Status of the shop upgrades...

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

    Status of the shop upgrades...

    Well folks, It's been a while since I have posted up about my shop here, specifically with the upgrades that have been going on. As you may or may not recall, the dedicated building / shed got put on hold by our economy, so I am building in the garage as best I can. Since my last major postings I have...

    #1. Fully insulated with R-30 (recommended for my area) the attic over the garage.
    #2. In process of replacing the 1/4" ply "decking" with 5/8" OSB, I have some funny braces over top of the trusses that are NOT installed square, so I am having to make a bunch of funny angle cuts using a circ saw and guide. Not super accurate, but it is working well enough...
    #3. Toting up all the camping gear. This is mostly done, and most of it is up in the attic. I have perhaps 1 more tote worth of stuff to pack up and put away.
    #4. I am pretty sure I posted about my tool stacker here. I don't recall who I got the idea from, but I KNOW it was a BT3Central member that suggested I use mount boards for all my benchtop tools, and then rack the mount boards on adjustable shelf standards / brackets. I went with the Rubbermaid heavy duty steel versions, and am VERY happy with the results. I have spare brackets, and am likely to get more standards to create a lumber rack as well.
    #5. Router table / table saw extension wing. I am honestly not thrilled with my results here. I messed up the miter slot something fierce. I may end up redoing this... At the very least, I am going to remove the Rockler track, patch the space the slot was cut with red oak, and THEN cut the slot where it needs to be. I REALLY like the extra heft the 2 layer 3/4" lamination with 3/16" hardboard gives me. The Bench Dog router plate is pretty sweet too...
    #6. Shelving / storage. My shelving and storage is really coming together, and although I have a long way to go, I can now say... "I need some brass swag hooks" and go right to them. A stupid thing to be happy about probably, but it makes building that decorative key holder a LOT easier doesn't it?
    #7. Dust collector is installed, with the Thien cyclone, plumbing still needs to get done...
    #8. Electrical boxes for ceiling drops to power shop lights are in place, just need to wire them up and plug in the lights.
    #9. Shop lights are at least bought for the shop. 4 of them are on the ceiling already (but need to be rearranged), 2 more will be hung.
    #10. Garage door side and top seals have been added. Between this, and the insulation in the ceiling, I have controlled a LOT of the heat gain / loss. I still have to finish insulating the doors and walls though...

    The weather has been LOUSY all fall and winter, constantly wet every single weekend, where my back yard has been almost a swamp... It's been warm and dry all weekend, and so far this weekend looks pretty promising. I may be able to finally get out there and burn out those stumps that are in the way of my fence! If I can get that done, and get the fence back up, I can buy back literally the second half of my shop so I can work in 18x20 instead of 9x20. That would be sweet!

    Things left to do after the fencing materials are out are...
    #1. Clear out the undersized white plastic shelves. I need the wall space, and the larger (18" deep x 48" wide) heavy plastic shelves hold EVERYTHING the 5 sections of the cheap white ones did in just one section...
    #2. Clear out the old standing lumber storage. It's in the way...
    #4. Insulate, repair and paint the right wall, nook walls, right side of the ceiling which should now be almost completely empty, and finish painting the back wall...
    #5. Run sub panel and electrical drops along right wall. Route DC plumbing along right wall to the Y fittings and install blast gates.
    #6. Rent storage locker, or something like a POD to move ALL of my tools and garage stuff into while I...
    #7. Insulate, repair, and paint left and front walls, finish insulating garage doors. Paint remainder of ceiling.
    #8. Prep garage floor, and epoxy coat it.
    #9. Install "tool stacker" on right wall per my Sketchup plan.
    #10. Modify wall workbench (shorten length, and give it uprights with an overhead shelf) per my Sketchup plan.
    #11. Install safety shelf and clamp racks per my Sketchup plan...
    #12. Add overhead storage cabinets in same position as my Sketchp plan had shelves... I want to enclose a lot of this stuff.
    #13. Add small parts cabinets, router bit cabinets, fire extinguishers.
    #14. Add yard tool holders, move yard tools back in.
    #15. Add hangers for various items like sawhorses, jigs, etc...
    #16. Add lumber rack.

    So you see I have come a VERY long way, but I have a VERY long way to go to... The nice thing is I have pretty much settled on a plan, and now have a reasonably steady target to aim at. Much easier to hit...

    So now that you guys know where I am... Where are you with your shop projects?
    Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.
  • cgallery
    Veteran Member
    • Sep 2004
    • 4503
    • Milwaukee, WI
    • BT3K

    #2
    Wow, you're making great progress.

    I've been trying to fix up my shop as well, so I know a little what you're going through (in terms of finding time, etc.).

    I've always admired your ability to plan and use SketchUp, though. You're way ahead of me there.

    Comment

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

      #3
      Sketchup really isn't that hard to use, not like Blender or anything like that... And I am NOT modelling my shop in Blender. The very thought of that makes my head hurt...

      FWIW, I have an unfair advantage there... My coursework for my degree went HEAVILY into digital imaging. Unfortunately my photography isn't where it should be...
      Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

      Comment

      • crokett
        The Full Monte
        • Jan 2003
        • 10627
        • Mebane, NC, USA.
        • Ryobi BT3000

        #4
        Wow! Sounds like you have been really busy. I was hoping to get out to my shop and start work again this week, but my daughters have been sick so I've been staying in at night. I have the day off next Monday and plan to finish a punch list and get the building inspector out. Hopefully I can get him to sign off next week.
        David

        The chief cause of failure in this life is giving up what you want most for what you want at the moment.

        Comment

        • cabinetman
          Gone but not Forgotten RIP
          • Jun 2006
          • 15218
          • So. Florida
          • Delta

          #5
          I've moved my shop several times, and each time it seems like a fire drill. Each time is a learning experience as you become more familiar with your needs. In my case the arrangement didn't always correspond with the space available. It was a perfect time to sift through what was necessary to keep, and how to lay out what was needed.

          I also found out that too much space can have it's own problems.
          .

          Comment

          • LarryG
            The Full Monte
            • May 2004
            • 6693
            • Off The Back
            • Powermatic PM2000, BT3100-1

            #6
            Originally posted by dbhost
            So now that you guys know where I am... Where are you with your shop projects?
            My shop IS my project -- or will be, when construction gets underway. Which should happen soon. I think ... I think ... the overall dimensions and internal layout have finally settled down, after several rounds of changes. The builder has given me a revised bid that is within the budget; I have most of the money in hand; as soon as a few more niggling loose ends are tied up, it'll be time to get going.

            At the moment the drawings are in the hands of our structural consultant, awaiting his review. If I can catch a dry spell this weekend I'm going to shoot some spot elevations and decide exactly where the building is going to go on our property. With any luck, actual dirt will get moved within the next two to four weeks.

            And I can barely wait. It's now some 10 months since I had to pack up my tools and put them in storage. Not having a place to work is driving me nuts!
            Larry

            Comment

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

              #7
              Time to touch base on the progress of my shop. In the gigantic and ever growing to do list related to my shop, I have so far gotten the following done.

              #1. Fully insulated with R-30 (recommended for my area) the attic over the garage.
              #2. Replaced the 1/4" ply "decking" with 5/8" OSB.
              #3. Toted up all the camping gear. Relocated it to the attic.
              #4. Install my bench top power tools on to 3/4" plywood mount boards, and in turn mount those to a "tool stacker" system using Closetmaid closet shelf standards and brackets. So far stout as all get out.
              #5. Router table / table saw extension wing. I am honestly not thrilled with my results here. I messed up the miter slot something fierce. I may end up redoing this... At the very least, I am going to remove the Rockler track, patch the space the slot was cut with red oak, and THEN cut the slot where it needs to be. I REALLY like the extra heft the 2 layer 3/4" lamination with 3/16" hardboard gives me. The Bench Dog router plate is pretty sweet too...
              #6. Removal of the space inefficient Plano white plastic shelving units (6 of them) Replaced with some heavy duty 24" deep x 48" wide plastic shelving units from Lowes. (Workforce brand I think they were). I have everything that WAS on the plano shelves on these, and have space left over.
              #7. Dust collector is installed, with the Thien cyclone, plumbing still needs to get done... I am currently working on a new Thien Cyclone based on a 30 gallon fiber drum, and featuring side inlet, and 5" inlet and outlet, so I can split the inlet using the HF 5x4x4 wye to feed 2 different lines, specifically to pull from my Shark Guard 10.4.
              #8. Electrical boxes for ceiling drops to power shop lights are in place, just need to wire them up and plug in the lights.
              #9. Shop lights are fully installed. I now have 6 2 bulb 4 foot light fixtures in the shop providing plenty of light. There is actually a 7th that is in the center of the ceiling that needs to come down. It is no longer connected.
              #10. Garage door side and top seals have been added.
              #11. Clear out the old standing lumber storage.
              #12. Build new fence to get fencing material out of the shop.
              #13. Build and fill new lumber storage rack.
              #14. Insulate both garage doors.
              #15. Obtain and install portable Air Conditioner unit.
              #16. Design, build, and test lathe dust collection hood.

              There is an obscenely large amount of work left to do though... (not necessarily in this order).

              #1. Pull sheet rock from south, east, and west walls, insulate walls, and install sub panel, re-rock walls.
              #2. Install any needed shelving.
              #3. Install dust collection duct work.
              #4. Install overhead air filter.
              #5. Convert old wall workbench and peg board per my sketchup plan.
              #6. Rearrange dust collector, cyclone separator, and mechanics toolbox to put cyclone where toolbox is, and toolbox where cyclone separator is... (straighter run for the separator to duct lines...)
              #7. Build storage cabinet to house 2 of the 3 small parts bins (one is cracking and needs to go away), router accessories, and measuring / marking tools.
              #8. Build table saw accessory cabinet to hold things like wrenches, blades, dado stack, fences etc...
              Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

              Comment

              • chopnhack
                Veteran Member
                • Oct 2006
                • 3779
                • Florida
                • Ryobi BT3100

                #8
                Db, the list alone makes me quiver... Good for you. If you have a little over 8' high ceiling go with a vertical storage. Especially for sheet goods, it take little space and make a huge difference. I have been able to save alot of room in my shop cleanup. Good continued luck.
                I think in straight lines, but dream in curves

                Comment

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