The Smallest Workshop in the World

Been a woodworking enthusiast is not enough especially if you don’t have a place to work and you leave in an apartment court.

In my case not only this was the issue but also I had no budget and space for big machines, so I came up to do the impossible for me.

 

I leave in Nicosia - Cyprus and woodworking it’s not at its best here. The woodworking accessories they sell here are very basic and everything is mostly oriented on the cabinet makers. Even a simple miter track I need to import from UK or USA, most of my things are from there, as for wood... Oak - Beech - Swedish pine - low quality plywood - cheep-boards and MDF that’s mostly all you can get and there price is ridiculously high.

Everything was design by using Google Sketch-up which I believe it has been proven to be a valuable tool to woodworkers.
The sketch-up general view image shows the whole idea in detail. Also I will provide detail photos of the whole project built.

So at my open air parking space which I have in my building there’s a small storage room with dimensions a bit more than 5X5 feet (1.6X1.6 meters). In that space I decided to keep my workshop and work openly in my parking area.

The problem is that you can spread things around in that parking space but everything has to be stored and locked safely when you are done as well as to clean to area.
Fortunately my neighbors had no problem with me doing so, but I am also been careful running the power tools only at selected hours.

Step 1 My Multi Power-Tool Bench

I decided to build a multi power-tool bench 59X20 inches (1.5X 0.5 meters) which will fit into my storage room and hold simple hand tools that will allow me to build any woodworking project I want.  Made out of 2X4” and 2X2” for the body, plywood for the sides and an 3/4 MDF top laminated with Formica for better strength.

The tool bench holds 5 major tools, drill press, sander, jigsaw, circular saw, router with a lift device and the possibility for a lathe (later addition).
It also has a vice, 5 small drawers (one for each tool’s small accessories), under storage space, and 8 electrical sockets with wiring. The bench sits on 5 casters with stoppers so that it can easily roll into and out of the storage room.

You will also noticed that there is an angle cut on the bench design, that was done so that it will allow me some space to pass through into my storage room even when the bench is inside it.

Comments

[Data643]

You could try a router lift like this one. It seems that it would be a lot easier to use. Very cool shop setup you have, though.

[chaitanya.vedak]

Thanks "Data643" for giving the link to the Site. the Videos are so Self-Explanatory, and the end Product is pretty awesome. And also in the Second video, he made a Slot using a simple machine, which was also made out of Plywood. if i am not mistaken, most of his shop is made of machines that he built himself. Kudos to that guy, and thanks to you again for the redirect.

[steliart]

Data643. Thank you for visiting and for your link suggestion.
I am aware of that jig/router lift idea; I have even design couple of ideas/designs based on it. The router I am using is not a fixed base one but a plunge type and the idea was that you may need to easily take it out and do some hand work with it. That was the logic behind it at that time. As to the easiness of using a scissor car jack (a good one), believe me it’s so easy and accurate that you want believe it unless you try it.
But yes, your point is very good and I am sure that someone will implement that on such a multi bench.
Thank you for your input.

[anoma]

very good , i like your idea tool storage cabinet,thank you

[steliart]

Thank you, but is not originally my idea, it is just a modified version of the original idea :)

[Lectric Wizard]

Very well thought out !!! I may have to steal a few ideas... It looks like it's going to turn into a robot at any time (Transformers...) . Also had to be comment #365. GREAT STUFF CHEERS!

[steliart]

Thanks, glad you liked it

[The Rambler]

This is 100% brilliant.

[steliart]

Thanks for visiting

[Pfarmkid]

are you from the north side or the south side of Cyprus or is that just a stupid question?

[steliart]

From the south :)

[chaitanya.vedak]

you deserve to be featured Mr. Steliart. This workbench is one of the best use of Space i have seen till date. I intend to do a Stand-Still version in my 11th Floor Balcony. it will hold smaller tools, and have lesser but multi-versatile features. your Instructable is a good guiding light. I might put it up here once i get it done..

[steliart]

Thank you very much, can wait to see your version :)

[zenbooter]

Hello to all. This is great. Much of what I've read this last hour??,is stirring memories. The table saw from sidewinder was interesting,but that lathe conv. was scary. I guess many guys in the trades new how to convert a sidewinder for quick fence work b4 he could afford a portable contractor tablesaw. We sure did,and built some respectable cases that way. To Stelios; I've been waiting for an oppertunity for my mind to reveal to me a method to put a lathe together and I have worked out the method you have posted here some time ago. Bravo.Such,clear instruction.Your education is well suited here,thank you much . Also the Kerf setting jig,good stuf. I'm gonna visit often,

[steliart]

Thank you for the comments and for visiting

[steliart]

Thank you for visiting and commenting on the instructable

[Virtech1]

Your's is a well thought out, well executed solution to enable you to continue with your woodworking efficiently. Well done! I have looked at the details of your design with great interest as I am planning a similar work bench, although mine's needs to serve for storage for all my tools as well.

[steliart]

Nice to have inspired you and wish you the best with this project. Although there are storage compartments below the bench, you can make those a bit deeper, but then again it depends on its dimensions.
Thanks for visiting and comments.

[rjohnson31]

Money can buy a shop. But I've had to do what i can with what i have. I just have to say : What a masterpiece!! It's not just wood and measurements, it's attitude and positive thinking. I'm impressed and If i was your Dad i would be as proud as ever. Great Job and i hope you get to share this with some of the younger generation.

[steliart]

Thank you for your kind comment and for visiting :)

[shagmaster473]

Had a thought on the lathe. You could use the motor out of a tread mill. You can control the speed which I think would work great for a lathe.

[steliart]

I am not familiar with what motor a tread mill has, but if you believe it can work...
Go for it.
Any motor that falls into some sort of criteria I described above will do.
Good thinking :)

[diykiwibloke]

My total and unreserved compliments and appreciation for the way you thought out this marvellous workstation AND for a superb and beautifully detailed instructible. Well done steliart

[steliart]

Thank you for your kind comment and for visiting :)

[rusty0101]

If you are going to be doing any work on panels, window or picture frames, etc., you may find it handy to add a series of vise holes a couple of inches in from the long edges of your table, and attach another of these vices on the end that does not have the corner cut out of it. I'm presuming that the saw, router and jigsaw all drop below the surface so you should have a flush surface to set things on. A pin in opposing edges of the bench, and a board dropped down within the end vice, with the other end pressing against the support legs and you can clamp the panel you are working on tot he table.

If the work will be too narrow to reach the pins on either edge of the table, you can use a 1x4 or other support to span the distance between the pins. Separate the pins by how much throw your bench end vice has, or increase that by setting up one side of the vertical board so that it will reach onto the bench a bit further.

Very nice project by the way.

[steliart]

Very nice idea and suggestion, thanks for the input :)

[thecapt]

Just a suggestion for your grinder. How about make a plywood base that can be locked on the top of your workbench, similar to what you have for your drill press vise?

[steliart]

I always try to answer to every comment, but I just noticed that I missed a few, I apologize, but better late than never.
Yes you could mound the grinder on the workbench too, but the grinder is not something I need often and I prefer to keep the top of the bench as free as possible.

[rusty0101]

I think what he's suggesting is not a permanent mount to the bench, but a permanent base on the grinder that you clamp to the bench as needed. That could be with Carriage bolts and Wing nuts with washers to protect the underside of the work bench, or it could be a pair of c-clamps that leave clearance for your work for the grinder.

If the Drill Press and Grinder have similar bases, you could simply exchange them as needed, but I gather that the drill press gets a lot more use.

[steliart]

rusty0101 thank you. Now I see what “hecapt” was saying. I use the grinder very few times a week so my preference is to have it fixed inside the storage room than the bench. My Drill Press is not fixed, the base helps me to easily slide around without scratching the Formica surface of the bench, and also I can put it down if I need more space to cut or work. I try to keep things a bit mobile for my needs :)
Thanks for visiting and comments

[jphilemon]

Very creative. I also have a small space. Your articles are very useful for me and gave me a new spirit.

[steliart]

Glad I could be of any help
thanks for visiting

[Codger42]

You, sir, are an inspiration!

[steliart]

Thanks for visiting Codger42

[brmadeira]

Very very nice. I admire you. I am in a similar situation, very small rental house on a 7 meter wide lot, not much room for anything. I am in Brazil, where either the tools are very good and big and expensive, or very poorly made, and expensive. I had a portable circular saw mounted in a box, with miter gage and fence, it worked very well, but I lost it in the move from another state. I want to make something like yours, where everything is together. on one bench.

My question, is how did you get started before you had the bench and tools mounted? It is the old problem of you can't build it till you have it.

Again, thanks for your inspiration

Brian in Brazil

[steliart]

This is probably one of the best questions I was asked for this project.
Well everything depends always with what is available to you or near you. So as they say to build a bench you need a bench :-)
In my case I had a couple of saw horses and with a piece of a kitchen top it served me as a bench to work on. I also got a large piece of polystyrene foam board and used it on the floor to cut the plywood top in approximate size with my handheld circular saw and a straight wood clamped as a guide, then I cement glued the Formica and trim them together to its final size. No need to say that everything was well planed before I started.
I would like to give a link to watch a video of a similar method and I believe it will be clear to you on how to start. It’s from Fine Wood Working and the video you need to watch is “How to build a Workbench”.

http://www.finewoodworking.com/getting-started/season-two.asp

If you need more help you can always ask me here.

Regards
Stelios

[jeffeb3]

I think I really need a mitre (miter?) sled. I've pretty much stopped making cuts that aren't square.

Can you give us more details on your sled? Even some close up pictures would be great.

[bebrents]

I m a novice at wood working but you have inspired me. Never thinking I had enough room for a work shop . would you be kind enough to attach or email me what drawings that you do have or worked up on google? [e-mail]

[steliart]

I always try to answer to every comment, but I just noticed that I missed a few, I apologize, but better late than never.
Sorry but the only thing I can’t give away is the sketchup files, besides it won’t do you any good because the design is based to fit my storage place and maybe yours needs to big bigger or smaller. I think that the photos can give a clear idea. If you worry about the bench joinery, then what I can tell you is that the legs are made with two 2X4s so you just interlock them. If you need any help you may ask me anything you like.
Thanks

[ditch182]

I've been a registered Instructables member for 5 years, and this is the first time I've been inspired to post a comment. This is really an amazingly well designed project. I have a small space as well, and this had inspired me. Really well done!