Suburban Machine Shop

[E3mfg]

Hi all. First post but I have been a lurker for years. I thought I'd share my little backyard shop. I built it in 2013 with the goal of having a place I could eventually work out of full time, which I do now.

So here's the specs:
Structure- 20x20 with 10' walls. 16'x8' door, 2 windows and a french door. I hired A-Shed to build the unit and I finished it off with insulation and drywall myself.

Electric- Switched the house panel out from 100 amp to 200 amp. Took the old house panel and mounted it on the shop and hired a friend to pull cable and make the connections. I also added a 30 hp rotary phase converter from American rotary so I can run 3 phase equipment as well as single phase. Wired the everything myself, pretty straight forward. Tons of outlets every where.

Lighting- just 2 8' T5 HO's form homedepot provide the 95% of the light.

Heating/Cooling - I installed one of the Cadet Hotone 5,000 watt 220v heaters and use a Mastercool swamp cooler. With the heater on its lowest setting and the insulation/drywall combo it stays 60° in the winter. once the phase converter is running it jumps to 70° quick. the swamp cooler can maintain about 70-72 in the summer.

Flooring- I knew I would never drive a car in here so I went with the epoxy kit from homedepot. It has held up very well for the few years I've had it down but keep in mind, its really just foot traffic.

So that's it really. I'm going through photos and I'll add them shortly. I do want to thank you guys for sharing your spaces. It has given inspiration and ideas to me over the years to have such a resource available to browse.

 

[E3mfg]

I bought a Tormach PCNC1100 in 2014. It was a good little machine but not fully up to what I was after. Sold in 2015. I picked up an old sharp Lathe that needed some work and still does really from the shop I was working at.

 

[rattle_snake]

Let see some of that machinery. Where are you located?

 

[E3mfg]

In late 2014 I purchased a new Haas Super Mini Mill 2 to replace the eventual sale of the Tormach. My wife found a great condition old tanker desk and I just recently bought a harbor freight 7x12 band saw.

 

[E3mfg]

Let see some of that machinery. Where are you located?

Pics are coming as I sift through them all. I'm just outside Denver.

 

[E3mfg]

These last 4 are how the shop sits today. I need to do some cleaning.

 

[APEowner]

That look like a great place to spend one's time making chips. I love the french doors.

 

[readhead]

Greetings from Durango. What sort of things do you make

 

[moriboy]

Really nice looking place. That Haas is a big step in the right direction over the Tormach.
Like someone asked earlier, what kind of work are you doing?

 

[E3mfg]

Greetings from Durango. What sort of things do you make

Really nice looking place. That Haas is a big step in the right direction over the Tormach.
Like someone asked earlier, what kind of work are you doing?

I do prototyping and design work. Some is for hire but I'm focusing on some of my own products as well. I have a few things I've tinkered with that I sell through my online store. I'm still working out the bugs on some new products also.

You can see some samples on the in the links in my sig.

Thanks for the kind words!
jason

 

[matt_i]

Nice clean space

So I'm curious how you got the minimill in there...rolled it off a flatbed trailer? The grassy area would make it a little tougher on a rigging operation

Also curious how the rotary converter is working, I run a Fadal VMC in my shop when I'm not working ON the building, I opted for a Phase Perfect as I was worried about stress on the servo drives.

 

[tab2]

Your version of connect 4 on your website is awesome!

 

[E3mfg]

Nice clean space

So I'm curious how you got the minimill in there...rolled it off a flatbed trailer? The grassy area would make it a little tougher on a rigging operation

Also curious how the rotary converter is working, I run a Fadal VMC in my shop when I'm not working ON the building, I opted for a Phase Perfect as I was worried about stress on the servo drives.

here are a couple of photos from moving day. They used a boom style all terrain fork lift and came in through the rear of the property where there is a main road with gate access. Set a steel plate down on the grass and used a pallet jack to roll it in. The machine only weighs in about 4,000 pounds so its kind of a light weight.

The phase converter is awesome. Works perfectly. I haven't had an issue as of yet. With the motor inside, the noise is annoying after several hours but the additional heat it provides in the winter is nice. I've contemplated though moving it just to the outside of the shop and building a little dog house to protect it from the elements. Maybe one day...

 

[E3mfg]

Your version of connect 4 on your website is awesome!

Thanks! I've always wanted to make one but couldn't figure out a cheap way to make the coins and then one day I thought hell just use quarters and make it a gambling game. It was also kind of a tool to see how Kickstarter works. It exceeded my expectations for funds raised but more importantly really opened my eyes as to just how much work it takes to put together a kisckstarter campaign, manage it, and then fullfill the orders. Fun process though.

Here is a link to the project. I'm just starting to ship the first units hopefully this week. Kind of exciting.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/684655864/buck-in-a-row-a-cnc-machined-strategy-game/description

 

[ScooterCO]

Wow! Congratulations on getting your own shop up and running, surely a dream and goal we all have here on the Journal.
In the first pics I was also wondering where you were located. I thought that sure looks as if you could be in Colorado. I guessed correctly.
I am located toward Parker.

Scott

 

[FANTM58]

Sweet set up ! Im in Westminster, and starting a new build in the Todd Creek area of Brighton.

 

[E3mfg]

Wow! Congratulations on getting your own shop up and running, surely a dream and goal we all have here on the Journal.
In the first pics I was also wondering where you were located. I thought that sure looks as if you could be in Colorado. I guessed correctly.
I am located toward Parker.

Scott

Sweet set up ! Im in Westminster, and starting a new build in the Todd Creek area of Brighton.

Nice to meet you guys! Thanks for the compliments.

 

[Bears Fan]

Just awesome! I'm subscribing

 

[matt_i]

I didn't see it but does the Minimill use air for the tool changes and spindle purge?
That would be one thing I'd try to place outside/shed due to the noise.

Guess you get to run a batch of 120+ games, interesting process on KickStarter

 

[E3mfg]

I didn't see it but does the Minimill use air for the tool changes and spindle purge?
That would be one thing I'd try to place outside/shed due to the noise.

Guess you get to run a batch of 120+ games, interesting process on KickStarter

It does, I have another shed/workspace next to the shop. Its just a 10x16 shed that houses the air compressor and my wood working equipment.

I am just finishing 150 of the games and 60 of the tic tac toe/quarter dishes. Should leave me with about 10-15 extras but I'm sure they will all be sold by the time I'm done. I'm amazed by how they keep selling.

 

[zmotorsports]

Nice little space you have created there and I'm sure it is nice to have it right there at home. When we first bought our home back in 1991 I didn't have the money to build the detached shop right away and had to use my parents on their farm. I hated having to drive both ways to get any work done. I LOVE being able to walk out in my back yard and be in my own automotive/motorcycle/machine shop.

Also, welcome to the forum. I look forward to seeing more of your work and more pictures of your shop and equipment.

Mike.

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

Very nice shop.

I see you made the work bench out of 2x4s. Why wood and not steel?

Please indulge my curiosity ... what does a Haas Super Mini Mill 2 cost?

Keep up the good work!

 

[E3mfg]

Nice little space you have created there and I'm sure it is nice to have it right there at home. When we first bought our home back in 1991 I didn't have the money to build the detached shop right away and had to use my parents on their farm. I hated having to drive both ways to get any work done. I LOVE being able to walk out in my back yard and be in my own automotive/motorcycle/machine shop.

Also, welcome to the forum. I look forward to seeing more of your work and more pictures of your shop and equipment.

Mike.

Its the best having it at home. The amount of time and money saved from not eating out over lunch, the commute time, gas money...

The best with out question though is being able to see my son off to school in the morning and have him walk through the shop doors in the afternoon. Simply the best. Family life improvement x1000

Very nice shop.

I see you made the work bench out of 2x4s. Why wood and not steel?

Please indulge my curiosity ... what does a Haas Super Mini Mill 2 cost?

Keep up the good work!

wood doesn't scratch or dent parts like steel. and lets just say the the machine cost a lot. They start at 50K for the Super mini mill 2. I added nearly every option though. but that is a drop in the bucket to what tooling and inspection equipment can cost. I'm limited on the precision of the parts I can make, not because of machine but because I can't measure to the accuracy I want. In time though, I'll have it all!

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

wood doesn't scratch or dent parts like steel.

Makes sense. One of my next projects is to build a bench for my 1000sf race shop. Wood vs steel. There is a small job shop in the neighborhood and he can bend a steel top and has access to the steel. But wood has its advantages. How did you finish the wood?

and lets just say the the machine cost a lot. They start at 50K for the Super mini mill 2.

WOW! I expected them to be up in dollars but that is beyond what I would have expected. A friend of mine has a shop with a number of Haas CNC machines, you just put into perspective the massive investment he must have.

 

[E3mfg]

Makes sense. One of my next projects is to build a bench for my 1000sf race shop. Wood vs steel. There is a small job shop in the neighborhood and he can bend a steel top and has access to the steel. But wood has its advantages. How did you finish the wood?



WOW! I expected them to be up in dollars but that is beyond what I would have expected. A friend of mine has a shop with a number of Haas CNC machines, you just put into perspective the massive investment he must have.

I didn't finish the wood. I used a belt sander to get it somewhat flat and then DA'd it to smooth it. No stain or anything. I might sand it down again one day and stain it but then I might be afraid to scratch the bench! Chicken or the egg at that point right?

The last shop I worked at, the last machine we purchased was about 1mil for just that machine. there were 2 of those and then like 14 other machines. His invest in equipment alone had to be over 4 mil. Its amazing that most people don't grasp the costs involved with making things we use everyday.

 

[LutzTD]

very cool. A version of my own retirement plan but in reality

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

I didn't finish the wood.

What kind of wood did you use?

 

[E3mfg]

What kind of wood did you use?

They are just 2x4's. I ripped them down to about 2 5/8" actual. Basically enough to remove the round edges so when butted up to each other they would be flat.

 

[A_Pmech]

That's a nice looking shop. Good choices on machines as well.

 

[E3mfg]

What kind of wood did you use?

I guess I should explain a little further. There's a natural characteristic about wood, its wet, always. No matter what there is a moisture content. Being in Denver its pretty arid so over time I knew the would dry and shrink. So I used the cheap 2x4 method described above but I also added all thread going through the entire workbench in 5 spots. Over the years I would tighten the nuts every so often to squeeze the boards back together (they are also fully glued to each other). Just this past winter I finally trimmed the all thread one last time and welded the nuts to the all thread and ground to a bit of a round button shape.

 

[E3mfg]

That's a nice looking shop. Good choices on machines as well.

I've admired your setup for a looong time. Your Do-All is a **** beast!

 

[Big Dad]

Cool stuff

How about , cnc picture frames

You could make some standard lengths and if they bolted together , you could mix and match for the size you needed

 

[E3mfg]

Cool stuff

How about , cnc picture frames

You could make some standard lengths and if they bolted together , you could mix and match for the size you needed

That is actually been on my list for sometime now. As well as clocks.

 

[A_Pmech]

I checked out your websites. The Kickstarter campaign seems to have gone well! What is your long-term focus for the business?

 

[Big Dad]

That is actually been on my list for sometime now. As well as clocks.

PM me when you have some I need a couple odd sizes, not wood..

 

[Bib Overalls]

Years ago I was in the machine shop at the old Fairchild Republic aircraft factory in Farmingdale on Long Island. The floors were wood blocks with the crosscut ends face up. They told me that was because wood was easy on dropped parts and the wood sucked up oil drips and spills. The floors were black and worn smooth where people walked. I think I prefer your epoxy floors but also endorse your appropriate use of wood as well.

 

[E3mfg]

Sorry for the delay everyone, been pretty busy around here.

I checked out your websites. The Kickstarter campaign seems to have gone well! What is your long-term focus for the business?

Long-term goal....make money and run the business completely debt free. I'm trying to get enough products of my own developed to pay the bills. I'm working contract work here and there for other people but ultimately, I want my products to keep me busy enough to not need to rely on outside work. Time will tell if I can pull it off.

 

[E3mfg]

PM me when you have some I need a couple odd sizes, not wood..

Will do. It may be awhile though.

 

[E3mfg]

Years ago I was in the machine shop at the old Fairchild Republic aircraft factory in Farmingdale on Long Island. The floors were wood blocks with the crosscut ends face up. They told me that was because wood was easy on dropped parts and the wood sucked up oil drips and spills. The floors were black and worn smooth where people walked. I think I prefer your epoxy floors but also endorse your appropriate use of wood as well.

YES! End grain wood flooring! I was seriously considering doing this and I will have it in my next shop, at least in the machining area. I think it's just beautiful to look at in addition to the previously mentioned benefits.

 

[moto367]

Very awesome set-up! The HAAS is a good machine. What did you not like about the Tormach? Other than it not being a Haas? And I'm sooo jealous you get to see your son off to and home from school. Enjoy it. They grow fast. I used to work in a shop with a wood floor as mentioned. It was really nice and seemed easier on the legs and feet also. Funny story...we had two fellas ("Dave" and "Trent") in the shop that were so much alike but they hated each other with a passion. One day Dave decides to play a joke on the shop and ran a nail down inside a pop can fastening it to the wooden floor. Well, as luck would have it Trent just so happened to be the guy that didn't see what Dave had done and tried to kick the can across the floor. Good golly! Funniest thing ever. Trent was mad as heck and the rest of us couldn't stop laughing. Still chuckle over that. lol. Sorry to get of topic...