# Shop Improvements



## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

*Hardware Rack*

In the process of organizing the shop I had definite need of hardware storage. I had an old dresser that I revamped and used it for the larger parts, but the small stuff was overwhelming. I had 5 generic boxes and bought 5 more plano 3700 boxes to sort everything into. Here's a pic of the sorting process which took over 9hrs to finish…LOL! It was a long day!










Next I built a rack to hold all 10 of the boxes. I used some surplus PT 1×2 stock that I had. Here's a pic of the end detail on the rack.










And one more showing the front view.










It works extremely well and I can just grab a box, set it on the bench and get what I need.


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## FatherHooligan (Mar 27, 2008)

wolflrv said:


> *Hardware Rack*
> 
> In the process of organizing the shop I had definite need of hardware storage. I had an old dresser that I revamped and used it for the larger parts, but the small stuff was overwhelming. I had 5 generic boxes and bought 5 more plano 3700 boxes to sort everything into. Here's a pic of the sorting process which took over 9hrs to finish…LOL! It was a long day!
> 
> ...


I've been thinking of using the Plano boxes as well, it looks like the work better than I thought they would, thanks for posting this.


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## Cobwobbler (Aug 5, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Hardware Rack*
> 
> In the process of organizing the shop I had definite need of hardware storage. I had an old dresser that I revamped and used it for the larger parts, but the small stuff was overwhelming. I had 5 generic boxes and bought 5 more plano 3700 boxes to sort everything into. Here's a pic of the sorting process which took over 9hrs to finish…LOL! It was a long day!
> 
> ...


This is all well and good, but you'll miss the joy of rummaging through a big tin of assorted screws, nails, hinges, odd things and stabbing yourself under the finger nail. 
But seriously, it does look a neater way of working.
There is something very therapeutic about sorting out an assorted tin of hardware into their correct place in a tray.


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## dbray45 (Oct 19, 2010)

wolflrv said:


> *Hardware Rack*
> 
> In the process of organizing the shop I had definite need of hardware storage. I had an old dresser that I revamped and used it for the larger parts, but the small stuff was overwhelming. I had 5 generic boxes and bought 5 more plano 3700 boxes to sort everything into. Here's a pic of the sorting process which took over 9hrs to finish…LOL! It was a long day!
> 
> ...


Your cabinet is really nice. When I did one a while back, I never knew how much I would rely on this. It is a requirement of a nice shop. I also bought a bunch od the magnetic spice cannisters from Ikea for the heavily used screw sizes.


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## drbyte (Apr 12, 2007)

wolflrv said:


> *Hardware Rack*
> 
> In the process of organizing the shop I had definite need of hardware storage. I had an old dresser that I revamped and used it for the larger parts, but the small stuff was overwhelming. I had 5 generic boxes and bought 5 more plano 3700 boxes to sort everything into. Here's a pic of the sorting process which took over 9hrs to finish…LOL! It was a long day!
> 
> ...


Great job. Look for the same size boxes in the sewing aisle at Wal-Mart. They have better latches and hinges than the Plano boxes and are far cheaper in most areas. My area stores have two sizes. No outdoorsy fees/taxes on the sewing boxes like there is on the Plano stuff.


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## olddutchman1 (Oct 18, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Hardware Rack*
> 
> In the process of organizing the shop I had definite need of hardware storage. I had an old dresser that I revamped and used it for the larger parts, but the small stuff was overwhelming. I had 5 generic boxes and bought 5 more plano 3700 boxes to sort everything into. Here's a pic of the sorting process which took over 9hrs to finish…LOL! It was a long day!
> 
> ...


Looks like You have a good job behind You! Should cut down on the searching ! That is something I need to get better with. Nice job, Good ideas!


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

*Hanging Up the Tools*

I'm somewhat partial to having everything in drawers or cabinets, mostly just to keep it safe and keep the dust out of stuff, but some things just need to hang on the wall!

First up is the mandatory clamp rack setup. I built all of it from scrap lumber which I have tons of! It's convenient, yet somewhat protected since the shop door is usually open.










Also have most of my longer measuring tools hung up. The smaller stuff is in a drawer in the toolbox.










I also organized my ladders and hung my sawhorses and a few other items.










Next, I tackled all the extension cords and various hoses, etc. I had two old nasty lawn tractor rims, that I refinished and then mounted to hang all of it.

The ugly rim:










Both repainted:










The mounting blocks I made:










Attached to the wall:










Wheel hung:










And finally both loaded up:










That's pretty much what I have on the walls at the moment. I'm sure I'll be adding more as I go along.


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

*Ryobi BTS15 Tablesaw Mods*

My tablesaw was a gift when I first built my shop. I've used over the last few years for cutting plywood, 2×4's and general construction use. It's worked fine as is and didn't need much. Now that I'm doing more woodworking, I'm finding it lacking in many areas. I have managed to make a few improvements to it though.










First I fashioned a dust collection attachment to it, rather than the old canvas bag, that I had originally. I must say this design is not working as well as intended. The suction from the dust collector and the velocity of air from the blade, crash badly inside the main case and it ends up spitting half the saw dust out the front. When I rework the dust collection for the saw, the new plan will be to build a dust cabinet below the saw with locking casters and remove the steel base legs. I'll also build the cabinet large enough to cover the whole footprint of the table top, which should give me enough room for a drawer or shelf to the side as well.

Here is a pic of the current setup with the tablesaw removed.










Next, I needed to add a featherboard, but mine is lacking a miter slot, since it has it's own miter sled setup. I got a piece of plywood that was 3/4" and cut it to fit and then routed the bottom, to allow for some built-in mounting areas and also routed the top to accept my featherboard.










The biggest change I've made was to make a zero clearance insert for this saw. It was very tricky for someone as unskilled as I am.

Here's the challenge…less than 1/8" depth on the edges.










I started with a 1/2" piece of oak and routed the edge clearance first. It's sitting flush upside down at this point.










Next I drilled out some of the excess wood from the corners that I'd need for clearance and then carefully chiseled the corners out.



















Here's a pic of the finished piece upside down to show the details. I placed the fence over the right side of the blade when I cranked the blade up to add stability to the thin plate. I did glue the tiny split you see in this pic.










And finally a pic of it installed.










I also plan to modify my fence and add some height to it. It's a bit short for some resawing I plan to do. More on that later.


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## bwhizzle (Feb 1, 2013)

wolflrv said:


> *Ryobi BTS15 Tablesaw Mods*
> 
> My tablesaw was a gift when I first built my shop. I've used over the last few years for cutting plywood, 2×4's and general construction use. It's worked fine as is and didn't need much. Now that I'm doing more woodworking, I'm finding it lacking in many areas. I have managed to make a few improvements to it though.
> 
> ...


Nice updates. I was just looking at my BTS 15 and thinking "Man I need a new table saw", but since I don't have the funds was looking for some mods I could do myself.

Thanks for the inspiration!


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Ryobi BTS15 Tablesaw Mods*
> 
> My tablesaw was a gift when I first built my shop. I've used over the last few years for cutting plywood, 2×4's and general construction use. It's worked fine as is and didn't need much. Now that I'm doing more woodworking, I'm finding it lacking in many areas. I have managed to make a few improvements to it though.
> 
> ...


glad you like it.. It's still working very well..I also added a new dust collection cabinet underneath that has really helped! It's here in this link:


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Ryobi BTS15 Tablesaw Mods*
> 
> My tablesaw was a gift when I first built my shop. I've used over the last few years for cutting plywood, 2×4's and general construction use. It's worked fine as is and didn't need much. Now that I'm doing more woodworking, I'm finding it lacking in many areas. I have managed to make a few improvements to it though.
> 
> ...


I never had a BTS-15 but I had it's lesser cousin the really cheap BTS-10S
I built a lot of custom RV interiors with that junky little saw and milled a lot of big tree branches into usable lumber.
I finally burned it out about 2 1/2 years ago and stripped it down for pieces.

I now have a mostly new BT-3100-1 and love it mostly. I don't use the miter sled very often either, it's too difficult to keep in alignment.

I got an old Powermatic miter gauge at a yard sale and since the saw has the dual miter slot accessory table, I use that.

Your mods look like about what I did with my BTS 10. except for the miter slots, mine came with those and a cheap miter gauge.


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Ryobi BTS15 Tablesaw Mods*
> 
> My tablesaw was a gift when I first built my shop. I've used over the last few years for cutting plywood, 2×4's and general construction use. It's worked fine as is and didn't need much. Now that I'm doing more woodworking, I'm finding it lacking in many areas. I have managed to make a few improvements to it though.
> 
> ...


Mine does have a full miter sled that comes with it as well, but it wouldn't accommodate the feather board, so I made the drop in just for that.

I also added a CMT combo blade and it now cuts like butter, with beautiful finish on the cuts.


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## daiku_padawan (Oct 9, 2017)

wolflrv said:


> *Ryobi BTS15 Tablesaw Mods*
> 
> My tablesaw was a gift when I first built my shop. I've used over the last few years for cutting plywood, 2×4's and general construction use. It's worked fine as is and didn't need much. Now that I'm doing more woodworking, I'm finding it lacking in many areas. I have managed to make a few improvements to it though.
> 
> ...


Just picked up one of these table saws. The sled is incomplete, and was looking to modify it with a miter rail. Looks like your method could work for me.


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

*Shopmade Grr-Ripper, Heat and Bandsaw Fence*

In my quest to outfit my shop, I've spent quite a bit already on the major tools, so I'm trying to make my own jigs and do my own upgrades as I can. With the types of small wood projects I'm interested in doing, I really need a way to cut small dimensions. I do have an old Black&Decker table top bandsaw, that has definitely seen better days, but other than the tablesaw, no really efficient way to get 1/8", 1/4" and 1/2" stock other than plywood, which I really don't want to use. I searched a long time and ran across the Grr-Ripper by MicroJig and really thought it would solve the problems for me, but I just couldn't see spending $139 for the double set right now. So I decided after running across a few shopmade ones, that I'd give it a try myself. I think it turned out pretty good and I'll probably make a second one before too long.




























One of my other main problems in the shop currently is heat. I did insulate this summer and have a window A/C unit, but didn't have any heat. So I picked up one of these today and I can say that it's toasty warm in the shop now!!










Next up, I wanted to address my sad little bandsaw. I already tuned it up as much as possible, but what I really needed was a fence. Of course it doesn't have one and since it's about 20 yrs old, there's no chance at an aftermarket, if there ever was one made. I found some plans online and below is a pic of the glue up for the fence. It will have a 3/8" all-thread rod running through it with blocks and wingnuts to tighten it down. I'll post an update when I get it finished.










Also my honing guide came in today, along with my new HF mini-lathe. I need to build a wolverine type sharpening jig for my bench grinder and get everything set up, but I'll be spinning some wood soon, I hope!

Many more improvements to come!!


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## bj383ss (Dec 8, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Shopmade Grr-Ripper, Heat and Bandsaw Fence*
> 
> In my quest to outfit my shop, I've spent quite a bit already on the major tools, so I'm trying to make my own jigs and do my own upgrades as I can. With the types of small wood projects I'm interested in doing, I really need a way to cut small dimensions. I do have an old Black&Decker table top bandsaw, that has definitely seen better days, but other than the tablesaw, no really efficient way to get 1/8", 1/4" and 1/2" stock other than plywood, which I really don't want to use. I searched a long time and ran across the Grr-Ripper by MicroJig and really thought it would solve the problems for me, but I just couldn't see spending $139 for the double set right now. So I decided after running across a few shopmade ones, that I'd give it a try myself. I think it turned out pretty good and I'll probably make a second one before too long.
> 
> ...


Very Cool Wolf thanks for the updates. Sounds like the next tool upgrade might be a planer

Bret


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

wolflrv said:


> *Shopmade Grr-Ripper, Heat and Bandsaw Fence*
> 
> In my quest to outfit my shop, I've spent quite a bit already on the major tools, so I'm trying to make my own jigs and do my own upgrades as I can. With the types of small wood projects I'm interested in doing, I really need a way to cut small dimensions. I do have an old Black&Decker table top bandsaw, that has definitely seen better days, but other than the tablesaw, no really efficient way to get 1/8", 1/4" and 1/2" stock other than plywood, which I really don't want to use. I searched a long time and ran across the Grr-Ripper by MicroJig and really thought it would solve the problems for me, but I just couldn't see spending $139 for the double set right now. So I decided after running across a few shopmade ones, that I'd give it a try myself. I think it turned out pretty good and I'll probably make a second one before too long.
> 
> ...


i love the heater


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Shopmade Grr-Ripper, Heat and Bandsaw Fence*
> 
> In my quest to outfit my shop, I've spent quite a bit already on the major tools, so I'm trying to make my own jigs and do my own upgrades as I can. With the types of small wood projects I'm interested in doing, I really need a way to cut small dimensions. I do have an old Black&Decker table top bandsaw, that has definitely seen better days, but other than the tablesaw, no really efficient way to get 1/8", 1/4" and 1/2" stock other than plywood, which I really don't want to use. I searched a long time and ran across the Grr-Ripper by MicroJig and really thought it would solve the problems for me, but I just couldn't see spending $139 for the double set right now. So I decided after running across a few shopmade ones, that I'd give it a try myself. I think it turned out pretty good and I'll probably make a second one before too long.
> 
> ...


Planer is definitely on the list, Bret! I plan to try and work with my hand planes for the moment though. I just don't have room for another large tool! I've also looked at getting one of the 3.5" Electric hand planers. Don't have any idea if they work well or not, but I could manage one of those. I'd really prefer to work on my hand planing skills though. I also saw that Veritas has some miniature hand planes, that would be the perfect size for our models.

The heater is the $38 cheapo Walmart heater, but it's working very well! Only need it about 3 months out of the year, so it should do fine. In the summer it can go up on a shelf out of the way.


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## jockmike2 (Oct 10, 2006)

wolflrv said:


> *Shopmade Grr-Ripper, Heat and Bandsaw Fence*
> 
> In my quest to outfit my shop, I've spent quite a bit already on the major tools, so I'm trying to make my own jigs and do my own upgrades as I can. With the types of small wood projects I'm interested in doing, I really need a way to cut small dimensions. I do have an old Black&Decker table top bandsaw, that has definitely seen better days, but other than the tablesaw, no really efficient way to get 1/8", 1/4" and 1/2" stock other than plywood, which I really don't want to use. I searched a long time and ran across the Grr-Ripper by MicroJig and really thought it would solve the problems for me, but I just couldn't see spending $139 for the double set right now. So I decided after running across a few shopmade ones, that I'd give it a try myself. I think it turned out pretty good and I'll probably make a second one before too long.
> 
> ...


Nice idea for the Gripper. It looks like it will do the job and a lot cheaper.


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

*Band Saw Fence Finished*

In the previous post I had a pic of the glue up for my little bandsaw fence. I finished it today and thought I'd post a couple of pics. The bandsaw is old, but I got it for $10 at a garage sale and all it needed was a new blade. The switch is dead, but the variable speed still works. I just flip it on and off via a power strip switch. It works for now!




























It's a very simple design, but works very well. The wood plate on the back is loose, so it kind of floats into place when you tighten the wingnut in the front.


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## jbertelson (Sep 26, 2009)

wolflrv said:


> *Band Saw Fence Finished*
> 
> In the previous post I had a pic of the glue up for my little bandsaw fence. I finished it today and thought I'd post a couple of pics. The bandsaw is old, but I got it for $10 at a garage sale and all it needed was a new blade. The switch is dead, but the variable speed still works. I just flip it on and off via a power strip switch. It works for now!
> 
> ...


I have an older 10" Delta Bandsaw, I call it my toy bandsaw. I plan to get a much larger one very soon. However, the 10" will continue to be setup also. It is hard to beat for quick scrolling and small cuts, and gets a lot of use in the shop. I bet you will get plenty of use out of that old B&D also. They have their limits, but it beats a scroll saw for most things.


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## KOVA (Nov 21, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Band Saw Fence Finished*
> 
> In the previous post I had a pic of the glue up for my little bandsaw fence. I finished it today and thought I'd post a couple of pics. The bandsaw is old, but I got it for $10 at a garage sale and all it needed was a new blade. The switch is dead, but the variable speed still works. I just flip it on and off via a power strip switch. It works for now!
> 
> ...












QUÉ BUEN TRABAJO CARPINTERO!!!!!!
SEAMOS AMIGOS!!!!!!
YO TAMBIÉN TENGO UN TALLER PEQUEÑO…
UNA BANDSAW DE 23 CMS DE DIÁMETRO DE RUEDAS Y…
FABRICO JUGUETES ;-)
Y YA ESTOY HACIENDO UNA FENCE COMO ÉSTA QUE TÚ HICISTE PARA
CORTAR LOS RE-SAWINGS DE MODO QUE GRACIAS POR LA IDEA ;-)


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## KOVA (Nov 21, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Band Saw Fence Finished*
> 
> In the previous post I had a pic of the glue up for my little bandsaw fence. I finished it today and thought I'd post a couple of pics. The bandsaw is old, but I got it for $10 at a garage sale and all it needed was a new blade. The switch is dead, but the variable speed still works. I just flip it on and off via a power strip switch. It works for now!
> 
> ...


*ÉCHALE UN VISTAZO AMIGO:* http://lumberjocks.com/projects/74547#comment-1409742


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

*Bench Grinder Toolrest*

Made this little grinder toolrest to sharpen my lathe tools. I'll probably still build the wolverine type jig too, but needed this first. Also included in this post are a couple of shots of the set of lathe tools and draw knife, I got for $10 at a garage sale, as well as my new mini set. I know I'll probably need other stuff, but figure this will get me started. Most of the lathe stuff I plan to do will be part of building more model cars and toys, so it'll be mostly small projects. I also have a new HF mini-lathe. I'll get pics of that in a day or so, hopefully with something decent turned on it!!

Here's the pics…


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## bj383ss (Dec 8, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Bench Grinder Toolrest*
> 
> Made this little grinder toolrest to sharpen my lathe tools. I'll probably still build the wolverine type jig too, but needed this first. Also included in this post are a couple of shots of the set of lathe tools and draw knife, I got for $10 at a garage sale, as well as my new mini set. I know I'll probably need other stuff, but figure this will get me started. Most of the lathe stuff I plan to do will be part of building more model cars and toys, so it'll be mostly small projects. I also have a new HF mini-lathe. I'll get pics of that in a day or so, hopefully with something decent turned on it!!
> 
> Here's the pics…


Very Cool Wolf. I want to see you lathe.

Bret


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

wolflrv said:


> *Bench Grinder Toolrest*
> 
> Made this little grinder toolrest to sharpen my lathe tools. I'll probably still build the wolverine type jig too, but needed this first. Also included in this post are a couple of shots of the set of lathe tools and draw knife, I got for $10 at a garage sale, as well as my new mini set. I know I'll probably need other stuff, but figure this will get me started. Most of the lathe stuff I plan to do will be part of building more model cars and toys, so it'll be mostly small projects. I also have a new HF mini-lathe. I'll get pics of that in a day or so, hopefully with something decent turned on it!!
> 
> Here's the pics…


I have the same set of Craftsman Lathe tools. They aren't the best around, but if sharp they'll get the job done! For ten bucks, that's a steel.

And a draw knife in good condition, too--any maker marks on it?


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Bench Grinder Toolrest*
> 
> Made this little grinder toolrest to sharpen my lathe tools. I'll probably still build the wolverine type jig too, but needed this first. Also included in this post are a couple of shots of the set of lathe tools and draw knife, I got for $10 at a garage sale, as well as my new mini set. I know I'll probably need other stuff, but figure this will get me started. Most of the lathe stuff I plan to do will be part of building more model cars and toys, so it'll be mostly small projects. I also have a new HF mini-lathe. I'll get pics of that in a day or so, hopefully with something decent turned on it!!
> 
> Here's the pics…


I'm working on getting them sharp…seems I have as much to learn about sharpening as lathing. No real experience in either one…LOL! There are no maker marks on the draw knife that I can find, but it seems solid enough still. I'll probably clean it up by hand and then do some research on best way to sharpen it.


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## brianrickman (Dec 7, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Bench Grinder Toolrest*
> 
> Made this little grinder toolrest to sharpen my lathe tools. I'll probably still build the wolverine type jig too, but needed this first. Also included in this post are a couple of shots of the set of lathe tools and draw knife, I got for $10 at a garage sale, as well as my new mini set. I know I'll probably need other stuff, but figure this will get me started. Most of the lathe stuff I plan to do will be part of building more model cars and toys, so it'll be mostly small projects. I also have a new HF mini-lathe. I'll get pics of that in a day or so, hopefully with something decent turned on it!!
> 
> Here's the pics…


Looks like a great tool rest. Well done. I started to get into turning a few months ago. Sharpening lathe tools is still a challenge for me. I've had good success at sharpening the skew chisel, parting tool, and various scrapers, but I've had almost no success with gouges. I am well on the way to concluding that the wolverine jig, or something similar, is a requirement for them.


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Bench Grinder Toolrest*
> 
> Made this little grinder toolrest to sharpen my lathe tools. I'll probably still build the wolverine type jig too, but needed this first. Also included in this post are a couple of shots of the set of lathe tools and draw knife, I got for $10 at a garage sale, as well as my new mini set. I know I'll probably need other stuff, but figure this will get me started. Most of the lathe stuff I plan to do will be part of building more model cars and toys, so it'll be mostly small projects. I also have a new HF mini-lathe. I'll get pics of that in a day or so, hopefully with something decent turned on it!!
> 
> Here's the pics…


I determined a long time back that anyone that is determined to be a good lathe person has decided to become a good tool sharpener.


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

*New lathe and first turning!*

Ok..so the previous blog post shows my lathe tools and grinder setup, but I finally got the lathe out of the box and had some fun yesterday and this morning.

Here is my new HF 8×12 mini-lathe already covered in shavings!










And here is where I quit last night, after trying desperately to get just a straight cylinder,










I was almost there, when I got a big catch. I decided to walk away for the night and went back in the house and rewatched the Richard Raffan DVD for the 3rd time. I could actually focus more this time having had my hands and brain on the lathe by then. I also figured out what I was doing wrong on the sharpening.

So I went back out this morning, resharpened tools again and this what I was able to produce! This has had no sanding at all, just the tools. And yes this is just scrap 2×4 lumber, nothing fancy.










I'm pretty damn happy for an old guy trying to learn new tricks!!


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## dkirtley (Mar 11, 2010)

wolflrv said:


> *New lathe and first turning!*
> 
> Ok..so the previous blog post shows my lathe tools and grinder setup, but I finally got the lathe out of the box and had some fun yesterday and this morning.
> 
> ...


Looks great. Might want to consider taking a file to the tool rest and give it a bit of a smoothing. It will make it easier if it is not lumpy.


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## dspahn (Nov 19, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *New lathe and first turning!*
> 
> Ok..so the previous blog post shows my lathe tools and grinder setup, but I finally got the lathe out of the box and had some fun yesterday and this morning.
> 
> ...


Welcome to the addiction.


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## Sanman (Dec 12, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *New lathe and first turning!*
> 
> Ok..so the previous blog post shows my lathe tools and grinder setup, but I finally got the lathe out of the box and had some fun yesterday and this morning.
> 
> ...


I got hooked turning a couple of months ago making pens. Have fun.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

wolflrv said:


> *New lathe and first turning!*
> 
> Ok..so the previous blog post shows my lathe tools and grinder setup, but I finally got the lathe out of the box and had some fun yesterday and this morning.
> 
> ...


Have my HF lathe set up. Bought the video, and a good mask, and tools. Thinking about a chuck. Interested to see where you go with this.


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *New lathe and first turning!*
> 
> Ok..so the previous blog post shows my lathe tools and grinder setup, but I finally got the lathe out of the box and had some fun yesterday and this morning.
> 
> ...


Hey Doc…I read over on your blog, about your HF lathe purchase. I'm really happy with mine so far. I'm sure there are things it doesn't do right, but I wouldn't know the difference at this point. I got it to turn the piece shown above after much trial and error, but that was me learning how to do it, more than any issues with the lathe not working correctly. Mine has only one pulley, but does have a variable speed control, so I can start it nice and slow and then turn it up as I'm confident of the chucking and balance. Also as David posted above, I probably need to file the toolrest a bit, so it will be smoother. I plan to use the existing faceplates and such that came with the lathe, until I spend more time with it and really figure out what I need as far as other chucks.

Most of the work I plan to do so far, will be related to shaping parts like wheels and cylinders for my toys and models I'm building, which is the reason I went with a smaller lathe. Well, that as well as budget.. I may get into making some pens and such later, but I'm all fired up on toys and models at the moment.


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

*Drill Press Table-Part 1*

Next on my to-do list of shop improvements is my drill press table for my Craftsman 2/3HP drill press. I'm drilling all kinds of stuff and also using a wheel cutter to make wheels for my toys and models and the C-clamps I've been using to hold stuff down just aren't working well. So before I start my next round of toy making, I wanted to get this done.

Since I'm trying to pinch pennies and save for the bigger needs, I'm trying to make as many jigs and items as possible, rather than buy every little thing. I saw these cool little shop-made hold downs from a fellow LJ'er and thought I'd try and make myself a set. Here the link to them. Thx Dodeka..these are awesome!! I didn't paint mine, but here they are. I'll be getting the hardware once I know what else I need for the table.










Now that I had these done, I could kind of figure how big to make the drill press table. So I started measuring and such and found out the reason the kerf circles I made for some wheels were turning out deeper on one side than the other. My drill press plate is not level.










I plan to go ahead and make the table, but I'll definitely probably have to shim it, so it will level up. Dunno if this is normal for drill presses, but I know I need it dead flat or it throws off my wheels. More to come on this. I also have to design the table to have a larger sacrificial drill board, due to making as large as 4" circles with the cutter. I'm planning on a panel setup I think. I saw how one was done online. I'll post more as I start working on it tomorrow.


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

wolflrv said:


> *Drill Press Table-Part 1*
> 
> Next on my to-do list of shop improvements is my drill press table for my Craftsman 2/3HP drill press. I'm drilling all kinds of stuff and also using a wheel cutter to make wheels for my toys and models and the C-clamps I've been using to hold stuff down just aren't working well. So before I start my next round of toy making, I wanted to get this done.
> 
> ...


when it comes to your drill table then make a square hole just right under the drill head 
that hole should unly go half thrugh then you make one that is ½ inch smaller so you have a kind of a shuolder all the way round now you make some sacrificial square plates that fit in to the hole NO. 1 
hole NO.2 should be just slightly bigger than the biggest bit you ever will use

good luck with your drillpress 

Dennis


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

*Drill Press Table-Finished*

Finally finished my drill press table. Took me just a few hours to do most of it, but spent the last 3 hours working on the crank extension. After two trips to town I finally got it right!

It's rock solid and the new hold down clamps are working great too!

I can scratch this project off my to-do list finally! I'm gettin' there!


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## bj383ss (Dec 8, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Drill Press Table-Finished*
> 
> Finally finished my drill press table. Took me just a few hours to do most of it, but spent the last 3 hours working on the crank extension. After two trips to town I finally got it right!
> 
> ...


Looks good Wolf. Are you going to make a fence also?

Bret


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Drill Press Table-Finished*
> 
> Finally finished my drill press table. Took me just a few hours to do most of it, but spent the last 3 hours working on the crank extension. After two trips to town I finally got it right!
> 
> ...


Thx Bret! Dunno about the fence. I will if I need to, but there's not much clearance to the rear, so it would be a small one if I do. The hold downs work very well even on 2×4 thick boards, so should do fine with my 3/8" thick wheel stock. I'm going to make a small jig for vertically drilling the axles, which will be clamped with the hold downs, so just don't know if I need the fence yet. On what applications is a fence really necessary??


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## bj383ss (Dec 8, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Drill Press Table-Finished*
> 
> Finally finished my drill press table. Took me just a few hours to do most of it, but spent the last 3 hours working on the crank extension. After two trips to town I finally got it right!
> 
> ...


Well the main thing I use mine for is to register a jig against and then clamp the jig down with the hold downs. Also if you are drilling referenced holes in the same place on several pieces you can put a stop block on the fence.

Here is a pic of my fence very simple.










Not a great pic I can take one later today of it when I get home from work. If you need the plans for I have them.

Bret


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## Eagle1 (Jan 4, 2010)

wolflrv said:


> *Drill Press Table-Finished*
> 
> Finally finished my drill press table. Took me just a few hours to do most of it, but spent the last 3 hours working on the crank extension. After two trips to town I finally got it right!
> 
> ...


Nice job my friend. I really like how you did the hold downs.


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Drill Press Table-Finished*
> 
> Finally finished my drill press table. Took me just a few hours to do most of it, but spent the last 3 hours working on the crank extension. After two trips to town I finally got it right!
> 
> ...


Bret..that makes sense. You know though it takes me awhile to see the light at times..LOL! I have enough t-track left, I could make one to add pretty easily. What I'd rather see is a close up of how you have your drill bits done on the wall behind the drill press there. That's gonna be coming up soon on the to-do list. Still debating wall mount or drawers on the bench by the drill press. I like things put away, when I'm done, it makes cleaning up the sawdust so much easier!

Oh and btw…I did manage to get the drill press table dead-level. All it needed was a couple of thin washers on the front two mounting bolts. That should help the kerf problem on my wheels.

Thx Tim…I'm working hard to get things done in the shop..besides working on actual projects.


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

*Lumber Sorting, Workbench Shelf and Tablesaw DC Cabinet*

I've been working on several projects simultaneously. Finally hitting completion on a few and thought I'd post them.

First off is finally getting the lumber pile sorted, so that I can tell if I have a piece that will work or not. I started with this.









And after several days of sorting and donating to my brother-in-law's firewood pile, I ended up with this.










I can now go straight to the shelf, check stock, find the right piece and grab it!

Next up was my side workbench. It was getting very crowded and I have some new additions for it, that I had no room for. Here's the before shot.










And here's the after shot..










There will be more posted soon on this bench and the new additions.

Finally I got to redo the dust collection for my tablesaw. It was not clearing the sawdust well and was even spewing it back in my face and out the front of the saw. I also wanted wheels on it, so I didn't have to drag it around. Here's a pic of the old setup with saw removed.










And here's the new cabinet I built to replace it.














































Of course Jade(dog) wanted in on the action! BTW..before folks ask..nothing wrong with her eye…Aussies can have multi-colored spots in their eyes like that..totally normal. In fact that's how she got her name Jade. When she was a puppy the spot was green and looked like a jade tear sitting in her eye. Later it turned brown, but by then the name had stuck..LOL! Wife is in the chair in the background…she was a big help on this project!!

I'll be ordering a 4" coupler to properly connect the DC hose, but this will work for now. I built in a rear hatch so that I can access inside if need be, without having to remove the saw. It's a rather large cabinet, but so long as all the sawdust falls to the bottom, the DC should be able to get it. I also plan to attach hooks and hangers on the sides for various jigs and blades. I originally planned to build a side cabinet, to house tools and such, but decided against it for space savings. The cabinet itself is 28"x30"x24" with 2" wheels.

That's it for now, but more to come in the next week or so.


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## bj383ss (Dec 8, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Lumber Sorting, Workbench Shelf and Tablesaw DC Cabinet*
> 
> I've been working on several projects simultaneously. Finally hitting completion on a few and thought I'd post them.
> 
> ...


Lookin' good Wolf. I see another Tin Lizzie is in the works. It feels great to know what stock you have on hand doesn't it.

Bret


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *Lumber Sorting, Workbench Shelf and Tablesaw DC Cabinet*
> 
> I've been working on several projects simultaneously. Finally hitting completion on a few and thought I'd post them.
> 
> ...


I'm really lovin' the woodpile now!! It makes a huge difference!

And yeah…I'm making one more Model T car as well as the truck and the tank truck..so I'll have the complete set done. Then moving on to the construction vehicles…slowly working my way through Norm's book.


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

*New Rikon 10" Bandsaw, Drill Bit and Rotary Tool Carousels*

After seriously struggling with my old B&D bandsaw, I finally gave up, bit the bullet and got a new Rikon 10-305 10" Bandsaw. It's very nice and is cutting wonderfully with no blade wandering at all. I also have a 1/2" Woodslicer blade from Highland Woodworking for it, which I plan to try out soon.










Another project I've been working on is organizing my side bench better. In the last blog post I added the shelving above the bench to make room for the new carousels that I've been building. I'm trying to make more room in my toolbox and also have quicker access to most of the bits I need regularly. I've looked at countless drill bit organizers, indexes, cabinets, etc, but none quite fit the bill for my work area. So this is what I've come up with!




























The two carousels took about a week to build, paint and drill all 315 holes! They are mounted on 9" lazy susan turntables and are quite sturdy and very heavy.

The only thing I'm not happy with is the labeling on the drill bit carousel. It's hard to read for this ol' man, but I may repaint the numbers in white or something, to make them stand out more…not sure yet…but both work well and will definitely help me out in the shop!!


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## 03gtvert (Jan 16, 2012)

wolflrv said:


> *New Rikon 10" Bandsaw, Drill Bit and Rotary Tool Carousels*
> 
> After seriously struggling with my old B&D bandsaw, I finally gave up, bit the bullet and got a new Rikon 10-305 10" Bandsaw. It's very nice and is cutting wonderfully with no blade wandering at all. I also have a 1/2" Woodslicer blade from Highland Woodworking for it, which I plan to try out soon.
> 
> ...


Can you instruct me on what you did to make your drill press table adjust. I added a bigger table and now is awkward moving it up and down since the handle hits.


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## KayBee (Jul 6, 2009)

wolflrv said:


> *New Rikon 10" Bandsaw, Drill Bit and Rotary Tool Carousels*
> 
> After seriously struggling with my old B&D bandsaw, I finally gave up, bit the bullet and got a new Rikon 10-305 10" Bandsaw. It's very nice and is cutting wonderfully with no blade wandering at all. I also have a 1/2" Woodslicer blade from Highland Woodworking for it, which I plan to try out soon.
> 
> ...


I've seen drill bit lazy susans before, but never with the bins for parts. Brilliant idea!


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

wolflrv said:


> *New Rikon 10" Bandsaw, Drill Bit and Rotary Tool Carousels*
> 
> After seriously struggling with my old B&D bandsaw, I finally gave up, bit the bullet and got a new Rikon 10-305 10" Bandsaw. It's very nice and is cutting wonderfully with no blade wandering at all. I also have a 1/2" Woodslicer blade from Highland Woodworking for it, which I plan to try out soon.
> 
> ...


+1 on the parts bins. I really like that idea. I have a couple of carousels for my Foredom tool jewelry working bits and mandrels and that would be perfect for all those little sanding disks, rubber abrasive wheels and cones, etc.


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## wolflrv (Nov 28, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *New Rikon 10" Bandsaw, Drill Bit and Rotary Tool Carousels*
> 
> After seriously struggling with my old B&D bandsaw, I finally gave up, bit the bullet and got a new Rikon 10-305 10" Bandsaw. It's very nice and is cutting wonderfully with no blade wandering at all. I also have a 1/2" Woodslicer blade from Highland Woodworking for it, which I plan to try out soon.
> 
> ...


03gtvert…if you look at this link, it will show you a pick of the backside of the table and a better view of the extension. Basically, it's just a threaded pipe and a coupler. I did have to hollow out one end of the coupler and removed quite a bit of material inside for it to slide over the original handle post. Then I just drilled and tapped a set screw into the coupler, screwed the pipe into it and then reattached the handle and tightened that set screw. You can get threaded pipe in various lengths depending on your table width. Just make sure you get the right sized pipe to go through the existing handle. Parts total was about $5. I already had the taps.

Thanks for the comments KayBee and crank49! I still have one more small drawer for my cut-off wheels and grinding discs on the shelf above, but everything else fit into the carousel! I prefer to keep them separate, due to their being somewhat fragile. The parts tray was designed with 1/4" plywood, which I had to miter for each angle and then glued and brad nailed each piece as I went. Then I went back with some dry-dex and filled the cracks and plywood voids before painting. There are a few odd spots, but I think it turned ok and it's extremely sturdy!!


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## bj383ss (Dec 8, 2011)

wolflrv said:


> *New Rikon 10" Bandsaw, Drill Bit and Rotary Tool Carousels*
> 
> After seriously struggling with my old B&D bandsaw, I finally gave up, bit the bullet and got a new Rikon 10-305 10" Bandsaw. It's very nice and is cutting wonderfully with no blade wandering at all. I also have a 1/2" Woodslicer blade from Highland Woodworking for it, which I plan to try out soon.
> 
> ...


Those carousels look awesome Wolf. Great idea. I have a 150 pc set of drill bits in a big clunky plastic case my wife gave me for Xmas several years ago. One of these carousels would be perfect.

I am really happy you got the new bandsaw. It should serve you well for many years and many projects. Its like going from a Yugo to a Cadillac compared to your old one. I don't see a dust hose hooke up yet though? Hehe.

That was definatley a good surprise.

Bret


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## SantaPaulaCraftsman (Nov 24, 2009)

wolflrv said:


> *New Rikon 10" Bandsaw, Drill Bit and Rotary Tool Carousels*
> 
> After seriously struggling with my old B&D bandsaw, I finally gave up, bit the bullet and got a new Rikon 10-305 10" Bandsaw. It's very nice and is cutting wonderfully with no blade wandering at all. I also have a 1/2" Woodslicer blade from Highland Woodworking for it, which I plan to try out soon.
> 
> ...


This is a great idea. Everything in sight with one look… better than digging around in several boxes.


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