Machinery/ tool dilemma

[Ttrees]

I bought a cheap arc welder from Lidl that's little bigger than a shoebox for the workshop, probably the smallest welder you can buy.
50 euros is was, pack of rods around a fiver for a box, get two different sizes.
An angle grinder and some thin cutting discs in the auto factors, some grinding discs, a bench grinder you might have already, a cheap wire brush, a tack hammer and a few long masonry nails to make some picks out of, that's it.

You don't need all that protective stuff for knocking up a few bases or shelves.
A pair of safety glasses is obviously essential to wear at all times though!

I like a handheld shield which came with the Lidl one, as its something to have to counter the balance of the electrode in the other hand.
No need for some auto darkning fancy pants mask or aprons, just some old denim or old painting clothes, whathaveyou, just not your good jumper.

Essential if you want to cram as much machinery into the workshop as you can.
Metal like 50mmx50x 5mm angle iron would probably be about 25 quid for about 6 meters, if you're curious.
Being good at welding is not important, you aren't getting paid by the bead!
So you can grind it off and do it again.
It might change your opinion of how much space you really have!
Quick to knock up things, make stuff which wouldn't be possible with wood within the space constraints you have, light is something to consider in this regard.

If you think something is too long or short, have at it with the angle grinder and
make it longer or smaller.
You can't stretch timber like that.

Maybe ask yourself if you were good at welding, what could be done?
You don't need to be good if you have an angle grinder and twice as much rods as a pro would need.
Make it skookum with extra beads, to be sure.
Good practice for some other time, where you might not have many rods to do the job.

All the best
Tom

 

[TheTiddles]

You don't need to be good if you have an angle grinder and twice as much rods...

A grinder and paint, makes you the welder you ain’t!

 

[lurker]

Buy a cheap garden shed put all of that non workshop carp in it.
Build a good strong bench.
Fill those empty walls with shelves.

I would guess your current space is far bigger than most of us have.

 

[craigs]

Isn’t there a table saw and a chop saw/SCMS? They would combine into a single unit wouldn’t they?

I just have a work surface on the other side of my SCMS because I needed a work surface. however you can combine any 2 of the 3 machines easily.
Just because the router table is a standalone dose not stop it being inverted.

The choice of which 2 tools to put into a single unit depends on your use case.

there are many versions of this called flip top stands This is just one


or many many more
70+ Best flip top tool stand images | tool stand, woodworking, woodworking projects

I guess i could do the mitre saw and router table, that might be interesting

 

[craigs]

I bought a cheap arc welder from Lidl that's little bigger than a shoebox for the workshop, probably the smallest welder you can buy.
50 euros is was, pack of rods around a fiver for a box, get two different sizes.
An angle grinder and some thin cutting discs in the auto factors, some grinding discs, a bench grinder you might have already, a cheap wire brush, a tack hammer and a few long masonry nails to make some picks out of, that's it.

You don't need all that protective stuff for knocking up a few bases or shelves.
A pair of safety glasses is obviously essential to wear at all times though!

I like a handheld shield which came with the Lidl one, as its something to have to counter the balance of the electrode in the other hand.
No need for some auto darkning fancy pants mask or aprons, just some old denim or old painting clothes, whathaveyou, just not your good jumper.
View attachment 92730

Essential if you want to cram as much machinery into the workshop as you can.
Metal like 50mmx50x 5mm angle iron would probably be about 25 quid for about 6 meters, if you're curious.
Being good at welding is not important, you aren't getting paid by the bead!
So you can grind it off and do it again.
It might change your opinion of how much space you really have!
Quick to knock up things, make stuff which wouldn't be possible with wood within the space constraints you have, light is something to consider in this regard.

If you think something is too long or short, have at it with the angle grinder and
make it longer or smaller.
You can't stretch timber like that.

Maybe ask yourself if you were good at welding, what could be done?
You don't need to be good if you have an angle grinder and twice as much rods as a pro would need.
Make it skookum with extra beads, to be sure.
Good practice for some other time, where you might not have many rods to do the job.

All the best
Tom

often thought it would be cool to learn to weld, then i think ill either kill myself or burn the house down

 

[craigs]

Buy a cheap garden shed put all of that non workshop carp in it.
Build a good strong bench.
Fill those empty walls with shelves.

I would guess your current space is far bigger than most of us have.

if only, i had to get rid of my 7x7 shed before we moved as the garden is tiny. shelves might be the way forward

 

[Ttrees]

often thought it would be cool to learn to weld, then i think ill either kill myself or burn the house down

That reminds me of the time I had a mate over who I think really needs a welder for his homestead.
Got him set up to do a wee bead, no pressure like, just making a bracket for a yard brush.
Stuck it on and the hum from big old red, must have started the tension off.
DON'T touch that, I yelled!, and me mate just froze with electrode in one hand and the shield in the other.
Only joking says I, carry on..
He done a sound job of it.

He got to try out the Parkside one a year later.
I think the fright must have made him forget about the welding he had done previously, as he was looking for a non existent "on" button on the electrode holder.
I didn't have suitable rods for my wee cheapie welder and it was rough in places.
I showed him that you take the grinder to it and do it again, that's all, no big deal.
Quite unlike woodwork where you only get one chance or all effort goes to waste!

Retractable castors are what I would regard as the only way, if a machine needs to be moving around.
I wouldn't trust a wooden design for anything like that, and I don't believe in shimming some blocks under a wheeled base either, as wood can shrink, get hidden by dust and your machine wheel away from you whilst your machining!
Have larger blocks, and things might start to get a bit tall and interfere with infeed and outfeed for your bandsaw, since your new 18 or 19" machine is going to be the workhorse of your shop.


Steve Bleile's videos on YT, has made highly regarded video's on the subject if you want to know more.
Although there probably is more introductory video's on the subject involving grinding off bad welds and the like.

All the best with your new workshop
Tom

 

[craigs]

That reminds me of the time I had a mate over who I think really needs a welder for his homestead.
Got him set up to do a wee bead, no pressure like, just making a bracket for a yard brush.
Stuck it on and the hum from big old red, must have started the tension off.
DON'T touch that, I yelled!, and me mate just froze with electrode in one hand and the shield in the other.
Only joking says I, carry on..
He done a sound job of it.

He got to try out the Parkside one a year later.
I think the fright must have made him forget about the welding he had done previously, as he was looking for a non existent "on" button on the electrode holder.
I didn't have suitable rods for my wee cheapie welder and it was rough in places.
I showed him that you take the grinder to it and do it again, that's all, no big deal.
Quite unlike woodwork where you only get one chance or all effort goes to waste!

Retractable castors are what I would regard as the only way, if a machine needs to be moving around.
I wouldn't trust a wooden design for anything like that, and I don't believe in shimming some blocks under a wheeled base either, as wood can shrink, get hidden by dust and your machine wheel away from you whilst your machining!
Have larger blocks, and things might start to get a bit tall and interfere with infeed and outfeed for your bandsaw, since your new 18 or 19" machine is going to be the workhorse of your shop.


Steve Bleile's videos on YT, has made highly regarded video's on the subject if you want to know more.
Although there probably is more introductory video's on the subject involving grinding off bad welds and the like.

All the best with your new workshop
Tom

i think i can see a cheap mig welder on the horizon, stick welding gives me the heebee jeebies!