Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT Made By Miller Studios

[MadeByMiller]

I just found this thread, great transformation on your shop. I like your ideas. It's been a while since you have posted, hope you keep going.

Thank you very much, I'm glad you stopped by! I've certainly not abandoned the thread, I simply just haven't had any new content to add since the last post. I had to shift my focus back to customer jobs that are pretty irrelevant to this thread and haven't had time to get back to any shop related stuff.

Thanks for bumping this thread.

@MadeByMiller Love the shop and what you have done to it!

Thanks a lot, more to come in the future!

Absolutely, great thread, love the use of space!

Thank you! The quest to maximize efficiency and dial in the work environment is seemingly never ending.

 

[xtremek]

The transformation is amazing use of the space. I wish I could be as organized as you are. I also like how much you clean your equipment up, it's just the right amount if you ask me. Continue to keep us updated on changes and projects.

 

[MadeByMiller]

The transformation is amazing use of the space. I wish I could be as organized as you are. I also like how much you clean your equipment up, it's just the right amount if you ask me. Continue to keep us updated on changes and projects.

Thanks for stopping by and for the kind words!

It's been very easy to stay organized and clean as of late, for better or for worse I've been stuck in the house working on several CAD projects for customers. I've been able to sneak out here and there to 3D print some prototypes for one of said projects, but nothing that is appropriate to share on this thread.

It can be very difficult to draw a line on refurbishing used tools and equipment. A baseline of course is a good scrub down, and while doing so keeping a close eye out for anything needing repair/replacement for operation. After clean up and any necessary repairs, I'm usually happy to put it to work. I don't mind older equipment showing signs of age and use, so long as it's not excessive or detracting from functionality.

 

[TJMtl]

Amazing shop! I have a white Rousseau rolling cabinet on order , like seeing your white renderings of your Vidmars.

 

[MadeByMiller]

Amazing shop! I have a white Rousseau rolling cabinet on order , like seeing your white renderings of your Vidmars.

Thank you! I've definitely drooled over some Rousseau cabinets, high quality stuff for sure! Still thinking that vinyl wrapping my Vidmars will be the way to go, just need to do a little research and order the material really.

 

[TJMtl]

Rousseau factory is 3 hrs from where I live so seemed like a good idea.

VIdmar's will last a few lifetimes, those and Lista's were on my radar before deciding to go new. Lista's and Vidmar's near me are totally beaten with holes in the sides etc.

 

[matt_i]

Great collection and well-organized. I fully understand the need to layout via CAD when space gets tight, but I'm about 25 years behind using wireframe lol.

Vidmars are great and eat up so much stuff!, I have an oddball collection as well, I think you can do a reasonable job with a HVLP purple gun, Rustoleum cut with mineral spirits and Majic catalyst hardener from Tractor Supply. I've been pleased with the gloss and toughness from what I have done with that so far. There are several youtubes on the subject with various recipes.

 

[MadeByMiller]

Great collection and well-organized. I fully understand the need to layout via CAD when space gets tight, but I'm about 25 years behind using wireframe lol.

Vidmars are great and eat up so much stuff!, I have an oddball collection as well, I think you can do a reasonable job with a HVLP purple gun, Rustoleum cut with mineral spirits and Majic catalyst hardener from Tractor Supply. I've been pleased with the gloss and toughness from what I have done with that so far. There are several youtubes on the subject with various recipes.

Thank you! My thoughts with the vinyl wrapping avenue vs. paint would be saving time messing around with prep and masking involved with paint. I appreciate your input!

 

[walrus]

Very nice space, well thought out. Fab skills are excellent also.

 

[MadeByMiller]

Very nice space, well thought out. Fab skills are excellent also.

Thank you very much!

 

[Mccool]

This is one of my favorite shops on here, great work! Those vidmars will look great all white

 

[MadeByMiller]

This is one of my favorite shops on here, great work! Those vidmars will look great all white

Well that's a heck of a compliment, thank you very much! I've been so busy doing cad work for customers that I haven't done any real work in the shop for months. The upside to that is the shop stays nice and clean!

 

[Metallitubby]

1. Nice welds.
2. Great use of space.
3. Nice welds.
4. Awesome end results.
5. I wish you lived closer to help me make some of my ideas come to shape.
6. Nice welds.

 

[T-handle]

Hi Mr Miller! Super nice to see your thread here. I love your Instagram stuff. Your shop looks like a surgical operation room Super clean!

I would love to have a house tour someday. I'm a big fan of A-frame houses but never had a change to visit one. When I get old and it's time to give my workshop for one of the kids I'm going to build a small A-frame for me and my wife.

 

[MadeByMiller]

1. Nice welds.
2. Great use of space.
3. Nice welds.
4. Awesome end results.
5. I wish you lived closer to help me make some of my ideas come to shape.
6. Nice welds.

1. Thank you.
2. I do my best.
3. Thank you again.
4. Much appreciated.
5. The internet can close some mighty distances.
6. Thank you x3.

I appreciate all the kind words man!

 

[Metallitubby]

5. The internet can close some mighty distances.

Most of my oddball requests are usually "you've gotta be there" things. Most everything I do is one-off randomness anyway.

 

[MadeByMiller]

Hi Mr Miller! Super nice to see your thread here. I love your Instagram stuff. Your shop looks like a surgical operation room Super clean!

I would love to have a house tour someday. I'm a big fan of A-frame houses but never had a change to visit one. When I get old and it's time to give my workshop for one of the kids I'm going to build a small A-frame for me and my wife.

So glad to have you stop by my humble thread! Your thread is one of my favorite on the site, I love your detailed approach to every project. Always enjoy seeing your name pop up on my Instagram notifications as well.

House tour unfortunately will probably not happen on here, I'm not really comfortable publishing the inside of my home on the internet. Trust me though, you aren't missing out on much. I could probably DM you some photos on Instagram if you're that curious.

 

[MadeByMiller]

Thought maybe I'd throw up a couple pictures of one of the main cad projects I've been working on for a good friend and customer of mine. He just moved into a new shop and hired me to model it and work on shop layout and office modifications. I've just about got the office area complete and am about to move into the shop layout portion with some really exciting equipment. I really enjoy this work. These renderings are not super high quality as they were done pretty quickly to keep my customer up to date on the progress.

 

[jeepster1407]

Looks great! What software do you use for these renderings?

 

[zmotorsports]

That is a very well executed work space you have created for yourself. Great job.

 

[MadeByMiller]

Looks great! What software do you use for these renderings?

Thank you! I use Fusion 360 for both modeling and rendering.

 

[MadeByMiller]

That is a very well executed work space you have created for yourself. Great job.

Thank you very much! Really glad to see you in my thread Mike!

 

[MadeByMiller]

Not shop related, but I managed to get the Christmas lights up a few days ago without falling off the house:




Also, here's a few update renders of the shop model I've been working on for a customer:

 

[MadeByMiller]

A couple really small shop updates (sometimes the small things make large quality of life impacts). I picked up a rubber horse stall mat to cover the ugly plasma table slats with when not in use and to provide a horizontal space for temporary storage/staging while working on projects. It's about 6" shorter than the water table width, but I'm happy to not see the ugly rusty slats anymore.



The second shop improvement, I finally put to use my Hourglass Ingenuity cable management pucks to tidy up my TIG welder leads. I also used an extra hood hook that I purchased from him to hang my torch lead on. My friend Brad makes these, and they're really handy and exquisitely made just like all of his products. I highly suggest you check out his Instagram page to see all of the amazing products he makes and sells.

 

[slodat]

I love Brad's stuff. Do you have one of his TIG torch holders?

Great looking shop. We have a lot in common!

 

[MadeByMiller]

I love Brad's stuff. Do you have one of his TIG torch holders?

Great looking shop. We have a lot in common!

Brad is truly a genius when it comes to design and execution, I'm constantly blown away by what he comes up with and the pace with which he puts out new ideas. Yes, I picked up his new torch holder design on his first drop. I'm really excited to pick up one of his MIG gun holders he's working on currently, I've been bugging him about one for so long.

Thanks for the kind words! You've got a brilliantly well equipped and clean shop!

 

[Craftfab]

I have read through this thread a few times since you started it and each time notice more items that give me ideas about my space. Really impressive what you have done. With the overall footprint of the shop, did you consider getting the regular crossfire with the XL kit to save on footprint/have it on wheels, or was the cutting envelope of the pro model worth the static space it consumes? I ask as I am currently wavering between the two for a space I have way too packed already with equipment.

 

[frojoe]

Man this thread has been a treat, subscribed and can't wait for more!

 

[MadeByMiller]

I have read through this thread a few times since you started it and each time notice more items that give me ideas about my space. Really impressive what you have done. With the overall footprint of the shop, did you consider getting the regular crossfire with the XL kit to save on footprint/have it on wheels, or was the cutting envelope of the pro model worth the static space it consumes? I ask as I am currently wavering between the two for a space I have way too packed already with equipment.

Thank you for the kind words, I'm pleased to hear you find my thread valuable! The release timing of the Crossfire Pro was funny, I was actually in the middle of a debate between the low price and small footprint of the standard Crossfire table and a 4x4 table from another manufacturer. I knew the 4x4 table would be quite a tight squeeze in my little shop, but I was uncomfortable with how small the work envelope was on the Crossfire and I was also nervous about the lack of THC and live Z axis (this was prior to the release of the Z axis kit for the standard Crossfire), as well as the single sided support gantry. In the middle of my debate the Crossfire Pro was announced, and to me that was exactly what I was looking for. The ability to cut full width sheets with a live Z axis and THC, as well as dual stepper motors on the Y axis and fully supported gantry, all with a considerably more compact footprint than a 4x4 table. The extremely low pre-order price was also extremely attractive, and I was actually the second pre-order placed.

As far as your evaluation, consider how valuable the plasma table will be to your vs. how much space it consumes. Is it worth potentially kicking out or blocking a piece of equipment that currently resides in your space to upgrade to the Pro? Try to think about just how you will utilize the machine and what sort of projects you intend to cut on it. It might be worth messing around with a scale model/drawing of your space to see how you may be able to reorganize to maximize your space for either machine.

Hope that useful in some way, thanks for stopping by!

Man this thread has been a treat, subscribed and can't wait for more!

Glad to have you on board, thank you!

 

[MadeByMiller]

As my wife's Christmas/birthday present this year, I finally made her something she'd been asking about for quite a while - a coat rack.

I started off in @adskfusion360 as usual to put together a model with 3D printed components in mind. Some fun design elements include: modular/expandable/customizable hook attachment, hidden fasteners, and captured nuts that pressed into the printed parts nicely. Check out my Instagram @madebymiller_ to see detail videos.

Next, the printed parts were sliced and exported to my @josefprusa i3 mk3s+, with the hooks printed at 30% infill and the mounts/end caps being printed at 100% using @3dfuel Midnight Black filament. It took two attempts to get the fit how I wanted on the end caps, but I'm always impressed with how nice the parts come off the printer, even at .3mm layer height.

The metalwork couldn't have been any easier, I simply cut the 1" square tube to the proper length and squared the ends and deburred with files. I protected the degreased mill scale finish with a few coats of automotive wax.

After unveiling the piece to my wife (to her enthusiastic approval), I simply mounted it on the wall as designed. We quite like how it finished off an otherwise overlooked space in our home, and it provides some much needed utility.

 

[larry4406]

That would sell!

 

[MadeByMiller]

That would sell!

I might consider that, we'll see.

 

[Vernmotor]

Well not much more I can add. That has not already been said. Great Job. Love reading and seeing all of this.

 

[MadeByMiller]

Well not much more I can add. That has not already been said. Great Job. Love reading and seeing all of this.

Thank you very much!

 

[theundermount]

great shop! i enjoy reading your updates you seem to do a lot of cool stuff

 

[MadeByMiller]

great shop! i enjoy reading your updates you seem to do a lot of cool stuff

Thanks a lot!

 

[MadeByMiller]

It's been a long time since I've made a post to this thread - that's because I'm hardly ever out in my shop working anymore! However, last week I made time to get an important project out the door, a sandbox for my kids! The scope of the project sort of ballooned from the original idea of a basic sandbox after I realized the monetary investment was going to be too large to not to make it a bit more than basic.

I started with a 1/4" thick 4'x8' piece of HDPE plastic as the bottom to keep the sandbox separate from the dirt with a solid, stable surface. I then created the first layer of the sides of the box with pressure treated 2"x12"s. I used my Genuine Metalworks speed squares to help hold everything together square as I screwed it all together. I highly recommend getting a couple pairs of his squares, they're extremely useful for a multitude of projects.




Next, I made some corner gussets out of the same 2"x12" material that add a lot of rigidity to the box and double as seats. I used 6 pocket screws underneath to attach each gusset and they were all sanded prior to installation. I'm a metal guy, so that's pretty fancy woodworking for me!



I knew I wanted to have an angled cover over the box so that moisture would run off the tarp I had purchased to act as a cover, so I added another 2"x12" to the back wall and some angle cut 2"x12"s to the sides. I attached them with more pocket screws and used pressure treated 2"x4"s as vertical stakes connecting the upper and lower boards, adding a ton of strength. The vertical stakes are attached using carriage bolts from the inside to keep the kids from hurting themselves on bolt heads...



More use of the Genuine Metalworks speed squares. I'll add a link HERE if you're interested in grabbing some yourself. The owner Eric is a great friend of mine and he makes wonderful products.



Next up, I sanded the entire box and rounded over sharp corners to prevent splinters and make the box a bit nicer. My gosh did all of that dust from sanding make one terrible mess! It's going to take forever to rid my poor shop of all that dust. It was then ready for stain!




My wife and I decided on a solid stain in the color of Celery green. I'm a big fan of greens, and it will blend in with the grass alright once things green up here. I applied two coats and had just enough in the quart can I bought. It looks nice and will help add some longevity to the box I hope. I removed the stakes so I wouldn't get stain on the hardware and so I could stain every surface possible.

 

[MadeByMiller]

The last step was to attach the heavy duty 6'x8' polypropylene tarp I had purchased to use as a cover. I put the back stakes on over the tarp and added lag screws through the grommets on the back to ensure a strong point of attachment that will never blow away. Then I used some rivet on snaps on the sides and a few on the front for accessible and secure attachment. Finally, I added two straps with buckles that span across the opening to provide some structure across that large opening. I hope it will be enough to support some snow in the winter time.



I had dug a 6" deep hole that was pretty flat and level for the sandbox to recess into. Makes child accessibility greater when they aren't tripping over a tall edge. The beast of a sandbox was then wheeled over to the hole I dug and lowered in. A total of 32 50lb bags (1600lbs!) were emptied into the box to create a 6" deep layer of sand, and the toys were brought in!



As you can probably see, I got the sandbox finished just in time for some cold weather to come back, so the kids haven't had much time to enjoy it yet. The tarp has seen some pretty windy days and is still holding tight and doing it's job. It feels good to have this project done in the early spring so the kids will have the whole year's worth of nice days to enjoy it. Hopefully I did a decent enough job building it that it will survive for many years.

Thanks for checking out my thread!

 

[xtremek]

Nicely done.

 

[zmotorsports]

Awesome job on the sandbox. I'm sure the kiddos will make good use of it.