so bolting it down is snap.

Here you can see my compound miter saw, which I have built into a bench and cupboard unit, with dust extraction at the back of the box. In this photo you can also see the air lines I have run to three points in the shop—very convenient. Next to the CMS is my router table which can be seen in the previous picture also.

This is the far right corner of my shop where I have extended the bench top to accommodate my chargers, and below is my air compressor. On the end of the bench is a Tormek stone, and my collection of cordless drills.

This is a front view of my bench. Nothing fancy here, but Superman couldn’t lift it ! On the end is a Veritas twin screw vice. The little vertical set of drawers on the left is the home for the various nails, brads and staples for my nailers.

This unit houses my spanners, pliers etc, as well as my nail guns. Both fold open and provide considerable extra space in a relatively small area.

My Jet 6" jointer sits here (on wheels) and gets moved to more spacious surrounds when needed. On the wall behind are jigs, sleds etc, mostly for the table saw.

This is a shop-built out feed table and storage cabinet. It also doubles as an assembly table.

My 10" Jet saw, along with those wonderful grippers!

To complete the Jet stable, my DC sits just inside the door on the left. All the ducting is 4" PVC with shop-built blast gates where required. The thing with the red cross on it is a first aid cupboard which has just been completed and is yet to be fixed to the wall, next to the fire extinguisher, currently hidden by the dust bag.
Well there it is. Nothing fancy, but I am very happy with it. I would like to have the space for a planer, but it just won’t fit. Much of my equipment and many of my tools would be familiar to you folk, as I shop via the internet, with Rockler, Woodcraft, Lee Valley, et al.

Posted 18 February 2005