AmherstAndy
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2015
- Messages
- 46
Amherst MA, although went to Uni in Amherst NY, and Amherst NH isn't too far from here. Never been to Amherst OH.
Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT My Five Pound Garage.
- Thread starter Terranova
- Start date
Workspaces between 485 and 705 squarefeet.
sean Buick 76
Well-known member
Very cool wood working projects! I see the hurt finger is not slowing you down... Always nice to catch up on your page! Nice pics of the little one in the shop!
Finallygotit
ALLIANCE MEMBER
You need to get one of these for your Starrett combo square.....
It's called a centering head. The Starrett P/N is (I think) C11-6.
It's called a centering head. The Starrett P/N is (I think) C11-6.
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Terrick down Under
Well-known member
FG is correct, the centring head saves so much time and you find you will use it a lot.
So, everything aligned and I got few hours QST last night. 10:30ish to 1:30. Uninterrupted with 80's tunes on the sound system.
After reading and not quite understanding the instructions that came with it, I managed to wire up the switch controlled outlet I bought for the router table by finding a YouTube video.
There are two ways to wire this thing and about a million videos on how to do the way I didn't want to do it. I finally found one and watched about 3/4s of it and wired it up the way I *thought* the video said to. Turns out, I wasn't paying close enough attention.
Luckily, to test it out, I connected my drill press to it and used the little light to blow my circuit and not some high amp power tool. I guess a blown fuse is a blown fuse, right?
(Mental note: to much **** piled under/near the breaker box)
It was late and I wasn't thinking about photos enough so I could show you pictures I took of the switch wired wrong while I was still happy to be out in the shop OR I could show you a picture of it all tidied up, with no internals showing, that I took after I was frustrated and just trying to get through the process!!! HA
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Guess I should mention, I used the good male end of a bad extension cord as a pig tail. That went in the box with a good 10ish plus feet to run to any outlet near by. Ground to ground, hot to the non bridged side of the switch and neutral to the non bridged side of the outlet. The fixture comes bridged meaning it's connected on one side so that 1 set of wires (properly installed, mind you) will cause the switch to control the outlet. The other option is to break the bridge tab and then you have a switch that can control a light and an outlet that always has power.
That was tidied up in a shallow oldwork box with a stainless faceplate. I'm not excited about trying to cut it into the box somewhere like the chimney, so I think I'll surface mount it a little more permanently when I figure out the best place for it.
After that, I set out to fix my problem with the router plate moving around in the inset that I cut poorly. In thinking about it, It dawned on me that I could just route the inset a touch bigger and make a new plate to fit that!
Again, it was late and I was more interested in getting on with getting on, so my picture documentation is severely lacking.
I referred back to a copy of the original article/plans for the router table and employed those methods using a pattern bit.
Essentially you create a raised box pattern out of 3/4" ply etc for the bit to follow.
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I used double sided tape to temporarily fasten the pattern boards to the table surface. Strait and smooth surfaces are preferred for the router to rest on and follow.
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After knocking that out, I failed to take any more pics till I was done for the night.
Photo ops missed:
I had to put a little tape handle on the plex in order to pull it back out of the inset each time I tried to fit it.
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After working so much to fit it, I'm afraid to cut the wholes in it to mount it to the router.
Anyone have relatively easy methods for cutting round smooth circles in plex?
After reading and not quite understanding the instructions that came with it, I managed to wire up the switch controlled outlet I bought for the router table by finding a YouTube video.
There are two ways to wire this thing and about a million videos on how to do the way I didn't want to do it. I finally found one and watched about 3/4s of it and wired it up the way I *thought* the video said to. Turns out, I wasn't paying close enough attention.
Luckily, to test it out, I connected my drill press to it and used the little light to blow my circuit and not some high amp power tool. I guess a blown fuse is a blown fuse, right?
(Mental note: to much **** piled under/near the breaker box)
It was late and I wasn't thinking about photos enough so I could show you pictures I took of the switch wired wrong while I was still happy to be out in the shop OR I could show you a picture of it all tidied up, with no internals showing, that I took after I was frustrated and just trying to get through the process!!! HA
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Guess I should mention, I used the good male end of a bad extension cord as a pig tail. That went in the box with a good 10ish plus feet to run to any outlet near by. Ground to ground, hot to the non bridged side of the switch and neutral to the non bridged side of the outlet. The fixture comes bridged meaning it's connected on one side so that 1 set of wires (properly installed, mind you) will cause the switch to control the outlet. The other option is to break the bridge tab and then you have a switch that can control a light and an outlet that always has power.
That was tidied up in a shallow oldwork box with a stainless faceplate. I'm not excited about trying to cut it into the box somewhere like the chimney, so I think I'll surface mount it a little more permanently when I figure out the best place for it.
After that, I set out to fix my problem with the router plate moving around in the inset that I cut poorly. In thinking about it, It dawned on me that I could just route the inset a touch bigger and make a new plate to fit that!
Again, it was late and I was more interested in getting on with getting on, so my picture documentation is severely lacking.
I referred back to a copy of the original article/plans for the router table and employed those methods using a pattern bit.
Essentially you create a raised box pattern out of 3/4" ply etc for the bit to follow.
View media item 71261
I used double sided tape to temporarily fasten the pattern boards to the table surface. Strait and smooth surfaces are preferred for the router to rest on and follow.
View media item 71262
After knocking that out, I failed to take any more pics till I was done for the night.
Photo ops missed:
- Cutting plexiglass on the band saw
- Cutting Plexiglass on a table saw because the piece cut on the band saw was a fraction to small and the cut edges weren't strait
- Trying to sand crooked plexiglass on the big belt sander with out melting and clogging it
- Finding the diameter of the pattern bit using my circle template.
- Tayloring in the slightly over sized piece of plex I cut on the table saw using my palm sander, rasps and whatever else while keeping things strait and sqaure, except for the corners.
I had to put a little tape handle on the plex in order to pull it back out of the inset each time I tried to fit it.
View media item 71263
After working so much to fit it, I'm afraid to cut the wholes in it to mount it to the router.
Anyone have relatively easy methods for cutting round smooth circles in plex?
Finallygotit
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I have used hole saws in the past. If you need to open it larger than any hole saw you have, I have made a template from a chunk of scrap masonite and used my router to follow that to finish the hole. Note: don't take too much of a cut with the router otherwise you will probably chip or crack the plexiglass. Don't ask me how I know. 
HTH
HTH
Finally I've had lousy luck with circular saws so I tried a forstener bit and it did well. Used a laminate trimmer with a pattern bit to clean it up.
So there's a regional auction site that lets you bid on RTV and scratch and dent stuff. Sometimes it's furniture, sometimes it's toys or bikes, and sometimes its tools.
They let you start at zero cents and go up from there, pennies at a time, with no reserves. It's all "Bid on it as is" etc. (they try to let you know what's wrong or missing, sometimes even providing pics.)
Through some patience and diligence I've managed to pick up two different sets of pneumatic tools in the last few weeks.
37 bucks. Usually around a hundred. Missing the extensions
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10 bucks. Usually around a hundred too. Missing nothing.
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This stuff makes me feel pretty good about any disassembly I'll have to do on the old rusty sedan when the time comes.
So there's a regional auction site that lets you bid on RTV and scratch and dent stuff. Sometimes it's furniture, sometimes it's toys or bikes, and sometimes its tools.
They let you start at zero cents and go up from there, pennies at a time, with no reserves. It's all "Bid on it as is" etc. (they try to let you know what's wrong or missing, sometimes even providing pics.)
Through some patience and diligence I've managed to pick up two different sets of pneumatic tools in the last few weeks.
37 bucks. Usually around a hundred. Missing the extensions
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10 bucks. Usually around a hundred too. Missing nothing.
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This stuff makes me feel pretty good about any disassembly I'll have to do on the old rusty sedan when the time comes.
So it's been a bit. I feel like saying not much has happened but then when I think about it, some things have happened.
My finger has healed up pretty well.
Still pink, swollen and tender, but useable.
The router table is functional.
I modded the fence from the old table to work on the T tracks that I put in the new top and I finished drilling the holes in the lexan plate too.
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I also rigged up a dust collection solution that pulls from both the chimney box and from the back of the fence. A Y connector that fits my dust collector hose and kicks down to the vacuum sized hose I'd already put in. Lucked out.
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Here's what the chimney looks like from the side with the table top extended up. Plan is to close the spaces up with doors. You can see the face frame.
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I/we (my nephew) and I mocked up a door for his flip cabinets. There will also be a reveal/shadow line around the outside. I took the pic to soon.
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My finger has healed up pretty well.
Still pink, swollen and tender, but useable.
The router table is functional.
I modded the fence from the old table to work on the T tracks that I put in the new top and I finished drilling the holes in the lexan plate too.
View media item 71765
I also rigged up a dust collection solution that pulls from both the chimney box and from the back of the fence. A Y connector that fits my dust collector hose and kicks down to the vacuum sized hose I'd already put in. Lucked out.
View media item 71768
Here's what the chimney looks like from the side with the table top extended up. Plan is to close the spaces up with doors. You can see the face frame.
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I/we (my nephew) and I mocked up a door for his flip cabinets. There will also be a reveal/shadow line around the outside. I took the pic to soon.
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Stopped by my parents and brought this up outta the basement. My uncle used to work for NAPA, so we have always had branded stuff around. I have to admit, I'm pretty stoked about this piece. Trick is going to be storing stuff on shallow shelves.
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Random update!
Slapped together a cut offs cart to help organize "that corner" that's found in almost every shop/garage.
3/4" plywood glued and kreg jogged together. 3" casters
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Slapped together a cut offs cart to help organize "that corner" that's found in almost every shop/garage.
3/4" plywood glued and kreg jogged together. 3" casters
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Finallygotit
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Yeah, I have "that corner" but for me it's "those shelves".
Why is it that when you make "just a cart" it looks like a piece of furniture?
You ****!
Why is it that when you make "just a cart" it looks like a piece of furniture?
You ****!Trying to fall back onto the face of the earth here. I feel like I haven't been on here forever.
Building a Christmas gift for my boys.
My youngest asked for "a kitchen". After looking at pottery barn kids, my wife says, "You could build that!"
YES! SHE GETS IT!!!!!!
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I think I got the scale right. He has no idea he's standing next to his gift.
The garage/shop looks like a wreck.
Plans for the play kitchen are variations on this theme.
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No country sink and a different faucet but whatever.
I'll post picks when it's done.
T
Building a Christmas gift for my boys.
My youngest asked for "a kitchen". After looking at pottery barn kids, my wife says, "You could build that!"
YES! SHE GETS IT!!!!!!
View media item 77534
I think I got the scale right. He has no idea he's standing next to his gift.
The garage/shop looks like a wreck.
Plans for the play kitchen are variations on this theme.
View media item 77533
No country sink and a different faucet but whatever.
I'll post picks when it's done.
T
Finallygotit
ALLIANCE MEMBER
This is cool!
Progress. Coming down to the wire...
This is the sink/dishwasher.
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He still doesn't quite know what it is. He came out with me this afternoon and wanted to paint with daddy.
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This is the sink/dishwasher.
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He still doesn't quite know what it is. He came out with me this afternoon and wanted to paint with daddy.
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Cris B
Well-known member
Great stuff, the most memorable garage time is shared with family 
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The cd's will be better laid out as the burners after they get spray painted black.
Nothing like bumpin up against the deadline!
Finallygotit
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Great stuff! Good idea using the old CD's.
Now stop posting and finish the project......TIC-TOC!
Now stop posting and finish the project......TIC-TOC!
bcoke
Well-known member
Wow I built a kitchen just like that for my daughter [now 45 years old and a principle in her architecal firm] no CD's back than just burners made out of masonite cut into spirals ....carcasses made from mfd seconds from Wyehauser plywood [FIL was forman there] stove knobs, faucets,handles made from trash day sidewalk diving......cookie sheets and racks plastic wash basin [sink] and utensils pots and pans cheap from John's Bargin Store [think Dollar Store] which was cheaper than Woolworth's [5&10 cent store] yeah came from Japan or Tiawain no China back then......bit I am old.......By the way in the band saw to cut a circle I used a scrap piece of plywood with a slit for the blade and a series of holes set at different radius and a dowel in a blind hole will set the radius just slide in and rotate the block a perfect circle and no STICHES.........now about the Napa Cabinet I have a larger one measured te shelf depth mine was 8 1/4 inches ,I went to Schaller Company on web found stackable "bins" at 4 by 8 inches perfect fit and can be removed one at a time I store hardware.tools, tubes of glue , etc...........hope this helps , love the "helpers" wish I had more time when mine were that age, grand kids are past that age now teenagers.....no more working in Gpa's shop ........oh well happy holidays to you and yours.........Bobbycoke
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Lots of relatives were in on it and gifted accessories.
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My nephew made several cutting boards as gifts.
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So he made a little one too.
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Up next will be a set of built ins for the play room, and a couple other smaller things.
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My nephew made several cutting boards as gifts.
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So he made a little one too.
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Up next will be a set of built ins for the play room, and a couple other smaller things.
Finallygotit
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Great job!!!
sean Buick 76
Well-known member
Fantastic work on the kitchen, my boys love playing kitchen as well! All the best in 2018!
Had an idea about a screwdriver rack. It went through many iterations during design and even a few while I was making it. It does what I want it to do but I kinda have that feeling a seven year old gets when they see the outcome of something that looked great in their imagination but came out not quite so awesome. I guess kinda like a Pinterest fail. The project looked beautiful in my brain but the result. Meh.
Anyway. Several pieces of plywood and a bunch of 1/2" routed slots later.
I did try to make it somewhat aesthetically pleasing by not having any screws showing.
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Anyway. Several pieces of plywood and a bunch of 1/2" routed slots later.
I did try to make it somewhat aesthetically pleasing by not having any screws showing.
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BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
I think the issue with the screw driver organizer is all the different brands of screwdrivers. Just toss them all and replace them with Wera or another high end brand and magically, all is good! 
Seriously, I think it just need to be painted. Black or yellow to match the cabinet.
Seriously, I think it just need to be painted. Black or yellow to match the cabinet.
tennesseewj
Active member
Don't sell yourself short on that screwdriver holder, you just stored a lot of screwdrivers in a small, well-organized area. That is no small task, as evidenced by the number of people who throw all their screwdrivers into a bag or drawer and continually sort through them.
I think your imagination was storing a whole bunch of pretty, color-coded screwdrivers in order of increasing length, haha.
Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
I think your imagination was storing a whole bunch of pretty, color-coded screwdrivers in order of increasing length, haha.
Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
ODIS
Well-known member
Cool driver rack! Thanks!
Small or short?
I have the stubbies stashed right up here.
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And I have a set of these in a drawer, but I guess in my mind I hadn't even thought of putting them up here because they are (in my mind) more of an electronics thing than an automotive thing...
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I hadn't even thought of them until you asked me. Lol. And now I have to think about that.
Do all screw drivers have to be in one place?
Although I think about screwdrivers as a primarily automotive item, they do have their place occasionally for wood working. I have briefly considered keeping my awkward, clumsy 4 bit interchangeable Milwaukee screwdriver on the "woodwork side" of the shop.
Hmmmm
I have the stubbies stashed right up here.
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And I have a set of these in a drawer, but I guess in my mind I hadn't even thought of putting them up here because they are (in my mind) more of an electronics thing than an automotive thing...
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I hadn't even thought of them until you asked me. Lol. And now I have to think about that.
Do all screw drivers have to be in one place?
Although I think about screwdrivers as a primarily automotive item, they do have their place occasionally for wood working. I have briefly considered keeping my awkward, clumsy 4 bit interchangeable Milwaukee screwdriver on the "woodwork side" of the shop.
Hmmmm
Well it is totally up to you but here is my setup.
I have this over on the auto side of the garage. Boilermaker look away none of my screwdrivers match but, 90% of them were my grandpas and there are some Proto, Craftsman, and Stanley(when they were good) mixed in.
20170315_090325 by bjohnson388, on Flickr
Bad pic sorry but this is my handtool cabinet on the woodshop side. The second row has my small screwdrivers I was referring to.
Picture 099 by bjohnson388, on Flickr
Bret
I have this over on the auto side of the garage. Boilermaker look away none of my screwdrivers match but, 90% of them were my grandpas and there are some Proto, Craftsman, and Stanley(when they were good) mixed in.
20170315_090325 by bjohnson388, on FlickrBad pic sorry but this is my handtool cabinet on the woodshop side. The second row has my small screwdrivers I was referring to.
Picture 099 by bjohnson388, on FlickrBret
Nice. I'm gonna have to study both pics in depth a little more.
My screw drivers are a mix of my dads and stuff I've bought. You can see 3 or 4 family's/brands that are spread across the whole rack depending on size. It's interesting to me that you see or saw a need for the automotive/woodwork dicotimy.
I also notice you made the TabLeft hammer rack too. How's yours working? My was made sort of a one size fits all and so some are two big and don't fit well or are to small and slip down a bit. Interested in your feed back.
My screw drivers are a mix of my dads and stuff I've bought. You can see 3 or 4 family's/brands that are spread across the whole rack depending on size. It's interesting to me that you see or saw a need for the automotive/woodwork dicotimy.
I also notice you made the TabLeft hammer rack too. How's yours working? My was made sort of a one size fits all and so some are two big and don't fit well or are to small and slip down a bit. Interested in your feed back.
BoilermakerFan
Well-known member
It can't be unseen! I have a hodge podge of screwdrivers too, but my good ones are Kobalt, Stanley, and Milwaukee. I use the two big Milwaukee drivers the most so they're in my portable tool bag. The Stanleys, well, they're scattered all through the house I think... I only had a couple old cheapies and I gave those to my son.
My plan is to buy nice Wera drivers eventually, then give my son the Stanley set. The Kobalts are the 1/4" bit style so they get used a lot. And I have my wife's grandad's drivers in his old tool chest. Those will be refurbished/refinished for my son, tool chest and all.
TerraNova
I took some better pictures of my screwdrivers.
20180319_163252 by bjohnson388, on Flickr
Its really simple just some plywood that goes on the edges of the cabinet and has dadoes for the screwdriver shelf to slide into. I made them pretty tight fit so I wouldn't have to glue them in so if I want to change it around in the future I can.
20180319_163224 by bjohnson388, on Flickr
If you want to see a more closeup detailed photo just click on the link to my Flickr.
20180319_163218 by bjohnson388, on Flickr
Here is a photo that inspired my auto side screwdriver holder. This guy goes by Mountaineer_man on flickr and he has awesome shops. He has a big detached woodworking shop that has an electronics area and he also has another garage with all of his auto. If you look through his albums he has several for each shop.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mtneer_man/albums/72157630806822188
Mtneer_man shop by bjohnson388, on Flickr
Bret
I took some better pictures of my screwdrivers.
20180319_163252 by bjohnson388, on FlickrIts really simple just some plywood that goes on the edges of the cabinet and has dadoes for the screwdriver shelf to slide into. I made them pretty tight fit so I wouldn't have to glue them in so if I want to change it around in the future I can.
20180319_163224 by bjohnson388, on FlickrIf you want to see a more closeup detailed photo just click on the link to my Flickr.
20180319_163218 by bjohnson388, on FlickrHere is a photo that inspired my auto side screwdriver holder. This guy goes by Mountaineer_man on flickr and he has awesome shops. He has a big detached woodworking shop that has an electronics area and he also has another garage with all of his auto. If you look through his albums he has several for each shop.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mtneer_man/albums/72157630806822188
Mtneer_man shop by bjohnson388, on FlickrBret