Oh Boy! My OWN shop! Help me w/ the checklist?

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mbellek

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Location
Circleville, OH, USA.
So, in a nutshell, my situation is this:

I began turning about 3 months ago and quickly became addicted. Within weeks I was spending nearly as much time in the shop as I do at my full-time job. My father-in-law has a nicely equipped workshop with a lathe & turning tools that, up until I began turning, had never been sharpened -- to give you an idea of how much woodturning he does/did. I cleared out the cobwebs and was having a blast down there... And I think that made him jealous -- like a kid who tosses a toy aside and forgets it until another child picks it up and starts to play with it, then suddenly it's what? That's right "Waaaaahhhh!!! B-b-b-but that's Miiiiii-eeee-iiiiinneee!!!! Waaaaaaahhhhh!!!" The situation quickly deteriorated from there, and then suddenly my husband and mother-in-law had concocted the idea of setting up my own shop as a birthday present. My natural question of "Well, why not keep ... using... his... oh." was met with meaningful looks.

So I am in the process of getting everything together for my new shop. I'd like to share my checklist with you, and if there is anything glaringly missing from the list, please let me know.

Lathe (JML, I opted not to get the VS model)
Tools (Benjamin's Best-I-Could-Afford to start out)
Grinder (Woodcraft 8" slow speed)
Belt sander (Craftsman 4")
Sharpening Jig Set (Penn's 4pc set)
Clamps for segmenting (Big and little ones, check)
Coping saw (My hand saw of choice)
Sandpaper/Micro-Mesh (All in fresh supply!)
Dust Masks
Center-finder tool
Slipstones/Oil
Mounted Vise (I got a Wilton at Lowe's for $15 that was mismarked!)
Epoxy (for segmenting, which I do a lot of)
Band Saw (My father in law has one that is currently so buried in junk you can't get to it, I'm hoping my mother in law can talk him into letting me borrow it until he [never] needs it again)

Stuff like hammers, CA glue, finishes, and "incidentals" are pretty much covered either because I already bought them when I was using his lathe or they are just, well, of course I have a hammer, you know?

But if anyone can think of anything I'm missing, I'd love to hear it!!!
 
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Sounds pretty good so far. Hey, why don't you send it all to me and I'll go through and make sure it'll work for you.[}:)][}:)]
Seriously, sounds like you are on your way to a nice shop. How about some sort of dust control? Drill press, or will you be using the lathe? Blank storage?
All I can think of right now.

Oh, I almost forgot. Casting equipment, pressure pot etc.
 
Originally posted by stevers
<br />Sounds pretty good so far. Hey, why don't you send it all to me and I'll go through and make sure it'll work for you.[}:)][}:)]
Seriously, sounds like you are on your way to a nice shop. How about some sort of dust control? Drill press, or will you be using the lathe? Blank storage?
All I can think of right now.

Oh, I almost forgot. Casting equipment, pressure pot etc.
Click to expand...
 
Melanie,

As you're turning hair sticks, this might not be as important, but I was well into the shop setup process when I realized I needed a system for storing bushings, kits, blanks, spare parts, etc. I ended up buying a whole lot of 6" x 6" plexiglass cubes on sale at the Container Store & built a series of shelves from floor to ceiling that are 6" deep, 7" high (between shelves) and 36" wide. Having clear storage containers has made it much easier to gauge my inventory status at a glance.

Also, never underestimate the value of a wall-mounted pegboard. I just put a small over my lathe to hold turning tools, micrometer, paper towels, etc.

Good luck,

Bob
 
Mel, You need to add an order from Harbor Freight. Pick up at least a set of transfer punches and instead of the oil stones and oil, buy a set of the diamond cards that they sell. For the price of $15.00 they are cheaper than almost any oil stone and they will not cup out.

I think they best idea on bushing storage I have seen was someone using a yardsale spice rack. Plenty of places to keep they all by themself, and almost free at a yardsale when you find them. The fact that it comes with a spinning rack is just gravy. Next in line is to make you own with reused pill bottles. Find someone old, they should have a trash bag full. [}:)]

Oh, and if you do segments. You might want at least one or two of the wood hand screw clamps. You know, the ones with 2 screws and handles. They put out a ton of preasure when you crank down the outer handle to force the front of the jaws in. The front handle works like a lever point.
 
As far as casting equipment, pressure pot, etc... I don't think I'm there yet.

For storage, I've already got a lot of that stuff... I'm a girl so I have lots of little plastic drawers and jars and stuff...

Air cleaning/Dust Collection: I know it's important, but I just don't know if I can spring for it right now... I can't find anything under $200...

As far as a drill press, or table saw, etc. I can still take stuff to my father-in-law's and use it there, I'll just have to do it in batches, I guess. Eventually I might buy my own, but that is the plan for now.
 
Originally posted by mbellek
<br />
Air cleaning/Dust Collection: I know it's important, but I just don't know if I can spring for it right now... I can't find anything under $200...
Click to expand...

Don't undersell yourself on this one... It will make cleanup easier and your lungs will thank you. I was in the same place you were, the ones I wanted were over the $300 mark. Take a look at woodcraft if you have one. They have a 1 micron unit by steel city right at the $200 mark and I'm glad I got it every time I turn on the lathe.
 
Is this something that can't wait a month or a few weeks? I mean, I have quality dustmasks that I wear 99% of the time that I am in the shop... My father in law has an air-cleaning unit in his shop, but I could never tell a big difference when it was on or not, but then again, the shop was a lot larger than the space I am moving into...
 
When I built my shop dust collection was my first priority. I placed all my machines in such a way as to limit the number of bends and flexible hoses. I can't even imagine working without DC.I have an Oneida Dust Gorilla and being a sheet metel mechanic by trade piped it all myself using metal pipe. Just be careful what you get filters to .05 microns. Alot of these systems that use bags don't filter out the small stuff. Remember, it's not the stuff you can see that will hurt you, it's the stuff you CAN'T see.
 
Originally posted by mbellek
<br />Is this something that can't wait a month or a few weeks? I mean, I have quality dustmasks that I wear 99% of the time that I am in the shop... My father in law has an air-cleaning unit in his shop, but I could never tell a big difference when it was on or not, but then again, the shop was a lot larger than the space I am moving into...
Click to expand...

'Can' you? Sure - but most people here will put it top on the list. I havn't gotten an air-cleaner yet, but a collector... So much of it never makes it into the workshop, thus not everywhere else!

Now that I've done it, I regret not having done it YEARS ago, when I was just a 'once in a while' woodworker.. Now that its a couple of evenings a week - I am so glad I've added it.
 
Where she is not useing saws I think that a box fan with a furnace filter taped to it along with dust mask shoud get the majority of the bad stuff. Mabe a vaccumn behind the lathe would work. When you get into dust machines and piping you can tie up a lot of money in a big hury. Get a list of the wood that causes trouble so you can be carful with them. The main thing is to have fun with this and enjoy. I am older and kind of set in my ways so I can see your father in laws side a little bit. When we were first married the wife liked to clean my shop witch was nice, but then I would spend more time looking for things and not get mutch done. Now that she likes to bulid thing and help in the shop it is very nice that she is there to find things for me. [:)]
Bob
 
I was going to suggest a router, but for the size of the stuff you turn maybe a dremel tool would be better. You could build a jig to hold it and use it to do fluting and other interesting effects with the index head on the JWL. If you get really ambitious you could build a router lathe jig and do spiral fluting.
 
While I agree that DC is an absolute must. But some of us just can't afford the $500 to $1000 out going to correctly set it up. But I did invest in a JMS dust eater. It does move a lot of air and it makes a lot of difference. I have it setup so that it's intake is right above my lathe. It will completely clear my shop of dust in a few minutes and it is 1 micron or better. And, yes, I have a respirator that I wear when I'm sanding. Not a dust mask, a respirator.
 
Mel, GET A DUST COLLECTION system ASAP. Remember many, many, many exotic woods are very bad for our lungs ... even in small amounts. And Rick is right ... it is the small dust particles that ruin your health. They are inhaled deeper into the lungs and therefore cause more problems. A .3 micron canister filter is a great health asset to use. These cloth bag filters are deadly in the mount of fine particulate matter that they blow all over the place. I wouldn't have a cloth filter near me. A full face mask is the best alternative to use. Better than that is to have the canister filters and the full face dust mask. Put some sort of collection device right at the source of the dust.

Just remember, if you ain't got your health, then just what do you have!

I highly recommend that you rethink your choice on the lathe too. Get one with variable speed and one that has reverse capabilities. These two features greatly help in the finishing department. I and others here turn in both directions constantly and it really helps.

I would also reconsider the grinder. Grinding removes far more tool metal than a wet grinder will since these wet devices use a finer stone and they tend to polish the edges instead of grinding them down. I still recommend the Tormek as I have yet to find anything in our market place that comes close. The JET is very good and highly accepted and everyone that has one is happy and they also are using the Tormek jigs.

The bandsaw ... get one that has all the bells and whistles already installed ... roller bearings, tension adjustment, dust blower, lamp, etc. The Powermatic comes with about everything a person could ever need. Woodcraft often has them on sale to.

Since you turn hair pins as your primary concern, have you looked into using a good collet system as your material holding device? They are easy to use and very secure and sturdy in the holding department.

You didn't list a table saw either. What do you use to cut your material down to size?

Get rid of the OIL stones. Oil and wood do not go together in a wood shop ... unless it is an oil finish. The diamond plates are good, but the Tormek type of sharpener is far, far better. Easier to use too and the edges are 'scary sharp' which equates to less work and better surfaces to finish.

Be sure and have many, many electrical outlets installed. You just can't ever have enough. Be sure they each have their own dedicated fuse.

OK, someone else get in here and help the little Lady out. I have to go and eat something!
 
Good grief Fred, poor Mel here is still on the fence dropping the cash for DC and now we tell her that her low speed grinder and a $14.00 set of diamond plates will not work??!!

The Tormek, while a great grinder, pushed $500 nicely set up!! I hardly ever put a skew to a grinder, and at that it's when I want to re-set the bevel on it. I can have a skew sharp before the Tormek even has it's nifty monogramed "blankie" taken off it.

Let's keep things in mind here. A) Mel is setting up her first shop and I assume that it is still a HOBBY. B) I do not think Mel just hit the lottery and is planning to drop 5k-10k so she can make hair sticks in her own shop. C) You don't need the latest and greatest toy just to have some fun.

I have wanted to steer clear of the DC devil, but here I go... Yes, I agree, it is awesome to have. They do work, they will cut down on a lot of dust. Will it kill you and have you drop dead after an hour in the shop behind a lathe?? Heck no! Good gawd people, get a grip! We do breathe dust all day long, it's out there!

Each outlet with it's own fuse??!! In a perfect world yes, Mel you need to call someone and have a new dedicated 200 amp service dropped into you shop before you die. (garage, basement??)

Fred, this is not aimed just to you, but the overall tone of where this is going. I am not quite sure, but I think the majority of people here still do this for fun and have a limited budget to work with. Mel is STARTING, keep on track to help her equip the shop and not go to Harbor Freight and buy a lathe or tools from Cummings. But to tell her she has to buy a DC right now, and a Tormek and a reversable VS lathe and a new saw and the latest greatest bandsaw with lights and blowers and fuzzy dice.... Augh!!!


Mel on her way to turn a hair pretty after taking full heed of advice given. [:o)]

f2c3c91648e532caf8a78576f94ae64f.jpg
 
LOL!

I just want to say that I appreciate all the advice given, even if I can't use it for anything but educational purposes.

In the end, people can talk to me until we're both blue in the face, and it will be up to me to take what I find useful and discard what I find to be "out of my league" (eg Tormeks).

In truth, the point of this thread was more like "You might want to have a pair of calipers" or something like that that I forgot. Most of the equipment I listed is already ordered, and the grinder is already here and looking/working great!!! Will I probably trade it in for a better one someday? Maybe.
 
Originally posted by mbellek
<br />LOL!

I just want to say that I appreciate all the advice given, even if I can't use it for anything but educational purposes.

In the end, people can talk to me until we're both blue in the face, and it will be up to me to take what I find useful and discard what I find to be "out of my league" (eg Tormeks).

In truth, the point of this thread was more like "You might want to have a pair of calipers" or something like that that I forgot. Most of the equipment I listed is already ordered, and the grinder is already here and looking/working great!!! Will I probably trade it in for a better one someday? Maybe.
Click to expand...

Yep, get what you absolutely need to get the job done and work safely. As you get more experience you can add tools, used is a good way to go, keep your local craigslist tools link bookmarked and watch the classifieds. As for sharpening, I have a low-speed grinder but rarely use it, preferring to use a $3 vintage hand grinder from the local flea market with a Veritas grinding jig and instead of stones use abrasive paper on a flat surface (this is called ScarySharp in woodworking circles). Paid $110 for my Shopsmith, which serves as a lathe, and $50 for my tablesaw.

What are you planning on using for a workbench?

Planning your own shop is exciting, isn't it?
 
I made a shop air scrubber from an old furnace blower and suck the shop air through two filters.
The first filter is just a cheapy to grab and retain the large particles and can be repaced as needed, the second stage is a little more expensive anti-alergen. Lots of plans online. Blower was free from a heating contractor for the asking. Total cost was scrap pieces of sheet stock and a few bucks from my levi's for the filters.
The filters are available everywhere and do not cost a small fortune like the manufactured scrubber filters. The blower motor is a 3 speed, so just add an appropriate switch if you want more speeds than the manufactured ones.
I can wind this puppy up and recycle the shop air better than 10 times an hour.

I have a DC to grab as much as possible at the source, but I just wanted to show you that you can get effective dust removal on a shoestring.

When I started this post my intent was to mention a shop must!
I didn't see a Fire extinguisher on your list.
 
Firefyter-emt - is that what you wear when turning?

I was just reiterating that our health can be greatly damaged by the fine dust from the woods we turn. If one starts early in protecting their health, then the rest will fall in place a lot further down the road.

I just do not like the idea of spending good money on a great tool, only to risk damaging it with loss of tempering from a grinder geting it to hot. DO things slow if you must use the grinders, but keep in mind there is definitely a much better way to do it.

BTW, no offense taken, Firefyter-emt and non should be implied by anyone. We are all here to voice our opinions and to help others with our ideas and such. I just like to avoid future problems, even if that means buying the best early on and not wishing I had later on as I wheeze and cough my head off. I have seen to many folks in that position and they all wish to Heaven they had prepared early on. [:)]
 
Fred, to be honest I still use a dust mask myself.

Personaly I would suggest a ceiling hung air cleaner and a Trend Air-shield before a dedicated DC system for the lathe. The DC will not get all of the dust and is rather poor compared to other tools when a DC is connected to a lathe. Table saws, band saws, joiners, and what not have chips that normaly go just one way. Lathes throw them all over the place.
The positive preasure Trend would be a better buy down the road for the DC IMHO for Mel.

As for the Level-3 containment suit, I have been inside one of them to be honest. For my fire training I had to take the FEMA course for Radiological Montioring. Those suits are nasty to be in! You start off in just your skivies and from there you put on a level-2 suit which is duck taped to you around your wrist. (Prior to this, you base line vitals are taken) If I remember corectly whe then had our turnout gear on over this, again with gloves taped with duct tape. Once this was on, we the put on a 4.5 Scott air-pak and the level 3 suit.(The air pack is inside the level-3 suit) These suits were not fully put on until you are just about ready to "go in" as you are running on self contained air only. These suits do not breath and are so freaking HOT to be in that is's not funny.

When it's time to leave the hot zone you have to go thru many "washes" inbetween taking off the layers. EMT's will be on hand to re-check your vitals and provide treatment as needed. I pity anyone having to work in one of those things for long!!


Here is the level-2 suit that is worn inside the level-3 suit!!
032306hazmat.jpg


Oh, and just to prove it, here you go. [;)] (Wow, it's been a while too!)


fema.jpg
 
It is good folks like him that are there to take care of others that have forgotten to wear their dust mask properly and to use proper dust collection at their work place.

My hats off to him and his fellow fire fighters. Thanks for being there when the need comes. [:D]
 
Thank ya Fred.. But to be fair, I am now a "retired" FF/EMT. When we moved to Connecticut I did not join up with the local department, I just ran out of time and not as fond of the equipment they have here. My EMT cert. did not transfer state lines and I was faced with the entire testing process all over so I decided it was time to hang my hat. The problem is that I have been know online as FF-EMT for a good 10 years now so it's hard to let go. [;)]


Oh and Steve...
fonkycat2.gif
 
Fred - This and other threads about DC have definitely convinced me that doing something about my dust is an important thing. I don't want you to get the idea that I'm just being a "Hell I'm never gonna be SICK"-26-year-old. My father has asbestosis from the years he spent in the steel mill and working industrial construction while he was in college... So I hope you understand that I am not being naive about it.

But at the same time, the money is JUST NOT THERE right now, so I will have to make due with one of the more gerry-rigged methods described by some of the others.

RE: Fire extinguisher: Really?

Firefyter-EMT, I'm disappointed YOU didn't suggest this! You're slipping... [:p] (just kidding)
 
Well, I was gonna suggest that you have a sprinkler system installed, No wait... Halon!! No, they banned that... Hmmm.

On that topic though, yes I have one right at the entry door leading into my shop. I have just your typical dry powder, but I should think about a CO2 one in case a motor catches. I might be able to save the motor with a CO2 hit over a blast or powder.
 
Originally posted by mbellek
<br />Fred - This and other threads about DC have definitely convinced me that doing something about my dust is an important thing. I don't want you to get the idea that I'm just being a "Hell I'm never gonna be SICK"-26-year-old. My father has asbestosis from the years he spent in the steel mill and working industrial construction while he was in college... So I hope you understand that I am not being naive about it.

But at the same time, the money is JUST NOT THERE right now, so I will have to make due with one of the more gerry-rigged methods described by some of the others.

RE: Fire extinguisher: Really?

Firefyter-EMT, I'm disappointed YOU didn't suggest this! You're slipping... [:p] (just kidding)
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, you need a smoke-alarm (battery-operated ones are inexpensive) and a fire-extinguisher mounted near an exit from the shop. My shop is in my basement so the extinguisher is at the top of the basement stairs.
 
Actually, I'd forgotten at first, but my shop will be going into an old unfinished room that was used for storage and there is already a fire-extinguisher in there!! I checked and it is charged, so I'll pick up a smoke detector and be good to go on that front!

Another issue my husband and I were discussing... How do you safely heat a shop in the wintertime? There is an electric baseboard heater in mine, but I somehow think that will be very very unsafe... My husband suggested a space heater, but that seems like the same problem...

Ideas?
 
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