Third bay his way

A bench with pegboard storage that folds up into one-third of its expanded footprint makes efficient use of floor space.

Over the course of three moves across the United States, Lynn Eberhardt gathered plenty of experience setting up workshops with limited floor space. For his latest setup, he closed off the 11×23' third bay of his three-car garage to contain noise and dust. And he is stocking it with multipurpose cabinets, benches, and storage that make the space efficient and comfortable. Mahogany plywood used for most of these fixtures makes them as handsome as they are functional.

After the walls were up to separate the shop space from the rest of the garage, Lynn covered the floor with DRIcore subflooring panels (dricore.com). The waffle-like pattern of its vinyl base allows the concrete underneath to breathe while providing cushioning, and the OSB top helps prevent damage to dropped tools. Lynn topped the flooring with four coats of polyurethane.

Lynn added a large auxiliary drill-press table with drawers that keep drilling supplies at hand. The table incorporates a vacuum system to clear sawdust and chips. Adjustable outfeed rollers support long workpieces.

To store sandpaper, a deep drawer houses a hinged, slotted box. A brace props up the organizer for easy access. A magnet secures the brace in a drawer-front recess when not in use.

Lynn lives in a windy area, and drafts through his overhead garage door bothered him. Replacing the factory hinges with the Green Hinge System (greenhingesystem.com) created a tighter seal between the door and its weatherstripping. For heating, Lynn installed a wall-mounted mini-split heat pump above the exterior walk-in door.

This small cabinet on casters usually serves as the base for his benchtop planer. The drawers hold various supplies, including Lynn’s Tormek sharpening system.

Lynn mounted the base and blower of his dust collector to the wall. An Oneida Dust Deputy below collects the bulk of the chips.

The wall-mounted dust-collection system further maximizes floor space. And a ceiling-mounted dust filtration system keeps the shop air clean. The end of the shop opposite the overhead door will soon receive more cabinets, a work desk, and room for a TV.