Our Shop
- Welcome to our shop
- History1969-2010. The shop, history leading to current shop
- 2010 3 pages out lining rebuilding the shop. Floor was rotten-needed more space. Instead of replacing, we rebuilt.
- The shop rebuild 2010 part 1 Formulating a plan-raising and moving shop to rebuild floor
- The shop rebuild 2010 part 2 Rebuilding the floor, enlarging the building..pics
- The shop rebuild 2010 part 3 Rebuilding the benches, cabinets. Adding more..lots of pics
- The shop rebuild 2010 part 1 Formulating a plan-raising and moving shop to rebuild floor
- Convert sliding shop doors to external track & trolley Done 2010
- Add 4x4 post to mount old cast iron post drill and resultant cabinet. (Drill restore under tools)
- Add over door shelf
- Shop Skylight & convert window to swing out
- Add shop wall vent
- Add exhaust fan for shop computer
- Add overhead cabinet, part1-pegboard remaining walls
- Overhead cabinet part2, add plug & light, add shelf cab tying new cab. add ceiling 'tin' to cabinet
- Extend face of shelf to block sight of light, add full length rack board
- Fix door Few days after above installs, tried to open repurposed microwave cabinet-Oops, hits face board. Add shelf, make door support. Update 8/21
- Got a shop vacuum! Which led to rebuilding/modify existing bench drawers to store & added drawers.
- Add another plug Add more accessible plug.
- Picked up paper towel holder, fix it so it holds paper towels?
- Install old articulating magnifier lamp. Painted, installed then removed to rework
- Add yet another plug This one outside, also bored bench for cords.
- Add pegboard behind drill press, Twice, Last section of uncovered wall-silly round toit gone wrong.
- Trim front of east bench Add receptacle for CPU surge protector.
- Replace curtains with doors to over door shelf
- Replace bulbs with florescent fixtures
- Add shop ceiling fan No more portables getting knocked over-
- Add door to hide top of cabinet storage area Recycle wood bed frame
- Modify H/F #46725 worktable Small table height work station.
- Add casters to worktable Just easier to mover around
- Shop rewire Added a radio, see Repurposing section, but last straw on changes/additions to wiring, causing to readdress circuit routing.
- Add 12v fan Retro fitting existing wall vent utilizing the ATX power suppy.
- Add 14"X27" window More air, light and view in shop
- Make bifold shutters copying new window for existing window
- Add small window air condtioner thru wall just cool
- Add 14"X27" windows to door and 5' awning More air, light, protection from rain
- Drill press projects
- Add foot pedal, rewire Drill press
Fix drill press auxiliary tray simple holder for oil can.
Add a oil pan under drill add a anti-walk brace, fatigue mats
Add drill press work light Convert old table light, mounted to drill press
Drill press handle fix Light install brought loose handles to forefront, Made new handle rods & support, repainted the drill press
Replace Drill press motor bearings Reassembly of drill after painting left me with a 'mysterious' loud whine. - Drill press table lift cracked. Replacing column bracket. Rewired drill press receptacle. Since apart adding a counter weight to make raising table easier. Then noticed lift handle cracked....3 pages
- Disassemble drill, replace lift table bracket. Changed hardwired to receptacle plug in.
Add table counter weight To make lifting table easier, adding weight inside column
Table lift handel cracked Noted that the table lift handel also cracked, made a new one. - Fab a Folding handle Fun project- Replace fixed handle on drill vise with a folding handle.
- H/F Tire machine
- Restore early Champion Blower & Forge post drill
- Fix vise jaws Simple weld up of overzealous grinding.
- Modify new H/F sander 03/2020; Broke old sander (below), hinge sanding belt cover/incorporated past mods
- Modify H/F 4x36" belt x 6" disk sander space rear cover for full vacuum, self aligning belt fence,
tee adapter to connect both belt & disk vac ports, add split AC receptacle
- Modify H/F 4x36" belt x 6" disk sander space rear cover for full vacuum, self aligning belt fence,
- Modify H/F cast iron 'grinder' stand for use with above sander
- Change bench mounted vise to receiver mount. Removable for clear bench top use.
- Picked up small sand blasting potWell I simply don't have enough air...
- Add auto drain to air compressorTo help with laziness as far as draining water...
- Plasma Cutter got in on a group buy of cheap plasma, get what you pay for, things that needed addressing.
- Fabbing a burn table for Plasma cutter Very long/ in progress.Simple table that breaks down for storage.
- Simple sheet metal brake Toss together for needed brake to bend chute for burn table
- Weld table Simple mods to cheap Harbor Freight portable/folding table.
- The 'KIT' mini chop saw Mounted small grinder to Klutch stand, few mods to make a mini chop saw.
- The 'KIT' saw Part 2 'fix' slop in clamp, mod to allow 45° cuts securely, short deck extension.
- Add 110v machine light to bench grinder Replaced low voltage lamp. After repurposing fail.
- Replace failed air cylinder in craftsman stool. Direct replacement for $10! Not a tool but used daily
- Built simple anvil stand
- Tablesaw Extend on/off switch, small shelf, split receptacle, zero throat plate, storage shed, grounding
- The cross cut sled build
Tablesaw miter jig Simple 45° miter jig to use with cross cut sled
Tablesaw Vertical miter jig For cutting steeper angles, cutting tenons - Spot welder Built spot welder from microwave parts. (replaced cable 2020)
- Air compressor Modified workbench to store & use small compressor in shop, add quick coupler!
- AC/DC varaible power supply 0-30V/0-10 amp. Inexpensive unit for shop use, minor modifcations to suit
- H/F stool recall Decided simpler to fix instead of returning
- $50 yard sale 6" Delta bench grinder w/stand Cut 13x8 stand to 8x8, Rework lamp
- 6" bench grinder w/stand part 2 Rework adding casters, handle and narrow stand to fit new home
- Consew CP206RL walking foot sewing machine Yes I consider tool, always a need to sew something. I just picked this up. Broke another 'home' machine sewing some webbing. Below are modifications to sewing machine & workstation. First machine use made several small bags/pouches for truck F250 molle bags
- Modify workstation table for Consew sewing machine
Add 12" leaf to table Just more table top workspace.
Leaf continued Add pegboard to leaf supports, shelves to table.
Added latches to lock table leaf in up position. Add 4" pivoting double locking casters
Increase presser foot lift height Ability to more easily slide thick material under foot.
Lights Reinstall tables goose neck work light, add magnetic LEDs to machine.
Install Sailrite 'monster' balance wheel to slow down speed of machine add low end torque
Sailrite power pack. Motor and speed controller! even slower more power, variable controlled stitching. Reroute cord out of foot control.
Add front mounted power switchThat can be seen and easily used...
Make stitch length stop plate Adjustable stops to easily return to preset stitch length.
Cover for sewing machine Well, cardboard box but it works... - Repurpose old cane chair to make handle for arc welder cart.
- Vise stand Found this and have been using 20+ years
- Grinder stand Some old tube, lawn mower wheels and weed wacker handle
- Repurpose dishwasher for dry, welding supply storage
- Convert card file cabinet for small item storage
- Repurpose microwave to cabinet High dry & safe. (Used gutted internals to build spot welder see Tools)
- Convert grocery cart into mig welder cart
- Shop gets a radio! Convert computer power supply to run an old car stereo. Add wall wart for memory power. Recycled old speakers.
- Simple Fraction to decimal chart
- Thread tap and clearance hole chart
- Drill bit size chart, number/lettered Inch & metric great for cross referencing.
- Metric fastener data, head markings & conversion chart
- Simple AWG / mm2 wire conversion chart equivalent
- Verbose wire conversion chart way too much data chart
- Wire ga, Letter, Fraction & Metric decimal equivalents chart
- ALT codes for adding special text characters (Ø, °, ± etc) not on keyboard
Update April /2023
This page is simply a place to document The Shop. Mostly created so Ill stop adding non-camper-related stuff to our home page, which is about our camper mods. So here are linked pages specifically shop related, Its use, modifications & additions to it. Also a place for anything else shop related. Tools, storage, maybe even some projects, though I'll try to keep to shop specific. This page will serve as an index to any other shop related pages I might create. If not doing anything else Ill turn my attention to improving or adding a feature to it, or modifying a tool. Re purpose stuff etc. But as it has been in use for 25+ years it’s gone thru some changes with a major renovation 2010.
Simple metal building, erected bout 1988, expanded 2010, Links to various shop related pages below are pages of the shop building itself. Including its rebuild. Other pages related to tools where needing modifications to shop to use or store. A few tool modifications to make more usable. Whatever else seems belongs here. Some projects- but only those that required either changes to shop or the tool itself or something built to use it. You might note-on the assorted pages various stages of disarray. Doesn't take much in a small shop and usually something I'm in the midst of.
- This section, history, mostly for my documentation, no pics, part 1 the plan & lift unfortunately no pictures, outline the rebuild of 20+ year old shop. First page, History, though I’m sure many went thru same progression, cant imagine any would find of interest, but setting up this page the question came to mind- where to begin? Just the recollections of how I got here.
Parts 1 & 2, replacing floor & enlarging the shed and some improvements to basic space. Again cant imagine, unless your in similar scenario very entertaining. Part 3, actually laying out shop workbenches & cabinets with a lot of pictures & plans some may find useful or entertaining.
