Hi,
thanks for the pics, shows just how much you can squeeze in and still have space to work. Looks like you only have a bench one side, the other some of your machinery is against the wall? With overhead storage is that right
Yes that's correct
Akwoody2402; a bench with a cupboard above can only be used on smaller items but in my workshop the surfaces beneath the wall cupboards prove extremely handy indeed; I place tools and materials on these allowing more freedom on the free standing middle bench. The radial arm saw is located allowing cross cutting of timber of up to 20' long and boards up to 18" wide; my big saw bench is on wheels so I can rip any length. The bench tops allow support of timber whilst being cut; it did take quite a lot of thought to sort it out but as I say it works for me.
Down the back wall there are wall cupboards but on the bench top I have lots of under cupboard lathe steel bar ends in both mild and stainless steel. This is incredibly heavy ensuring the bench is solid and it never rocks; I have my big engineering vice on this bench also my home made 2" belt grinder and tucked into the corner a drawer cabinet full of twist bits of all kinds on top of the cabinet is the tin full of larger sized twist bits.
The wall with the machinery has a wall cupboard in the corner housing lots of lathe tooling. The Lorch Schmidt precision engineering lathe resides under an old double bed sheet to keep most of the dust from it; I fully restored the Lorch a few years ago; next is a chest of drawers I made and sitting on these is the Wilmac 6" vertical bandsaw which I fully rebuilt a few years ago; next to this is the Union Graduate woodturning lathe again another machine I fully rebuilt but I heavily modified both these lathes they now each have a 1.5hp 3 phase inverter rated top quality Brook Motor but with switching I sorted out each lathe can be run from a single VFD due to the switching arrangement. The Graduate I use both for woodturning and also metal spinning. Then there is a wooden door leading to lots of storage space beneath the bungalow floor; this runs the length of the bungalow where I store lots of timber and metal. Then a very slender tall bench built just long enough to support my third lathe this being a Record Power DML 24". In front of this on the floor are my horizontal metal cutting bandsaw and the TIG welding equipment these on a wheeled trolley. Everything has its own place and I keep tidying as I work; A record Power dust extractor fits nicely under the Graduate this on castors so can be easily moved out of the way. On the wall behind the Graduate are many lathe tools including a comprehensive set of hand threading tools some covered by a dust sheet also below the lathe on racks are 50m big rolls of abrasive paper.
The electrics are supplied via a modern metal clad 16 way consumer unit; this can be isolated from the incoming mains fuse by the 100A double pole isolator which is handy; I can isolate the entire workshop and bungalow using this switch.
Here is some of my kit that I squeezed in;
Fully restored Wilmac 6" bandsaw. It's got a decent capacity without occupying much space and it's a lovely old machine.
The fully restored from scrap Graduate woodturning lathe but now doubles up for metal spinning. turning tools to hand as are the assorted face plates Inside the small wall cupboard with the white door is the VFD supplying 3 phase power to both lathes; both lathes are fitted with identical motors so I can switch the VFD between lathes; my idea because I've never seen this done previously; it did take quite a bit of time to sort the remote controls and switching out but it works a treat. The big plastic case on the floor is a concrete breaker I bought about three months ago needing it to punch fence post holes through solid rock as I erected a fence. The dust extractor sits nicely beneath the lathe.
Looking a bit untidy is my Record Power DML 24" woodturning lathe; I used this delightful lathe a lot before finally buying the Graduate. Hot & cold water taps are on the wall below the lathe and in front under the dust sheet is the TIG welding equipment.
Next to the TIG welder sits the metal cutting bandsaw.
A poor picture of the expensive TIG welding equipment it on a wheeled trolley I made.
Industrial floor standing pillar drill with back gear bringing revs down to 60rpm another machine I rebuilt years ago. The workshop doors I made and under the bench can be seen a number of my power tools stored neatly and labeled.
The radial arm saw allowing very fast accurate cross cuts to be made; note ear defenders also the amount of kit stored inside the bench.
My home made 2" belt grinder; I use this for tool sharpening; made from offcuts I had to hand also a motor I had kicking around it works very well indeed.
The 6" Wolf double ended grinder I fully restored also my home made 4" belt sander this another machine made from what I had kicking around
My very rare and expensive Lorch Schmidt precision engineering lathe that had been stored dry for over 20 years in a scrapyard; it definitely looked like scrap but after I rebuilt and modified it I enjoy owning and using it; I heavily modified this lathe as seen with the new motor drive arrangement; it really is a beauty; junk stored beneath it until the weather warms up and I can have a good tidy up. Only one hole was drilled in this lathe so it's very original; even the old flat belt countershaft can be seen although this is no longer used. Offcuts of Perspex and Tufnol lean against the drawers; I could do with a lot more space.
I built two garden huts so at least all my petrol machinery used in the garden is stored safely out of the way. Workshops are never perfect but I think mine is pretty good for my needs; I can repair or make anything I wish in decent comfort; I'm not smug because it's taken a lifetime to reach this stage and it will never be finished. Over the years I've fully restored many machines some I've sold on and replaced by more suitable machines but I've gained some wonderful machinery at little cost buying as broken or scrap and rebuilding them. I don't expect others to do as I do because I'm a mechanical engineer and can restore machinery with little difficulty; a lot of old cast iron machines can be restored by a keen DIY'er though because these old machines can easily be rebuilt using a handful of spanners; replacing bearings and drive belts costs little and converting from 3 phase to single phase at first seems daunting but a lot of money can be saved buying a second hand suitable single phase motor with correct starter and setting it all up just getting a sparky to do the electrics.
Sorry to ramble on but I enjoy playing in my workshop and just wanted to demonstrate even a garage can be converted into a full blown workshop and doing so my way buying scrap machines I've got machines better than new tinny expensive machines.
I need to spend less time on the keyboard and more time playing with my toys but at the moment we still have snow on the ground and its cold.
Kind regards, Colin.
