DIY Tip: Pallet Becomes Handy Workshop Trolley And Other Tips
Moving heavy equipment around the workshop is easy if you take an old wooden pallet and turn it into a handy trolley.
25/05/2021
family handyman
Setting up a workshop in the garage for all your DIY or woodworking projects is a fantastic idea, you can keep mess and dust confined to one area and not have to worry too much about it getting into the house. The only downside, especially if you are still using the garage for parking your car, is having to move stuff around when you want to use it. Since larger DIY and woodworking machinery is heavy, taking them out and putting them away once you're day is no fun if you are working on your own.
The easy solution to this is to pick up an old pallet, preferably one in good condition, and convert this into a workshop trolley. The only extra items you will need to convert a pallet into a trolley are some heavy-duty castor wheels and a few extra planks for the top bed of the trolley. When buying the castor wheels, make sure to get 2 locking wheels so that you can move and lock the trolley in place.
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SETTING UP A WORKSHOP IN A GARAGE
If you are considering setting up a workshop in the garage, there are a few things you might want to consider:
• Where will you store all the equipment - is there space for everything?
Empty the garage so that you can measure up and draw a basic outline of the floor plan. Take into consideration the location of plug points and light switches, so that you can make full use of these or make arrangements to have extra plug points put in. Many people just use a single plug point and use an extension cord to plug in all their tools and equipment, but that's not a good idea if you have some heavier tools in there as well. Rather fork out a few hundred bucks to have another plug point put in.
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• Decide what equipment you need for the workshop
When setting up a workshop for the first time, you will need to make a list of basic equipment you need to start with. There are 3 basic tools that every workshop should have and that's a drill, jigsaw and sander. You are also going to need tools and supplies if you want to start working on projects.
Here is a list of essential tools and supplies you will need:
- - Tape measure
- - Steel ruler, the longer the better
- - Quick clamps
- - Workbench, preferably folding
- - Safety gear: safety glasses, gloves and dust masks
You will also new a few consumable items:
- - Wood glue
- - Wood filler
- - Sandpaper or sanding pads from coarse to fine grit
- - Assorted drill and screw bits
- - Selection of jigsaw blades
- - Range of screws
Design your own space-saving solutions for a small DIY or woodworking workshop.
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• Have plenty of storage
The key to successfully setting up a workshop in your garage is organisation. A garage is a decent enough size for a small DIY or woodworking workshop but only if you have a place for everything and everything is in place. Plenty of storage is necessary for organisation and you can make storage projects yourself to test out the layout of your new workshop. If you are looking for plans on storage options, check out our DIY section or visit Kreg Tool for some great storage projects.
Make sure to install plenty of bright lighting if you plan on working in your workshop in the evenings.
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• Is the lighting sufficient?
Most garages only have a single light fitting installed, which is not going to be good enough if you plan to work in the evenings or plan to do highly detailed projects. Invest in a couple of fluorescent lights that can be extended over the workspace to light up the room. From the point of view of safety first, you will also need a few desk or spotlights over tools and your working area.
Invest in a Festool Dust Extractor to control dust and improve air quality.
• Is the space well-ventilated?
Garages are not designed to be well-ventilated and only if you leave the garage door open will air be able to circulate. If this is the case, you are going to need to bring some sort of dust extraction system into the workshop to keep the air quality clean. Dust extractors are the best when it comes to removing dust and improving air quality, and the more advanced the dust extractor the more it will be capable of ensuring a clean workspace.
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Festool have a range of dust extractors for any environment and these remove dust particles and filter the air to improve air quality. You only need a Festool CTL Midi for a few basic tools and you can always add on more as your workshop grows.
• What about insulation?
One thing you should overlook is insulation. Not only will insulation keep the temperature bearable in winter and summer, it can also be used as a sound-dampening barrier. Insulation products such as Isoboard can be installed under the garage roof and down the walls to tamp noise and insulate your workshop should you want to spend cold evenings in there, or hot days finishing up a project.
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