Need shop inspiration

[Dvoigt]

So in the next few months it looks like we will be moving. The new house will have an unfinished walkout basement with mostly 9' ceilings that will give me about 900 sqft of space to use for a shop.

My woodworking has really grown since I started making pens so I have alot of tools to set up. But what I really need is some inspiration on how to set up the Lathe area. I'm sort of thinking about a large 2 sided bench that I can put my Nova lathe on 1 side and my mini lathe with extension bed on the other side and put my grinder on the end and have drawers and stuff underneath to store all my accessories and stuff. Not sure If I will store wood there because I do more pepper mills and bowls now, not just pens.

Anyone care to share pictures of their lathe area set up so I can "borrow" some ideas?

Derek

 

[Edgar]

My shop is 15 x 25 - here's the outside wall

My lathe sits on a 3x6 workbench which is just a heavy-duty top on 3' high x 3" dia pipes. It's just the right height to allow me to stand fully upright while I'm turning. I picked up a Husky tool chest on sale at Home Depot to slide under the workbench for tools & accessories. It wouldn't fit with the standard 4" casters, so I replaced them with 2" casters. I have a total of 4 of those roll-around storage units that you can see just to the right of the Husky tool chest - one on each side of it & 2 more elsewhere. I got mine from OfficeDepot but I see that WalMart now has them too. I use those to store the blanks that I use most often.

My router & 10" bandsaw that you can see in this photo are mounted on repurposed computer carts. Back in the early 1980's Texas Instruments shipped their TI990 mincomputers pre-installed in these roll-around carts. We repackaged them into fixed 72" tall computer racks and took turns taking the excess computer carts home. I have 2 more of them - one for my miter saw and one for my sanders. With a small shop, it really helps to have most things on rollers.

 

[Gary Beasley]

I have my lathes set up so I can work between them, as the smaller one is set up with a buffing system most of the time.

 

[southernclay]

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f30/lets-see-your-lathe-stands-112762/

Hey Derek,
Here is a pretty cool thread that was around for a while with some good ideas in it. Good luck with the move!

 

[mark james]

YOU are going to have fun planning!!!

Enjoy.

 

[mark james]

Sorry clicked too soon!

 

[jhawth25]

Sorry clicked too soon!

Mark, I like you set up for your Lathe. I was looking into doing something similar to yours. I do have a two questions: What did you use for the shelf under the lathe and are the containers filled with materials for weight? If the containers are for weighing down the lathe, that is a great idea. Thanks in advance.

John

 

[mark james]

Sorry clicked too soon!

Mark, I like you set up for your Lathe. I was looking into doing something similar to yours. I do have a two questions: What did you use for the shelf under the lathe and are the containers filled with materials for weight? If the containers are for weighing down the lathe, that is a great idea. Thanks in advance.

John

HI John:

Yes! The very bottom shelf I drilled the legs and sized it myself. Simple angle iron and a plywood bottom. Any container that fits - mine filled each with about 50 lbs of sand. 150 lbs total.

The shelf above it simply sits on my containers - not attached to anything...I can pick it up and brush off the wood chips when making a mess. Can place my tools on it also.

Have FUN!

 

[jhawth25]

Sorry clicked too soon!

Mark, I like you set up for your Lathe. I was looking into doing something similar to yours. I do have a two questions: What did you use for the shelf under the lathe and are the containers filled with materials for weight? If the containers are for weighing down the lathe, that is a great idea. Thanks in advance.

John

HI John:

Yes! The very bottom shelf I drilled the legs and sized it myself. Simple angle iron and a plywood bottom. Any container that fits - mine filled each with about 50 lbs of sand. 150 lbs total.

The shelf above it simply sits on my containers - not attached to anything...I can pick it up and brush off the wood chips when making a mess. Can place my tools on it also.

Have FUN!

Thanks for the quick reply. I know what I will be doing this weekend.

 

[robutacion]

So in the next few months it looks like we will be moving. The new house will have an unfinished walkout basement with mostly 9' ceilings that will give me about 900 sqft of space to use for a shop.

My woodworking has really grown since I started making pens so I have alot of tools to set up. But what I really need is some inspiration on how to set up the Lathe area. I'm sort of thinking about a large 2 sided bench that I can put my Nova lathe on 1 side and my mini lathe with extension bed on the other side and put my grinder on the end and have drawers and stuff underneath to store all my accessories and stuff. Not sure If I will store wood there because I do more pepper mills and bowls now, not just pens.

Anyone care to share pictures of their lathe area set up so I can "borrow" some ideas?

Derek

G'day Derek,

With such a large area to work with, my suggestion to you is, grab yourself a roll of thin masking tape, a measuring tape and something that you can write on the floor and be removed later.

Look at any natural light sources in available and the location of the light bulbs if don't want to add or change what you have there.

Have a look look at the area and make some initial decisions of where you thing you want things. Measure dimensions necessary for each machine/area and start laying the tape on the floor, delineating each area, write at their center what they are and, when you are done, turn away, go and get yourself a cup of coffee and then came back for a good look.

Nothing is permanent at this stage so, make any changes you feel necessary and when you are happy with it, sleep on it for a few days...! Leave the tape where it is and when you're ready, start bringing the stuff in.

Is amazing of how, marking the floor with tape, can really put things in perspective, it worked for me and for many other I know off so, give it a go and lets us know, how you go...!

Best of luck...!

Cheers
George

 

[Dvoigt]

I thought about taping it out, that is something that I plan in doing. Until I'm actually moved in I took some measurements and am trying to plan it out in sketch-up. Here is what I have so far:

 

[rrumohr1]

Revolving table.

I had a friend with a small shop that set up 3 pieces on a round table top with a lazy susan on a small bathroom cabinet ( mini lathe/benchtop grinder-buffer/ drill press). Another that used a tumbler design for 3 pieces (secure legs with a 3 sided barrel to "Flip" the tools into position. Would work for mini lathe/planer/bench top grinder)