# After Two Years And A Couple Of Miscues...



## wrmiller (Jun 15, 2015)

I think I finally have a shop that will keep me smiling until I retire and move to (hopefully) a more permanent domicile. 

Two years ago I decided I wanted to get back into hobby machining on a small scale, so I bought a LMS mini-mill and a Micro-Mark 7x16. Then I think I found this web site...

Then I decided I wanted to get back into pistol smithing, but these machines were not going to be big enough to do some types of 1911 work. So, I bought my PM-25 and the SB 8x18. Perfect. Then I decided I needed the capability to do long gun work. Enter the CO 12Z and the PM-1340GT. Sigh...

These machines are more than capable of doing anything I want at the hobby level. The only change I 'might' make is after the move I could see myself maybe getting a small knee mill like the PM-935. Maybe. We'll see how El Hefe holds up over the next 4-5 years. And I am thinking of adding TIG capability for the pistol/rifle work, but will have to think on this some more as I've only done stick/brazing/gas cutting in a body shop a LONG time ago.

Some pics:

This is what I see when I step into the garage...er...shop. 




The lathes and band saw (I WILL be upgrading the 4x6 so something a bit bigger).




The mills.




Hand work station.




And my misc. work bench and my golf club building bench.




It may not be the greatest little workshop to some, but it's mine.


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## kvt (Jun 15, 2015)

Hay that looks great,   Cut in half and fill with everything from Horse tack and saddles to Auto shop work.   then try and squeeze in a mni min and mini lathe. and my wood working tools.   Yours looks like heaven to me, even if you do have a car in it.   I have to get me a nice shop with AC.


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## wrmiller (Jun 15, 2015)

The Boss doesn't want to park outside, and I really don't want the Camaro out their either. So I get the small(er) side of the garage. Not sure I'd know what to do with all 700 sq/ft, but I could probably think of something.


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## RJSakowski (Jun 15, 2015)

It looks like a very comfortable workspace!


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## coolidge (Jun 15, 2015)

I envy your tall ceiling Bill and you have the shop organized well for the limited space. One observation though I see too many fire hazards, curtains, cardboard boxes, open insulation, liquid containers on an open shelf. Just saying buddy.


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## brino (Jun 15, 2015)

That is a big beautiful space.....and well organized.



wrmiller19 said:


> Not sure I'd know what to do with all 700 sq/ft, but I could probably think of something.



I am certain that given the chance, you could fill it.
I know I could and would very much enjoy the challenge!

-brino


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## kvt (Jun 15, 2015)

I'm sure all of us could find a way to fill extra space.  That would give room to purchase a couple of new machines, work on projects, put in a welding stall, all kinds of things.   I know I would love to try and fill that much space.   But you have to keep the other half happy or your peace our hobbies could suffer.


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## Silverbullet (Jun 15, 2015)

Think you have a really nice shop, if I could get rid of woodworking tools mine could be nice too. I have way to many tools in to small a shop. I've tried selling on Craigslist even at cheap prices nobody wants anything. Even tried giving some away but still have them. Oh well . Nice shop and have fun using it.


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## dave2176 (Jun 15, 2015)

It looks great to me but there is just to much free space. Look for a shaper and surface grinder to help that. 
Dave


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## wrmiller (Jun 15, 2015)

dave2176 said:


> It looks great to me but there is just to much free space. Look for a shaper and surface grinder to help that.
> Dave



Not sure what I'd use a shaper for, but I'd love to find a surface grinder in decent shape. That I would know what to do with.


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## coolidge (Jun 15, 2015)

What are your thoughts on this Bill...one thing that concerns me having a smaller confined space shop is using abrasives in the same environment as machine tools. So surface grinder, flap disk cleaning when welding, isn't there a risk of abrasive grit damaging the machine ways?


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## JimDawson (Jun 16, 2015)

coolidge said:


> What are your thoughts on this Bill...one thing that concerns me having a smaller confined space shop is using abrasives in the same environment as machine tools. So surface grinder, flap disk cleaning when welding, isn't there a risk of abrasive grit damaging the machine ways?




The grit from a surface grinder is pretty easy to control because you keep it wet when grinding.  Also you are going to set the machines so the discharge points away from other machines.  The grit drops out very fast, even grinding dry.

Bench grinders discharge should be channeled downward.  If you wanted to go to the trouble the discharge could be terminated in a bucket of water.  Hand grinding can be done so the discharge is aimed towards non-critical surfaces, like you, or out the door.  Or if needed, take the project outside.

My biggest problem is controlling the dust from my blast cabinet.  I can't use it in the central area of the shop, I wheel it over by the door or actually out the door sometimes.  I have an old shop-vac mounted on the side, and a discharge hose that I run out the door and point it at the neighbors place.


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## kvt (Jun 16, 2015)

Small space,  I do my hand grinding out side if possible or aimed down and 180 away from equipment.   you still get some so afterward, I always lightly blow off the machine and clean ways etc, with the damp oil rag.   It does help,  Sand blast I do outside, but it limits when I can do it,  Badly since we have had all the rain this year.   In fact in a flood watch until Thurs again.


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## wrmiller (Jun 16, 2015)

As Jim said, the surface grinder really wouldn't be a problem. My friend the pistolsmith was in a smaller space than I have in the early days and had his surface grinder literally right next to his big mill. We didn't have any problems that I recall.

I do have a bench grinder, buffer, and a 2" belt grinder that throws most of the particulates but they throw most at the floor right below themselves. The only hand grinding I do is with a goose neck dremmel and it doesn't generate much of a mess unless I'm using carbide burrs, but those spit nasty little slivers and not oxide dust. One of the reasons I keep my lathes and mills covered when not in use is to control dust/particulates. 

One of my biggest concerns about welding is the small space I'm in and the fact that welding is dirty and spits off fumes and hot stuff that can cause fires and such. So I'm not real comfortable doing this in an attached garage with bedrooms right above. Now if I had a nice welding table, say 4'x4' with side and back shields 3' high and a down-draft or something similar that sucked up the fumes/smoke I 'might' attempt it. Maybe. I'm not even sure something like that exists. As I said, I don't know enough about it yet.


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## Duker (Jun 16, 2015)

JimDawson said:


> The grit from a surface grinder is pretty easy to control because you keep it wet when grinding.  Also you are going to set the machines so the discharge points away from other machines.  The grit drops out very fast, even grinding dry.
> 
> Bench grinders discharge should be channeled downward.  If you wanted to go to the trouble the discharge could be terminated in a bucket of water.  Hand grinding can be done so the discharge is aimed towards non-critical surfaces, like you, or out the door.  Or if needed, take the project outside.
> 
> My biggest problem is controlling the dust from my blast cabinet.  I can't use it in the central area of the shop, I wheel it over by the door or actually out the door sometimes.  I have an old shop-vac mounted on the side, and a discharge hose that I run out the door and point it at the neighbors place.



Jim, I had the same issue with my blast cabinet. I added a simple water filter which is nothing more than a 5 gallon bucket with water and hoses attached between the cabinet and the vacuum. It now captures about 95% of the dust and the vacuum catches the rest. It has cut dust down dramatically and also has saved me replacing my vac filters as often. 

This is where I got the idea and my version is very close. 
http://www.thegaragegazette.com/index.php?topic=65.0


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