Workshop buildout

[Scoops]

Greetings,

It's time to upgrade my workshop.

I'll be looking at purchasing a number of tools, putting in good lighting, more workbenches, a couple 20A power circuits, a Vac system, a downdraft table, storage shelving and a design center w/CAD. I've already started clearing things out and fabing up some workbenches. I don't have enough room to do a spray booth. I have an area of 8ft x 18ft to work with. I'll post pics as work gets done.

For electric tools, I'm looking at getting a band saw, drill press, and a spindle sander. I already have a table saw, and a router table. I also know I'm going to get the Ridgid Oscillating Edge/Belt sander. I've heard great things about this. BTW, I don't want to spend a lot of $$$. I got about a $1k budget for this.

When it comes to the bandsaw, I have many options. I'll be using the bandsaw to cut out body outlines, and I'll probably use it to do smaller sized re-sawing, like neck pieces, and fingerboards (Larger size re-saw, I'll use the table saw that I already have).

So here's my first question. Would it be better to get an older say "Sears" 12' bandsaw, or a new bottom of the line something or another from one of the big box stores. The price point is going to be about the same, and they both have their pro and cons.

Thoughts?

 

[Reticle]

$1000.00 budget for a bandsaw, drill press, spindle sander, lighting, benches, dust collection, shelving and a workstation? You'll be hard pressed to stay within budget even if you only buy Harbor Freight's cheapest tools. My advice would be to take that $1000.00 and buy a nice 14"+ bandsaw and a drill press then add on later when funds allow.

 

[SaintMez]

I concur with Reticle. Take that $1000 and get a nicer bandsaw and drill press (I would suggest a larger drill press if you can swing it. Small bench top models don't have enough throat depth IMO). Equipping a shop with general woodworking tools and tools specific to luthierie takes a great deal of money...and time in my case, but I always find some new tool to drool over. It's a never ending quest.

 

[Beej]

There's a 14" Rigid for $285 in the Janesville craigslist right now...

 

[Scoops]

There's a 14" Rigid for $285 in the Janesville craigslist right now...

Now I find this quite amazing. Someone finds a CL listing that's about 20 miles from my home, for me!

 

[Scoops]

$1000.00 budget for a bandsaw, drill press, spindle sander, lighting, benches, dust collection, shelving and a workstation? You'll be hard pressed to stay within budget even if you only buy Harbor Freight's cheapest tools. My advice would be to take that $1000.00 and buy a nice 14"+ bandsaw and a drill press then add on later when funds allow.

I concur with Reticle. Take that $1000 and get a nicer bandsaw and drill press (I would suggest a larger drill press if you can swing it. Small bench top models don't have enough throat depth IMO). Equipping a shop with general woodworking tools and tools specific to luthierie takes a great deal of money...and time in my case, but I always find some new tool to drool over. It's a never ending quest.

Yeah, I know what you guys are saying, and I was going to put a request in the thread not to reply in this manner, but ok.

$1K is cutting it thin. I can wire my own electrical. Done it a zillion times, so I'll save $ there. I have a drafting board, computer, 3D program, so the design center is taken care of. I have a plan for the dust collection. It will combine the downdraft table, and dust collection into one device. I got a furnace squirrel cage for $25. It has 4 speeds. Another $50 to $60 in lumber to build the downdraft table. A trip to Rockler/Home Depot for some PVC and other dust collection stuff, and for about $200 to $250, I have a downdraft table, and VAC system. BTW, dust collection is my top priority.

Oops...got company. BBL

 

[iamlowsound]

It can be done, you will just have to be careful and shop used. Good luck!

lowsound

 

[Beej]

Now I find this quite amazing. Someone finds a CL listing that's about 20 miles from my home, for me!

And I live just under 2000 miles away from you. That's the coolest thing about the worldwideweb...it's worldwide!

I used to have a rigid 14", they are pretty good, and can be used with a riser kit to give you more resaw capacity (although it doesn't increase the horsepower, so you gotta be careful with dense woods)...

 

[Scoops]

As I was saying....

So, I think I'll have $300 to $400 bux left to spend on a bandsaw and drill press, and the more i think about it the more I come to the realization that I should invest the $$$ for better quality tools. So getting the $169 band saw at Home Depot probably wouldn't be the best investment. What I'm really fishing for here is where is the point of diminishing returns on equipment like this? Sure, I'd love to have a $2000 bandsaw, but for $285 and a drive to Janesville is probably more the direction I'll travel at this time. My only concern with used equipment is just that, it's used. How much life will be left in it. I did find a 12" Sears bandsaw in CL. It's 30 years old. Am I going to have to get new tires? Is the motor on it's last legs? There are just some unknowns that concern me

 

[Reticle]

With a bandsaw, as long as it runs and the frame isn't bent, the wear parts (bearings, tires, guides, etc.) can be replaced relatively cheaply.

 

[Dadagoboi]

Go for the Rigid, far superior to the Sears. A Craftsman 12 was my first BS before I moved up to a Delta 14 which would do anything I needed, including resawing. The Craftsman was underpowered and much lower quality. IMO the Rigid is very close to the Delta in quality.

40 year old Sears jointer is another story, great tool. All cast iron.

 

[Scoops]

Ok,

Hard to make progress in the summertime, but I did get somewhere.

I've drilled holes in the concrete wall and mounted my power receptacle boxes and strung power cables,
I also ripped the sheet rock off the wall so I could get at the 2 Power circuits that are there already.
I built up some of my workbenches, you can see the legs I built up for 2 of the tables yet to be built.

I also talked to the guy in Janesville about the Band saw. Man, sometimes CL gets a bit scarey. I give the guy a call. The person that answered says he's not home. I leave my number. The next day while I'm at work, he calls every 2 hours, starting at 9 in the morning. By the end of the third VM you can hear him getting impatient. No wonder why it's been for sale since early July. Then he calls me at my land line and asks why I haven't returned his calls. Sale lost.

There is a bit of a change to my overall plan. I was looking for a band saw to do resawing and body outline sawing. I've come across a situation where I don't think I'll be doing that. Instead, my neighbor lady said she'd give me her late husbands table saw. It's a Sears. She said is was only used about 5 times. It looks that way. I didn't get the model number, but it has an aluminum table on it that's about 4ft x 3 ft, with extensions, looks like the saw blade raises to 3" above the table, the fences were there as well as the miter gauge. It has a very sturdy table it's mounted on, with locking castors. >>>>>>FREE<<<<<<. This is a big step above the one I have.

So it looks like I won't be getting a band saw right away, or at least not part of this build out.

 

[Scoops]

Ok,

Haven't posted for a while, but I've been getting this done.
Here's a pic of the FREE table saw and Drill press I got

Here's the sheet rock going in

Sheetrock in, and wall painted

Workspace adjusted to better suit space

And yes, The SM5000 (still needs a little work)

 

[Scoops]

Edit: 10/7 Updated budget

So far, I'm still under budget
$30 - 4 Sheets of sheetrock
$40 - 14 2x4's
$33 - 5 sheets MDF
$47 - 5 sheets of plywood
$8 - Box of screws
$64 - Paneling
$37 - Trim for paneling
$42 - Cedar trim for around entry door
$17 - Romex
$43 - Electical boxes and conduit
$24 - Gallon of paint
$65 - New drafting pad for drafting table
$8 -Mud for sheet rocking
$4 - Sheetrock tape
$100 - 2 Florescent light fixtures
$34 - Box of Florescent Bulbs
$100 - New Router
$135 - Shelving/Storage
$25 - Squirel Cage
$10 - Power Cord
$3 - Power Switches
$2 - Cover plates
_______________
$871

Free >>>Rigid Spindle sander (Cashed in on Banking freebie $200)
Free >>>Sear table saw
Free >>> Sears Drill Press

I'll wait to see if I really want/need a bandsaw.

I also will wait to see if I need to duct the SM5000 to the outside world
If I do, I have relatives that I'll pay in beer to get it ducted

Although I haven't shown the design center, it will be the last thing I set up. But I do have the computer, software and all.

Hopefully I'll be back to building in a couple weeks

 

[iamlowsound]

Good work! Told you that with the right mindset and time you could do it for your budget. My dad and I have built his/our (we have split most of the tool costs, it is in his basement) shop for super cheap because we just keep looking for deals. He had a brand new 14" DeWalt thickness plainer GIVEN to him. It had been used maybe twice, still had the plastic on it.

lowsound

 

[Scoops]

Ok,

I'm just about done
Got most of the tools in place

Got the Design center set up

And got my first tooling fixture built up
Everybody needs a sled

 

[Scoops]

I'm still under budget for the project, but not for long.
I spent $40 on getting the SM5000 Up and running. This baby is sweet. It'll suck the chrome off a bumper
It has 4 speeds. Instead of buying a fancy 5 way toggle switch for it, which was @$50. I settled to use 4, $0.79 switches, one for each lead (speed) on the motor.
I'll need to be careful not to turn two of the windings on.

My luck ran out on the design center.

I had an Old HP WX6200 laying around that I was planning on using as my CAD machine. The HD drive that I have all of my 3D programs on isn't compatible with the computer for some reason.
Whatever the case, I'll probably buy a new mobo and SSD's for my current computer, and use the old stuff to get my design center up ad running. So it's not so bad, i'll get a new puter out of it.

Life is Good!!!

Let see now what to build
A Walnut Flying V?
A Black Korina Les Paul?
Quilted Sapele EBO?

I'm just feeling like bulding some Gibson inspired instruments as of late

 

[iamlowsound]

Looks great! I just wouldn't put a computer in the workshop if that were me.

lowsound

 

[Scoops]

Update on downdraft table performance

I've cut up alot wood now. This thing absolutely rocks when working directly on the table. I can sand, saw, route, and whatever else may have you, and the dust gets drawn straight down! Beautiful! Just what I wanted. However, when I use it as an air cleaner, well there's a little to be desired. Sure it works, but because I don't have it vented to the outside world yet, the exhaust from unit tends to stir up the air a little more than I would care for. (duh, kinda figured this would happen).

So I talked to my relative that does HVAC, to see if he could do something for me here. He asked me a number of questions with respect to how I plan to use this table. I told him that I would like to use it as an air cleaner/ downdraft table, to capture and dispose of wood particles in the air. He understood. After a coupe days, he got back to me indicating that what I was looking to do, could potentially be dangerous, and as a result, didn't want to do the work. Leading cause was the potential for wood dust that would be going through through the squirrel cage could catch fire and explode. Granted, there might be the potential for minute dust particles to get past the triple filter action I have. My relative went on to say that the vents to the outside world would need to raised higher than ground level, mostly due to snow cover in the winter covering up the vents.. To raise them would be a bit more costly.He also started talking about the technical side of calculating the pressures and so on, indicating there may be issues here as well

My relative is the type of person that would bend over backwards to help you out because you are family. I am convinced that he doesn't want to do this because of the potential hazard. I'm OK with this. He did suggest that perhaps an exhaust fan put on one of the basement windows, might help. I had considered this while I was in the planning stages, so I guess it's time to exercise this option.

This cuts back on what I will be doing in this work space. And I'm OK with this too. I recently found a guy nearby, that has the industrial saws, planners, and sanders. He charges an incredibly low price too, so not much lost there.

 

[Scoops]

Been a while since I touched this thread, but, my table saw burned up a few weeks ago.
Over the past few years I realized that I really need a good band saw.

Well today that realization became reality.

My Craftsman 14" 1HP band saw. Now I just need to find the assembly instructions.

I was about to pull the trigger on a Grizzly, but a price reduction came up on this and I couldn't refuse. $366.00 new! This isn't exactly the saw that I wanted as I would have preferred a cast base, but for $366, I can live with it.

Cheers