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Thread: Whats some of the things you wish you would of done sooner in your shop?

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Columbus, OH
    Posts
    3,063
    Quote Originally Posted by Nicholas Dirks View Post
    Just like the title says what should you of done sooner in your shop?
    ...Use it...

    Seriously. I set my shop up and then did largely nothing for several years. Job, life, etc...
    Brian

    "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,675
    I wish I would have bought a larger CNC machine and wish I would figure out what I want to change relative to the current miter saw station to better leverage space in my shop for handling my client projects as well as my personal endeavors simultaneously. The third thing on the lest got taken care of today...the security system is now covering my shop.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #18
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Santa Fe, NM
    Posts
    259
    Agree on the mini-split addition and LED lighting. I would have invested in a big (12"+) jointer or J/P combo and a good drum sander.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Winterville, NC (eastern NC)
    Posts
    2,360
    installing insulation in the walls before closing them up with paneling (1/4" OSB). Having to remove wall mounted cabinets, racks, shelves, etc. was a real pain in the tush but the reward was worth the effort.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Alberta
    Posts
    2,162
    I wish I had concentrated on making more furniture for my family sooner instead of putting all my effort into building my shop up first. I also wish that I could have bought more of the machines that I wanted to use for the rest of my life first instead of upgrading so many things and times. I am very blessed to have the shop I do now and still have plenty of time to build stuff for family and friends, so now it is project time . Working for a living just screws up so much that is important in life.

  6. #21
    Should have put in a rotary phase converter straight off.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    I would have built it 5 years sooner.

    I would have built it bigger. It's 24x62 but 36x62 would be far better. Currently thinking of adding another 30-40' on the end, two story.

    I would have added a bathroom and tiny kitchen at the time instead of planning an addition now.

    And I would have poured an outside work slab at the time instead of adding one now. (20x40')

    I might have hired someone to help install the 1/2" ply paneling and ceiling. As it is, I tell people I built the entire shop with my bare hands and it took a long time. (I lied about the bare hands, I actually used tools. And I hired a crane and friends to help put up the trusses/roof panels.)

    Besides that, I'm happy with the result. I built it the first time with:
    incredible lighting,
    heat and air,
    powerful cyclone in a sound-insulated closet,
    piped compressed air,
    separate office,
    wide band internet with WiFi,
    personal cell tower (femtocell) for good reception,
    outside covered porch,
    separate welding and metalworking rooms,
    extra wood storage space,
    plywood walls so I can hang shelves and anything anywhere,
    2x6 studs for extra insulation in the walls,
    underground power,
    power outlets everywhere including the ceiling (for drop reels), 50 amp circuits in four places to the far end,
    emergency exit lights/sign inside,
    electrical and compressed air outlets outside,
    security lights outside,
    video surveillance,
    electronic door locks so I never need to carry a key.

    JKJ

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Kansas City
    Posts
    854
    Quote Originally Posted by John K Jordan View Post
    I would have built it 5 years sooner.

    I would have built it bigger. It's 24x62 but 36x62 would be far better. Currently thinking of adding another 30-40' on the end, two story.

    I would have added a bathroom and tiny kitchen at the time instead of planning an addition now.

    And I would have poured an outside work slab at the time instead of adding one now. (20x40')

    I might have hired someone to help install the 1/2" ply paneling and ceiling. As it is, I tell people I built the entire shop with my bare hands and it took a long time. (I lied about the bare hands, I actually used tools. And I hired a crane and friends to help put up the trusses/roof panels.)

    Besides that, I'm happy with the result. I built it the first time with:
    incredible lighting,
    heat and air,
    powerful cyclone in a sound-insulated closet,
    piped compressed air,
    separate office,
    wide band internet with WiFi,
    personal cell tower (femtocell) for good reception,
    outside covered porch,
    separate welding and metalworking rooms,
    extra wood storage space,
    plywood walls so I can hang shelves and anything anywhere,
    2x6 studs for extra insulation in the walls,
    underground power,
    power outlets everywhere including the ceiling (for drop reels), 50 amp circuits in four places to the far end,
    emergency exit lights/sign inside,
    electrical and compressed air outlets outside,
    security lights outside,
    video surveillance,
    electronic door locks so I never need to carry a key.

    JKJ

    Wow, that sounds like an amazing shop!

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Posts
    202
    Envious...
    Nice shop

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Elmodel, Ga.
    Posts
    798
    I wish I had not listened to all the hype on some of the tools I bought and thought it out before I purchased. Some of the things I had bought have never been used. Unwise purchases. Could have used the money on better quality tools.
    My Dad always told me "Can't Never Could".

    SWE

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Quote Originally Posted by Jacob Mac View Post
    Wow, that sounds like an amazing shop!
    Thanks, it is, to me! After 40+ years in tiny shops this is a dream come true. I'm thankful every day for the blessing.

    I built it down by the barn so I can easily keep an eye on the llamas and alpacas and mini donkeys and peacocks and... I bought a used skid steer mostly to prep the site. Doing everything myself was a HUGE saving but did take several years.

    Before I put in the first stick of rebar I read everything I could to avoid making big mistakes, then I while putting in the concrete, roof, and walls I spent a year filling up a notebook with plans and drawings organizing to best use the space - doors, tools, wiring, lights.

    Clearing_2012-08-09_19-32-4.jpg

    posts_AA042_2012-11-16_16-1.jpg shop_wall_construction_A.jpg concrete_rebar.jpg

    layout_paper_2.jpg

    shop_floorplan.jpg shop_llamas_IMG_20150422_08_re.jpg

    Good clean fun!

    JKJ

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    N CA
    Posts
    1,279
    I wish I had done a raised wooden floor rather than the slab. I am not uncomfortable on the slab, but the ability to have dust collection and electrical in various and moveable locations would have greatly improved flexibility.

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Marquette MI
    Posts
    524
    I wish that I had built a separate, dust proof, heated room [maybe 6X10 feet] for applying surface material like varnish , shellac etc. Now I cannot do anything else in my shop when finishes are drying.

  14. #29
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Houston, Texas
    Posts
    22
    I agree with the LED lighting. We recently retrofitted LED bulbs into the seven 48" four bulb fluorescent fixtures in our 24 x 24 shop. It literally is like night and day. Before, bulbs were always out, ballasts would go bad. Now, we walk in , flip the switch and have all of the light that we need.
    Last edited by Erich Elfeldt; 09-22-2019 at 1:01 PM.

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Dickinson, Texas
    Posts
    7,655
    Blog Entries
    1
    I converted my table saw to 240 volt. It make a huge difference.

    I would post in the off topic forum as well. You may find some help. That being said a good band saw and thickness planer will do the job. I have both and they are joy to use. This is the one I have, and it is good.

    Google "thickness planer.

    https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-1...W734/100634640

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHj1PUWoZZI

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