Workshop sorted at last

[Gimlet]

Finally been able to sort out the space in the workshop after getting rid of a couple of motorbikes and a hydraulic ramp.

Construction is a basic concrete sectional double garage which has been insulated and lined. The floor is concrete with interlocking plastic tiles. Burglar and fire alarm are fitted. It stays really warm in the winter and keeps cool in the summer with 50mm Sellotex insulation throughout.

Wall units are standard kitchen units and the floor units are purchased via the bay of e. Lighting is part fluorescent tubes and accent lighting using strip LED. Electrical feed is independent and on a trip, double plug sockets are placed every 900mm around the perimeter and within ducting. Theres still a few units to make to fill spaces for storage... it never is quite finished is it!

This is a trial layout to see how it works... may have to shift things about a bit depending what is being made but it is quite an adaptable layout.

The space under the window is where a metal lathe is going to live.

 

[John15]

Looks really good Gimlet - all ready to go. Good luck.

John

 

[gregmcateer]

That's not a workshop - it's an operating theatre!!

Very jealous

 

[Gimlet]

Ha Ha! Greg

The shop is known locally as 'The Clinic' 8)

It needs to be kept tidy as It gets used for other things as well as woodwork....

I have recently started to turn fountain pens on the little Jet lathe also.. It keeps me busy!

 

[Alexam]

That's an excellent shop, nicely spaced out. Are you holding an open day party?

 

[galleywood]

It looks very well laid out.

 

[DiscoStu]

Looks nice


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[SVB]

A very nice shop and super tidy - needs some shavings and finish splashes to give it that lived in look!

What sort of work do you mainly do?

Simon

 

[Gimlet]

Hi Simon,

It won't stay clean for too long once the next job starts! I have been making a shroud to put around the lathe to get some extraction in place and stop the spoils from flying all over the shop. I used some 10mm foamex sheeting I had for the shroud and that stuff flies everywhere.

As far as general working goes, I am retired and so I make all sorts of things really, whatever takes my fancy and when the rheumatism isn't playing up :lol: Most recently, I have made a pair of gates for the side of the house, a few clock cases and used up some ply offcuts. Rather than dump them, I made 10 bird boxes to give away. Theres always some job or other on the horizon for other people and its nice to be able to get in the workshop and have everything to hand and ready for action. At the moment I am concentrating on making kitless fountain pens on the lathe. There will be a batch of pen cases to make for those in the near future.

 

[Roughcut]

Nice work, Gates look fantastic. 8)

 

[biskit]

WoW that is One fine workshop =D> I'm in the process of sorting mine out, no chance of it being that nice. :!:

 

[focusonwood]

Wow. That workshop looks amazing.

Mine looks like it made for a Neanderthal in comparison!

 

[kinsella]

I think i'm going to clean my workshop tomorrow as those photos just embarrassed me, or then again Gimlet is that a museum to engineering rather than an actual working shop
.

 

[Gimlet]

Kinsella,

My Mum always taught me that 'cleanliness is next to godliness'.... :lol:

I had a great time doing the conversion from what was a dreary, dark and damp concrete garage to what it is today.

Here are a couple of photos of the conversion from garage to workshop in progress.. I battened the walls to increase the depth for the insulation and air gap. The bolts used to fix the sections together had a metal plate added; this became the fixing for the studding. Insulated it with the Sellotex and lined it with ½" plywood. A coat of paint added and the shell was starting to take shape - no power hooked up at the time these photos were taken.

The shop gets used on a regular basis; to be honest, I am OCD about it being clean and tidy. There are 4 vacuum cleaners in there! :roll: I cleanup and put stuff away at the end of the day; it keeps everything in its place and ready for the next time its used. That is how I like to keep it 8)

 

[Gimlet]

This is a panoramic picture of the workshop before I rearranged it during the Christmas period. Not much of a change really.

 

[biskit]

What heating have you in your detached workshop? Do you heat it when your not in/at night time? I have a small greenhouse heater in mine. Also a wood burner when I'm in working.

 

[Gimlet]

Hi Biskit,

I use a electric fan heater to provide heat when in the shop when working... It is one of the Machine Mart fans with a thermostat so you can control the temperature. With the 50mm Celotex insulation all round it warms up quickly, stays pretty warm for quite a while too, before the heater tops it up from time to time. In the summer, the insulation works well to keep the hot sun at bay and its nice and cool in there.

I have not worried too much about heat at nighttime but think it may perhaps be wise to pop a couple of those tubular greenhouse heaters in there, as you have. All the cast machine tops are regularly coated with machine wax and so I don't usually have any problems.

I would love to have a woodburning stove but it would not be possible in my location. Do you put a kettle on the woodturner and toast your cheese sandwiches on it? 8) .... As a apprentice, I had the job of making up and lighting the sawdust burners each day in the winter; the red glow from the lid of those kept us really warm in winter. Tea and toasted sandwiches at lunchtime too ... those were the days

I don't know if those stoves are still available but the design and efficiency was brilliant. They comprised a outer shell in thick steel which was about 2 feet in diameter with a heavy lid. It had a flue outlet in the back, connected to the chimney and a sliding vent at bottom in the the front. It stood on metal legs and then a couple of concrete slabs. Inside that, again on legs, stood another 'drum' which gave air space of about 2" all round between inner and outer drums. At the bottom and centre of the inner drum was a 4" hole into which a metal tube fitted. You put the tube in the hole and filled the inner drum with sawdust, ramming it down to compact it. When full, remove the tube to leave a hole in the centre. Whack the lid on and light a few shavings in the bottom vent hole to get it started and the flames rose through the hole to burn the sawdust from the top down. It lasted about six hours before going out. It was a good way to get rid of the sawdust and shavings too! :mrgreen:

J.

 

[biskit]

Thanks J, my greenhouse heater is a 2kw fan so it can be set to get quite warm. Do sometimes have a coffee pot on the stove, which is a cheap MM barrel type. We used to have a Romesse stove in our joiners shop but never did toast.
All my working life I've used hand tools, not many machines, so fitting out my man cave with one or two is a new thing.
Once I workout how to upload pictures I will :?

 

[blackrodd]

I missed this one! Lovely workshop and layout Gimlet, and well made stuff already.
I remember the sawdust burners, when loading the fire, I put shavings down first 3, or 4 inches then compacted sawdust for easier lighting, as you say they burnt well and shoved out some heat, toasted sarnies on the lid, and kettle.
On a windy day there sometimes would be a shot of flame and sparks about 5 or 6 feet from the sliding damper.
For a while I was the youngest apprentice, and therefor lunch boy.
There was always 7, or 8 orders, pasties, cakes, papers, baccy, booking slips to hand in, etc, After giving the right change, I never understood how I could either make or lose money but I did, so did others that followed me, sometimes enough for 10 Embassy!
Regards Rodders

 

[Gimlet]

Biskit, Blackrodd,

I look forward to seeing the pictures... I have a fair number of power tools now to make life a bit easier. I use my workshop as somewhere to escape and get away from day to day run of the mill things.

Blackrodd, Yes! I remember the blowbacks from the fire too. It seems the youngest lads in all instances had all the menial tasks to perform in those days.

The memories are flooding back! It is surprising how you remember those days with fond affection; even if it was hard at times.

It was 1970 when I started my apprenticeship; my employer sat me down at the interview with my Father present, he told me in no uncertain terms that should I come and work for him as a apprentice, he would have more control over me than my Father. Should I misbehave and get into trouble of any sort, in or out of work, it would reflect upon him and his business. He would come down on me like a ton of bricks! The reality of working life and responsibility suddenly hit me. As you can imagine, something of a culture shock too... it was like conscription!

My first wage was £3.17s and 6d per week.

I recall spending the first year sweeping up and lending a hand when and where it was needed. I sure learned a lot though and it was a great start. The forman joiner took me under his wing, when he needed a hand he always said... 'Come here you round nosed pup" when I nod my head you hit it! It was he that taught me many things, including how to set and sharpen a saw properly. He eventually let me use his tools until I could manage to buy my own. I still have those tools and often reflect upon those times. I also had to assist the other Carpenters on site on many occasions... for a while I was known as 'The Cuprinol kid'! As far as sash cords replacement goes.... just don't go there! Drilling holes in concrete lintels using a wheel brace and a blunt masonry drill or a Rawlplugging tool is a pleasure I will never forget! Five years of 'Day Release' to attend college was a bit of a break though.

Regarding the use of hand tools, I recall there were about 10 joiners in out shop and the work that was produced was invariably bespoke, purpose made and of high class. A lot of circular joinery work as I recall. We also had little mechanisation to work with and most operations were completed by hand. From memory I recall there being downstairs in the sawmill, a Wadkin circular saw, a Wadkin thicknesser and a Wadkin planer with the facility to break down the block for mouldings production. Upstairs in the shop, a Wadkin mortise machine, a 14" bandsaw and a Haffner hand router. That about summed it up!. At 15 years old I didn't have enough weight to swing on the handle of the mortise machine to mortise 6x4 oak fence posts!

Health and safety was practically non existent .... a paper hat made from newspaper and a bit of rag tied around your face about summed it up! we won't go there either.

Happy days!

J