# New (and first) Workshop! WIP (now with pics)



## WoodAddict (13 Mar 2010)

We'll be moving into our new house over Easter and I've finally got the space I've been wanting to set up a small workshop. After everything being accepted we arranged a second viewing to measure up. My wife was wanting to measure the windows for curtains etc......... all I wanted to do was measure the garage! 8)

Here it is.......







I've got my shopping basket over flowing on the Axminster website. I'm just waiting til we're in before checking out! :lol: I've got lots of ideas but until the easter weekend I can't actually do anything! :roll: 

I've got a workbench to build first off, then it'll be vice, scroll saw, lathe, bandsaw etc.....

Can't wait! 

I'll add pics as and when I actually do something.... Any general thought on setting up from scratch would be more than welcome 

Thanks 
Paul


----------



## big soft moose (13 Mar 2010)

I'd leave the drawing desk out and do your drawing in the house - in a turners workshop everything is going to get covered in dust which isnt the best for drawing kit

besides you can use that room for the bandsaw , and other machiney goodness (I'd suggest a pillar drill - loads to be had relatively cheap on ebay)

also a couple of other thoughts 

you are going to need to get a sparky in to run some extra sockets (most garages only have one or two) i'm a tenant so i'm stuck with my two and extension leads which aint the best.

also build yourself some wood storage asap, before you get loads of wood, when i moved in here i wound up with so much wood that i could hardly move, which made sorting out and building storage that much harder.

and thirdly think about hand tools and handtool storage at an early stage - this is a lot easier if you plan it from the get go rather than waiting till you have lots of planes and nowhere to store them DAMHIKT


----------



## WoodAddict (13 Mar 2010)

I was wondering about the drawing desk TBH.

I do like somewhere to "scribble" as I work, maybe I'll just save a corner of the workbench. A lot of things I do are designed on the spot as I make them. It's nice having a corner to perch in but maybe a drawing desk is a bit much in a small space...........

I'll have a think

thanks
Paul


----------



## woodsworth (14 Mar 2010)

Just make a drawing board that will attach to your workbench. Perhaps slotting into the bench dog holes or something and then it can be easily removed and hung up or even taken inside to use as a lap desk of sorts. 
What a nice space, you didn't take any pictures?


----------



## WoodAddict (14 Mar 2010)

big soft moose":1e82bwor said:


> you are going to need to get a sparky in to run some extra sockets (most garages only have one or two) i'm a tenant so i'm stuck with my two and extension leads which aint the best.



 I'm a sparky! but sadly I'm only a tenant too. I was planning on asking after a few months if they were happy with me adding some extra sockets, we've asked a few things already so I don't want to annoy the landlord with more requests just yet! good point about the extensions though, it is annoying using them and they look unsightly too!



woodsworth":1e82bwor said:


> What a nice space, you didn't take any pictures?



I forgot the camera  we ended up leaving late so we were in a rush to meet the agent there! I'll take some as soon as we've got the keys.

Thanks
Paul


----------



## WoodAddict (25 Mar 2010)

Not long now til I get the keys! :lol:

I can't believe how much it all costs to move! Nearly £1500 before we've even stepped through the door! and :evil: and we're only renting :roll:

Anyway, I've had to cut back on a few things for now and save up. For now I'll be concentrating on scroll saw stuff and wooden toys. So far I've bought a band saw, scroll saw I've got a mitre saw waiting for me when I can get to Wiltshire, or when the guy is working a little closer to the midlands  (Thanks again!) and some more hand tools.

I want to keep my workbench cheap for now, as I'll be making a bigger more permanent one later on. All I want is a small space to assemble/sand/glue etc.... I also want a table for the scroll saw and band saw. This will be one table with a split top, at 2 different heights so that I can sit whilst using the scroll saw.

The next question is - *Which wood for the tops? *

MDF, softwood ply, hardwood ply etc........
Here's the cutting list for an 8' x 4' sheet.






I'll be using 4" x 2"'s for the legs/frames.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Paul


----------



## big soft moose (25 Mar 2010)

i'd use an mdf top - two layers of 18mm stuck together with a sacrificial hardboard top(screwed or pinned) over that.

one point about the layout , i'm not sure about the wisdom of having the bandsaw and the scrollsaw that close to each other

for one thing however good your DE bandsaws shed dust like politicians shed lies and your scroll saw will be right in the line of fire.

and for another if you arent planning on having a table saw , you want to be able to move the bandsaw into the centre of the shop so you can use it for big rips - and you dont want to have to move everything else with it.

my advice therefore would be to put the bandsaw on a seperately wheeled base (wheels from axminster - or if money is tight you can pinch them off shopping trolleys) and store it against the wall when not in use.


----------



## WoodAddict (25 Mar 2010)

Thanks for the advice. I'll bear that in mind.

With regards to ripping big pieces my plan was to make a couple of "horses" that are the same height as the workbench and a simple jig (that I've seen somewhere but cant remember where :roll: ) that clamps to the wood to provide a fence for the circular saw.

The band saw does have it's own fence on the table though so I may end up using this for most stuff as you suggested.

Thanks
Paul


----------



## big soft moose (26 Mar 2010)

WoodAddict":bgp50mvg said:


> Thanks for the advice. I'll bear that in mind.
> 
> With regards to ripping big pieces my plan was to make a couple of "horses" that are the same height as the workbench and a simple jig (that I've seen somewhere but cant remember where :roll: ) that clamps to the wood to provide a fence for the circular saw.
> 
> ...



that works - and jig wise you are talking about a "sled" or guide rail - see here

however what i was thinking is not so much ripping sheet materials , which is definitely easier in the way you suggest, but making narrow but long rips - like for instance cutting a piece of 6ft long by 1"x 2" oak into 2 1" x 3/4" battens for using for lipping (as i was doing the other day) - you cant do that on a handheld circular saw (or at least not easily) so if you dont have a table saw the only reasonable way is to use the bandsaw and that requires moving it to a point where you have 6' either side of the blade.


----------



## WoodAddict (26 Mar 2010)

That jig looks good, though the one I was thinking of was a lot simpler.






sorry about the rubbish picture! it's just a "paint" drawing, I've not worked out any of the 3d drawing packages yet!

The jig you linked above is much better but I'd need a router for that so I think I'll keep it simple for now :? A router is still on my "wanted list!" I think I'll be going with the MDF for the tops though :wink: 

Thanks
Paul


----------



## big soft moose (26 Mar 2010)

WoodAddict":ulx5at28 said:


> That jig looks good, though the one I was thinking of was a lot simpler.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



if you go the simple sled route the main thing to watch out for is that shop cut mdf isnt always exactly parallel - so what you do is make the bottom board a bit wider than the saw then run the saw against the fence so it cuts the edge of the sled true on the first cut.

you may also find that the saw doesnt slide very well on the sled - a way to improve that is to use something with formica surface (like a bit of contiboard) for the bottom board of the sled.

and thirdly you might find it difficult to stop the sled sliding arround on the work piece and clamps on top of the fence will get in the way - there are a few ways round that, one is to make clamping pads that stick out backwards behind the fence to clamp your f cramps on, another is to dismember a couple of cheap plastic speed cramps and fit them to each end of the sled, and a third is to stick router matting to the underside of the sled.


----------



## WoodAddict (5 Apr 2010)

I finally took some pics today.

Here's the 'shop...






And some wood I've been given to use for the frames of my bench....






My first project will be the workbench using this little lot and some of the MDF I was given (thanks Richard). All I need is the wood for the legs and some thicker MDF for the top.

Then I'll need to make a home for these 2...........











I can see it getting full pretty quick so I need to sort the storage out as soon as I have time, I'll also want some kind of rack to keep the wood on.

Almost ready to make some sawdust! 8)


----------



## WoodAddict (5 Apr 2010)

I forgot to say - It's pretty dull in there with just the one strip light and there is only one socket :roll: 

I'll be adding local lighting to some areas and running power around for other bits and pieces. As I'm a tenant I can't do too much in the way of permanent fixtures and fittings so we'll see how it goes.


----------



## big soft moose (5 Apr 2010)

WoodAddict":2rhs5os9 said:


> I forgot to say - It's pretty dull in there with just the one strip light and there is only one socket :roll:
> .



before you do anything else get some white paint on those walls - i doubt the landlord would give a monkeys so long as you do and pay for it yourself , but you might want to ask first

that will significantly improve the lighting.

secondly as you are a sparky yourself , you ought to be able to run a few more sockets, and possibly double up the strip light - again the landlord is unlikely to mind as you are improving his property at no cost to him. (i'm sure my landlord wouldnt mind but not being a sparky i am reluctant to pay one to improve some one elses property)


----------



## Boz62 (6 Apr 2010)

I agree - two or three coats of cheapo white emulsion with a block brush will do wonders for lightness and I doubt a landlord would begrudge that. Best thing I ever did for my workshop 

Boz


----------



## WellsWood (6 Apr 2010)

Some good advice here already, particularly regarding the painted walls. But before you start filling that space up with tools have a think about security. Lightweight up'n'over doors like yours appears to be are notoriously easy to get past, have a look here for ideas.


----------



## WoodAddict (7 Apr 2010)

Thanks for the suggestions. I have to confess that the security of the 'shop has been niggling at me. I will go with the painting idea too. I can imagine that will make a big difference.

Thanks


----------

