Some Much Needed Updates/Improvements To My Shop

scott spencer

Member
Messages
953
Location
Rochester, NY
It’s been about 2 years since I built any furniture or did anything I’d consider real wwing…the house (front windows, kitchen\den\hall paint\wallpaper and hardwood floor update) and landscapingprojects took 2 full summers, and during that time I used and neglected my shop pretty badly….to the point where it was just unpleasant to use whenever I needed to. Earlier in the summer I at least got a chance to rearrange some of the “furniture” ;-), and came up with a new layout. Over the past week or so, I’ve gotten around to few smaller items to help make the shop work better for me.

In 2008 I bought a Shop Fox cabinet saw that I “temporarily” placed on a mobile base that wasn’t rated for that much weight….a couple of weeks ago I finally got around to re-positioning the saw on a Rockler base rated at 600# that I supplied the hard maple struts for. I also resurfaced my workbench/outfeed table with some 1/8” tempered hardboard….I miss the maple color, but the hardboard makes the bench level with the TS, plus it covers the holes of my “downdraft workbench”....God only knows why I thought it would be a good idea to drill several dozen holes in my maple workbench surface! The smooth hardboard is much nicer to work on.

Last week I slapped together a flip top cart out of some old waterbed pine scraps so I could put the planer and sander on one set of wheels, and save some much needed space. It ain’t pretty, but it’s works, and suited my time constraints.

Next step was to rebuild my router table cabinet to fit the new space better. I found an old vanity along the curb, and basically just modified it to make it suit my needs. It not quite as slick as a custom cabinet made from the ground up, but it works fine. It’s basically a free standing unit that rolls out separately from the saw and router table top. I have bottom side dust collection that’s directly hooked to the router, and topside DC in the fence, so the cabinet isn’t part of the DC equation.

It may not seem like a big deal, but after two years of having the shop in total state of chaos, I’m psyched and ready to roll!


The layout:
2012shoplayout.jpg


The Shop:
51624d1348537171-some-much-needed-shop-updates-mavb0t3.jpg

shop9-24-12004_zpsb7d7341e.jpg


shop9-24-12007_zps034506c1.jpg

shop9-24-12012_zpse830f05f.jpg




The new workbench/outfeed surface:
51625d1348537260-some-much-needed-shop-updates-mavb32a.jpg
51626d1348537277-some-much-needed-shop-updates-mavb3hq.jpg


The router cabinet:
mavayx9.jpg

mavazfr.jpg
mavazuq.jpg


The fliptop cart:
mavb9co.jpg


While I was at it I made made a coping jig, circle jig, and a crosscut extension infeed shelf that added 4" of crosscut capacity.

routersled002.jpg
circle002.jpg


001.jpg
001-1-1.jpg
002-1-1.jpg
003.jpg
 
Last edited:
Looks great, Scott. I'll bet it feels even better to have things organized and ready to take on some projects. :thumb:
 
scott, wouldnt it be a better idea to have the TS outfeed/infeed with the longer length of the floor, so when you need to rip something 8 feet, you will be able to handle it without moving all the other stuff out of the way, especially the outfeed.(this is my problem having my TS in the middle of the garage, Im always moving it, but only side to side a bit)
 
scott, wouldnt it be a better idea to have the TS outfeed/infeed with the longer length of the floor, so when you need to rip something 8 feet, you will be able to handle it without moving all the other stuff out of the way, especially the outfeed.(this is my problem having my TS in the middle of the garage, Im always moving it, but only side to side a bit)

Yes, but this way fits a little better (saves about a foot in the main traffic area)...my family all seem to think they have some claims to the garage too! :huh: I've only ripped one board longer than that in since 2001. If the time comes, I'll just reposition the saw at angle, make the cut, and roll it back.
 
Great looking shop Scott :thumb: Any idea what your first project will be :)

It's sad, but no! I'm itching to build something, but am running out of hospitable weather. Wifey wants some cabinets built for the kitchen, she's unsure how she wants things....she'll have it figured out about the time we see our first of about 100 consecutive sub-freezing days! :eek::doh:
 
Nice re-org Scott. I'm going to have to figure out how to do that front extension on my TS. Been many times I needed an extra 4" of support for my Jessem miter. :thumb:
 
Ive been putting the ts on an angle to max the inand outfeed area. adds on like 2 feet space on each end. I leave it like that these days, leaves enough room to pass and I can move around it freely on both sides.
sharing the garage makes it real tough, been there, done that. I bought a 100sq foot shed to end those headaches for me, now noone is allowed in thegarage and i only have a few non woodworking items in there.
 
Looks great Scott and I agree on designing around the bulk of your work and not the exceptions. Folks who work with sheetgoods need a very different support system than those of us who work mostly in hardwoods (and who don't also specialize in bed frames or bars). I can't actually remember the last time I ripped anything 8 feet long. I did have to open the garage door once this year to do a couple 6 footers but, those are few and far between. When I start the bedframe that's on my list, my opinions will temporarily change of course :D. Looks like you are ready for some fair weather woodworking :thumb:.
 
Hi Scott,

Your TS blade holder is just like the one I made several years ago. See, great minds run on the same track...even though some people claim that mine has been de-railed.

You have the shop organized; now keep it neat or Glenn will haunt you (DAMHIKT).

Seriously, I think you did a great job with your shop.

Enjoy,

JimB
 
Top