more space...

[Ajcoholic]

So I have a new edgebander coming to the shop in a few days. A Cantek MX340, if anyone is interested. I just had a training day of about 6 hrs going over setup, maintenance etc. Looks like it will be a very nice bander for a smaller custom shop like mine. I have eyes on going after more cabinetry in the future (lots of work I currently turn away) since I am hiring another full timer in a few weeks and will have more manpower.

ANyhow, I had no choice but to "eliminate" my office space in the main shop. In order to have a place to put my desk, files, etc neccesary to run my shop, I opted to get a stand alone, 8' by 12' SIP building (made from steel clad, 4" thick foam panels). Very well made, very well insulated. I just got it and put it in place.

Just thought I'd show a photo. I imagine these things are all over the place, but this type of construction is just making inroads here in my neck of the woods. The door with the nylon vestibule is my main entrance to the shop. It will actually be nice having a separate office, since even with my door closed, I still got enough dust in there to make my OCD brain annoyed. HAvign a separate office will also be easier when I am trying to talk on the phone and the guys are running machinery.

AJC

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j307/ajcoholic/IMG_2193_zpsb647c0b6.jpg (http://s83.photobucket.com/user/ajcoholic/media/IMG_2193_zpsb647c0b6.jpg.html)

The edgebander info.. http://akhurst.com/machinery/woodworking/edgebanders/mx340-automatic-edgebander.html

[Ajcoholic]

if anyone is wondering what the plywood is for - it is to make wheeling my large plastic bins that sit under my dust collector, easier to wheel out and dump in the back of my property. I have 5 acres of land, so I can dump a lot of shavings :)

[Ajcoholic]

Here is where my office was, and where the bander is going...

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j307/ajcoholic/IMG_2175_zpsf7d56ade.jpg (http://s83.photobucket.com/user/ajcoholic/media/IMG_2175_zpsf7d56ade.jpg.html)

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j307/ajcoholic/IMG_2176_zps2149420f.jpg (http://s83.photobucket.com/user/ajcoholic/media/IMG_2176_zps2149420f.jpg.html)

And the machine... I trained on this one Tuesday (flew down to the Akhurst facility in Toronto early morning and stayed all day, flew home that night) and it is currently en route to my shop.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j307/ajcoholic/IMG_2183_zps6c6e6bfe.jpg (http://s83.photobucket.com/user/ajcoholic/media/IMG_2183_zps6c6e6bfe.jpg.html)

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j307/ajcoholic/IMG_2182_zpsaa70700b.jpg (http://s83.photobucket.com/user/ajcoholic/media/IMG_2182_zpsaa70700b.jpg.html)

[khaos]

WOW!! Look at that mountain of shavings back there! I am so happy that you move so much work through the shop and you are hiring a full timer. I hope you continue to make great choices and prosper.

Do you sell the shavings to the local horse folks. They love that stuff for bedding if its not molded of course. I used to get mine from a mill they charged me 25USD for all I could stuff in a pickup with 4x8 plywood sides. My guess was they were winning selling the stuff and not paying for disposal. :cool:

[scottp55]

Always impressed by your shop Andrew, Though I have to laugh at "MORE" space when my heated shop fits in your old office. Is that "Sorted" sandpaper on your cabinet bench?:) If you ever want to have a nervous breakdown---Visit me:)

[Ajcoholic]

WOW!! Look at that mountain of shavings back there! I am so happy that you move so much work through the shop and you are hiring a full timer. I hope you continue to make great choices and prosper.

Do you sell the shavings to the local horse folks. They love that stuff for bedding if its not molded of course. I used to get mine from a mill they charged me 25USD for all I could stuff in a pickup with 4x8 plywood sides. My guess was they were winning selling the stuff and not paying for disposal. :cool:

Theres actually not too much there - my neighbour just hauled away most of the shavings for his animals on the hobby farm he has. I keep them clean and separate the walnut from others. My main use is maple. I just tell him leave the dark coloured stuff alone.

I used to pay for chip removal in my old shop. But I'd get maybe a few dump truck loads hauled to the dump every year or two. A small shop can create quite a pile if you are doing solid wood, and have steady work. I process several thousand board feet of lumber per year (anywhere from 7 or 8 to in the mid teens - depending upon what jobs I do) and that creates a lot of waste.

I also have some chicken owners who come and get shavings too. No horses I know of though.

I like having enough lumber around to give me that warm fuzzy feeling only a woodworker can relate too :D Its just sad to think 1/4 or more goes out the door as waste.

[Ajcoholic]

Always impressed by your shop Andrew, Though I have to laugh at "MORE" space when my heated shop fits in your old office. Is that "Sorted" sandpaper on your cabinet bench?:) If you ever want to have a nervous breakdown---Visit me:)

Yeah thats my working paper I take to whatever bench Im working at. That workbench has been relocated... but ill keep one of my carts there in front of the edge bander.

I have two fixed work tables/benches, but 4 larger mobile ones and several smaller mobile ones.

[Greencarvings]

Time to invest in a pellet stove and pellet mill, or just make yourself one of those saw dust furnaces!

[Ajcoholic]

My insurance strictly forbids ANY wood burning appliance even if it is totally separate from the shop. They're pretty touchy when you are talking a wood shop and wood burning stuff.

Plus as much as I make, it's no where near enough to fun or justify even a small pellet press. Those things are super pricy.

[Bob Eustace]

Wot!! No doggie door for Gibson?

[scottp55]

He just needs to make an insulated walkway, doggie sized of course, in between the two:) Got a nibbler or offset Wiss's Andrew:)

[Ajcoholic]

Wot!! No doggie door for Gibson?

In the warmer months Ill keep it open like the shop. In the winter Ill close the door - all he does now is sleep all day anyhow :)

[Ajcoholic]

He just needs to make an insulated walkway, doggie sized of course, in between the two:) Got a nibbler or offset Wiss's Andrew:)

Gib does NOT like the main shop. He is not fond of the noise. When we break for lunch, he'll come in hoping to get some extra food, but normally he stays outside in my truck (a Ford Expedition EL with 8' of cargo space and a huge dog bed in the back. I even have a set of carpeted stairs that he goes up and down into the rear with - I leave the lift gate open - since he cant jump now after his surgery last year.)

He's spoiled enough guys, trust me!

[Brian Harnett]

Nice, I used to operate an edge bander very similar to that back in 88 when I got out of the army and stayed in Hawaii I learned a lot at that job but the boss really made me wonder if I was pursuing the right career path.

One of those places you dread getting up and going in, his people skills were not his strong point.

Does it use hot glue?

[Ajcoholic]

Nice, I used to operate an edge bander very similar to that back in 88 when I got out of the army and stayed in Hawaii I learned a lot at that job but the boss really made me wonder if I was pursuing the right career path.

One of those places you dread getting up and going in, his people skills were not his strong point.

Does it use hot glue?

Yes, the regular granulated stuff I believe most today run (although you select the actual adhesive based upon the feed speed, and what you are gluing).

For me, it is just one more machine in the shop - ie, i am a custom shop not a production shop. But on jobs that I have always manually glued or pinned on edging, this will save me many hours per job, or in some cases days.

[myxpykalix]

" I opted to get a stand alone, 8' by 12' SIP building (made from steel clad, 4" thick foam panels). Very well made, very well insulated. I just got it and put it in place."

Andrew,
In your first picture I like your office but does it come in any other color then blue?:rolleyes::D

[Ajcoholic]

Jack, sometimes I feel like climbing into the blue "offfice" just to get a break!

[steve_g]

Everyone should have a “blue office” to retreat to!
SG

[kevin]

Andrew another idea for space especial storage is a container in these parts a 20ft can be had for 2,000 .All you have to do for heat issue is line it with Styrofoam

There also a post if you look some of the guys made extension with container they looked really good

Your stock looks wow

[Ajcoholic]

Kevin, storage space wasnt the issue. Got plenty of that on the unheated side of my building. I thought about a sea-can (storage container) but by the time I bought one, fitted it with insulation and a man door, window etc I was better off with the SIP built building, in my opinion.

[Ajcoholic]

Here's why I moved my office... :D

After this photo was taken (just around noon after I got the machine in place, wired in and set up) I ran a bunch of white melamine, with 3mm PVC and thin edgbanding. Just to test things out. Now I have some shop cabinets behind the machine to put more stuff in. :D WOrks great. One of those machines you wonder how in the heck you did without it before, I am sure...

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j307/ajcoholic/IMG_2208_zps4cc29dda.jpg (http://s83.photobucket.com/user/ajcoholic/media/IMG_2208_zps4cc29dda.jpg.html)

[myxpykalix]

I always love buying new tools and that one looks like a beauty so as long as you don't become a slave to the loan payment to buy new tools and can make money then you're doing good:D We're proud of your success:p:rolleyes:

[Ajcoholic]

I always love buying new tools and that one looks like a beauty so as long as you don't become a slave to the loan payment to buy new tools and can make money then you're doing good:D We're proud of your success:p:rolleyes:

All of my equipment I purchase based on what I need to do my job efficiently and to a standard I set as a custom builder. I have shy'd away from a lot of "euro" style work due to the fact I grew up doing face frame traditional cabinetry - and the fact that previously we had no room for an edgebander.

I am tired of turning down jobs that I could have taken on with this machine (melamine and wood). I have a maple kitchen to do next (I just got back from the customer's home from a 2 hr meeting) that is frameless. I figure just on that job, VS putting the edging on by hand, trimming and sanding, etc a two day job to edge all the cases, shelving, etc will take me less than 2 hours. On that one job I am looking at a $1000 savings in labour.

I'm still putting on the same 1/8" tick solid maple edging. Just a lot faster :)

Next up is a dovetail machine to replace my router and jig. Hope to take delivery in Sept. as they had to order me a 3 phase machine. And I am going to bite the bullet finally and get a Blum minipress...

In anticipation of doing more cabinetry VS furniture in the upcoming years. I need to improve my efficiency and speed things up!

[Bob Eustace]

Couldnt you get a nice "blue" one Andrew?

[Ajcoholic]

Couldnt you get a nice "blue" one Andrew?

The backside is blue... :)

[myxpykalix]

andrew on another subject.....where did you buy your structure scanner? From the website? or? How long did it take to get?:confused:

[gene]

I am looking to upgrade my edgebander . Now i have a hot air Virutex that does the front back top and bottom trim but dont have the buffer . I will be looking at the IWF show for sure to see if i can justify the cost:eek:

[Brian Harnett]

Next up is a dovetail machine to replace my router and jig. Hope to take delivery in Sept. as they had to order me a 3 phase machine. And I am going to bite the bullet finally and get a Blum minipress...

In anticipation of doing more cabinetry VS furniture in the upcoming years. I need to improve my efficiency and speed things up!

Andrew you already have a dovetail machine this was a quick setup I made for drawers two stations could easily be set up for continuous feed, very easy to set up.
video link http://vimeo.com/87861666

[jTr]

Brian,
Don't believe you can do the end work on a Buddy, or do you see a way, Andrew?

Been thinking I'd like an additional 'Bot dedicated to joinery one day in order to make it quicker to set up and go, but don't think a Buddy can do it with a fixed gantry when hanging parts off the end. Perhaps a modified desk top, but size limitations may quickly prove problematic.
Meanwhile, I'll keep utilizing the far end of mine for dovetails as you've shown, Brian. Have yet to set up for tenons as you've done in your other videos - someday soon...

jeff

[kevin]

Originally Posted by Ajcoholic View Post

Next up is a dovetail machine to replace my router and jig. Hope to take delivery in Sept. as they had to order me a 3 phase machine. And I am going to bite the bullet finally and get a Blum minipress.

Andrew talk to some cabinet guys before you invest in purpose equipment just for kitchen cabinets .In my area which is probable the same in terms of customer tastes and budget will guide you to what you need
Saleman can be the worst guys to talk to Ayrust sell here to guys get a 150.000 cnc for a 4 man shop or a 80.000 moulder for a saw mill that wants to round over deck board.
I'm surprised with your beautiful work no dove tails .I'm making plywood draws with the bot dado construction no need yet for dovetails my competition is making melamine draw boxes
We make most of our my cabinet with d3 maple plywood with solid wood edging where very fast at it
i took a look at your area a lot of names pop up there paying for Google plus with no web link the only one i could find with a web site on the first page was these guys
http://guyscustomcabinets.com/text/view/4

this guy is selling his equipment not because he wants to I wish I could afford half of it but i'am still in business AKRUST sold him the equipment it way to much for a small shop
http://www.nlclassifieds.com/Heavy-Equipment-Industrial-Tools-Motors-Kitchen-Cabinet-Equipment-Musgrave-Harbour-Newfoundland-NLCId1188780

where you can shine is bring your furniture construction to kitchens or built ins

This is not advise just observation

[Ajcoholic]

Dont worry Kevin, the sales guys at Akhurst never have tried to sell me anything. Im the one that bugs the **** out of them for info on everything I dream about :)

Regarding dovetails - we have always made our drawer boxes from machine cut dovetailed, solid wood. I continue to do so in even my cheaper priced furniture and cabinetry.

I have an old (20+ yrs) Porter Cable all cast aluminum and steel 24" dovetail jig and a dedicated router. You can go pretty fast when you get the hang of it (I can probably make a few dozen drawer boxes per hour). The thing is, when I get one of my guys to do it, all it takes is holding the router a little bit off the template - or not going around the fingers 100%, or easing up on the entry and exit to limit blowout.

I have been looking at an automated machine - but it is too much $$ and not justifyable for my shop. However, a manual machine with a 3 phase spindle, adjustable eccentric cutter, hard patterns and on linear rails and with dust collection - makes sense. You still have to move the cutter by hand, but the parts are held by pneumatic clamps (a full set of two sides/ two front & back) with back ups to prevent blow outs, cleaner cut and 4 templates for various pitch. They are just under $4000 here in Canada. Thats not too bad at all IMO. I have $1500 into my jig and router set up.

Anyhow, I do make a fair amount of drawers per year and being able to speed them up and minimize/ eliminate defective parts will pay off in the long run.

We all work differently, and produce various product. I like to think I make educated decisions and I have been thinking about these things for a year or two. Comes time you have to either forget about it - or make the decision to buy it and see how it goes. :)


And no, a Buddy cannot cut dovetails like a bed machine can. Plus, I think a stand alone machine makes more sense for my shop - as drawers are something I like to get my guy(s) to do so I can worry about other stuff.

And for the time being, CNC is my domain!

[Ajcoholic]

Andrew talk to some cabinet guys before you invest in purpose equipment just for kitchen cabinets .In my area which is probable the same in terms of customer tastes and budget will guide you to what you need
Saleman can be the worst guys to talk to Ayrust sell here to guys get a 150.000 cnc for a 4 man shop or a 80.000 moulder for a saw mill that wants to round over deck board.
I'm surprised with your beautiful work no dove tails .I'm making plywood draws with the bot dado construction no need yet for dovetails my competition is making melamine draw boxes
We make most of our my cabinet with d3 maple plywood with solid wood edging where very fast at it
i took a look at your area a lot of names pop up there paying for Google plus with no web link the only one i could find with a web site on the first page was these guys
http://guyscustomcabinets.com/text/view/4

this guy is selling his equipment not because he wants to I wish I could afford half of it but i'am still in business AKRUST sold him the equipment it way to much for a small shop
http://www.nlclassifieds.com/Heavy-Equipment-Industrial-Tools-Motors-Kitchen-Cabinet-Equipment-Musgrave-Harbour-Newfoundland-NLCId1188780

where you can shine is bring your furniture construction to kitchens or built ins

This is not advise just observation

Kevin,
I AM a cabinet guy! Remember, I do just as much (and I used to do more in my old shop) cabinetry as I do furniture. We have done probably a few hundred custom kitchens in our area (used to do approx 10 to 12 per year).

I know this business pretty well - being in business myself for 20 years this year, and with our company in business for 43 yrs now. I read the trade magazines and many I purchase monthly, and talk to others within the industry. I think I have a pretty good handle on whats what in our neck of the woods. That being said, I also realize that in order to produce more, I need another good man, and ways to make things faster while keeping my quality high. I cannot do it all by myself, that I can attest to. I tried to work alone for 2 years. Just cannot keep up.

We are lucky - there are a lot of people here who actually like spending $$ on cabinets and furniture. The problem for me is I turn away a LOT of good jobs, and that really sucks. I want a larger piece whats available. As much as I love making custom furniture and doing a lot of hands on work, a lot of $$ is here to be made by doing simpler cabinetry, and offering quality at an "affordable" price point.

Guys - the company in your post (who I know by the way, and is a really nice guy) does about 1 to 2 kitchens a week. They work strictly in melamine, taped edges, melamine drawers and thermo formed doors. NO wood. They send all the wood work to me, and I refer most of the melamine to them. But not for much longer. With my edge bander, now I can finally compete with the other cabinet guys. Once I get my Shopbot set up with the vacuum table, I hope to start making more stuff on it in terms of cabinetry.

Ever since I took over the business, my idea is to keep pushing the envelope of work - try to do more, while keeping the quality up. I do not like to sit still and just keep doing things the same way. My mind is always working :)

Keeping costs down is also something you have to do being in business - but some times you have to spend $$ to make more of it. WHether that means adding another employee on the payroll, or adding another machine to the shop. It all is done hopefully in order to be more productive and make more $$ in the long run. WHile still enjoying what you do.

As for salesman - much like walking onto a car lot - these guys are paid to "sell". It is up to us to decide with a rational approach, what is needed/affordable/etc in our businesses. I dont blame the sales staff. They cant "make" you buy something. That shop isnt custom. Straight line rip, 7 head molder, etc thats production stuff. Nothing I'd be interested in. The Omnitech routers are nice, but still an $80K starting price. The Bimatic edgebanders are 2 to 3X the cost of the Cantek one I just got. You have to keep things in some sort of line... I spent a lot of $$ setting up my shop, but nothing that I would consider unnecessary or over the top for a custom shop like mine.

[kevin]

Its a good post [there no real cabinet shops posting so i.m getting excited ]i realize you have a name with your dad which money can't buy
But there are guys in our ares that have a business given to them by there father they have no passion in there work they feel there in-tilled because they've been there since 83

Personally I think you can dominate your area which is what we try to do
Weather i think your right or wrong has no bearing .you're taking a risk which is more than 90 per cent of the population that i respect

The cabinet guys are the same as 95 per cent of cabinet in are area

Most saleman don't understand a custom shop

[Ajcoholic]

Its a good post [there no real cabinet shops posting so i.m getting excited ]i realize you have a name with your dad which money can't buy
But there are guys in our ares that have a business given to them by there father they have no passion in there work they feel there in-tilled because they've been there since 83

Personally I think you can dominate your area which is what we try to do
Weather i think your right or wrong has no bearing .you're taking a risk which is more than 90 per cent of the population that i respect

The cabinet guys are the same as 95 per cent of cabinet in are area

Most salesman don't understand a custom shop

I get excited too about talking work/shop. That just shows a passion IMO for both the business, and the work. I wish I had more people to talk to here. Sadly, I have next to no one except for the guy who used to work for me (who bought my old shop) and my father every few weeks.

I don't want to dominate anything - all I ever wanted to do was run a successful business, enjoy what I am doing, and feel great about what I am sending out of my shop. Some of the shoddy work I see, I would be embarrassed to put my name on. I refuse to do work that I am not proud to put my name behind.

Every shop is its own entity and has its own production methods, etc. What works for one may be the absolute wrong thing for the other. A company like Guy's needs basically a panel saw, edge bander and a counter top saw. Unlike my shop, they do not need any sanding equipment (I have a wide belt, stroke sander, edge sander, spindle sander, pneumatic drum sander, disk/belt sander - as well as many different hand sanders). Same with finishing (booth, multiple guns, pressure pots etc).

If I were setting up a shop like his - I'd have a 5x10 CNC with ATC, a larger edge bander and away we go..

Combining custom furniture, cabinetry, mill-work (I do interior and exterior doors, trim, stairs, etc as well as railings) and refinishing/restoration - requires having some of everything. A lot more experience as well. But, it also allows you to draw work from several facets and can keep you busy through the rough times. Whereas, if you do say just kitchens, and the economy turn downwards for a few years you can be somewhat out of luck.

Ive been through some harder times, we still managed to stay busy enough to at least keep the doors open and pay the bills and ourselves. Where others have had to lay off employees or close shop.

Being self employed is always a little stressful though. If I didn't love what I do, I;d have given up years ago :D

[kevin]

thanks for the post and your insight
when i say dominate i mean go to guy
myself i'm falling into exactly where i want to be

[GlenP]

Man I wish I lived closer to you Andrew and I would see you about a job. Bit of a long commute from here though. I will admit every time I see pics of your shop it drives me nuts...lo How the heck to you keep so clean and organized? I realize you have a fair bit of space and that is a big part of being able to be organized IMHO. Nice to see you are getting bigger and expanding when needed. I might have to schedule a winter visit and bring sleds up as well. :)
Keep up the great work and posts. I have a customer that buys doors from me that is looking to purchase a edgebander as well but getting overwhelmed by salesman and seems everytime he looks at one brand there is 5 guys telling him "oh no those are junk". ANy comments about what the brand you bought over others you probably looked at?

Cheers from southern Ontario,

[Ajcoholic]

Glen,
I had a cap in terms of cost around 20k. Within that range a lot of entry level edge banders eliminate some features I wanted.

Last year at the woodworking machinery show in Toronto, I was speaking to the fellows from Akhurst. They told me that Cantek ( their own line of which I have several machines) was coming out with the machine I ended up getting. With all the features I wanted, plus the ability to apply my own cut 1/8" sold wood strips. And for under $20k. I decided based upon my experiences with them, their after sales service and so forth I'd take a chance. So far it looks like it will work got me. But I'll tell you in a year from now what I think again.

Like many things on the market today, there are pros and cons to them all.

I stand by my experiences in the past 4 years with Akhurst and their staff. They've all treated me great. So I feel confident if any issues should arise I'll be taken care of.

As for clean and organized. It's somewhat of a sickness. I can't work unless it's like that. I have really good dust collection, clean off the machinery and tables when I'm finished working, and sweep up if I do make a mess. And my guys know I won't have it any other way. It doesn't take long. A few minutes here and there. I give the shop a good cleaning once a month with the vacuum and that makes it look like the day I started.

But the good central dust collector makes a huge difference. And the fact all my hand held sanders ( 8 ) all get hooked to a Festool vacuum. Plus the routers. Very little mess every sees the floor to begin with.

[khaos]

... Very little mess every sees the floor to begin with...

I can barely comprehend what you are saying there :rolleyes:. In my shop you really need snowshoes. BUT, not a pro shop with insurance constraints or clients in the shop. :D

[scottp55]

Andrew, How did you get your hand held routers chips under control, That's one of my last problem spots,so I still do in garage where temp goes from 90F to 0F.

[Ajcoholic]

Andrew, How did you get your hand held routers chips under control, That's one of my last problem spots,so I still do in garage where temp goes from 90F to 0F.

For large bits like table top edge profiles, I use a large older DeWalt that has pretty decent chip pickup with a good vac.

For the other 95% of what I do with a hand held outer, my Festool 1400 is awesome. I can fabricate solid surface tops, do profiles, etc without much mess leaving the router. It takes some getting used to having the vac hose hanging off the router, but like hand sanders... Once you get used to the dust free setup you can't go back. My current dovetail setup makes the most mess currently. But that's going to change soon too.

Working clean requires effort. Putting out some $$ for more up to date tools, investing time to fine tune the machinery dust pick ups ( I have modified some of the machinery guards for instance and redone some of my original dust collection to be more efficient).

Once everything is done though, you just enjoy the working environment that much more IMO. At least I do. :)

[Ajcoholic]

I can barely comprehend what you are saying there :rolleyes:. In my shop you really need snowshoes. BUT, not a pro shop with insurance constraints or clients in the shop. :D

When I was 18, we lost our first shop to fire. It was a complete loss. It wasn't due to excessive dust ( was related to the wood burning furnace we had at that time which would now never pass insurance restrictions) but stuff like that doesn't ever leave your mind. I watched our whole business burn to the ground. I was only in my last year of high school at the time but it was devestating. My father rebuilt but it was 6 months until we had a new building and equipment running and years before we were back in the black financially.

A clean shop is a safe shop.

[scottp55]

Andrew, I was afraid you were going to say that:) Guess the PC 3.25plunge and lam trimmer will still have to live in garage and keep using my 90PSI method of returning the "Wood to the Woods" method with garage doors open. Maybe finally build a downdraft with a "Big Gulp" next to it, and finally throttle down a hose for the Lamello Top10. Thanks

[Ajcoholic]

Andrew, I was afraid you were going to say that:) Guess the PC 3.25plunge and lam trimmer will still have to live in garage and keep using my 90PSI method of returning the "Wood to the Woods" method with garage doors open. Maybe finally build a downdraft with a "Big Gulp" next to it, and finally throttle down a hose for the Lamello Top10. Thanks

Yes even with the lamello. I have a top 20 now which hooks direct to my Festool vacuums. The top 10 I had in the old shop did not. Cutting lots of biscuit slots sure adds up to the mess.

It took me 3 years of upgrades and buying one thing every 2nd month to get to where I am from starting from scratch in 2011.

Funny thing is now when I visit my old shop (which has three full timers and my dad who is almost full time yet) the level of mess is just crazy. The guys aren't like me, they don't mind walking on dust and shavings. I couldn't work there now.

[chiloquinruss]

My issue is my floor is really SLIPPERY when it has a fair amount of dust on it. From a single job not to much but let it go an extra day or two and it's SLIPPERY. When I have the occasional customer actually in my shop they always comment on what a clean shop it is. I have Woodmaster 5000 cfm dc with floor vents and that really helps tremendously. I am by nature NOT a neat freak, but in the shop I have found over the years that SLIPPERY HURTS! :D Russ

[genek]

My issue is my floor is really SLIPPERY when it has a fair amount of dust on it. From a single job not to much but let it go an extra day or two and it's SLIPPERY. When I have the occasional customer actually in my shop they always comment on what a clean shop it is. I have Woodmaster 5000 cfm dc with floor vents and that really helps tremendously. I am by nature NOT a neat freak, but in the shop I have found over the years that SLIPPERY HURTS! :D Russ
Russ slippery hurts two ways. Your pride and Your body lol... did You have your floor machined trilled and then sealed. I did, then I took a floor grinder to it latter too many falls. lol

[Ajcoholic]

Yup it's slick when dusty. My floor isn't even all that smooth but it gets slippery with some fine dust like when cutting mdf or pb on the slider.

[Burkhardt]

You guys really hurt my feelings when I see all this space ;)

I finally cleaned up (as far as possible under the circumstances) and I am proud to present my "shop". I don't let dust build up (dust collector and leaf blower) but it is admittedly not always that semi-organized.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-is6QasQMnLg/U8yXeuqB7wI/AAAAAAAAE7Y/3_CKPXTlcpk/w1219-h853-no/DSC02588.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-d1m_BkX7iCs/U8yXjN1btsI/AAAAAAAAE7o/tnH5Mvr6CV0/w1137-h853-no/DSC02591.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-IWp0jx1Zpjw/U8yXoZkaOQI/AAAAAAAAE74/LXIE4WRSSWY/w1137-h853-no/DSC02595.JPG

[genek]

You guys really hurt my feelings when I see all this space ;)

I finally cleaned up (as far as possible under the circumstances) and I am proud to present my "shop". I don't let dust build up (dust collector and leaf blower) but it is admittedly not always that semi-organized.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-is6QasQMnLg/U8yXeuqB7wI/AAAAAAAAE7Y/3_CKPXTlcpk/w1219-h853-no/DSC02588.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-d1m_BkX7iCs/U8yXjN1btsI/AAAAAAAAE7o/tnH5Mvr6CV0/w1137-h853-no/DSC02591.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-IWp0jx1Zpjw/U8yXoZkaOQI/AAAAAAAAE74/LXIE4WRSSWY/w1137-h853-no/DSC02595.JPG
I would venture to say Lots of cnc guys started out in their two car garage. I know I did. (actually had the new shop built right before the cnc got in... I made tons of money out of my garage with the conventional tools. Just picked up more customers than I could supply by hand and by myself.. It's not what you don't have: it how you use what you do have, and that goes for space also.

[tri4sale]

I would venture to say Lots of cnc guys started out in their two car garage.

I'm starting out in my One car garage, and only about 2/3rds of that is for my wood work. It gets tight with a 4x8 ShopBot in there. Really have to be good at organizing and using space in tight quarters.

[Burkhardt]

Don't get me wrong...I am not complaining. With all the spatial shortcomings this is more shop and more tools than I ever had in my life. And it may sound silly this is the place where I am happy.

But...this is just a hobby and I can live with moving a bunch of stuff before I can use it. If I would do it for a living (and I may sometimes) it would be pain.

Just to divert (I hope that is not highjacking)
Looking at one of the pics I noticed something I took for granted a long time. One of the stools was a gift (50 years ago) from a remote relative who had a wood shop in one of those centuries-old Hessian farms in Germany. They used to make farm equipment before the war (wagon wheels, buckets and the like). Other than a huge circular saw for resawing, all was hand tools and this stool was made only with planes, spoke shaves and chisels from white oak. I never had to tighten the leg wedges in 50 years but I don't know why they used the ugly red stain for pretty much everything they made.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-KKYjD3IB768/U9CSeFGlPZI/AAAAAAAAE9A/K3WXj7OirZg/w587-h532-no/DSC02588-001.JPG