Mike's Workshop Tour

[MikeG.]

I thought I would do a workshop tour, so lets start with a basic layout plan:

The photos are then in a sequence starting at the door and working up the left-hand side, across the far wall, than back down the right hand side.

There......hope you like it! You can see that my priority isn't machinery, it is floor and bench space. I'm not a big collector of tools..........

Mike

 

[OPJ]

Wow, Mike, you have separate bins for oak and pine offcuts! :shock:

Nice to see you got the bridge guard sorted on the surface planer! :wink:

Is that a lamp on your bandsaw? Do you have it wired up to the same connection as the machine, so you only have to plug-in or switch-on one tool?

I bought a £12 magnetic lamp from Axminster a while back but I've run out of patience with it. It runs on AAA batteries but I'm wondering if all the dust may have started choking it... :? I would go for a separate plug-in lamp but I don't want the hassle of having to plug in three things (with the extractor) to use one machine.

 

[shim20]

did you make the guard on the dewalt ra saw? workshop looks good, nice size

 

[wizer]

Thanks for that Mike, it looks like a nice space to work.

 

[MikeG.]

Hi Olly,

horse; stable door; bolt.......rearrange into a well known expression and that relates well to the guard on my planer. After I stuck my finger into the machine I thought I ought to make a guard!!!

The light on the bandsaw is a 240v flexible cheapy which used to clamp onto my drawing board (remember those?!). It now clamps onto the shelf adjacent to the bandsaw.............but what a damn good idea to wire it into the bandsaw so that I only have to turn one thing on and off, not 2.......thanks!!

And yes, seperate hardwood and softwood offcut bins......and did you note the scrap wood bin in the corner (above my welder)? It is in the corner because that way I can chuck off-cuts in the general direction, and the corner funnels them into the box........good, hey??


Shim20,

no the guard is part of the saw (you can see the other section of guard hanging up on the wall behind the saw........but don't tell Olly!!!). I made the dust collection boxing though.

Mike

 

[MikeG.]

Thanks Tom.........yes, and its also a good place to hide from work!!!!!!

Mike

 

[PowerTool]

Looks well laid out - seems to be a lot in it,but still has space to move around and use it all
Thanks for the pictures.

Andrew

 

[MikeG.]

Thanks Andrew,

as I said, space to work is my biggest priority. I sometimes have some quite big pieces of furniture to work around.

I think my best bit of space saving is the hinged router table, which you can see up in the 3rd last photo.

Mike

 

[Mr Ed]

Mike

Thanks for sharing. It looks like a well equipped and active workspace.

Whilst you say machinery isn't your priority it looks to me as though you have a fine collection of good quality older kit, which to my mind gives the whole setup a satisfying feel of solidity.

Anything to tell us about the little model on the bench (a table?) or is that not ready for public consumption?

Cheers, Ed.

 

[Waka]

Mike

Nice well laid out workshop and tidy too.

 

[Rich]

Thanks for sharing Mike, nice and roomy and laid out military style, interestingly no table saw? no doubt you get by without one, nonetheless a nice looking workshop.

 

[MikeG.]

Thanks Ed,

yes, as you can see I prefer the older machines because of their solidity.......but also because of the price! My PT cost about £90, the bandsaw £150, and the pillar drill about £40 I think. The RAS was left in a previous house by its former occupant.

The model on the bench was my first thoughts on the bedside tables I have been struggling with for a few weeks now. I love the work of the Cadmans http://cadmanfurniture.com/tables.htm and their wonderful dancing bedside tables in particular. I was contemplating having running tables rather than dancing (my wife is a runner)........unfortunately the idea was vetoed at an early stage!!!

I accepted the veto (it has never been exercised before), because I have plans for a really outrageous dresser soon......and there will be no vetos there!!

Mike

 

[MikeG.]

Rich,

it was an early decision not to have a table saw.........I don't have enough floorspace to give up. I have only had the bandsaw for a few months, and love it. I reckon that a bandsaw and a decent router table gives you a lot of what you would get with a table saw, without the loss of floorspace. As I've said, floor and bench space are my top priority.

Mike

 

[MikeG.]

Thanks Waka..........and I didn't tidy up for the photos. I took them this afternoon whilst some glue was drying. I'm not one of those with an immaculate, dust-free operating-theatre-like workshop, though. I'll quite happily be ankle deep in shavings for a while.....

 

[dennis]

Didn,t dewalt do a radial arm saw that you could turn 90degrees and use to rip as well.

Dennis.

 

[MikeG.]

Dennis,

yes....this one does that but.......I reckon it is just about the most dangerous thing you can do in a workshop. Apart from the sawdust being thrown directly at you as you feed the work in, the blade is trying to pick to wood up off the table. Anything that that gets cut off or splinters off has a good chance of burying itself in your arms or face. Even I, quite happy to ignore health and safety advice, quickly realised that slicing wood was not quite so important as I thought!!

As an aside, it also leaves a whole lot of nasty parallel cuts in your saw bench.

What I do use it for all the time though, is making tenons. It cuts the shoulders square and clean, and a few passes each side removes the waste in seconds. With a stop on the fence the shoulders line up without any marking, and you can do repetitive work almost blindfolded (don't try that!!).

Mike

 

[dennis]

Mike

I vaguely remember using one on a site about 25 years ago, but can't remember how it performed, and thought that there were safety issues.

Dennis.

 

[OPJ]

it was an early decision not to have a table saw.........I don't have enough floorspace to give up.

...So, you're not gonna mention the "home-made" death machine then???

Dennis, I'm pretty sure you can do the same thing with Mike's RAS. Have a look at some videos on YouTube and you'll soon see why even Mike's afraid to look at that option! :shock: :wink:

 

[MikeG.]

Home made death machine..........surely not!

I only ever use it for rebating now........and that hardly ever.

 

[OPJ]

The Fingerknicker, that sounds more like it!!

...Rebating?!? Now I am worried! :wink:

Serious question - with your love of cast iron, Mike, have you ever considered fitting a spindle moulder in somewhere?