Nils's Workshop

I started woodworking this year, although I grew up on a farm and learned to use tools, including radial arm saw, lathe, circular saw, etc. at that time. I’ve always thought of myself as a “maker,” only now I’m actually making things.

I work in (and outside of) a very small one-car garage in Menlo Park. To use my shop, I basically have to unpile all the tools out into the driveway. I store the bandsaw on top of the table saw, and the lathe is mounted to a torsion box that I normally just lean against the workbench. When I want to turn something, I lift the lathe onto the workbench and clamp it down. I guess you could say it’s like a Shopsmith, in that I can only use one tool at a time, except that each tool is separate :-)

The first two pictures show the table saw in operating position just outside the garage. The third pictures shows a lot of the tools arrayed in the driveway as I worked on the workbench.

I have a lot of tools, most of which I’ve gotten from friends who weren’t using them. They are all small! Here’s a short list:

• From a friend’s late brother’s shop
  • 9” Craftsman table saw
  • 10” Craftsman bench band saw
  • Small drill press
  • Craftsman 6” belt sander/8” disc sander combo
• From a friend’s late grandfather’s shop
  • 6” Craftsman jointer
  • 12” Craftsman lathe and set of lathe chisels
  • Complete set of firmer chisels
• Ryobi plunge router
• Ryobi 8” bench grinder

All I’m missing is a planer. I built my shop up pretty much by telling my friends that I was looking for shop tools. So far this hasn’t worked for the planer, but I still hold out hope!

I have also made the following tool accessories

• A very simple router table that attaches to my Workmate
• A workbench (see my projects)
• A miter sled
• A table saw outfeed table that clamps into my Workmate

I have lots of future plans, including my wishlist for this Christmas:

• Incra Miter 1000SE miter gauge
• Pen turning equipment
• A better drill press

As well as upgrades in all the other power tools. Planer is obviously the number one need, but a table saw that can actually cut through large chunks of hardwood (and had a good fence) would be a very nice addition.

-- Nils Davis, Menlo Park, CA