Shops, tools, materials and tips

[muskrat man]

If you figure out a good dust trap for your buffer i'd like to hear it, I have black streaks along the bench, up the wall and across part of the ceiling in line with both wheels on my buffer LOL. I've tried a couple different cobbled together setups, nothing that I have tried so far works.

[americanedgetech]

Use a pair of 90* terminal ends for a floor register, and one section of trunk.
You can cut the trunk to make a larger shield that will work for two 12" wheels.

All in you'll spend about 12 bucks.
Edit:
Use sections of sliced fuel line or similar hose to cover the sharp edges. Trust me on that one...

[orvet]

That looks doable Ken.
Where do you get the ducting, Lowes?

[americanedgetech]

Lowes, Home Depot ect.

Something that REALLY helps is pop riveting it all together. Sheet metal screws tend to vibrate loose, and you'll know it when you get "shot" w/ one.

I just found the link for Home Depot... They are almost 9 bucks there now. https://www.homedepot.com/p/10-in-x-4-i ... /100197347
I would try a local HVAC guy, and ask for a couple. They should be around 4 bucks.

The circular part that takes the duct can face into a 5 gallon pail or out of a dryer duct thru the wall, and into a bucket there. You'll want to use steel ducts so they are easy to clean. Those flexible ones actually trap the compound, and will start falling off or kinking.
Same issue w/ a dust collection system... the compound gunks it all up unless you use something like a piece of a central air conditioner filter.

[Bill DeShivs]

I make my buffer hoods out of cardboard and duct tape. I screw them down to the bench.
Cheap, easy, effective and best of all-safe!

[orvet]

A man after my own heart Bill!

I appreciate a nice shop where everything is really nice, but I think having a table next to Wayne Goddard for 10 years at the OKCA show has had a lasting effect on me. Now when I see something I think how I can make it.
My existing hoods are cardboard, plastic jugs and of course duct tape. Two of my buffers are home made.
I will post a couple pics tomorrow.

[americanedgetech]

I'm almost finished with my Stiddy, and I had the camera out so I figured I'd post a pict of the progress.
The basic block is 11L17 cold finish steel. Hard surface, and a soft core so I could easily machine it without heat treating or annealing.
The tang that is on it now is 4130, and is 0.07863" thick. I have some S-7, and W-1 steel on the way to make interchangeable tangs from in varying thicknesses, and hardness.

For now there are two 1/4 x 20 machine screws holding the tang but tomorrow I am cutting a 1" round piece of 4130 lengthwise to get a half moon piece or cap to sandwich the tang with recessed cap screws onto the block. I figure that spreading that load across the bar would be much better than a couple screw heads. Plus that will leave an area for krinking.

The only other modification I need to do is add a few dimples to the surface to seat pin heads into for secure peening. I think I'll add these to the side of the block.
All in I have about 60 bucks worth of steel, and enough tang material to make around ten spares of each grade.
Time wise it took about an hour to drill the holes, tap the threads for the tang, and about 1/2 an hour in the mill to cut the end below the drift holes.

I call that time, and money well spent.

The messy work table is just a spare table in my lab room but I needed somewhere to stage from until my shop is built,
I have a grinding, and polishing bench that I am working on building as well so I'll try to post that up tomorrow.

[Tony_Wood]

This thread needs a bump.
Received this small jewelers vise for Father’s Day.

[doglegg]

Bumped it is. Nice little vice. Good for decoration as well as useful. I like the little built in anvil.

[orvet]

Great old vise Tony!
Is there a brand or any name on it?

[btrwtr]

I've had this basement shop for 3 years now. It's about the same size as the shop I had in TX but the layout is different. The cabinets came out of a demoed' trailer and they fit in perfectly. Pretty much the same equipment as the TX shop. Getting the shop ready was top priority when I moved because I had to have it up and running for many things that needed to be done in conjunction with the move in. These pictures are from a year or so ago but it was one of the few times the shop was relatively clean. The first four pictures are a separate area that adjoins the larger L shaped area. There is a large arch way and no door joining the two areas.

[Doc B]

Very nice shop, Wayne! Wish I had a place, like that, to play

[cudgee]

Fantastic photos and great workshops!!! Keep em coming, love seeing what people are doing, and their gadgets and tools.

[mrwatch]

one of my knife and wood carving tool sharpener's. leather wheel has a buff in front when needed or off.

[Meridian_Mike]

Y'all are just too organized!
My work area looks like CHAOS .... LOL....

Sometimes... I even organize my chaos .....

[orvet]

Wow Wayne, that shop is huge compared to mine!!
I wish I had so much floor space, that is awesome!
I also love your metal cabinets with the metal drawers, those are so handy! I just picked up a smaller one with 9 drawers that now sets at the back of me main work bench. I constructed my bench deeper than is really useable so I could put some storage behind it, that way I don't have to move around as much.
Great shop and nice use of the space !


Mike, a shop that is used is just controlled chaos! If you get organized from time to time It makes it easier to re-order the chaos when you finish some projects. I don't clean after every project but I do try to straighten things up at least weekly. When I start losing valuable time and energy looking for things in the chsos, I know it is time to clean.

[Meridian_Mike]

Mike, a shop that is used is just controlled chaos! If you get organized from time to time It makes it easier to re-order the chaos when you finish some projects. I don't clean after every project but I do try to straighten things up at least weekly. When I start losing valuable time and energy looking for things in the chaos, I know it is time to clean.

Well..... that's a good philosophy. Too many times I walk away after the day is done.
I usually clean up during projects....... When the chaos is piled too high in my work area.....LOL.

[Reverand]

After almost impaling myself a few times I have given up on mounting polishing wheel onto a grinder motor - it is just too fast!

Then I found these polishing wheels at a local import store (not Harbor Freight, but a Mom-n-Pop store with similar stuff). I chuck this into the drill press, set it on a lower speed, and it does a great job of polishing without being dangerous!!
Plus they are only about $3 each, so I have separate wheels for different compounds, and separate wheels for metal as opposed to bone or wood.

I have found some similar on Amazon, only theirs are tapered and mine are cylindrical, if anyone is interested.
Swpeet 5 Pcs Cone-Shaped White Flannelette Polishing Wheel Grinding Head with 1/4" Handle for Metal Aluminum/Stainless Steel/Chrome/Jewelry/Wood/Plastic/Ceramic/Glass https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073DY41QV/re ... jEbAE862P2

[Meridian_Mike]

Thanks for showing those Reverand!
I still like my polishing wheels but I can see a use for those too.

[Reverand]

Thanks for showing those Reverand!
I still like my polishing wheels but I can see a use for those too.

I have used a friend's low-speed Baldor polisher, and it works great. I would far prefer one of those, but I just cannot afford one right now.

[Jeffinn]

Here’s my small and humble basement workspace, everything’s down there except the grinders and sanders. The 4” x 36” and 2” x 72” grinder/sanders just throw off too much dust for the basement with my current ventilation.

[orvet]

Nice, neat shop Jeff!
It's a little too neat, I would probably not be able to find anything there, and it wouldn't be neat for long if I was working there!

[Jeffinn]

LOL! Well I cleaned up the area a bit for the photo.
Like most of ya’ll I tend to have things laying everywhere when Im working. But it drives me crazy when I have to stop to look for something so Im trying to be neater.
One biggie for me is the gap under the lower shelf, when I drop something it ALWAYS goes under that dang shelf which means I have to get the flashlight out and get down on the floor to see if I can find it.
Jeff

[OLDE CUTLER]

LOL! Well I cleaned up the area a bit for the photo.
Like most of ya’ll I tend to have things laying everywhere when Im working. But it drives me crazy when I have to stop to look for something so Im trying to be neater.
One biggie for me is the gap under the lower shelf, when I drop something it ALWAYS goes under that dang shelf which means I have to get the flashlight out and get down on the floor to see if I can find it.
Jeff

I know what you mean about dropping things. When I do it, the object falls and hits the toe of my shoe and goes all the way back to the wall under the bench. The next time I get in to see the orthopedic surgeon, I am going to ask him about having my feet reversed so this does not happen anymore. lol

[Meridian_Mike]

I like the bucket trick for your polishing wheels..... I need to do that for mine.
Right now, I just throw dust and particles all over the place.....LOL