Commercial workshop- My kit

[Doctor]

Ahhhh the Vito - good choice. Have seen them hooned round country lanes - we used to use one as a track support vehicle and it's amazing how they handle even when loaded up with tyres, tools and spare parts!

ps don't forget to get that Evora out on track 8)

I think the Vito handles really bad, lost the back end no end of times, virtually undrivable in snow, gets stuck in 1/2" of snow.
I had a day at the hethal track last month in an exige, now that was fun, all courtesy of Lotus :lol:

 

[billw]

Losing the back end isn't bad - it's fun!!

I've been round Hethel in an Exige too, and to be honest there was more than one occasion on which I suspected my life expectancy was being considerable curtailed :lol:

That damned tyre wall on the main straight, it took me until lap 3 to keep my eyes open on the approach.

 

[joiner_sim]

Nice looking commercial workshop there! Really clean and tidy as well, compared to some of them that I've been in! :lol:

 

[Doctor]

We aren't the tidiest but its normally presentable, I hate workshops where there is **** everywhere, to me it just shouts "disorganised", we normally have 4 or 5 jobs on the go at anyone time, so space is at a premium.
Also a lot of clients visit the shop and it needs to look clean and tidy.
We also have another unit for storage of completed jobs prior to being delivered.

 

[joiner_sim]

We have another unit for storage/ finishing. So we keep our stuff there.

We can have anything between 5-10 jobs on the go at anytime. We used to have a workshop labourer/cleaner but the company used thew crunch as an excuse to get rid...... as a result there was a massive bust up a few weeks ago about the whole state of the shop. It was becoming unsafe, but generally now things are a bit better. Also it's the same situation as yourself, we also get some of our clients visiting and it does not give a very goos impression!

 

[Doug B]

I think the Vito handles really bad, lost the back end no end of times, virtually undrivable in snow, gets stuck in 1/2" of snow

My mate bought one a couple of years back, says exactly the same thing, he recons the traction control isn`t designed for snow. :roll: :roll: :evil:

Having said that they obviously stop quicker than transits, He has a "Mercsit" at the moment, after he managed to stop but the guy behind didn`t :shock: :shock:

Looks a nice shop by the way, certainly worked in a lot worse.

 

[BradNaylor]

Interesting stuff Doc,

I'm suprised at how small your shop is considering the amount of stuff you turn out - you must have a very efficient operation.

We also have another unit for storage of completed jobs prior to being delivered.

I suspect that this has a lot to do with it.

The bain of my life is working round finished orders which are waiting to go out. We've currently got 4 big display cabinets cluttering up our shop which were due to be delivered in February - the customer has paid in full but 'isn't ready for them' yet.

](*,)

I'm intrigued by the edgebander. Looking at the kind of top-end work you do I wouldn't have thought there was much call for one - or is it mainly for kitchen cabinet carcasses?

I agree totally about the two spindles. I'd be tempted by one of these if they were available in the UK

Keep up the good work!

Cheers
Brad

 

[Doctor]

I'm intrigued by the edgebander. Looking at the kind of top-end work you do I wouldn't have thought there was much call for one - or is it mainly for kitchen cabinet carcasses?

I agree totally about the two spindles. I'd be tempted by one of these if they were available in the UK

Keep up the good work!

Cheers
Brad

Th edge bander is purely for kitchen carcases, we do all framed kitchens but the carcases still have to be edged top back and bottoms to be presentable.
It saves days compared with doing it by hand.

I like the spindle moulder picture, does it exist?

one of our contracts is making bookcases for Sotheby's, some times we do 250 at a time, hence the need for more storage.
Also completed kitchens take up loads of space, and any delay in fitting is just a pain if they are floating around the workshop.

 

[Marky]

Question is Bob, Have you tidied up the little office at the back (if I remember rightly).

Mark

 

[neilyweely]

Is that spindle moulder real??

The 'shop is amazing, one day........ :roll:

Neil

 

[BradNaylor]

Yes, that spindle moulder does exist!

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Three-S ... aper/G9933

I'm not sure about the build quality of this particular one, but the idea is fantastic!

I'm thinking of building a 3-headed router table along similar lines.

Cheers
Brad

 

[NewtoWood]

A shop that dreams are made of - I am waiting for the day I win the lottery and can go through a catalogue and buy whatever I want.

 

[Doctor]

A shop that dreams are made of - I am waiting for the day I win the lottery and can go through a catalogue and buy whatever I want.

Well that's not my workshop, I just buy what is needed and will speed things up, I really don't get the hand tool guys who have 20 hand planes.

 

[Mattty]

Very nice setup Doc. It looks like a very slick operation. 8)

 

[BradNaylor]

A shop that dreams are made of - I am waiting for the day I win the lottery and can go through a catalogue and buy whatever I want.

As the Doc would be the first to say, there is nothing in his workshop that you wouldn't expect to find in any high-end commercial production unit.

These things don't come from lottery wins; they come as a natural progression from years of bloody hard work, sacrifice, and refining the production process so that it as quick and efficient as possible.

There's no time for dreams...

Brad

 

[Doctor]

As the Doc would be the first to say, there is nothing in his workshop that you wouldn't expect to find in any high-end commercial production unit.

These things don't come from lottery wins; they come as a natural progression from years of bloody hard work, sacrifice, and refining the production process so that it as quick and efficient as possible.

There's no time for dreams...

Brad

Nicely put...

 

[JonnyD]

I would agree with you there Brad. I have been investing in and upgrading my workshop since i started 8 years ago. I have now got to the stage where i have got everything I need apart from maybe an edgebander and CNC router. Oh well another few years hard work then.

Jon

 

[BradNaylor]

On the subject of edgebanders, for the small ammount of use I would get out of one I am drawn towrds this sort of thing

http://www.trimbridge.com/TL20-bench-ma ... bander.php

Are they complete crap?

Brad

 

[JonnyD]

I dont have a great need for a edgebander but have been considering this one which can do up to 3mm abs edging

http://www.ney.co.uk/machines/new-produ ... pm2000.htm

Jon

 

[Doctor]

You get what you pay for Brad, more so with an edgebander, I think it's expensive for a tiddler, but I've never used that type before so you never know, looks as though it wouldn't handle anything large.

Reckon Jonny's choice looks quite good