jcees's Workshop

It’s cozy in my half of the garage. I had the electric and lighting upgraded two years ago with more outlets, flourescent lighting, a sub panel and more 220v. Sweet. I recently completed the substratum for my wall tool/supply system. It uses various sizes of Shaker pegs. The ply panels are hung on French cleats bolted to the cinder block wall or screwed to studs. It’s great to get those jigs off the floor. I built the closets and put lighting and pegboard in all. The bifold doors can be seen in some of the pics. They stand patiently waiting for someone to care enough to finish them and press them into service, but alas…

My workflow is predicated on making sawdust outside and only shavings inside. So when it comes to parts manufacturing, I annex the driveway and spread out there to work. All the machines are on wheels except for the drill press. It’s on UHMW pads for easy scooting. On days I make sawdust, I drag the rolling lumber rack that my wife bought for my birthday [yes, I cried] outside along with a Powermatic 66 [yes, I cried then too], Delta 14” bandsaw, clamp cart, sawhorses, pancake compressor, 15” planer and a custom two-hole router table. You know… for company.

The winter time is the best as it’s perfect for spray finishes, the skeeters are few and the sweat doesn’t blind you. During the summer I have to be ready to drag everything inside at a moment’s notice as it rains almost every afternoon and comes on quick. When it comes to finishing, wipe-ons are preferred and had better be applied early enough to be tacked up by noon or else I run the risk of ruined efforts. Ask me how I know… go ahead… I dare you.

The bench is coming along and I intend to get it glued up, back down on the ground and the top reinstalled before the heat returns. The only advantage to working in the sweltering summertime is that if you build things snug with seasoned stock, by winter they’ll fit perfect. So I’m in no hurry to fit the drawers just yet. When I’m done they will be accessible from either side of the bench and move smoooooooth.

I’ll post more pics soon in My Projects.

-- "Imagination is more important than knowledge" -- Albert Einstein