# new workshop.



## neilyweely (16 Jul 2008)

Ok folks, I bought a new gaff on sunday (auction) and I now have the potential to set up my workshop. I need help and tips please.
I have two 6' x 10' brick outhouses, and a single garage which is a few yards away. I can use all three buildings, and am currently thinking of knocking the two outhouses into one for a workshop and using the single garage (which is less secure) as storage for materials. I am making kitchen units to measure, but may well turn my hand to all sorts. 

So, I need to house a lathe (one metre capacity size), a small bandsaw, router table, sliding mitre saw, thicknesser, table saw, bench grinder, maybe an elu flip saw too, pillar drill and will be buying a planer soon. I would love to extend the table saw capacity, it is only a small ryobi model with a sliding carriage but will be upgraded asap. In the meantime I need to be able to rip larger pieces than the fence will extend to, so I have a problem there. Could I somehow extend the rail for the fence?

I am thinking of putting a bench down one side and alternating the tools in a central position as and when they are needed. I shall also need space to store hand tools, maybe shelving/racking

So, this is cheeky and lazy and so on of me, but can anyone point me in a general direction, or preferably does anyone have similar space they are using at the moment who can advise? This will be the first time I have been limited on space (MY first workshop) as the other workshops I have had have been rented or owned by another. I really am clueless here.

Please please please.

Neil


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## woodbloke (16 Jul 2008)

Neil - PM sent which you may find of some interest - Rob


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## punkrockdad (16 Jul 2008)

ooo i'm intrigued - can i have one as well?


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## MrJay (17 Jul 2008)

I can tell you that humidity is an ass. Otherwise, sounds fun...


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## Mcluma (17 Jul 2008)

sorry but what is a GAFF- what kind of slang is that


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## wizer (17 Jul 2008)

gaff Noun. 1. Place of residence or work. E.g."My gaff is just around the corner." [1930s]
2. Place. E.g."It was all over the gaff but at least I had a week to clean it up."


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## TheTiddles (17 Jul 2008)

A gaff is a spar used to hold out a sail, like on a gaff-rigged boat such as seen on the Norfolk Broads. It is also a word used by poor people to describe their dwellings! HA HA

Aidan


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## Mcluma (17 Jul 2008)

Thanks for the explanation :wink:


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## skipdiver (17 Jul 2008)

A gaff is what you use to land fish.

Turning into a game of call my bluff.


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## Shultzy (17 Jul 2008)

A GAFF is also a mistake


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## Good Surname or what ? (17 Jul 2008)

Shultzy":1hcby1qs said:


> A GAFF is also a mistake



I think you'll find that's a GAFFE.

Sorry I must have my pedantic head on today :roll:


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## Shultzy (18 Jul 2008)

What a GAFF(E) to make


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## brianhabby (18 Jul 2008)

Hi Neil,

Not sure I can offer too much in the way of layout advice other than to suggest that you try to be flexible to start with as you may want to move things around in the light of experience in your new shop. I'm currently in the process of putting all my machines on wheels so that I can move them around to create more space.

I don't know what size planer you have in mind but I saw this on eBay and thought it looks a good buy. I have the same machine but nothing like as clean as this one.

regards

Brian


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## Shultzy (18 Jul 2008)

Hi Neil, if you use sketchup there are models of workshop equipment available for you to plan out your workshop.

http://www.yda-online.com/shopmodels.htm


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## OLD (19 Jul 2008)

When you connect the two 6' x 10' brick outhouses what size will you have 12x10 or 6x20 etc.


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## Woodmagnet (19 Jul 2008)

OLD":26jmkfkq said:


> When you connect the two 6' x 10' brick outhouses what size will you have 12x10 or 6x20 etc.



Good question OLD :wink:


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## Chems (19 Jul 2008)

Pictures?


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## Raggy (20 Jul 2008)

Wot he said


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## neilyweely (23 Jul 2008)

OLD
Tell you something mad, I bought the house (this is no word of a lie) last sunday, at auction, (kinda over the phone - had it looked at first) but I have never been inside!!! I have had a look from the road outside, but that is it!!!

To answer your question I believe it'll be 12 x 10. I kinda hope so, think I'll be better off with the length, right? Mind you, it is what it is, so I don't suppose it's worth worrying about, eh? There is a long single garage at the bottom of the garden I may use instead, I'm not sure. Either way it's more than I have now. I guess I could knock one up in wood without too much grief, don't think the neighbours will mind too much, and I may as well state my case to start with, you know, not let them start to complain in the first place - make them understand I WILL be making noise!!!
Nah, I'm joking, I will soundproof it all anyway.


Chems, I guess that answers your question too, eh? And schultzy, thanks, but not sure my sketch up skills will extend to that! Might stick to pencil and paper.

BrianHabby, you sir are a gent. This is good advice, I can see that. I will certainly take your advice here, but can I do this with the Table saw? I intend to extend the width of the table anyway, so praps I can make the extension mobile, but the saw itself? It is only small- ish, so it could work. Will have to try it out.

Thanks a lot folks, what I really need is someone with a small workshop, garage size, to tell me how they did theirs, and the mistakes and improvements they made. Basically I want to learn from someone elses mistakes!!!

Cheers all,

Neil


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## neilyweely (24 Jul 2008)

and tiddles, thats the third 'gaff' we've bought now. Cash. HA ha ha.

I may be poor, yes, but dung, my family is LOADED!!!


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## Chems (24 Jul 2008)

Yes that does answer my question, hard to take a picture from across the road!


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## Shultzy (24 Jul 2008)

Neil, if you have sketchup, you are quite welcome to the plan of my workshop. My shop is garage size and I'm just starting on the inside (see my workshop build post)


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## brianhabby (24 Jul 2008)

Hi Neil,

If your table saw is only a small one and you can easily move it about without wheels they maybe a bit overkill. I had a small Nutool saw (just sold on eBay) which I replaced with Slim's 10" Sip when he moved south, which is a completely different animal, loads of cast iron etc. It came with a set of wheels and they are a godsend, I just push it to the side when not in use, in fact, because of the wheels, it's easier to move than the small one :lol: 

Best of luck in your endeavours in sorting out your new workshop.

regards

Brian


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## neilyweely (25 Jul 2008)

Have made a decision re table saw. Having purchased an axminster guide rail system, which incidentally is really rather good, I have a little more time to spend sussing out the table saw set up. Somebody suggested laying a sheet of ply over the top of the existing table and letting it overhang as much as I require, but TBH I do not like this idea. It would mean the clamp on the existing fence could not be used, so what I will do is this - (let me know if I have overlooked anything please, hate it when I get to the end of a 'project' and find a fundamental flaw in my plan!!!) -

I have a length of kitchen W/S spare, approx 2m, which I will use to extend the width on the RHS of the fence. This will allow me the surface area needed to rip larger boards. I have a length of steel rectangular section which I shall fix securely to the edge of the W/S, so the new, improved (axminster again, £55 quid, which is more than the saw cost me!!) rip fence can be properly fixed to the table, as I fear screwing this straight into the W/S would not do. Then I will pull out the extension wings on the existing table and fix the W/S at the exact same height as this, meaning the whole surface area will be level. It will take some fine tuning to get the new fence at precisely 90', and to set it up so that the new fence continues on from where the old one leaves off. I plan on siting the whole thing smack bang in the middle, if this proves possible. I may have to crawl under it to get to the other side of the workshop but this really may be unavoidable, God help me!! Could it feasably be situated anywhere else in the workshop, given that I have only 18ft x 7ft or thereabouts (in the garage unit). How about butted up to a wall on one side?

This should allow me to rip larger sections easily, and hopefully accurately. The rip fence from axminster looks well made, in fact it is probly quite an improvement on the Ryobi one provided. I have considered whether the existing fence could've been extended onto the W/S but it is not running on tubes, rather the edge of the table is kind if crimped to afford it a groove to run in. This groove is by no means standard, and would be VERY difficult to extend onto the W/S. Beyond me I'm afraid.

Do you follow? Jeez, I do hope this makes sense to you as I think it is quite a good description of my intent, and I fear y'all may be about to shoot holes in my little 'project' So what I am asking for is advice as to whether this'll work, if the kitchen W/S will do the job, at least temporarily,
and if anyone has a better idea. Of course the best thing to do would be to buy a new, better, bigger saw, but being 'poor' I cannot stretch to it.

So, any ideas GREATLY appreciated, and schultzy, I do have sketch up, but as I said am not too good with it, so if it is an easy process then I would love to see your workshop this way. Go for it mate, that'd really be a big help.

Brian, again, thankyou sir, and may fortune smile upon you. Luck is what I will be needing when I tackle my workshop!!!

Folks, thanks all for your help.

Neil (ps - sorry this is so long but am unable to use pictures as I am not allowed to look at the house yet!!!!!)


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## brianhabby (25 Jul 2008)

Sounds like a plan. Mind you it will really by tight in there and I don't think you will like crawling under the saw very often, I know I've done it in the past.

If you extend the saw in the way you describe, is there any way you could make the extension sort of portable so it is only attached when you need the bigger surface but the rest of the time it just stands against the wall? That way you will be able to walk past your saw at least most of the time.

regards

Brian


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## mailee (25 Jul 2008)

brianhabby":1142cwkz said:


> Sounds like a plan. Mind you it will really by tight in there and I don't think you will like crawling under the saw very often, I know I've done it in the past



No you don't, I did last week and caught my back on the toothed fence rail, my back looked likke I had been mauled by a Bengal Tiger! :shock:


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## Woodmagnet (26 Jul 2008)

That's a good one Mailee, when i used to play around  i always said i fell into a rose bush.  :lol:


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## Chems (26 Jul 2008)

You really need to watch this:

http://www.woodworkingonline.com/catego ... st/page/3/

About half way down tips for setting up a great home shop. It'll change your life.

Good site that one Ive watched them all everyone has a gem in it if not more.


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## neilyweely (4 Aug 2008)

chems

Thanks mate, thats great.

Thought the problem would be kitting the bloody thing out, not fitting it out!!!

Cheers all, will post some pictures soon. Have to figure out a way to extend the TS now.

Neil


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