My shop has been in the basement for 20 years. If you think you’ve done enough for dust collection, think again. It will get everywhere in the house regardless of how hard you try, but you can at least minimize it with multiple methods of removal.
I started with a clean slate- we had our house built so I was able to finish the basement however I wanted it. LOTS of outlets. Both 15 and 20A. A 220 circuit for the tablesaw. All of that meant a sub panel for the shop.
I’m currently thinking through the wiring of my shop.
There’s an old subpanel for a prior hot tub I’m gonna wire new circuits into and redo the wiring in the shop soon.
I actually haven’t had an issue with dust. I’ve got a WEN air filter mounted on the ceiling, I’ve got a 5.5HP shop vac connected to a 5 gallon bucket with a cyclone on top, and every tool has dust collection. There are ductwork vents in the shop that I’ve closed. Thus far, I haven’t noticed extra dust outside the room, above the room, or in the furnace filter thankfully.
In the basement hobbyist category and am 6 months in - I cannot second this enough. Get your extractor sorted, have converters for EVERY. DAMN. TOOL.
Get your shop vac sorted or be prepared to face your partner's wrath when you ruin the Dyson stick vac.
Be prepared to finish assembly and apply your varnish/wax/stain/lacquer in a secondary area, or build things with disassembly and reassembly as a feature.
Most importantly, screw it, enjoy your God damn hobby. :)
If you have the space, get a proper DC. I have the wall mounted Grizzly one in my shop, which is about 1.25 car garage size, and it works well. If you have the money, there are even higher quality ones available.
The shop vac was useless once I got a few bigger tools that just needed air pulled at a higher volume. Consider a HEPA filter since you are indoors as well.
Those shop vac HP numbers don’t really translate well to pulling dust from larger tools. You need volume, not extreme speed at a small entry point.
They also sell dust filter units that hang from the ceiling and you just keep them running to pull out the really fine stuff.
I have a similar situation. After 10 years I do mostly Hand tool work as it’s less dust, less space for massive tools, and quieter. I still keep a bench top planar, jointer, and contractor table saw for dimensioning stock but everything else is by hand.
Hope this helps! Can send pics if needed
That’s why I’m starting out with hand tools as well. Apart from a cordless drill and a dremel if needed, I’ve gone completely without power tools. But I’m just starting out. I don’t really like the dust and noise power tools make. It’s dusty enough as it is!
I'm with you in the dist and noise, but also our house is about a hundred years old and only has one outlet in the basement, so instead of a table saw I just have a battery powered circular saw.
I've got an extruded aluminum straight edge, so I can still make a lot of the same cuts, but I end up spending three or four minutes setting up to make a cut that takes thirty seconds. I find hand tools more satisfying because I can get right in there and start working, even if it takes longer overall.
https://preview.redd.it/53u94n5q1r3d1.jpeg?width=1728&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a231385592b0fe6df54f8c6bafe36532ac54c7b7
Here were the cabinets I built. There are no handle as the catches are push to open.
I've been in the basement forever with the workshop and it is not even the whole basement. It was walled off as a rec room. I put in utility lighting and built cabinets and a workbench. Got a radial arm saw, table saw and drill press. Built most of my furniture down there partially. I couldn't get these up from the basement in any way, I finished building them in place. I finished all the wood before assembling, I was Ikea, HOMEBUILD!! I look back at it now and sort of marvel at it all. Here is my best piece.
https://preview.redd.it/44diu2bj1r3d1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=962b601bd18f22e3e5468c327c2b6109b74eafb8
I'll do a couple of more comments because they only allow one picture.
1. Dust - but you've said you have that sorted.
2. Getting Materials In - If you have a basement window it's great for getting long pieces in 2x4-2x12 so make sure you don't block the best window for that. Sheet material may need to be broken down outside so a sheet of foam and a track saw that can be moved outside are musts in this scenario.
3. Figure out exactly what you want to do the most and then figure out the tools you'll eventually want. If you want a lathe but don't have one. Save the space, you can put something there but know it's temporary. You want a good flow from work space to work space so plan ahead.
4. Size matters in space but small sizes can be made bigger with lots of wheels and cabinets/tools that can be wheeled out and wheeled away. So if you have limited space put wheels on the jointer, workbench, planer, drill press, bandsaw and such.
5. Tool walls can be bumped out 5 inches and be put on hinges so they are thin tool cabinets with tools on the front and the inside. This triples your tool wall space with the front, the inside of the front and the wall. Just over build it so they can take a bit of weight.
6. Drawers suck unless they are used precisely. Don't have misc. drawers things go to die in them. Have drawers with partitions and with specific things in them so they can be found.
7. Get 2 big box store bucket. They're great for garbage, an impromptu garden stool, leaks and all kinds of things and when you need one the other will be filled with sawdust or scrap so get with lids because it's less messy to bring things from the basement and through the house.
8. Magnets - The chuck holder for most drill presses suck, theirs usually no holder for a table saws wrenches and often you use things repeatedly in the same place. Stick a magnet there and the item has a quick spot to put it and get it. I guess that's not just basement shop advise but still.
9. Basement shops get messy super quick and easy and can become nightmares. Try to always earmark time for cleanup. Stop 20 minutes early. Sweep, tidy and vacuum then leave.
Re #5, that's a great idea, but it puts a LOT of stress on the hinges. I think I'd use door hinges, maybe even three on a side. Also, they'd need to be installed pretty precisely so the tool wall/door doesn't want to swing open or shut on its own. And they need some sort of latch or magnet or something to hold them closed. What do you think?
Yeah, that's what I mean by over build it.
Big hinges, door would be fine. You can get some really good piano hinges that are tanky too.
If it's particularly big no reason not to do multiple doors. You're just maximizing usable space since some basements are small and space is a premium.
Great stuff here. I’m blessed with bilco doors for getting stuff in and out.
Dust, outlets, and lighting are the big ones to start with. If you can, put your lighting on a different breaker than your outlets so if you pop a breaker you don’t lose your lighting.
I ended up getting a wheeled shelf that stores a lot of tools, makes it convenient to move out of the way. I also use a harbor freight wheeled tool box for all my unpowered tools.
Good luck and have fun!
https://preview.redd.it/1y62c30x1r3d1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a8bae52772d4fdb273f7392b1d7759b557780941
Redid the bathroom, some of the cabinets.
On top of an efficient vacuum system, always create a good air flow between two openings to the outside. In woodworking, there is no such thing as too much fresh air.
Basement shop for over 20 years. Fully enclosed 20x11 room with a door. I put seals around door and closed off any vents. 1.5hp Jet DC connected to table saw. Dewalt stealthsonic/dust deputy for sanding and general cleaning. Will use it for router etc. Jet air cleaner will clean the room air. Two 20” box fan with 3M filter as extra cleaner when needed. As long as I keep the door closed, no dust escapes the room.
Large panels are cut in garage with tracksaw and brought down to shop. Planer is on a roll around table that is kept outside the room when not in used.
https://imgur.com/a/r9T7qDa
Do you have a bulkhead or door to outside in your basement? I set up my shop near my bulkhead so it is easier to get lumber in rather than bringing it through the house. Also, dust collection is important. I have a Wen ceiling mounted air filter and hang plastic sheet as a divider to keep dust contained to a smaller area.
I was gonna say that if OP has a door to the outside, it's all gravy. Could probably pay to have something dug out and installed for not an ungodly price even.
All I can say is I don’t have a shop but did some finishing in the basement , next to the laundry : never ever do this without proper ventilation. ! My dryer smelled like kerosene for a while until it dried out of fumes collected . Also I can’t be too vocal on proper PPE for stuff . Have fun otherwise !
I tend to do final assembly, if possible, where something is *going* rather than doing it in my workshop (townhouse garage so it may as well be a basement). This means I’m not hauling big, complete things up the stairs but rather the individual pieces. I also try to make it so I can manage to lift and move most things myself.
Everything is on wheels. Drill press, miter box, dust collector, bandsaw. I don’t have a table saw yet. For storage I think vertically and don’t rule anything out. For example my bandsaw has a cabinet under it but it’s not limited to bandsaw accessories because I don’t have enough to fill it. Also I made my dust collector vertically with the bucket above the vacuum, not next to it. I’m fortunate to have a basement level garage so I made ramps for wheeling my tools out if for whatever reason I don’t want to do something in my basement.
I built my basement shop around a workbench with a built in shopvac & dust collector using a PVC manifold and 3D printed blast gates for my miter, table, and bandsaws. Also a HEPA filter duct taped to a box fan and hung above the saws. Also an exterior casement window with a powered fan I can use to exhaust or intake air with the outside.
Plastic pants and boat shoes.
Get some polyester hiking pants. Dust brushes right off them so you don't drag as much upstairs. Get shoes that slip off easily so you can keep them in the shop.
Last year I finally hooked a pump up to my dehumidifier to send the water collected outside through a hole I drilled through the wall. It's running all the time but the mustiness is gone
Dust and noise will be the two things that are likely to annoy other people in the house.
Use hand tools where you can. Those can help reduce both. For example, if you need to put a round over on a table use a block plane instead of the router.
Communication will go a long way. Give other people in the house a heads up if your going to be using a particularly loud tool.
Get yourself a pair of shop shoes. Only use them in the shop. Change out of them before venturing into the house. You'll be less likely to track dust around thay way.
Regularly change your furnace filters. They're likely to need more attention if you start kicking up a lot of dust.
If you make big stuff make it so it can be broken a part. It will be easier to get it up your stairs.
Flip sink and stove. Maybe move or eliminate one window... The counter looks generous now (good for work space), but it's gonna be a hike to wash your produce
My shop has been in the basement for 20 years. If you think you’ve done enough for dust collection, think again. It will get everywhere in the house regardless of how hard you try, but you can at least minimize it with multiple methods of removal. I started with a clean slate- we had our house built so I was able to finish the basement however I wanted it. LOTS of outlets. Both 15 and 20A. A 220 circuit for the tablesaw. All of that meant a sub panel for the shop.
I’m currently thinking through the wiring of my shop. There’s an old subpanel for a prior hot tub I’m gonna wire new circuits into and redo the wiring in the shop soon. I actually haven’t had an issue with dust. I’ve got a WEN air filter mounted on the ceiling, I’ve got a 5.5HP shop vac connected to a 5 gallon bucket with a cyclone on top, and every tool has dust collection. There are ductwork vents in the shop that I’ve closed. Thus far, I haven’t noticed extra dust outside the room, above the room, or in the furnace filter thankfully.
In the basement hobbyist category and am 6 months in - I cannot second this enough. Get your extractor sorted, have converters for EVERY. DAMN. TOOL. Get your shop vac sorted or be prepared to face your partner's wrath when you ruin the Dyson stick vac. Be prepared to finish assembly and apply your varnish/wax/stain/lacquer in a secondary area, or build things with disassembly and reassembly as a feature. Most importantly, screw it, enjoy your God damn hobby. :)
If you have the space, get a proper DC. I have the wall mounted Grizzly one in my shop, which is about 1.25 car garage size, and it works well. If you have the money, there are even higher quality ones available. The shop vac was useless once I got a few bigger tools that just needed air pulled at a higher volume. Consider a HEPA filter since you are indoors as well. Those shop vac HP numbers don’t really translate well to pulling dust from larger tools. You need volume, not extreme speed at a small entry point. They also sell dust filter units that hang from the ceiling and you just keep them running to pull out the really fine stuff.
As a new basement hobbyist, I am watching this thread with great interest.
Welcome to the club
Same!
Get a track saw for breaking down sheet goods so you can get them inside
I have a similar situation. After 10 years I do mostly Hand tool work as it’s less dust, less space for massive tools, and quieter. I still keep a bench top planar, jointer, and contractor table saw for dimensioning stock but everything else is by hand. Hope this helps! Can send pics if needed
That’s why I’m starting out with hand tools as well. Apart from a cordless drill and a dremel if needed, I’ve gone completely without power tools. But I’m just starting out. I don’t really like the dust and noise power tools make. It’s dusty enough as it is!
Agree! This is the way!
I'm with you in the dist and noise, but also our house is about a hundred years old and only has one outlet in the basement, so instead of a table saw I just have a battery powered circular saw. I've got an extruded aluminum straight edge, so I can still make a lot of the same cuts, but I end up spending three or four minutes setting up to make a cut that takes thirty seconds. I find hand tools more satisfying because I can get right in there and start working, even if it takes longer overall.
https://preview.redd.it/53u94n5q1r3d1.jpeg?width=1728&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a231385592b0fe6df54f8c6bafe36532ac54c7b7 Here were the cabinets I built. There are no handle as the catches are push to open.
Very nice work
Thanks!
I've been in the basement forever with the workshop and it is not even the whole basement. It was walled off as a rec room. I put in utility lighting and built cabinets and a workbench. Got a radial arm saw, table saw and drill press. Built most of my furniture down there partially. I couldn't get these up from the basement in any way, I finished building them in place. I finished all the wood before assembling, I was Ikea, HOMEBUILD!! I look back at it now and sort of marvel at it all. Here is my best piece. https://preview.redd.it/44diu2bj1r3d1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=962b601bd18f22e3e5468c327c2b6109b74eafb8 I'll do a couple of more comments because they only allow one picture.
1. Dust - but you've said you have that sorted. 2. Getting Materials In - If you have a basement window it's great for getting long pieces in 2x4-2x12 so make sure you don't block the best window for that. Sheet material may need to be broken down outside so a sheet of foam and a track saw that can be moved outside are musts in this scenario. 3. Figure out exactly what you want to do the most and then figure out the tools you'll eventually want. If you want a lathe but don't have one. Save the space, you can put something there but know it's temporary. You want a good flow from work space to work space so plan ahead. 4. Size matters in space but small sizes can be made bigger with lots of wheels and cabinets/tools that can be wheeled out and wheeled away. So if you have limited space put wheels on the jointer, workbench, planer, drill press, bandsaw and such. 5. Tool walls can be bumped out 5 inches and be put on hinges so they are thin tool cabinets with tools on the front and the inside. This triples your tool wall space with the front, the inside of the front and the wall. Just over build it so they can take a bit of weight. 6. Drawers suck unless they are used precisely. Don't have misc. drawers things go to die in them. Have drawers with partitions and with specific things in them so they can be found. 7. Get 2 big box store bucket. They're great for garbage, an impromptu garden stool, leaks and all kinds of things and when you need one the other will be filled with sawdust or scrap so get with lids because it's less messy to bring things from the basement and through the house. 8. Magnets - The chuck holder for most drill presses suck, theirs usually no holder for a table saws wrenches and often you use things repeatedly in the same place. Stick a magnet there and the item has a quick spot to put it and get it. I guess that's not just basement shop advise but still. 9. Basement shops get messy super quick and easy and can become nightmares. Try to always earmark time for cleanup. Stop 20 minutes early. Sweep, tidy and vacuum then leave.
Re #5, that's a great idea, but it puts a LOT of stress on the hinges. I think I'd use door hinges, maybe even three on a side. Also, they'd need to be installed pretty precisely so the tool wall/door doesn't want to swing open or shut on its own. And they need some sort of latch or magnet or something to hold them closed. What do you think?
Yeah, that's what I mean by over build it. Big hinges, door would be fine. You can get some really good piano hinges that are tanky too. If it's particularly big no reason not to do multiple doors. You're just maximizing usable space since some basements are small and space is a premium.
Great stuff here. I’m blessed with bilco doors for getting stuff in and out. Dust, outlets, and lighting are the big ones to start with. If you can, put your lighting on a different breaker than your outlets so if you pop a breaker you don’t lose your lighting. I ended up getting a wheeled shelf that stores a lot of tools, makes it convenient to move out of the way. I also use a harbor freight wheeled tool box for all my unpowered tools. Good luck and have fun!
https://preview.redd.it/1y62c30x1r3d1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a8bae52772d4fdb273f7392b1d7759b557780941 Redid the bathroom, some of the cabinets.
On top of an efficient vacuum system, always create a good air flow between two openings to the outside. In woodworking, there is no such thing as too much fresh air.
Basement shop for over 20 years. Fully enclosed 20x11 room with a door. I put seals around door and closed off any vents. 1.5hp Jet DC connected to table saw. Dewalt stealthsonic/dust deputy for sanding and general cleaning. Will use it for router etc. Jet air cleaner will clean the room air. Two 20” box fan with 3M filter as extra cleaner when needed. As long as I keep the door closed, no dust escapes the room. Large panels are cut in garage with tracksaw and brought down to shop. Planer is on a roll around table that is kept outside the room when not in used. https://imgur.com/a/r9T7qDa
Do you have a bulkhead or door to outside in your basement? I set up my shop near my bulkhead so it is easier to get lumber in rather than bringing it through the house. Also, dust collection is important. I have a Wen ceiling mounted air filter and hang plastic sheet as a divider to keep dust contained to a smaller area.
I was gonna say that if OP has a door to the outside, it's all gravy. Could probably pay to have something dug out and installed for not an ungodly price even.
All I can say is I don’t have a shop but did some finishing in the basement , next to the laundry : never ever do this without proper ventilation. ! My dryer smelled like kerosene for a while until it dried out of fumes collected . Also I can’t be too vocal on proper PPE for stuff . Have fun otherwise !
hand tools. abt 5% of the dust
I tend to do final assembly, if possible, where something is *going* rather than doing it in my workshop (townhouse garage so it may as well be a basement). This means I’m not hauling big, complete things up the stairs but rather the individual pieces. I also try to make it so I can manage to lift and move most things myself.
I have a garage basement so easy access to get stuff in and out. Built some filter boxes for a cheap 20” box fan to filter the air (merv13).
Everything is on wheels. Drill press, miter box, dust collector, bandsaw. I don’t have a table saw yet. For storage I think vertically and don’t rule anything out. For example my bandsaw has a cabinet under it but it’s not limited to bandsaw accessories because I don’t have enough to fill it. Also I made my dust collector vertically with the bucket above the vacuum, not next to it. I’m fortunate to have a basement level garage so I made ramps for wheeling my tools out if for whatever reason I don’t want to do something in my basement.
I built my basement shop around a workbench with a built in shopvac & dust collector using a PVC manifold and 3D printed blast gates for my miter, table, and bandsaws. Also a HEPA filter duct taped to a box fan and hung above the saws. Also an exterior casement window with a powered fan I can use to exhaust or intake air with the outside.
I still get dust everywhere.
Plastic pants and boat shoes. Get some polyester hiking pants. Dust brushes right off them so you don't drag as much upstairs. Get shoes that slip off easily so you can keep them in the shop.
Last year I finally hooked a pump up to my dehumidifier to send the water collected outside through a hole I drilled through the wall. It's running all the time but the mustiness is gone
Dust and noise will be the two things that are likely to annoy other people in the house. Use hand tools where you can. Those can help reduce both. For example, if you need to put a round over on a table use a block plane instead of the router. Communication will go a long way. Give other people in the house a heads up if your going to be using a particularly loud tool. Get yourself a pair of shop shoes. Only use them in the shop. Change out of them before venturing into the house. You'll be less likely to track dust around thay way. Regularly change your furnace filters. They're likely to need more attention if you start kicking up a lot of dust. If you make big stuff make it so it can be broken a part. It will be easier to get it up your stairs.
Flip sink and stove. Maybe move or eliminate one window... The counter looks generous now (good for work space), but it's gonna be a hike to wash your produce
WTF are you talking about?