The Shop > Our Shop
Working on a new tiny shop
vtsteam:
Hi guys, thanks for the comments!
The idea for a small (and I did mean very small) foundry/forge was just an afterthought -- just because of the unused chimney, not necessary for the shop. The main thing is to have some small machines to work with near the house
Andrew, the land near the house is on a steep grade, so it would take a lot of earth moving to get a big enough level space where I'd want a shop, and honestly I don't have the time or funds to do much building right now. The benches and concrete for the floor for this space are the limit of what I can spare at the moment.
I definitely agree that what you want is always in the other shop in situations like this, but I just have to put up with it. It's better than not working at all this winter.
Mechman seems like a reasonable idea but a forge/foundry in the larger shop would be difficult/expensive because it's presently just a raised wooden floor shed on piers, and no existing chimney. And insulating that building would be a major project -- especially with all that's presently in it.
I do have a furnace outdoors there, but with the amount of snow we get, it just isn't possible to use in winter. And it still doesn't solve the long distance at night problem.
I think the micro shop will be the most do-able option, this year, at least.
I should have mentioned -- the little cement block shop does have additional space outside that is covered by lean-to roof additions. Poured a slab under one side last week as well -- that could serve as a foundry location for a bigger setup, though no chimney there. But it is open at the sides and the roof is metal -- I could put in a stovepipe chimney fairly easily.
That is if I can get various outgrown kid bikes and other non-necessary storage junk out of there. Time for a secret dump run. Seems like every time I build a space for myself to work in, it fills up with odball storage items as soon as I turn my back! Well, my fault, too :lol: I keep thinking Everything can be used for something else. But I'm starting to feel more ruthless about getting rid of stuff these days.
The other side addition houses my Lister diesel type generator -- and it is plumbed to supply heat to the block house section already via the radiator. So if I run the generator I can get heat from just that as well. But I already have grid power to the shop, so the generator isn't necessary. Still, it's fun to run.
I have to get pictures today for you guys so you can see what I'm talking about here.....
:worthless:
awemawson:
Steve,
If you are on a steep slope to the house, is there any mileage thinking of a construction UNDER the house as a shop? I know that you built it yourself, so you know what's structural and what's not.
vtsteam:
No Andrew, that's not possible. The house is on concrete piers, 15 of them. Drop offs on 2 sides -- one side is probably 20 degrees, though there is a cantilevered house section there of 10' x 20' that could be deepened -to give headroom - but essentially inaccessible without road building, etc.
I'm hoping to use my rehabilitated backhoe next summer to make some changes around the house in general for better access, but not this year.
After checking my Atlas mill and Gingery lathe, I think the 20" wide bench I started yesterday is just too narrow for them. And I think the 24" bench (not started yet) is going to take up too much aisle room for me to be happy with both -- at least if they are both full length. So I may be shifting things around today and also shortening bench plans.
In fact I might have to eliminate the Atlas mill altogether, which wouldn't be a tragedy. I built extensive milling attachments for the Gingery lathe. And it's more fun to use something you built yourself.
I just hate the fact that I never use that Atlas mill for anything and I've got a big range of tooling for it. But it really wants mounting on a bench corner as a minimum -- you really need access to 2 sides of a horizontal mill. Full length benches have no corners! Maybe it's time to think about selling it.
awemawson:
Having been grossly overcrowded at my last place, I've developed the habit of trying to make as much possible to be moveable on castors. Could you have the lathe and mill on custom wheeled trolleys that can be moved to give access as and when needed? My bigger stuff is mainly sorted so that I can get a pallet jack under it to roll it out of the way when needed.
So you (perhaps) could have a bench down one side, and the moveable machines down the other or some similar sort of idea?
DavidA:
I feel you pain regarding the space problem.
My big shed seemed quite adequate a few years ago, But when I added a large radial arm saw and a couple of benches it suddenly wasn't so usable. In fact the saw will have to go, I don't often us it, and it really take up a lot more room that one would think.
A pity really.
I can really recommend the small heated shop.Sadly mine isn't big enough to take the Denford Viceroy. That has to await big shed modification, phase four.
Dave.
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