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

Taffy Evans · Post by **Taffy Evans** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 8:43 pm

Thanks for showing the shop Jim. I see in the last photo there are 3 coffeee mugs on the bench, how do you get three workers in that work space? Or is it that you are like me, let them build up untll the missus comes looking for stuff to wash up. I also found it a good way to catch cockroaches.

DarwinStrings · Post by **DarwinStrings** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 9:54 pm

Well spotted Taffy. Yes she does come looking for dishwasher fodder eventually, once she has noticed that they are all gone.

Stop it Martin, you are making me jealous.

Jim

Hesh1956 · Post by **Hesh1956** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 11:27 pm

Allen wrote:
kiwigeo wrote:Man without Children is Man with many powertools and tonewood.
Ancient Chinese Proverb.

Yeah and a Festool vac named Monica too......

Connor_the_builder · Post by **Connor_the_builder** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 5:22 pm

Some nice looking workshops here. I especially like Jons!

When I get all my Bass materials together, i'll clean up the woodworking area of dads shed take some pictures. It's got everything but a bandsaw and a thickness sander, but I have access to these things at school.

Dominic · Post by **Dominic** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:52 pm

OK, here are a few pics of my workshop progress. I was concerned about dust in my old workshop so I have tried to eliminate horizontal surfaces as much as possible. Now I just have the benches and the floor and all my stuff is behind cupboard doors or in drawers.

I have a room air cleaner which is set up on the long wall to create a circular air flow around the shop, plus my dust extractor out side the shop behind the wall and a new Festool vac and sander which are great and helps keep the fine particles down. So I now have a much safer working environment which is easy to keep clean. And I can find everything because I am getting better at putting things back where they belong. Its also really cool down there so I have taken to sitting at the window down there on hot days and listening to music and chilling out with a beer even Iâ€™m not working. Never would have wanted to do that in the old shop.

My new go-bar deck. Plenty of room above to store bodies, necks and supplies above and because it has no uprights I get great access all around for cleaning glue squeeze out.

The table in the bottom left in the next pic is where my table saw will go and behind me you can't see my router table, bandsaw, sanding station . A mate got me the pony tail plant in the background as a 'canary in the coal mine' indicator. He figured that if the plant can live in there, then I probably can.

Haveagood Australia (invasion) day tomorrow.
Cheers
Dom

DarwinStrings · Post by **DarwinStrings** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 2:03 pm

Dominic....wow, workshop with a en-suite, I have a carpentaria palm behind my shed that needs occasionally watering but I don't feed it solid foods.

I probably have more dust in my bedroom than you have in your workshop

I notice you are a fan of Michael Franti's lyrics to, I listen to one of his albums over and over sometimes.

Jim

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 5:28 pm

That's it Dom. You gotta be banned for at least a week for that workshop.

Next you'll be telling us that it's got split system air/heat. and a constant 42% RH.

Dominic · Post by **Dominic** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 7:10 pm

Better ban me then. It does have a ducted heat vent for winter and it does not need air-con in summer as its under the house and really cool, plus the ACT is pretty much perfect humidity most of the time. What can I say. See you in a week or so.

Dom

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 7:22 pm

I spent the day trying my damdest not to drip sweat onto the snow white Engelman top on the latest. I missed one drip, and when I sprayed some clear on it this afternoon, it stood out like dogs balls.
:pissed

I'm quite envious Dom.

Connor_the_builder · Post by **Connor_the_builder** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 7:35 pm

It's gonna be hard for my when I want to work on my basses, a large shed with only corrugated Iron for walls.

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 8:31 pm

A great setup there with all the toys , Dom

I'm guessing at the other end of the room is your bed, tv and couch. !!!!
Can't see you wanting to leave this room in too much of a hurry.

A good working environment is one that has all the neccessities for building but also has that comfort factor which makes you want to
spend time in it. You've got it in spades..
BTW I'll be 'round around 8 in the morning. Don't worry, I'm bringing my sleeping bag !!!!!

cheers, Stu

Bob Connor · Post by **Bob Connor** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 8:48 pm

oz tradie wrote:
A good working environment is one that has all the neccessities for building but also has that comfort factor which makes you want to
spend time in it.

That's right Stu - there has to be a fridge.

Connor_the_builder · Post by **Connor_the_builder** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:09 pm

You forgot about the Stereo!

Dominic · Post by **Dominic** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 9:18 am

Con, got a good stereo in there as well. I like to play good guitar based music as I build my creations so they know what is expected of them when they grow up.

But beer stays up stairs, I don't need too much of an excuse to go up to see my beautiful Julie, and grab a beer at the same time.

If I am lucky she will do deliveries. Still working on getting her to dress up as a French maid though.

(Now that Stu is camping in my workshop I am going have to rethink that one I suppose.)

Jim, bit of solid every now and then won't hurt the palm, but I'm betting using those leaves could be a bit scratchy.

Allen, its not all fun and 40% humidity in the ACT (he lied trying to make Allen feel better). Sometimes its so cold here the glue won't set and my hands get so cold I recon if I cut my finger off it could take a good few hours to notice.
I heard that botox works for sweat. Perhaps if you mixed it in with your beer? Just a thought.

Dom

DarwinStrings · Post by **DarwinStrings** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 11:26 am

Once again Allen you make me feel like I am not the only one, that solitary droplet sized patch of raised grain is more annoying than say.... having Stu camping in your shed and steeling all your electric guitar customers with his works of beauty.

How does that work Dominic, after I've mixed the beer with botox, do i then take it intravenously or oraly.

I have to say that although the sweat can be a PITA I am glad I don't need to endure the cold of those southern winters ( and summer nights, I'm such a woos now I get chilly below about 20 degrees celsius )

Jim

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:00 pm

You don't have to convince me Dom. I use to live in Batemans bay for 2 1/2 years. The wife would move back in a heartbeat, but I think that the cold might get to me now.

Lillian · Post by **Lillian** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 11:27 pm

Dominic, the shop looks great. I'm happy for you and jealous as all get out.

Hippety Hop · Post by **Hippety Hop** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:01 pm

From home-brewing to woodworking. My back porch where I bottled my brew into stubbies at least once every 2 weeks. I still make a brew now and then, but now I've got a keg, and I only have one beer a day - if any.

The most annoying thing about this workshop is the uneven floor. I can't push myself around in the chair with my feet. I have to stand up and man-handle the chair.

To clean the air - as to avoid letting the dust enter the kitchen and the rest of the house - I have to open the back door for a while, and there are always up to 10 flies waiting outside to get in. It doesn't take them long to find their way in behind the curtains, then I hit 'em with the pea-bau.

If the temperature is toward the high 20's, this is not a good place to be. I would put up a shade-cloth out the back, but half the back yard is concrete and I can't get posts into it.

Having said all that, I'm quite happy with it now. Six months ago the saw and sander were in the spare bedroom at my mate's place, and it wasn't a very good arrangement. I was only able to work at his place for what amounted to about 8 hours per week.

Cheers Hip.

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 6:38 am

That's a great looking workspace. Where did you get your Parrot Vise from. I had to go the LMI route, but the postage was a bit much, to say the least.

DarwinStrings · Post by **DarwinStrings** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:48 am

Nice to hear a man who is happy with what he has Hip even if its not everything he wants I imagine you will slowly add bit by bit into the future.

Try cantilevering for you shade if its possible to extend your rafters but don't tell your local council that I suggested it. Alternatively a couple of metal frames bolted to the wall if you can't get to the rafters. A third maybe to bolt your posts to the concrete and brace them off the house.

Jim

Clancy · Post by **Clancy** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:54 pm

I guess it's my turn.

I used to work in a carport that I slapped some sheet metal walls on.
Like Dominic says, it gets cold in Canberra!

We moved into the new house 6 months ago and I thought the new wokshop was the bees knees....until this thread started.

Still, I'm happy with my new space.
I'm still organising it & shifting things around.
It's got all the basics I need for now.
I built a loft to store my stuff that still needs sorting after the move.
(It will probably still be a mess in 5 years, only more crap added to it)

The vise my youngest is demonstrating is holding a block of wood with sand paper glued to it. That's my 'Belt Sander' !!! (I did say basics)

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 4:49 pm

My belt sander for my first 4 guitars was a knock off of your model Craig, so don't worry about it. Those guitars came out pretty good, and I'm pleased that I know how to get by without one.

The shop foreman looks to be a bit of a hard bloke to work for though. I bet you he's always checking out your work. Looking over (or should I say under) your shoulder. I don't know how long I'd last working for a bloke like that.

Thanks for posting.

Localele · Post by **Localele** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 6:28 pm

Jim ,I haven't checked this topic for a while and then I noticed the silhouette of a Hyco band saw in the doorway.Just wondering how long you have had the saw and how you find it?

DarwinStrings · Post by **DarwinStrings** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:14 pm

You must know the Hyco well to have picked it from those pics Micheal. I have only had it running for a few months (another wet season project) It is a great saw for 12inch wheels. It aint no light weight and I was told it was from about 1940 by the people at Woodfast who took over Hyco. It hadn't been used for 20 years when it was given to me so I had to re-build it, new tyres, bearings, paint and galvanised the stand. I put a new 1 Hp single phase in it and the pully drive is 1 on the motor to 2 on the drive wheel so it's gutsy for a little saw. It came with no shroud on the bottom wheel so I had to make one and added dust extraction.

You might know it as a Hyco but to me it's the Ikea saw cause of the pine shroud and motor enclosure.

Jim

Localele · Post by **Localele** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 6:56 am

Jim , Of course I have one and it is without a doubt the Rolls Royce of 12" band saws.(with that galvanised chassis yours would be a Silver Ghost) It has the strongest hollow casting and no flex on the top guide post at all.Pity they don't make saws like them anymore.

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