Your 2013 shop outlook

[Cochese]

Wanted to query what was on everyone's plate this year for shop upgrades or improvements. Not techniques, but layout, helpers (jigs, etc), storage, etc.

I'd like to have my layout pretty much set, and leave future items in this shop to the structural side. Now that the doors are done, it's time to tweak my productivity. I'd like to have built:

• Miter saw stand w/ storage
• Spot for a midi lathe (cabinet surface)
• Hand tool storage (wall or floor cabinet)

Basically, I'm going to be working with plywood this year, which is completely new for me (sarcasm). It will be interesting to see what actually gets accomplished, with all of my other things I'm doing in and out of the shop this year.

Anyone doing a build or major renovations?

[dbhost]

2013 God, the economy my health and schedule permitting will see the following changes / updates to my shop.

#1. Completion of the sheet rock and insulation on the powered walls.
#2. Remount my tool cabinets. Complete the "bridge shelf" between the cabs.
#3. Perform the wall mount, side flip conversion to my HF DC / Thien rig. Remount the DC ductwork.
#4. Move my equipment back into place.
#5 Complete miter station drawers, populate the drawers with the stuff that goes in there.
#6. Create temp storage for lumber, and my bench tools. Remove tool stacker, lumber racks, clamps etc... Rip down sheet rock on remaining wall.
#7. Insulate and rerock remaining wall.
#8. Remount lumber rack.
#9. Remount tool stacker, but this time on power wall. (closer to bench, closer to power).
#10 Design and build an improved clamp rack. I need space for more clamps. I have outgrown my rack.

[BigguyZ]

My shop is still a massive pile of crap in my garage. I still haven't had time or help to move my mobile TS station or workbench from the basement of my old place to my garage, so all of my large machinery is still absent.

But moving my TS, RAS, BS, workbench, Jointer, and Belt/ Disc sander combo aside, here's what I need to get done this year.

-Get rid of the 3 extra bikes I have (one is complete, the other two are missing parts), either by selling them or donating them.

-Finish the sheetrock on the ceiling/ wall, finish the electrical to the outlets, and install the lighting.

-Complete the upgrade of my built-in workbench that's alone the back wall.
-Replace the crappy particle board shelves with 3/4" green treated ply.
-Enclose the shelves with 3/4" green treated ply (to help reduce the moisture getting in, and bugs as well.
-Install a faceframe for the shelving (so basicaly turning it all into cabinetry)
-Install the flexible air distribution system I picked up from HF a while ago.
-Build and install doors and drawers for the base cabinets/ shelves.

-Organize my tool storage (not just for woodworking, but my plumbing, electrical, tiling, and masonry tools as well).

-Organize all of my misc supplies (for woodworking, but also for plumbing, electrical, and tiling as well).

-Move my large machinery/ mobile cabinets from the basement into the garage.

-If I can't get the large and heavy cabinets out of the basement, build a brand new workbench (not looking forward to this one, but I think it may be necessary).

-Calibrate/ set up my TS, BS, RAS, Planer, Jointer, Sander combo.

-Build a lockdown system into the built-in bench that would allow me to have a spot for my planer, benchtop drill press, grinder, buffer, and scroll saw to lock into.

-Re-do my clamp storage, so I can have that take up less space.


So yeah.... I have a few things on my to-do list.

[greenacres2]

2013 God, the economy my health and schedule permitting will see the following changes / updates to my shop.

#3. Perform the wall mount, side flip conversion to my HF DC / Thien rig. Remount the DC ductwork.

Have you posted your thoughts/plans on this at all? I've been eying a spot to place a shelf, and with 10' walls there's room to put the separator below the collector. I just haven't decided whether to hang it from the trusses (weight distribution?), support from below (floor space?) or both (safety!!)

Thanks,
earl

[Cochese]

I'd like to revisit this at the end of the year to see how we all did. I tried to be very realistic with mine.

The church project alone will probably dominate most of the year. Not including other projects around the house.

[ivwshane]

I'm off to a good start this year

I got my garage organized, I used some peg board, hung two bikes, threw out old crap, hung my ladders, etc. But the main thing I did was build a mobile workbench and a wood scrap cart and got all the wood that was laying against the wall off and organized. I also cleaned and de-spidered my shed and added a fluorescent light.

The only projects I have left are a little mobile cart for my air hose and I really want to build a mobile drill press and clamp cart.

Oh and I'm in the process of insulating the attic above the garage so I can use it year round comfortably (the sides were insulated already).

[atgcpaul]

This post is more for me because I'll forget what I was thinking later on.

--I started 2013 by running two new 20A circuits to the ceiling of my shop and this weekend mounted 2 quartz heaters.

--I'm still struggling to finish off daughter #2's dresser. So close. After I finish that dresser, I promise not to start another project and give the shop a really good cleaning. All the stuff that is covering my assembly table, TS, and chopsaw bench need to get cleared off. First I'll try to put everything in its place and everything else that doesn't fit will get tossed into clear bins for another day/year. The bins are ready.

--The corner of the shop nearest the door is where all the garden tools and supplies live. I troll CL for a deal on one of those tall/skinny Rubbermaid storage sheds so I can store the tools outside. I bought a low profile one during Black Friday and now the lawnmower and other crap live outside. I have two 6' tall shelves that could be used to store shop stuff, not garden tools.

--I've tried to go vertical for storage. My shop/garage has 10+ ft ceilings. Already have one MTN bike on a hoist as well as a canoe on a hoist. My ladders are also on a ceiling hoist. I need to put one more bike up on the ceiling, but ceiling storage is getting to be a premium because of the 2 garage door openers and the air cleaner. I'm seriously considering taking down one of the openers, but don't like the prospect of putting it back up at some point. I really should because one door opens (under manual power) maybe 5 times a year and the other hasn't been opened for 3-4 years.

--I inherited my Uncle's midi lathe. The motor and tailstock are in the shop and the leg set is in my basement. I already have an unused mini-lathe still in the box in my basement. I'm going to see if my cousins want the lathe back or would be OK with me selling it and I'd donate the proceeds to one of my Uncle's preferred charities.

--Someone also gave me a spare 60 gallon air compressor. I want to turn that into my primary compressor but need to figure out where to keep it. It's taking up shop floor space. I don't run a lot of air tools--maybe a brad nailer here and there--but I do want to do more spray finishing and already have a conversion gun. My 5 gallon could stay under my workbench but if I moved it out, I would gain that space back for storage. Either keep the 5 gallon in the house or give it to my dad. Maybe once the garden tools are out, the solution will be more obvious.

--The milled walnut tree has been a blessing and a curse. Glad to have the wood and I am using it-just not fast enough. It's taking up a lot of space--approx 50 sqft of floor space--maybe 1/8 of my shop. I'm too sentimental about it to sell any of it. I think I'm going to start by selling off other walnut boards I got on CL before I got this tree. That way I can put about half of these boards on that lumber rack and gain some floor space back. I really need to declutter before I have random CL people come into my shop.

--I've been interested in wall mounting my 2hp HF DC. I have a semi-permanent run to the TS but want to make a run to the chop saw and the router table (which is in the TS extension table). I also want to make a branch off the TS trunk so I can have a flex hose to my planer/drum sander.

--I bought a used Rigid OSS from CL in early 2012 but have yet to use it because of space. I'm thinking about making one of those flip carts so it could share a mobile base with the Rigid planer.

--I bought a new router plate in 2012 and need to completely redo my router table top to accept it. The old top was beat anyway. I also want to create drawers/storage that would essential hang down from the TS extension wing where it lives now. My bits are in a tool cabinet on the back wall, not near my RT.

--The clamp that holds sand paper onto my Ryobi drum sander stinks. It doesn't hold onto the paper very well. I bought a replacement clamp for the newer Jets that get rave reviews for their holding power. From the looks of it, I will have to completely unmount the drum from the motor shaft but I want to replace the clamp.

--My chopsaw bench has tons of storage underneath. I never made the drawer fronts for the 4 drawers I built. I just need to mill up some oak and mount them. Don't know why it's taken so long to get to it. It's only been 6 years.

Maybe it's foolhardy of me, but I think this should all be doable in 2013. I really think I should be able to accomplish this in 2 months time but you know how things go.

[atgcpaul]

Have you posted your thoughts/plans on this at all? I've been eying a spot to place a shelf, and with 10' walls there's room to put the separator below the collector. I just haven't decided whether to hang it from the trusses (weight distribution?), support from below (floor space?) or both (safety!!)

Thanks,
earl

Ditto. I want to do this, too, but probably one of the lowest priorities on my list mainly because I haven't figured out how and because my current method, although, not ideal, works.

[BadeMillsap]

Wall cabinets, Dust Collection, Build separation walls for DC and air compressor for noise reduction, bench with under storage along South wall, compressed air piping/outlets. Get tools moved from small shop to new shop.

[atgcpaul]

Nice shop. Envious of your cleanliness.

[chopnhack]

My, my... the inside looks awesome Bade! Pretty easy organizing that kinda space

End Jealousy

2013

Dust collection, cleaning and reorganizing, new shelf system on unused wall, take down partition that used to be the vertical plywood storage, new home for displaced stuff...

I am in the midst of the dust collection build, hopefully I have something to show by next month.

[Bruce Cohen]

Can I come and live in your shop. That's overwhelming, I have a meager one car 10' x20' garage for a shop. I'm really getting tired of wheeling all the heavy stuff around and still have just enough room. Lucky most of my work is jewelry boxes.
Here's some photos of the clutter.

[greenacres2]

Bade--it's just wrong to post pictures like that!! Wow, that's like looking at a dream...i'd love to duplicate your set-up, but it won't be this year.

For me in 2013...
1. buy fewer tools and get better with what i have.
2. move DC to wall, freeing floor space.
3. move more storage up the walls (also 10' likeatgcpaul)
4. add a few more fluorescent fixtures
5. possibly--run a 240v outlet and convert TS and RAS for easier starting. I need another circuit run anyway, so doing it in 240 is relatively small added cost.
6. use some lumber for making stuff--i'm also at 50 sq ft of floor space of rough-cut cherry and oak. Plus the lumber cart at 32 sq ft!!

earl

[BadeMillsap]

Can I come and live in your shop. That's overwhelming, I have a meager one car 10' x20' garage for a shop. I'm really getting tired of wheeling all the heavy stuff around and still have just enough room. Lucky most of my work is jewelry boxes.
Here's some photos of the clutter.

But Bruce ... at least all your stuff is in one place ... since I haven't managed to get shelves, cabinets, bench built "yet" ... I find myself continually walking over to the old shop, getting the tool I need, walking back to the new space, using said tool and then looking for a place on the floor to put said tool with some expectation of finding it again. I admit it's a good problem to have, and I am blessed to have the space I always dreamed about ... but I'll really be glad when the piggy bank gets built back up to the point where I can add some storage.

I did get tired of "working ON the shop" a couple of weeks ago and decided to work IN the shop ... I'm building a "rustic" dining room table for my daughter & SIL's new home. I got hold of some 100+ year old long leaf pine and some rough sawn 6/4 cypress ... if it turns out as I hope I'll post pics when it's done ... working with OLD lumber has been an experience ... beside the well hidden cut square nails .... the fact that it isn't actually square in any dimension is a challenge!

[dbhost]

Have you posted your thoughts/plans on this at all? I've been eying a spot to place a shelf, and with 10' walls there's room to put the separator below the collector. I just haven't decided whether to hang it from the trusses (weight distribution?), support from below (floor space?) or both (safety!!)

Thanks,
earl

I am actually planning on mimicking something I had seen on Phil's site. Basically a braced mount board, screwed directly to the wall studs for those that have done it, more than sufficiently supports the weight / stress of the motor / impeller housing etc... The drum / Thien separator will just sit directly below Will probably work up some sort of rig that will allow me to pick up the separator and hang it while I dump the drum contents.

I think I am being somewhat reasonable with my targets, however getting to the uninsulated wall this year might be a bit optimistic... We'll see.