2024 Shop Tour - How to set up an inexpensive, efficient woodworking shop in a small space 

The best thing about this channel that it didn't turn into a mega-shop with all the tools .most people can't afford.

Completely forgot about your microjig ads. Always appreciated how clever you were with your sponsorships

Its been 3 yrs since I started my woodworking journey, ever since 50% of my you tube viewing is wood working stuff. I have seen 99% of the big names in wood working content creators and Steve is by far the best for newbies and amateurs. I love ur channel because it is not intimidating not expensive and relatable in every level. I live in Bangladesh and and have built/evolved my workshop and this shop tour 2024 was absolutely refreshing. For some reason I enjoy workshop projects more than actual home projects :)

OMG that saw is 12 years old?! I started watching you before that surprise happened, and started paying closer attention after you posted about that bc I figured anyone who attracted that kind of support back then must know what they're doing. You definitely are. Thanks for such excellent content Steve! (and for getting me into horror films... found footage is my guilty pleasure 😜)

I started watching your channel about 5 or 6 years ago. Your were my first woodworking channel and my inspiration. Since then I have built a patio pond, patio sofa, garage cabinet, work bench that I love, beautiful cabinet for the house. Dog steps and most of all I designed and built my own kitchen Thanks so much for your videos

I love shop tour videos. I get lots of ideas from them. I've been watching Steve for many years and I always feel good when he shows his sink because it actually looks worse than mine! Thanks, Steve, for all you do!

I subscribed to this channel years ago but kinda fell away from woodworking. As I wander back into it, this channel is a bigger inspiration than ever. Thank you for keeping it real! And I'm gonna make an X. 😁

Thank you Steve. You were probably the first channel that I started watching when I started woodworking, and I appreciate you "keeping it real", as the kids say! I've probably watched all of your videos at least twice.

YES!! It's ALWAYS a good day when Steve posts a shop tour video!

Hi Steve. I'm very happy to hear from you. I remember the changes you made to your workshop over the years. A lot has changed and you have always been kind enough to recommend and teach people how to improve their own workshops. You are an incredible professional and human being! I also remember funny things over the years. A series of videos with terrible and funny background music, haha. I also remember when we viewers asked you when you were going to make a guitar for your son Wyatt and a sewing station for your wife. Not to mention the pieces for the chessboard you made. In this one, some friends of yours made the pieces on their wood lathes and got you off the hook. Haha, very funny. Anyway, I can say that the more than ten years that I have been following your channel and your projects, it has been a wonderful time in my life. You inspire people as well as entertain them. We all have a lot to thank you for your time and care sharing your knowledge of woodworking and life wisdom with us. I wish you and your family a new year with peace, health and great achievements. Big hug from your Brazilian friend. Marcelo.

Just before COVID, we moved and I went from a 3-car to a 2-car garage. Seeing your folding workstation solved my problem of what to do with a fairly large work table. Now that, and everything else fits along the perimeter of the space, and two cars still fit!

I watched this video right before Adam Savage's shop overhaul. Given the completely different workshop philosophies between the two of you, only 30 miles apart it would be amazing to see you each do a project in the other persons space.

OMG! I don’t think I saw any 3/4” Baltic Birch plywood. How have you been taken seriously all these years? 😂 Love that you’re keeping it real.

I bought a 8x12 wooden shed a few years ago. I added a bench and a miter saw station on the other side. I built carts for my table saw, jointer, planer and band saw. I built a ramp for the 6'wide doors. I roll these outside so I have room to work. It's been a good little shop for me.

I'm currently improving my workshop, so its nice to get some revision from my first RU-vid woodworking teacher!

You are looking a lot healthier and fit than you were several years ago as well. Great job!

i have a one car garage. i do have storage cabinets with counter space and a peg board across the walls. for table saws, chop saw, etc i keep these on a powertec stand and ridged rolling stand . great for upright storage . i don’t need a dust collector system because i only do wood working in good weather and roll the saws to the outside of the garage . it’s just a hobby for be and i enjoy making things from time to time . fireplace mantle, coat rack with shelves etc. this i enjoy .

I remember the Porter Cable table saw video, the nail in the wood thingy was the very first video a friend of mine showed in the group and after that I just started to watch your videos. Boy, that was a long time ago.

10 days ago, it finally happened. I walked into the shop, looked around and said to myself, "this has to change, you need to grow up now." Yesterday was spent and the local recycler dropping off old metal cabinets, a cast iron stove that was never actually used and assorted other metal junk. The day before I graced our Waste Management guys with four contractor bags and an entire toter stuffed full of God only knows what. There's no going back now! Today is about creating well considered, organized storage. Thank you for this video. (And all of your videos honestly) I don't think I would be able to actually make anything in there right now but that day will come. And the topper? I am finding things under other things that I have long forgotten I even have. This is kind of regrettable really because I am discovering how many duplicate tools and accessories I now own because instead of finding the thing I already have, I would just go buy another one. Like you though, I am enjoying this liberating revelation and I highly encourage everyone to start from the ground up and take back your work spaces.

Hi Mr. Ramsey! When a see that video, I remember a lot of older projects. Great idea created that! Keep working, good job for WWMM! 🎉🎉🎉

Thanks for the content Steve. Ive been watching yours for a few years now and your still one of the few real ones not pushing tools

It really has been some years since I've watched those chess board videos. I don't watch RU-vid as much as I use to, but it I still watch yours. Here's to another 15 years.. 😊

I've learned so much from youover the years starting with "The Gripper"!! Thank you Steve!

Man-o-man I can't believe its been so many years. I remember the new tablesaw, I also remember way back when I guess you got flack because you "weren't vetted" as a wood worker or something like that LOL. And in the very beginning of the pandemic, I remember I was looking forward to your daily vids as everybody was going crazy, you were a calm voice. I made your "stock" years ago and still put it out at halloween. Thanks for always being here Steve.

Just commenting because I’m so grateful for your amazing down to earth content. I love watching some others, but I see a lot more tools of the quality I have laying around in your shop instead of the festools I see in every other video. I know they’ve earned it, but I like to see techniques performed with my tools sometimes. Thanks for all you do Steve!

I have been watching you for long time and I have to say, you get cooler with each year. Thanks for always sharing your ideas, techniques, and philosophies, Steve. You are a perfect example of showing us what a Mere Mortal is truly capable of. Stay awesome 🤙!

Thank you Steve, for showing us your shop. I got lots of ideas from your video. Now I just have to convince my wife that a garage is meant for woodworking tools 😁

I've been watching you for about 4 years now. You are looking so much healthier now than you did back then

Steve in addition to your statement of how a shop grows, so do we as woodworkers. I've always truly enjoyed all your videos. You're an inspiration to all of us woodworkers. Cheers :)

This is where I’m at! I have too much stuff in my shop. While I have a great size space…. I FILL it up with EVERYTHING! I’m also so very bad about keeping everything. LOL> Working on it. Thanks for saying what I needed to hear. I started in June of 2012. And my first things I did were from watching videos you made. All I had was a used miter saw, used sander, a folding table and some pallet wood.

Finding the ideal shop layout is impossible. Nice video, Steve. Thanks.

Working on moving into my first house and want to start off right, so this will be very very helpful. Thank you!!

Happy New Year Steve! Good to see a video from you, it's been a while. I'm working on my shop, it's always a work in progress... I've gotten around to making a dust collection system, on a cart with casters... of course! Adam Savage just did a shop tour of his "cave" recently, if you hadn't already check that out... 2024 is the year of amazing shop transformations. Cheers!

Thanks, my shop is always evolving, always fun to see what others are doing to their shops. Walls and ceilings and under bench areas are a premium in my humble little space called “ dads shop, fix anything, build anything, restore everything, love my tinker time.

Steve, That was a trip down memory lane for me! Every time I get reminded of how long you have been doing videos and I have been wiatching them, I’m astounded by how fast the years have gone by. When you did the Memo rooftop meetup in NC, it was great to meet all the creators! Anyway, nice video that brought back great memories. Thanks!

Shop tours are always inspiring and to be completely honest, the foldable workbench on the wall is so inspiring I'll make one for my future workshop when I get to owning one! So neat! Long time fan now, will always be excited for new videos

It's great to see how Steve's shop has evolved over the years. I remember when he was just getting started and asking for advice. It always makes me smile to see what he's become.

Thanks Steve! Mobility is a great idea - I like your finishing cart especially!

Nice 😮 shop tour. I like how so much of what’s in it has been made by you and that you’ve created plans so we can all make everything in it too. I’ve made a lot of your stuff Steve. I’ve gotten tons of satisfaction out this hobby that I wound have never begun without your channel. I look at other channels and man, just not the same. I appreciate all you do.

Man, time flies. I started watching this channel when I was looking for a project for my high school woodshop class back in 11th or 12th grade. I had come across the folding step stool video and thought it would have been a great project for the class, so I had asked if you had printable plans for them, so I could share it with my shop teacher.

Loved this. I have the Weekend Workshop course and I love love love seeing those projects getting so much work in your shop.

I hope that RU-vid will be better at compensating its media producer, I understand you reduced the rythm ... I wonder if the "rewatching" is fairly compensated on your side, I sure watch over and over your projects, now that I finally got a house with a garage... People look with envy, but I refer them to you, you are the source of most of my ideas so far. Happy 2024!

Excellent shop tour Steve! My take away is that I have been watching your channel for way to long now! HNY & keep up the great work & making videos for us "Mere Mortals"! 👍👍😉😉

Thanks for the tour, Steve! 😊 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

thank you for sharing this video. This shop is more likely what I can afford, so truly it is an example of what I might be able to accomplish for my own needs. And, I like the idea that all his equipment and tables are on casters so that he can move these around as needed.

I’ve watched you and your shop evolve over the years! Well done!

It seems like a shop tour is the perfect time to remind steve that he has entertained and educated me. Thanks.

Literally obsessed with your organisation

Thanks for the tour Steve. I'm in desperate need of organization and you've given me some fine ideas. I love all of your cabinets! I probably need to move everything out like you do and then come up with a plan that works. I appreciate all of your content! I hope you have a fabulous 2024. 😊😊😊❤❤❤

The "put everything on casters" philosophy works for many, but for me it feels like extra work rearranging the shop every time I want to do something. I find I'm much more efficient when I have dedicated spaces for different tools/work, even if that means those spaces are smaller than they could be if I could move everything around. My shop is the same size as Steve's, but I have one side devoted to workbench/tablesaw stuff, another side to jointer/planer stuff with sheet goods towards the corner, and a miter station along the back wall. I definitely could not park a car in here if I wanted to, though. I'm the opposite of Steve in terms of buying lumber. Since I don't have a car, I stock up on a ton of lumber at once to save on freight shipping costs, then I figure out what I want to do with it over time. I generally keep a large stock of two different hardwoods that I want to work with (red oak and ash right now), and some 2x4 construction lumber as well (but home center delivery fees aren't nearly as expensive as freight from sawmills, so I don't go nuts stockpiling those).

I have a shop about 24 by 30 and it has served me well because it was used professionally , that being said , I would sure liked to have this particular video. Steve, young man, your common sense is showing.....

Always great to watch still down to earth no expensive tools

Great workshop tour and plenty of ideas, great video Steve

Haha only in America is that a "small space", here in Europe you'd get dizzy staring into such vast open landscapes;-)

This video open my eyes wider to see that you don’t need much to start wood shop thank you 👌👌👍👍

Hi Steve. Happy New Year to you. Thanks for the shop tour. I am presently using a section of my garage for my work. Mobility is key for me. Victor in South Africa 🇿🇦

I learn something every time I see what you’ve done. My favorite is your wood cart in the back. I built that for my shop and it is great! I have one tool I need to drop. Years ago I got a hollow chisel mortising machine. I have yet to use it!

I’ve watched you and enrolled in many classes and many videos. Taught me a lot that I still use today.

Sooooo enjoy these shop tours-- thanks! I've been a member of the first & third courses from release, so my shop has much of the same infrastructure as yours :) Many of those shop benches, tables, cabinets and such from the course are in my shop, but with various modifications to fit my workflow, and preferences-- for example, no drawers! "Drawers are where things go to die" ~Adam Savage ::D LOL!! Thanks again Steve!

Have loved your channel for years. I’m not into horror movies which is a shame because I live 10 minutes from Blairstown, NJ and that place goes nuts anytime we have a Friday the 13th! Anyway, keep up the good work! You are much appreciated!

Thanks 🙏🏼 for all of the inspiring videos! You are very creative!

love the update, how i remember all your projects, ... long time follower.

I agree - seeing someone else's shop is interesting and a good source of ideas. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you for the tour.

Just on time! I need to plan my new workshop... 🙏

Love the shop tour. Always a nugget or four for my own shop

Thanks Steve!

Thanks Steve, really useful !

"It's a comment generator" lmao, I came here for woodworking and stayed for the humor. This channel is bomb.

Amazing. I esp. like the idea for table-flip sander table and modular hook-on tool board, all tools require custom storage space indeed.

The screaming woman 1972 👍 I still have nightmares!

Thank you Steve

Table saw twins!

Happy New Year. I've enjoyed you videos for many years. Best wishes going forward.

It’s fun to see your previous projects around the shop. Its like a familiar face

Love the shop tour. We all know a true wood worker spends half their time building projects to organize their shop 😆

Cool thanks I can use some of these ideas.

Hi, Steve, I am absolutely obsessed with your videos! Can't wait for the spring to start some of your plans :) Thank you for all the explanations (down to earth as well), not using 10k expensive equipment, and helping us become young woodworkers :) I was wondering if you are planning to do some videos on circular/track saws? I can't decide whether to go with a plunge saw or a circular saw with a guided rail and a better blade? Thank you again for such an amazing channel :)

Whoa..new ink! Nice

THANKS FOR THE VIDEO

Great video shop looks great

Love the shop tour. So much cleaner than from years ago. Nice to see “older” Steve there from years back. More tats?

I like that handy cart! Seems useful in the kitchen as well as the shop.

frozen but thawing Dallas checking in... great video....I have a small tight shed for my stuff....

Lots of ideas.

Looking good! I like the way you have thought about the layout so that your workshop helps rather than hinders. I just have to find a way to do the same thing in about a quarter of the space (unless my motorcycle goes outside - then I have a little more). Once I do that maybe I can do that weekend woodworker course I paid for about 3 years ago!

I'm really digging that book shelf next to you.

Great video thanks 👍🏻

Nice "normal person" (or better to say mere mortal? 😉) shop. A lot of great ideas implemented - few, new for me, I'm gonna rethink and implement myself - like rolling painting station with portable lazy susan. Thank you for great video. And for your awesome channel - you've helped me to get involved into WW - cannot say enough thankyous, sir!

Interesting points! I'll try to use the same approach for parts of my lab as well 🙂 well done

It’s been awhile since I went through the course, but a good idea is to make a drawing of your garage on graph paper, so that it’s easy to scale. Then draw and cut out your tools, workbenches and cabinets (or even your car) and move them around on the garage drawing to easily create possible layouts. This can provide a good starting point.

I work out of the one car side of a 3 car garage and have changed my configuration at least 3 times. The best thing was putting tools on carts. So much easier to roll them out when needed. Next shop project is a new main work bench.

good and well made videos, helps in every video and has FREE plans for all his videos even in metric , really kind and thank you.

I’m using a storage space in the basement of the apartment I live in. The space is about 6x10. I’ll have a rolling workbench with locking casters. One side of the basement is my unit and I’ll utilize the space for my projects.

All ways inspiring.

Taking notes, I am scrambling my head, trying to be more organized in my 12x20 shed shop. Im thinking all the mobile tool carts might be the key. Maybe even a flip top.

Been here since the beginning of your RU-vid journey

Currently working on the Spring Bench for my Mother in Law's "mothers day" gift. Still like your WEN band saw? I used to do woodworking several years ago, sold it all due to downsizing, and now in a new home so starting all over again, but with cheaper equipment sadly.

Steve is the Keanu Reeves of You tube woodworking....modest, down to earth and unchanged by success. No monster CNC machines, giant panel saws and expensive joinery systems. Proper affordable woodworking that ordinary people with modest budgets who don't own a warehouse sized shop, can relate to.

I’m glad you mentioned your vice… I’ve always thought he doesn’t even have one! I’ve also wondered how you would upgrade the BMW to include a leg vice?