-
Scam Alert. Members are reminded to NOT send money to buy anything. Don't buy things remote and have it shipped - go get it yourself, pay in person, and take your equipment with you. Scammers have burned people on this forum. Urgency, secrecy, excuses, selling for friend, newish members, FUD, are RED FLAGS. A video conference call is not adequate assurance. Face to face interactions are required. Please report suspicions to the forum admins. Stay Safe - anyone can get scammed.
DavidR8's shop shenanigans
- Thread starter DavidR8
- Start date
All great progress David.
It took me 15 years to fully tweak the layout of my shop. I had to consider the ability to unload heavy stuff from my tailgate into the shop, orientation of the foot shear to cut 8' sheet, bandsaw layout, and workflow from grinding, sanding and buffing stations as you always go back and forth between these. But the trick I am most proud of is that my slip roll doubles as an infeed roller for my dry cut saw (previously abrasive type), while the outfeed goes through a space between my grinder and PortaBand table on my welding bench. The same gap serves as outfeed for my Beverley sheer from the opposite direction. Another bench shear I have only has one permanent bolt holding it down so I can pivot it out of the way to work when needed.
I thought I had considered everything, including my Cardinal Rule that all machines must be on casters so I can push them to the side and work in the center of the shop if needed. That only worked for a while until I had a 14' x 8' job I did for a friend out of 2" tubing. I realized that once I pushed all the machines to the side, I can't access my tool boxes along the sides of the shop. So I had to anticipate every tool needed before I started. That was a big fail. Additionally, the foot shear and a magnetic brake get reefed on hard and necessitate anchoring to the floor, so this challenged my plan even further.
More recently my post crane needed to be next to my welding bench so I can hoist snowblowers up there for maintenance.
Point being—shops evolve. As you acquire new machines and change your focus, you'll change your layout occasionally. I finally found my sweet spot I think. But if there were an emoji of a wife rolling her eyes, it would be inserted here....
Last edited:
Indeed, it is an evolution.
I did some CAD (cardboard aided design) initially pushing cutouts of the machines, tool chests etc around a scaled drawing of the space. I thought the tablesaw would work where I had it and it did but was a total PITA to use because I couldn't move around it.
Doing the cabinet work over Christmas, I just pulled it out into the open area and it was a real treat to use. That confirmed for me that the flow was all wrong. The other thing I had not considered was space to use the machine. I don't need acres of room around the mill or lathe but I do around the table saw, jointer and planer. That was a big factor in shuffling stuff around.
A big plus now is that the woodworking machines are all together and I can curtain off the metal working machines.
I have not yet encountered the eye-roll but she did ask me why I keep trying to organize it...
I spent a bit of time tonight picking up the pieces from the wiring, hanging up my wooden double-acting clamps, pushing the big lumps of mobile cast iron into place and clearing a temporary spot on the bench for my surface plate.
No pics as my phone was dead....tomorrow I'll shoot a pic.
No pics as my phone was dead....tomorrow I'll shoot a pic.
Thank you @JohnnyTK, I'm glad that my machinery machinations are helping you!
Tool box quandary for the group: I have two Kennedy 520 boxes like this one.
The challenge is how to arrange them so they are useful. They are 20" wide, 8.5" deep and ~14" tall when closed. I have limited bench space so not keen on putting them on the bench.
I was thinking of building a cabinet on casters for them so that they could function like a roll-around box and I'd still be able to access both top tills .
I'd love to hear other design options.
The challenge is how to arrange them so they are useful. They are 20" wide, 8.5" deep and ~14" tall when closed. I have limited bench space so not keen on putting them on the bench.
I was thinking of building a cabinet on casters for them so that they could function like a roll-around box and I'd still be able to access both top tills .
I'd love to hear other design options.
Last edited:
Chicken lights
Forum Pony Express Driver
Why not a bottom roll cab? That’s just a random picture but you can get all different sizes and combinations.
I have a similar size tool box as your Kennedy and that’s “probably” the route I’m going to go
In the present configuration one would fit but not both. I would need to widen the existing base for them to both fit.I can cut your Kennedy toolbox problem in half,,,wink wink nudge nudgeYou don't need two.
Will the boxes fit on the shelf under the lathe and still open? They would be handy there.
One option could be to put them on two separate drawer slides under them bench.
That could work...one on a bottom roll cab and the other on the end of the lathe bench maybe...
Good catch!You also moved the ironing board, which I am confused on why it is in the shop unless it doubles as an outfeed table.
Indeed, I do use it as an outfeed table. They work very well and hang on the wall when not on use.
Chicken lights
Forum Pony Express Driver
If they’re only 8.5” deep, 20” deep is a common size for roll cabs. They could fit back to back. Even if you snag a skinnier one you could make a plate for the top to make it wider. Just throwing it out there
I like your idea!
Some shop activity tonight.
KMS had the Super Dust Deputy on sale over Christmas so I decided to splurge.
I have relatively minor collection requirements, only one machine at a time, the worst dust creator being my Unisaw.
I have a Sharkguard on it with a dust port and my shop vac which works ok but not amazing.
I plan to add a 4” duct to the back of the saw cabinet and Y that into an over arm connector of 2” conduit that connects to the Sharkguard.
In any case I got the collector, cyclone and bin mounted to the wall tonight.
KMS had the Super Dust Deputy on sale over Christmas so I decided to splurge.
I have relatively minor collection requirements, only one machine at a time, the worst dust creator being my Unisaw.
I have a Sharkguard on it with a dust port and my shop vac which works ok but not amazing.
I plan to add a 4” duct to the back of the saw cabinet and Y that into an over arm connector of 2” conduit that connects to the Sharkguard.
In any case I got the collector, cyclone and bin mounted to the wall tonight.