Workshop rebuild progress - Update #2

[Derek Cohen]

I managed to get a little more done this weekend. not as much as I had planned (do we ever get done as much as we plan?). Unfortunately I was running around matching paint samples for the office addition (which is now starting to look like an office).

There is nothing like starting again with a fresh canvas. I have a water damaged bench that will need to be replaced, and the shell of a couple of cabinets that can be salvaged.

The first update of my workshop rebuild was the construction of a cabinet for braces and spokeshaves. Now I need a bench for the Jet mini lathe.

From the roof reconstruction came this slab of rough sawn Radiata pine. Overall dimensions: 10" wide x 3" thick x 60" long. That will do for the top (I have two other pieces that I ripped for legs).

But first it must be four-squared. Hands up who has four squared a larger chunk of timber?

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Lathe%20bench/Lathebench-roughsawn.jpg

I only have a Stanley #5 1/2 (with a goodly cambered blade).

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Lathe%20bench/Lathebench-jackplane.jpg

.. and a Mujingfang woodie to smooth it at the end ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Lathe%20bench/Lathebench-smoothing.jpg

The end product ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Lathe%20bench/Lathebench-complete.jpg

With a few details ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Lathe%20bench/Lathebench-legdetail1.jpg

Nothing special ... it's just a lathe bench for a mini lathe ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Lathe%20bench/Lathebench-tenondetail.jpg

I am pleased. It turns out really solid. I added adjustable feet at the concrete floor is not perfectly flat.

The workshop is still looking a little bare, but it is starting to take shape ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/Lathe%20bench/Lathebench-bigpictue2.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Samuel Brooks]

Looking very nice.

Sam

[Von Bickley]

Looking GOOD.... Keep the pictures coming.....:)

[Steve Pirrelli]

That's a very sturdy bench. Like that cabinet on the wall too.

[jerry nazard]

Derek,

You know, there is a magic something about one's shop. It's kind of like the forts and tree houses we built as kids. My Space. My Stuff.

I have thoroughly enjoyed setting up my current shop, but I know that there is still at least one more shop to set up in the not so distant future. I will enjoy setting that space up also.

Please keep the pictures coming.

-Jerry

[Jerry Gerard]

You did a nice job on cleaning up that timber , great way to recycle the beam . Is there a build thread for that tool cabinet ?

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Jerry

Regarding the cabinet, I recall now that I posted the cabinet on another forum, so I cannot link to it. It was also part of a magazine article I was preparing on router planes, which is due out shortly. Once that is done I will write something for my website and link to that.

In addition to cutting dovetails and the usual stuff, it covers sliding dovetails, stopped rebates, dados and stopped dados, and tenons all done with the router plane.

Here is a close up ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/ToolCabinet2.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Hank Knight]

Derek,

I certainly would't want to go through what you went through, but I think rebuilding a shop would be fun. My shop developed in fits and starts as need and motivation dictated, with no discernable plan. I think it would be great fun to do it over now, knowing what I know now - a chance to fix all those little nagging details and make it really nice. You look like you're well on your way.

BTW, I admire that great chunk of pine. Very nice, and a good use for it. Keep the photos coming.

Hank

[Jim Becker]

Wow...nice bench and fine looking material, too.

[Dan Carroll]

Why the shop rebuild? SOunds like an office rebuild as well? What brought this all about? Did you hit the lottery or just get tired of the old set up?

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Dan

The short story is that I decided to build an office (for my private practice) above the garage/workshop. Work began in January. This necessitated that I move everything out - almost all into a container on the front lawn, keeping just a few handtools to hand. For some months in our summer I worked under the vines that cover our rear veranda. Sounds romantic but I had to fight off the mozzies and Perth heat. Finally I thought I had the garage back, but it rained and rained and rained ... and the garage was not watertight yet, so the cabinets, bench, etc were soaked. Fortunately the tools were still in storage.

I began this cabinet in about May. It, too, became a victim of the rain ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Other/dovetails1.jpg

Above is a picture of all the wood clamped against straight edges with me praying that it would not warp and that I could get it dry enough to fit the dovetails together. I was using the cabinet as a working model for the magazine article and the deadline was due - no time to build another!

Amazingly, after waiting a week, it all fitted ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Workshop%20cabinet/cabinetwip4.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Workshop%20cabinet/cabinetwip5.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Workbench%20and%20Workshop/cabinetWIP3.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Furniture/Workshop%20cabinet/3.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Dan Carroll]

I can relate to the water issue in the shop. My shop is in the basement and most of time water is not an issue. Except when the rain gutters get blown off in the remains of a hurricane. Here I am, 60 miles inland up next to the Catoctin Mountains and having to deal with a hurricane. Had 4 inches of water in the basement.