This is like a great workshop. I know what you mean about never quite being done with the shop. There are always things that you want to add. Your assortment of tools is awesome. Now lets see some sawdust fly.Shop Face-lift Completed
Ok, is a shop really ever done?!? At least it is a major improvement over the last arrangement
You may recall that I solicited suggestions for a proposed shop rearrangement a couple of weeks ago. The primary reasons for changing things up is that I felt a) the arrangement was very inefficient to work in and b) I'm getting ready to build either the 21st Century or Holtzapffel workbench and really wanted to have good access to all sides of the bench
Since I'm going to update my shop pics I've uploaded the before state pics here for reference:
![Table Furniture Wood Wall Luggage and bags]()
![Wood Motor vehicle Gas Engineering Machine]()
![Wood Tool Workbench Gas Hardwood]()
![Cabinetry Wood Tool Saw Drawer]()
![Tire Wood Bicycle Wheel Engineering]()
![Wood Floor Flooring Gas Hardwood]()
Here are the pictures after the reorganization. I feel like I have a lot more room to move a round and that things are better organized and efficiency will be dramatically improved.
Looking in from the entrance, notice table saw and dedicated out feed table (no longer shared bench duty)
![Furniture Table Building Wood Engineering]()
Plenty of room between TS and BS, and the bandsaw is on wheels so if I need more room for either it is easily accomplished (I plan on building a cabinet to put TS on to maximize storage space). Assembly table and clamps in the back corner with clamps.
![Window Wood Building Table Fixture]()
Router table and RAS table are same height so have plenty of infeed support for both, I also have room on either side to for outfeed support as necessary.
![Wood Cabinetry Drawer Workbench Building]()
Dust collection, small storage, belt disc sander and lathe on side wall, this is "cramped" by the pole and floor support beam. I plan on making a dedicated hand tool cabinet where the melamine shelving currently sits.
![Cabinetry Shelf Wood Flooring Floor]()
you can't see it but just to the left of the drill press is my grinder in close proximity to the lathe. A floor standing drill press is next on my list for tools. I am going to build a cart for the planer to raise it up off the floor. The far corner has standard tools and storage. I plan on replacing all the wire storage racks (under cabinets) with more useful cabinet/drawer storage.
![Furniture Wood Shelf Interior design Table]()
This is my sheet goods/lumber storage rack. It is to the right as you walk into the shop (past furnace and water heater). It shares space with other storage
![Building Wood Shelf Shelving Interior design]()
This is more storage, mainly short boards and blanks for turning. The brown filing cabinet is filled with pen blanks and exotic wood cutoffs that I hope to make into something nice someday
![Cabinetry Wood Shelf Shelving Retail]()
I still have a lot of things I want to accomplish including:
- New stand for planer
- Build a real workbench that actually weighs something
- Better Wall storage (replace pegboard with french cleats
- Add wall panels (leaning towards osb)
- Replace wire racks with cabinets with drawers
Thanks for looking
In the Shop
Grandpa's RAS gets a new top
Instead of adding a new project for the things I do around the shop, I thought I would start a blog about the upgrades as I make them. Over the past two years I have done a lot to convert the unfinished part of my basement into a woodworking shop. If you want to see some before shots you can visit the bt3central forums (probably need to register to see pics, sorry i'll post them here soon)
The beginning
Upgrade 1
You can see what it looks like now in My Workshop in my profile…
Anyway, the point of this first blog entry was to showcase the new top I put on the radial arm saw I inherited from my Grandpa. Until today I have used it as received but realized that the top was pretty chewed up and if I wanted to clean cuts without chip out I needed to start with a clean slate. I used 3/4" hardwood ply and a 1.5" jointed ash fence. I also extended it deeper, behind the post than the original to make it easier to attach a dust collection hood (in progress). After replacing the top, I tuned it up and now get beautiful cross cuts. I haven't messed around with 45 degree cuts or bevel cuts but with my table saw and some jigs, I may dedicate this for cross cuts for now.
Before
![Wood Flooring Floor Gas Hardwood]()
After:
![Wood Automotive tire Floor Flooring Hardwood]()
Thanks for looking.
Instead of adding a new project for the things I do around the shop, I thought I would start a blog about the upgrades as I make them. Over the past two years I have done a lot to convert the unfinished part of my basement into a woodworking shop. If you want to see some before shots you can visit the bt3central forums (probably need to register to see pics, sorry i'll post them here soon)
The beginning
Upgrade 1
You can see what it looks like now in My Workshop in my profile…
Anyway, the point of this first blog entry was to showcase the new top I put on the radial arm saw I inherited from my Grandpa. Until today I have used it as received but realized that the top was pretty chewed up and if I wanted to clean cuts without chip out I needed to start with a clean slate. I used 3/4" hardwood ply and a 1.5" jointed ash fence. I also extended it deeper, behind the post than the original to make it easier to attach a dust collection hood (in progress). After replacing the top, I tuned it up and now get beautiful cross cuts. I haven't messed around with 45 degree cuts or bevel cuts but with my table saw and some jigs, I may dedicate this for cross cuts for now.
Before
After:
Thanks for looking.
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