My Small Shop

These threads always give me a bit of a chuckle, especially when someone mentions the size of their shop (or, rather the size they THINK it is) in anything but absolute numbers. Regardless of how small you think your space is, there's always someone who thinks you have a massive place compared to theirs.

I've often thought of mine as small, as it's a couple of workbenches on one wall of my 2 car garage, until I bought my mill. I thought we were going to have to call in a few well built circus midgets to get that mill out of the dude's tiny little shed shack. There was BARELY enough room to slide sideways through the place....I have no clue how he managed to get anything at all done in there.

In my case, while I technically have considerably more space than what I utilize for the machining operations, I'm absolutely not willing to put my '62 International outside permanently to make more usable space. Then when you take into account my 2 welders, horizontal bandsaw, engine hoist, scores of old car parts that again I don't want to leave outside, my home's brain dead builders that put the washer and dryer in the garage...the space really does get small fast, lol.
 
I used to sub work out to an elderly gent in Houston who had his entire shop located in a rental stall at a storage outfit. I swear he had 2 of everything. And I mean everything. You had to step outside to have a face to face conversation. But he was a remarkable man. Lifelong single, machining was his love and passion. And it showed. I only wish I had spent more time with him. I haven't talked to or heard anything from him in a long time, and it wouldn't surprise me at all to find he has passed way. But those who knew him, knew he was a special sort. He had the talent of any ten other manual machinists I can think of.

I think I'll check up on him today and see if he's still out there.
 
I used to sub work out to an elderly gent in Houston who had his entire shop located in a rental stall at a storage outfit. I swear he had 2 of everything. And I mean everything. You had to step outside to have a face to face conversation. But he was a remarkable man. Lifelong single, machining was his love and passion. And it showed. I only wish I had spent more time with him. I haven't talked to or heard anything from him in a long time, and it wouldn't surprise me at all to find he has passed way. But those who knew him, knew he was a special sort. He had the talent of any ten other manual machinists I can think of.

I think I'll check up on him today and see if he's still out there.

I get what you are saying. I was lucky enough to work at a welding/fab job shop in my home town as a second job. The Dad of the owner was an old tool and die maker. Very good at what he did! I paid attention but, still regret not learning more. I still talk to them every few weeks or so. Great people.
 
Great idea, putting the central table under a side bench. I'd fill the under-bench with something then not be able to move the central table in.

That was my plan when I built my main workbench - I didn't add cabinets or drawers underneath it, so I could roll my smaller welder, horizontal bandsaw, etc underneath it along with a small rolling welding table.

That lasted for about 6 hours, when I realized my spare set of mud tires for my crawler would be a perfect fit under the bench...and I still get to play musical crap with my equipment.
 
Ironken, that is really slick and clean. Not sure how you manage to keep things so tidy, I've got more stuff than I know what to do with or where to put. Maybe a purge is in order for me!
 
He's just a neatnik , everything has a place and that's all that's aloud . Me I'm a piler everything on top of everything . The only bench with nothing on it is my hydraulic lift table , work goes on there. When it's done the next job takes its place. But I know exactly where everything I own is or at least where I put it. If someone helps me then I don't know. About five years ago a buddy helped rearrange my shop . Still can't find everything he moved. Worse part he don't know either .
 
I just measured, my shop is 14 feet deep and 16 feet wide. Plus there's a 3 foot by 3 foot furnace in the room. Below is an attempt at a poorly merged panorama. Three pictures not merged but fit together. notice the duplicated band saw on the left.
Machines. starting on the left. small band saw, MP25 mill, three 1 ton arbor presses, small band saw, Ames turret lathe (behind the two band saws), Belt sander, two bench grinders, two drill presses, joiner, larger drill press, Propeller machine,(behind the prop machine, another small drillpress, in front is the MK2 Clausing lathe and behind that the Sears 10" table saw
(hope the picture works)
View attachment 140193

Out of sight on the left (behind the furnace) are two upper and middle Kennedy boxes. There's another behind the central band saws. Wish the image was larger.

Here are the original images, This may help seeing through the clutter.
View attachment 140196
View attachment 140195
View attachment 140194


Now that's a real shop, looks good to me ! A shop someone is working in.
fixit
 
Ironken, that is really slick and clean. Not sure how you manage to keep things so tidy, I've got more stuff than I know what to do with or where to put. Maybe a purge is in order for me!

Nooooooooo! No purging allowed here.

My tidy little shop ain't so tidy now.....metal drops laying everywhere, chips all over the place and mill half torn apart installing a DRO and power feed. It's glorious!
 
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