# Some Workshop Improvements - Pics



## Mr Ed (21 Aug 2009)

Just at the moment work has been really hectic for me, so difficult to get my teeth into a decent project. I have however, managed to fit in a variety of workshop improvements in the little odd bits of time.

Firstly dust related;

I bought a Camvac 386 twin motor HPLV to deal with my tablesaw and bandsaw;





I did the hopper modification that a few other members have done to their Kity 419 to covert to dust collection from the bottom of the case.




I also added a split off for a smaller hose to connect to the crown guard and added a Maplin remote control plug (remote on the table).








To connect up to the bandsaw I just rotate the Camvac on the wheely stand I made and connect the flexi to the bandsaw ports.




I added a dust extraction port to my existing shop made router table fence, also for use with the Camvac.




The plan is that now the ADE1200 will only serve the planer and thicknesser.




I have had 2 new windows fitted which previously were single glazed and obscure glass, so the shop is now warmer and more light gets in.




Also extended my (basic) clamp storage to cater for some new addditions.




Finally I have added some floor mats. This material is called Regupol - its made of recycled car tyres and is intended for acoustic separation under a screed in high rise resi. Its a bit like the floors you get in kids play areas. Anyway, it was surplus at work and came into my possession - it makes an excellent anti fatigue floor mat.

Thanks for looking

Ed


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## TrimTheKing (21 Aug 2009)

Looking good Ed, I do like your shop, lovely and clean


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## wizer (21 Aug 2009)

Looking good Ed. I've been slowly doing the same sort of thing in my workshop over the past few weeks. I wish I had your space!


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## yo_chuci (21 Aug 2009)

loverly shop... whats under the hinged floor?


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## Mr Ed (21 Aug 2009)

TrimTheKing":3f8l6k6j said:


> Looking good Ed, I do like your shop, lovely and clean



Probably clean because I haven't made anything in it for months!

Ed


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## Mr Ed (21 Aug 2009)

yo_chuci":1l86v0db said:


> loverly shop... whats under the hinged floor?



Panic Room







No actually it goes through to the double garage below.

Ed


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## yo_chuci (22 Aug 2009)

nice... as big as some houses then lol...


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## woodbloke (22 Aug 2009)

Ed - good, I like it. This is the sort of thing that I want to do in my 'shop later on 'cept the pipework will be plumbed in round the wall instead of laying across the floor. Don't forget that the C386 can be reduced to a smaller dia hose with no loss of suck for a extraction system...and remember to include the two hoses in the top of the ports on the machine to reduce the racket from Concorde levels to a mere whisper :lol: 
On the K419, if you haven't done so already, plug up all the holes and take away the internal blade guard...bit of a faff but doable and also make a zero tol insert plate - Rob


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## Mr Ed (22 Aug 2009)

Done all of that, except the ZCI - one for a rainy day. I re-read the old threads on the mods other people, yourself included, have done and basically copied whats gone before.

Ref the plumbed in pipes, I'd like to do that eventually with metal ducting as I know the flexi pipe compromises the flow, but at the moment cannot justify the cost/time.

Cheers, Ed


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## woodbloke (22 Aug 2009)

Ed - my C386 will have a 100mm take off for the p/t and then will be branched and blast-gated to a smaller dia bore for all the rest of the machines. I intend to use the Ax 63mm dia system and run it all the way round the outside of the shop. It's not a metal system as you're after but at least the plastic tubing is smooth walled, so resistance should be minimized. The only bit of corrugated tube is the bit to the p/t, using the same sort of stuff as you've got - Rob


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## John McM (23 Aug 2009)

Cracking shop ED, gives me the horn. What size is it?


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## Aled Dafis (23 Aug 2009)

John McM":msxa5wj3 said:


> Cracking shop ED, gives me the horn. What size is it?



Get out more!!


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## Mr Ed (23 Aug 2009)

John McM":1x1cw9x3 said:


> Cracking shop ED, gives me the horn. What size is it?



Well I hadn't anticipated giving anyone the horn, but whatever does it for you. 

Its 5m X 7.5m, the camera lens makes it look bigger than it really is.

Cheers, Ed


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## Tom K (23 Aug 2009)

John McM":24m6mus9 said:


> Cracking shop ED, gives me the horn. What size is it?


Pete n Dud at it again?


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## John McM (23 Aug 2009)

Are you happy with 7.5mx5m? If you were doing it again would you want a different size or shape? Thanks


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## Mr Ed (23 Aug 2009)

John McM":2wuf295z said:


> Are you happy with 7.5mx5m? If you were doing it again would you want a different size or shape? Thanks



Well I didn't build it, it was part of the house when I bought it (and a substantial part of the reason for choosing the place).

A workshop could always be bigger, but I reckon the proportions of 1.5 : 1 are about perfect (almost the golden ratio now I think about it). The size is right for me, the only issue is that its on the first floor.

Cheers, Ed


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## Chems (23 Aug 2009)

Its a brilliant space. The quality off the stuff you build is in my opinion one of the highest on the forum, but looking at your workshop you don't have outrageously expensive tools or anything which is nice to see, obviously its all nice but not festool or anything! 

What the thought process behind the gap behind your bench, so you have to walk around to get to your tools on the shelf?


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## Mr Ed (23 Aug 2009)

Chems":z637x42n said:


> Its a brilliant space. The quality off the stuff you build is in my opinion one of the highest on the forum, but looking at your workshop you don't have outrageously expensive tools or anything which is nice to see, obviously its all nice but not festool or anything!
> 
> What the thought process behind the gap behind your bench, so you have to walk around to get to your tools on the shelf?



Aw stop it, you'll make me blush. If you can tell my wife its not all outrageously expensive that would be very helpful though...

Ref the position of the workbench, its useful particularly during assembly to get to all sides of the bench. I also don't like staring at the wall, so if you have the space why not?

Cheers, Ed


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## Karl (23 Aug 2009)

Ed - I've always thought that if I had a bigger shop, then the workbench would definitely be pulled away from a wall like yours. It is very limiting having it butted up against a wall.

Cheers

Karl


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## OPJ (23 Aug 2009)

EdSutton":3k4ph5fv said:


> Ref the position of the workbench, its useful particularly during assembly to get to all sides of the bench. I also don't like staring at the wall, so if you have the space why not?



That's a good thought. Despite having my 'dream' 'bench now, I find I'm working too close to the wall behind. That extra clearance would also make it easier to retrieve items that fall behind! :wink:

Edited to add - Where do you store all your timber, Ed?


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## Aled Dafis (23 Aug 2009)

EdSutton":2ebpnz2g said:


> Just at the moment work has been really hectic for me, so difficult to get my teeth into a decent project. I have however, managed to fit in a variety of workshop improvements in the little odd bits of time.
> 
> Firstly dust related;
> 
> ...



Ed, would you care to share some of your photography secrets with us. Your photos are always pin sharp - probably down to a good camera - but also have some sort of a glow about them, what lighting do you use? Or do you use a particular setting in your camera that gives you that effect. 

Looking at your blog, the photos you take outdoors also have this "glow" so I'm guessing that it's the camera as I guess that you don't take a full studio lighting setup out to take a few photos of your drains :wink: 

Whatever you do, it looks good to me.

Cheers

Aled


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## Mr Ed (23 Aug 2009)

I worked for years in a single garage where everything had to be pushed up to the walls. I always aspired to have the tablesaw / outfeed and the workbench in the middle of the room, although I had no experience of this layout, I just thought it would work. Both the saw and the bench are in the positions I first dropped them in 5 years ago when we moved in - it works so well I have never felt a need to change it.

Ed


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## Mr Ed (23 Aug 2009)

OPJ":2xwq4ig0 said:


> Edited to add - Where do you store all your timber, Ed?



Downstairs in the double garage, which has the big door to act a bit like a loading bay. Only problem is getting the stuff up the stairs...

Ed


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## Mr Ed (23 Aug 2009)

Aled Dafis":1842pwvu said:


> Ed, would you care to share some of your photography secrets with us. Your photos are always pin sharp - probably down to a good camera - but also have some sort of a glow about them, what lighting do you use? Or do you use a particular setting in your camera that gives you that effect.
> 
> Looking at your blog, the photos you take outdoors also have this "glow" so I'm guessing that it's the camera as I guess that you don't take a full studio lighting setup out to take a few photos of your drains :wink:
> 
> Whatever you do, it looks good to me.



I should say I am no photographer, but I have learned a few tricks that work for me.

1. Decent camera, decent lens. I use a Nikon D80 with Nikkor lens.
2. Daylight is always best - I know pros can do wonders with a flash, but I find the best results come from daylight, or better still sunshine.
3. I take loads of shots and chuck most of them away.
4. I set the brighness up slightly on the camera.
5. I never shoot on Auto, I generally use Aperture priority where the camera selects the shutter speed to suit the depth of field I have chosen.
6. I shoot the highest resolution the camera can do (10MP).
7. I use a tripod quite a bit.
8. I spend some time thinking about composition - I guess this comes more naturally to some than others.

I should also say that most of the food, garden and outdoor pictures on the blog are by my wife Claire, who also did the pics for my F&C workshop article.

Cheers, Ed


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## Fergus (23 Aug 2009)

Looks a great space..and lovely and light


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