My tiny woodshop is currently in two-thirds of what started out as a very small old horse stables. It is 11’x19’. But it looks like I’ve got the opportunity to knock out the wall between my section and the “room” next-door. This will add another 11’x13’ for a total of 11’x32’ !!!
This will mean a lot of cleaning rat droppings, organizing, throwing away buckets of rusty hardware, etc. Then after I knock the wall down will come electrical work, lighting, cabinets, etc. As excited as I am to have almost twice as much space I think I am going to try to wait until after the holidays since it will be such a big project.
In the mean time I couldn’t help drawing my future shop layout in Sketchup!
The 6” step-up in the middle of the floor is where the wall is now. The cement slab is at two different levels:
The shop expansion couldn’t come at a more perfect time though. I have officially outgrown my current shop this month. It has been creeping up on my for a while now. I have been adding tools and machinery one at a time. I have gotten to the point where I have a lot of “stationary” tools under my benches.
My grinder, chopsaw, wet grinder, mortiser, and other tools need to be pulled out in order to use, which is a pain in the butt but I make due. With the extra space I can leave everything set up which will save a ton of time as well as my back.
By the way, if you look at my “workshop” page the photos I have on there now are very out-dated. When I get a chance to clean it I will post some current photos.
New-Old Jointer
I met a guy yesterday at the Tool Shop who wanted to get rid of his old 8” Grizzly jointer for a smaller version that he could take to jobsites. When I told him I had a 6” Grizzly jointer, he offered to trade me straight-across for it. I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT!!! Free upgrade!
My jointer that I bought two years ago:
This is a newer version of the jointer I am getting:
So in the next day or two he is going to bring it to my shop and swap it for mine. I don’t have a clue where I am going to put it for now… but I don’t care. The thing is MASSIVE. Finally I will be able to joint the face of boards.
Tool Box Restoration
I found a steel of a deal at the flea market this weekend. Two antique tool boxes for $20 each. Both were in terrible condition but I removed the hardware, cleaned, sanded, painted, and re-assembled them and they look great! I really wish I had taken before photos, they looked TERRIBLE.
The first is an old Craftsman. Its made of very heavy-gauge steel:
It is the perfect size as a stand for my Ridgid sander:
The CRAFTSMAN emblem had several layers of spray paint on it but with a little carb-cleaner it came off to reveal the original two-tone look. I punched out the rivets that held it on and then after painting the box I used tiny bolts to re-attach it:
The other box says “Stack-On, Made in USA” and is a locking-front top box:
A few hours of cleaning and painting completely transformed these boxes. They will be perfect for the new shop.
-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com
14 comments so far
Tony
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814 posts in 930 days
posted 377 days ago
Good deal on the jointer – I hope the workshop extension will be finished by the next time I come to visit, I’ll have somewhere to put my sleeping bag!!!!!!!!!!!!! It will make a tremendous difference to what you can achieve, then you will find that you are looking for the next extension (maybe the wood storage area on the other end). Good luck, I look forward to seeing the extended shop when finished.
-- Tony - All things are possible, just some things are more difficult than others! - SKYPE: Heron2005 (http://www.poydatjatuolit.fi)
Bill Akins
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236 posts in 598 days
posted 377 days ago
Very well planned out. This should turn into a wonderful shop. Look forward to the final pictures. Good job on the planer upgrade.
-- Bill from Lithia Springs, GA I love the smell of sawdust in the morning.
Thos. Angle
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4013 posts in 862 days
posted 377 days ago
All great news, Blake. The jointer and tool boxes were especially good deals. My metal tool boxes always fell apart. I guess that is to be expected when they fall out of the truck in the mountains. Maybe I need cast iron.
-- Thos. Angle
jcees
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553 posts in 699 days
posted 377 days ago
Great shop, Blake. I’m in the process of finishing my own shop [Yeah right, like that’ll ever happen] this season too. You’ve also shamed me into taking a long sobering look at my own trusty-rusty toolboxes. Hmmm…
always.
J.C.
-- "Imagination is more important than knowledge" -- Albert Einstein
Beginningwoodworker
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4241 posts in 573 days
posted 377 days ago
Thats good news, Blake.
-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker
Karson
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25871 posts in 1300 days
posted 377 days ago
Great enhancement to the shop, jointer and toolboxes. Nice catches
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
GaryK
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9555 posts in 888 days
posted 377 days ago
Great deal on the jointer!
Take a lot of pictures of your shop expansion!
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
Blake
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2763 posts in 774 days
posted 377 days ago
I will Gary.
-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com
GaryK
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9555 posts in 888 days
posted 377 days ago
Does your jointer really fit below the level of your table saw?
I remember in my old shop I had the jointer next to my tablesaw. I had to raise the tablesaw about 2-3 inches and my jointer fence layed back at 45 degrees to clear.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
Blake
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2763 posts in 774 days
posted 377 days ago
My current jointer fits below the wing of my table saw since I have it sitting on two 4×4. So it is raised about 3.5”. I don’t think the new jointer is any taller but I don’t have it in my shop yet.
I like my tablesaw a little taller than normal. I don’t know why.
-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com
rtb
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686 posts in 613 days
posted 377 days ago
HEY…LETS BACK UP A BIT…. 11×13 sounds a lot like an old horse stall. if so urine will have softened and possibly pitted that concrete and a step up in the middle is probably as dangerous as Allisons band saw blade that went beserk. so theanswer is really obvious, clean and SEAL the concrete put down floor of feet friendlt material (wood is nice) move all your ‘stuff’ onto the new floor and do the same raised 6 ” of course. NON-slipp deck paint woud be an option the would add one more safty feature.
-- RTB. "dumb animals are not stupid they simply can't talk "
Woodhacker
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1145 posts in 623 days
posted 377 days ago
Very cool Blake…the expansion…and the jointer.
-- Martin, Kansas
clieb91
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682 posts in 835 days
posted 377 days ago
Blake, good deals on those tool boxes, nice paint jobs to. The jointer is a definate winner. Look forward to seeing the new shop. In the process of reconfiguring mine right now.
CtL
-- Chris L. "Don't Dream it, Be it."
marcb
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705 posts in 573 days
posted 376 days ago
Nice toolboxes, how did you find them?
I have an old Kennedy Machinist that I rehabbed, but I am trying to find some other old toolboxes. That way they match my tools