Shop Re-Config

Dominic Greco

Member
Messages
149
Location
Bucks County PA
Hi everyone,
I meant to post this thread here, but plum forgot all about it until now! :eek:
Well, here you go!
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Ever get one of those projects that spawned several dozen?
yellowbiggrin.gif
Well that's what happened to me when I was working on my hand tool cabinet.

I needed to hang it on a wall, so I had to clear some space. In order to do that I needed to move some tools around. And from there, well it escalated into a full shop reconfiguration.

I started with re-studding out the back wall (where there was an opening for an old garage door), running some lines for outlets . While I was doing that I water proofed, added insulation, hung 3/8" T&G plywood wainscoting, 1/4" white pegboard, and a chair rail. After that I moved the bench closer to the door, and moved my lathe closer to my dust collector. I also re-vamped my DC piping and added a floor sweep, and a dedicated run for my bandsaw, lathe, and tablesaw.

Aside from moving my axillary bench to the front and moving some tools around in the front portion of the shop, I really concentrated on the back portion of the shop. But it seems that this is the section that gets the most action whenever there is a project,

Here's are some old photos that give you an idea of the way it USED to look:
oldshop1.jpg

oldshop2.jpg

And here is the way it looks today.
newshop1.jpg

newshop2.jpg


I am VERY happy with the new layout. It's a lot easier to work at my bench. It's much more organized and all the power tools are easier to get to and work on. Plus the insulation, wainscoting and pegboard make it MUCH quieter and warmer to work in.
 
I recently did a major reorg in my shop too - Isn't it great to be able to work more comfortably and get things done? Looks like yours is a winner!
 
Ever get one of those projects that spawned several dozen?
yellowbiggrin.gif
Well that's what happened to me when I was working on my hand tool cabinet.

I needed to hang it on a wall, so I had to clear some space. In order to do that I needed to move some tools around. And from there, well it escalated into a full shop reconfiguration.

What? Never heard of such a thing.:D

It is not fair, you are suppose to post while you are doing it so that we can watch your simple project balloon in a major project and your optimistic completion date disappear from sight...that is the way we all do it!
 
Kinda like the old look, looks used and loved.
Although, I'm not so sure about the overhead storage of large wood chunks. :eek:
Wats that thing in the yellow mobile base under the grinder?
 
Not as dangerous as it looks

Kinda like the old look, looks used and loved.

If you added "drafty","cramped", "crowded", and "damp" you'd be right on.:D. I MUCH prefer the new arrangement and if you had to work in the old previous version, I think you'd agree.

Although, I'm not so sure about the overhead storage of large wood chunks. :eek:

It's not as bad as it looks. Most of it is the angle at which the photo was shot. That shelf and the contents are quite stable. Even that one bowl off to the left that looks like it's hanging off.


Whats that thing in the yellow mobile base under the grinder?

It's a 4 wheeled cart that I trash picked from the dumpster at my old job. The drawers are from an old work bench I also trash picked from the same place. It serves as a work surface to lay lathe tools on, holds my sharpening station, as well as some assorted lathe tools. it definitely ain't pretty. But it gets the job done.
 
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"Completion" date? What's that?

What? Never heard of such a thing.:D

It is not fair, you are suppose to post while you are doing it so that we can watch your simple project balloon in a major project and your optimistic completion date disappear from sight...that is the way we all do it!

Who said the main project was complete?:rofl: I'm still working on tool holders for the tool cabinet inner door panels!

And the funny thing was that I was all set to work on my bathroom during the week I had between quitting my old job and starting the new one. I totally blew that project off and started on the shop!:D
 
Thanks Rennie

I recently did a major reorg in my shop too - Isn't it great to be able to work more comfortably and get things done? Looks like yours is a winner!

Yeah, it's a real pleasure to work in there now. I would have been satisfied just having all the outlets working and the back wall insulated and covered. I consider the rest gravy!
 
Looks great Dominic. I didn't think the old one looked bad either, but keeping out the drafts and moisture makes a big difference.

You're equipped for just about anything by the looks of it -- handtools and those nice white machines, too. Looks like you've got a good handle on dust removal too. :thumb::thumb:
 
well dominic you done good on your bathroom subcontract??? well i got a couple questions how are you holding those planes up vertical? and what is that sled with the clamp attached for? one last thing the ring jig hanging up over on the wall behind the main work bench the one with many colored woods whats that for? gotta get the skinny so i can get me one too:rofl: i dont get away with puttin off a bathroom job to work on shop reorganization your a lucky camper dominic:thumb:
 
Dust collection improvement is NEXT

....Looks like you've got a good handle on dust removal too. :thumb::thumb:

Thanks!:D

Actually the dust collection is OK at the lathe, drill press, and table saw, but barely adequate at the bandsaw and floor sweep. I have a 3HP cyclone in the works right now.

But if you think 6 months for me completing my tool cabinet you'll fall down when you find out that it's taken me almost 6 years to get to the cyclone!:rofl:
 
Hi Larry

...how are you holding those planes up vertical?

I fabricated some cleats. They have since been installed into my tool cabinet. Here are some photos that'll show you what they look like in detail.

dg112507a.jpg


dg112507b.jpg


dg112507c.jpg


and what is that sled with the clamp attached for?

Which one? :rofl: I think I have about 5 or six TS sleds with clamps!

The one hanging above bandsaw/lathe is a sled for cutting precise 15 deg segments. It's used for making 24 segment rings used in bowl turning. I really don't do as much wood turning as I used to. But I can't make myself disassemble that darn sled. It took me forever to get it tweaked JUST right!

The one hanging in the foreground of the last photo is used to true up the sides of segmented rings. Once again, a TS Sled that took me a while to make and one I don't want to trash right away!


one last thing the ring jig hanging up over on the wall behind the main work bench the one with many colored woods whats that for? gotta get the skinny so I can get me one too:rofl:

That was a test ring I made from some scrap cedar. It looks so nice that I couldn't trash it!:D
 
If you added "drafty","cramped", "crowded", and "damp" you'd be right on.:D. I MUCH prefer the new arrangement and if you had to work in the old previous version, I think you'd agree.



It's not as bad as it looks. Most of it is the angle at which the photo was shot. That shelf and the contents are quite stable. Even that one bowl off to the left that looks like it's hanging off.




It's a 4 wheeled cart that I trash picked from the dumpster at my old job. The drawers are from an old work bench I also trash picked from the same place. It serves as a work surface to lay lathe tools on, holds my sharpening station, as well as some assorted lathe tools. it definitely ain't pretty. But it gets the job done.


I should have added, after the humor, good job and nice looking, efficient shop now. :thumb:
 
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