Space-saving advice for small shops is everywhere and most of it is wrong. It focuses on buying smaller versions of things (a smaller workbench, a shorter lumber rack) rather than on the purchases and builds that genuinely change how efficiently a small space works. Here are ten things that actually save space in a small shop – not by being small, but by doing more than one job or eliminating the need for something else.
1. Mobile bases under every stationary machine. A table saw on a mobile base takes up zero permanent floor space – it lives against the wall until it’s needed. 2. A flip-top stand for benchtop tools. Two benchtop machines share one floor footprint; flip the top to switch between them. 3. The router table in the table saw extension wing. A router table built into the right extension wing of the table saw shares the table saw’s footprint. One floor position, two machines. 4. Wall-mounted lumber storage. Lumber leaning against the wall or sitting on the floor is pure wasted vertical space. A simple cantilever rack gets it off the floor. 5. A track saw instead of a panel saw station. Cutting sheet goods with a track saw requires one guide rail and a small floor space for the piece. A full panel saw station requires a dedicated area and a large machine. For a small shop, the track saw wins on space.
6. A Moxon vise instead of a face vise. The Moxon clamps to the bench and removes in 30 seconds – zero permanent storage needed, unlike a face vise that is permanently part of the bench. 7. Overhead lumber storage. Long boards can be stored in the ceiling space above machine and bench height. 8. A folding outfeed table. A fold-down outfeed support at the table saw takes up 2 inches of wall depth when folded vs. 4 feet of floor depth when a fixed table is installed. 9. One really good shop vac instead of a dedicated dust collector. At under 100 square feet, a shop vac with a good filter provides comparable capture to a dedicated collector at a fraction of the floor footprint. 10. Vertical sheet goods storage. A 4×8 sheet standing on edge takes up 4 inches of floor depth. Lying flat, it takes 8 feet. The vertical slot is always the right choice. What’s saved you the most space in a small shop? Share your single best space-saving investment.