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ARFLY's micro shop

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ARFLY

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NW Arkansas
I just looked at the new boxes today for the first time. They are nice just like the old ones only deeper and with a much nicer looking logo. I like the deeper drawers, but no way am I going through the time and expense of changing out tool boxes.

The boxes being 42" wide without handles made for a perfect fit with 3 boxes and an end cabinet along the entire length of the wall.
 
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Nitpicker

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Instead of pegboard, consider a French cleat system. It looks better, is more easily customized, can be changed quickly, modular, is inexpensive and doable given your woodworking skills. Granted pegboard is quicker, but it looks amateurish. I bet you could knock one off quickly.

Also, the radial saw will eat space and don't dare rip with it unless you want holes in your walls. Better to invest in a good big chop saw (in my view).
 
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ARFLY

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I have checked into the French cleat system. It is interesting, but I think I am still going to use pegboard in various ways. I also checked into slat wall but decided against it also.

I have a 10" sliding compound miter saw and a 10" radial arm saw. My sliding miter saw is 32" front to back and can do a cross cut on a 15 1/2" wide board. It can cut up to a 12" board on an angle. A 12" saw could cut more, but is also bigger. I can't really fold it away so it always takes up that much space. My RAS is 33" front to back and can make a cut over 20". The arm can be swung to the side so it is not in the way as much when not in use. I could just use a circular saw and take up almost no space, but I want a more permanent cutting station. In a small shop it is a trade off between space, end result and functionality. I have decided the RAS will be the best trade off.

I won't be making rip cuts with the RAS. I know it can be done safely, but that just scares me. I have a table saw for making rip cuts. I will be building a cabinet for the table saw which will be on rollers and will have fold down wings on the sides and back so I can cut larger goods on it when needed but not take up as much space when it is not in use.
 
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ARFLY

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I am getting another workbench done. This one is actually more of a tool stand than a workbench. This one will have a Craftsman 10" band saw and a Craftsman 8" drill press mounted on it and possibly something else if I can fit it on there. The base cabinets are stained and mounted in place. I got the top cut and mounted to the base cabinets today and put a coat of finish on the top. Someday I will actually be able to work in my shop and not on my shop, but I like doing it.

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ARFLY

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It's 1" of pine edge glued. I bought it at Home Depot or Lowes. I have the first coat of poly on it. It will get several more coats on it.
 
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OccupantRJ

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I have had a workshop of various levels since I was 12 years old. I am now 65 and have found that through the years that working ON the shop is equally important and entertaining as working IN the shop. I retired 6 months ago and have spent about an equal amount of time bouncing back and forth between the two. It is very satisfying to implement something that makes the shop work better for you.
 
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ARFLY

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I have had bronchitis all week. Today is the first day I have felt even halfway decent so I could get something done. The gray stain on the cabinet just wasn't working for me, to dark, so I just painted it gray. I need to put some pegboard on the sides of the bench so stuff can be stored there or maybe some trays for oil and stuff like that. I also need to make some drawer and cabinet door handles. I got some tools out of the boxes and set up today. I need to build a box or small platform to raise the drill press up so the grinder and drill press don't interfere with each other. The scroll saw is kind of cramped between the grinder and band saw, but I cut some stuff on it and it works OK. I may put it on a sliding base so it can be slid out for more working room. I don't use the scroll saw a whole lot anyways, but I do like having one in the shop. I also have the air compressor where it is going to stay and put the wall mount Craftsman shop vac on the wall above the compressor. It is getting there, but still so much to do.
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ARFLY

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I hadn't thought about that. I will give it a try. I'm not bolting anything down for awhile.
 
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ARFLY

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Tried switching the band saw and scroll saw. Worked great for the scroll saw, but not the band saw. I might move the scroll saw to a different location when I get the other bench finished.
 
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ARFLY

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I was able to get more done this week. The cabinets for the work bench along the wall are all painted and mounted to the wall. I still have to make some permanent shims to go under the cabinets. I made the door handles and drawer pulls yesterday, still have to cut them to size and finish. I got the base top put together and did a trial fit with the RAS. A coat of poly is drying on the top right not.

Here is the base top set in place, before the poly.
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The trial fitment of the radial arm saw.
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The RAS with the arm swung out of the way. Nice how it doesn't protrude into the center of the shop.
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ARFLY

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I'm trying to make the most of the space I have to work with. I am kind of fitting about 400' of stuff into 120' of space. That is probably the case with most people on this forum. I have found the challenge of putting together such a small shop to be a lot of fun. I have a lot of ideas for using and creating space in the shop, but what it comes down to is a matter of the space created/utilized being worth the effort/time/cost to do it. An idea I have been kicking around is to cut out the kick plates on the bottom of the cabinet and install drawers under there. It is just wasted space under there, but that is a lot of work to do that. I also found under the counter heaters that install in the kick plates. They are kind of pricey but take up no space.
 
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ARFLY

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4Kings that is pretty cool. I might incorporate something like that. It has been a while since I have been able to do anything in there. The UPS truck dropped off my new table saw this week. It's a Skilsaw worm drive saw. I unboxed it and used it for the first time tonight and it was awesome. I got my bench top cut and fitted to my RAS. I was going to use melamine, but I couldn't get goods cuts on it so I went with wood. I still need to get the top fastened down and finished. I thought about putting hinges on the top, but I don't think I will do that. I think I will mount my woodworking vise on it and have the top solid and fixed. I will make a down draft box/table that will store under the top so don't really need to get have the top lift up. The top section for the RAS sticks out far enough to cover the crank so I don't catch my side on it again. I still have a nasty bruise from doing that 2 weeks ago. This is where it is tonight.

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ARFLY

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I got this little vise from EOC_Jason. It was gray and looked well used. I got it cleaned up and painted and got some red oak cut for jaw inserts. I need shorter screws to get the wood mounted to the vise. The castings are a little rough, but it turned out decent.

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ARFLY

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Yes. Slowly but surely. One day it will get there. I am about done with the bench the RAS is mounted in. I hope to get the RAS squared and ready to go this weekend.
 
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nicholam77

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4Kings said:
I worked out of a small woodshop for years at a prior house. Just a thought on your space... I built something similar to this for benchtop storage and usage. I really liked the way I was able to store and use my stuff. Food for thought.

https://www.woodstore.net/Bench-tool-System-p/gr-00560.htm?Click=46506
Click to expand...

That's a cool idea. I've been wanting to incorporate something modular like that into my own space. Although some of the tools I would like to use (drill press, band saw) are probably too big for that exact setup but I like the idea of switchable tops.

ARFLY - everything is looking great. I considered that Skilsaw, too, when shopping for a compact table saw. Glad to hear you like it. The worm drive motor is interesting. I have one of their circular saws (not worm drive), but I really like it. I ended up going with Dewalt for the table saw instead, mostly for the rack and pinion fence.

Since it's a job site saw, what are your plans for storing it and using it in your space?
 
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ARFLY

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I am planning on building something like this.

View media item 82317
I will put my Delta planer in the bottom of the cabinet, mount a router in it. This allows me to have an out feed table, side tables and put 3 tools into one unit that only takes up the space of the table saw.
 
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ARFLY

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I don't think the folding wing on the right will do much good with that Bosch in the picture or the Skilsaw I bought. I think it would work fine with the Dewalt saw you got. I look forward to seeing what you come up with.
 
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ARFLY

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This is what I have been working on the last 2 weeks. It is 12'x24' and will have a 10' lean to off the side. Our 18' trailer will go under the lean to and our four wheelers and a bunch of other stuff will go in the shed.
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EOC_Jason

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Nice! I've been wanting to build a shed along the side of my house to store my lawn stuff in, maybe this fall when it cools down some!
 
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ARFLY

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It is going to be nice to get the lawn mower and all the yard tools inside. It hasn't been as bad to build as I thought it would be. I just need to find a roofer that can put the felt and shingles on for me.
 
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ARFLY

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jagwinn said:
:bounce:When I got to post #54 I finally realized you aren't putting a car in there
Click to expand...

No car in my shop or my garage, lol. When I get the shed done, I will get the stuff out of the garage and get my 71 CJ5 out of storage and into the garage.
 
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ARFLY

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I am finally making some real progress in there. I cleaned all the junk out that has accumulated. I am now about 75% set up in there. So here is what I have been doing in there the last few days.

Got the power strip installed along with some Quantum storage bins. Those are super handy and made in the USA. I also installed an LED light overhead under the shelf which is really nice.
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I built a power tool storage center and mounted the battery charger on the wall. Actually this is the second power tool storage center I built. I dropped the first one on the concrete floor and it broke into 3 pieces.
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I got the wood clamp storage area done today. I can store a total of 25-30 wood clamps from 36" clamps down to 6" clamps. The wood clamp storage only takes up 14" of wall space between the door and the wall in what would otherwise be dead space.
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This is probably the best addition to the shop, but one I hope I never have to use.
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The overall shop. I need to get rid of the tables saw and the jointer to free up space. Its a work in progress.
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ARFLY

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I am going to make a cabinet for my Skilsaw table saw with fold down sides and out feed that will be in the middle. I am also going to make a folding bench to use with the table saw and as an extra work surface. When it's not in use, I can fold it up and store it.
 
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