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I'm due for a reno. Though my work environment is already in 'improved' mode from iteration the first, it's time to make better use of space, incorporate new tooling, and most importantly, add more CFM and better smaller particulate control.

The little 1hp collector presently installed just ain't cutting it, though it was a marked improvement from the complete lack of dust control before it. I can't believe I spent about 6-8 years using an edge sander in a closed 10x12 room as the primary wood shaping device, with a little triangle Delta air blower as my dust control. I think I spent more time vacuuming than working.

Anyway, here's how it is now.

More or less a pretty decent use of space. From left to right, dust collector, table saw, drill press, de/humidifier, edge sander. But...there's a whole lotta dead space there around and under the bases of the machines. The edge sander in particular is taking up more space than needed, as these days I rarely have need for the full bed. My apprentice (hate that word, I seek to be master of no one) has made pointed remarks about having it in his end of the universe, so it will be so. Less walking is more working.

Still, some of my operations, neck fit especially, and brace making, and neck making, require the use of an edge sander, just not a big one.

Therefore, I need a smaller one. Since there are no commercially available 6x48 edge sanders (Grizzly's failed), I need to make one.

Enter Craftsmen. I've been watching Craigslist for just the right machine. This particular one has the right features. For one, the belt travels in the opposite direction from most. Most have the belt travel away from the motor, whereas this one travels to it.



Took the disc off so the hub will spin below the bench out of harms way. Belt removal will be from on top the bench like a proper sander. Most other sanders would require figuring out how to build a relief in the bench to get the belt off.

So I built a sturdy box to mount the sander to.

Fortunately, my guitars turn out much better than my cabinetry. Honest.

Sander will be attached to the box and somehow the box will be mounted into the new workbench that'll come together over the next little bit.



If anyone knows where to get a good 6x48 edge sander, please, don't tell me, it's too late...

Finally cobbled enough cash together for this...

Well, I've actually had this for two months, just sitting there collecting dust while I busted my hump to get this...

Which is a 5hp oneida V-5000 to clean up after the bandsaw, and generally improve things overall, I hope.

So now my shop is this...

Which is a serious ripple in my tranquility, always fragile to begin with.

So far only one causualty...

I'm sure it'll be fine...

The paint booth is loaded, so I have short window to get this major job done. I've never done ducting before, so I anticipate a number of really educational days ahead. Plus a serious hiccup in cash flow which is dangerous. No operating shop means no income which is sad face. Unless a few deposits come my way which would make me really happy, I won't lie.

Enough for this day, tomorrow is all about insulating and covering the back wall so there's a surface to attach ducts to...

Nice upgrades, I predict you will really like your new Oneida cyclone collector. It made a huge improvement in air quality in my shop! When I installed mine I was surprised at how much work it took to do the ducting. If you have a large shop and easy access to the walls (I have neither in my shop) then your installation should be easier. I still have a few pieces running off of flexible ducting because, as you said no work goes out of the shop when you're working on the shop. I hope it works out well for you.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Yup the Oneida rules. I was ducted at 4" for my old Delta and hooked the Oneida to that. It was a lot better but when I finally upgraded to 6" the result was amazing.
If you bought the remote any power surge or flicker will burn out the sending unit. That is $70+ bucks.
Best to protect it with some kind of surge protector.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

When I recently built a new shop I probably spent 3 days or more dealing with the ducting.
Use spiral ducting if you can. Try one of the HVAC suppliers. You have a Sinclair supply in Surrey, they were very helpful to me when I was buying all the bits.
Once I had the pipes all set I used a paste sealer on all the joints which really helped minimize any suction loss at the connections, but wait until you have it all where you want it because the stuff is fairly permanent.
I am sure you know the basic rules for DC. Maintain the largest diameter for as much of the system as you can. Keep corners to a minimum,use a gate where you can.

B

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My memory is so good, sometimes I remember things that never happened.

Hi folks,

Thanks for the tips. Is there such a thing as a 220v 20 amp surge protector? I did get the remote and would like to not destroy it.

I have, in theory, all the ducting which I bought with the machine (which was an adventure story at the border)...

7" main into 6" drops into 2 x 4" ducts per machine along a 12' wall. I won't pretend I don't wish I had the funds to hire someone else to deal with it while I was fishing instead.

insulation...

poly...

ply...

Now comes the hard part, I'm sure...

For me all it took was any kind of off/on kind of surge where the lights go off for or flicker for a second or two. After the second one blew I went without for a while but the machine is in another room and it was a pain.

An electrician friend put this in and it fixed everything. It cost me around $150 but a lot cheaper than replacing the remote box every time there is a power glitch.

_________________
It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Thanks Terence,

I'll show that to the electrician...

Well, that wasn't very much fun. But it's there. And it's big. A fair amount of real estate that will hopefully be made up else ways...

Are those tops sitting on a concrete floor?!

Yep, a huge pile of discards...

Ed,

How's that Bosch jobsite saw for you? I'm considering switching from a hybrid saw to one like that to save floor space.

Thanks,

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Hi Pat,
If you want to save space you could put your saw on castors so you can wheel it out of the way and build a removable top so you can use it as a bench when you don't need it as a saw.

Same question from me. I've been looking at the Bosch 4100. My table saw lives with a 7 1/4" Diablo blade and occasionally a fret slotting blade so it represents wasted capacity. Clay's suggestion is good and mine already has wheels on it. The problem is the shop is pretty small and there is nowhere to wheel it to.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

The chop saw is a loaner, strictly for the purpose of building the new benches. Not guitar making at all.

I am mounting my tablesaw with heavy duty drawer sliders from Lee Valley. It going to be a awesome, I hope. Tricky mounting DC, but I'll blunder through that at the time.

Stay tuned!

it's just so very large and square footage eating...

but it's hung up and sealed and mostly laid out...

a few more drops to organize tomorrow, once we play Lego with some machines...

Can't wait to put this to bed...

The fun part was assembling and disassembling the collector with all it's blind bolt holes a bunch of times to try to find the perfect layout. Of course, there isn't one, and every way we shove it around there is just barely not enough room for optimization. A touch frustrating but we press on...

Sorry to veer OT.

Clay,

It's already on casters, but even then it takes up too much floor space (I have 220 sq ft, about to become 190 in a new space) for how little I use it. Bosch has a cool base that folds up in seconds, putting the saw on end, taking up about 2 sq ft when it's not in use.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoIMHGCWY30

Pat

_________________
formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

PS, good tip for cutting ductwork...

Forget the tin snips.

I found a fast way. Punch a pilot hole through the seam of the already closed and locked pipe. Enlarge hole with step up bit. You should be able to drill the seam out completely and be left with single layer tin. Stick in your jigsaw and cut away! Easy peasy!

One bench framed in with a DYI edge sander...what a but load of shenanigans. I can't think of any time when I've got so many measurements just plain... wrong. Ah well....
Big block thing to attach sander too...


Fine adjustment things to get sander bed square to table...
Sander in place, now a bit of cleanup to restore sanity..l

bit by bit...

Looking good, Ed! I'll bet it's a lot brighter with the ply on the walls and the ducting to reflect the light.

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

The tablesaw sliders are in...

On to dust collection. About 1500 CFM into a 4" and 2.5" split.

Building a hopper for the tablesaw...

Now add saw...

Which slides out...

Now on to making the bandsaw table coplanar with the bench behind it. That's one of the goals of this project, to have all benches be coplanar with eachother. Tomorrow's worry...

Looking good there Ed! One thing though, you're going to get really tired of dumping that small bin under your cyclone..... No way you can raise the collector up at all and get a 35gal drum under there? You could rotate the blower and add an elbow down to the cyclone. That way you could raise the cyclone up close to the ceiling and get a larger drum under for collection.

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