My French Workshop - WIP

[ColG]

I'm in the process of organising my workshop in France. It's approx 40m2 built of blocks with a water-tight tiled roof. I've insulated the floor and laid a chipboad floor on a 3x2 frame work. Plans are to install a "ceiling" and create a timber store above, I'd like to insulate and board the walls but will have to wait untill the house is done before spending money on home comforts so a coat of emulsion on he walls just brighten it up will have to suffice for now.

Enjoy.

 

[Philly]

Very nice, Col! Going to be a great workshop!
Philly

 

[phantom of the offcut]

Thats going to be an awesome workshop. Have you moved to france fulltime?

 

[gatesmr2]

Hiya Col

very nice set up you have.

I am looking to move in the near future to france, Le Mans area.
I noticed you have english plugs on some stuff, i have asked and been told it is ok to take a four way adaptor from England and put a French style plug on it. Would be good to know you have done or think of this as i was thinking this may not be the best way to go.

Looks like you are going to have a lot of fun in there

Martin

 

[joiner_sim]

Looking great! It will definatley be a great shop to work from.

I'm jealous!

 

[LarryS.]

looks like a great workshop. from experience though I'd put some windows in, much nicer working in natural light, espeically when you have a nice view to look over

 

[Smudger]

I noticed you have english plugs on some stuff, i have asked and been told it is ok to take a four way adaptor from England and put a French style plug on it. Would be good to know you have done or think of this as i was thinking this may not be the best way to go.

It works fine, certainly much safer than using adapters. In general it isn't too much of a pain to put continental plugs on most appliances/tools, though.

Of course, you may end up with 3-phase, which is much more common in France.

 

[Smudger]

Looks like a nice job, certainly bigger than mine, which I won't have up and running for a couple of years. I like the use of lambris for the tool cupboard, I may well copy that!

Is the shop mostly for renovation work on the house, or will you be producing stuff for sale?

 

[Scott]

It's much tidier than my French workshop!

 

[ColG]

Alas, I'm not able to ship myself out to live there permanently yet (dreaming of the time tho!!!!)

At the moment, I have the longest extension lead ever between the power supply and the workshop - my next job is to dig the trench and lay a proper supply. I already have about 25 euro plugs to replace the British plugs once I've wired up the shop.

I agree about the windows and I'll eventually get round to putting a couple in but at the moment from a security point of view, it works for me and with the door open it's not too bad light wise.

I've done a couple of projects, the tool cabinet being one using stuff that was kicking around. The attic is floored with boards about 1 3/4 thick and some are over 12" wide which clean up a treat with the thicknesser.

Initially the workshop is for use while the renovations are being undertaken but the plan is NOT to buy any furniture but to make it now I have a decent amount of space to work in.

Incidently the renovation project is actually an old barn that was used as a cabinet makers workshop and the initial pictures I saw of the interior showed a big old cast iron planer and bandsaw - certainly the amount of dust and off-cuts kicking around shows that it was well used.

The place has a 3 phase supply but I'm balancing the supply and only using one phase for the workshop as I don't see me needing 3 phase machinery.

Cheers

Col

 

[OPJ]

I like your planer/thicknesser set up - hope you don't have to work with many large or long sections, otherwise you'll soon knacker your back! :shock: :wink:

 

[Scott]

You got the top bandwheel? My next door neighbour has one similar. Lethal looking thing with not a hint of guarding.

 

[ColG]

no I did ask but the guy I bought the place from sent them for scrap - too big for my requirements anyway.