Sopwith Baby Project

[David Paule]

In your picture it looks like you are planning perimeter tables. It is more useful to have at least one major table that is in the middle of things that is solid enough to stand up to some abuse without shifting. If it's on wheels so much the better. I made one with a replaceable top so that I can change its function readily. But in any case, there will be times when something's in progress and you need to get to all sides of it. This is the table to have the router set-up.

Make the router table into the work bench, so that it's flush with the bench top. There are plates made for that purpose. You can make your own fence, you'll need that. The fence also should be removable, as should the router, and the fence should have a micro-adjust.

The idea behind making it all removable, of course, is to reclaim the bench top when the router isn't in use.

What I like is a table to have the project one, a table for the tools with work space around them, and a third table to use as I see fit. I generally do most of my work on this one, with the others being more dedicated.

Brian Karli prefers an oscillating drum sander and his Jenny website describes that usage well. I don't have any experience with that, but for some things a large disk sander is handy. He makes a good argument for the oscillating drum sander.

You might also want a gas welding rig.

One of the most important tools of all is a drill press. Get a good solid one. More solid is definitely worth it. You'll also need a box of bits, numbered, fractional and lettered. I'd rather have a drill press than a band saw - you'll need a hand drill in any event, and a band saw is more than handy but a drill press is essential. It's the first tool to get.

A digital caliper is an exceedingly handy tool. With your computer skills I hesitate to mention it, but a pad of scratch paper, some pencils and erasers and a calculator, will probably be necessary. Starrett makes a line of scales of various lengths that have fractions on one side (1/64 and 1/32) and decimal on the other (1/10 and 1/100 graduations). With a magnifying glass you can do remarkably precise work.

Good shop lights are very important.

You'll need racks and shelves. Allow a place for raw materials and a place for finished components.

It might be worth having some means of identifying finished components, perhaps a felt-tip pen, perhaps a stamp of some sort.

Make sure that you have electric outlets all around the shop.

The Sopwith is a wood airplane. A good table saw and planer will be essential. I like my Delta ones, somewhere between the contractor grade and the cabinet grade. Get no-kidding really good blades, don't skimp on those. The table saw should have a bomb proof fence and cast iron table extensions.

If you find you need to make a bunch of holes in aluminum, a Whitney punch is worth having, not otherwise.

Have fun!

[hank jarrett]

On the lights, good general light with large Fluorescents for the whole space is needed, but remember to put focused light in for the machines and use incandescents. Fluorescents actually strobe at 60 cycles per second (in the U.S.) and any multiple of 60 will make rotating machines look stopped. It's a real safety hazard and the reason those little focused bulbs are mounted on so many machines.
I also agree on the big table that is movable. No more than 4' wide so you can reach across. More benches are better than less and another movable bench for the router that can be used as an extension for the table saw is great. Nothing like trying to cut a long board on a short saw for excitement.
Hank

[Butch]

Dust collection more expensive than a shop vac is unnecessary and expensive.

12 inch disc sander for use on metal and wood.

Router mounted in it's own cabinet or on the table saw. Get a heavy duty router, not a plunge router, and buy shaper spindle adapter for it. Shop for bits at MLCS.

Nice table saw is an assumption. With a nice aftermarket fence.

Buy every clamp you ever thought you may need, and a few more. Use clamps, not spring clips on wood joints.

Light. And accessible outlets. And a 220v circuit.

I agree with Brian that an oscillating spindle sander is a very flexible tool. Mine has a combination belt sander and I would rather have a dedicated unit.

Buy no motorized tools from Sears.

Floor mounted drill press with a spindle lock.

Spend the money for a nice set of drill bits.

Pete

[brinesharks]

The drill press is a must.

Regarding the router table, what to you intend to do with it? If it's spindling spars, it might be a little light weight (spindle moulder is the tool for the job). If you are doing big pieces you will need to be able to move it around so that you can route big pieces.

A table saw may be useful if you intend to re-saw lumber. Depending on your preference you might find re-sawing is a cost effective way of getting the right size pieces. To go with this approach you would also need a thicknesser. Considering it's mostly soft wood, you don't need industrial duty stuff (although Nick might disagree!).

I thoroughly recommend the US publications 'Shopnotes'. Has great advice on setting up shop, making or choosing tools and developing jigs etc. Really useful in advice on making working in your shop easier and reducing frustration!

You might also consider what hand tools you might need such as spoke shaves, planes, etc. These can cost more than power tools

[j ferguson]

I don't know what you guys are doing about working alone, but I had one very early experience where being able to get an immediate ride to the emergency room was critical.

If you are working at home, you may want to (or have to because of the neighbors) shut yourself up to spare them the noise. It's really good to have someone else able to hear you, even if they hate the noise.

In a small shop you may not like having another person working on some other project, I don't - particularly where table saws, routers, or grinders are involved. I think I work in a bit of a reverie (trance?) where I load up on the drawing details and then reel them off into the workpiece. So it's the distraction and interruptions which are dangerous. I'm easily confused and if a train of thought or action is interrupted, I find myself screwing up.

But do have someone around. This way, you may not have to spend an afternoon with the transmission you thought was going to be easy to remove lying on your chest while you nearly suffocate, or another afternoon crammed up behind a C-210 panel when your back went out, or bleeding to death after you learned that all three blades on a gang mower turn together when you apply the impact wrench to remove the first one.

I care about this so much, when I get back to land, I may try to rent space at the local airport, assuming I can find one that will let me, to set up shop.

I also agree about the table saw. I have to have a crummy one because of space and weight issues on the boat, but I usually can compensate by clamping it down and building temporary fences when I have to do something long. A table saw can be used to build all sorts of temporary fixtures and jigs even if the thing you are building isn't wood. I have lots of time relative to the projects I do, you won't,so get a big heavy saw. I wish I had one.

Lastly, there cannot be too many clamps. I find that nearly every setup I do to make something benefits from more rather than fewer clamps.

[Joe Perkel]

The responses have been productive enough to change a few things, physically as well as logistically.

Incorporation of a router table and workbench.

I was going to buy an off the shelf bench and a separate router table. I'm going to rethink this plan and search for a combined solution, or make one myself. The location against the wall is a given, although a temporary center island would be necessary for float construction. Then out the window and over the roof with the finished product. A tight fit, but already planned for. Table at that point needs to be 10' long.

Drill Press

I have space for a floor mounted band saw or drill press, but not both. My thoughts then are to go with the floor saw and a heavy duty bench model for the window table. I will take Butch's suggestion and stay away from Sears. likely then to use Grizzly products unless someone knows better. I hear everyone on the quality drill bits. Whose catalog is MLCS?

Table Saw

I have one from Sears (oops), but no space for it. It's going to have to be a store it and dig out when needed option. Will wait to see if I have to rip much enough to get a better one.

Lights

Two rows of flourescents then! Hank, thank you for the lesson on strobe cycles,..lesson learned!

Shopnotes

Bryan, I am going to subscribe,...thank you! Very useful information there!

Safety

John, the shop is isolated from the house. Your comments are very valid, I will install a wireless intercom, landline, and first aid kit.

Thanks to all!

[Butch]

MLCS router bit and Katana index

I like the quality and prices at MLCS.

Consider putting wheels on the large tools. Also, if possible, build all cabinets to a standard 30 inch kitchen countertop height. That helps with the infeed/outfeed combinations.
Pete

[Nick]

Hi Joe,

Have been reading this with interest as my workshop is not only small but a bit of a shambles. Your workshop looks similarly space challenged. I may have sent you this pic before but pinched the idea from one of Tony Bingelis’s EAA books. It’s a good way of freeing up bench space elsewhere. It’s easy to make a work island on castors and you can wheel it around as required. I’d go for better quality tools than this next time as well as have worn most of this stuff out. I use the belt sander every day and on my second one.
When this one self destructs I’ll do what I should have done in the first place and get a heavier duty one.



Cheers, Nick

[Joe Perkel]

Originally Posted by Nick

Hi Joe,

Your workshop looks similarly space challenged. I may have sent you this pic before but pinched the idea from one of Tony Bingelis’s EAA books. It’s a good way of freeing up bench space elsewhere. It’s easy to make a work island on castors and you can wheel it around as required.

Cheers, Nick

Nick,

It's miniscule, that's why I needed forum input, I really need to be super practical here.

I may have the Bingelis books in storage, I have to look for them. This island is super practical. I like how the bench top tools are arranged, and I have just the corner for this kind of arrangement.

Considering your results, I don't need to worry about sudden movements. I assume these are in fact locking castors? If not, how are you dealing with that?


Thanks Nick!

[Nick]

Originally Posted by Joe Perkel

I assume these are in fact locking castors? If not, how are you dealing with that?

Yes they're locking castors, but I should have probably used bigger ones. There's a fair bit of weight on there all up, plus stuff stored inside.

Cheers, Nick