ARFLY's micro shop

[ARFLY]

Continuing to organize the shop. I had a small space on the wall behind the drill press. In this small of a space, remember it's 10x12, empty wall space is a luxury I cannot afford. I've been thinking for a while about what could go there. It finally dawned on me, I had a pile of 12", 6" and 4" Bessey clamps in the way on the work bench and could never find the right one when I needed it. Perfect solution. I made a clamp rack and put it in that space. Now the clamps are up out the way. I can see what I have and easily get the one I need and the wall space is used. 2 problems solved. In true GJ fashion, I now have room for more clamps which I will remedy soon.

View media item 102309
View media item 102310

 

[Jagmandave]

I love NW Arkansas! My Classic Mini group and I try to come down there at least once a year for a get together and run the back roads! Your shop really came together!

 

[ARFLY]

Thanks.
You all drive Hwy 23 to Eureka Springs? Take the Pig Trail South?

 

[Jagmandave]

All of those, and more!

There pretty much are no bad 2 lane back roads around there....

 

[ARFLY]

That's true.

 

[ARFLY]

The work continues. I'm making progress in there. Working on the miter saw station/workbench.
At 7:30 this morning.
View media item 102321
At 8:3o
View media item 102322
And now.
View media item 102323

 

[nicholam77]

Nice updates. Air cleaner looks good, nice and compact. I'd been meaning to make one for 2 years and always prioritized other projects / couldn't decide on a plan for it. Ended up buying a WEN unit. Kinda wish I had built one but it works well and a good thing to have like you said.

Your post reminds me, I really need to do a clamp rack. I don't have as many as you yet, but yes, they always seem to spread out and get in the way haha.

 

[ARFLY]

I've been meaning to do all of this for the past 2 years, but working 3 jobs, kids sports, and looking after my mom and niece in the nursing home prevented it. Now I have a lot more time. My main job is a SPED teacher. Gov. of AR announced today there will be no in classroom instruction until next school year. I'm also pastor a church. No regular services, classes or meetings there either. The nursing home is on lockdown so not going over there. So I have some extra time and it shows.

When you can, build a clamp rack. It's definitely worth the effort. I took care of the empty space on my rack and bought more clamps today. BTW Home Depot has the 4 pack Bessey clamps for $15.97. This is 2 12" and 2 6" clamps which is a great deal if you need some smaller clamps. I bought the only 2 on the shelf.

View media item 102338

 

[wasfast]

I got tired just reading all you're doing in the first paragraph. That's a full schedule!

 

[ARFLY]

It's nice not having all that right now. As of now, I'm still getting paid.

 

[nicholam77]

Well despite all of that work and life you've managed to put together a killer little shop in a few short years!

I'll check out the Home Depot deal for sure, the Bessey 12" are my favorite clamp. I only have 4x right now but I find I use and need smaller clamps more often than larger ones.

 

[ARFLY]

Thank you.
I mostly use the smaller clamps also.

 

[WAS Jr]

To us Americans that may be small, but to most of the world it's decent sized. Our UK posters specifically seem to do some amazing work in spaces that look to us to be phone booth sized.
Bill S

 

[WAS Jr]

Wow, read the rest of the posts! Nice shop. Knew you would turn it into something sharp.
Bill S

 

[ARFLY]

To us Americans that may be small, but to most of the world it's decent sized. Our UK posters specifically seem to do some amazing work in spaces that look to us to be phone booth sized.
Bill S

Thank you.
Yes for sure. I have gotten a lot of inspiration from our British friends on YouTube. They do some amazing things with tiny spaces.

 

[ARFLY]

To us Americans that may be small, but to most of the world it's decent sized. Our UK posters specifically seem to do some amazing work in spaces that look to us to be phone booth sized.
Bill S

Thank you.
Yes for sure. I have gotten a lot of inspiration from our British friends on YouTube. They do some amazing things with tiny spaces.

 

[ARFLY]

Miter saw station is set up and ready to go. Well I have to get some longer screws to anchor the saw.

View media item 102362

 

[ARFLY]

The organization continues. Now I've made a rack for C-clamps. The rack is basically a towel holder made a little heavier. It's tucked up high in a corner of un-used wall space. Now the C-clamps aren't piled in tool boxes or my cart where they have been. They are up out of the way, easy to find and easy to get to. The 8" and 6" clamps are Hart and the 3" and 2" clamps are Craftsman. Before somebody asks, I did check the garage door clearance and it is fine.

View media item 102461
View media item 102460

 

[ARFLY]

Tried out the miter saw when making the C-clamp rack. The miter saw station worked out well so l bolted down today.

 

[Jeff Ivers]

Arfly,

I just took the time to read your entire thread today. I am really impressed with your well organized shop. I have had a Craftsman RAS sitting unused in my shop for some time and your comments on its advantages have me thinking maybe I should do something like you did before you abandoned it for the sliding compound miter saw. I know you were having a problem with running into the handle on it, but are there other reasons you changed your mind? Also, I have been trying to come up with a C-clamp rack that would suit me - does yours have some mechanism that keeps the clamps from cocking to the side?

 

[ARFLY]

I didn't really like doing angled cuts on the RAS. it was quite capable of doing it, but I didn't feel comfortable doing it. I also bruised my hip a couple of times on the crank.

The C-clamp rack I built is really simple. It consists of 4 pieces. The back board, 2 side boards, and 1x2 across the front that the clamps hang on. Nothing else to it. The clamps just hang there and seem to balance well. I saw it on Pinterest. It actually was supposed to be a towel rack and someone hung C-clamps on it.

 

[ARFLY]

This is the clamp rack I copied.

View media item 102470
I also considered this one, but without the French cleat system.

View media item 102471

 

[bdbecker]

Very timely... I was working in my garage Tuesday night and thinking about how I needed to come up with a better c-clamp storage system.

 

[ARFLY]

Let us know what you end up with. I'm going to try this one for a while. Don't know if it's a permanent solution or not. I think it's going to work well.

 

[bj383ss]

Arfly I have a couple of the second style you posted. They work good. I have mine made to only hold 2 clamps each. I drilled holes in the upper corners so they can hang on 2 pegboard hooks.

Bret

 

[ARFLY]

That's a great idea to fix them where they can be on pegboard. Thanks for sharing that.

 

[Trapps]

This shop is an example of maximum, yet efficient, density. You have so much going on in such a small space, but it all looks functional! Nice work!

 

[ARFLY]

Thank you.

 

[ARFLY]

I did more more work in the shop today. I got the 6" Craftsman vise cleaned up. After I got it cleaned up it looked really good so I'm not painting it at this time. I also bolted it down so it's where it's going to be.
Here it is in all its glory.
View media item 102523
This what I used to bolt it down.
View media item 102525
This is what that work area looks like now. I also bolted the little drill press down and decided not to have the little red vise on there at this time.
View media item 102524

 

[ARFLY]

I also did extensive cleaning and organizing today. I finally have the little shop clean and organized. I can now find stuff in there, move around and get this, actually work in there. What a concept, being able to work in a workshop.
Here it is tonight. I still need to get the welder up on the wall.
View media item 102522
To see how far it's come, here is a picture from back in December. It was a **** dump I couldn't even get into.
View media item 102526

 

[Finallygotit]

I love that before and after pic. Great job!

 

[ARFLY]

Thank you. I'm putting up some LED lights today.

 

[taumac]

What a great looking shop. I really like how you did it.

 

[ARFLY]

Thanks.

 

[ARFLY]

I got some LED lights put up today over the miter saw. That makes such a difference.

View media item 102554

 

[ARFLY]

I'm playing with wrench organization now. I've tried several wrench rails and haven't found one I really liked so I'm making some. I bought $7 worth of HF foam floor mats and started cutting with a razor blade. Super cheap and seams to work well. The wrenches are now standing up which saves a lot of space in the drawer.

View media item 102748

 

[bj383ss]

I have been wanting to do something similar except out of wood.

Bret

 

[ARFLY]

I've thought about doing that also. I think it might be easier to make from wood.

 

[ARFLY]

I picked up this little Craftsman vis off of EBay a while back. I've been working on it the last few nights cleaning off decades worth of rust and tarnish. It looks to be the original paint. The red paint on the Craftsman may not be. I was going to redo the red, but don't think my hands are steady enough to make it look any better. The jaws measure 1 3/4". I don't really have a use for this vise, but I think it's really neat and it doesn't take up much space.

View media item 102888
View media item 102889
View media item 102887

 

[bdbecker]

Here's a good hack on how to paint raised letters cleanly:
https://thepatriotwoodworker.com/forums/topic/12121-painting-raised-letters-pictorial/