Hi Max
The first step in setting up a workshop is establishing your needs. A
suitable location for the workshop
must be determined. Workshops can be located in the home or garage, but
ideally the basement or garage
are very suitable locations. You should plan for future expansion prior
to designing the shop, since you will
at some point in the future, outgrow the present shop. Many factors are
to be taken into consideration in
designing a workshop. Storage, lighting, ventilation, power
requirements, and noise reduction are important.
The typical woodworking shop requires a workbench, tool storage,
stationary machine area,
and finishing area. Ample space should be provided to move between the
bench and walls,
and to provide the necessary clearance for long, wide boards and panels.
Efficient dust collection is a major consideration. Unless you are using
only hand tools, most power tools
and specifically, powered sanding operations create large amounts of
airborne dust, which is easily inhaled.
If a workshop is not feasible at this time, a small work area in a
corner of the home is perfectly suitable.
The minimum requirement of a workbench and hand tools is all that is
necessary to begin woodworking.
A general floor plan should be drawn up. All equipment should be
positioned as to provide maximum
flexibility and the ability to maneuver around the machines and bench.
If you have a large space
available to you, plan for future additional equipment. A lumber storage
area is important, and can be
either situated in the workshop or outside. Make sure the workshop has
adequate electrical service
and plenty of lighting.
Yes, may be not for you but if anyone else is required to give you a
hand then good lighting is required.
Another consideration is the ease or difficulty in transporting
materials into and out of the workshop.
Ventilation is important, and sometimes a common household fan placed in
a window of the shop
or in the vicinity, can satisfy the ventilation requirement. Safety
considerations include a non-slip floor,
adequate lighting, and room to maneuver around equipment. Fluorescent
lighting provides more light
than incandescent lighting and is less expensive to operate. Some
fixture come with wires to plug
into a receptacle, other fixtures need to be permanently wired.
Grounded receptacles are of primary importance, and guard against shock.
If the workshop is located
in the basement, GFCI receptacles should be considered. GFCI's sense
small changes in current flow,
similar to a short circuit, and disable the power instantly. Portable
clip-on spotlamps can be used
in proximity of the workbench or stationary machines, to serve as task
lighting.
Dust
Collection in the Workshop
Dust collection is becoming increasingly important in the workshop.
Airborne dust generated when wood
is machined or cut has been proven to be a contributing factor in lung
ailments, etc. In light of this,
the best method to prevent airborne dust from being generated is to
collect it at the source or right
at the woodworking machine. A modern dust collection system is composed
of central ducts or pipes
and flexible tubing leading to a central dust collector This system of
pipes and flexible tubing originates
from the heavy dust generators in the shop, typically the router table,
tablesaw, thickness planer,
jointer and bandsaw.
The cost of centralized dust collection has been dropping over the past
few years, and a decent system
can now be installed for a few hundred dollars. The capacity of the
system is directly related to
whether one machine or multiple machines will be used at a time. The
shop size and length of ducting
is also a factor in determining dust collection capacity. Dust
collectors typically work on moving
high volumes of air at lower suction rather than a conventional vacuum
cleaner with low volume
and high suction. In light of this, the ductwork and flexible tubing has
bee standardized at 4 inches
for a average workshop dust collection system. The 4 inch diameter
ducting is ample enough
to move higher volumes of wood dust and chips to the central dust
collector.
The 4 inch diameter ductwork and tubing of workshop dust collection
systems is in stark contrast
to the 1.5 inch diameter size of conventional vacuum cleaners designed
to have high suction.
Dust collectors consist of a motor, an impeller blade, a shroud and a
bag system. The motor size
is the determining factor in the capacity of the dust collector. Dust
collector motor sizes typically
range from 1 HP to 2 HP for the average workshop. Although it is
economical to select a 1 HP
collector initially, you will find that your needs will quickly outgrow
the unit. In our opinion,
the 1.5 HP dust collector is the best compromise initially. The cost is
not excessive, yet it provides
enough capacity for unanticipated growth in shop size and number of
machines in the shop.
The 1 HP collectors are primarily designed to be wheeled around to
whichever machine
you are presently using. On the other hand, the 1.5 HP and above dust
collectors can be
set up centrally to be ducted to multiple machines. Each machine in turn
has a blast gate
which turns the vacuum on or off to the machine. There exist very large
capacity systems
from 5 HP and up which allow three or more machines to be used
simultaneously.
Blast gates are either made of metal or plastic and are sufficient for
average use in the workshop.
The
Workbench
A workbench should be comfortable and highly functional. The workbench
can be placed in the
middle of the shop, you can then work on four sides of the bench. This
arrangement leaves plenty
of space for maneuvering large workpieces around the bench. The
workbench can also be placed
against a wall or on the two sides of a corner. This arrangement leaves
less room to maneuver
large work pieces, but it offers accessible wall space for storing
tools. It can also take advantage
of natural light if the bench is placed under or near a window. A small
compact bench is well suited
to working with smaller workpieces. At the front and side of the
workbench are located vises
which in conjunction with bench dogs , hold work firmly down. The tool
tray running lengthwise
at the back of the workbench is visible. This bench does not include any
shelving or drawers
beneath the bench top, but it is straightforward to construct, and is
the ideal first workbench
for hand tool based operations. The "cabinetmaker" workbench is much
larger and has a tool drawer
incorporated into the bench top. The side vise is a shoulder vise and
offers more flexibility than
the standard side vise. The length of the workbench offers the
woodworker more flexibility in
using longer workpieces.
The workbench is essentially a table for working on. It must be
extremely reliable, strong and rigid.
The top should be very flat, and deep enough (from front to back) to
accommodate your work.
The overall height of the workbench should be stressed, as it should be
convenient for yourself.
Workbenches can be purchased, but if you design and build one, it is
best to follow an existing plan,
as many sensible details have already been incorporated in. Common
features of a workbench
are a tool recess at the rear of the top running lengthwise along the
tabletop. The tool recess is
to ensure that tools do not protrude into the work piece above the level
of the table top.
Other common features of the typical woodworking workbench are drawers ,
or shelves,
under the work area, and two vises. Vises are very important because
holding the work piece
firmly is essential to a good job. Often there is a vise at the front of
the bench and another at
the end of the bench. These vises work in conjunction with "bench-dogs"
to hold long or
wide material firmly to the work surface.
The bench dog is basically a square or round, wood or metal peg which is
inserted at
predefined holes in the surface of the workbench. Despite all this,
ripping (sawing lumber along the grain)
and working large boards is usually awkward on the workbench. A pair of
sawhorses is invaluable
in the shop, on which you can rest the work piece with plenty of
overhang. A sawhorse is also
handy in cross-cutting (sawing across the grain). Storage is another
essential requirement
of the workshop. Storage is used for hand tools, portable power tools,
finishing materials,
and small hardware. The height of the workbench should be adjusted for
your individual comfort,
because it is most often used by yourself. Stand straight and rest the
palms of your hands on a
surface just high enough so that your elbows are slightly bent. This is
your proper upper work height,
the bench should measure this distance from the floor. Bench heights
range from 30 to 36 inches high.
Tools should be in close proximity to the bench, ideally the wall behind
the bench.
________________________________
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Max Hearn
Sent: Thursday, 14 December 2006 14:24
To: [email protected]
Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Any Radio Show archives that discuss setting up
a woodworking shop?
Greetings,
A blind woodworker inquiry has come out in another list asking about
info on setting up a home shop. I know that this discussion went through
the list in the not too distant past. Are there any archived shows that
discuss setting up a home shop? Anything planned for the future?
Max in SC
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
**********************************************************************
This message and its attachments may contain legally
privileged or confidential information. If you are not the
intended recipient, you must not disclose or use the
information contained in it. If you have received this e-mail
in error, please notify the sender immediately by return
e-mail and delete the e-mail.
Any content of this message and its attachments which
does not relate to the official business of Eraring Energy
must be taken not to have been sent or endorsed by
Eraring Energy. No warranty is made that the e-mail or
attachment(s) are free from computer virus or other defect.
**********************************************************************
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
To listen to the show archives go to link
http://acbradio.org/handyman.html
or
ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/
The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is.
http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday
The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is.
http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml
Visit the new archives page at the following address
http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list
just send a blank message to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
