Last year was a great year working in the shop but it sure pointed out many short falls in the layout. But we were so busy and I just didn't have the strength after the surgery to change things. Since Christmas rush is over we are taking a break and redoing the shop.

 

A better flow from bring the wood into the shop to working through the process and back out with the finished project. Right now on paper it looks great, I'll let you know how it goes when we put it all back together.

 

This weekend I got everything taken apart and started the process of moving things several times. I would have like to taken tools outside and then brought them in as they were ready to be placed but it has rained here everyday. So we are working around things and just moving as we can.

 

Right now the Delta Table saw is upside down and I thought I was going to replace the base with an original base but it doesn't fit the model so we are back to the make shift wooden base.

 

 

The top is off the saw and everything is getting a good cleaning and checking then all realigned.

 

 

About the time I really got all of this taken apart I started to wonder if this was really a good idea.

 

Oh well it is started so now I have to finish it.

 

I sure hope the after pictures look better than this mess right now.

 

 

John,

Those pictures still look better than my shop.    

John,

Those pictures still look better than my shop.    

 

 

Larry they really don't show what a mess there really is.

John,

But you've got some room between the piles.

 

I don't.

John,

But you've got some room between the piles.

 

I don't.

And I thought it was messy the last time I was there?  Wow John, you tore it up real well.

And I thought it was messy the last time I was there?  Wow John, you tore it up real well.

 

 

It was a mess the last time you was here and now it is a bigger mess.

You know, you'll never find anything after this is done!

Wow! What a mess!

I know what you are going through, it's a good thing to tear it up and start over again for sure, things start getting discombobulated after a few a years, things need alignment, things are getting the way of your work, cutting corners with the machinery to just get by on some processes, and now it's time to take it all down and start new, I think you are doing the right thing. I'm just glad I'm not doing it!

You know, you'll never find anything after this is done!

I know Lew, I am having a hard time finding things just to put it back together. It is starting to take shape though.

Wow! What a mess!

I know what you are going through, it's a good thing to tear it up and start over again for sure, things start getting discombobulated after a few a years, things need alignment, things are getting the way of your work, cutting corners with the machinery to just get by on some processes, and now it's time to take it all down and start new, I think you are doing the right thing. I'm just glad I'm not doing it!

I know John. It wasn't domething I was looking forward to but decided if I was going to keep up the pace we have been working it had to get changed.

I was the only one in the shop before but now we have several of us working at one time so we neede to be where we were not in each other's way. I think it will be better.

I got the tablesaw back together tonight but not through with the alignment.

I hope to finish by the weekend.

Being that I have been in your shop working with you and know the saw dust covered mine field well, I am very glad that you are doing a major makeover of your shop. I look forward to seeing how it all turns out.

Are you going to make any of your tools more mobile so you can move them around as needed? I know for me that has made my life much easier on space as well as on my back and body with stuff on mobile bases.

Being that I have been in your shop working with you and know the saw dust covered mine field well, I am very glad that you are doing a major makeover of your shop. I look forward to seeing how it all turns out.

Are you going to make any of your tools more mobile so you can move them around as needed? I know for me that has made my life much easier on space as well as on my back and body with stuff on mobile bases.

 

 

A few of them are on mobile bases or have wheels. I am not sure how much I will move them though. Since I don't share the space with anything else they pretty much get parked and stay there. We have taken down some things that will allow me to push more back to the walls and we are trying to get the DC vents off the floor so you don't have things to step over. I usually can't move them far since they are all connected to the DC. I hope it give a better work flow and a bit more open space to move about.

I know that you have a hub with some blast gates to some of your machines with longer flex hose to the machines. Do you have the space to do more separate runs closer to each machine using 4"PVC pipe and then dropping the PVC down closer to the machines with a blast gate and then a shorter pieces of flexible hose so there is less chance of tripping on it? Your shop is considerably bigger (and has more stuff) than my 3 car garage, but putting in the 4"PVC overhead and then dropping down to where I needed them with short flex hose made my life so much easier and safer than having to run a longer flex hose on the floor that I have to step and/or trip over.

This is a photo of one of my 4" PVC drops with shorter flex hose that I use for my workbench, router table, 12" SCMS, planer, Drill Press and Band Saw. All of those machines and the workbench are on mobile bases and, like your Delta DC, my Delta DC is the same size and CFM rating to do 1 tool at a time. The other photo is the 4" PVC drop that I use for my table saw and my floor sweep. 

I know that you have a hub with some blast gates to some of your machines with longer flex hose to the machines. Do you have the space to do more separate runs closer to each machine using 4"PVC pipe and then dropping the PVC down closer to the machines with a blast gate and then a shorter pieces of flexible hose so there is less chance of tripping on it? Your shop is considerably bigger (and has more stuff) than my 3 car garage, but putting in the 4"PVC overhead and then dropping down to where I needed them with short flex hose made my life so much easier and safer than having to run a longer flex hose on the floor that I have to step and/or trip over.

This is a photo of one of my 4" PVC drops with shorter flex hose that I use for my workbench, router table, 12" SCMS, planer, Drill Press and Band Saw. All of those machines and the workbench are on mobile bases and, like your Delta DC, my Delta DC is the same size and CFM rating to do 1 tool at a time. The other photo is the 4" PVC drop that I use for my table saw and my floor sweep. 

 

 

Maybe, I'll take a look and see what I can do.