Let's See Your Shop

[TOM REED]

(02-19-2012, 10:49 AM)DaveH Wrote: Tom,

I think your photo's came out very well, easy to look at.
:)
DaveH

PHOTOS LOOK GOOD no problem seeing them that is a 200 amp tig + stick welder combo on top of a 60 amp plasma cutter. both imported from CHINA from riverweld.com basically my first imports, the bothy work excellently and I sold my large Miller mig and 250 amp stick welder bought both of these plus lots of consumables and had about $500.00 left over. Stand is my make the commercially available ones were not large enough to accommodate the 60 amp plasma underneath. The large piece on the metal counter is the taper that came with my Logan, I would like too figure out who the maker is as I could prob get more seperate than along with the lathe. It bolts to the bottom and could prob fit an 18 to 20 inch swing lathe. Both of my boxes plus most of the cabinets are filled with tools etc some 40 yrs worth of collecting. tom

[TOM REED]

(02-19-2012, 08:49 AM)PixMan Wrote: Tom,

Nice shop, and a nice-looking toolbox. Me, I just can't seem to wrap my head around a toolbox on wheels that you have to plug in.

On a hot summer day itg nice to wrap your mitts around a cold beer ou8t of the fridge + listen to the tunes from the stereo. tom

[PixMan]

(02-19-2012, 04:06 PM)TOM REED Wrote: On a hot summer day itg nice to wrap your mitts around a cold beer ou8t of the fridge + listen to the tunes from the stereo. tom

Funny you should mention that. To me, I treat the shop much the same as I do my motorcycle riding in that respect. I ride with no tunes playing in my ears and not a drop of alcohol until after the bike is parked for the day. It's an activity that demands my full, complete and unadulterated attention. In the shop, I've worked in some places that played the game of "Battle Of The Radios" among employees, and those that simply forbid radios and any earbud I-Pods. Less scrap and more productivity in those shops that banned the distractions, for sure.

Don't get me wrong, I like music and a good Sam Adams Lager. I just prefer a good listening and drinking environment, and for me that's not the shop (as long as machines are running.)

Another one of those personal preferences of mine, and we all have our different ones. ;)

[EdK]

Ken,

I'm the same way. No alcohol or music in the shop until all machines are shut off for the day. I won't even run my machines if I'm not feeling too well. I may do some maintenance on them but nothing that requires running power tools. Once the power is off though I do like to sit at the shop desk and have a cold one and maybe plan the next project or the next step in the current project.

Ed

[PixMan]

I'll try this one more time. ;)

The shop I use, supply, maintain, upgrade, share and occasionally clean is at my dad's home that is 7-1/2 miles (12Km) from my home. It's a 16'x25' (4.9m x 7.6m) space in the addition he put on his home in the mid-1990's. He is a 79 year-old retired moldmaker/toolmaker, and can be found cutting anything from plastics to wood to tool steels on his machines.

Looking in from the southern exposure entrance:

Just out of sight to the right is the MSC 7"x12" bandsaw and a 3"x36" belt sander. The lathe to the right is a 1974 vintage Taiwanese Victor 1640, with D1-6 spindle, Mitsubishi DRO, Dorian CA QCTP and tons of tooling.

Moving in, we see the 1961 Bridgeport. It shall soon be replaced with a mid-1980's Alliant (also Taiwan) BP clone equipped with a Prototrak 3-axis CNC.

The stainless steel tool rollaround in the middle is a Kennedy I got off Craiglist for $30. To the left, a 3HP Crftsman air compressor dad had kicking around. Far left you can just see the edge of the surface grinder.

On the west wall is a 1981 Kent KGS-200 surface grinder that I got for a half-a-day of training and a couple of toolholders. The only cost (initially) was the $271 for truck and fuel to fetch it from Stamford CT.

I let it sit for about 9 months before I called an Ebay seller to offer them a cash deal for the OE dust collector/coolant unit you see to the left of the grinder. I came up with an idea to solve the "cracked hoses" issue I've seen on every one of these grinders, dad executed the suction hose suspension you see. Perfect! Notice there's 12 different wheels on the wall behind the machine, all mounted on adapters.

To the left of that is my stack of Kennedy boxes, a 276 rollaround, MC-28 3-drawer riser and 52611 Professional top box. Behind the Kennedy stack is a 24" x 36" x 4" Grade B black granite surface plate on a steel stand.


My dad created (with my input) this slide-out rack for the large CA-size holders for the lathe's tool post. It's under the surface plate. Next to the slider is where we store a 12" 4-jaw, 10" 3-jaw and 15" faceplate, plus a 10" horizontal/vertical rotary table w/tailstock.


In the southwest corner is the Black Diamond #2B drill grinder and 7" Craftsman bench grinder. The bench grinder was my maternal grandfather's, he made the stand. The #2B I got off the local Craigslist last summer for $375, complete with factory cabinet and all but 2 drill bushings. I can't take credit for the bench full of jumbled tools, that's dad's. ;)


That's it for now. I'll update as time goes on as it's always being improved upon.

[PixMan]

(02-19-2012, 06:26 PM)EdAK Wrote: Ken,

I'm the same way. No alcohol or music in the shop until all machines are shut off for the day. I won't even run my machines if I'm not feeling too well. I may do some maintenance on them but nothing that requires running power tools. Once the power is off though I do like to sit at the shop desk and have a cold one and maybe plan the next project or the next step in the current project.

Ed

Ed,

Up until about a month ago there was a big over-stuffed rocking/recliner chair where the air compressor now lives. After a day of machining (or heck, even an hour or two), it was nice to pull up the chair, turn on the TV and crack open a cold Sammy. This past summer, Dad & I finished up a little 8x8 sunroom on the south side of the house below his porch. That's his "reading room" now and where the big chair is, and it doesn't need any heat except on the very coldest of days.

We run machines probably 30% with what we see, and 70% with what we HEAR. I want nothing in the way of that.

[DaveH]

Ken,

You and your Dad have a fabulous work shop and beautifully equipped.

Some very nice machines too.

Thanks Ken for a smashing tour:):):)

DaveH

[TOM REED]

(02-19-2012, 07:49 PM)PixMan Wrote: [quote='EdAK' pid='351' dateline='1329693968']
Ken,

I'm the same way. No alcohol or music in the shop until all machines are shut off for the day. I won't even run my machines if I'm not feeling too well. I may do some maintenance on them but nothing that requires running power tools. Once the power is off though I do like to sit at the shop desk and have a cold one and maybe plan the next project or the next step in the current project.

We run machines probably 30% with what we see, and 70% with what we HEAR. I want nothing in the way of that.

If you knew how much (little) I drink except pop + juice my comment was probably misplaced, the sterreo I listen to while working on the truck outside the back of the shop not blaring loud but background, it is probably on more to make people (delinquents) think there is someone there, but occasionaqlly I have beer in the fridge to enjoy when havingt a bbq just out the door. Figured I should add I am no punk kid, never was. tom

[PixMan]

(02-19-2012, 08:10 PM)TOM REED Wrote: <snip> Figured I should add I am no punk kid, never was. tom

Well I certainly was, and in some ways...I still am!

(02-19-2012, 07:55 PM)DaveH Wrote: Ken,

You and your Dad have a fabulous work shop and beautifully equipped.

Some very nice machines too.

Thanks Ken for a smashing tour:):):)

DaveH

Why thank YOU Dave. I wish you could come spend some time in the shop with me. I cordially invite any member who wishes to do so to come over.

[EdK]

(02-19-2012, 08:10 PM)TOM REED Wrote: If you knew how much (little) I drink except pop + juice my comment was probably misplaced, the sterreo I listen to while working on the truck outside the back of the shop not blaring loud but background, it is probably on more to make people (delinquents) think there is someone there, but occasionaqlly I have beer in the fridge to enjoy when havingt a bbq just out the door. Figured I should add I am no punk kid, never was. tom

Hi Tom,

I didn't mean to insinuate you were drinking on the job. ;)
I like your setup and have lusted after this frig for my shop.

Ed