Blake's Workshop

Looking forward to seeing a few photos. I’m over in Sacramento. Welcome to the crew.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Great writeup. Looking forward to the photos. I keep trying to talk myself into one of the old Dewalts. I’ve seen a few on craigslist. Just have limited space and a very good table and miter saws.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Nice Photos. Very well laid out. You will have to get Douglass and Debbie to “Inspect” it.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

How does that work?

-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com

Blake, send a Private Message to Douglas Bordner or MsDebbieP. They are wonderful folks epitomizing the fine group we have here. I second Wayne’s comments on the write up. It’s taken me about 10 more years than you to get to where you are and I haven’t done it nearly as well or as thriftily, I’m sure.

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

Hell of a job on the shop. Nicely done.

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

welcome!!
Thanks for the introduction.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Really enjoyed the shop story.
I agree with your comments about the radial arm saw.
Does the blade on that saw want to climb up on the wood? It looks like you have a pretty heavy hook for radial arm saw use.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

Negative hook angle on the blade. No climbing here.

-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com

Your comment about cleaning up after every stage sounds like my philosophy. I clean up between tasks to regain control of the shop and it is in those few minutes that I figure out my next part of the operation.
Cleaning like this increases the efficiency and safety of the shop too.

I just can’t think straight in a messy shop.

I agree with the sharing, it is part of my philosophy too. As a craftsman is a part of my responsiblity to share the knowledge.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

Looks great, Blake! I hadn’t seen another tablesaw, jointer, planer setup like I was using before. Great shop!

Cheers!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

See you Wednesday Blake!

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

That is just dandy, Blake. You make very good use of every bit of space you have. When you move to a big shop you will soon have it full as well. I’m sure you spend some very enjoyable time here. Have lots of fun.

-- Thos. Angle

Great shop tour Blake. Glad you are having fun and enjoying your treasurers.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Great little shop Blake. It’s about the same size as mine (12’x22’) and I’m still trying to figure out the best layout after 10 years. Looks like you pulled it off.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

Blake, A great looking small shop. I am still working mine out in my basement and try to keep it as clean as possible between projects as well. An old shop teacher once taught me that the best tool in a tool box could be a dustpan and brush.
As to your tools and having a story I think that is great, I love the older tools and that is a good reason to besides the fact that they tend to be buitl better. Something you may be interested in is a CD that was just availabel on Ebay “60 Power Tolls and How to Build Them” it is a compilation from the 1950’s Popular Mechanics magazines.
Look forward to seeing more of your projects.

CtL

-- Chris L. "Don't Dream it, Be it."

Blake,

First time I have looked at your shop. It’s very nice, and the setting is …peacefull.

Gary

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Hey Blake,

Don’t apologise for the Long Wind,
sounds like you’re a bit of a story-teller!
...and a good one. Great blurb.

I wish I had the time to search
out all the good second-hand deals you find !

Time poor, I am afraid, but working as a
graphic designer with my wife, in my own
business, I am not too upset about working
and being a little time-poor!

I am 39 and really glad to see some younger
guys out there indulging in woodwork.
I didn’t get to do much woodwork in school
but developed an interest during my late twenties
-but renting did not allow for any ‘practical’

My thinking is basically to avoid getting to sixty and have
no cash to buy the toys after retiring to do woodwork !

My 2 cents… or quarter, whatever : – )

Nice setup by the way… and wood on tap, in heaven i’d say!

-- My Fear is when i die, my wife will sell my tools for what I TOLD her they cost

Your shop is basically where I want to go with mine. I see you make a lot of shop accessories. There nice I have got to get over and post some high remarks.

Thats a nice looking small shop.

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker

Blake,

Where have I been? I cannot believe that it has taken me this long to comment on your shop but I apologize for the delay. You have a nice looking shop and you keep it well organized. You have a nice set of tools to play with as well and I agree with you on separating out the router from the table saw. You have a nice router table by the way. One of these is on my list if I can find the time for the table and the $$ for the incra jig. (Maybe my wife will give me an advance on my allowance). :)

Thanks for the post and I have enjoyed visiting your shop.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

Nice shop. The book “Woodworking Wit and Wisdom” by Jim Tolpin came to mind whille reading your “Workshop Philosophy”. Have you read it?

-- Jason

I spent a lot of years in a space like that. I enjoyed your story. Thanks for sharing.

-- Kip Northern Illinois ( If you don't know where your goin any road will take you there) George Harrison

I see the passion. Great workshop pics. It is amazing what you can find on Craigslist. You can also sell what you don’t use on Craigslist. I have not found many tools that I don’t use, but occasionally it happens. It works out well for the buyer and seller.

Given your setting, you may want to look into a Granberg Chainsaw Mill. I have not tried one, put it is on my wish list. If you already have a chainsaw, the cost of the chainsaw mill is relatively minimal. This will allow you to cut your own boards and might get you into the next phase of furniture building. Just thought I’d mention it. Good luck. Great shop.

-- Tim from Iowa City, IA

Blake, you have crammed about all the tools that you can in there. I can see why you want to expand your shop space. It would be a challenge to rip a sheet of plywood in there. But you have a really set of tools to work with and you have organized your space well.

I am going to enjoy seeing the “after” pictures.

Thanks for the pics. I enjoyed visiting with you again.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

Nice over crowded shop just like mine l o l I like it! please though one small criticism please, please, get a guard on the radial arm saw its just not safe the way it is. Otherwise it’s great fun enjoy, enjoy ,enjoy.Alistair

-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease

You have ALOT of tools packed into that barn. Cant wait to see how it looks after you make the expansion. Thanks for posting.

-- Longovette@Roadruner.com

And i thought that my basement shop was cramped !!! We have about the same size shops and my largest piece of shop “furniture” is my JET cabinet saw with the extention table with BOSCH router and router lift built into it…..I am a fan of older tools as well and have a RockellDelta 6” jointer…cast iron all the way ! Thank you for posting your shop pix and I’m looking forward to your expansion project : )

-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .

Hey Blake,

Thanks for the comments! We are neighbors. I really like your shop also. Getting ready to post more about the work bench. I’ve obtained the Vises for it and started to buy the wood. will post an update soon. keep watching.

Is the new Shop Done Do you have new photos 467 days must be done ha

-- Jim, Kentucky

I like the old tools, I like anything with a history. Its almost palpable in your shop.

-- Adventure? Heh! Excitement? Heh! A Woodworker craves not these things!

A nice modification to the shop, it really has given you a lot more space.

-- Tony - All things are possible, just some things are more difficult than others! - SKYPE: Heron2005 (http://www.poydatjatuolit.fi)

I like your shop. Great use of the space. I do have a recomendation, if you don’t already have a better way to handle it already. My father use to have a table saw identical to yours (only a lot older, it still had the Rockwell name plate on it) and to catch the dust coming off the blade he made a simple plywood bod that slid on that shelf and fit inbetween the legs on the stand. When I got full he’d just pull it out and dump it on the compost pile he has. Just thought I’d share, since it looks like there’s not a lot of room to get a broom in there.

-- "At its best, life is completely unpredictable." - Christopher Walken