# My Little workshop



## slaurenson

Hi guys, 

thought I would post a few pics of my workshop, when we bought the house I was given a blank canvas as per the first couple of photos - this is basically how it is today.. unfortunately I can't fit a Milling machine in so have to look at getting a bigger workshop now and starting all over !! 

never mind, it will do me for now.


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## Swifty

You seem to have made the most of the available space, a place for everything, puts me to shame.

Paul.


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## rodw

Very organised there in a small place. It is amazing what you can fit in. My shop is a similar size and am thinking about better storage options. I managed to fit in a Seig Super X3 mill in place of my drill press. It took me ages to work out where I could put it. Then I had a brainwave and moved my drill press to a new spot (to make room for a bigger lathe) for a while and decided I could fit the SX3 in the same footprint the drill occupied. I have not missed the drill press yet.


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## Herbiev

Great use of space and very neat


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## Mbusha

Really nice shop. 

I agree, the SX3 might fit. I also find I do not use my little drill press that often. It was a cheap one anyway and the mill does a nicer job. 

In any case, yours is a shop to be proud of....


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## mikegw1961

Very nice, well organised workshop.

I wish my workshop looked like that.


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## pgp001

My only comment would be:-
Why did you not paint the walls white before you installed everything, it makes it so much lighter if you do that.

Phil


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## slaurenson

Yep I did think about painting the walls white but to be honest, I like the wood colour as well.. I have about 15 strip lights in that little space so light hasn't been to much of a problem.. I just wish the shop was a bit wider so I could get my old bike in the middle, would make life easier for working on it but for building model engines it's a good size.

cheers


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## slaurenson

oh and yes, the drill press would be the first to go in place of a milling machine, I think I could probably squeeze it in.. I just have to convince the CFO for purchase approval  
I do use a small vertical slide on the lath and an ER32 collet chuck for small milling work, it seems to cover most of what I need for my Quayle Steam engine that I am in the midst of building.. the problem I find with the vertical slide is it vibrates a lot when taking cuts..


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## larry1

slaurenson,  very nice looking shop        larry


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## AussieJimG

Nice shop and well organised. Love the lighting as well. Thanks for showing. No chance of me showing photos until everyone has forgotten how neat your is.

Jim


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## rodw

slaurenson said:


> oh and yes, the drill press would be the first to go in place of a milling machine, I think I could probably squeeze it in.. I just have to convince the CFO for purchase approval
> I do use a small vertical slide on the lath and an ER32 collet chuck for small milling work, it seems to cover most of what I need for my Quayle Steam engine that I am in the midst of building.. the problem I find with the vertical slide is it vibrates a lot when taking cuts..



My brainwave was to place the mill on an angle near the door. That may work for you too. My floor space is similar to yours.




This lets the table steal a bit more room if it is right over to the left and the natural light is an advantage. The stand is a bit deeper than the drill press but it extends under the upper shelf so this is not a problem. Note the welder, bandsaw and welding table are all on wheels so they can be moved around. I just pull the saw out when it is in use. The sale of my old lathe covered half the cost of the mill! I am envious of your drawers etc, that is my next shop upgrade.


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## Clockguy

Sort of makes you want to work in it all the time. Very nice. JL


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## gus

Very well organised and weather proof. Very much bigger than my three open sided balcony machineshop. Wee bitty rain droplets do get in on a very bad day. 
See foto. Rust is not a big problem. But the moist makes me ponder on buying DRO for the vertical mill.


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## robcas631

Great design! Enjoy!


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## robcas631

Looks great Gus!


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## robcas631




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## robcas631

I carve wood, build model boats...ect and machine.


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## Pikas53

Hi,

You have a beautifully organized and tidy shop.
A Me-Ford lathe. Sorry, most Brits can't say "my".
Are you doing mainly woodworking? I noticed a few saws and a router.
I am curious about the building structure though, because most windows have a lentil over them. Are you in a shed? What I see would not be accepted by the building code for house construction. 
Just curious....


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## Beachside_Hank

Size only matters to scammers selling "male enhancement" products, I get off on overcoming obstacles using the barest of resources.


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## slaurenson

Pikas53 said:


> Hi,
> 
> You have a beautifully organized and tidy shop.
> A Me-Ford lathe. Sorry, most Brits can't say "my".
> Are you doing mainly woodworking? I noticed a few saws and a router.
> I am curious about the building structure though, because most windows have a lentil over them. Are you in a shed? What I see would not be accepted by the building code for house construction.
> Just curious....


 
Morning  
thanks for the comments, I do have a number of wood working tools and I did try my hardest to get into in but unfortunately I can't cut wood straight to save myself! so I use it for the odd job around the house and building the workshop.. I am 90% metal and model engine building now. When we bought the house that's pretty much how it came and it did have a code of compliance.. I have boxed around the window with tool boarding.. not quite sure though what you mean by a lentil? but you got me thinking!! I will take a closer look tonight


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## gus

slaurenson said:


> Morning
> thanks for the comments, I do have a number of wood working tools and I did try my hardest to get into in but unfortunately I can't cut wood straight to save myself! so I use it for the odd job around the house and building the workshop.. I am 90% metal and model engine building now. When we bought the house that's pretty much how it came and it did have a code of compliance.. I have boxed around the window with tool boarding.. not quite sure though what you mean by a lentil? but you got me thinking!! I will take a closer look tonight




Hi slaurenson,

Gus share the sawing problem.Can't cut straight with hand saw---metal or wood. Followed RodW ,bought a Makita Portable Bandsaw,mount it upright to cut squared up and straight. Now no longer panting away after a manual hacksawing of 2" Mild Steel Bars. No longer having cold feet when manual sawing required for projects. Gus now cut metal bars in 30 secs to a minute or two.
Went for Japanese Quality.The Chinese Bandsaws no on market yet.

Gus Teng.


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## slaurenson

Ohhh i do like that idea, a metal band saw would be perfect, I am the same - I cut the metal the best I can by hand (not very well) and then true it up in the lathe!! I am over the panting and sweating for cutting round bar, the old engineers on the steam tug I work on always laugh at me killing my hack saw blades trying to cut straight and fast. 

I am quite partial to Makita tools, I might have to see if I can slip it in the CFO budget for this year.. saying that the Mill is taking presidence (and I have sign off for that to)


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## rodw

gus said:


> Hi slaurenson,
> Followed RodW ,bought a Makita Portable Bandsaw,mount it upright to cut squared up and straight.



Just to clarify gus followed my lead on a table but my saw is a 6x4 metal bandsaw (well actually its a 6x5 - going up one model from the bottom always seems to be a good thing and I am pleased I did)



slaurenson said:


> Ohhh i do like that idea, a metal band saw would be perfect, I am the same - I cut the metal the best I can by hand (not very well) and then true it up in the lathe!! I am over the panting and sweating for cutting round bar, the old engineers on the steam tug I work on always laugh at me killing my hack saw blades trying to cut straight and fast.
> 
> I am quite partial to Makita tools, I might have to see if I can slip it in the CFO budget for this year.. saying that the Mill is taking presidence (and I have sign off for that to)



If you can afford the space and the money, you would be better off getting a 6x4 metal saw as the cutting speed is more suited to cutting metal but Gus's home brewed one is a great idea. A variable speed power supply might make it work better.

I will say that I need to pull the  saw out into some clear space every time I use it and have put it on wheels to allow this. My shop is only 2.4m x 3.8m (8'x12').


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## PhnxCaller

Great looking shop! I personnally like a smaller shop, less walking around looking for stuff.


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## Robsmith

take that LH wall out and dig back under the house a bit more ....Then you can fit a Mill !


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## slaurenson

Hi Rob, 

I did seriously consider that idea in the beginning!

Well the time has come that the workshop is just to small, (and the house to big) and thankfully my wonderfully understanding wife agrees we need more shed space and less house space. So we have bought a new home up in a place just north of Auckland called Kaukapakapa. we don't move in until end of September so plenty of time to pack up.

I don't have sizes yet but to give you an idea, it's a 4 bedroom house with 3 bathrooms and the shed is as big as the house. I also have a lean to shed at the back which will work great for a foundry. 

"Like a kid in a candy store"


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## Swifty

Now that's a decent size shed.Thm:

Paul.


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## Alchymist

Pikas53 said:


> Hi,
> 
> You have a beautifully organized and tidy shop.
> A Me-Ford lathe. Sorry, most Brits can't say "my".
> Are you doing mainly woodworking? I noticed a few saws and a router.
> I am curious about the building structure though, because most windows have a lentil over them. Are you in a shed? What I see would not be accepted by the building code for house construction.
> Just curious....



Why would you want an onion over the window? :hDe: And yes, OP has a neat shop. Envious!


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