I'll Show You My Workshop If You'll Show Me Yours

[sebastiaan56]

Hi Waddy,

A couple of points, Hesh, valium, nah any man who wears a purple suit while luthering is going to need more than valium.

Love your shed. I have great memories as a kid of exploring an uncles shed. A bit like yours, all of this stuff to say "what is that for?". it looks lived in, if it was really grubby it would look neglected.

Ok you can return it to normal now that youve freaked out Hesh..

[brian64]

This is my new workshop. Approx. 4.2m x 2.4m. Not everything is in yet, and although I thought it would be huge, as I'm putting stuff in, I realise that I'm still going to need to be creative with the space. I can't really complain, having gone from 1 bench to 2. The one with the Triton router on it is going to be converted to a router table. Can't wait! I'm definitely going to need more shelving. I think the timber is going to have to go under the benches - I don't want to put it too close to the tin roof.

Any suggestions for maximising the space would be appreciated.




Cheers,

Brian.

[Allen]

What's not to love about that space Brian. Now, I don't see L'Fridge anywhere. Don't tell me you have to leave the sanctuary just to get a cold one.

[brian64]

It's a work in progress, Allen. There are probably a few more "traditional" luthiery provisions that need to go in first (is that blasphemy?).

If I were a real man, I could say that my wife will bring me the beers as I need them. But, to quote from "The Castle"...."tell him he's dreaming".

Cheers,

Brian.

[Allen]

I've got a mate who's Black Lab brings him a beer and takes the empty back to the bin for him 'cause the missus won't. Oh God, how he loves that dog.

[Stu]

I always preferred to get my own beers anyway.
I'd get clipped over the ear for asking the missus to get me a beer when I'm workshoppin' it. it's always just a couple of steps behind me at the workbench.

I wouldn't mind one of those St Bernards with the barrel around their
necks to follow me around. Could be handy , yet dangerous.


Nice NEW setup there Brian. I still think the machines need more dust and shavings on 'em.
Where's this new one set up ? Way out the back perhaps, or squeezed into the front yard?


cheers, Stu

[DarwinStrings]

Well you have me a bit jealous Brian, not jealous that you obviously got a deal on orange tools but jealous of the method of construction used on that shed.

I would love to be able to build a shed like that but there would be a few factors working against me. Firstly our northern wood nemisis Mastotermies Darwiniensis would grin, then eat it for breakfast. Secondly then building inspectors would take photos of it back to the office so that the rest of the staff could have a good laugh, they would point at me in the street and chuckle. If it wasn't for the endless summer up here I think I might move back down south, bbbbrrrrr just thinking about that southern winter.

Just looking at your shed again and I am drooling at the dimensions I am guessing at, it looks like a 90 x 45 Rafter @ 900 ctrs topped off with 90 x 45 roof battens @ 1200 ctrs.........I can only dream of that sort of simplicity.

Jim

May the Mastotermies never find Brian's shed

[Lillian]

Jim, since wood doesn't seem to be an option for you, how about tires? Michael Reynolds is an architect who was appalled at the waste that is rampant in the building industry, at least it was in the 70's, now not quite as much. But he wanted to find a way to build without depending on wood for the bulk of the materials. He tried several different things and found that tires work really well. He laid them on their side and filled them with dirt, packing it in until you have basically a 400 lb rubber encase adobe brick. Ed Paschich took Michael's concept and tweaked it a bit. He cut one side wall out to make it easier to fill and pack the dirt. In the end you have a wall that is self buttressing and 20-36" thick, which makes for a great insulator. The walls are covered to look like an adobe building. I don't have time to dig out links. Can't miss the bus to work. But google tire house and you should get plenty of hits.

[DarwinStrings]

Hmmm...sounds ok Lillian and I could put a pool in the hole left from excavating the earth to fill the tires with.

Jim

[brian64]

Hi Jim,

Sorry that you're feeling jealous. I have to admit that I feel a bit of "tool envy" when I see some of the other workshops too

I can't tell you much about the construction - I didn't build it myself. I did put in some acoustic insulation and plasterboard to minimise the disturbance to the neighbours.

The orange tools really were a great deal. Last hour of the Working With Wood exhibition in Melbourne 2 years ago, Timbecon had a "make us an offer" sale of all the stuff they didn't want to take back to Perth.

Regards from a (thankfully) rainy Melbourne summer,

Brian.

[Ethereal Guitars]

I love these threads about workshops! I started off in a 4m x 4m space and was literally packed into the rafters. I recently managed to convince my wife that the old TV/Music room would be be put to much better use as a workshop

First pic is as you enter the door to the workshop from my office....


And looking back from the other end (8m x 4m workshop)


Finally, the first 2 pics were taken shortly after I got close to finishing the new 'shop'........here is a pic with island workbench and a whole heap of African Rosewood dust sprayed everywhere



Amazing how one acquires more space and wonders how they'll use it, then before you know it, your stepping over stuff again

Cheers all,
Jon

[Allen]

Those first 2 shots very nearly got you banned for having a spotless workshop Jon. Good thing you redeemed yourself with the last one.

Is that a little air tight wood stove in the corner? I haven't seen one of those since leaving Canada.

[Ethereal Guitars]

G'day Allen. Thanks for the welcome mate!

Yes workshops often start all nice and pretty but mine always end up like that pic pretty quick. I'm glueing a set neck on a 12 string solid/chambered body electric today and I have stuff everywhere

Yes that is a cast iron wood stove in the corner. I actually bought it new about 5 years ago with the flue kit for about $400 from a local supplier in Berwick VIC. It works a treat and absolutely bakes the workshop and adjoining office when it is cranked up.......we actually cooked eggs on it one night hahahaha!

The air con gets used regularly for cooling and heating and it can drop the humidity from say 67 today to 50 in about 15 minutes which is great for glue work.

Cheers,
Jon

[Stu]

Welcome, Jon.

Glad to see you as a member here.
And good to see you finding your feet so soon too.
Now, have you cleaned all that blood off the carpet yet?


cheers, Stu

[Ethereal Guitars]

Thanks Stu!

This is a great forum......the interface is my favourite of the ones we frequent.

Er, yup, the 'blood' has all gone now, although if you used a bit of 'luminol', I'm sure it would show up hahaha!

For those unaware, I have recently fallen in love with Brazilian Walnut.......the appearance and workability is exceptional not to mention the smell!.......my workshop has a permanent BW aroma and it is so apparent walking into the workshop even weeks after using the stuff.

[Taffy Evans]

Hi Jon and welcome. Thats a nice cosy work space to work in and an impressive well sorted wood rack. Thanks for showing it. I find that if Ive got space enough for something, then somethings gotta fill it. I can't walk around my shop without smashing my mobile phone on something as it hangs off my belt.

[Ethereal Guitars]

Thanks Taff. I know what you mean. When I planned out that wood storage rack I allowd for heaps of space, well it's now kind of full thanks to my diagnosed WAS (wood acquisition syndrome)......and er, no it is not being treated!

[DarwinStrings]

I have been meaning to add to this thread for a while but it took a while to clean up my shed. Welcome to my slice of heaven.

I have just built a awning and now my dust extractor and compressor are outside the shed

Veiw out the door. Under the blue tarp is my 3 metre Italian made panel saw, it's for sale, I want $6000AU or $5000 for ANZLF members

PC in the shed. I had to make a box with a dust filter to house it in, you can see it below the keyboard

Packed to the rafters with wood

The large fan is a must up here and also I use it as a dust extractor when routing. I just aim it across the workpiece, out the door and turn it to 3.



Jim

[Lillian]

Jim, am I seeing correctly? Do you have your drum sander mounted above one of your benches? I like that idea. You can get to it, do everything you need to do and yet it isn't taking up space.

[jeffhigh]

Now that's my kind of workshop Jim............unfortunately mine is probably not as tidy.

[kiwigeo]

Jims Turnip Farm????? Didnt know turnips grew that far north.

[Allen]

Yep Jim. If I spotted those pictures without an intro, I'd say it was someplace in Oz, and in the top end. We can't live without our kick ass fans can we.

I've got 2 pointed at me at work all day long.

[DarwinStrings]

Jim's Turnip supplies was a line from a past thread Martin, the "sticky back sandpaper rolls" one...http://www.mcguitars.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1112 . I am having enough trouble trying to grow children, I'm sure I would fail if I tried to grow turnips.

I'm not sure if they have them in your Bunnings Allen but the ceiling fans in the timber section here are about 8m diameter and the label on the blades say...." Big Ass Fan".

I try to keep it tidy Jeff or I get frustrated when I can't find the tool I want.

You are seeing fine Lillian, I didn't want to take up floor space, It had to be close to the dust extractor and that is my drop saw bench so I did not want to loose the convenience of throwing a long length of wood in the saw without having to move other things around.

Jim

[kiwigeo]

Man without Children is Man with many powertools and tonewood.

[Allen]

Man without Children is Man with many powertools and tonewood.

Ancient Chinese Proverb.