# Five years later, Workshop Remodel. Going from pretty to functional



## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

*Demolition*

At least five years ago I cleaned out an old garrison garage at the family home, took out a center wall and made a 25×25 ft shop. It looked great. Really nice. Everything in it's place, drafting table, bulletin board, Dry erase marker board. All my power tools on one side where the dust collector was and an assembly area on the other side. I made a 'new fangled bench' which to this day is a nice bench. The original shop form back then can be seen at my workshop page.
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The shop functioned and I've made a lot of neat things over the years. Coming from a sort of woodworking newbie, asking a lot of questions, and developing some skills. Since then, this year, I've finally gotten to the point where our whole house remodel is done enough to be comfortable even though I've got lots of odds and ends to complete. Some of those odds and ends is furniture. I've decided to stop and redo the shop first.
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It still functions but I've really sort of worn it out a bit. I need to rethink and redo the dust collection system. The way I put it together was okay but it's finally falling apart and doesn't do the best job of dust collection. I've acquired more power tools and keeping them on one side of the shop makes for a crowded situation. I have to remodel.
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The first thing to do is to get rid of a large against the wall workbench with lots of drawers in it. Today, I started that. I pulled out the drawers and stacked them. The stuff in them I realize is mostly hoarders stuff and it can be relocated or thrown away. My older brother had built the bench years ago before I inherited it. It was a good bench but sort of useless. He was the kind of guy who over built things by a factor of 10x. What a a job knocking it apart. Spikes the size of my finger to hold it together. I finally got it into the truck ready to haul to the dump.
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I have this thing about projects that require demolition. I like to build things but tearing things down is a drag. I have to force myself to start the demolition and when it's done I feel the obstacle to my doing something is getting by the demolition part. I'm glad this part is done.

Plans for the shop:
~Redo the dust collection system using pvc and connected only to the 'chip' making tools like planer, jointer and router table.
~Moving the fine dust tools to the previous bench side of the room and connecting them to a large shop vac which I think exits less dust. Bringing just dust making tools too the vac should handle the load pretty good.
~Taking my table saw off the metal stand and putting it on a wooden one that is a bit lower (I'm not that tall), and building a dust encloser with vac beneath it.
~ Giving away my 'new fangled workbench' to my future son in law. (He's indicated he wants it) and building an assembly table that is the same height as the table saw so it doubles as an outfeed table.
~Putting my much used 12" compound sliding miter saw on a mobile cart with wings that is the same height as the outfeed table and table saw so longer wood can be supported by them.
~ Replacing burned out ballasts in some lights.
~ Moving most used clamps and other tools to the new assembly table.
~ Building in a corner of the outfeed table with holes and vac to collect dust while sanding.
~ Integrating the Kreg pocket hole jig into the assembly bench as I use it often.
~ Integrating one pop-up stop in the assembly bench for planing and stopping wood during routing.
~ Making one side of the bench with two pipe clamps to use as a vise.
~ Designing the bench top over hang wide enough and thin enough to use as a clamping edge. I find that I clamp woods down a lot instead of putting them in a vise or using a stop.
~ I find that drawers, even closed, fill up with sawdust. I want cabinets or drawers inside cabinets for the assembley table. Still dusty but hopefully less and easier to clean out.
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Here are a few pictures of today's demolition. With this done, things will start happening. The renovation includes a thorough cleaning and repair of wall areas too.
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Where the bench was before today








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The bench headed for the dump.








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The only thing left.. the drawers









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An old picture. You can see the bench I tore out on the left.


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

deceiver said:


> *Demolition*
> 
> At least five years ago I cleaned out an old garrison garage at the family home, took out a center wall and made a 25×25 ft shop. It looked great. Really nice. Everything in it's place, drafting table, bulletin board, Dry erase marker board. All my power tools on one side where the dust collector was and an assembly area on the other side. I made a 'new fangled bench' which to this day is a nice bench. The original shop form back then can be seen at my workshop page.
> .
> ...


Since you have to do some light work. The manager at the VFW hall where we have our woodworking meetings told me that they converted to LED style lights. They kept the same light fixtures and replaced them with the ballasts that support the new LED tubes.

I don't know what I'm talking about other than he said they didn't replace the metal fixtures but converted them to LED's and they are saving over $500.00 a month on electricity for the hall.

You might check them out and maybe spend some money to save some money.


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## woodsmithshop (Sep 10, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *Demolition*
> 
> At least five years ago I cleaned out an old garrison garage at the family home, took out a center wall and made a 25×25 ft shop. It looked great. Really nice. Everything in it's place, drafting table, bulletin board, Dry erase marker board. All my power tools on one side where the dust collector was and an assembly area on the other side. I made a 'new fangled bench' which to this day is a nice bench. The original shop form back then can be seen at my workshop page.
> .
> ...


I have to do the same thing every so often, you think that you have a more efficient, or easier way sometimes it is true sometimes not. but, you have to try, I think it is just getting tired of doing things the same way all the time, or looking at the same configuration of the shop that gets old after a while, so you have to change.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *Demolition*
> 
> At least five years ago I cleaned out an old garrison garage at the family home, took out a center wall and made a 25×25 ft shop. It looked great. Really nice. Everything in it's place, drafting table, bulletin board, Dry erase marker board. All my power tools on one side where the dust collector was and an assembly area on the other side. I made a 'new fangled bench' which to this day is a nice bench. The original shop form back then can be seen at my workshop page.
> .
> ...


thanks Karson. During the house remodel I put in LED's whenever I could and will eventually convert over completely, I love them. In the case of the shop though. I have lots of good lighting, Fixtures that will hold 20 four foot tubes. I have each fixture half filled with two tubes, which works out great. Ten florescent tubes is about $12. That's about the price for one LED. If I was in the shop every day, all day, it might make a difference. At the cost though it would take a long time to notice the savings with how I use them.

For those of you still liking incandescent bulbs. The other day congress put a hold on the efficiency limit for them. Since 90% of the electricity goes out as heat and 10% light, you could heat the shop with them. I don't think the bulb companies will go back to making them though. they've already tooled up for newer stuff.


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

deceiver said:


> *Demolition*
> 
> At least five years ago I cleaned out an old garrison garage at the family home, took out a center wall and made a 25×25 ft shop. It looked great. Really nice. Everything in it's place, drafting table, bulletin board, Dry erase marker board. All my power tools on one side where the dust collector was and an assembly area on the other side. I made a 'new fangled bench' which to this day is a nice bench. The original shop form back then can be seen at my workshop page.
> .
> ...


spring fever has hit early…lol…go for it dan, make it how you want it, fe sure…and have an enjoyable time doing it…


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## RHaynes (Dec 18, 2013)

deceiver said:


> *Demolition*
> 
> At least five years ago I cleaned out an old garrison garage at the family home, took out a center wall and made a 25×25 ft shop. It looked great. Really nice. Everything in it's place, drafting table, bulletin board, Dry erase marker board. All my power tools on one side where the dust collector was and an assembly area on the other side. I made a 'new fangled bench' which to this day is a nice bench. The original shop form back then can be seen at my workshop page.
> .
> ...


Wow, when you said overbuilt, you weren't kidding. Holy [email protected]&!!!


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## doordude (Mar 26, 2010)

deceiver said:


> *Demolition*
> 
> At least five years ago I cleaned out an old garrison garage at the family home, took out a center wall and made a 25×25 ft shop. It looked great. Really nice. Everything in it's place, drafting table, bulletin board, Dry erase marker board. All my power tools on one side where the dust collector was and an assembly area on the other side. I made a 'new fangled bench' which to this day is a nice bench. The original shop form back then can be seen at my workshop page.
> .
> ...


cleaning and redoing stations is fun! you'll thank yourself later. are you going to repurpose those drawers into…more storage holders? you could rip off the fronts, and put some nice cherry on the front.
my two cents.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *Demolition*
> 
> At least five years ago I cleaned out an old garrison garage at the family home, took out a center wall and made a 25×25 ft shop. It looked great. Really nice. Everything in it's place, drafting table, bulletin board, Dry erase marker board. All my power tools on one side where the dust collector was and an assembly area on the other side. I made a 'new fangled bench' which to this day is a nice bench. The original shop form back then can be seen at my workshop page.
> .
> ...


The drawers were made when I was in high school in 1973, forty years ago. they're just plywood and pine, lap jointed. No runners so they always opened hard. The fronts are plywood with formica on them. It was all the rage back then. So, if I can't find use for them as boxes I'll just toss them. I try not to 'collect' too much stuff I won't use lately. And when I redo the shop it will mostly be birch plywood with 2×10's cut in multiple pieces to size to use for internal framing. I find that spruce, jointed and planed can be made to any configuration and is very cost effective.
I love to work in oak, cherry, maple, and walnut, but for my shop furniture, I try to do a good job but it's structural and I can't put all that money into it. Functional and quickly made is my goal. I try to make what I can do with the shop as the stuff that looks better than the shop. The goal is the shop products, not the shop for pretty.


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## doordude (Mar 26, 2010)

deceiver said:


> *Demolition*
> 
> At least five years ago I cleaned out an old garrison garage at the family home, took out a center wall and made a 25×25 ft shop. It looked great. Really nice. Everything in it's place, drafting table, bulletin board, Dry erase marker board. All my power tools on one side where the dust collector was and an assembly area on the other side. I made a 'new fangled bench' which to this day is a nice bench. The original shop form back then can be seen at my workshop page.
> .
> ...


cheap and functional is always good. how's your winter weather this year? are you getting more of the cold than usual? Do you run a heater while out in your shop?
sometimes its too cold in my shop to work. but once I get out there; then I get in to working ; then its ok.
Our temps, here lately, has been 30 to 35 at night; and 58 to mid 70's of late. It's summer; In mid January. we're really going to pay for this later. Wild fires, and water rationing, with higher pay for products that uses water. ie, food. Loving it in the Napa Valley…


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *Demolition*
> 
> At least five years ago I cleaned out an old garrison garage at the family home, took out a center wall and made a 25×25 ft shop. It looked great. Really nice. Everything in it's place, drafting table, bulletin board, Dry erase marker board. All my power tools on one side where the dust collector was and an assembly area on the other side. I made a 'new fangled bench' which to this day is a nice bench. The original shop form back then can be seen at my workshop page.
> .
> ...


Well, DD, here in Maine we had a few weeks of the unprecedented 'winter vortex' basically about 15 during the day and 0 to -10 at night. Once it broke we had a balmy 45 and now it's settling to seasonably normal about 30/20 day/night. It's supposed to get colder next week tough. I run the heater about 20 minutes then go out into the shop. Work is fine then and in about an hour I'm in my t-shirt. During the coldest days we just hunkered down and did some netflix and great football games in the playoffs. Patriots are all the rage up here.

When the stuff in the stores goes up because of the weather and disasters we simply move to other things. Not everything comes from the same place. Here in Maine we pull from every corner of the country as our growing season is good but short… so fresh supplies of stuff are only a few months out of the year. We don't sweat it much, just switch from carrots to turnips so to speak. Mainers are notorious frugality people. If things go up then they can keep it. We're used to adapting. Good to hear from you.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

*Wheels for everything*

Well, I haven't gotten much done on the shop remodel since i first posted. I can heat the shop but the temperature has been so very cold that hunkering down with netflix is what ends up happening lately. I did do some sheetrock taping after I got the bench out and I do have plywood and mdf waiting on saw horses to be cut up for the new assembly table and table saw base.

But, I did get my order of swivel 3" wheels with brakes from harbor freight. After looking at Dusty's review from a couple years ago. I ordered 28 of them, yup, 28. Of the few tools that I have on wheels now, they are the most versatile and easy to clean around of them all. Everything is going on wheels. If I want to I can spread the tools out or stack them in a corner of the shop to make room for a larger project. After 5 years I'm sold on mobility if space is limited. Anyway, $3.69 at HF right now. Dusty gave them a thumbs up and the multitude of reviews at the HF site are positive. They seem well made and I'm hopeful they'll work out. Each one is rated at 125 lbs. Rubber swivel with brakes. The brake lever is plastic but it pushes down and engages a metal tab that hits the wheel.









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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

deceiver said:


> *Wheels for everything*
> 
> Well, I haven't gotten much done on the shop remodel since i first posted. I can heat the shop but the temperature has been so very cold that hunkering down with netflix is what ends up happening lately. I did do some sheetrock taping after I got the bench out and I do have plywood and mdf waiting on saw horses to be cut up for the new assembly table and table saw base.
> 
> ...


thats a good plan, i think your right on with things, the wheels look good and if there are as many good thumbs up on them then all should be good…i heat my shop with a wood stove, but its been so cold here it takes quite a bit to get warm enough and right now im like you , just a bit nicer to watch a movie or do some reading…and ive burned a lot of wood this winter and my wood stack is getting low, so now its pick and choose what days i go out in this really cold stuff….it hasnt been this cold down here since ive lived here…i thought the south was suppose to stay warm during the winter…lol…


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## sandhill (Aug 28, 2007)

deceiver said:


> *Wheels for everything*
> 
> Well, I haven't gotten much done on the shop remodel since i first posted. I can heat the shop but the temperature has been so very cold that hunkering down with netflix is what ends up happening lately. I did do some sheetrock taping after I got the bench out and I do have plywood and mdf waiting on saw horses to be cut up for the new assembly table and table saw base.
> 
> ...


I have bought 16 of the casters from HF and used them on all my mobile stations and found them to be great. I do however wish I got all swivel locking casters to make it move in any direction. Some parts of my shop are not level enough and one caster will be up enough causing the station to move when you push on it so I have to adjust the position so its more stable.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

*Table saw base*

In my quest to redo the shop better after 5 years of beating it up.

Heated the shop for a short while today. I took my old delta/rockwell 10" table saw off the metal legs and put it on this base I made today. The locking wheels on the other base made the saw too high. I brought this one low, the same height as a bench would be for me, 34". The outfeed/assembly table I'll make next will be the same height. So will the new movable miter saw table. Everkthing is made of 3/4" plywood and 2×10's sliced up and straightened for framing. Very cost effective way to build but still it seems to add up too much.
This saw isn't anything special but I almost always only rip with it. It's a lumber straightener after I've jointed it. All cross cutting is done with my Bosch 12" compound slider. 
After this I've got to finish taping some sheetrock, do some painting, install better dust collection conduit and move tools around now that I got that wall workbench out of the way. Along with that a lot of other odds and ends.
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The corners are just decorative molding. It's heavily framed inside with glue and screws. Good thing too; moving this from one base to another was a hoot.
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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *Table saw base*
> 
> In my quest to redo the shop better after 5 years of beating it up.
> 
> ...


looks great Daniel


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

deceiver said:


> *Table saw base*
> 
> In my quest to redo the shop better after 5 years of beating it up.
> 
> ...


gee dan i hope you didnt hurt your back moving the saw, i like the new roll around you put it on. when your all done with your changes, you will have a new shop to work in, this change is going to give you a better shop, one you feel good about.


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## Racer2007 (Jan 13, 2011)

deceiver said:


> *Table saw base*
> 
> In my quest to redo the shop better after 5 years of beating it up.
> 
> ...


How do like that delta/rockwell 10" table saw ? I keep seeing them come up on Craigs List with some pretty good prices and wondered how good they are.
Nice looking base for it bye the way.


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## sandhill (Aug 28, 2007)

deceiver said:


> *Table saw base*
> 
> In my quest to redo the shop better after 5 years of beating it up.
> 
> ...


Great way to start the year off.


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## Bogeyguy (Sep 26, 2012)

deceiver said:


> *Table saw base*
> 
> In my quest to redo the shop better after 5 years of beating it up.
> 
> ...


I like it Dan, looks good. I have that table saw also. Good saw, lousy fence. But I make it work.


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## doordude (Mar 26, 2010)

deceiver said:


> *Table saw base*
> 
> In my quest to redo the shop better after 5 years of beating it up.
> 
> ...


looks like you're making progress! I bet it is cold where you are today. Did you see the snarled traffic in Atlanta, with the road ice?


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *Table saw base*
> 
> In my quest to redo the shop better after 5 years of beating it up.
> 
> ...


for those asking about the saw. It's a 10" purchased in the mid 80's. Since I almost only use it for ripping stuff I can't speak for using it as a finish tool. It handles wood well. It seems to have enough power to do so. My nephew has the sawstop 1.75 hp contractors saw. I must say that compared to mine it seems to have a bit more power. I don't cut much thicker stuff than 1" hard wood. Ripping 2×4's and other soft woods isn't much of an issue. I keep my blade sharp to help. And if I invested in a good ripping blade I'd probably notice a difference. Right now I'm using a combination blade as i sometimes need to crosscut or do plywood. I've certainly put it through it's paces. I've alway kept it running on a dedicated #12 or #10 wire to keep the motor from straining to much.
I've been wondering if i changed out a pulley on the motor for a slightly smaller one if it might change the mechanical advantage. It would slow the blade down a little but give it more power. Anyway, the fence works fine for ripping wood. It's a heavy beast for it's size, lost of cast iron and a very heavy gear system. For those looking at them on craigslist, the original price back then was about $500.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

*New assembly bench underway*

The past couple of days I've been putting together a new assembly bench. My new fangled work bench, although a great bench, is going to my 'soon to be' son in law. It's a super bench for those who use a lot of hand tools. I don't that much but do a lot of assembly. This bench will fulfill that purpose. 
It will be 50×52" when finished. It's the exact height minus 1/8" of my table saw so it will also be an outfeed table. When I make the new mobile miter saw stand I'll make it the same height too so the outfeed table can assist that also.

It's on those HF locking casters I blogged about previously. I must say, this bench is hefty but I can grab the corner of it and roll it back and forth with fair ease. The casters also lock well and the brake come off with a slight upflip of my toe.

The top is not on yet but it will be mdf with a removable 1/8" tempered hardboard top. There will be 1" thick spruce edging around the whole thing. The top is also reinforced at the corners with the thickness of three plywood squares. I figure the corners might see the most use and be more prone to stress. It also solved the problem of how to brace it within the sandwich. I don't think it will be an issue now. Lots of glue and screws help. The top will be about 4" thick. I need good clamping strength and area. The overhang is 6" on three sides and 12" on one side to accommodate the table saw motor which hangs out the back when I use this as an outfeed table.

The framing is all ripped from spruce 2×10's and the skin is poplar plywood. The top is/will be MDF and tempered hardboard. Again, this stuff is expensive enough. I shopped for what was on sale. If it had been sanded pine plywood then it would be made out of that. I like shop tools well made and functional but I'll be damned if I'm going to make them out of mahogany. I'll save that for the stuff that goes in the house. I've also been using up lots of scraps of particle board and plywood from other projects. A good way to get this stuff out of the way and get some room in here.

I made two cabinets in one side with slide out trays that I picked up at a salavage store for a song. I'll build some shelving to mount to each one later. The back side has a large cubby that I plan on putting my little craftsman compressor in. I have a 60 gallon one piped in from down stairs in the garage but most of the time I need a fraction of that air. Starting up the big one is overkill for the pin nailer. The larger compressor I do need for spraying and rotary tools though.

Tomorrow I should get the top on and edging finished. I'll leave it after that and work on getting the other tools mobile. Remember the whole point of this, after 5 yrs of working in this shop, is to remake it to be more suitable for what I do. Till next time….









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## kenn (Mar 19, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *New assembly bench underway*
> 
> The past couple of days I've been putting together a new assembly bench. My new fangled work bench, although a great bench, is going to my 'soon to be' son in law. It's a super bench for those who use a lot of hand tools. I don't that much but do a lot of assembly. This bench will fulfill that purpose.
> It will be 50×52" when finished. It's the exact height minus 1/8" of my table saw so it will also be an outfeed table. When I make the new mobile miter saw stand I'll make it the same height too so the outfeed table can assist that also.
> ...


Looks great and I think you'll get more than 5 years of use out of it. I'm going more towards hand tools but a large assembly table still appeals to me. Glad your "soon to be" son-in-law likes woodworking, that's nice.


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

deceiver said:


> *New assembly bench underway*
> 
> The past couple of days I've been putting together a new assembly bench. My new fangled work bench, although a great bench, is going to my 'soon to be' son in law. It's a super bench for those who use a lot of hand tools. I don't that much but do a lot of assembly. This bench will fulfill that purpose.
> It will be 50×52" when finished. It's the exact height minus 1/8" of my table saw so it will also be an outfeed table. When I make the new mobile miter saw stand I'll make it the same height too so the outfeed table can assist that also.
> ...


things are coming along really well, and your having a great time making your shop just right for what you do, it couldn't be better…


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## sandhill (Aug 28, 2007)

deceiver said:


> *New assembly bench underway*
> 
> The past couple of days I've been putting together a new assembly bench. My new fangled work bench, although a great bench, is going to my 'soon to be' son in law. It's a super bench for those who use a lot of hand tools. I don't that much but do a lot of assembly. This bench will fulfill that purpose.
> It will be 50×52" when finished. It's the exact height minus 1/8" of my table saw so it will also be an outfeed table. When I make the new mobile miter saw stand I'll make it the same height too so the outfeed table can assist that also.
> ...


Neat, I like that. It looks like things are moving along.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

*The whole shop on wheels, assembly table, and remodeling messiness.*

The place is a pulled apart mess but this is a progress blog on a 5 year rebuild of my shop so I guess I'll post. The past couple of days I managed to get everything (except the drill press) on wheels. In a previous blog I showed the 28 locking wheels i purchased from HF. Well, they're all mounted. The goal of this is to be able to keep things against the wall and pull each unit out to use it. I'm not one to make pristine furniture for power tools. Sturdy and functional is my goal. And it's expensive enough to purchase the materials to make the stuff. Many of the older cabinets I made for these tools will be just fine after I clean them up a bit.
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The wall where I tore out the bench has the 'dusty' but not used as much tools. These will be attached to a large craftsman shop vac using 4" pvc and gates. The shop vac handles the finer dust better than my delta unit and I don't use these tools as much. These include two belt sanders, bandsaw an scroll saw.
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On the other side of the shop are the 'chip' making tools. I use these a lot. The router table, jointer, and planer. These will be connected to my 1 hp Delta dust collector. It's always worked well for these tools. I'm planning on eventually wall mounting the dust collector with a thein baffle and something to catch the fine dust.
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Here's a view of the assembly table I finished the other day. I'm getting rid of my workbench and using this table. It's got two slide out trays behind cabinet doors, a cubby for the small compressor and it's wired for power. The top is lined with tempered hardboard that is removable. I'll post something about the unit as soon as I get the place put together more. Right now it's a catchall for all the stuff I've had to move around.
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The pile of dust collections stuff I took off the walls. This time I'm using PVC with flexible hose only coming away from the walls to pull out machines to use.
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I've got to get this complete in the next few weeks. I've got a murphy bed (hardware ordered) and a hope chest for daughters wedding shower to make by mid/late spring. Then I've got to get back to the house remodeling. I left a stairway unfinished and baseboards not done along with some furniture and a dozen odds and ends. By rebuilding the shop first it these things should go more smoothly.


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## whitebeast88 (May 27, 2012)

deceiver said:


> *The whole shop on wheels, assembly table, and remodeling messiness.*
> 
> The place is a pulled apart mess but this is a progress blog on a 5 year rebuild of my shop so I guess I'll post. The past couple of days I managed to get everything (except the drill press) on wheels. In a previous blog I showed the 28 locking wheels i purchased from HF. Well, they're all mounted. The goal of this is to be able to keep things against the wall and pull each unit out to use it. I'm not one to make pristine furniture for power tools. Sturdy and functional is my goal. And it's expensive enough to purchase the materials to make the stuff. Many of the older cabinets I made for these tools will be just fine after I clean them up a bit.
> .
> ...


coming along nicely.it should help you out greatly in the shop.i'm in the process of doing the same,making everything mobile and piping my dust collection.thanks for keeping us posted.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

*Cleaning (secret weapon)*

I've finally gotten the major stuff done, benches demolished, new ones made, dust collection upgrade, tools moved around, and a generally putting away out of dust site. It seems like the shop has doubled in sized after all the renovations. But…..









One thing left to do. A thorough 'dust' cleaning. If it's one thing I've learned in the past 6 years is that dust collects equally on horizontal as vertical surfaces. And anything that is out.. any tool will collect a film of dust that will get thicker over time is it's not cleaned off. Hopefully the methods that I've taken and am about to take will lessen that. I don't believe that it can be cut down completely and there will always be too much that will get through. But the shop is now set up so that everything can be moved to clean it or behind it. Today the secret weapon was my wife. She's been asking when she can come out to clean for a couple of weeks. Well, today it happened. Rags flew, we used simple green in buckets of water. Joyce shop vacced with nozzle and brush to vacuum walls, floors, cabinets, and tools. We both dirtied several buckets of water and simple green washing everything. All came off the walls and was cleaned. All walls were cleaned. We washed the ceiling and sponge mopped the floor. After about 3 hours we claimed it finished for now. The secret weapon is a 'wife'. None of them are stealth but this one knows how to get it done. Thanks Joyce….
.
I'll be posting some blog entries in the near future and some video of the improvements I've made. Some of them include the remaking of a 1 hp delta dust collector that includes water filtering fine dust collection, features of a large multifunction assembly table, Mitre saw stand, Complete shop tool mobility, shrinking PVC to fit almost any fitting, and a bunch of other stuff.
.
Same general area before cleaning, from a picture a week ago.
.


----------



## toeachhisown (Eddie) (Mar 30, 2011)

deceiver said:


> *Cleaning (secret weapon)*
> 
> I've finally gotten the major stuff done, benches demolished, new ones made, dust collection upgrade, tools moved around, and a generally putting away out of dust site. It seems like the shop has doubled in sized after all the renovations. But…..
> 
> ...


Dan and Joyce it looks a lot more roomer and organized , as they say down here yall got er done ,looks great and know your glad ,thats a lot of work there looking good my friend at least you want spend your time looking for some thing as i do now got to do the same .


----------



## Handtooler (Jul 24, 2012)

deceiver said:


> *Cleaning (secret weapon)*
> 
> I've finally gotten the major stuff done, benches demolished, new ones made, dust collection upgrade, tools moved around, and a generally putting away out of dust site. It seems like the shop has doubled in sized after all the renovations. But…..
> 
> ...


Fine job! And, although I vacuum and blow my shop regularly, it always has dust everywhere it seems. Of course a lot of sanding increases the dust. Thanks in advance for what's to come. Particularly shrinking pvc and water filtering dust collection.


----------



## theoldfart (Sep 9, 2011)

deceiver said:


> *Cleaning (secret weapon)*
> 
> I've finally gotten the major stuff done, benches demolished, new ones made, dust collection upgrade, tools moved around, and a generally putting away out of dust site. It seems like the shop has doubled in sized after all the renovations. But…..
> 
> ...


Dan, glad I could help with the shop cleaning, I love the bits you sent. :0). I am in the process of building a bench and when that is done my shop will get a major cleanup. We go up the coast of Maine in June every year so maybe we can get together and I can repay your generosity.


----------



## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

deceiver said:


> *Cleaning (secret weapon)*
> 
> I've finally gotten the major stuff done, benches demolished, new ones made, dust collection upgrade, tools moved around, and a generally putting away out of dust site. It seems like the shop has doubled in sized after all the renovations. But…..
> 
> ...


i like the look here, i will leave my shop door unlocked, you may clean it at any time, if you need any other dusting tools, let me know , i will gladly let you have them…


----------



## redryder (Nov 28, 2009)

deceiver said:


> *Cleaning (secret weapon)*
> 
> I've finally gotten the major stuff done, benches demolished, new ones made, dust collection upgrade, tools moved around, and a generally putting away out of dust site. It seems like the shop has doubled in sized after all the renovations. But…..
> 
> ...


I see people nit picking over dust collector upgrades all the time. Everyone knows that any horizontal surface will be the best dust collector you can get.

Am I the only one who see's it…............


----------



## changeoffocus (Dec 21, 2013)

deceiver said:


> *Cleaning (secret weapon)*
> 
> I've finally gotten the major stuff done, benches demolished, new ones made, dust collection upgrade, tools moved around, and a generally putting away out of dust site. It seems like the shop has doubled in sized after all the renovations. But…..
> 
> ...


I think my laptop screen may be in the running.


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

deceiver said:


> *Cleaning (secret weapon)*
> 
> I've finally gotten the major stuff done, benches demolished, new ones made, dust collection upgrade, tools moved around, and a generally putting away out of dust site. It seems like the shop has doubled in sized after all the renovations. But…..
> 
> ...


Your shop looks GREAT!

And your wife is a definite keeper. I can't even imagine what would happen if I suggested my wife help clean the shop! I can promise it wouldn't be pretty! My granddaughter, on the other hand would help her papadoc.


----------



## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *Cleaning (secret weapon)*
> 
> I've finally gotten the major stuff done, benches demolished, new ones made, dust collection upgrade, tools moved around, and a generally putting away out of dust site. It seems like the shop has doubled in sized after all the renovations. But…..
> 
> ...


Oldfart: Anytime. We live on a lake with a deck on top of a boathouse. Come on down when you get to Maine. BBQ's on the deck are a speciality. Love to have you.


----------



## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *Cleaning (secret weapon)*
> 
> I've finally gotten the major stuff done, benches demolished, new ones made, dust collection upgrade, tools moved around, and a generally putting away out of dust site. It seems like the shop has doubled in sized after all the renovations. But…..
> 
> ...


Redryder… that was the look I was going for. Glad you recognized it. Looks like we're better fed though.. ;-)


----------



## doordude (Mar 26, 2010)

deceiver said:


> *Cleaning (secret weapon)*
> 
> I've finally gotten the major stuff done, benches demolished, new ones made, dust collection upgrade, tools moved around, and a generally putting away out of dust site. It seems like the shop has doubled in sized after all the renovations. But…..
> 
> ...


I'm sure your shop helper will appreciate you; when you open up the wallet, for a job well done.
And it does look bigger now!


----------



## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

*Water dust filter interest*

In my last post I mentioned the building of a fine dust filter using water. I've had a number of people send me private messages inquiring about it. So, I've decided to prematurely talk about it before it's done or even know if it works so that people can have their questions answered. And maybe some other heads involved might provide some insight into what I might expect. This may not work at all.

Below is a picture of what I've done so far. Some of the drawn in parts are what I still need to do. Parts are on order. To date, I've eliminated the damn top and bottom cloth bags that are a bear to reinstall. I've turned the collector upside down so that the inlet is now at the top with motor at the bottom. The cowling inside is made something like a thein collector with out the baffle. I was only interested in making the container easier to remove and empty. I wasn't interested in a pre-collector barrel. I don't fear anything damaging the steel impeller. So those wondering why I have sort of looking thein collector directly on the unit.. well it isn't a thein collector. It's just an easier to empty collector.
.








.

When I fired up the unit the chips never go up the pipe. They always go down. So, no chips leave the unit. It's the dust that must be getting through that I'm interested in. This is only a 1 hp collector hence the 4" pipe inlet and outlet. The unit works much better than it did with the bags. I took the flexible hose off the router table you see on the right and opened the baffle. A pile of sawdust and wood chips will be cleaned off my hand if I hold them about 6" away from the opening.

*The water part*

I haven't implemented the water stuff yet. The only thing I have installed is the vertical 1/2" pvc pipe inside the 4" one.

The plan is that with thin slits cut about every 6" on the pipe on three sides I can create a water bath that the dust has to pass through. I've ordered a pond pump from amazon. A pond pump is made to run a small fountain in a pond and be able to accept some level of debris without clogging. It's submersible and runs on 110V. I'll connect the pump to the bottom of the 1/2" pipe that has slits. The pump will grab water from the bucket and spray it out through the slits on the sides of the pipe. The top of the spray pipe is capped. As air and dust is forced through the dust collector outlet it will pass through and over the water spray and the dust will be trapped in the water and drain down the sides of the 4" pipe back to the bucket to be used again. I would have to add water to the unit periodically as it evaporated. I've never seemed to have any moisture issues in my shop as it's a garrison type building atop my garage. So, I don't think the water evaporation will be an issue. Besides it's only running periodically with a power tool. The newly installed plugs on the wall have a switch on them so that when I switch on the unit, the pump and collector will start and stop together.

I hope all this made sense. I have absolutely no idea if this will all work. In my mind it will so that's all I need for now to waste my time trying. (I did save the bags though!). I know there are instances where water has been used before, in some home vacuums and commercial sheetrock sanding vacuums so it does work someplace.

I'll let you know when I get the rest of it all connected. I've got other things to make first. For now, it collects dust as good or better than it ever did with the bags. Hopefully later on the fine stuff will get collected too. Fingers crossed.

Any thoughts???


----------



## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

deceiver said:


> *Water dust filter interest*
> 
> In my last post I mentioned the building of a fine dust filter using water. I've had a number of people send me private messages inquiring about it. So, I've decided to prematurely talk about it before it's done or even know if it works so that people can have their questions answered. And maybe some other heads involved might provide some insight into what I might expect. This may not work at all.
> 
> ...


I hope it works.

When I mentioned doing something on that order everyone told me how I would cause all of my tools to rust, seemingly overnight.
Since the humidity in my shop is normally less than 30%, I doubt the raise in moisture would be an issue, especially with the short time the system would be running.

I never did anything with the idea after that, not because I didn't think it would work but my health issues and life in general got in the way.


----------



## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *Water dust filter interest*
> 
> In my last post I mentioned the building of a fine dust filter using water. I've had a number of people send me private messages inquiring about it. So, I've decided to prematurely talk about it before it's done or even know if it works so that people can have their questions answered. And maybe some other heads involved might provide some insight into what I might expect. This may not work at all.
> 
> ...


I sometimes keep a coffee pot steaming in the shop. Never had an issue. I heat propane and an unvented heater too. Still no issues.


----------



## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

deceiver said:


> *Water dust filter interest*
> 
> In my last post I mentioned the building of a fine dust filter using water. I've had a number of people send me private messages inquiring about it. So, I've decided to prematurely talk about it before it's done or even know if it works so that people can have their questions answered. And maybe some other heads involved might provide some insight into what I might expect. This may not work at all.
> 
> ...


I would be interested to see if this works at all.. I have 2 things that spring to mind…

#1. Sounds like the old "Ranbow" vacuum cleaners. Which ostensibly filter out the nasty stuff being sucked out of your carpet through water before putting clean air back out where you are breathing… I have seen the gunk they pick up and it's nasty, but how much nasty gets put back into the air? Dunno…

#2. I hate to use this reference, but a bong, I.E. a Marijuana smokers water pipe. As I understand it, it is supposed to cool down the smoke, and condense it, but still allow what the marijuana smoker wants, the smoke complete with particles and THC, through…

The air will travel through the water chamber, typically in bubbles, untouched by the water, so I suspect the majority of the particles will pass through uncaught.

I would hope you have something along the lines of a Dylos meter to test this with… It would be a good way to prove / disprove this either way…


----------



## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *Water dust filter interest*
> 
> In my last post I mentioned the building of a fine dust filter using water. I've had a number of people send me private messages inquiring about it. So, I've decided to prematurely talk about it before it's done or even know if it works so that people can have their questions answered. And maybe some other heads involved might provide some insight into what I might expect. This may not work at all.
> 
> ...


I understand about water traveling through the water chamber in bubbles untouched but in this case there is no water chamber. It's a multiple sheet of sprayed water. The bucket is simply something for the water to fall into. Still I don't know. I can't imagine dust escaping after being dissolved in water. if it gets dissolved at all.


----------



## changeoffocus (Dec 21, 2013)

deceiver said:


> *Water dust filter interest*
> 
> In my last post I mentioned the building of a fine dust filter using water. I've had a number of people send me private messages inquiring about it. So, I've decided to prematurely talk about it before it's done or even know if it works so that people can have their questions answered. And maybe some other heads involved might provide some insight into what I might expect. This may not work at all.
> 
> ...


Interesting approach, I'd maybe try a piece of that perforated flat garden hose rather than doing the work on the 1/2" pipe just for a test. 
I would try to get the water to atomize which might take more than a fountain pump, maybe try it out with city or well water throttled to the point where it atomizes. 
I feel those fines need to get wet to remove them. 
Paint shops use a similar method where the paint laden air is ran across a water fall like a swamp cooler or evaporative cooling tower. 
Another thought might be to pack the 4" pipe running down the with loosely packed filter media so as to avoid a high pressure drop. Your fountain pump would work fine for that. 
My shop is so dry that my wide puts her Aloe plants in it during the winter and they grow like weeds. 
I have a Dylos meter if you want to borrow it, I've witnessed your acts of generosity on this site. 
It will shock you when you check your filter off conditions.
Good luck on your project, there is a need out there. 
RMC


----------



## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *Water dust filter interest*
> 
> In my last post I mentioned the building of a fine dust filter using water. I've had a number of people send me private messages inquiring about it. So, I've decided to prematurely talk about it before it's done or even know if it works so that people can have their questions answered. And maybe some other heads involved might provide some insight into what I might expect. This may not work at all.
> 
> ...


Measuring the amount of dust collected might be a problem. No matter what I do, I think as much dust never gets sucked into the dust collector as gets sucked in. When I see people doing videos with these super clean shops I think, "either they've got a tremendous system or they clean perpetually, or they don't do much to begin with". My belt sander has the standard end of the belt with a collector cowling but the outside edge of the cowling still gets a coating of dust after awhile. My table saw and especially miter saw… forget it. No one can convince me that dust doesn't escape from a miter saw. I think the best I'll be able to do is arbitrarily see if dust builds up as fast on surfaces in the shop as it did before, and keep track of any dust that settles to the bottom over time in the water in the bucket. If none or little does, I'd say that the dust is in the air if i can't find it in the bucket right?

So, even though I'd love to trap all the dust that emanates from my tools, I'm just interested in seeing how much emanates from the pipe at the end of the dust collector. Getting it to go into the dust collector is a perpetual, ongoing project that I think we all strive for and have varying degrees of success with. That's why even though I think it's great that people get those pleated 1 micron filters and see the dust collect inside the pleats that they have to scrape off, I feel that for all there is still plenty of dust we just don't collect to get to that filter. And for those of us with smaller dust collectors it must be even more dust that gets into the air.

And I've always wondered. For those who have the super 1 micron filters with the higher powered collectors, do you have the ceiling mounted air filter too? Can you just leave a few gates open and run the dust collector for awhile to clean the air?


----------



## jeffwedekind (Jan 11, 2011)

deceiver said:


> *Water dust filter interest*
> 
> In my last post I mentioned the building of a fine dust filter using water. I've had a number of people send me private messages inquiring about it. So, I've decided to prematurely talk about it before it's done or even know if it works so that people can have their questions answered. And maybe some other heads involved might provide some insight into what I might expect. This may not work at all.
> 
> ...


Daniel, I built something very similar many years ago when saddled with a large drywall project/remodel.

I wanted to be able to sand the mud and not create the HUGE mess throughout the rest of the house. My solution was to run my shop vac through a 6 gallon bucket filled with water. (about 1/3 full, if I remember correctly)
The Inlet pipe ( between the sander, and the bucket) ran through the top and partially into the water. the outlet (to the vac) was simply cut through the lid.

IT WORKED LIKE A CHARM!!! The water trapped all the dust, and the exhaust was clean… (If not a bit humidified)*

The water did indeed ''bubble'' around much like db hosts analogy. In fact we dubbed it the ''drywall bong''

*The only problem I had was that the water would get to bubbling violently enough to get a bit sucked into the outlet hose, and into the shop vac. Not a problem so much in my situation, but probably not so good in a whole shop situation My solution was to simply run a couple feet of pvc straight up then attach the outlet to that. (An elongated baffle, so to speak) Very little water got through after that.

Just my 2 cents worth, hope it helps some….

Good luck,


----------



## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *Water dust filter interest*
> 
> In my last post I mentioned the building of a fine dust filter using water. I've had a number of people send me private messages inquiring about it. So, I've decided to prematurely talk about it before it's done or even know if it works so that people can have their questions answered. And maybe some other heads involved might provide some insight into what I might expect. This may not work at all.
> 
> ...


Interesting Jeff. I thought of that then wondered if the water would hinder the flow of air at all. Also, the air coming out of the dust collector is 10 times the velocity of my craftsman shop vac. I'd wonder if it would simply blow the water all over the shop! That 4" pipe stuck in about a foot of water in a 5 gallon bucket. I can just see it splashing out in full force all over the walls. Glad it worked for you though. I think commercial water collecting sheetrock sanders work just like the one you made.


----------



## NormG (Mar 5, 2010)

deceiver said:


> *Water dust filter interest*
> 
> In my last post I mentioned the building of a fine dust filter using water. I've had a number of people send me private messages inquiring about it. So, I've decided to prematurely talk about it before it's done or even know if it works so that people can have their questions answered. And maybe some other heads involved might provide some insight into what I might expect. This may not work at all.
> 
> ...


Great idea and very interesting, keep us posted on how it woks out


----------



## CoolToolShed (Jun 21, 2012)

deceiver said:


> *Water dust filter interest*
> 
> In my last post I mentioned the building of a fine dust filter using water. I've had a number of people send me private messages inquiring about it. So, I've decided to prematurely talk about it before it's done or even know if it works so that people can have their questions answered. And maybe some other heads involved might provide some insight into what I might expect. This may not work at all.
> 
> ...


Definitely interested in this!


----------



## kiefer (Feb 5, 2011)

deceiver said:


> *Water dust filter interest*
> 
> In my last post I mentioned the building of a fine dust filter using water. I've had a number of people send me private messages inquiring about it. So, I've decided to prematurely talk about it before it's done or even know if it works so that people can have their questions answered. And maybe some other heads involved might provide some insight into what I might expect. This may not work at all.
> 
> ...


This is a very interesting blog you have going and I will follow this closely as I too have been kicking the idea around for a while and have been looking for solutions . 
I have a 1150 CFM dust collector with a separator and recently installed a dust filter but like you say there is always dust escaping from one tool or another .
I have thought about a water dust filter based on the old oil bath type where the dusty air hits the water and collects the dust and the air continues in a cleaner state . the issue I have with this is the humidity caused by the water .
I have thought of using some type of oil instead but the issue with that is the smell and possibly a fire hazard and I also wonder how fast the oil would cake over and become ineffective .
Just some thoughts and like I said I will be following this closely and looking for ideas .


----------



## Bluepine38 (Dec 14, 2009)

deceiver said:


> *Water dust filter interest*
> 
> In my last post I mentioned the building of a fine dust filter using water. I've had a number of people send me private messages inquiring about it. So, I've decided to prematurely talk about it before it's done or even know if it works so that people can have their questions answered. And maybe some other heads involved might provide some insight into what I might expect. This may not work at all.
> 
> ...


The oil bath air filters, I had one on my 39 Chevy had a lot a oil surface for amount of air flowing over them,
I think to duplicate the surface area with a dust collector, you might have to have over a 4 ft. diameter
surface, I have been wrong before & might be again. My thought is that the amount of water picked up
by that pipe arrangement might make a fairly humid shop, it would work OK in a warm climate where the
air could be exhausted outside, but I will be waiting to find out what your experiment shows.


----------



## jimhester (Oct 25, 2009)

deceiver said:


> *Water dust filter interest*
> 
> In my last post I mentioned the building of a fine dust filter using water. I've had a number of people send me private messages inquiring about it. So, I've decided to prematurely talk about it before it's done or even know if it works so that people can have their questions answered. And maybe some other heads involved might provide some insight into what I might expect. This may not work at all.
> 
> ...


The water part of your design is quite interesting. It reminds me of a device my son bought to vent his electric dryer indoors until he can install the outside vent. He hasn't noticed any impedance of airflow by submersing it iin water. I'm looking forward to hearing how your progress goes. It sounds like this may be an excellent way to control the fine dust that still escapes from a dust collector or vac. Jim


----------



## oldretiredjim (Nov 14, 2011)

deceiver said:


> *Water dust filter interest*
> 
> In my last post I mentioned the building of a fine dust filter using water. I've had a number of people send me private messages inquiring about it. So, I've decided to prematurely talk about it before it's done or even know if it works so that people can have their questions answered. And maybe some other heads involved might provide some insight into what I might expect. This may not work at all.
> 
> ...


Following this with great interest. I think it might work.


----------



## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

deceiver said:


> *Water dust filter interest*
> 
> In my last post I mentioned the building of a fine dust filter using water. I've had a number of people send me private messages inquiring about it. So, I've decided to prematurely talk about it before it's done or even know if it works so that people can have their questions answered. And maybe some other heads involved might provide some insight into what I might expect. This may not work at all.
> 
> ...


I like the idea! I put my dust collector in a closet with 4 sub micron furnace-style filters for the exhaust. It works okay, but this seems to be a better way to go.


----------



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *Water dust filter interest*
> 
> In my last post I mentioned the building of a fine dust filter using water. I've had a number of people send me private messages inquiring about it. So, I've decided to prematurely talk about it before it's done or even know if it works so that people can have their questions answered. And maybe some other heads involved might provide some insight into what I might expect. This may not work at all.
> 
> ...


Very interesting idea,my solution is to just have my DC bag and chip box outside .


----------



## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

*A better miter saw table? Maybe*

An moving on. I've got a lot done in the shop, outfeed table, dust collection plumbing, Table saw stand, cleaning, new router table fence, new jointer blade installation, to name a few.

Here is a video of my attempt at yet another miter saw stand. This will make number four. The first two were on long permanent locations. The third was a temporary mobile one for the house while I was doing the house renovations. This one is a mobile one that incorporates ideas after using this saw for 5 year with all the other stands. More importantly, it incorporates thing that I don't need to have in a miter saw stand.

See the Video on youtube HERE


----------



## popsshop (Apr 3, 2010)

deceiver said:


> *A better miter saw table? Maybe*
> 
> An moving on. I've got a lot done in the shop, outfeed table, dust collection plumbing, Table saw stand, cleaning, new router table fence, new jointer blade installation, to name a few.
> 
> ...


Daniel, my compliments re your miter saw dust collection. Having a sliding compound saw similar to yours, I know from where you speak. I have yet to go to the lengths that you have to get that evasive dust, but I appreciate your video, and have gotten some ideas. Also admire the folding extensions you made with drawer slides. I need to go back to view the previous parts of your machine makeovers, but wanted to give you a 'thumbs up' on your efforts. Best to you in the future.


----------



## CoolToolShed (Jun 21, 2012)

deceiver said:


> *A better miter saw table? Maybe*
> 
> An moving on. I've got a lot done in the shop, outfeed table, dust collection plumbing, Table saw stand, cleaning, new router table fence, new jointer blade installation, to name a few.
> 
> ...


Very clever! The wings are great! I need to make something like this myself! Thanks for the ideas!


----------



## toeachhisown (Eddie) (Mar 30, 2011)

deceiver said:


> *A better miter saw table? Maybe*
> 
> An moving on. I've got a lot done in the shop, outfeed table, dust collection plumbing, Table saw stand, cleaning, new router table fence, new jointer blade installation, to name a few.
> 
> ...


Dan i like it , moving my miter station and got some good tip from yours ,thanks for sharing ,


----------



## S4S (Jan 22, 2011)

deceiver said:


> *A better miter saw table? Maybe*
> 
> An moving on. I've got a lot done in the shop, outfeed table, dust collection plumbing, Table saw stand, cleaning, new router table fence, new jointer blade installation, to name a few.
> 
> ...


Nice first video ,.... enjoyed it .


----------



## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

*The Assembly/Outfeed Table*

I've been using the assembly table in the shop for a little while now. I made the murphy bed and a couple other items and it came in handy. I like it.








Please realize that my idea of an outfeed table as a combo assembly/outfeed table is a preference of mine and not necessarily of others. I downgraded from a woodworking bench with vices and such to this after I found that I needed outfeed and assembly capabilities more than a workbench. I use a combination of hand and power tools. I use power tools a lot though and sometimes need to plane, scrape, and route on a bench.

In case the video doesn't work for you,here's the link.


----------



## Karson (May 9, 2006)

deceiver said:


> *The Assembly/Outfeed Table*
> 
> I've been using the assembly table in the shop for a little while now. I made the murphy bed and a couple other items and it came in handy. I like it.
> 
> ...


Working places are a requirement. I'm currently using a mini portable workbench. It's shorter so that I can work on it while sitting on a stool.

it was made with a leftover piece of my bowling alley. I use hold downs and a veritas clamp to a bench dog if I need to hold something down.

The portable is somewhat a very loose term. The top way weigh 100 lbs but it is all able to be disassembled.


----------



## sandhill (Aug 28, 2007)

deceiver said:


> *The Assembly/Outfeed Table*
> 
> I've been using the assembly table in the shop for a little while now. I made the murphy bed and a couple other items and it came in handy. I like it.
> 
> ...


Nice set up. Always a work in progress.


----------



## doordude (Mar 26, 2010)

deceiver said:


> *The Assembly/Outfeed Table*
> 
> I've been using the assembly table in the shop for a little while now. I made the murphy bed and a couple other items and it came in handy. I like it.
> 
> ...


Nice job, Craftsman. that out feed table is pretty handy. and the use as a assembly table too.


----------



## jinkyjock (Feb 2, 2014)

deceiver said:


> *The Assembly/Outfeed Table*
> 
> I've been using the assembly table in the shop for a little while now. I made the murphy bed and a couple other items and it came in handy. I like it.
> 
> ...


Nice job there, you have certainly maximized the available space in your multi-functional unit.
I have limited space in my shop and any pointers are useful.
Once again, well done.


----------



## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

deceiver said:


> *The Assembly/Outfeed Table*
> 
> I've been using the assembly table in the shop for a little while now. I made the murphy bed and a couple other items and it came in handy. I like it.
> 
> ...


enjoyed the video and seeing what you have going in your shop, some good ideas too, thanks


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## Ttier315 (Mar 7, 2014)

deceiver said:


> *The Assembly/Outfeed Table*
> 
> I've been using the assembly table in the shop for a little while now. I made the murphy bed and a couple other items and it came in handy. I like it.
> 
> ...


Love the idea of having power to your table supplied by an extension cord. Been wrestling with how to supply power to a mobile assembly table without a permanent setup and it looks like you have solved that problem. Hope you don't mind but I will be borrowing your idea.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *The Assembly/Outfeed Table*
> 
> I've been using the assembly table in the shop for a little while now. I made the murphy bed and a couple other items and it came in handy. I like it.
> 
> ...


Everything is probably borrowed form someone else one way or another whether we realize it or not. Glad I did something someone can use!

If you buy one of those big round plugs made for machinery (from HD or Lowes), you can cut a hole and file it so that it barely fits in and it will stay snugly. It's mounted (inside the table) in a whole drilled in a small piece of 2×4. I made a round doughnut for the outside so that if the prongs were to brush against anything when I move the table around the plug won't break.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

*Update on dust collection via water filtration*

I've got the dust filter up and running. My method is a bit unorthodox but so far it seems to work. I previously wrote about how I was planning on building it and the theory behind it. Now it's up and running in an experimental mode. if it seems to work out I would better finalize the filter to make it easier to empty and recharge with water when needed.

Photo from a previous blog describing function: A video of it up and running with mods is below
.








.

A little backstory. I have a delta 1 hp dust collector. It actually does a good job sucking the chips from my planer, jointer, and router table as long as I have a short run and use one at a time. But the cloth bags passed the dust through. I replaced the bottom bag with a heavy duty rubber trash can and the top bag with this water filtration system. I will say though that no matter what I do, getting all the dust to go into the collector is another obstacle. It gets most of it but what gets away from it at the tool end is still an issue.

Here is a link to a couple of blogs back in this thread to when I better describe it.

And a link to the video in case the one below doesn't work for you here.


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

deceiver said:


> *Update on dust collection via water filtration*
> 
> I've got the dust filter up and running. My method is a bit unorthodox but so far it seems to work. I previously wrote about how I was planning on building it and the theory behind it. Now it's up and running in an experimental mode. if it seems to work out I would better finalize the filter to make it easier to empty and recharge with water when needed.
> 
> ...


i hope this works for you, you have been pretty creative with this so far,


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## doitforfun (Dec 31, 2013)

deceiver said:


> *Update on dust collection via water filtration*
> 
> I've got the dust filter up and running. My method is a bit unorthodox but so far it seems to work. I previously wrote about how I was planning on building it and the theory behind it. Now it's up and running in an experimental mode. if it seems to work out I would better finalize the filter to make it easier to empty and recharge with water when needed.
> 
> ...


Aren't you worried about humidity? That must add a lot to the air. I've seen similar setups for clothes driers when there is no vent. They are a fire and mold hazard, but your setup isn't making heat so the water won't evaporate nearly the same way. Another possible method would be to simply submerge the DC outlet pipe in the bucket. That would probably have a big impact on the motor but it would force the dust straight into the water guaranteeing all of it get submerged and collected.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *Update on dust collection via water filtration*
> 
> I've got the dust filter up and running. My method is a bit unorthodox but so far it seems to work. I previously wrote about how I was planning on building it and the theory behind it. Now it's up and running in an experimental mode. if it seems to work out I would better finalize the filter to make it easier to empty and recharge with water when needed.
> 
> ...


Not a whole lot of humidity issues here in Maine. I thought of submerging the pipe but three things stopped me. One is that it would impede the flow of air. Two, the air would blow out in large bubbles and the dust would probably manage to escape better. And three, the force of air would probably blow the water out to the ceiling. It comes out pretty fast. With multiple thin sprays of water that the dust has to go ough, I don't see how the dust can not mix with the water before the water falls into the tub.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

deceiver said:


> *Update on dust collection via water filtration*
> 
> I've got the dust filter up and running. My method is a bit unorthodox but so far it seems to work. I previously wrote about how I was planning on building it and the theory behind it. Now it's up and running in an experimental mode. if it seems to work out I would better finalize the filter to make it easier to empty and recharge with water when needed.
> 
> ...


This is a fascinating idea! Keep us posted and a video of it in action might be interesting. I too had visions of it blowing water up like "Old Faithful"!


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

deceiver said:


> *Update on dust collection via water filtration*
> 
> I've got the dust filter up and running. My method is a bit unorthodox but so far it seems to work. I previously wrote about how I was planning on building it and the theory behind it. Now it's up and running in an experimental mode. if it seems to work out I would better finalize the filter to make it easier to empty and recharge with water when needed.
> 
> ...


Nice system, looks great.


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## woodchuckerNJ (Dec 4, 2013)

deceiver said:


> *Update on dust collection via water filtration*
> 
> I've got the dust filter up and running. My method is a bit unorthodox but so far it seems to work. I previously wrote about how I was planning on building it and the theory behind it. Now it's up and running in an experimental mode. if it seems to work out I would better finalize the filter to make it easier to empty and recharge with water when needed.
> 
> ...


Dan, good idea, but let me comment on your plumbing.
You are killing your dust collection with that first WYE. its not a good wye to use.

First use a real wye second lets get rid of it going both ways.

if you put the wye verticaly then a slow turn 90 above it, you can branch both directions and have better suction. Right now you are asking the air to make a huge change in direction and with the 1hp it just doesn't have the static pressure to pull that well around the corner.

Your solution reminds me of my dry wall sanding bucket, but you have a good solution as I don't think you are inducing a drop in pressure. if the pipe was in the water you would drop the pressure and that 1hp would not function well enough.

I would change it from 4" outlet to a 6" outlet above that, so you slow the dust down, and the hose you have up there is not consuming the 1 square inch of valuable space. 6" will slow the dust, and that 1" won't be noticeable.

Good luck.. BTW add a drop of bleach in there. I have a sink in my shop that recircs water since I don't have running water. the bleach a capful at a time avoids the greenies and mold. More water will help too.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *Update on dust collection via water filtration*
> 
> I've got the dust filter up and running. My method is a bit unorthodox but so far it seems to work. I previously wrote about how I was planning on building it and the theory behind it. Now it's up and running in an experimental mode. if it seems to work out I would better finalize the filter to make it easier to empty and recharge with water when needed.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the comments. 
If you mean the T at the top.. Just one machine comes from the right. All the rest are on the left. 
right now the air comes out with tremendous force and pull chips in when held in my hand about 6" away. I agree about the 6" but the difference in price between the two was such that I just wouldn't give them what they wanted for elbows at that high cost. I'm a little weirdly frugal like that. Please keep in mind though that if it did greatly impede the flow I would have sprung for it. I'm frugal but not cheap… well not that cheap anyway.

I do have a little chlorine in the bucket. Won't do too much good if I don't add more each day as it evaporates from water quickly. The reason people in cities put pitchers of chlorinated water in the fridge. It's gone after a few hrs but does kill bacteria that's there at the time.


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## woodchuckerNJ (Dec 4, 2013)

deceiver said:


> *Update on dust collection via water filtration*
> 
> I've got the dust filter up and running. My method is a bit unorthodox but so far it seems to work. I previously wrote about how I was planning on building it and the theory behind it. Now it's up and running in an experimental mode. if it seems to work out I would better finalize the filter to make it easier to empty and recharge with water when needed.
> 
> ...


Dan, you only need 6" where you have the water tubing. So not all the way. It will cause the dust to slow, and lower the force too. That way you have more chances to make the water bond to all the dust. Hopefully its a mist in there. Slowing it down will lower the output pressure too.

That one tool is suffering, try putting your hand near the opening of that machines port. Then do the same for the other. You should feel a difference. Probably a perceptible change.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

*Connecting, hanging, and shrinkng dust collection pvc*

My method for making pipe hangers, connecting dust collection pipe for air tightness without tape, and shrinking pvc to hug blast gate flanges for small shop owners

This is only my method of doing this. There are many good ways and your mileage may vary. I just thought I'd share it in case someone can used it. Thanks for watching. If the video doesn't show below then you can see it here


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## rtriplett (Nov 25, 2009)

deceiver said:


> *Connecting, hanging, and shrinkng dust collection pvc*
> 
> My method for making pipe hangers, connecting dust collection pipe for air tightness without tape, and shrinking pvc to hug blast gate flanges for small shop owners
> 
> This is only my method of doing this. There are many good ways and your mileage may vary. I just thought I'd share it in case someone can used it. Thanks for watching. If the video doesn't show below then you can see it here


Thanks for showing this. I have to be considering better dust collection in a new shop. I like to see different ways to do it.


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## TechRedneck (Jul 30, 2010)

deceiver said:


> *Connecting, hanging, and shrinkng dust collection pvc*
> 
> My method for making pipe hangers, connecting dust collection pipe for air tightness without tape, and shrinking pvc to hug blast gate flanges for small shop owners
> 
> This is only my method of doing this. There are many good ways and your mileage may vary. I just thought I'd share it in case someone can used it. Thanks for watching. If the video doesn't show below then you can see it here


I thought about heat shrinking the ends of the pipe to fit onto the gate, your method looks pretty good by using the steel band to carry the heat. I may try this next time.

What I ended up doing was cutting a series of 1" slits in the end of the pipe on the band saw. I drew a circle one inch from the end and cut the line 4 times (8 slits) then wrapped the outside with some wide electrical tape to seal over the slits. Then I wrapped the lip of the blast gate with some standard electrical tape.

Slide a clamp on the pipe, slide over the gate and tighten it up. The kerf of the saw blade in the slits is more than enough to close in tight over the gate. They've been solid and sealed for several years now and are easy to change out if needed as the shop grows.

I like your idea with the pipe holders, better than what I came up with. I'm going to try some of those.


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

deceiver said:


> *Connecting, hanging, and shrinkng dust collection pvc*
> 
> My method for making pipe hangers, connecting dust collection pipe for air tightness without tape, and shrinking pvc to hug blast gate flanges for small shop owners
> 
> This is only my method of doing this. There are many good ways and your mileage may vary. I just thought I'd share it in case someone can used it. Thanks for watching. If the video doesn't show below then you can see it here


you have it down really well, its great having good dust collection…and you have done this really well…


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

*Miter saw dust collection update*

After using the dust collection on my miter saw I feel I've finally found a method that will work to collect almost all the dust. The video below is of a working miter saw station. It's portable and although not finished completely, everything on it us up and working. It also tells of a few other ideas of mine that are or are not needed in a miter saw station. Your mileage may vary.

Backstory: I've had two stationary miter saw stations and one mobile. This is the second mobile one I've made. All my tools need to be on wheels to move around so that I can park the ones not being used to make room to work. I've been developing ideas to get a 12" compound sliding miter saw in a cabinet with a smaller hood that will catch the dust. These saws are notoriously known for putting out a lot of dust. I have an older table saw that I mainly use for ripping. It has a rip blade in it. So my Bosch miter saw sees a lot of use.

LJ's have made a lot of miter stations and some are beautiful. Mine is for me.. functional and always a work in progress.
In case the video below doesn't work for you here it is on youtube.


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## timbit2006 (Jan 6, 2012)

deceiver said:


> *Miter saw dust collection update*
> 
> After using the dust collection on my miter saw I feel I've finally found a method that will work to collect almost all the dust. The video below is of a working miter saw station. It's portable and although not finished completely, everything on it us up and working. It also tells of a few other ideas of mine that are or are not needed in a miter saw station. Your mileage may vary.
> 
> ...


Good work on the dust cover.
I like the two way valve to redirect to a wand, I might have to borrow the idea from you.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

*What's with the 'leftovers' pile?*

So, I could include a picture but I don't need to. This is an ongoing blog about redoing my shop after having made it 5+ years ago to be more functional and not as 'pretty looking'.

I have noticed one thing. The left overs pile seems to always be inevitable. Am I the only one who is plagued by this? When I first did the shop I had two or three rubber tubs of leftovers. Stuff that I should pick over, probably won't throw out, but probably would find little use for. Things like a bunch of hacksaw blades, extra files, An old air hose, a couple of ancient tools. I'd put them in the corner and it would become the 'corner to put stuff I won't use'.

I redid the shop and now I've got a different corner with different but the same sort of stuff in the same rubber tubs. I'd like to just toss them without looking and be done with it but I can't.

No questions about what to do with it. I already know. It will just stay there the next five years. But why does this always happen?! I could use that corner for something else.

sigh…...


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

deceiver said:


> *What's with the 'leftovers' pile?*
> 
> So, I could include a picture but I don't need to. This is an ongoing blog about redoing my shop after having made it 5+ years ago to be more functional and not as 'pretty looking'.
> 
> ...


*YOU ARE NOT ALONE*. Cutoffs and odds & ends are my biggest problem when it comes to keeping an orderly shop. Tools are easy to store and fit the motto "a place for everything and everything in it's place", but how about all those bits and pieces of this and that? We need a Star Trek type transporter which we could use to send the stuff to some uninhabited planet for 'temporary' storage. I wonder how much of it we would actually bring back to use.


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## BigYin (Oct 14, 2011)

deceiver said:


> *What's with the 'leftovers' pile?*
> 
> So, I could include a picture but I don't need to. This is an ongoing blog about redoing my shop after having made it 5+ years ago to be more functional and not as 'pretty looking'.
> 
> ...


The broken tools yes .. until last week .. metal all went to the scrap yard.
wood went into the "wood scrap box" and was taken to a friends house who has a wood stove for heating
old wooden moulding planes donated to a nearby lumberjock - I would never get round to fettling them.
and finally i swept the oak shavings to line the hens nest boxes

and i still cant get into my workshop for crap


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## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

deceiver said:


> *What's with the 'leftovers' pile?*
> 
> So, I could include a picture but I don't need to. This is an ongoing blog about redoing my shop after having made it 5+ years ago to be more functional and not as 'pretty looking'.
> 
> ...


We participated in a garage sale last weekend. Our rule for what goes ended up like this:

"If we got rid of this, would we go out and buy another?"

That made it easier to let go…


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## jstegall (Oct 9, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *What's with the 'leftovers' pile?*
> 
> So, I could include a picture but I don't need to. This is an ongoing blog about redoing my shop after having made it 5+ years ago to be more functional and not as 'pretty looking'.
> 
> ...


Have someone else throw them away. I spent a couple of hours building a cabinet to house all of the drawers I picked up at an estate sale. Used some leftover scraps to build holders for chisels, pliers, etc. and now I have more scraps than I started with. I would not have thought this possible. The first sentence should be prefaced with " Do as I say…


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## jinkyjock (Feb 2, 2014)

deceiver said:


> *What's with the 'leftovers' pile?*
> 
> So, I could include a picture but I don't need to. This is an ongoing blog about redoing my shop after having made it 5+ years ago to be more functional and not as 'pretty looking'.
> 
> ...


When I was in the process of re-furbing my shop, I requested from Jocks some advice/suggestions for
de-cluttering.
I was advised to use the 3 pile method, the keep pile, the give-away pile, and the throw-away pile.
The advice was invaluable although I perhaps had better not reveal the ratios employed.
The person who gave me that advice was your good self craftsman…...., whatever happened sir.
Seems like we are all guilty of an inability/reluctance to part with *SCRAPS/Bits 'N Bobs* that will come in useful sometime/never in the future.
I wish you well with your dilemma.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

deceiver said:


> *What's with the 'leftovers' pile?*
> 
> So, I could include a picture but I don't need to. This is an ongoing blog about redoing my shop after having made it 5+ years ago to be more functional and not as 'pretty looking'.
> 
> ...


I remember that. And I've actually done that. Given away (some to LJ members) thrown away, and kept. This is the stuff that I've kept. Now it's time to redo the kept pile I guess. i.e. My brother was a welder in a sheet metal shop in a shipyard. I have approx. 200 hacksaw blades. I rarely use them and probably only need to keep 10. But I hate to just throw them out.

At least I'm down to a corner of stuff in a couple of tubs.


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## Johnnyblot (Mar 2, 2012)

deceiver said:


> *What's with the 'leftovers' pile?*
> 
> So, I could include a picture but I don't need to. This is an ongoing blog about redoing my shop after having made it 5+ years ago to be more functional and not as 'pretty looking'.
> 
> ...


"Have nothing in your houses (or workshop)
That you do not know to be useful
Or believe to be beautiful." - William Morris

My wife often quotes the above to me when I attempt clear outs! I can only assume that I myself fit into the former category. :-/

I'd also like to thank the above BigYin for the Moulding Planes. Some restoration has begun


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