New Shop and Bench

[Col. Batguano]

:thumbsup: Patience, time, and desire are the most important qualities in a ML'er build. Comfort and an ability to see are the most important in doing quality work. Right after that, a secure way to hold your work at angles and heights that are comfortable to do relaxed work. After that, the right tools, and an ability to sharpen them.

 

[sean30ber]

Took a brake from the Hawken, Dad came up from Tucson and helped me get her framed and the door in. Lots of room inside. This is going to be nice.

 

[necchi]

Maybe put a single pane window in that wall so you can see who's poking their nose in through the garage or steppin out of the house to holler at chya`.

 

[sean30ber]

Working more this weekend. Figured since the Goddess said I could build it if I gave her shelving on the outside, I would make her happy and give her shelving before I finished the inside. I did picked up a Honeywell 10,000 BTU portable AC unit for the shop. Should keep it nice and cool in the Arizona summer. Was going to run the house AC out to it but code wont allow. I forgot all about returns and Carbon Monoxide. Bad idea. So portable will be the way to go.

The bench was measured out and it looks like a 24 inch wide by ceiling tall cabinet will go in the corner then a 10 ft bench at a comfortable standing height, then drop down to a seated height bench dedicated for reloading. Cabinets above and peg board for essentials. That will give me the 8 footer I have now plus all that on the other side.





Primed for shelves

 

[sean30ber]

Next, drywall and build the bench.






Was 90 in the shop when I started. dropped to 78 then this after the insulation. Honeywell, I love you. Be able to work on guns all summer.

 

[Tinker2]

Needs more electric outlets

Looks good, I’m enjoying the pictures of your progress.


William Alexander

 

[kaintuck]

Never big enough...... :grin:

Nice work...SOMEday I will build a shop, still in the 1st one with a ornery ol tom cat. I'm proud to say I have my 2nd vise, and will redo the bench for a two vise setup..... :bow:
I dream of a small log cabin with a hefty bench....SOMEday.....

 

[sean30ber]

Bench is going to be made out of 4x4s and 2x6s. Top will be 2x6s butted side by side with a thick birch plywood on top, glued and screwed, then a couple coats of urethane. I want to order this vise but its always back ordered from Garrett Wade.



Bench will be identicle to this one. The 2x6s on side, butted glued and screwed with the birch top make a tough, heavy bench. Little hard wood molding around the edge.

 

[sean30ber]

Was thinking a small bench anvil to work wire and small parts down at the end of the bench. Something like this.

 

[stuartg]

Looks like a nice set-up. I ordered that same vise from Garrett Wade, which comes with the extra arm. But it's back ordered until 4/28. The funny thing, I put in my cart and proceeded to check out until I saw the back order notice. I exited out of the screen and went about my day. The next day I get an email from Garrett Wade giving me free shipping if I placed the order...shipping was $20. Not bad, so I pulled the trigger!

 

[ord sgt]

Try Brownells website. They have topnotch tools for building firearms.

I have two vices on my bench. One is a woodworkers vices and the other is a 4 inch wide combination vice. That one swivels and rotates in all directions. With the woodworkers vice, I drilled holes for the bench dogs.

 

[mccarthy.tf]

You don't need the whole fridge in there, just a tap. My shop plans include a tap run from the bar to the shop.

 

[30coupe]

You need to extend that wall three feet. Fridge needs to be on the shop side. :haha:

Just what I was thinking! :thumbsup:

 

[30coupe]

Was thinking a small bench anvil to work wire and small parts down at the end of the bench. Something like this.

I'd like to find or make an anvil like that too. Whatever size you make your shop, you will soon find it too small. My shop is about 13'x20' and I am constantly rearranging to try to make the space more usable. If you have one bench attached to the wall, I'd make one of them movable. The stationary one probably gets half the use. Like the others have said, the older I get the more light I seem to need especially for any kind of close work. I use my shop for furniture building as well as gun work, so I probably need more room than you do...the table saw takes up a lot of room, but it is a necessity for me. I hope to get a shop built at my acreage this summer, which will give me MUCH more room. Good luck with your project. You will love the overhead door. My home shop is in my basement...sheets of plywood are a hoot...not. :td:

 

[dikman]

That anvil has obviously been cut from a lump of railway track (I made one many years ago, it took an awful lot of grinding to shape it!).

 

[sean30ber]

OK, Mothers day and the wife wanted to stay at home and be a slug. So be it, its her day and she can vegetate. I got to work on the bench, yeah!! She turned out exactly 12 foot. Off the end Ill drop it down to chair height and go another 5 foot and make that a dedicated reloading station with a nice cabinet over it. Im going to put various cabinets above and make the under bench cabinets also. Any way her are some pics so far. It sturdy.

 

[sean30ber]

Bolted with 7/16 lag screws and 3 inch drywall screws. 2x6 top, 4x4 legs out front. I got a nice piece of Maple 3/4 plywood to screw and glue to the top. then a few coats of poly. Wish the plywood came in 12 foot long sheets, Ill have a butt joint on top.

Not quit as nice as Dave Persons new shop, Certainly don't have the view. "Im Jealous" but it will do. Who wants to look at Saguaro cactus anyway.

 

[sean30ber]

OK, Todays work so far. Maple top and Poplar trim all sanded down and first coat of Spar on it. Ill put another couple coats on. Finish up the front in a couple weeks. Looking at upper cabinets now. Damn vise I want is on back order till August.

 

[sean30ber]

Bench top done. 3 heavy coats of Spar on top, sanded in between. Nice and smooth. For the hell of it, I marked a yard stick, and then 1 foot increments for the length. Never know if Ill use it but I marked it then put on the Spar. Daughter night use it for crafts.

 

[sean30ber]

So after the almost disaster when my daughter of destruction knocked my Hawken over( I caught it)I decided to put in a small rack. I had some left over wood and this was perfect. Lined it with some extra black leather I had for protection. 3 gun only. Then again, thinking of my daughter, I put a leather safety strap on it too.

Everything is just put up temporarily. I have to skim coat the wall and paint the shop.