Shop redesign part 2

The space I am trying to create to work in, is to be primarily hand tools. But I'll make some concessions, I like my cordless drill, grinder etc.
I see my space where everything I need is nearby at hand. I want to see it so I can grab it with minimum wasted motion. That means open display, but I still need to store and protect them, along with the rest of the herd that comes out once in a while to play.
These statements dictate open storage near the bench for the most commonly used.
You would think that this would be a short exercise, are you kidding? How could it be! You try to reduce it to a bare minimum :-)

I went thru this exercise about a year ago, but never quite finished it, so many choices and where do you mount them? Perhaps something like on Paul Sellers bench?

I think I kinda sorta figured it out, but I keep waffling on a few and how to best display them handy, yet secure.


Do I really need to center my bench on the only basement window in this room? No, not really, there isn't much light in the winter, being overshadow by snow banks. I replaced the basements windows  about 2 years ago; Low E, Argon filled etc. I am nice and toasty down there :-)

With the whole wall cleared for painting, anything is now possible. I need to figured out the bench location soonest because everything kinda revolve around it! And talking of it, I could really use a bigger bench. When I built that one, it had to be stout and heavy yet movable, since I was still moving around the country.

My previous shop, detached double garage

That little Roubo inspired bench has served me right, passed the kitchen test but it is only 4 ft long, I'm dreaming of a 6 to 8 footer. I have the room and the time (??) Humm if I start on a bench project now, I'll never get that shop back in service! Wonder if I have room for more than one bench :-)
Time like this is when I get out the graph paper and make scale models or hit the keyboard (there are free software that help)
This step may seem a tad overboard, but it is not, it's primordial to get it right, now.  Lot easier on my old broken back :-)


Then there is the need and space requirements for the yet to be build saw benches (2), saw till, boring tools storage, a dedicated sharpening station etc. Oh, and I still have lots of tools in storage somewhere needing a better home.

This is where I am now, getting ready to paint the plane till

Time to really work on the layout NOW
Here are the spaces I'm working with, the basement hand tool shop and the garage power tool shop.
One of the nice thing about moving around a lot is that you get to re-invent your shop every time. So I long started to uses Grizzly work shop planner software to plan & document my layouts.
Sure beat my old way of moving about paper cutouts on graph paper, and its free! Very easy to use, give it a try. Hint, record your current log in Email address & password if you move around. I still have to use my 10 years old, no longer valid, Email address to get in and access my old stuff. Minor inconvenience.

You guessed it, the car stays outside :-)

The lawn tractor/trailer & snow blower rotates in from the garden shed

Bob, sharpening his pencil