My Closet

[Djangodog]

After retiring and deciding that I needed to downsize because I didn’t want to do a lot of outside work any more, (I had a life changing motorcycle accident in 2008 which affected my ability to spend long days at a machine.  Making things for myself allows me to stop when it becomes too much).  I sold my Moore 1 1/2 Jig Bore and my Harig Super 612 Surface Grinder, (I do miss them both).  The grinder was great for finishing crank shafts, (Harig “Lectric” Centers and Harig punch former made easy work of a crank shaft). 

My shop was “L” shaped, but now it is less than a third the original size.  I had to go vertical, but it’s still pretty tight quarters.  I added a wall and converted the rest of the shop into a sitting room that houses part of my collections.

I can’t complain about what I have left.  My father always had at least a lathe and drill press at home and I have always had access to machine tools.  I have often wondered how people can get by without a lathe and vertical mill.  It seems that there is always something that needs rework or repair.  I feel very fortunate.

We still have a pretty nice woodworking shop in the basement and I have a work bench and antique watchmakers bench for the fussier hand work and assembly.

[crueby]

Thats a quite nicely equipped 'closet'!

[simplyloco]

Excellent!
I've never seen such a clean setup, especially the Bridgeport.
John

[vtsteam]

Beautiful space, even if downsized. How do you keep metal bits from migrating into the rest of the house? I see there are two throw rugs -- do you have other means as well? Basically asking for advice....

[Djangodog]

Beautiful space, even if downsized. How do you keep metal bits from migrating into the rest of the house? I see there are two throw rugs -- do you have other means as well? Basically asking for advice....

I wear a shop apron and take it off before leaving the shop, so my clothing tends to stay chip free.  I also keep a pair of shoes at the entrance and only wear them in the shop.  The other thing is to keep the floor swept.

[RReid]

That's a very nice space, if cozy space! Having myself downsized from over 1/2 acre and a self-built, purpose built 24" x 32" dream shop to no acres and a 1 car garage shared with one car, washer & dry, water heater, and furnace, I can relate! But the pleasure derived from making stuff is still the same.

[Kim]

Wow!  Nice cozy shop!   

I'll have to say, that is inspirationally tidy!  Not sure how you keep it so clean!  Probably out of necessity, eh?

Kim

[Dave Otto]

Very nice!

Dave

[Djangodog]

Wow!  Nice cozy shop!   

I'll have to say, that is inspirationally tidy!  Not sure how you keep it so clean!  Probably out of necessity, eh?

Kim

H. Gerstner said “A place for everything and everything in its place.”.  I hate searching for things, so I know where everything is because everything has a logical home, (logical to me anyway).  I still need to make a slide out shelf for the bench.  Tight spaces require a bit of organizing and planing.  When it starts to get cluttered, I stop and put it back into order before continuing.  It’s as much about safety as it is efficiency.

[Overbuilt and Overkill]

I'm quite envious of your well above average home shop Djangodog, Gerstner, Starrett, Mitutoyo, Newall, Hardinge, Kurt, an obviously excellent condition looking at that flaking Proto trak equipped Bridgeport, as well as what we can't see which I'm sure is all just as well chosen. Your not suffering too much other than having just enough room to shoehorn it all in.  For myself though, one real disadvantage is tool grinding, any rough dry grinding has to be done outside, final lapping can still be done inside with a slow speed wet grinder.

I've got about 120 sq. ft. in mine, so maybe a bit more than you might have with a 3/4 sized BP clone, a comparable for size that's unfortunately no where nearly as capable as what your Hardinge is, a small horizontal mill, small SB shaper and the required tooling for all of it. So I'd 100% agree with you and Harry Gerstner about putting the time in to plan where it can all be fit in semi logically while still having that adequate storage. It took me far too long to realize it, but if you can't find what your looking for in 30 seconds or even remember where it might be, your wasting non productive time. As you've said, tiny shops require thinking in 3 dimensions and going vertical is also a big part of it imo. Even with 50 more sq. ft. my machine choices and sizes would likely have been much different. One advantage of small shops though, at a certain point your completely done hunting for and buying anything larger that will take up any more floor space. I'd also very much agree about that clutter as well, when the bench tops have no clear space to work, its past time to put things away even though they might be used later. In the long run I think its still a much more efficient and easier method. I also plumbed the perimeter walls in my shop for a shop vac and compressed air, with the shop vac and compressor kept outside in a garden shed. A flick of a wall switch will turn either on or off, and even that saves some room I'd rather not give up.