New Shop Construction

[Andy Hastings]

No amount of sanding/sawing, etc in a home shop can generate enough fine dust in to be a fire/explosion hazard. The dust density needed for this to happen is just not there. The DC sales folks are just out to make money from this baseless fear mongering that they perpetuate. If this danger truly exists then all electric motors used on woodworking equipment would need to be sealed or brushless by regulation and UL approved for use in explosive atmospheres.
So, go ahead and keep warm with your gas heater.
Just some good common sense from an old Fart.

[Jon Snider]

Kris, I’m enjoying your build thread. Thanks for sharing. The pics of NW Montana are beautiful. Swan Valley?

We’ve shared some of the same crappy weather here (at least for a shop build). Great for the snowpack and summer water.

Jon

[Jim Andrew]

About your adjustable height work table, I bought a HF motorcycle lift table, they had it on sale for 289$ on the tent sale, and put a wood top on that, and use it at both the high level and the lower level, it has a rod you slide through to stop it from leaking down, and it works great for cabinet assembly for me. Bought some 8020 aluminum extrusions and installed it around 2 sides to use my Kreg clamps for assembling face frames.

[Frank Pratt]

No amount of sanding/sawing, etc in a home shop can generate enough fine dust in to be a fire/explosion hazard. The dust density needed for this to happen is just not there.

I read a technical paper on this subject and it gave examples of real world indicators. Basically, the dust needs to be so thick that you can't see your hand at the end of you arm for the to be an explosion risk.

The danger to lungs is the thing to really be concerned about.

[John K Jordan]

I read a technical paper on this subject and it gave examples of real world indicators. Basically, the dust needs to be so thick that you can't see your hand at the end of you arm for the to be an explosion risk.

The danger to lungs is the thing to really be concerned about.

I've read the same or similar analyses and some tests where they tried to ignite wood dust in various concentrations, fineness, and speeds in dust collector ducts. The bottom line was it's not a fire or explosion hazard.

[Kris Cook]

Jon - next drainage over - Mission Valley

The Swan Range is awesome as well.

[Kris Cook]

Am I losing my mind? I don't understand where post #106 came from. Maybe responded to a different post?

[Kris Cook]

About your adjustable height work table, I bought a HF motorcycle lift table, they had it on sale for 289$ on the tent sale, and put a wood top on that, and use it at both the high level and the lower level, it has a rod you slide through to stop it from leaking down, and it works great for cabinet assembly for me. Bought some 8020 aluminum extrusions and installed it around 2 sides to use my Kreg clamps for assembling face frames.

Jim - like this one?

I purchased this table for the application you mention. I got to thinking about the size of the table being too small and possibly tippy. I would also like to have storage in this footprint if possible.

Having said that - I haven't even unpacked it so I may decide it will work.

Would you mind posting a picture or two?

[Dan Hall]

It's weird isn't it. Check the hybrid view at the top of the page and locate where the thread has gone. It's not linear, it goes by way of who responded to whom.

[John K Jordan]

It's weird isn't it. Check the hybrid view at the top of the page and locate where the thread has gone. ...

The hybrid view has always been wonky, at least since I've been following SMC. It will only display so many posts sometimes even if they are not down some branch of the tree. Posts on branches past a certain level have to be read by clicking on "More replies below current depth" or a little higher in the tree. Be even then some posts are difficult to find and I've seen circumstances where certain posts simply cannot be read with Hybrid mode. Some people use Linear mode exclusively but I like to see the tree so I can tell which message is responding to what. Judicious use of quotes would help.

Threads are a lot easier to follow before they get too big, perhaps a good reason for starting a new thread occasionally on the same subject every year or so, such as "New shop construction Part II" or somesuch and include a link to the old thread for continuity. I've gotten to where I sometimes skip over very long threads.

JKJ

[Kris Cook]

Some updates on the shop construction now that the weather is a little better.

I posted earlier about the doors I am building for the shop. I still need to pour a concrete filler strip where the threshold is going but started working on the threshold itself.

I was going to buy some 8/4 White Oak but remembered I had some 4/4 Red Oak that wasn't usable for furniture but I was loath to throw out.

Not having my table saw I had to get creative with the band saw to get some usable lumber.
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Straight line on one edge with chalk. The jig on the right is what I would normally use with the TS to get a straight edge.
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One edge straightened free-hand cut through the BS
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Flipped around and two reasonably straight edges
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Straight edge to show the lumps and bumps
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Getting closer to straight using a No. 5 that belonged to my Grandpa
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About 1 hour of work from rough to these.
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[Kris Cook]

Never really had to build a full staircase before but added to the growing list for this project.


3 stringers laid out and cut
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Hanging a stringer by yourself is a pain.
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Got both of them up. They will have to come back off to put sheeting behind them. Pretty jazzed to be close to having stairs.
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[Kris Cook]

This picture was taken in early February. I returned the man-lift a day after this picture was taken, and it started snowing the following day. We got our winter late this year and the snow continued through February and into early March. We also had below zero and single digit temps most of February. I was extremely fortunate up to February though so I am not complaining.
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Finally got some decent weather in the last week so time to get the last bit of roof decking done


Me nailing off the fly rafter yesterday (my wife hasn't seen this picture )
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My son cutting off the overhanging sheets
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View from the back deck today. ice&water shield on lower section with underlayment above.
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North side elevation
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Cleared a path in the snow to hopefully drain some water away from the building.
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Sure is nice having some sunshine, and 11 hours of daylight. Now I just need to close up the gable-end then I can install the garage door and carriage doors, and man-doors.

[Jim Becker]

Red Oak isn't the best choice of wood for something that needs to endure weather and moisture...it's completely different structurally from white oak. Red oak is like a bundle of soda straws... If this is for temporary, no problem, but you don't want red oak for anything permanent that will be exposed to moisture.

'Glad you're getting some progress on the project!

[Kris Cook]

Thanks Jim. I was thinking I would save a little money using the material I had. I knew White Oak was fairly weather resistant but didn't realize Red Oak was so much different. I will pony up and get something more durable.

Sometimes I envy folks that live in an area where hardwoods are readily, and more cheaply available. Not very often though...