Author Topic: Workshop's going up at last  (Read 16001 times)

Offline Philip Green

  • bronze
  • ***
  • Posts: 128
    • No Mans Land
Workshop's going up at last
« on: July 05, 2011, 05:18:57 PM »
I have been planning this for over a year and now things are happening that will make my dream come true.

My early plans for the workshop was 7m x 3m. My intention was to do some woodwork during my retirement but then I got "bit be the bug" and had to find room for a lathe and tool sharpening system as well as everything else and is now to be 7m x 3.5m. I had thought of going up to 8m x 4 but changed my mind late in the day.

Very early thoughts were that it should be rendered block construction but that soon gave way to timber frame.  Anyway, after much consideration, I decided to buy a log cabin with insulated floor & roof plus 70mm thick walls.

The attached files show my current workshop, situated in an old stone barn on the side of our cottage. Since these photographs were taken, I have acquired a load of wood and more tools so it is getting difficult to find room to stand and work.
Philip from sunny St Issey

Offline Philip Green

  • bronze
  • ***
  • Posts: 128
    • No Mans Land
Re: Workshop's going up at last
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2011, 05:23:40 PM »
The decision on where to site my workshop was pretty easy really. An old pigs house and outside toilet were in danger of falling down so with them gone, I had most of the area I needed available. The rest was robbed from the garden.
Philip from sunny St Issey

theblindwoodturner

  • Guest
Re: Workshop's going up at last
« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2011, 05:25:52 PM »
Hey.

I'm uploading my workshop pics now so you could get a feel for what a wooden workshop could become.

If you need some advice on soundproofing / winter insulation, etc let me know and I'd be happy to help with advice, etc.

good on you mate.

lew

Offline Philip Green

  • bronze
  • ***
  • Posts: 128
    • No Mans Land
Re: Workshop's going up at last
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2011, 05:32:23 PM »
Thanks Lew. Being in the country with no near neighbors, I shouldn't have a need for soundproofing and with 70mm thick wooden walls, hopefully I won't require wall insulation. I won't know until much later if I need either but if I do, I will bear your offer in mind.


The outside toilet was built of stone so I demolished the top half by hand so that I could re-use the stone on other projects. The stone here in Cornwall is either granite or as in this case, slate.

A digger made short work of the remainder and I ended up with a flat, if not level, worksite.
Philip from sunny St Issey

Offline Philip Green

  • bronze
  • ***
  • Posts: 128
    • No Mans Land
Re: Workshop's going up at last
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2011, 05:42:01 PM »
Adie's adventures in laying her base described on the Woodworkers Institute forum inspired me to get a professional in to do mine.

The back of the work site slopes away so we had to move the base further into the garden than had originally been intended. The last photo shows where we had got to when my wife and I went to stay with our middle son for a week.
Philip from sunny St Issey

Offline Philip Green

  • bronze
  • ***
  • Posts: 128
    • No Mans Land
Re: Workshop's going up at last
« Reply #5 on: July 05, 2011, 05:50:05 PM »
This is what greeted us when we returned. As you saw in the previous photographs, the base is pretty solid and being on a hillside and having to support a log cabin, it needs to be.

The flattened ground did not appear to have much of a slope but the height of the left hand end above the ground indicates otherwise.

The insulation and roof shingles have arrived. The timber arrives tomorrow morning and construction can start.

I am in the process of placing orders for the electrics and dust extraction, both of which should be delivered in time for me to use.

Anyway, big day tomorrow.
Philip from sunny St Issey

theblindwoodturner

  • Guest
Re: Workshop's going up at last
« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2011, 06:08:16 PM »
so what's the size of the workshop going to be?

any thoughts on what you fancy putting in?

am intrigued. shame I can't see the photos but hey it makes the mind wander.

lew

Offline Philip Green

  • bronze
  • ***
  • Posts: 128
    • No Mans Land
Re: Workshop's going up at last
« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2011, 07:18:44 PM »
My workshop will be 7m x 3.5m with two small internal rooms: one for a toilet and the other for the dust extraction system. The latter should keep the noise at a reasonable level and will have an external door for maintenance.

One wall will be lined with one long bench into which I plan to embed a mortiser, mitre saw and router with space for a pillar drill, sander, grinder and my Pro Edge tool sharpening system. The idea is that the worktop will be one continuous level in line with the working surfaces of the machinary except the bench pillar drill. Once I work out exactly how much space each machine will require, I will finalise the design and build it myself. There will be benches all the way along.

A double door takes up part of the other wall. The rest of it will house my DML305 lathe and a woodworking bench. One end will house a finishing table that will double as a computer desk and fly tying desk. The other end will house my bandsaw and a storage cupboard.

Above the two internal rooms and across the full width of the workshop will be wood storage.

The dust extraction system will be ducted througout the workshop plus I plan to install a dust filter somewhere near the lathe.

Philip from sunny St Issey

theblindwoodturner

  • Guest
Re: Workshop's going up at last
« Reply #8 on: July 05, 2011, 07:32:35 PM »
sounds like a bloomin good plan.

my workshop to be honest at the mo is pretty open plan. at present no benches but there is going to be a small bench / storage bit for power tools, etc and the computer when sorted out, on the left wall there's going to be a drying rack / timber store for bowl blanks, etc. The centre of the workshop will have the lathe bed extension and the intended bandsaw. Dust extraction is going to be sorted out at some point as this is a recent major rebuild.

the most important bit... the HIFI shelf. Above the lathe are small tool holding bits including a custom shelf for the HIFI remote for music on the fly lol.

The wall side lathe end is going to be a full tool wall, one side of the delivery door will be chucks and jaws, etc, the other side will be for the pro edge. (a purchase I need to sort out.)

The proEdge for me will be a better rig for easier sharpening, especially on a more tactile approach.

lew

Offline woodndesign

  • platinum
  • *****
  • Posts: 2211
  • Cannock Staffordshire
Re: Workshop's going up at last
« Reply #9 on: July 06, 2011, 02:37:07 AM »

Philip, You look to be coming on nicely with the build, hope you've gone big enough...  then it's 21' x 10.5' in £-s-d be it not..  should of taken up more of the garden..  less grass to mow..   ;D ... shorter walk to the house..  an less costly in getting the power out to it, the main of the cost to wire my shop will be the 10m Armoured cable.

Like the sound of the layout, ideal the toilet, if like me no sooner than I get out there..  than I have to trip back or I'm covered with shavings and have to go through all the house..

It is a good idea a room for the extraction system, I've found in my compact space, that the yorkclean I have can get shaving from turning it, which will, as with the bandsaw or belt sander blow dust round which is not picked up from them, so to duct it away somewhere else is ideal, where it can be done, the microclean is good, but at times for shop layout can fail to catch everything or then I need to plug it in as well..  which means I've to have something else to go off.. not enough points..  you'll need to plan for loads of sockets and lights.. I've a 4 gang and 2 gang cables and need to change out all the time.. 

what windows or sky lights are you having..  need to make the most of the North Kernow light, when you get it...  one good thing with your mild St Egloskrug climate you may not need to add any more insulation, it's more a case of damp.

Finally when you come to having that BIGGER Lathe have you enough room..   ;D ...     Shall watch as you get on with the shop going up.

David

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,"  By Dickens ''''

Offline Philip Green

  • bronze
  • ***
  • Posts: 128
    • No Mans Land
Re: Workshop's going up at last
« Reply #10 on: July 06, 2011, 08:03:15 AM »
I have a great labour saving way of cutting the grass ... I let the wife do it.

Running power and water to my workshop was pretty expensive. I had to run the power from the back of our cottage, around my father in-law's cottage and along a trench in the field. The water reaches our cottages via through the field near the power trench so we tapped off of that as well and ran the water pipe in the trench as well. We did that the same time as we dug the trenches for the base which meant that we could have a stand pipe for watering the garden and the building work as well as having power available.

One thing I didn't mention before is that I am ordering one of those flexible Bendi-hoses from Axminster so that I can get the nozzle in the best position for catching the dust from turning. If it works, I may buy more to use in other areas where the machine built-in dust ports are insuficient. One thing about Axminster, they sell 4" and 2.5" extraction parts but the bendi-hose is 3" and they do not sell an adaptor so I will have to work out how to fit it.

Along the wall facing the cottage I will have half glass double doors and a fair size window with a further two windows in the back wall looking down the valley. At high(ish) level, I plan to have four twin four foot florrys with small singles directly above the lathe and a couple of other areas where I feel I will need extra light.

Although I have a stand for my lathe, I have designed a bench for it with allowance for an extension. If I ever replace this lathe, there should still be plenty of room for a larger one. I will have to think of something else if I decide to get a second lathe. I think there will be a fair bit of space between the bench on the back wall so it may be possible to move things around and use some of that space. I won't really know until I see it in the flesh.
Philip from sunny St Issey

Offline woodndesign

  • platinum
  • *****
  • Posts: 2211
  • Cannock Staffordshire
Re: Workshop's going up at last
« Reply #11 on: July 06, 2011, 02:24:06 PM »

Hi Philip,  You look to have it all planed out well, it's just for it to come together, it's not till everything goes in that you realise what space is taken up, but when the non-turning things have there own storage, there something less, in the way..  if only I could find a home for the bikes.

Did you plan for floodlighting or LV lighting of the garden when the cable went in, find your way home in the dark.. and watch the wife mowing..

Enjoy the build.            David
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,"  By Dickens ''''

Offline Philip Green

  • bronze
  • ***
  • Posts: 128
    • No Mans Land
Re: Workshop's going up at last
« Reply #12 on: July 06, 2011, 07:20:03 PM »
End of day one.

A staggering amount of timber turned up first thing this morning and the builders turned up at the same time. The photos are the first pallet being unloaded, most of the pallets on the ground with another big one out of shot and progress.

Heavy showers did not interrupt these boys.

I have ordered the external preservative and the Axminster stuff.
Philip from sunny St Issey

Offline woodndesign

  • platinum
  • *****
  • Posts: 2211
  • Cannock Staffordshire
Re: Workshop's going up at last
« Reply #13 on: July 06, 2011, 07:31:58 PM »

Philip, If that's a double door opening..  hem's a BIG shop..   Log cabin, toilet... no shower !!!  could of make a Holiday let...    ??? ..

If the pace keeps up...  grand openning the weekend.    :D ...

David
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,"  By Dickens ''''

theblindwoodturner

  • Guest
Re: Workshop's going up at last
« Reply #14 on: July 06, 2011, 09:19:40 PM »
May I give you a suggestion here regarding floor comfort. After all you're going to be working in there for a long period of time per day.

As I've done in my workshop (see pics on my thread (the new workshop)

I have installed cloud 9 heavy duty underlay and on top of this, heavy duty commercial carpet (felt backed). This offers great under foot comfort and also warmth during the winter. With these winters getting more severe, it's worth considering the insulation properties of your workshop environment. Using insulation blocks and then cladding the walls with 6x1T&G as 2nd fix and then setting up your electricity supply, etc. It's also worth doing this with your ceiling. Ventilation is also an essential for conditioning and air filtration where chemical finishes or fine dusts may be present.

lew