Hobby Machine Shop Advice

[D7Pyro]

Move the surface grinder and welding table somewhere else. Keep the grinding grit far away from the lathe & mill. I partitioned off a 9x12 at the back of my garage as a "clean" room for the lathe & mill. Put the back of the mill into the corner with the table at 45º to the walls. My space is tight enough that I removed the crank handle from the left end of the mill table to avoid hitting the wall. Place the lathe so you can feed a long bar into the spindle. I placed mine so the spindle faces a door which I can open when needed. A hole in the wall that lines up with the spindle also works. Move the compressor out with the surface grinder and welding area. You will quickly grow tired of listening to it in that small space. Some people build a small enclosure outside with sound-proofing.

All sounds like solid advice which makes sense to me, thank you! I think the closest I can get to that solution, for time being at least, is putting up a stud wall similarly to how I think you've done it. Keeping a clean end and dirty end.

Do you think I'll need the compressor on when in the workshop? My main reason for having it, is when I'm working on cars, which would be okay as I'd not be in workshop. when running.

 

[D7Pyro]

Keep everything! It all appears to be very well kept, I doubt there's any junk in the mix.

I'd suggest rotating your mill 45* so that the back faces into the corner. Bring it out from the corner enough to be able to run the table the full length left and right (x-axis). As shown, you might be hitting your drill press table at times. I would also swap the surface grinder (probably the dirtiest tool in the shop) with the welding bench. Although if you do a lot of grinding (with angle grinders, etc at the welding bench, maybe not.) I organized my shop into a 'clean' half and a 'dirty' half. I try to keep grinding and welding debris away from my mill, lathe, and shaper. Fortunately ground metal doesn't travel far through the air.

GsT

I'll keep as much as I can, think I'll have no choice but to condense in places.

Good advice, thank you! I'm thinking of putting in a stud wall in to separate the two ends making a dirty and clean end so to speak. I was going to put a bench grinder on the welding bench which I dare say might get more use than the surface grinder. Definitely food for thought though, thank you!

 

[D7Pyro]

Nice looking kit there. Looks like proper 'old iron' (which makes sense given your Grandfather's trade)

As a matter of idle interest, do you know the manufacturer and models of the mill and lathe? I enjoy reading the entries in lathes.co.uk about machines like these.

Yeah it's all old gear. I'm not 100% sure on dates, but I'd guess 60s or 70s. The Mill is a Steinel SV4 and the Lathe is Kerry's; I think it's an AG2

 

[Ultradog MN]

I thought hacksaws were back in fashion now?

In defense of power hacksaws...
I had the Keller in the photos for a year or so.
Sold it when I bought my band saw.
I doubt you will find a small saw with a larger a work envelope than you can get with a power hacksaw. And unlike a cheapie foreign bandsaw, they are a real, industrial machine that are capable of doing hard work for many, many years.

 

[SouthernChap]

Yeah it's all old gear. I'm not 100% sure on dates, but I'd guess 60s or 70s. The Mill is a Steinel SV4 and the Lathe is Kerry's; I think it's an AG2

Ah @RaisedByWolves has/had one of those mills: https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/time-to-fix-up-my-old-steinel-sv4-milling-machine.106370/

 

[D7Pyro]

In defense of power hacksaws...
I had the Keller in the photos for a year or so.
Sold it when I bought my band saw.
I doubt you will find a small saw with a larger a work envelope than you can get with a power hacksaw. And unlike a cheapie foreign bandsaw, they are a real, industrial machine that are capable of doing hard work for many, many years.

That's a very cool machine, certainly looks like it means business! Apologies for my ignorance, but what are the pros of something like this over a vertical bandsaw in a hobby setting?

 

[D7Pyro]

Ah @RaisedByWolves has/had one of those mills: https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/time-to-fix-up-my-old-steinel-sv4-milling-machine.106370/

Funnily enough that thread was how I found this forum when I was searching for info on the mill!

 

[RickKr]

...snip...
Do you think I'll need the compressor on when in the workshop? My main reason for having it, is when I'm working on cars, which would be okay as I'd not be in workshop. when running.

Yes, depending on which camp you are in: 1) using compressed air to blow chips way from work/work areas, 2) NEVER use compressed air to blow chips away from... machine tools...!

I am in Camp #1. My compressor runs frequently and is loud enough I keep ear muffs close by as I really do not like the noise.

 

[Ultradog MN]

That's a very cool machine, certainly looks like it means business! Apologies for my ignorance, but what are the pros of something like this over a vertical bandsaw in a hobby setting?

I say use what you have now. A metal cutting vertical band saw will generally do more than a horizontal will. Power hack saws and horizontal band saws cut stock to length and that is about all.
But they do that one task quicker and easier than a vertical band saw will.

 

[7milesup]

Is that a Deckel vertical mill?