Machines: Straight Or Angled?

Bill C. said:
I would suggest placing lathes in a way that bar stock can extend from the rear of spindle. Most bar stock is about 8 to 10 feet long. If you decide to make your lathe portable add out-riggers so it doesn't tip over on you.

Good luck
Click to expand...
I would hope that you are not suggesting running a lathe with 8 - 10' of stock, most of it extending from the rear of the headstock.

Bob
 
I have a 24x40 shop but tried to keep the shop at one end ( of corse if grew out of it) the 1st big piece was the Comet mill (bridgeport clone) with a 50" table. set flat along a wall it tool up a bunch of room! So i moved it into the corner and if works great there. to the right of it I have a big Vorest lathe and across from the Vorest is the "moveable equipment ( 12"x36 clausing lathe, 2 drill presses, 2 belt sanders , vert band saw, table saw etc. that can be moved as needed. the clausing is aligned under a overhead rail and chain fall.
 
RJSakowski said:
I would hope that you are not suggesting running a lathe with 8 - 10' of stock, most of it extending from the rear of the headstock.

Bob
Click to expand...


Bob you are right. I meant to say with supporting stand with a tube to keep the stock from whipping and beating everything in its way. I was recalling running a small turret lathe with a shop made stock holder. Most home shops wouldn't need a full length of stock at one time. Thanks for pointing my oversight.
 
Lots of good suggestions here so far.
I also did the cardboard cut out thing when I moved into my current shop, it helps a ton.
I put my primary focus on work flow, raw stock comes in and needs to be temporarily stored and cut to size, then moved from machine to machine.
 
1. My next shop will have an epoxy sealed floor, that's something to consider.

2. Mills fling chips about 10 feet in all directions.

3. Lighting is something I would take into consideration, blinding burning white hot lights like the shop was damned!
 
coolidge said:
3. Lighting is something I would take into consideration, blinding burning white hot lights like the shop was damned!
Click to expand...

And don't forget battery backed emergency lighting for safe egress when the lights go out.
.
.
 
JimDawson said:
And don't forget battery backed emergency lighting for safe egress when the lights go out.
.
.
Click to expand...

Hu??? That's takes the fun out of feeling you way out of your shop when the lights go out!

Power outage is generally from the wife reaching in around the door opening and flipping the light switch off.
Generally the signal enough is enough! Come to bed!!!
 
One other thing to try before you settle on the layout. Use rope or string and lay the building out full size in the dirt. Now use cardboard, scrap lumber, paint or whatever to make the planed machine layout in full size. Now play work in it for a little while and make sure it meets what you need. It's a whole lot easier to move some cardboard or paint prior to the building going in than afterwards....Been there and done it before.
 
I tried the mill in both places, in the corner and along a wall. I found that along the wall was better. In the corner became a problem when I had to mill something on the end of a five foot piece of material. Of course it hit the wall and I had to support it off the front of the table to finish the job. Also I have found that if it is along the wall I can put some shelving to either side of the base and store items for the mill and my lathe.
 
I like Grizzly's shop layout tool. You can select equipment that has the correct size/dimension/etc. and angle them however you want. It's easier than drawing by hand or in CAD. I am always interested in organization because I have a full wood shop and some small machine tools that all must live together along with an electronics bench and the rest of the garage.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top