ARFLY's micro shop

[ARFLY]

Thanks. I have it workable now, but there is more to go. I don't think a workshop is ever truly finished. More realistically a workshop is in a constant state of working transition.

 

[ARFLY]

I didn't like the wrenches on the peg hooks so I made a rack for them this afternoon while it was raining.
This is how I spaced all the wrenches out. My first attempt didn't work out. The Craftsman brad point bits I used had a wobble to them and wallowed out the holes.
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I used these Craftsman combination squares to get everything lined up and ready for the drill press.
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Unfortunately I forget to sand the pencil marks off the back board before installing the dowel rods. It is a lot harder to sand around the dowel rods. Anyways this is the finished product with SAE on the left and metric on the Right.
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[niget2002]

I didn't like the wrenches on the peg hooks so I made a rack for them this afternoon while it was raining.
This is how I spaced all the wrenches out. My first attempt didn't work out. The Craftsman brad point bits I used had a wobble to them and wallowed out the holes.
View media item 85039
I used these Craftsman combination squares to get everything lined up and ready for the drill press.
View media item 85037
Unfortunately I forget to sand the pencil marks off the back board before installing the dowel rods. It is a lot harder to sand around the dowel rods. Anyways this is the finished product with SAE on the left and metric on the Right.
View media item 85040

I thought about doing something similar but using one of the magnetic knife strips from Ikea.

 

[ARFLY]

Those would also work. I have several of the Harbor Freight magnet strips that you get for free. I have been thinking about using those for chisels and some other stuff.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I thought about doing something similar but using one of the magnetic knife strips from Ikea.

I used to have a set of my metric wrenches on those freebie magnetic strips from HF. Worked great until I started finding more sizes than would fit... lol. Very handy having them within hand's reach on the workbench.

 

[ARFLY]

You know those are pretty much always a freebie at HF. You just need more of them to hold more wrenches.

 

[nicholam77]

The place is looking great!

 

[ARFLY]

I got the screwdriver and plier racks built on the toolbox work area. That is 51 screwdrivers within easy reach. I think I will call this Area 51 now. The main pliers I use are also now within easy reach.

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I got rid of the big table saw and the big jointer that were taking up so much room in there. I still have to build the station for the Skilsaw table saw.

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As you all can see, it has come a long way. Here are some of the projects I have left to do.
1. Station for the table saw
2. Shelves above the toolboxes
3. Shelves above the radial arm saw
4. Cabinet for the small parts boxes under the radial arm saw
5. Shelves and storage behind the drill press and bandsaw
6. Fold down work bench
7. Install kick plates under the cabinets.

 

[bdbecker]

Looking really good! Great work!

 

[ARFLY]

Over the last few days I restored a Craftsman vise I got from member 3baygarage. 3bay was great to deal with. The vise is a 43 1/2-3A made in USA. It is much better made than the new Craftsman vise I bought a few months ago.


The before:
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And after:
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[Finallygotit]

Nice job!

 

[mkat1951]

The shop looks great!! I just finished restoring the same vise, but now I'm scared to scratch it.

 

[Jo3l]

The vice looks amazing, as does the rest of your shop. Great job!

 

[ARFLY]

Thanks

 

[Unruh]

Yeah you really did right on that vise.

Your garage has really come a long fast. I could use some of your energy!

 

[ARFLY]

Yeah you really did right on that vise.

Your garage has really come a long fast. I could use some of your energy!

I have a lot more planned, but work has kind of stalled. To much life interfering with my play time. Hopefully I can do more in the near future.

 

[964haus]

I just purchased a house with a 9'-8" x 18-8" garage, so I'm keen to follow your progress and steal/borrow all your ideas!

Nicely executed shop.

M.

 

[garthg]

Over the last few days I restored a Craftsman vise I got from member 3baygarage. 3bay was great to deal with. The vise is a 43 1/2-3A made in USA. It is much better made than the new Craftsman vise I bought a few months ago.



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Beautiful. Made by Reed. But maybe you knew that already.

 

[3baygarage]

Saw your name and said must click. Beautiful job, that looks great! The shop itself looks awesome. Truly impressive what you’ve done with the space. Similar size room here and looks like an episode of hoarders. I hope to draw more inspiration from seeing this.

 

[SuDZ]

Impressive building and use of space.

 

[HSpencer]

ARFLY

I have that same CMan vise you just redid. I have been pounding on mine too much and I need to repaint it. Just saying you have the nicest small shop I have ever seen on this site. I bet I can get plenty of agreements on that.

Great Job all around!!

Best Regards
Herb

 

[rk_tek]

You've built a very impressive shop in such a small space. I'm just off the highway in Bella Vista with by tools scattered between the carport storage room and a 8x8 shed in the backyard. I've been longing to build a 12x24 shed but other expenses have taken precedence.

The vise turned out really nice. I enjoy putting new life in some of the old tools you can find around here.

 

[ARFLY]

Thanks for the compliments. rk_tek there are a couple of others on here that aren't far from you. I'm in Pea Ridge.

 

[ARFLY]

I guess its been almost a year since I posted on here. I haven't had a lot of time to mess with the shop, but I managed to junk it up and now I am cleaning it up and getting it back in order. A couple of months ago I added another HF tool box.

I went from this:
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To this:
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I need to get the fixed casters changed out to swivel so I can move it more easily.

 

[ARFLY]

The shop needed a mascot so I found this Craftsman bear.
View media item 97165That is my grandfather's safety glasses on the bear. He was a machinist and died in 1972 before I was even born.

 

[ARFLY]

A while back I built this little table for the entryway.
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[nicholam77]

Nice updates, the bench looks nice

 

[Bronson]

Awesome use for your Grandpa's glasses.
I have pair of very old wire frames that were my great grandpa's, he was a mechanic back in the teens and twenties.
You have made a very nice space, Well Done!

 

[ARFLY]

I have made a few changes. I got rid of the RAS and will use a 10" sliding compound miter saw. I got rid of the cabinets the RAS was mounted on. I replaced them with 3 26" HF tool boxes. I'm in the process of making the top for this setup and getting the miter saw mounted in its permanent home. I put some new shelving in to get stuff off the floor and out of tool boxes. It's a work in progress and continues to evolve.

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[nicholam77]

Nice updates. Why ditching the RAS? Is there a downside to that setup?

Love your dedication to the Craftsman tools. How do you like the jointer and planer?

 

[ARFLY]

I liked the RAS. For me the sliding compound miter saw is more versatile and seems quicker. I can also fix it where it doesn't stick out as far past the workbench. I caught my side on the height adjustment crank a few times.

I haven't used the planer or jointed yet. I unboxed them yesterday. I will let you know when I try them out.

 

[ARFLY]

I've been cleaning up the shop and getting it back in order. I'm trying to decide on vice placement. I'm attaching a couple of pictures of where I might put them. I have a 3 1/2" Craftsman vise and a 6" Craftsman vise. Yes that is an 8" drill press on the work bench. I have gone back and forth about keeping it there or getting rid of it all together. I only paid $14 dollars for at Sears, but find I am kind of attached to it. I probably should get rid of the drill press as I have a 10" also and only one vise, but I like all the stuff. So what do you all think would be the best set up for the vises?

The 3 1/2" and 6" together on the right side of the work bench.
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The 3 1/2" vise is kind of hard to see. It's red and blends in. It's to the left of the drill press.
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I also picked up a new 6x9 belt and disc sander and 1x30 belt and disk sander at the Sears store in Springfield, MO which is closing. The new 6x9 is a beast compared to the old 4x6 I had which I sold this morning.

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[ARFLY]

Good thing about the Covid 19 is I have a lot extra time. I decided to start working on the 6" Craftsman vise and bring it back to it's rightful glory. I think I will paint it red instead of the original gray, unless there's some reason not to. I paid $20 for it.

Here's how it looked when I got it and as it has sat in my shop for nearly a year.
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Progress on the jaws.
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Torn apart and the anvil sanded.
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[bdbecker]

I don't know that having two vises right next to each other makes a whole lot of sense, having it on the other side of the bench is probably the direction I'd lean. Tough call on the drill presses - I know your big one is kind of buried on that cart with the grinder and saws, so I see how having the little one out is handy for the quick hole here and there.

I know I don't always comment, but I do get excited when I see an update to your thread - I really enjoy seeing how you integrate so much capability into such a small space.

 

[wachuko]

What a great setup and use of space. Really highlights that I have no excuse whatsoever for the mess in my garage.

Well done mate!!

 

[taumac]

IMO I would use the bigger vise only. I would place it centered over the lock or seam where 2 cabinets meet. I would keep the smaller one attached to square piece of plywood and clamp it down as needed.

 

[ARFLY]

bdbecker and wachuko, thanks for the kind words. There really is no purpose to have the 2 vises together.

taumac- that's a good idea. I will play with that some. I might even just go with the bigger vise.

 

[ARFLY]

Continuing to get more done in my micro shop. Today I finally made the air cleaner. I've been wanting to do that for 2 years. It's just a simple box fan with a 20x20 air filter covering the intake side and mounted to the ceiling. It may not be the best, but it's better than nothing at all.

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[sean Buick 76]

Hi, I just noticed your thread today so I went through it all. Very nice work!

I as well used to have to try to put 10 pounds into a 5 pound bag with my last house so I know your pain! There may be a few ideas that you could steal from my thread, check it out!

Here is one idea that you may like. I bought 6 of these vice hitch mounts and I am installing various tools such as grinders, small drill press etc. on them and then I can store them away and then use them around the garage as needed. I am even building a receiver outside behind the garage and one in the shed for increased options. I am not much of a welder yet but the plan is to build steel receiver mounts all around the garage.

 

[ARFLY]

Sean you have some cool stuff going there in your shop. Love the Buick also. I put a 231 in my Jeep. I should have swapped in a Buick 350.