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Shop Layout And Woodworking Software

Free Woodworking Shop Layout Software

The fine folks at Delta Machinery has provided a free shop layout software program. This program is easy to use, and will allow you to set up your wood shop in the virtual world, to see if the set up is a good one. This program will help DIY woodworkers and professionals alike. This is a great way to plan a home woodworking shop.

The fine folks at Grizzly Industrial have provided a similar free shop layout software which is very easy to use. All of the machines, counters and  benches etc...are easy to size and place.
This program is very comprehensive and intuitive.

 Links to both are listed below.

This is much better than moving equipment around, trying out different configurations. Too bad they don't offer one for living room furniture.

The program has several options regarding location of the space. For example, is it a basement woodworking shop, a detached building, or a garage. It allows you to start out by entering the size of the space and start placing the machines you have, or plan to buy. The software will also give you tips on all sorts of things, from dust collection to tool placement tips.

Laying out a shop is a complicated proposition. The anxiety involved can be overwhelming. I spent months figuring out the optimal layout, and made so many scaled drawings, it just seemed impossible to come up with a perfect set up. So many options and possibilities can confuse even the professional woodworkers. Ask a professional how many times they've repositioned their shop and you may end up wondering if they're really professionals at all.

The reason for this is often their work load, or specialty changes and renders the previous layout ineffective. Or maybe they bought a new machine and have to find a home for it. Or maybe they just screwed up.

In addition to placing woodworking machinery, there's the bench, assembly tables, hand tools, portable power tools, electrical requirements, dust collection. The list goes on and on. Now add to that the finishing materials, hardware storage, consumables such as sandpaper, various glues and again the list goes on and on. Scary huh?

It get worse, as we didn't add space for lumber storage, and sheet goods storage, like plywood and M.D.F.

Reorganization is a constant and ongoing process. This software will help in minimizing that.

 Go to Delta's  
Shop Layout Software

Go To Grizzly's
Shop Layout Software

Other woodworking software is available for many, if not all aspect

Written by: Lee A. Jesberger  © 2006

Inventor of Ezee-Feed systems  ®

Website Created by: Lee A. Jesberger 

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