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Don Campbell's Workshop

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sasquatch12

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 6, 2013
Messages
403
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Nice shop Don, and i have seen your'e models before, great workmanship!
 

JakeKohl

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 23, 2012
Messages
1,365
Location
Greenville, SC
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Man...wow. Seriously. I'm in awe. I'm actually at a loss for words. Those models are incredible.
 

vette66bob

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Messages
168
Location
North Jersey
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Don, I am impressed, your skill, your sense of scale and your attention to detail. It is amazing. I have one question do any of the larger models have a working source of power and can they move on their own? Thanks for sharing.
 

Kevin54

MEMBER EMERITUS
Joined
Jan 12, 2005
Messages
29,341
Location
Urbana, Ohio
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Holy ****!!!!!!!!! Now that is some absolutely some fantastic work!!!!! Other than that....I am speechless :bowdown::bowdown:
 

BD1

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 18, 2007
Messages
4,602
Location
north side
Re: Sharing my little workshop

I like your approach. Show us the spotless ''TOO CLEAN " shop and then the real projects coming to life. That is truly amazing work.
Are most of the parts made from scratch ? Do you prefer a specific gauge of metal ? Do you do the painting too ? They look totally awesome ! Thanks for sharing . :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
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Don Campbell

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 20, 2013
Messages
652
Location
Gaylord , Michigan
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Thanks again,
None of the models had motors so that is why I had so much fun building the working mini tractors. All the sheet metal is 18 ga. , each time it is bent it doubles the strength and i do all the work on every model myself. I design and hand cut out every part so it is a slow process. My painting is not very good but it seems to stick ok and it seems to shine somewhat after sanding and buffing it out. I try to clean the shop once a month and vacuum the floor as it gets to be pretty messy after a month . I'll have to take a few pics tomorrow of the shop now , the bench isn't quite so nice looking now . I have built over 40 projects in it in the last seven years.
 

rburke65

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Messages
12,349
Location
Canfield, Ohio
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Don....welcome to Garage Journal, from Ohio! Beautiful work.....I'm jealous! Don't need or want an apprentice, do you? Very talented, great work.
 

softailgarage

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Messages
5,153
Location
Bullhead City, Az.
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Don, I've never seen your work before, but it's amazing!. Are those working models? If so what kinds of motors/engines are you using? If not, have you ever thought about making them mobile?
 

Tim Kennedy

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 16, 2011
Messages
368
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Don Campbell: You sir have a tremendous talent! Of course the next obvious question is: Do you ever sell anything? [Please?]
 

SUNBURNTsnype

Active member
Joined
Nov 25, 2012
Messages
41
Re: Sharing my little workshop

I really like how you have your shop set up woth everything on wheels. I am planning on doing the same. Do hou ever have issues with the locks on the wheels not holding when doing any heavy duty work? where do you do your painting? i am trying to decide how to keep from getting overspray in my small one car size shop.
 

e-tek

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 19, 2007
Messages
10,690
Location
Saskatoon, SK
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Welcome to the Garage Journal Don. That is a great space you have created. I like the red too.

As soon as I saw your photos I realized you are "that" Don Campbell. I have been fascinated by your miniature works for years.

Get ready guys. We're in for a real treat.

If these pics are any indication, we're lucky you found us - and ready to see more!:rocker:

Welcome aboard Don, looking forward to seeing and learning about your talents!

I just went back and looked/read more closely and although everyone is trying to express their amazement at your skills, at the risk of being repetitive, I'll say it again: WOW!!

Is there a place you've posted some of your build detail? Do you do them on commission for people? You couldn't have kept all those!

Thanks again for posting - PLEASE keep it up!
 
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captain14

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 19, 2012
Messages
7,013
Location
Near College Park Maryland 20740
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Very impressed with your shop. Many of us here would be proud of Our shop if it looked like yours. These smaller shops are more realistic to more of the members

So please share and we all like more pictures
 
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Don Campbell

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 20, 2013
Messages
652
Location
Gaylord , Michigan
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Thanks again,
I used to build models for people but not anymore. I just build models I like. Wheel locks work good on my benches. I sell all my models and have only 4 or five of my own. I do have a webpage showing building progress on some of my projects at wwwdoncampbellmodels.com
My workshop sure doesn't look like those pictures from 7 years ago when it was built. I'll post pics today of what 40 welding projects does to a workshop , ha,ha.
 
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Don Campbell

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 20, 2013
Messages
652
Location
Gaylord , Michigan
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Here are a few pics showing the floor space changed for different jobs. I actually had five garden tractors in my shop at one time. Now that takes some planning in my small shop, ha,ha. You can see my welding table with the sides on one photo .
 

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little d

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 13, 2009
Messages
815
Location
NW Oklahoma
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Don,
I was impressed with your shop layout and tables until I saw your projects, Impressive, very impressive.

One quick question if ya don't mind, did you put a motor in the "Cat" with the ripper and if so, how well did it work?
 

Autorotica

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 21, 2012
Messages
526
Location
SE Pa
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Beautiful work and very thoughtfully executed workspace.

Now your going to have to build a shed for your "toys". Out of curiosity, do you ever sell any of them?

Chris
 

MN4x4

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 5, 2010
Messages
1,443
Location
Minnesnowta
Re: Sharing my little workshop

I putter a lot in the little workshop in the winter.

First, welcome to the GarageJournalAnnonymous help group.

:)

Second, I also putter in my shop but you give 'putter' a whole new meaning!!! I am in awe of your projects. Please keep updating your posts?
 

4AudiQ

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 30, 2012
Messages
167
Location
PDX
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Don,
You have a gift from God and it really shows.
Thank you for sharing your passion with us.
Keep up the good work.
You do beautiful work.
 
OP
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Don Campbell

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 20, 2013
Messages
652
Location
Gaylord , Michigan
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Thanks again for the positive comments. I took a few pics today of the now 7 year old used and abused workshop, ha,ha. I am even shocked to see them pics after posting all the nice new pictures. I am also posting a couple pics of my not so nice back shed I built many years ago . It just has patio blocks for a floor and is pretty crude but it holds quite a bit of stuff. This is where my original mini work area was 7 years ago. I live in town on a small lot so things get crowded sometimes, ha,ha.
 

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wmartin

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 16, 2011
Messages
1,645
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Don, I'm really digging on those steel tables with the casters. Where in the heck did you get them?

I'm getting discouraged looking for steel tables here. They're rarely on craigslist, and new ones are practically as much as just buying a HF 44" toolbox.
 

colt zantop

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
5,422
Location
michigan
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Unreal! I am so amazed by the talent I can't even begin to imagine the time involved in all the metal work! You sir are a master fabricator .

Oh yeah, I bet we see a feature on this on the front page or garage journal! :thumbup:
 
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Don Campbell

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 20, 2013
Messages
652
Location
Gaylord , Michigan
Re: Sharing my little workshop

I really do like all colors of tractors , we do have just jd tractors on the farm . But put me on any color tractor and I'm all smiles. The steel tables are on the internet but as you say they are pricy . It was just such a quick way to put up 20 feet of workbenches in a couple hours. They are over $300.00 ea. I'm not here to standout or anything, just want to fit in and share my workshop ideas. Now that this is all out of the way I can just start some normal posts about my tools and some small repairs and such.
Thanks again for all the kind comments . Much appreciated.
 

colt zantop

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
5,422
Location
michigan
Re: Sharing my little workshop

So I call my dad and say" hey, check out www.doncampbellmodels.com" so he pulls it up and guess what....we spent a HALF hour both on the phone and website saying "check this out...go down and check this out....click on this...LOL!!!!

Thanks for that, it was some fun quality time with dad and we were miles away from each other!!
 
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Don Campbell

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 20, 2013
Messages
652
Location
Gaylord , Michigan
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Thanks again ,
Northern Michigan has had rough winters for many years so people like me who love to tinker in between snowstorms spend a lot of time in the workshop to avoid cabin fever. Once the snow starts in Nov. it never melts until mid april. Puttering in the workshop is all we got to do or head to the bar. I don't drink so i was forced to make things . Grayling is very close to us. Glad to hear this brought you and your dad together for some fun talking about my projects. This is what I hope happens is people will see if I can do this in this mini shop with no lathe or milling machine or fancy computerized plasma cutter that anybody can do it. Everytime I start a new project I really have no idea it will turn out. Often times it looks like **** until the final few steps. I have always got excited seeing other peoples hand made projects so sharing mine I am hoping some of you get that same excitement for your future projects. Here are a few smaller projects.
Anyone who might be interested my wife has downloading 175 videos showing building progress on several models and snowplowing videos using some of my home made snow blades. if you go to
doncampbellequipment you can see the you-tube videos. The train and the cat dozer videos show the most detail as they are being built.
 

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GreenNV

Banned
Joined
Sep 1, 2013
Messages
346
Re: Sharing my little workshop

You have proven that it is not the size of our garage but in ourselves that we are underlings. Beneath the surface of your gleaming models lies the genius of a craftsman who, with his mind and tools, embodies man’s abilities.

Frankly, I am in awe.
 
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Don Campbell

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 20, 2013
Messages
652
Location
Gaylord , Michigan
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Thanks again for the positive comments . When I first visited this sight I thought it would be cool to share what can be done in a very small shop with minimum tools. My whole life I have drooled over people who have the big deluxe shops with every tool and even a car lift . It was not meant to be for me to have one and I always made the best of what I had and was fine with it.
 

Ross/Kzoo

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 22, 2013
Messages
2,191
Location
Richland Mi.
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Thanks again for the positive comments . When I first visited this sight I thought it would be cool to share what can be done in a very small shop with minimum tools. My whole life I have drooled over people who have the big deluxe shops with every tool and even a car lift . It was not meant to be for me to have one and I always made the best of what I had and was fine with it.

Don, we're all in different stages of our lives and what I have now I never would have imagined 20-30 years ago. Some of my upcoming purchases will be dictated by age and physical limitations. We all just need to be thankful for what we have and what we can accomplish with what we have.
 

tdkkart

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 17, 2006
Messages
6,887
Location
Eastern Iowa
Re: Sharing my little workshop

Well that's just great!!!

Here it is, the day after Christmas, I have 7 more days of Christmas break left, and I HAD great plans to get some stuff done around here, minor living room remodel, major brake job on my truck which sits on my new lift in my in-progress shop.

But NO!!! :mad:
Now I discover this new guy and realize that I've got like 7 years worth of blog posts to read, PLUS 188 You Tube videos to watch!!

****, I'll be lucky to get just this new stuff done by next Thursday.:(

Sure is some nice looking stuff Don.:bowdown:
 
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