Pimp My Shop

[ejs1097]

Welcome to the boards. You'll find lots of good advise and ideas here that will make your shop more functional. You have a great amount of space, wish I had your problem.

With the brick walls and extension cord web under the band saw, I 'm guessing you are a little outlet poor.

you're off to a great start. Good luck and have fun.

[LarryG]

Welcome, Hoakie! Abandon all hope, etc.

First suggestion that leaps to mind to improve your shop is: more lights. I'm unable to see exactly how many you have, but my best guess from what I can see in your pictures is that tripling the number would be about right.

Second thing is that those cavernous maws under the workbenches looks like a good opportunity for some built-ins, to better make use of the space for storage of tools and supplies. My current shop is about 10' x 19' and I've learned that you really gotta make every cubic inch count.

I like the way you inset your router table into the workbench.

A question for you ... I just bought a roll-away tool chest similar to yours. Do you find that sawdust migrates into the drawers very much? Mine is currently a rather large red ornament in our dining room, but I'm wondering whether I'll need to keep it covered with a tarp when I move it out to the shop.

[LinuxRandal]

Thanks Jeff, The DeWalt RAS was inherited from my Grandpa when he moved out of his lake home. He and my Dad used it to build the home in the early 50's. I had a blast going trough the cabinet. He had a lot of bill of materials and sketched kitchen plan as well as some appliance brochures. I used the heck out out of it when finishing the basement and it still runs very smooth. According to the owner's manual, it was when DeWalt was a subsidiary of Black and Decker which I found interesting.

That DeWalt would have been used in the 60's. All the 50's models I have ever seen were round heads and B&D aquired them right around 60-61.
What model is it? 1350, 1250, etc?

You might also check out the DeWalt RAS forums.

[LCHIEN]

...
A question for you ... I just bought a roll-away tool chest similar to yours. Do you find that sawdust migrates into the drawers very much? Mine is currently a rather large red ornament in our dining room, but I'm wondering whether I'll need to keep it covered with a tarp when I move it out to the shop.

Larry, my roll-around tool chests don't get sawdust in the drawers except when carried there by tools. Even from before major DC actions were taken.

You gotta keep the drawers closed, though .

[onedash]

so that mallet mounted on that contraption....is that for mythbusters? A football kicking device of some sort????

[Hoakie]

Wow a lot to reply on today

eezLock - I've been debating the TS thing for a while. There are several things I really don't like about the Makita. The main thing that really bothers me is the off switch location. It is difficult to reach and therefore a safety hazard in my eyes. I know I could rewire it to a different location and a different switch type but that, combined with other dislikes, I would prefer to get a tool job better suited for the task out of the box.

ejs1097 - I have a bit of electrical deficit in the room currently. I have three breakers accessible in the unfinished part of my basement so I should be able to rewire as needed. On the bench you are refering to I have my DrillPress, Bandsaw and disc/belt sander combo. they are plugged into a 3 outlet mini cord so all i have to due is run one cord to power the whole island. Once I get reorganized, I'll probably break up the group and put them in a more semi permanent locations

LarryG - Yes I will need more lights, there currently are none over the junk pile. when that opens up and i migrate over there i will need to get at least 2 more. there are 2 incandescent bulbs in the middle of the shop. I turned them off due to glare. As for the router table, I thought it would be a good idea but I really don't like the fence that came with it (craftsman table). It is hard to square. In addition, the dust/chips fall allover anything stored below. with better dc, this wouldn't be as much of an issue so we'll see. If i get the 3100, i will probably plug that hole and mount it on the saw. I have not done a ton of cutting since I got those a year ago, however I have not seen any dust inside the drawers to date.

LinuxRandal - You are probably correct. After reading your email, I talked to my Dad and he seemed to recall my gPa replacing the original. I'll look @ the model when I get Home and let you know

OneDash - very observant. That my friend is the propulsion system of my oldest (5th grade) boy's Odyssey of the Mind project (problem 1 in the 2007 problem synopsis). It is used to "kick" a vehicle about 30 ft. In competition, it will have to pick up a "tag" to be sorted at the end of the journey. The state competition is at the end of March. If they win there, they go to worlds. This year it is @ Michigan state. Their team has gone to worlds the last 2 years (Boulder and Iowa State) cool stuff

[Hoakie]

LinuxRandal,

The model number on the manual is "1200 or 1400" I did a quick search and found some guys on Old Wood Working Machines that have it dated to the early '60s But now that is just the beginning, I started digging into the history on that site and get this....

According to the history of the DeWalt RAS "In 1989 the industrial radial arm saw line was sold to two of its former executives, who founded Lancaster Machinery Co. Within a short time Lancaster went under and the rights to the DeWalt saw designs went to The Original Saw Company, which moved production to Britt, IA. Rebuilt saws are available from Wolfe Machinery."

The funny thing is that Wolfe Machinery is in the town I currently live in (Johnston, IA) and about 5 miles from my house. It is also within 0.5 mi from one of the shops I do work at on occasion.

Small world

[Hoakie]

OK... Its done. I purchased the craftsman 21829 this evening. I was able to get the craftsman club 10% so it was $399. Unfortunately the Sears I bought it from didn't have it in stock and 2 month wait. Fortunately the Sears across town has 2 in stock. Unfortunately we are in the midst of a blizzard so I wasn't gonna risk the trip. I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow to pick it up

What a roller coaster. I think I'll spend tonight thinking of project ideas to take the saw for it's maiden voyage.