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Rob's New Shop

Just a quick update. Sorry, no pics for now. Maybe I'll upload some tonight although they won't be very exciting.

I have moved my tools from the basement to the new shop. Got a lot of the non-essentials into the shop attic. Speaking of the attic, we put in a set of those drop-down stairs to get up there. It's kind of a temporary solution until I have a chance to build stairs up the outside of the back of the building. That likely won't happen for a year or three.

The shop isn't wired yet so the tools, wood, etc. are away from the walls and spread out to allow access. My builder has agreed to wire the shop for me so he should be getting to that in the next week or two. He's also going to run a natural gas line from my house to the shop for heating.

You may be wondering why I moved my tools in before the wiring is done. Well, I needed to get the basement clear for the other big project that started yesterday.
 
It's been a while but not much progress has been made. Here's where we're at:

We've put a wall up to divide the "gardening area" from the "woodworking area". (It's behind the stuff. Look hard)
2007 03 16 003_edited-1.jpg

The bathroom has been framed. Yup, it's as small as it looks. About 3'x4'. In the corner to the right will go the utility sink.
2007 03 16 001.jpg

Here's the other side of the gardening area. May also be wood storage area. We'll see.
2007 03 16 002.jpg

The subpanel has been there for a while but it's not hot.
2007 03 16 006-1.jpg

My contractor has agreed to to the wiring. I'm just paying for the materials.
2007 03 16 004.jpg

Here's how you get up to the attic:
2007 03 16 009-1.jpg

And here's some shots of the attic. Should be plenty of room for storage.
2007 03 16 007.jpg

2007 03 16 008.jpg

Thanks for lookin'.
 
That's really looking good Rob. And why are you calling your finishing room a gardening area??.........Oh, yeah, I called mine a finishing room/dog quarantine room for the longest time. :D:rofl: (LOML reads this and I'm dead meat.:rolleyes:)
Getting power hooked up will really change the way you work finishing the shop. I worked with what basically amounted to an extension cord from the garage for the longest time. Actually I commandeered a flood light that was powered by the house current but mounted on my detached shop. But it amounted to about the same thing.
Always enjoy the updates, even when I don't respond. Jim.
 
Jim O'Dell said:
True, but having the power to run things without plugging and unplugging, even if you are still working on the shop is a big plus. Jim.
Click to expand...

Very true Jim. I've had a shop for about two months now with NO electrical. Except for the extension cord running from my garage. I've done nothing out there.

Here's the electrical plan:

wselec.jpg

It's changed a bit but the idea is the same: outlets everywhere. I'm also planning to leave the walls uncovered for about six months so I can change things easier while tuning the machine layout.

Hopefully next weekend I can plug my machines in & start making some dust.
 
FWIW, I started out with all of my 240V on the walls and since have moved them to the ceiling. With dust collection and all, it made it nice not having the cords on the floor since only 2 of my 240V tools are located next to a wall.

Nice shop though. It will definitely progress once the power comes on!
 
Travis, the shop is currently on a concrete slab but my plans are to create a raised wood floor. When I do that, I plan on having outlets in the floor for the TS, planer & jointer. Right now, I'm just gonna deal with the wires across the floor. Along with the DC ducts.

Not a great scenario but since its temporary, I can live with it. I just really want to stop working ON the shop and start working IN the shop. Perfection will come in time.

Yeah right.

:)

Edit: I am putting in ceiling outlets now, just not 240v. Those are the ones in the middle of the shop. Realized the plan wasn't clear.
 
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Here's an update. This stuff has been done for a while but I just haven't had a chance to post.

Here's the water coming in. I'll tap into this for the utility sink.
2007 05 25 011.jpg

Gas line coming in for heat. I'll be installing a heater in the fall.
2007 05 25 010.jpg

My functional bathroom. Isn't it cute? :eek:
2007 05 25 009.jpg

For those of you questioning the usefulness of the bathroom, I'm glad we did it. First of all, it was cheap. Secondly, my kids play in the driveway a lot so it's real convenient having the bathroom out there so they don't have to trudge through the house.

The contractor is done and the rest is up to me. I'll be coming back to this thread as the shop evolves but don't expect it to be often. The first thing I need to get up is some wood storage so I can get the 450 bf of walnut and cherry out of my garage.
 
Productive day yesterday. Got all my wood off the garage floor and into the shop. These are standard heavy duty shelf supports from the borg. I went a bit overboard putting them on each stud but I didn't want to take any chances. Plus, it gives me more flexibility with shorts.

You're looking at 250 bf of walnut and 200 bf of cherry. Plus a bunch of miscellaneous ash and oak. Sheet goods are just leaning on the wall for now.

2007 05 28 001.jpg
 
Been a while but I figure I'd post up update to the state of my shop. Sorry about the mess.

Last year's Father's Day gift: Out of the blue my wife asked what I should name my shop. We have two huge sycamores next to an old spring house in our front yard so this popped into my head:
2010 01 01 001.jpg

15 lights in the main shop area. Each strip is on a separate switch.
2010 01 01 002.jpg

2010 01 01 003.jpg

2010 01 01 004.jpg

Natural gas heat:
2010 01 01 006.jpg

Front section of shop holds lawn & garden stuff:
2010 01 01 007.jpg
 
What a beautiful space. I just found this thread and started reading then all of a sudden for some reason I looked at the date! Very nice shop, hope you have had time to use it. Congratulations on the birth of Sam :rolleyes::rofl: He is what, two now? Since the kids are using the bathroom in the shop, do you have a central shut down button or way they can't activate tools when you are gone? Is the lathe still in front of the window :eek:?
 
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