Suggestions on how to improve my workshop

[petermillard]

Biggest improvement I made to my small workshop was to ditch my radial arm saw for an MFT; if your RAS isn't essential to your workflow, I'd strongly suggest you consider this - it's amazing how much space they take up.

Cheers, Pete

 

[LancsRick]

I guess as a hobbyist I'm loathed to ditch the ras. Since I can have one end if the table overhang my lathe, it only has a floor footprint of 1mx1m, and since I already have it, it's free!

I'm considering storage options for my planked timber, a rack from the garage roof joists is the front runner St the moment.

 

[LancsRick]

Right, few things...

- Thanks cusimar9, makes me realise how big a single garage can look! What dust extractor is that and how good do you find it? I realise from looking at your picture that I'm really wasting the higher wallspace, so I'll sort that. Is your saw bench made from maple, or is that just the light?
- My garage has a ceiling so no exposed joists, but as I've turned the loft into storage I can easily get up there and fit some hangars on the 3x1 joists - I'll make a cradle to hang down from the ceiling for lumber.
- I picked up the foam tiles this evening. They look, well, they look like foam tiles that cost £10 for 24sqft - that said they're solid, 8mm thick, high density, and despite me picking at corners etc don't seem like they'll crumble at the drop of a hat. I've since got them home and just dropped a couple on the floor to drag my roller cabinet over (only 40kg or so, but narrow nylon wheels), and although it's a bit harder to get moving, it's definitely not an issue. Importantly they'll be dust free and a damn sight warmer to stand on that concrete!

Thanks for all the replies in here, lots to make me realise I could do a lot more with the space!

 

[cusimar9]

Right, few things...

- Thanks cusimar9, makes me realise how big a single garage can look! What dust extractor is that and how good do you find it? I realise from looking at your picture that I'm really wasting the higher wallspace, so I'll sort that. Is your saw bench made from maple, or is that just the light?

That's a cheap and cheerful SIP extractor ~ £90. It's really very good for the money.

Bench is made from CLS timber, bench top from old roof rafters. No hardwoods there!

Rick

 

[MusicMan]

I have a Camvac extractor, and used to have it at the end of the 16x8 shed workshop with ducting round. But it was only 2.5" ducting and kept getting clogged up, so I abandoned that. 4" ducting would have been quite an expense, so I moved the Camvac to the centre of one side. Now the flexible hose that came with it can reach tools and surfaces in any corner of the workshop. Much improved with no loss of space!

Keith

 

[LancsRick]

I've gone for the fm300bc extractor, as well as 100mm fittings. I've also got some 63mm stuff but I'm having seconds thoughts about the usefulness of that now. Foe my hand tools I've got an old Dyson currently hooked up through an ash bin so I'm fitting a dust master cyclone on top of the bin and will use that as lvhp.

 

[Claymore]

Rick check out your local kitchen sales shop and see if they have any cheap ex display kitchen units ...... my mate did and got some cracking units for £50 the lot and they look very smart and he can store loads of kit. I have just fitted 11 LED tube lights in my workshop and its lit up better than an operating theatre..... shop around for deals online and they use very little power compared to the old tubes.,

 

[LancsRick]

Curses upon all of you!!! . Day two of re-doing the workshop at the moment, and it's at the point of total anarchy in there right now where old storage has been removed but no new storage is in place yet. Therefore I place blame for the current entropy levels firmly upon all of you!

(Thanks for all the comments by the way )

 

[LancsRick]

Right, wanted to post some pictures up since people had taken the time to respond to my original post.

Nearly complete now, just need to do some racking for the turning chisels, a few random tools, and build a timber trolley for the long lengths I've got stashed in the conservatory at present. Really pleased with how it has turned out, it's taken a fair bit more time than I anticipated though!

http://imgur.com/a/aVt73

 

[Roughcut]

Right, wanted to post some pictures up since people had taken the time to respond to my original post.

Nearly complete now, just need to do some racking for the turning chisels, a few random tools, and build a timber trolley for the long lengths I've got stashed in the conservatory at present. Really pleased with how it has turned out, it's taken a fair bit more time than I anticipated though!

http://imgur.com/a/aVt73

Mega improvement.

 

[OLD]

Looks much better, personally i would move the pillar drill ( Note that the pillar drill can work quite well with the chuck at your eye level) to adjacent to the lathe, shortening the lathe bed to provide space. This will make the bench more versatile especially with longer timber (garage door open).

 

[LancsRick]

Thanks . I've got the drill set up at present so the chuck is at eye level so that's ok at least. I'd had similar thoughts around the pillar drill myself, but decided for now I'll see how I go as most of the work on long pieces of timber I do aren't constrained by the drill at present. If that changes then it's only four bolts to rehome the thing (although I did my back the last time I lifted it on my own!).