Some people bring the shop to the work. For custom furniture maker and finish carpenter Brian, the shop is a 2018 Ford Transit cargo van that has been converted over two years into a production woodworking environment capable of producing finished furniture on site. The van travels to clients, parks in the driveway, and becomes a mobile production facility for a week or two while a project is executed. It is one of the most creative small shop solutions we’ve encountered, and it works.
The van layout: a full-width workbench at the front of the cargo area, behind the driver’s partition. Below the bench: five drawers of hand tools, organized by task. Above the bench: a cleat wall with holders for every frequently used tool. The right side of the van holds a track saw system (Festool rail-and-saw) for breaking down sheet goods, a plunge router, and a domino for loose tenon joinery. No stationary machines – everything is track-based or freehand, powered by 20V lithium batteries for most operations and a small generator for the track saw and router. A 30-amp cord connection to the site’s power is available for extended stays.
Dust management: a Festool CT 26 shop vac for every dust-generating operation. The van doors open wide for ventilation during work and close when moving. The cargo floor is sealed plywood over the factory floor; chips and dust clean up easily at the end of each day with a broom and a battery-powered mini vac.
Brian has executed complete kitchen cabinet installations, built bedroom furniture suites, and produced custom built-ins, all from the Transit. He says the mobile shop has expanded his business more than any other single investment because it lets him work where the project is rather than requiring clients to bring materials to a fixed shop. Have you built a vehicle workshop? Tell us what you’re working with.