Australian workshop - big plans in a small space

[sams]

thanks I appreciate it, a skill shortage is something that is happening in this country too. There are few who are into this younger than me, which means in the future it's looking pretty bad.

Today I am going to do more reorganing to make use of my new space and then it's only my new metal rack. It's so nice to finally have some sort of progress after waiting so long

 

[HOTFR8]

Nicely made storage draws.

 

[RobSmith]

Hi Rob, I will send you a PM

Thanks, looking forward to maybe a solution to my dilema

 

[paulwolf350]

Awesome work, I might use some of your ideas in my own workshop

 

[sams]

More work done! I have not had this many updates since we first built the place.

I used about 60 meters or 20x20x3mm angle to make my shelving. This will be my material storage and for a few other odd things. I made room for my 4 jack stands on the bottom left of this first picture.

The ends of the floors have not be cut yet hence why they are overlapping right now. I will notch the corners so they go right up to my wall sheets.

I was going to go 200mm deep and the same height but when I did a test run I found that I could go to 250mm deep shelves and have no problems with access or visibility so I went with that.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Lookin good!!!!!!!

 

[sams]

Most of the metal work is now done:

I need to clean up the overspray, chop and fit the bottoms of the shelves.


The step complete and in place showing where my drain pan is going to hide from now on:

above the door:

I did say I would use every last bit of space right! I have a few bulky second hand parts I have to keep for my business so their going to be fitted up here.

From here I need to put up some small hangers at the top of my steel rack just for my longer lengths of 4130 cro-mo but other than that no more welding for the time being. I also need to assemble my own compressor and make an enclosure for it on top of my drawers.

I have a plan for the lighting as well. I have ordered an electronic ballast for the this current 2x56W fitting which I will fit and then I wish to bit a large push button at the entrance. With this I want to have an instant on and then delay off timer. This would be set to around 5 to 10 min. Because I need to make regular short trips into this area the upgraded ballast would provide instant lighting and the switch would be easy to hit on the way in. Many times I have forgotten to turn the light off so the timer would be perfect.

 

[sams]

Another small update also for my mill, I bought a tilting table and fitted an adapter plate to it:

This table has a full 90 degrees of movement and I have room for a much larger chuck on the plate for in the future. My first job was to use it in machining up my own uni-joint for a project.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Impressed........

 

[Olliecampbell]

I love the use of space, looking forward to seeing how it's used.

 

[sams]

I am going to continue my filling and organising on every Saturday for a few weeks. I will post more pictures once it is done. After I have cleared up the space in my workshop I bring home my full size milling machine

 

[sams]

I have been delayed in getting an update on here but I am making really good progress. My storage area is near complete and organised.



My metal rack all sorted, it takes moments to see what I have and there is space to spare still.

The wall behind the door, no more sorting through spray cans turning them to read the label, the ladder is on a simple bar bent up to which it easily hooks onto.

Looking up from the above pic is the shelf above the door, I use this for my collection of throttles that I am stockpiling for my business.

Now under my single main step showing my oil drain pan, funnels and the screen off my industrial scale that's sitting on the left. I pulled the drain pan out for the photo but normally it fits right under the step out of sight.

I am still working on the electrics at the moment which I will show soon and I plan on putting one more shelf up for my wood compound saw.


Otherwise although quite consuming this tiny area is every bit as practical and efficient to use as I hoped it would be. I very regually go in and out of this spot during the day and it cleared up a lot of space in my shop.

My next update will be about my new lighting system for this area and then back to my main workshop for the construction of my general purpose steel table. Like everything else it's a common concept with a few of my personal improvements to make it even more practical. I have completed the main frame and if I remember I will take some photos of my progress so far along with my plans.

 

[1/2 Cup]

 

[HSpencer]

The shelving and drawer arrangements are fantastic! It is putting so much storage into a rather confined space. Very neat and well thought out!! Your shop just continues to amaze me!! It is going to be so handy, yet from the photos, it does not look like it is cluttered or tight on space. I am sure your very happy so far with the results.
Keep on posting as many on this forum are sure to be following your excellent progress!

 

[dfreeman616]

very nice, got a few ideas now for as i get my space in order.

 

[jinjaninja]

my main man sam!!!!


randomly thought id check out a aussie garage, low and behold i spot a busted 20v on the floor.....

could it be???

yep, theres a trike.... my mate sam

garage is looking titts mate

ps its pat

 

[sams]

HSpencer: I am indeed really happy with the results and I plan on doing exactly as you would like- lots of updates with my own concepts and ideas of innovation.

The pictures don't do a good job showing how tall this area is as well. I might put a photo up of me next to it for a sense of scale.


dfreeman616: fit the tallest shelves as you can and optimise your space, hope it works for you.

jinjaninja: hey the kind chap from down south! that 20V is being rebuilt right now to some nice specs, will be able to spin to 9500RPM soon. Garage is improving and it will be much better when I finally get my main work table made, I look forward to it. I will see if I can get a pic of it later on.

 

[jinjaninja]

thats me mate it really is remarkable what you have managed to put together and achieve man.... kudos for sure

 

[sams]

yes thanks, years of effort. I work slow but I am good at keeping plans

 

[groundhog69]

Looks real good... thanks for some great ideas

 

[sams]

Below is the light fitting I mentioned, gutted of the original ballasts and starters to be replaced with a dual globe electronic ballast. This as I said earlier is for the light to be instantly on instead of flickering for about 5 seconds. This is quite important for me as I regularly make short trips in and out of the area for my supplies. I kept the power factor correction capacitor hooked up but other than that the fitting is empty.

Next up is my light switch, as it can be seen in comparison to the bricks this is a pretty big rocker switch. I want to be able to hit it with whatever part of my arms are most free, such as my elbow when my hands are full carrying things or just back of my hand.

The rated in-rush current draw was very high on the electric ballast and because of the high price and the unlikely chance of being able to buy the exact same switch in the future I wanted to protect it. So I bought a basic housing in which I mounted a double pole relay inside with high current terminals. The contacts are in parallel and triggered off the switch.

Now on to my fabrication table. I welded this frame up on my tilting table that I had just before selling it, I did so that the top would be dead flat. This would then support the 8mm steel sheet and be totally true.

Here is a summary of the design as viewed from the angle the photo was taken:

- Front left: vice mount, just like my previous table it's as low as possible while still being able to clear the table face when swiveled.

- Front right: Desk area, this is an opening for which I can put a chair in that I have and use it like a desk. Handy for sensitive work such as soldering.

- Left: draw openings, this is where I am going to make 9 drawers that will slid out lengthways. These will hold my grinders, files, drill bits, portable tools and so on. Everything I want within easy reach of the table I am working on.

- Back right: Shelves, just a split shelf for things like my arc welder box and so on.

 

[bj383ss]

Your storage room looks great. The shelving for you metal parts is perfect. Also dig your paint storage. Can see at a glance what colors you have.

Bret

 

[sams]

thanks Brett, I am really happy with how it turned out. I do have a have a knack for finding my own way to do things that really suits me. I think the funniest thing about the paint storage is it's an area that's completely hidden behind the door, something that in almost every other case is dead space. I am sure you will like what I have planned for my fabrication table and also my shed. I will post it up here when I do it of course.

 

[1/2 Cup]

sams, things are coming along nicely.
I noticed you are keeping the power factor correction capacitor in your light fitting, can i recommend that you replace the old one as these have PCBs in them which are very toxic to the environment and can cause cancer.
You may notice a pungent smell if it has leaked over time. Take extreme care if you are handling it and use rubber gloves!!!!! then take it to the collection point of your local waste transfer station in a well sealed plastic bag or container for proper disposal.

 

[MG30]

Very interesting thread. Love mills and lathes. I also have some to install on my shop.
Congratulations.

Jorge

 

[sams]

1/2 Cup: I have been wondering if they had PCBs in them, knowing that I might go through the whole garage and change the lot.

Jorge: things have been delayed in bringing home the full size milling machine I bought due to access in the other factory, but it will be interesting when I set that up. I will need to convert it to single phase which I will cover here also.

 

[1/2 Cup]

1/2 Cup: I have been wondering if they had PCBs in them, knowing that I might go through the whole garage and change the lot.

sams.........Good idea

 

[sams]

I just finished doing a heap of reading, they are highly likely to have them, I will need to contact the EPA next week and ask them about disposal. Apparently there is a very low risk in these sort of applications but still I want them gone. So thanks for the tip

-sam

 

[db2221]

get rid of the giant light switch

Just put a motion sensor in there.

walk in (light on) walk out (light off)

 

[sams]

yes someone suggest this solution later on. Because I am using a relay I can easily add it when I am ready to my existing wiring and use the switch as an over-ride.

 

[dr_obson]

Good Thread mate so many sweet ideas. Im keen to see the final product of your work bench. also do you have a link to your website for your business?

 

[sams]

My bench is now in place and the draws are near complete, I will have pictures shortly. As for my business I will send you a message.

 

[jdeck]

WOW! Awesome shop. You have some amazing tools and great ideas. Nice work...in for more....

 

[battymatty]

Working every day bar Christmas day itself I now have finished my mega drawers, well all except for some beefy handles which I need to buy and fit.

Shown below are some of my postal supplies, this is one of the first drawers I have put anything into. Of note is the sheer thickness of the sides. I expected to be putting some serious weight into these so I needed it tough.

The pictures don't convey the sheer size of them very well. The internal usable space is 1800 x 515mm (6 foot long!). The total height of the structure is 2.1M or 7'. With it's 14 drawers this works out to a total of exactly 13 square meters of internal usable space. I am going to put all my stock from my business in it as well as the fixtures/jigs that I have for making parts.

This was quite the tedious job to do, I would say from chopping the metal and wood, making the frame, fitting the insides and making and fitting all the drawers there's about 40 hours in it. I am really releived it's done and now I am going to start putting all my parts in, luckily this shouldn't take more than one work day as I already have worked out where I want everything- hence the different height drawers. I will be chopping up some cardboard slices to go between some of the more sensative parts.



I also put a MDF panel up the top:

On the far end I want to enclose up my custom assembled compressor and on the other side I am still deciding, one part will have my boxed and bulky items such as my arc welder / router / 3/4" ratchet set and so on.


Next up is the other wall- it was originally going to be completely for my metal shelves, However I now am likely to make room for my four heavy duty jack stands. I was going to also fit 4 shelves for my 20L bulk oil containers however I will alternatively fit them into my future shed.

While the plan is to have 200mm deep shelves every 200mm high I want to make sure it's what I really want. So I am going to make a small test assembly up with some scrap wood and see if I like it. If I can get away with having 250mm deep shelves then I already have a quarter more storage room.

More updates real soon

They are HUGE. i wonder, seeing as you are putting a lot of weight in them, what kind of bracing is on the bottom of them as i am sure they would bow with weight being in them and being so long? any pics of the fabrication of them please

nice garage, you've got some neat gadgets in there

 

[sams]

jdeck: thanks, I will likely have an update by the end of the weekend on how the bench turned out.

battymatty: I never took any photos during the construction however it's quite simple in the description. I went for the extra thick ply for the four sides and the bottom is 7mm thick three layer ply. Having only a 550mm span or so in the depth of the drawer, it sags very little. One of them has about 50kg in it and has quite a bit of momentum when I slide it. Describing the actual process of making the draws and getting it right is significantly harder as it's quite involved. These took about 2 hours each to do. My new bench has steel bottom panels for a reduced gap and more versatility.

I can safely say after making these draws for my current bench I have had enough, I never want to make any more draws ever again. I have had enough of the painfully tedious work that it takes.

Also of note my big milling machine was meant to be brought in today but it was not to be. Looks like it will happen on monday instead. I will need to order a variable speed drive also to convert it to single phase.

 

[metalhead140]

You can't leave us hanging there! Are you still around sams? Some very nice work, and great equipment.

 

[rixtrix1]

I have been delayed in getting an update on here but I am making really good progress. My storage area is near complete and organised.



My metal rack all sorted, it takes moments to see what I have and there is space to spare still.

The wall behind the door, no more sorting through spray cans turning them to read the label, the ladder is on a simple bar bent up to which it easily hooks onto.

Looking up from the above pic is the shelf above the door, I use this for my collection of throttles that I am stockpiling for my business.

Now under my single main step showing my oil drain pan, funnels and the screen off my industrial scale that's sitting on the left. I pulled the drain pan out for the photo but normally it fits right under the step out of sight.

I am still working on the electrics at the moment which I will show soon and I plan on putting one more shelf up for my wood compound saw.


Otherwise although quite consuming this tiny area is every bit as practical and efficient to use as I hoped it would be. I very regually go in and out of this spot during the day and it cleared up a lot of space in my shop.

My next update will be about my new lighting system for this area and then back to my main workshop for the construction of my general purpose steel table. Like everything else it's a common concept with a few of my personal improvements to make it even more practical. I have completed the main frame and if I remember I will take some photos of my progress so far along with my plans.

Excellent use of available lack of space, haha. I need to make something like this for my small garage, as I'm a metal packrat and don't like to throw any small piece away. I appears that you used something equivalent to 3/4" angle and square tubing( 19mm) for your shelving unit frames. Am I close? What material did you use for the actual shelving? Thanks for sharing. Awesome!

Ric

 

[Blotsvens-Janne]

Nice!

 

[xuxy]

good wall 。

 

[xtremek]

This is friggin' AWESOME!!! Subscribed