Got me thinking

I was offered some old but usable kitchen cabinets and think it’s time to revamp my shop as well. I’d need countertops but could use plywood but will have a bunch of drawers! Some dividers and a label maker should make my daily quest to find tools a little easier. 
 

Now to borrow my wife’s horse trailer without creating havoc. 

Photos

I'm sure some photos would help with the descriptions?

old but usable kitchen cabinets

also work great for layout benchwork supports. I have an old kitchen's worth of them under my layout for storage.   As for Doug's layout, sounds like a great place to work. ....DaveB

Kitchen cabinets

When I built my new workbench area I used old kitchen cabinets I found for free. They hang on the wall overhead so that gives me vertical storage, and then the workbench is built on base kitchen cabinets. Its only 8' long, but I have plenty of storage.

If I could custom build a workshop area, one of the big things I would do is have a stepped workbench that allows for my Byrnes saw to sit flush with the rest of the table for larger cuts. Same thing/idea with a bench top drill press, chop saw etc. Everything would be on the same horizonal plane.

 I feel like my table saw is the most used of any tool. Organizing tools by order of use goes along way towards making the workshop flow. There's a whole small world of creating efficient small workshops. Order of retrievability is a really interesting concept that I picked up from watch Adam Savages YouTube videos.

I really do need to post some

I really do need to post some photos…. But right now the paint is drying.  I want to give it 48 hours before placing anything significant on it so it is completely dry.

I did mention it.  But the Byrnes Saw (it was a gift to my father from the family a few years ago) is set in and has a raised area to the left and behind it so as to make a big cutting surface.  That being said he sells a bigger table now as well.

I am looking for a larger diameter Sanding disk that can be slowed down.  The Belt/Disk sander was bought for use with making turnouts so its fast speed is not an issue but for doing wood or plastic it is to fast but as I understand it if you slow it down it loses all power.

-Doug M

Gotta love that Byrnes!

Most used tool here too. My Byrnes now sits in a very cramped garage space and has a minimal deck on the front and back.......my dream shop would be to have enough room to really set in at table height with a solid top. Dream on.........

I bought an extended table

When I ordered mine a few years ago, I asked him if he could make a bigger table. It was well worth the cost. Now I just need to save up the hobby money to get the angle table and cross cut parts as well. I wish I would have bought this years ago instead of relying on the cheap micromark one ($99 version) that could barely slice a 1/2" thick piece of stock.

work bench photos

Ok the bench is laid out as follows.

Side A 2’ deep 8’ wide.

End Cap 18” deep 4’ Wide

Side B 2’ Deep 8’ Wide ((A and B form a 4x8 sheet of plywood)

Across the walkway behind Side B is Area C it is 2’ deep and 12’ wide

Here is an over view of Side A

 
Sorry it is upside down it won’t rotate.

You can see the layout above the workbench (sort of)  Sorry about the mess but I had to clear it off in order to paint

-Doug M

Ok so it is not upside

Ok so it is not upside down…

-Doug Meyer

vacuum attachment for that table saw

Here is the endcap (to the

Here is the endcap (to the right of side A and to the left of Side B

(This Photo may or may not be upside down by the time you see it…

Anyway this is a photo of the endcap of the bench.  The space in the left will hold the belt/disk sander belt facing left disc facing the end.  On the Right is the Byrnes table saw.  Someone needs to do a review of that in MRH.  It is a truly amazing saw.  My side hustle is wood working (furniture and such) and this saw is the table saw equivalent of Lie Nelson's stuff.  Truly an amazing piece of work.  I know my father was making his own HO 1x on it with no issues.  Just for kicks he cut a piece as thin as he could.  It was translucent it was so thin.  
I bought this for him about 6 years ago or so.  I coned my siblings into splitting the cost.  We got the carbide blad as well as the super duper thin wood cutting blad and a zer clearance.  We also got the extended miter gauge and the taller fence.  A year or two ago I got the cross cut sled/table for it. Another amazing devise.

I noticed the newer saws have a better lever to lock the height in vs the big hex key thing we have.  So he is still improving it.  Which is mind boggling.

We attached it to a shop vac located under the bench and have one of the automatic switches on the vac so it turns on when the saw does.

The space in between the saw and the Sander used to hold my Micromark variable speed drillpress.  But being as this is now a one person shop I moved it closer to my normal work area,  So it is behind where I sit located on Section C.

I may use the area it sat to hold the cross cut sled as I have yet to figure out how to store that.  I think that Jim should have drilled a couple holes in it so it could be hung up.  My crosscut sled for my big table saw in my wood shop hangs up that way.  But I am not sure I want to drill holes in this thing…

This phot shows the saw a bit better and the out feed and side tables.  The funky thing abouve the out feed table is my KnK GForce it is an XY cutter (it is closed up right now)  it is on a slide.  When I want to use it I slide it forward so the stuff it is cutting can slide back and forth.  It functions like an old school pen plotter with a knife in place of the pen (actually it can hold a sharpie)  The Out-feed table and Force are located about the storage area on the left side of Side B.

-Doug M

This is area B. This is the

This is area B. This is the area that was/is my work area,  i will use it for most modeling.  The recess in the bench holds a puce if homasote.  You can stick pins in it, or cut on it and not mess up the bench.  A buddy spilled resin on it and I just tossed that piece out,  no big deal.  Also if you want to switch projects you pull the piece out the front and store it away and put a new piece in its place and away you go.

on the left (if the photo is upside right)  is the pegboard that separates my work space from the out feed table for the table saw.  I have to put the tools back in the right locations.  It will hold pin vises and all that kind of stuff.  You can see one of my many magnetic strips on the pegboard (from IKEA)  you can see a pass through that goes to Side A.  Where my dad used yo work.  We kept shared things here like glue and clamps and we could hand things back and forth.  I will be closing this off a but by putting two pain racks for Vallejo paints there.  In part to make them easy to get to in part to stop me from constantly seeing the empty chair…

if you look at the top of the photo you can see two magnets screwed to the bottom of the shelf.  I just added those. And they are holding my strait edges.   I needed two of the running parrellel as the strait edges are long enough they fall off.  I think I will add two more (one to the left and one to the right) as this would be a good place to hold hemostats and that kind of thing.

This photo is the right hand side of Side B.  You can see more pegboard.  And my Drexel motor tool.  As well as more magnetic strips.  The magnetic strip down low on the peg board is for knives (those that are magnetic). I also have one of those holders for screwdrivers I put down low to hold non magnetic knifes.  The blades rest on the top of the bench so as not to slip and fall.

the the left of the pegboard you can see the Rockler Sand Paper roll dispenser.  It has several different grits of 1” wide sand paper and you pull out as much as you want and rip it off.  This works on handed.  To the left of the sand paper is another magnetic strip,  i added this yesterday.  Ultimately it will hold small blades safely out of the way.  Xacto blades (those odd shaped jobs we never use because we forget we have them) and those really fine micro saw blades and such.  Below the magnetic strip and sand paper I will put a 3 step shelf I picked up cheep at the Container Store (about the only thing cheep in that whole store,  nice stuff but expensive). I will put glue bottles and other small stuff on these.

I am not sure you can make it out but the magnetic strips with the tools on them are on the side of a shelf that runes the full 8’ width of the bench.  This shelf is covered in junk right now but it has two HO Travis and forms a test track with a passing siding.  I wanted both a left and a right switch as sometimes the problem you are trying yo fix only happens at a turnout.  One track is Code 83 the other is 70.  So I can test on both as well as the transition from 83 to 70.  Part of the 70 is duel gauge (that stuff is expensive).  But I have some HOn3 as the Mann’s Creak ran out of Sewell WV.  

Next up for this area is I I am waiting 48 hours for the paint to completely dry before I place much on it.  Meanwhile I need to find a place to put a paper towel holder.  Probably hanging from the layout above the bench work.  I should get all my test LED bulbs in and I have arranged for a couple friends who are MMRs and who’s opinions I trust (well not so sure about the PRR guy….  He at least model part of WV as he models the Panhandle  division but still PRR?). to come over and give their opinion on the color temp.  That is in a week or so.  On e I have a final on the color temp I willl replace the bulbs over the bench.  The general lighting in the room and add a bit more light over the bench.

Speaking of lighting.  I forgot.  I have those arm task lights that mount to the bench.  On either side of the major work zones. On Side A and B.  I just removed them to paint.  I need to add one to the table saw end cap.

-Doug M

PS just kidding about the PRR guy. He is actually a pretty good guy, but you have to keep those PRR modelers from getting big egos because of the railroad the model.  I mean I think they have documented the whole thing buy now including the out houses.  And I know you can pretty much buy a model of anything and everything they ever had.  Often from your choice of manufacturers…!  I can but wish the C&O was as lucky.

Vacuumed for table saw.

If I understand it right it is intended to have a hose inserted into it,  in my case I got lucky and my cousin (a tool and die maker) took a pvc fitting and milled it to fit over the outside so We could glue a PVC line together to connect to the shop vac.  Much like the system we have in the wood shop.  But smaller diameter.

This works pretty well.  Of course it is almost impossible to get all the saw dust as the blade tosses so up. So unless you have an overhead vacuum attached to your blade guard some dust will escape,  But relatively little.

-Doug M

Dream Shop

My dream shop would have a Sherline lathe, Sherline mill, laser cutter, and a 3D printer.

I'm lacking the laser at present.

Bernd

And a Cameron …

And a Cameron precision micro drill press, made in the US and superior to any DP mentioned thus far. They start at USD$1,100, and after accessories, tax, and shipping, it will be close to $1,500 … and worth all of it.

https://cameronmicrodrillpress.com/sensitive-manual-micro-drill-presses/new-cameron-214-series/

NOT a dream shop

but it works!

Advise needed: Disk Sander and future shop additions (tool wise)

So one thing I would like to add is a disk sander.  One that is either slow enough to work with the soft wood we use as well as plastics or that has or can be equipped with a Variable speed control.  Obviously the Byrnes would be nice but my budget does not strebte hast that high.  
Does anyone have any suggestions?  The Harbor Freight.actually does not look to bad but… Harbor Freight.  
 

Other ideas on the wish list include a small powered chop/cut off saw.  I have seen them at MicroMark and Harbor Freight and other places but those seam to be massively under powered.

As I said elsewhere I am leaving room for a Laser to be added.  I have the space, a power out let.  It is near the vent so I can add a vent to it.  Anything else I need to consider?

As for a 3D printer I have no idea what one of those will require other then power and presumably a network connection.

Other questions include…

What do those of you using reading glasses do to remind you to leave the glasses in the shop/layout room?  It seams that all of my reading glasses eventually end up in one location and I never have a pair where I want them then it is hiking out of the basement and all the way up to the 2nd floor to find a pair…

What about phones and tablets?  I am thinking of adding a place for a tablet so I can play music, answer the phone and or the front door.

Do any if you wear a lab coat or shop apron or anything?  In my wood shop I have a shop apron.  I enter the shop. Put my phone on a shelf and put on my apron.  Kind of like Mr Rodgers and his sweater vest.  But an apron is not great for sitting down,  I was thinking of maybe a lab coat?  
 

Fo any of you wear a smart watch or fit bit?  If so do you take it off or whatever?  I have one (gift from my late father)  and I have a protective cover but I do wonder if it may get damaged,  I tend to wear short sleeves.  (Unless I get a lab coat).  
 

Well just some thoughts.  Any advise would be a help.  I prefer to learn from others experience/mistakes as I don’t need to repeat mistakes others have made as I am more then able to invent my own unique mistakes…

-Doug M

Jack Burgess videos

Reading glasses - I just leave a spare pair on my cutting mat. It never leaves the shop.

Apron - Don’t use

Watch - I wear a conventional Seiko.

Sander - Check out the videos produced by TSG Multimedia, featuring Jack Burgess, on YouTube. He discusses his sander. There are two or three videos and the comments (I believe) include a vendor and product list.

What kind of shop?

What kind of shop are you trying tot set up would depend on what type of modeling you are going to do. From your last post it looks like you want some type of wood/plastic shop setup with the proper tooling. So a lathe and milling machine aren't necessary tooling for your shop. 

I'd say if you are looking for adding a laser you can afford sander. As far as 3D  printers are concerned all you need is a fast computer for the modeling work and a thumb drive that the designs gets downloaded to and them plugged into the 3D printer. The steep curve comes in when using the 3D software to design an item to be printed.

Bernd

wardrobe

Lab coat or apron? Nope.

 As I wear out my t-shirts, pants and even shoes I put them aside and designate them for layout/shop use. I'm not a run out and put ten minutes into the layout type of person........when I go out it is usually for extended periods of time. It just takes a minute to suit up and I'm ready to get another dot of paint/plaster/glue on my clothes with impunity. 

So i have my main work area

So i have my main work area mostly set back up.  I extended it about 7” to the right creating a shelf to store things. i drilled some holes in the shelf to hold model knives and scalples

I also relocated the articulated arm lights to get a bit more room.

So i am getting there.

I may add a roll of white paper to cover part of the desk (where the cutting mat is) so i can pull it out to protect the desk when doing things like weathering with chalks.  the just cut it off and toss it when done.

-Doug M