Workshop Wall cupboards - Completed now

[9fingers]

I've spent just about as much time as SWMBO will tolerate in the workshop since Christmas.
This is quite a long term project to equip the workshop with benches, cupboards, drawers etc and having to use the workshop itself to build everything. I have done worktops on frames ready for cupboards and drawers later on and decided before Christmas that the next important thing would be wall cupboards which would allow me to have somewhere to put tools other than on the worktops or the floor.

I've just completed 8 wall cupboard carcases and hung them on french cleats. Carcases are made from more of my 12mm resin coated birch ply with the edges lipped in oak and the shelves stiffened by being let in to dadoes at the back and 40mm deep oak edging at the front edge.




Eventually they will have doors at the top two levels and an open section at the bottom of the 3 shelf units. The 2 shelf versions are to give more clearance over the mitre chop saw and the RAS






I made lots of use of the Dado head in the tablesaw and cut rebates and tongues for the lipping using the sacrificial fence made a few weeks back. I know Dado heads are not to everyones taste but a real timesaver with batch work like this.
I've also taken the time to acurately measure the chippers and shims in the dado set and made another spreadsheet showing all the combinations available in steps of 0.08mm. Again a real timesaver - virtually always right first time now.

The cupboards are in two heights and five widths. All the cutting dimensions were calculated on a spreadsheet and the panel cutting optimisation done with SmartCut.


I've got a metal working job to do for someone else tomorrow then it is back to the dayjob. In any spare time I'll be thinking about the doors and buying some more oak to condition ready for the door production line.

Happy new year to all forum members and a special thanks to the Admin team for all their work.

Bob

[mailee]

That looks great Bob but I can't help thinking you are jsut showing off the workshop space you have there using each shelf for one chisel! ;D By the way just what table saw have you got that has a long enough arbour to take a dado set? Looking forward to the rest of the pics.

[9fingers]

Hi Mailee,

As you see I'm not really into hand tools!!. The table saw is an xcaliber 806 10" with 3 horses under the table. The business end of the spindle has a removeable end piece on which the blade mounts and the dado set they supply has a longer version of the endpiece which takes the full stack of blades up to 1 inch or just over.
The end pieces fit into a female taper in the spindle which ensures concentricity when exchanged.

On my previous saw - a Kity - I made a spindle extension to take the Freud dado set. I expect most saws can be modified in various way but it is important that the result is strong enough to handle the dado and runs without imbalance.

Bob

[wizer]

This is just depressing Bob, I had a project planned out for the xmas break and, because of flu, haven't even opened the workshop door. The project was workshop furniture!

I'm just bitter, your cabinets look the bees knees!

Back to work tomorrow for me!

[afterglow]

Nice work Bob, love it. In fact, you've made me wake up to the fact my workshop needs re-planning and then fitting out properly.

Ho hum, far more fun to make stuff for the workshop than the house anyway, but don't mention it to the wife

Cheers,

Lee

[9fingers]

Hi Wizer,

Sorry to hear you've not been well mate! I admit it was a bit of a gloat post but I was not wishing to exacerbate your frustrations.

I had an intense bout of family on Christmas day and mild stern looks as I went into the workshop on Boxing day PM ;D but other than that my workshop time has been pretty good over the period. Also been getting cups of coffee & mince pies delivered in return for turning up in time for meals.
Back to work for me too tomorrow but it is now only 1 year to taking early retirement in Dec 08 when I can devote more time to making sawdust.

[mel]

another tidy workshop thread

love the cabinets
idea already stolen ;D

mel

[engineerone]

looks nice mate, are you sure that the 12mm carcases will be strong enough??

other wise very nice and sensible

paul

[9fingers]

engineerone said:

looks nice mate, are you sure that the 12mm carcases will be strong enough??

other wise very nice and sensible

paul

I'm hoping they will be strong enough. The backs are 12mm ply as well and the back and shelves are let into dados and glued and screwed. Ok so the screws are into ply edge but they ae restrained from slitting by the dados. My main concern was that the front edges of the shelves would droop hence the 40mm stiffners on the fronts.

The main driver for using 12mm Rebound was that I had a whole lot left over from a job so it was essentially free otherwise I would have used 18mm and would have need to buy 6 sheets.

Bob

[thallow]

Aha at last i have my internet connection back - long story

Bob, this depresses me greatly too - having no internet access the last week or so I have rearranged my shed/workshop and was quite pleased with how it looked - then I saw your pics, it looks great, all that space, white walls and organisation - I need a new workshop soooo badly! (stamps feet and throws toys out of pram)

[9fingers]

Sorry to have been the cause of depression amongst readers ( maybe this is why my Karma has reduced in the last few days :-( )

The workshop has been a longtime in the planning which I started building on Boxing day 2005. It is so much easier to paint before fitting out. The paint went on walls and ceiling Christmas 2006 as well as the floor being varnished. Barry's cyclone went in next see s115.photobucket.com/albums/n313/9fingersphotos/?action=view¤t=Mvi_0217.flv
Progress has been a bit slow during 2007 with the day job getting in the way. Other bits and pieces that I've completed have been posted in this forum.
I was determined to make tangible progress this Christmas to try and catch up a bit.
I've only got one more year at work so then I'll be able to spend more time in the shop making sawdust.

Bob

[rich]

Bob, with 3 horses under the table you should call it a stable, do you take a taxi to get to the other end of the workshop?(truth to tell I'm green with envy) anyway from the look of your pics I'd say you'll never be out of work, thanks for letting us see it.
Regards, Rich.

[dom]

Nice place to retire to Bob.

[9fingers]

dom said:

Nice place to retire to Bob.

Possibly in more ways than you first think Dom.

I have a pretty busy day job (non wood!) with typical 11-12 hour days and good group of staff and we had worked together for 25-30 years, which gives me a very distinct work life and home life.
When I retire, swmbo and I will potentially spending 24hrs per day together for the first time in 31 years of living together/marriage.

I think this will take some getting used to!!

Not only will my workshop be a place to continue my hobby and make a few bits to sell if I get good enough but also be a sanctuary away from the boss as we get used to the new way of life.

This is something that I'm mildly apprehensive about and if anyone has been through this and come out the other side I'd welcome so tips!!

Bob

[9fingers]

rich said:

Bob, with 3 horses under the table you should call it a stable, do you take a taxi to get to the other end of the workshop?(truth to tell I'm green with envy) anyway from the look of your pics I'd say you'll never be out of work, thanks for letting us see it.
Regards, Rich.

Rich,
Glad the pics are enjoyed. It has been looking at other peoples workshop threads and Norm that has given me the confidence to get into woodwork and build the shop. . If by posting my attempts back for others to see helps build confidence for others then I'm happy.
If I can teach myself to be good enough to make the odd piece for under commission for others and cover the cost of the wood plus a bit then that is my goal achieved.

Bob

Bob

[evergreen]

Bob

You're right to be making plans for retirement because it's not just a long holiday, as some people seem to think it will be. For many years, I had a job that was all about long hours, high pressure and stress. I've only come to terms with retirement by using a modified work regime at home i.e. still getting up early, having a daily "to do" list, having target dates for completing home projects, etc.

Even so, the element that's missing is the social contact, being part of a team and interacting with the wider world of a workplace. This is a particular risk of having a hobby that's workshop based. Woodworking as a hobby, the very activity that once provided relaxation and distraction from the pressures of the "day job", can become quite isolating if you do it solo for prolonged periods and you no longer have a different day job to counterbalance it.

Only you will know what you feel like inside when you retire but don't be surprised if you feel disorientated. It may sound odd but you'll find yourself missing some of the very people and situations that used to drive you nuts!

After several years of retirement, in which I've had the mixed pain and pleasure of moving house, I'm hoping to get back to working part time in some capacity or other later in 2008. I feel this would be a better balance of life for me.

Regards.

[paulchapman]

9finger said:

When I retire, swmbo and I will potentially spending 24hrs per day together for the first time in 31 years of living together/marriage.

I think this will take some getting used to!!

It will If you spend 24hrs a day together you will soon get on each other's nerves.

Most husbands and wives have different interests and you will both need your own space.

Woodworking can be a quite lonely hobby but I've found that since retiring I've made lots of friends as a result of this and the other forum. I meet up regularly with one or two of them and find that really nice.

One thing to beware of - everyone will think you have nothing to do and, if you are a bit handy, will be forever expecting you to do jobs for them, usually for free. Learn to say "No" and when you say "Yes" tell them how much it will cost.

Good luck

Cheers

Paul

[engineerone]

i echo what paul chapman says, although not retired, when i was a carer people tended to think i was at a loose end at times so were quite happy to have me work for them, but bitched at the prices i wanted to charge.

remember that the work you are doing may well take a job away from someone who does it for a living in which case you should be only a little bit less than them. of course the interesting thing that we all discover is the pro's do the job more quickly, so maybe it evens out

good luck with slowing down without losing the motivation

paul

[9fingers]

Managed to spend most of the weekend in the workshop and as well as a big bag of oak shavings, I now have the component parts for the cupboard doors all built.
A visit to the Timber Mill at Spearywell got £30 worth of oak offcuts which have been drying in the shop for 3 weeks and down to 15% moisture according to my cheapo meter and about the same as other timber that has been in there for months.

Just making simple stile & rail doors with a 6mm oak faced ply field.

Here is one dry fitted together

and the parts ready for another 11 doors.

I'll possibly put some finish on the field before assembly. A job for in the week if I get time.


Getting there slowly but surely!!

Bob

[9fingers]

At last the wall cupboards are finished. last weekend was glue up time for the doors and an hour or so each evening got them varnished and ready to hang.
Now they are finished and ready to organise my stuff.





The knobs are cheapy pine ones and have come out a bit dark. I initially used light oak stain which was hardly visible so I tried medium oak - good job I did not use dark oak.

Now I've got to decide on the next job.

Drawers and Cupboards under the bench
Router table ( wood pecker lift at dollar prices on it's way via a friend from the US)
Stand and outfeed table for the bench top thicknesser
Or perhaps I had better put in proper power wiring - everything is on extension leads at the moment.
Install the intercom to the house so I can order coffee and sandwiches from time to time!

The list goes on........

Bob

[dom]

Nice job Bob.
Put your power in, much safer working, double socket every 4 ft. Trust me you'll be glad of it

[9fingers]

Thanks Dom,

You are probably correct. My priorities were to get the dust collection in roughly where machines would go, then the benches to get off the workmate and then cupboards to get the tools off the benches.
At least now I can see where I want power and where to route it. I did not want to put trunking on the wall and then have to move it out of the way for the cupboards.

Bob

[paulchapman]

They look really nice, Bob.

Cheers

Paul

[modernist]

9finger said:

My priorities were to get the dust collection in roughly where machines would go, .

Bob

You must have a hell of an extractor pulling that lot.

Do you have to allow for static?

[modernist]

Sorry forgot to say v nice cupboards

Brian