micro turning shop setup

[Caleb SimonyiGindele]

Hi guys,

I would appreciate some advice on setting up a tiny shop. I sold my lathe (it was big, I knew I wouldn't have a shop for it and I didn't like it--it was homemade) just over a year ago when I moved to go back to school and am now needing to get back into it. In the place I am renting there is a small shed under the patio at ground level which I can turn into a micro-shop. It is rectangular, with the door in the middle of one of the long sides. Inside dimensions between the studs are 30-1/2" by 63" so it actually is 3-1/2" bigger all around because the studs are exposed. The shop has power.

I'll tell you what I have in mind and would appreciate your feedback on it. I plan to put a small bench on either side of the door across the 30" width and then shelves above. On the right is going to be a Jet Mini 1014VSI and on the other my drill press and room for either my chop saw or bench grinder (swappable). Below the bench my shopvac and on the other side my air compressor. Turning tools on the wall on one side by the lathe and then all the other junk that goes with turning on the shelves. I was thinking of putting pegboard in but then I lose 3-1/2" (depth of the studs) all the way around above the bench level.

I will be turning pens, small bowls, hollow forms, candlesticks and all that sort of stuff.

Your thoughts? I look forward to hearing them.

Thanks,
Caleb

[Tim A. Mitchell]

2.5 feet by 5 feet. Hope you are skinny;).

Seems pretty tight, but if you can live with it, it sounds likeyou are going in with a plan. My last house, I had about 5x7, but a lot of vertical. I did a lot of shelves for staorage, and normally moved the cms outside to cut.

[Richard Madison]

Caleb,
Welcome to this forum, and glad to have you participate!

Sounds like you already have a good plan, but you don't say where you are. A couple additional factors to consider are weather and security. Will it be too hot or too cold to work there much of the time? And will temperature and humidity cause your tools to rust without extra protective procedures? Can you securely lock your work area to prevent theft? Just some issues (am starting to hate that word) that we all face.

Admire your enthusiasm and (+) attitude, and hope your new mini work area works well for you.

[Caleb SimonyiGindele]

Hi,

I live in Vancouver, BC--damp but never really cold. I leave a light bulb on in there all the time. The door has a deadbolt and the space appears to be part of the house so it's definitely more secure than a garden shed. We're in a relatively safe area too.

What would you suggest for moisture? The light doesn't add as much heat as I thought...

I built a small study under a stairwell/closet in my last house so despite being 6' tall as long as I can move I am comfortable. And I'm not real wide so that's not a problem! I was planning to work with the door open so that I had room for my right elbow for hollowing etc.

Thanks,
Caleb
ps. here's a shot of some previous work. Sorry, but I forget the name of the wood -- it was from New Zealand, except the handle on the nutcracker was madrone/arbutus. Finished with tung oil.

[Tony Wheeler]

check out this site he made a nice combo grinder tool holder case
www.marleyturned.com

[Paul Engle]

Caleb welcome, sounds like you got it planed right down to the inch. nice work on the nc. look forward to seeing more of your work!

[Raymond Overman]

Caleb,

Yes, it will work. I lived in a townhouse with a similar storage room off the back patio that was originally meant to accommodate a freezer. I ended up with a lathe, a bench drill press, a small bandsaw, and a bench grinder in the small space. It was just big enough to let me close the door and lean against it when it was cold.

Good luck with setting yours up. Remember the seven P rule.

Prior Proper Planning Prevents P!$$ Poor Performance

Here's an early picture just after I bought my first lathe.

[Frank Kobilsek]

Caleb

Do it how ever you have to. I met a lady from Atlanta at a show that turned some outstanding pens with the mini lathe mounted to a board setting over her kitchen sink in the small apartment she shared with her two sons. When she was done she put the lathe away in a closet, turned on the water and hit the garbage disposal switch. The clean up method still seems like genius to me.

Frank

[Martin Braun]

Until the landlord gets the repair call for the garbage disposal & starts pulling chips out of the drain. There goes the deposit!

[Richard Madison]

Caleb,
Last time I was in BC there was a foot of snow on everything. I'm pretty sure it was cold, at least by my standards. Problem is when the temperature drops below the dew point at night, moisture condenses on everything. Might want to add another light bulb, maybe keep some protectant on all exposed metal surfaces. Boeshield T-9 is good for that. Pricey, but a little goes a long way. Forgot where I got mine. When we moved early this year I used it liberally on all bare metal surfaces, as all my tools sat in unheated garage for about 4 months waiting for new shop construction.

[Caleb SimonyiGindele]

Thanks for all your help. It's nice to hear that others have done somethign similar and succeeded.

Richard, I'll be sure to put something on my tool surfaces -- I've had good luck with Johnson's paste wax in the past and I'll also put a small heater in there just to keep things a bit dried out.

Once I get set up I'll to remember to post a photo or two.

Regards,
Caleb

[Tony Kent]

Hello all
I am so glad to see others have done this too.
I am in the process of making a small work area in my lil house here in Gig Harbor wa (sorta i live on the key peninsula)
I will watch this thread as well as post my results...its gonna be a tight fit so only turning tools and machines allowed...lol!
Take care all,
Tony

[Jim Underwood]

I think it's an advantage to have a small space when it comes to planning and cleanup.

You're forced to work within limited parameters. There's only so much room, so you can't pack it with clutter - you're forced to keep it to a minimum, and cleaning is quicker.

Also, planning is limited to a few options. You can quickly see if something's not going to work or fit.

I saw something the other day, it might have even been on this forum where someone had a small closet with fold down shelving so they could put their computer in, and just fold it back up when they weren't using it.

Think folding, sliding, rolling, telescoping options.

[Caleb SimonyiGindele]

Tony,

It's done. Check out this thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=71957).

Take care,
Caleb

[Tony Kent]

Caleb,
Wow....that worked out great!!!
I will be taking a trip to bellingham, WA to look at Grizzly's new 1220 lathe, if a no go then I'll wait for the new jet 1220. I am thinking about a bandsaw and a small table saw.....any suggestions? What are you using for cutting blanks etc? I see the drill press and lathe in the pics.
great job and perhaps I'll get up there to canada sometime soon....it's not like its an all day drive from where i am living.
Take care,

Tony

[Caleb SimonyiGindele]

Hey,

Thanks -- I'm enjoying the shop!

I don't have, and never have had, a bandsaw so can't comment on that. For a table saw, I own a General International 50-175LM which is great but it's at my parents' house about a half hour away. Consequently I don't use it for turning stuff -- I just do projects that don't require it. Otherwise if I want to cut something I use a chainsaw or a handsaw primarily. If I need some precise angles or cuts I have a Delta 10" mitre saw that sits in my back room here on a storage shelf and I bring it out for the cuts and then put it back. Bit of a pain but that's the way it's got to be right now.

Take care,
Caleb