Shop improvement projects.

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • Dedpedal
    Established Member
    • Feb 2020
    • 255
    • Palm Coast Florida
    • One BT3000 in use and one for parts. Plus a BT3100

    #16
    I got Shanghai’d into assembly of a Home Depot closet organizer. I did get to use my saw to trim down a couple of shelves.

    Comment

    • dbhost
      Slow and steady
      • Apr 2008
      • 9209
      • League City, Texas
      • Ryobi BT3100

      #17
      Some minor updates. I sanded down the base of the bandsaw, and slathered on the primer, then paint.... Currently drying.

      The thin spots on the sharpening station were hit with a second coat of paint, this quart of paint is getting a heck of a workout!
      Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

      Comment

      • dbhost
        Slow and steady
        • Apr 2008
        • 9209
        • League City, Texas
        • Ryobi BT3100

        #18
        Bandsaw update. Lower wheel guard port installed. Not exactly where I wanted it because of the shape of the guard, but on the lower left corner of the bumped out center portion... Sealed up with caulk so no air leaks, and riveted in place using #10 fender washers and pop rivets (The washers to keep the head of hte rivet from passing through the holes in the port.

        Reinstalled, letting the caulk to cure now.

        The blade guide ports are showing as "Shipping" and "Expected delivery date" of December 31.

        Ugh...
        Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

        Comment

        • dbhost
          Slow and steady
          • Apr 2008
          • 9209
          • League City, Texas
          • Ryobi BT3100

          #19
          So, I have been contemplating what tool / equipment updates need / want to be done, and more importantly are they a good idea / do they really gain me anything other than a lighter wallet and bragging rights?

          As you know, I have been working on the projects listed above. Cabinet for the lathe to hold a few drawers for turning tools and supplies, and a simple ballast box. I think I am going to go ahead with a pair of simple plywood boxes, one to hold, well maybe I don't need 170lbs of quickcrete. But at least ONE sack... And the other box to hold 2 drawers for my turning tools. Reasonably cheap, but has to be done after the table saw is cleaned up. Getting closer to that.

          I will be finishing up the 2 drawers I started, and then 4 more for the miter saw bench. I am pretty sure that any storage a drill press cabinet could have had can fit in here with space to spare. I do intend to move the cased auto diagnostic / repair tools out of the miter saw stand and on to a newly created / freed up shelf that the Thein separator for the shop vac is currently occupying.

          Mobile base for BT3100 with wide table kit, include holding the Shop vac, tote of table saw goodies, and thien separator. That should really fill the bill for me, just not be super pretty.

          Replace the cat litter tub with a proper plywood enclosure complete with dust port for the router. I am thinking 2.5" below as well as above.

          Shop lights absolutely must be upgraded to LED, pretty sure I have landed on double ended ballast bypass tubes to avoid having to replace the keystones entirely. Not a fan of the new style LED fixtures so keep the old T12 fixtures around just seems like a good plan to me...

          I have NOT used the anemometer on it yet, nor have I created a manometer to measure vacuum, but just seat of the pants FEEL at the furthest most bends away from it port, the Wen impeller upgrade and getting rid of the baffle in favor of a neutral vane has REALLY made the dust collector an entirely new beast. As in it will pull hard enough that it will collapse the hose in on itself if the port gets blocked. This thing really sucks. Not sure I need to upgrade to 6", or just stick with 4". I think 4" for now, BUT to make it as efficient as possible, I want to ...

          #1. Remove the 5" flex hose that connects it to the 5x4x4 splitter, just too clunky.
          #2. Replace with 2 5" elbows set to 45 degrees each, with a bit of duct between them to take up the space and gradual turn to get from impeller housing to wall / 5x4x4 splitter. Attach it all.
          #3. Move 4" run on floor, set it even with impeller housing outlet, or close to get the hose run short as possible. Right at around 36". This has the advantage of making the flex hose runs to the tools that much shorter!
          #4. Figure out some way to pull under the table sawdust for table saw, AND router table from overhead drops.That one is going to be tricky. Any ideas? I want the duct off the floor....

          The Ryobi 8" bench grinder was bought for sharpening, which I did with it tonight. Sharpened my old formerly rusty camp hatchet that is now frighteningly sharp and rust free, and makes quick work of making kindling... I am a bit worried about the low speed thing though for my turning tools. I probably shouldn't though. I have been using a full speed bench grinder for sharpening for over 3 decades, OneWay recommended a full speed grinder, only be sure it was an 8" with white oxide wheels. And quench, which I do, a LOT.... I need to stop obsessing...

          As much as I would like a compact double bevel miter saw, and do have the Metabo HPT model on my wish list. It just isn't going to happen. The old Chicago Electric earns its keep every time I pull the switch. A better saw would be NICE, but it isn't NEEDED.... And I just can't justify it. I mean seriously perfect miters ever single time. Why fix what isn't broken?

          I don't have room for a big floor model jointer, and it isn't often, but every now and again when flattening resawn lumber, I find my little 6" Sunhill benchtop jointer just isn't up to the task. I have always dealt with oversize stuff by running it through the planer on a melamine planer sled. I really like the Wahuda 10" benchtop jointer as it gives me a nice wide surface, but, well, I could buy a lot of wood for the money that jointer costs and it's not like I don't have a jointer....

          And lastly, the drill press. The old, ugly, red and black Northern Industrial 13" 16 speed floor model that just bugs the snot out of me. It works, has great quill travel, has very little runout, and overall I have no reason to be bothered by it. But for some reason the fact it is a floor standing drill rpess has ticked me off for over a decade. With the storage solutions I am finding / making, I seriously doubt a drill press cabinet is going to be needed, or even desireable in the near term. If ever. The capacity is great. Speed selection is easy enough. So I have no clue why this thing bugs me. I Need to knock that stuff off. I mean seriously it is a good drill rpess.

          So given that I know I need to shake stupidity out of my head (good luck there!), I am thinking the other thing I need to do is build 2 flip top tool stands. Not sure if I mentioned this previously. I need to get, or make plans for this. One of the stands should hold the planer, and jointer, with places to hold the push blocks. .The second stand should hold the Rigid oscillating belt / spindle sander, and the Dremel scroll saw. With places to store the onboard accessories from each so that they don't spill out everywhere every time it gets flipped.

          Next item I am thinking of dealing with is insulation and HVAC. My old portable unit AC is just a clunky solution compared to a mini split. I need to insulate the remaining wall, redo the hunk of siding with the ports for the AC, and get a 12K BTU mini split AC / Heat unit with a good strong blower / fan.

          At this point, I am sure I can put down the remaining kids playroom interlocking foam pads as anti fatigue pads. At least I hope so...
          Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

          Comment

          • LCHIEN
            Internet Fact Checker
            • Dec 2002
            • 20914
            • Katy, TX, USA.
            • BT3000 vintage 1999

            #20
            Maybe you missed this, but it seems to work effectively very simple DC belly pan under BT3000. Not tightly fitting I wanted to allow air in to carry the dust to the DC, pulling on a close cabinet is not a good idea. SO the plywood sits on the stand, not screwed down or anything. So there's air coming in thru the ends and the Shroud dust port arc. This is an actual picture after use, not cleaned up. The DC is connected with two 4-inch hoses to the shroud and the belly pan. The biggest issue is if I don't use a zctp the thin long cutoffs get sucked in and end up in the Shroud hose jamming it up.

            Click image for larger version  Name:	Belly pan for table saw BT3000.JPG Views:	0 Size:	79.2 KB ID:	846860
            Last edited by LCHIEN; 12-23-2021, 01:04 AM.
            Loring in Katy, TX USA
            If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
            BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

            Comment

            • dbhost
              Slow and steady
              • Apr 2008
              • 9209
              • League City, Texas
              • Ryobi BT3100

              #21
              Originally posted by LCHIEN
              Maybe you missed this, but it seems to work effectively very simple DC belly pan under BT3000. Not tightly fitting I wanted to allow air in to carry the dust to the DC, pulling on a close cabinet is not a good idea. SO the plywood sits on the stand, not screwed down or anything. So there's air coming in thru the ends and the Shroud dust port arc. This is an actual picture after use, not cleaned up. The DC is connected with two 4-inch hoses to the shroud and the belly pan. The biggest issue is if I don't use a zctp the thin long cutoffs get sucked in and end up in the Shroud hose jamming it up.

              Click image for larger version Name:	Belly pan for table saw BT3000.JPG Views:	0 Size:	79.2 KB ID:	846860
              Actually, since I bought my BT3100 from a member here, whom I have not seen online in a very long time, but Larry L... Anyway it came with a belly pan. I have a 4 x 2.5" wye just behind the saw, with a 4" elbow, yeah no choice there, to get the hose out of under the saw, short segment of 4" hose, then a 2.5" to the blade shroud. That presently goes to my 4" that runs along the floor between the saw and the bench. The Shark Guard on top, I have botth the 4" and the 2.5", I keep the 4 on it for now, goes to my overhead duct run.

              I am actually rather surprised by how much sawdust bypasses the blade shroud and gets into the belly pan...

              You mention 2 4" lines on your shroud / belly pan, do you pick up dust above the table? I find with the Shark Guard zero dust above the table.

              And yes, even with a 2.5, if not using a ZCTP and cutting thin strips it gets pulled into the shroud and pulled into the hose jamming it up...

              I know I am rattling a bunch of ideas more or less out loud here. I am trying to hone the workshop a bit better mostly so I don't end up in the mess I ended up with again... Think of it as an excersize in sanity checking my thought process.

              The entry I made yesterday about tool upgrades I would LIKE but don't NEED kind of hit home for me. The 10" jointer is a great example. My little 6" was a $129.00 purchase oh so many years agoi now, and has served me shockingly well, it is the rare occasion that I have to face joint a board wider than it can handle. Do I need to spend nearly $800.00 after taxes to gain an additional 4" of capacity, suck up shop space that is always at a premium, AND have to deal with getting rid of a tool I have enjoyed for years?
              Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

              Comment

              • LCHIEN
                Internet Fact Checker
                • Dec 2002
                • 20914
                • Katy, TX, USA.
                • BT3000 vintage 1999

                #22
                Originally posted by dbhost

                ...

                I am actually rather surprised by how much sawdust bypasses the blade shroud and gets into the belly pan...

                You mention 2 4" lines on your shroud / belly pan, do you pick up dust above the table? I find with the Shark Guard zero dust above the table.

                And yes, even with a 2.5, if not using a ZCTP and cutting thin strips it gets pulled into the shroud and pulled into the hose jamming it up...
                ...

                The entry I made yesterday about tool upgrades I would LIKE but don't NEED kind of hit home for me. The 10" jointer is a great example. My little 6" was a $129.00 purchase oh so many years agoi now, and has served me shockingly well, it is the rare occasion that I have to face joint a board wider than it can handle. Do I need to spend nearly $800.00 after taxes to gain an additional 4" of capacity, suck up shop space that is always at a premium, AND have to deal with getting rid of a tool I have enjoyed for years?
                Yes, it pulls a lot out of the belly pan.

                So no, its just too much trouble to plumb up the shark guard even tho it has 2.5" port.

                And we all dream of equipment we want. - I really want a Rikon 10-326 but its not going to happen.

                Loring in Katy, TX USA
                If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
                BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

                Comment

                • dbhost
                  Slow and steady
                  • Apr 2008
                  • 9209
                  • League City, Texas
                  • Ryobi BT3100

                  #23
                  So I jumped the gun since I was at Home Depot, and I went ahead and bought a segment of 5" split duct, they only had 5' runs so even though I needed a 24" I had to cut it down. Keeping hte extra for later. I also grabbed 2 adjustable elbows. Installed this in place of the 5" DC hose, and using aluminum HVAC tape I sealed it all up. I need to make some adjustments ot the mains to fix the angle of the elbow at the wall, but once that is done, that elbow gets taped up... I am planning on using that bottom screw for the shelf bracket to hold the strapping to keep the duct in place...

                  The 5" inlet to the HF DC is not the same diameter as the 5" HVAC duct, but really close. I had to basically use one wrap of Gorilla tape to create a sort of bushing to keep air leaks at bay and to keep the pipe from flopping around. At that point, I simply used a single rivet to tack the duct in place.

                  Anyway, the idea behind this is to give myself MUCH smoother, straighter runs to get the air, and dust into the dust collector. The 4" U clamps are to be delivered I believe Thursday.

                  For the time being, the DC system will be off of this one 5" to the 5x4x4 branches, the existing overhead branch will remain, the current along the floor branch is going to be moved up to just where a 45 can catch just below the splitter, so about 30 or so inches off the floor. All the way along.

                  Yeah, those paddles need to be moved. Part of the not shop stuff that needs to find a different home.


                  \5" metal duct inlet into the HF DC.

                  I am waiting for some 1/4" flush plugs to get my compressed air drops done. Those should be in tuesday.

                  So much to do, so little time to do it in...

                  Long term as you may recall, my intent is to convert to 6", but if my optimizing efforts here pay off, I may not have to do the migration... We will see how it turns out. I absolutely MUST get a remote switch, even it if is a manual one, I hate reaching behind the DC to turn it on / off....

                  Counted the changes I need to make. To move the main up, and remove the 2 segments of flex hose and use DVW instead I need 4 DWV 45degree elbows. So basically 10 bucks, the bigger problem is the trip to Home Depot. I also need to figure out of DWV is going to fit the 5x4x4 splitter. I think I might need street elbow, or maybe heat up some thin wall and get it stretched over... Not sure.
                  Last edited by dbhost; 12-27-2021, 08:21 AM.
                  Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

                  Comment

                  • dbhost
                    Slow and steady
                    • Apr 2008
                    • 9209
                    • League City, Texas
                    • Ryobi BT3100

                    #24
                    Contemplating something....

                    I am not crazy about the belly pan having a 4" port, but interested in reducing it to a 2.5".

                    I have a simple step 4 to 2.5" adapter, I am thinking about a 2.5" elbow, to a 4x2.5 wye then to my 4" hose... Amazon is out of the Powertec units, thinking about waiting for a couple of them. One for the table saw, one for the band saw.

                    Got the compressed air plumbing mostly plumbed in, not 100% there.

                    I just need to move the overhead hose reel and make the connections to the front wall, and the current tubing. .
                    Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

                    Comment

                    • dbhost
                      Slow and steady
                      • Apr 2008
                      • 9209
                      • League City, Texas
                      • Ryobi BT3100

                      #25
                      My 5x4x4 wye arrived a day early, installed it, sealed it up, made the connection to the upright run. Need to get serious about moving that horizontal run. WIshing I Had some ABS 4x4x4 wyes and fresh DWV, that heat shrink method for making the connections really speaks to me for some reason... But not gonna sink new money into something I already have the parts for...

                      Watched a video last night and I think I found hte design I want to do for my flip top tool stand, EXCEPT the stops. I am planning on using simple pins in through the sides as stops. Have not decided wood or metal yet, but I just don't like the barrel catches this guy uses...



                      Spent more time with cleanup and move around in the shop today. Ugh. WAY more to go, wife has other ideas for my time. Pause here I guess.
                      Last edited by dbhost; 01-03-2022, 06:47 PM.
                      Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

                      Comment

                      • dbhost
                        Slow and steady
                        • Apr 2008
                        • 9209
                        • League City, Texas
                        • Ryobi BT3100

                        #26
                        So aside from a few retaining clips to keep the sag out of the tubing, the install of the compressed air piping system, and hte move of the restracting hose reel is complete. The fit for the hose reel is tight, but it fits, and does not interfere with the operation of the doors, plus the bottom of the reel is just barely below the door tracks, so there is that huge bonus.

                        So it's been pressurized, and leak checked. Dead on sealed up. Very happy with this.

                        I have a problem. I have a mountain bicycle I bought years ago, like 20 years ago, and it isn't of much use to me, and sucks up space in the shop. I took it down, and I want to get rid of it. It is an early 2000s Schwinn, and I am just curious, not a high dollar bike to begin with, should I donate to charity or should I give it to a friends kid?
                        Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

                        Comment

                      • dbhost
                        Slow and steady
                        • Apr 2008
                        • 9209
                        • League City, Texas
                        • Ryobi BT3100

                        #27
                        Well, I was trying to hold off longer, but one of the fixtures that I just no more than 3 weeks ago swapped new T12 bulbs into is now flickering and looking like the bulbs are going out. Yep, bad ballast and I am NOT going to replace ballasts.

                        I looked into LCHIEN recommendation, but I need 14 bulbs for a swap out, and it would cost more to get 14 locally, by about $20.00, than to order 20 on Amazon and just have 6 extras... And i have no qualms with having spare bulbs.

                        So now I wait. Prime has been shipping slow, and this cuts into my 5" duct upgrade for now, so at least for the time being, I am going to reattach the existing floor duct and just have a good go with what I have...

                        If anyone is interested in single / double ended ballast bypass tubes that are in the more affordable range, and are retrofitting their entire shop up to 20 tubes, there are currently on sale on Amazon for $89.99
                        Last edited by dbhost; 01-13-2022, 02:58 PM.
                        Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

                        Comment

                        • LCHIEN
                          Internet Fact Checker
                          • Dec 2002
                          • 20914
                          • Katy, TX, USA.
                          • BT3000 vintage 1999

                          #28
                          With those tubes going $5 apiece in 20 quantity that raises some thoughts.
                          For a new shop lighting you can buy (again on Amazon) the tombstone connectors ready to accept wiring 20 at a time for about 10 or 12 bucks. Maybe 50 cents.
                          So for two $5 buck tubes and 4 50-cent connectors (total $12 ) you can get the equivalent output of a double tube fluorescent fixture. You don't need the housing for the reflectors (fluorescent tubes put out light in all 360 degrees around the tube but LED tubes basically output light in a cone of about 120-140 degrees which is what the reflectors do.)

                          So put two tombstones on a ceiling joist 48" apart and wire them up. Two of them on parallel joists will put out as much light as a double tube Fluorescent fixture with no reflectors. Repeat as many times as necessary. 20 bulbs will make a really bright garage.

                          Its very simple to wire up. I'll have to think of the ramifications of using various types of wire. You are talking 14-16 watts per tube so 18 gauge pair will handle many daisy chained fixtures... a fuse for 2-4 Amps would be a good idea if fed from 15A circuits. Don't know offhand what NEC says about 18 gauge fused wiring strung in your open framed garage.
                          But $12 bucks is a lot less than $34 per fixture.

                          Just thinking out loud.
                          Last edited by LCHIEN; 01-13-2022, 05:39 PM.
                          Loring in Katy, TX USA
                          If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
                          BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

                          Comment

                          • dbhost
                            Slow and steady
                            • Apr 2008
                            • 9209
                            • League City, Texas
                            • Ryobi BT3100

                            #29
                            Just FWIW, I am repurposing old T12 fixtures. Not bothering to buy new tombstones.

                            For those looking to obtain just the fixtrues / tombstones on the cheap, crusing the commercial construction sites. I just cleaned up 12 years of sawdust from the one fixture that I have hanging instead of ceiling mounted. The fixture was recovered from a dumpster of a strip center remodel close to my house. Basically I was driving by when the guys were trashing them I asked if I could take one or two, found this one. The ballast is still the one it came with.

                            The original T12 bulbs in my shop were 14 @ 40w, so a total of 560w.plus no doubt some lost to the ballasts. Probably each fixture pulled at least 90w.
                            The new bulbs are 18w each with no ballast, so 14 @ 18w for a total of 252w.

                            Honestly I would prefer to go with cast off T8 or T12 shop light fixtures. Repurpose the keystones and salvage the wire you can from them and while reflectors are not necessary, there is SOME tube protection offered... Plus your wiring connections will be in approved enclosures so IF something goes bad, your legal exposure is lower....

                            Another item on the shop status, this isn't an upgrade or anything, but it HAS been a project, and that is my shop cleanup. I am done, more or less with the floor portion of it. I have cleaned everything up to the point of the drill press and rolling clamp cart. There is still some crap there, but not a lot. Once I pour the charcoal in the briquet tubs I will be able to clear a LOT of this out!

                            I mentioned that if I keep this rate up, I may be able to get started on the dust collection work by the weekend. I don't have the parts, and honestly due to the lighting, I have to postpone, BUT. I will make the broken connections, well... connected.

                            I will be working on the benches / table saw tomorrow. There are 2 mystery totes that need to be gone through, and the electrical parts tote honestly needs to get into the master suite so I can have parts available for finishing up swapping in the smart switches etc....

                            Once thos projects are done, I need to figure out long term storage for things like household extension cords, surge supressors and the like...

                            Not sure if I mentioned it here or elsewhere, but I mounted the large cedar cross on the shop wall using 3M mounting tape. I needed to do something with it, and figured a shop ornament was as good as any function.
                            Last edited by dbhost; 01-13-2022, 10:57 PM.
                            Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

                            Comment


                            • LCHIEN
                              LCHIEN commented
                              Editing a comment
                              Yeah the wiring is more legal, at least within a metal fixture.

                            • dbhost

                              dbhost
                              commented
                              Editing a comment
                              That's what I am thinking at least... And like I said, while not much, they do offer some, very little I am sure, but some tube protection...
                          • capncarl
                            Veteran Member
                            • Jan 2007
                            • 3564
                            • Leesburg Georgia USA
                            • SawStop CTS

                            #30
                            There is a lot to be said for tube protection….. but all of my shop lighting is old salvaged industrial 4’ double tube wash down fixtures that have translucent covers I am sure the covers cost me a lot of light, but they have saved me from a number of broken tubes. My ceiling is 10’, exposed tubes in shops with lower ceilings wouldn’t stand a chance with me moving a long board around!

                            Comment


                            • LCHIEN
                              LCHIEN commented
                              Editing a comment
                              LED tube conversions are all plastic, no glass, they are pretty much unbreakable or at least no more breakable than the plastic covers you have now.

                            • dbhost

                              dbhost
                              commented
                              Editing a comment
                              Actually LCHIEN no, most of the ballast bypass bulbs, and even the plug and play LED conversion bulbs I have like the ones in the kitchen, are glass, but unlike traditional flourexcent bulbs, they are plastic coated, so if the glass breaks, the shards are contained. Some are indeed fully plastic, but most I beileve are plastic coated glass. At least most I have seen advertised or on store shelves...

                              And even then, an errant 2x4 being carried accross the shop can easily catch a tube and break even a plastic tube. The reflector edges of my fixtures are evidence of how they have protected tubes over the years. Oh and a testament of how clumsy I am moving materials under an 8' ceiling.

                            • LCHIEN
                              LCHIEN commented
                              Editing a comment
                              Well, I haven't handled very many of them. My LED 4 ft fixtures all seem to be plastic and the LED ballast bypass units I just got seem to be plastic. Maybe they have glass underneath but I can think of no reason to make them of glass, and it would be even stupider to make them of glass only to cover them with plastic..
                          Working...