Over the past month I found very little contiguous time to make progress on the shop setup. Consequently I never felt like I had made significant enough progress in any given week to warrant a new post. While I’m still quite some distance from the finish line, I finally feel like I can actually say, once again, “I have a shop!”
Dust Collection Controls
I installed a half-dozen doorbell buttons around the shop, under bench tops near power tools, on the wall by the bandsaw and underneath the tablesaw fence next to the power switch. I installed a couple power outlets in the crawl space under the shop for the controller as well as my air compressor which I located in a corner of the crawl. I also programmed the air filter as I discussed in my last post to automatically switch on with the dust collector and off 2 minutes after the collector is switched off. I’m extremely pleased with how this has worked out.
Supplies Organized & Remaining Tools Installed
I finally managed to commit to drawer assignments for my tools and supplies. For the most part the drawers are logically organized, though a few of them are temporary “catch-alls” waiting for the day when I complete the upper cabinets. I enlisted the aid of my brother, sister-in-law and nephew to help wheel the 17” Grizzly bandsaw up a ramp and into the shop. This turned out to be not as difficult as I’d feared it would be. I also unboxed the Ridgid oscillating sander I’d purchased nearly 3 months ago and connected both to the dust collection drops installed previously. All the tools are in!
Clamp Racks
Following some quick research at my favorite site, I assembled and mounted some clamp racks for my rather modest pipe, parallel and bar clamp collection. I still have a number of spring and “C” clamps to hang, but I’m satisfied with the arrangement for now.
A Number of Tasks Remain
No matter how much I manage to accomplish, the list never really seems to get any shorter. Some tasks that remain are setting up dust collection for my router table and building an overarm blade guard for the table saw. The router table will require installing some kind of enclosure around the hanging router…which will take some time to devise. I’m also working on a design for a tall thin “drawer” to fill the 2 spaces in the RAS cabinet. These opening are roughly 36” tall by only 9” wide. I’m thinking that I’ll create a sliding angled vertical panels in one to hold router bits and a vertical pull-out panel in the other for miter/RAS/table/circular saw blade storage. Next steps also include major improvements to the “large piece assembly area”—which my wife insists upon calling a “garage.” Improvements include an updated lumber rack and sheet goods pen as well as some custom cabinets for “non-wood-related” storage…though I can’t imagine what that might be.
The bottom line is that I’m just about ready to get back to spending at least some time working “in” the shop instead of “on” the shop! Hooray!
(Originally Posted at http://tenonandspline.com/blog/archives/75)
-- Patrick, Chicago, IL http://www.TenonAndSpline.com/blog
17 comments so far
Grumpy
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14852 posts in 729 days
posted 587 days ago
Patrick, that is one serious looking workshop. i am sure it will be the envy of many Jocks including me. great effort.
-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python
Karson
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25271 posts in 1279 days
posted 587 days ago
I’m sure that Ms Debbie will want to visit now. great looking.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
ND2ELK
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6065 posts in 652 days
posted 587 days ago
Hi Patrick
Congratulation for the progress you have made on your shop. I am sure it will feel good working in the shop once again. Your shop is one of the nicest looking and will designed shops I have seen. Thanks for your inspiration!
I am getting bids from tappers now and ordering the cyclone tomorrow.
Have you ever built the venturi box by your miter box saw yet?
God Bless
tom
-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa
Scott Bryan
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20068 posts in 700 days
posted 587 days ago
Patrick,
This is a beautiful shop. I love the walls and the hardwood floors. Wow. This is an upscale shop. You have designed it well and it is a visual delight to be in too.
Great job.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
Thos. Angle
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4015 posts in 841 days
posted 587 days ago
Well, Patrick, it looks like you got it done. Well thought out and functional. Well done.
-- Thos. Angle
Patrick Jaromin
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284 posts in 711 days
posted 587 days ago
Thanks, All!
Tom – I tried a couple cardboard mock up venturi boxes but there’s just not enough room behind the saw for it. At this point I’ve hooked up the built-in dust port, which has already become clogged once during use and also added a piece of 4” pipe with a narrow slit running the length behind the saw.
When I rigged this up I was unable to locate any jigsaw blades, so the “slit” was crudely “hacked out” with a drill and some pliers…I figured I’d make a neater version if it actually worked. The jury’s still out on that. For what it’s worth, here’s the pic:
I’m not sure how effective these measures are but it’s the best I’ve come up with thus far. I’m going to continue to experiment and look around at other woodworker’s solutions as time permits. Needless-to-say I’d love to hear about what others may have done and found effective.
-- Patrick, Chicago, IL http://www.TenonAndSpline.com/blog
Greg Wurst
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713 posts in 711 days
posted 587 days ago
Ah, what I wouldn’t give for a shop that nice!
-- You're a unique and special person, just like everyone else.
Dominic Vanacora
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504 posts in 748 days
posted 587 days ago
Is there such a think as woodworker heaven. If so, you found it.
You have done what ever woodworker wish they could do.
Great Play Ground.
-- Dominic, Trinity, Florida...Lets be safe out there.
Partridge
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219 posts in 834 days
posted 587 days ago
’’I installed a half-dozen doorbell buttons around the shop’’ are they to start 3hp DC and if so how. I would Like to do some thin like this.
-- Do it right the first time. Becuase fixing it is a wast of time.
GaryK
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9497 posts in 867 days
posted 587 days ago
Nice shop. When I was laying out my shop I installed switches all around, but never ended up using them.
I have a long ranger remote which I always had to look all over for in my old shop.(because it was so small everything was stacked up all over the place and the remote was always under something.)
Now that I’m in my new shop it’s always in view and I never lose track of it, so I never hooked up the
switches.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
Patrick Jaromin
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284 posts in 711 days
posted 586 days ago
Partidge – yes, they are to stop/stop the DC system. There are a number of ways to accomplish something like this. Since I was already using Insteon/X10 for my home and shop and am something of a geek, I chose an X-10 based solution. In order to eliminate the need for toggle switches (wired 4-way) I built a very simple latching circuit from plans I round online that hooks up to an X-10 “powerflash” device. The upshot is that I can toggle the DC system on or off from any of 1/2 dozen simple pushbutton (doorbell) switches. It’s working just great for me…I’m very happy I set this up. For more details and a video, see my blog post on this: http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/pjaromin/blog/3713
Gary—yeah, wish my shop were as big as yours…though I have an X10 RF remote that works for this, I just don’t like carrying it around. I’ve hung it by a workbench and currently use it there instead of installing a fixed switch at that location.
-- Patrick, Chicago, IL http://www.TenonAndSpline.com/blog
Brad_Nailor
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1192 posts in 836 days
posted 586 days ago
What a beautiful shop! Congrats…I love the knotty pine on the walls, and the skylights are a great touch. Looks like you gave the layout some thought too. I have to admit I’m jealous…I would be in there all the time!
-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"
Brad_Nailor
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1192 posts in 836 days
posted 586 days ago
Now taking a second look, is there a skylight or are they just lights? Doah!
-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"
Patrick Jaromin
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284 posts in 711 days
posted 586 days ago
David – You were correct the first time.
There are 2 skylights with light fixtures around/between them.
-- Patrick, Chicago, IL http://www.TenonAndSpline.com/blog
Freddo
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57 posts in 575 days
posted 563 days ago
There’s a bit of heaven on earth! Nice walls – so inviting and warm feeling with the natural light coming in. Enjoy your space!
-- God bless! Freddo (Northern - NJ) Our Creator designed us to create - so use WOOD!
Sung
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9 posts in 572 days
posted 563 days ago
nice work. i could learn a thing or two from your set up.
-- So, how wood jya like that?
SCOTSMAN
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2226 posts in 463 days
posted 50 days ago
This is too good for the human eyes LOL well done you deserve all you have as you’ve worked hard on this may you and your family have a great lifetimes worth of enjoyment from your shop God Bless Alistair
-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease