Workshop Space

Having gained two new machines in the past six months or so, I've finally started to move eveything around to accomodate them. I started by measuring all the major units and drawing out a plan of where things might fit (I used CAD to move items around but cardboard cut-outs would have been as good).

As I knew this would take a while, I approached it like one of those plastic puzzles, where you can only move one piece at a time. When I got tired I could just lock up and leave it but still undercover & inside. My larger units have been moved on rollers with a wrecking bar. Took me two afternoons to move the 7" Shaper and stand about 8ft in a 'Z' shaped path to its new location. The drill press was lifted (used two dexion A frames and a rope hoist) and moved on a dolley. I re-erected the A frames to put the drill back on the stand. I've put wheeels on the stand too whilst I had the chance and I'm going to do this with some other units (where possible) as I get to them.

Just moved the big mill (about 1 ton?) about 6ft and through 180 degrees on rollers. Every move has involved shifting other stuff around as the item moved, so there would not be room for an engine crane (assuming I had one). As I shifted things around, I've found things I'd forgotten I even had and I've been trying to group these into designated areas. Still got things to move, just brought a boat winch to lift the Atlas mill off its wooden stand (got the idea from MEW) as the rope hoist was at its limits with the drill press but the A frame itself was solid and will be modified to take the winch. It collapses right up for storage.

Just this re-plan has started to free space and grouping things in the same area seems to be helping too (lots of duplicates for instance). But the bottom line is that I just have too much "stuff" (wood offcuts, comeinhandys, scap metal etc) accumulated over the years and the only answer really is to get rid of some of it. I need to sort through it and make some hard decisions about what might get used. Much of it will probably end up at the tip sooner or later anyway. I'm beginning to accept that it's time I stopped accumulating things and started getting rid of it (old machinery excluded of course!). The last two weeks have been hard work but if I can access (and move) all of my machinery easily and find things more quickly, then it will be well worth it.

Regards,

IanT

When I renovated our kitchen I installed the old kitchen in the shed. Lots of cupboard space underneath the solid laminated work top, and some overhead cabinets for lighter odments. I also made a new base with castors for the bandsaw using old dexion shelving angles, and 4 benches with castors. 1 bench holds the 2 grinders, another hold a small timber bandsaw and linisher, another for the dropsaw, ad finally one for the sandblasting cabinet. This way I can move them into place when needed. I also built another shed big enough for the garden tools and it has racks for timber and steel supplies. Next will be building a 3rd shed to house my restored stationary engines.

It's simple, do as the wife says and you get rewarded with more sheds, tools and machinery. Just remember "Happy wife Happy life" After you have completed all the wife's job list make sure you become a real pain so she sends you to the dog house (my sheds) that way I can get some machining done LOL

> made over £700 weighing old wire f

So it was you that caused my train to be cancelled yesterday

Neil