REAL PHOTOS this time

Jeff Horton

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Location
The Heart of Dixie
How about a Sketchup tour of Excelsiors Laboratory? .......

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Since this was such a Royal Flop I decided to give in and give a real tour of the shop.
 
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Since my first post was royal flop. (that a good poker hand isn't it??) How about a real photo tour. I was too tired to tackle anything big today so I decided to clean up. Should have done something else as this was a big job!

Please keep in mind I have only been in this shop about a year now and just in the last few months go to where I can spend some time in here. I am still working out where I want things and how I like to work. So there is lots of 'stuff' still looking for a home in the shop. Lots of storage yet to be built.

As you come down the stairs looking to the right side where the work gets done.
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Most of the wood comes out the racks and starts its transformation here. My restored 1948 DeWalt GP radial arm saw. And yes that blade is really ugly on there. But it does a nice job and I got it at a good price too.

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To it's right is the 1948 Unisaw I saved from the scrap yard. Love this saw! There are lots of jigs and sled, throat plates, fence extensions etc. just piled up beside the saw. One of the projects is some storage under the extension table. The 4x4's are drying. They go with the fence and gates against the wall. Looks like it will be spring before they go up.

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My bench I made. Hardly a project goes through my shop that doesn't get clamped on this bench. The leg vice is an old one I found and I really like it too.

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The drill presses. The two Craftsman are waiting restoration. I have started using one of them and I am totally impressed with it. Once I get it restored the Delta is probably going away. After using these I am no impressed with the Delta. Not nearly as good a machine.

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The only new machine in the shop, well big machine anyway. Griz bandsaw. The 1948 shaper that I will start the restoration on in just a few days. My father-in-laws Grizzly planner. A good machine but I prefer my Powermatic.

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The nerve center! The phone! :) 1958 Delta Scroll saw. I am not going to do much to it other than a clean up, polish the table and buy some blades. It works as is and I won't use it much. The phone actually is important. I wired my house so I could have (not that I want) 4 phone lines. I have two and one is my business. Now I can work in the shop and not miss business calls on those slow days.

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My Broadhead Garrett lathe and the sharpening station against the wall.

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Storage corner with lumber rack and lots of shelving back there. Garage door to the right. I (try) to keep the area open. I can pull in a car or tractor or whatever and work on it. But I use this space for big projects I am working on like the bed. I can set it up in this space. My original plans were to have the door come in behind the wood rack. But with the grade it wasn't practical and really messed my shop arrangement I had planned.

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This is an idea I am tossing around. The stairs lead up to the house. It's a dead corner that just collects junk. I am learning how I like to work and how I want this shop arranged. I am giving serious consideration making this an office space of sorts.

I have a hollow core door there that I think would fit and make a good desk top. There is just enough room to stand up under the stairs. There is lot of room under the stairs that I could put my shop computer, make some shelves for catalogs and magazines. Move the phone over there. I have cable, internet and phone pulled and it would simple enough to extend them in to this area. Until I get dust collection I would need to hang some plastic to keep the dust down. But I think this would be a really good use of this space. It would make me and the wife happy to have all my magazines and paperwork in one place. :thumb: And it would make use of otherwise wasted space.

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Well that completes the tour of the Excelsior Woodworks Laboratory. Watch your step as you go back up the stairs. Souvenirs are available in the gift shop. Thank you for visiting Excelsior Woodworks. There is a donation jar over by the exit and we hope you come back soon.

Jeff
Who never thought he would do a shop tour
 
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Looks great Jeff :thumb:

That spiral staircase looks familiar. I built one out of wood a few years back. My first one.
I really did some :huh: head scratching on it.
About halfway into it, I was thinking, what have I got myself into. :huh:
 
The spiral staircase was a have-to. I designed...well redesigned our house. The plans I started from didn't have any stairs so I needed to ad a set. We tried several different approaches and was about ready to give up. Finally found a way to put in the spiral stairs and not loose anything in the house except a little closet space in my office. It has worked out really well.

Of course I have a daylight basement so I can drive my truck in. I would never want a basement without it. I know it's common in colder clients and some places in Japan. ;) but I wouldn't want one.
 
Nice set-up, Jeff. I'm envious of the amount of space you have, and you've got some great tools. Thanks for the tour. :thumb:
 
Thanks Vaughn, I need to post the story of how I was given all those old machines. Depends on how you look at it but I am the second owner on them. It was a blessing for sure! I have enjoyed restoring them and really enjoy using them more!
 
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