Finally getting my woodshop together ...

[Toolfool]

I posted basic info and pics on my introduction thread and a few pics on other threads, but I thought I'd start a new one since I'm now committed to moving into the new shop space. I'll post a pic of the "shop" space I worked out of for eleven years (first pic). Too cramped , so in 2007 I started construction of my dream shop/garage (second pic). Finished the garage area right before my new car arrived (third pic). Then work slowed down (finish carpenter) and progress came to a halt .A few months ago I got tired of sitting at home, so I decided to make as much progress on the shop as possible without breaking the now-limited bank, and hopefully be able to generate some kind of income from it.

Edit : The building is 40' x 90', the garage area is 40' x 30' , the woodshop area is 40' x 40', and the remaining 40' x 20' is for an office,utility room and studio/guest apartment.

 

[Nighttrain]

Looks really nice. Is the garage seperated into several shops?

 

[Toolfool]

I had installed HeatPex, electrical conduits, 6" PVC pipe (DC system), and 1/2" PVC (for compressed air) under the slab to where my machine areas would be. Before you get worked up, I decided to use the RapidAir tubing which will slip inside the 1/2" PVC.
This past week I had some help available, so I decided to move some of my machines over to the new building. Then I built my double-mitersaw stand (drawers still to be built), installed an exhaust fan, and built an outfeed table between my old contractor saw and my new Unisaw. Even moved my lumber rack out of the garage area and into the shop.

 

[Toolfool]

Pulling wires and figuring out my DC connections before I refill the holes in the slab.
I'm thinking about turning 2' x 8' of the 6' x 8' outfeed table into a downdraft sanding table since I have the DC access there, and it will be next to my assembly table.

 

[Red Leader]

40' x 40' woodshop?

You, sir, have no excuse NOT to own some very nice older, industrial tools

If you keep an eye out on Craigslist, school auctions, or (depending on where you live) garage/estate/farm sales, you can find some amazing equipment.

I like your 60s era Craftsman drill press and noticed your Delta belt/disc sander. Now we're going to have to do something about that table saw... maybe get you into a Northfield, Oliver or Tannewitz.

Why do I sound like a car salesman?

Nice shop! Keep the pics/progress coming

 

[wolflrv]

That lumber rack is huge and really nice!! Great job!! Look forward to seeing more!!

 

[tinbender 66]

Beautiful shop!! Quite a diffence from the old space. Lots of 'elbow' room.

My BIL lives in Langley. Retired Navy.

 

[flybefree]

Wow...great job planning all details out ahead of time...looks great!

Shaun

 

[Toolfool]

40' x 40' woodshop?

You, sir, have no excuse NOT to own some very nice older, industrial tools

If you keep an eye out on Craigslist, school auctions, or (depending on where you live) garage/estate/farm sales, you can find some amazing equipment.

I like your 60s era Craftsman drill press and noticed your Delta belt/disc sander. Now we're going to have to do something about that table saw... maybe get you into a Northfield, Oliver or Tannewitz.

Why do I sound like a car salesman?

Nice shop! Keep the pics/progress coming

I actually prefer newer machines, less maintenance. But, if you notice the red SnapOn box by the exhaust fan, it holds my antique Stanley plane collection. I enjoy using the old hand tools occasionally.

 

[Falcon67]

Very nice space. Good working room for you!

 

[egads74]

wow 40x40... I am planning a 36x44 woodshop on the second floor... few questions... why the double miter area? Also why the huge wood storage rack... In my plans I am about a quarter of that rack in size with thoughts that wood is in and out of the shop. I am planning another area for the cutoff storage.

 

[A_Pmech]

I actually prefer newer machines, less maintenance.

Blasphemy!!!!

The woodworking machine I think I'm most looking forward to when I build a stand-alone wood shop is a Whitney S290. All 9,000 lbs of it.

 

[Toolfool]

wow 40x40... I am planning a 36x44 woodshop on the second floor... few questions... why the double miter area? Also why the huge wood storage rack... In my plans I am about a quarter of that rack in size with thoughts that wood is in and out of the shop. I am planning another area for the cutoff storage.

The double miter stand allows me to use either the 10" compound (which I find to be more accurate for detail stuff) or the 12" slide. I built the stand from a pair of 20' I-joists so it's pretty flat. Used it for the entire framing and siding process.
The lumber rack acts as storage. I do a lot of modular cabinet installs, and I take home any full length pieces left over (crown, toekick,counter edge,panels) (all separated by species). It's nice to be able to pull a piece out of the rack to complete a job rather than wait two weeks for the GC to order one more piece. And, if a deal comes along, I have space for it.
Most of my business has been working on custom homes. Maybe 10% has been from my shop. I'm hoping to reverse those numbers now that there's so little construction going on.

 

[Toolfool]

A few years ago I came across a guy on craigslist who refurbishes compressors, builds three phase converters and buys and sells assorted other shop machines. I kinda stayed in touch with him and asked him to keep me in mind for a killer deal on the type and size compressor I'd like to have. Well, he emailed me and offered me the exact compressor I would love to have , but couldn't afford, and an air dryer to go with it at a price I couldn't turn down. Drove about two hours, picked it up yesterday. Had four buddies stop by tonight to help get it out of the truck !! Just have to get the right receptacle and hook up the dryer. One more addition to the garage and shop.

 

[A_Pmech]

Looks like you did well!

 

[Toolfool]

Looks like you did well!

AND, he gave me $200 trade-in for my 20 year old Campbell-Hausfeld.

 

[Red Leader]

I actually prefer newer machines, less maintenance.

Hmm, I guess that's true!

After about 50 to 75 years of an active tool's service, the total hours of maintenance accrued would most assuredly be more than any modern tool.

New tools actually don't require maintenance. You just throw it away when it stops working after about 5 or 10 years. Its actually a selling point


By the way, lets see some pictures of that plane collection!

 

[A_Pmech]

AND, he gave me $200 trade-in for my 20 year old Campbell-Hausfeld.

At that trade in rate you should go around collecting junk compressors from yard sales and buy more!

 

[Toolfool]

Here ya go Red Leader.

 

[Red Leader]

Here ya go Red Leader.

Ahh...eye candy

Thanks!

 

[4StarCstms]

Great looking shop!! Im liking the unisaw too!

 

[bradtf]

wow, looks awesome so far! I love the wood rack, to be able to store that amount of random left over pieces and still be able to find it would be ideal! keep the pics coming

 

[Toolfool]

Something to add. I wanted to weld up a nice rolling rack for my clamps, but the cost of the steel was out of sight. Sooo, I gave in and built one out of 3/4" birch plywood and 5/8" maple dowels. Holds all the smaller clamps, and rolls around smoothly.

 

[colt zantop]

man that is a lot of space! I would love to have half that!

 

[slip knot]

Very nice shop! I would love to have a dedicated woodworking area but I got too many hobbies.

 

[Nighttrain]

Very nice set up. Im in the market for a radial/miter/compound saw, currently have a 12" BD miter saw, same as the Dewalt. You mentioned your radial is not as accurate as the miter? What would you buy if you had to get another one? I just finished my cabinets (55') of them and have made a lower section for the saw. Makita makes one that does not require so much room from fence to the back wall.

 

[novaboy009]

That is a ridiculous number of clamps. The rack is sweet!!!

 

[psychobillycadillac]

Toolfool. Things are looking good. Going from a small space to a 40x40 must be quite a change. One thing a noticed from this site is that all the guys into woodworking really know how to fully utilize all of their space. I really like the hand plane collection too. Good luck and i cant wait to see some more pics.

 

[Toolfool]

Very nice set up. Im in the market for a radial/miter/compound saw, currently have a 12" BD miter saw, same as the Dewalt. You mentioned your radial is not as accurate as the miter? What would you buy if you had to get another one? I just finished my cabinets (55') of them and have made a lower section for the saw. Makita makes one that does not require so much room from fence to the back wall.

I don't have a radial arm saw. The 12" compound 'slide' miter saw just isn't as "friendly" for cuts on small pieces as the 10" miter saw (bigger blade, more gap in the kerf plate, a bit more 'slop' in the movement). I have had Delta, Makita, Hitachi, and always seem to come back to Dewalt. They seem to stay accurate longer, and they're lighter, a big factor when you have to carry it in and out of jobsites.

 

[bindernut]

Great looking shop! Totally jealous of your plane Collection. I have a couple, though I do more damage than good with them.
I really like the clamp cart. Are those mostly Jorgenson Pony clamps? LEt's see your stash of pipe clamps.

 

[Toolfool]

Great looking shop! Totally jealous of your plane Collection. I have a couple, though I do more damage than good with them.
I really like the clamp cart. Are those mostly Jorgenson Pony clamps? LEt's see your stash of pipe clamps.

Thanks for the comments. Most of my clamps are the Jorgensen #3700 medium duty. Here's all I have in pipe clamps (4 - 8', 2 - 6') and a few Jorgensen and Bessey parallel clamps. Remember, it took 27 years in this business to accumulate this collection. I don't even want to think about how much money I've spent just on clamps (you can never have too many !).

 

[joe6749]

Toolfool, what do you think of the Jorgensen parallel clamps? I have a bunch of the older Bessey clamps that are super nice to use but i never have enough of them and the new ones are a little pricy. I have seen the Jorgensen on sale for a good price.

 

[Toolfool]

Toolfool, what do you think of the Jorgensen parallel clamps? I have a bunch of the older Bessey clamps that are super nice to use but i never have enough of them and the new ones are a little pricy. I have seen the Jorgensen on sale for a good price.

The Jorgensens work just as well as the Bessey clamps for less money. If you can get a killer deal, go for it. I've never paid full retail for any of my clamps.

 

[jvitez]

Toolfoot: sorry to hear about your reduction in business and needing to change things after 27 years. Sitting around is death to the body and the mind. But.....you certainly have been able to turn a silk purse into a....a......crown jewel!

Magnificent space you've created! Your productivity will skyrocket with that amount of organization room. And your shop look beautiful on the outside too, in a spectacular natural scene.

Well done!

 

[Toolfool]

Toolfoot: sorry to hear about your reduction in business and needing to change things after 27 years. Sitting around is death to the body and the mind. But.....you certainly have been able to turn a silk purse into a....a......crown jewel!

Magnificent space you've created! Your productivity will skyrocket with that amount of organization room. And your shop look beautiful on the outside too, in a spectacular natural scene.

Well done!

Thank you. As soon as I get the shop cleaned up I'll post more recent pics.
I think our natural scene is pretty spectacular too. Took a long time to find the right piece of property, but this 10 acres is it (the only thing missing is a trout stream). I'd be happy to spend the rest of my life right here, but the economy might dictate differently.

 

[bindernut]

Yea, I hear you on the cost of clamps. I've got a bunch of the Jorgensen clamps myself. Some are older than I am! I also have a couple bessey bar clamps too. All together I have 4 36", 2 30", 6 24", 4 12", & 2 6". I also have 2 8' 3/4" pipe clamps, & 4 1" pipe Clamps w/ various length pipes. And I have a couple c clamps & 2 old fashioned woodworking clamps I made. I will post pics tonight after work if I remember.

 

[Toolfool]

I got motivated and started to finish the cabinetry under my miter station. Started by building some deep drawers in the center section for all my power tools (routers,sanders,jigsaw,circsaws). Nice to have everything right there next to the assembly table yet stored away. Then I made some shallower drawers on the left side. As I started these, I realized how much storage space I actually created and decided I could move ALL my everyday hand tools and 'stuff' from my rolling toolbox (in pics) into these drawers and get the toolbox out of the way. Now the whole 'alley' between my assembly table and miter stand has become my work area. Should be pretty efficient. Last idea was to build a couple of real deep drawers on the far right end to use as a file cabinet for all the tool receipts, owner's manuals, extra tool parts, project drawings, and whatever other paperwork I need to keep track of. (have to resize pics)

 

[bww_mnm]

I'm more woodworking then auto stuff, so I'm really enjoying this thread! It looks great and I'm picking up some very good ideas. keep 'em coming.

 

[Toolfool]

TF,

I don't think you have enough routers. LOL. Love all the drawers and the miter saws work bench. It must be nice to have to CMS's. One for 45's and the other to crosscut. Lookin good.

Bret

Routers just do so many things. Sometimes I have three or four set up at once so I don't have to change any settings. I also have about six of the Porter-Cable #310 trimmers (most stay in the truck), they're so handy for lock work. I have all kinds of jigs made up.

 

[Toolfool]

TF,

I hear you on the routers. I have 3 myself. One for the table, one for free hand routing and a trim one. I am currently making a new workbench for my lathe. I have 10 drawers to make for it. Will post up some pics when I'm done. What kind of stuff do you generally make?
Bret

Well Bret, that's the $100,000 question. Up to this point, my shop space was just support for jobs I was working on (GC/finish carpenter). Building an occasional custom cabinet, modifying a cabinet, milling some trim, building small laminate countertops. Just odds and ends. Now I'm trying to figure out a way to spend more time in the shop and generate some real income. As soon as I can afford my cyclone DC system I'll need to come up with a plan. I got involved in these forums to find ideas.