Some photos posted of the shop "in progress" of a major overhaul. I wish I had taken some newer "before" shots ... I'll do that for the other side.

This was a strip it to the walls project. The original configuration was an unplanned growth / expansion which resulted in equipment being added as/where possible. While the lighting was "ok" it hadn't kept up with my eyesight degradation (an age thing - not serious just normal). The power tools were connected by a morass of continually tangling extension cords. The bench height wasn't optimal (for me) and adequate, organized storage was becoming a problem. I think I will address all the existing problems and also prepare for another 5-10 years of expansion. There were and will be 4 lathes, drill press, bandsaw, two grinders, small belt sander, 3 dremel motor tools, a small blank chop saw, spine finder, wall mounted dryers and some other mechanical devices added. The shop will have pull-out and roll-around work space in addtion to the permanently fixed cabinetry...

If I ever rebuild any portion of my shop, I will do one thing different. Any tables or benches that support my wrapping lathes will allow me to get my knees under the bench as I move along the bed. None of my tables and benches allow that now and if you sit while wrapping, it's a pain to bang your knees into the front of the cabinet or into the legs of the bench.

Buddy Owens has the very best dedicated rod wrapping bench I've ever seen. I need to take some photos and put them in the magazine. I'll try to do that over the holidays.

...............

Ken,
That all looks like it is really going to be a nice shop but are you going to cut, sand etc. in the same area that you wrap, apply epoxy and dry? If so you must keep your shop a heck of a lot cleaner than I do mine. I have to keep the two areas seperate so that the area that I wrap, apply epoxy and dry is clean with no dust. Do you also stand up when you wrap. If so then you are not that old or your eyes are going faster than your back.

Dust isn't a problem unless it's airborne. I've always shaped, sanded and done dirty work in the same room that I wrapped and finished in. No dust in my finish yet. But it's always better if you can do the two jobs apart from each other.

Larry Tysinger was just in here a few minutes ago. He's building a new 600 square foot rod building shop behind his house. He's having a concrete pad poured onto the rear of the building with a large door opening on to it. All his lathes, saws, etc., are mounted on rolling bases and he can just roll them outside onto the concrete pad and do the dirty work outside. Then you take a leaf blower or reverse the hose on your shop vac and blow the cork or whatever back to whence it came.

After fooling with all types of chip collectors, dust and air cleaners, etc., I came to the conclusion long ago that doing the dirty work outside is the way to go, if you can easily move your tools and if you have weather than allows you to do it in reasonable comfort.

Anybody that's building a new shop and can possibly add such an outdoor work station might want to consider it. I didn't ask Larry, but it wouldn't surprise me if doesn't put some type of roof over the pad so he can even do this in less than perfect weather.

......

Building an entirely new shop for me would be financially out of the question, and a bit impractical as it would (due to zoning concerns) have to be built as an outbuilding - and therefore would require a separate heating plant, electric lines (and likely I would want plumbing. So barring that I simply had to make better use of the space available. To accomodate all the other things I'm installing two separate direct to the exterior duct exhausts and am considering a direct to the outside vacuum pick up to keep dust, cork and hypalon/EVA residue to a minimum. I played around for almost two years figuring out what was more comfortable for me to work at (height) and settled on 43 inches as as right as I could make it. Since I do most (90+%) of my wrapping standing or "keester leaning" on a bar stool I didn't need the knee room - at least on the left hand side - but may keep sufficient on the left side - that will depend on how much "stuff" fits on the right hand and rear walls - plus the two roll-around carts (also at 43") where the drill press and grinders will "live" as well as the chop saw and wood lathe. Those too will have ample storage below them. The wood lathe roll-around will house all the turning tools as well as a supply of turning stock / EVA. As the shop gets "repopulated" I'll install other goodies - like halogen task lighting and such ,,,, I'll post some more photos as things progress.

I have always had problems with dust even though I do the dirty work in a seperate area dust still seems to accumulate on everything over time.

Ken,
You are right about the lighting. Your shop looked like it could use some more. You almost can't have too much light. Especially someone with old tired eyes like yours---------------and mine.

For the dusty work maybe you can put up some sort of divider like a drap, doors or some thing that slides out of the way. Also exhaust fans??